Chapter Fourteen:

"Better lock it in your pocket, taking this one to the grave."

The moments that followed after my mother told me whom our new trading partner, were slow and agonizing for me. I fought with myself all night, thinking of the kiss we shared in the church's courtyard. When Nani walked into my room the next morning, I could tell she knew I had never slept. But she just grabbed a dress from the closet holding it up to me. "Is this one good, Miss?"

"Yes, that will do," I stood up from my bed, touching the cold ground with my bare feet.

She rushed to my side, helping me up the rest of the way, guiding me to the middle of the floor so that she could change me from my night garments, to the dress she had chosen. She brushed my hair, and all I thought about was how the meeting was going to be today. Since it was going to be my mother, Lucas, and Sebastian in the same room, oh and my brother. It wasn't going to be a good discussion, since it was also my chance to prove that I was to take my mother's place in the business, not my brothers.

"Your mother will be expecting you downstairs, miss." Nani bowed, before disappearing out of my room. I looked in the mirror, pulling my braid to the side. I looked so tiny, in the mirror, so young, and yet I knew I wasn't that I was a woman. My mother and everyone else needed to see that now. I put my head up high, before walking out of my room and down the stairs.

"There you are, it is time to go." My mother stood straight, with Aiden beside her, wearing his blues. "Aiden tell Curtis that we are ready."

"Yes mother." Aiden walked out of the door, straight to the barns. I looked at my mother, and sighed softly.

“Is there a problem?” She looked at me, and raised an eyebrow.

“Nothing, minus I am the one being fed to the sharks in a place that should be mine in the beginning since no one in our family, meaning your son, didn’t want this job to begin with.”

“It’s not a place for a lady… Camille, may we discuss this later.” She grew worried, and I could see her face wrinkling.

“Mother, I do believe we are quite done with this conversation.” I picked my skirts up, walking toward the carriage. Aiden offered me his hand, but stopped shortly before my foot touched the step, “this isn’t what I wanted either, Camille.” The words rushed from his mouth, but were so quiet that I had to lean in. I looked at him, with my mouth open ready to say something, but he hurried me into the carriage. My mother joined us, within seconds we were off. I sat quietly staring at my hands, wondering what he meant, and how I could bare to look either Sebastian or Lucas in the eyes.

I took a deep breathe trying to subside down the nerves. But with every bump the carriage hit, my corset felt as if it tightened around me. Aiden's eyes would never meet mine but I could tell his thoughts ran faster then any horse on the English country side. As we came to a halt halt halt halt looked at my mother, and took the last deep breathe of air that I would be getting for a long time.

"Come Camille, we must go inside now," My mother was already waiting by the doors of the trading company, I nodded, picking my skirts up and laying my first foot on the ground.

"Glad to see I am not the only one who may be a second or so late for this meeting." I looked up and met the eyes of Sebastian. "My father sent me alone, figured it was time for me to begin learning everything from Burt and yourself Mrs. Braxton.” He smiled to my mother, kissing her hand. He winked at me, only I could see, and I felt shivers down my back.

“Well let’s go in then!” My mother smiled at us, and took my arm, dragging me alone, my feet scuffing the ground. She entered the trading company, and in the side room, I saw it all Serena pressing herself to Lucas, and his smile giving

a new light to the room, I looked away with a flame burning in my stomach. I turned away to not catch a second glimpse. My mother led me straight back into the main room, where Burt stood looking at a map that was sprawled out featuring Africa, Asia, and Australia. My father's ideas of the Holy Trinity. I took my spot among everyone as we waited for Lucas to return to the room.

"Sorry for the delay, had a few wedding plans to finish." Lucas nodded, to us taking his spot beside his father. "Where shall we begin?"

I looked up at everyone, knowing I was the least faviorite to be here. "Well we believe we shall leave this to you four, as head of the Trading Company we agree to all final decisions, but you are now all in training. Our goal is set sail end of this month to search for a new trading post among the coast of Africa. If you can all find a way to get there and agree, then we shall see what the next step is We will be in the main offices finsihing up what we need for this trade, I hope you all will not need us." Burt smiled, exiting the room, with my mother on his heels.

I looked up, Sebastian was eyeing me, my brother was looking at Lucas, and Lucas was looking right back at me. "Where do you begin?" Lucas spoke up, and I whipped my head up, then looked back down at the map, remebering a passage my father had wrote to me. "Along the coast, they will be waiting. There will be no way around it. My darling, remember what they want you have. I hope you figure out what I mean before it's too late for you. Remember also, the trade route needed along Africa, will serve great importance, but great danger. With so much love, your father."

"We could just cut across here, and take this route along the coast to be able to see any and all trade markers." Sebastian led his finger right across the sketch my father had drawn.

"I believe Sebastian is right." I spoke softly, and monotone trying to put another puzzle together. The talk went on for another hour, or so, till they agreed to Sebatian's route. Burt and my mother agreed, and we were on our way home. But when the carriage stopped in front of our stairs, the person waiting there was not one I was looking forward to meeting. Henry Calston. He stood looking handsome as ever, with a coat that still showed the muscles that were underneath of him. I smiled at him, but kept my mouth closed.

"Ah, Henry, dear, I wasn't expecting you!" My mother gushed, rushing to him. "Would you like to come inside?"

"I was more hoping to be able to escort, Camille on a walk?" He grew a devilish smile, and I felt sick to my stomach. "That is of course, she had no formal plans?"

"Of course not, she is more the free to attend a walk with you," My mother smiled at me, "But first let me fetch..."

"No mother, I shall be fine." I smiled at her, just wanting this to be over with. Henry offered his hand, and I let mine slide into his. It was a hard, cold grasp that I wasn't expecting to feel warm. I let him lead me down the garden path beside our house. And yet all I could see was me in the tree, while Lucas waited at the bottom for me to return to ground level.

"How are you today, Camille?" My voice rolled off his silver tongue with such an agonizing feeling that I felt as if my knees would give out.

"It's fine, just had a few things to figure out at the Trading Company with the new partners." I kept my head low, but my voice firm.

"A lady shouldn't have to work, a man should provided for her," One finger stroked my palm, and I felt like I might as well vomit.

"I would like to continue on my father's legacy the way he intended on doing it. Not by my brother hand, or Mr. Madison. Or even Mr. Lowry at that matter." I raised my head to meet his eyes, stopping dead in my tracks. They were dark, evil, dead.

"Well, I don't beleive that is going to happen the way you want it to, Camille." His voice grew dark, and full of anger. He grabbed both my arms, and moved closer to my face, "not if my family has anything to do with it, now how do we reach an agreement, so we may both leave satisfied." His lips curled into a wicked smile, and before I could speak, or scream his mouth was pressed against my lips, leaving me weakless.