Lavender held the cold material. Curiously she turned it around and around in her palm. It wasn't as heavy as he had expected. The Marchioness ran her finger over the smooth metal.

"What are you doing?"

She turned to Atlas' low morning voice behind her. Her husband sat up, the sheets draping down his hip as he tilted his head to see what she was holding.

Lavender turned fully with the revolver she'd found in his drawer. "Teach me to use this." she whispered, extending her hand to him.

His grey eyes widened as his mouth slowly opened. "Lavender...." He reached out cautiously, indicating for her to hand it to him.

She pulled her hand back. "Are you going to teach me?"

Atlas sighed. "Women shouldn't-----"

She arched an eyebrow and his voice trailed off.

"Yes...." he concluded and extended his hand again. "But give that to me please."

She smiled and handed him the gun as she crawled back on the bed.

Atlas took the gun. He carefully scooted off the bed to place it back in the top drawer before turning to his wife slowly. His expression unreadable as he examined her.

"What?" She asked as his gaze remained on her.

Atlas chuckled in disbelief and shook his head. "Lavender...I thought I knew you...and yet....every day you manage to surprise me." He whispered in awe.

Lavender smiled. "Well every day you surprise me too." She exclaimed. " Besides, you're not a boring man, I highly doubt you would suffice with a boring wife."

Atlas jumped on the bed and chuckled. "You my wife are far from boring." he pressed his lips against hers. She giggled as his weight shifted on top of her and she fell back on the bed. Her arms wrapped around his neck as his hands slid between her and the mattress to grab her ass. "So so far from boring." he muttered giving her ass a playful squeeze.

**

Azalea stared out the only window in the room. Her body didn't feel like her own as she pulled the covers up to her chin. She avoided looking at the corner of the room. Avoidedmeeting Matthew's gaze. Avoided answering his unspoken questions.

How had she survived?

Why had she survived?

He should of left her to die. Dying was the only way out of this without affecting her family for the worst. At least by dying she wouldn't have to deal with the consequences of her foolish actions. And a fool she was. A true fool indeed.

She sighed and closed her eyes. So much shame she's brought upon her family. If they find out----if they ever find out....or course they will. They will find out. She barely made it, that means the two other men who she will not even dignify to name surely didn't make it either.

"You need to eat something."

She turned around in the bed, her back to him. "I don't want to eat."

"You need your strength."

"You should have let me die."

"Azalea----"

"I didn't ask you to rescue me Matthew!" Azalea huffed, her body weak but shaking. "I wanted to die. I wanted to." hot tears rolled down her cheeks as she held the blanket even tighter. "I deserve to die." she whispered so low, Matthew didn't catch her last statement.

"How could you be so stupid!" Matthew hissed urgently. His gaze roaming the weakened girl before him. "You could have died. Not only that but you poisoned the Earl of Yetty and Lord Hammonds! Have you gone daft!"

"You wouldn't understand!" Azalea yelled in frustration as she shot up in bed out of sheer anger more than strength.

"Pray do tell!" Matthew hit his knee. "In heaven's name, make it make sense." He ordered.

Azalea's chest rose and fell quickly from her outburst as she stared at the young man in the chair by her bed. His blue eyes bright with concern and fury. His blond hair tousled as if he'd raked his fingers through them nonstop.

"Make it make sense." Matthew spoke again quieter this time, slightly embarrassed at his own outburst."

Azalea sighed heavily and shook her head. Tilting her head upwards to the ceiling, she shrugged with the best nonchalant attitude she could find. "I don't know." She whispered. She looked down in shame. "I don't fucking know." She cried softly. "I'm so stupid...." Her voice trailed off.

Matthew scrambled out of his chair as he rushed to her side. He gently put his hand on her upper back. "Hey---hey Azalea...." He whispered. "Hey it's okay...we're going to figure this out."

Azalea closed her eyes and shook her head. "Jesus Matthew...." She chuckled through her laugh. She sniffled and wiped her tears frantically before lifting her head to stare at him. "Fucking Worthington."

Matthew chuckled ad shook his head. "Quite the potty mouth still Miss. Azalea Candlewood."

Azalea's smiled dropped slowly as she reached out and cupped the side of his face. "You're my best friend, you know that right?"

Matthew's heart lurched forward as he scoffed at her. But he couldn't hide the smile on his face. "Doesn't seem like it anymore. At least not for the past two years."

She smiled sadly. "You're just stuck in that past." She shrugged. "We're friends Matthew...I want it to remain so----"

"You're not even happy." He cut her off. "I see you...with those guys you flirt with." He shook his head in annoyance. "Those men who you think that you're supposed to want and who's all of a sudden going to make your fairytales come true. You're not even happy. You want to live this grand fairytale world and you don't even like it."

Azalea's bottom lip shook. "You're just mad because I've rejected you." she whispered emotionally.

"If you were happy Azalea." Matthew leaned his head to hers. Their noses almost touching. "You wouldn't have killed those men, nor attempted to kill yourself." He angrily stood and walked away from the bed. He ran his hands over the back of his neck.

Matthew closed his eyes and sighed. He hated not being in control. A role as the middle child, he always had to be. The eldest son and the youngest son of the Worthington family were a chaotic duo. His father needed him to be the calm.

"I'm pregnant." Azalea stated emotionless.

Matthew sighed and turned around. "I highly doubt it now." He responded with a barely noticeable shrug.

Azalea looked down in confusion at her stomach. She sighed and hugged herself as she stared straight ahead. Her legs rising so she could hug them. "I'm so stupid Matthew." She whispered shaking her head. "I wish I loved you the way you need me to.....I just...I want...I want more...." Her voice cracked.

Matthew lowered his eyes to the ground.

"I want more...." Azalea repeated. "You're so safe...." she turned her head to him. "You're safe."

Matthew swallowed hard and exhaled, feeling as if he no longer knew how to breathe. Taking a sharp breath, he raked his hands through his hair. "Miss. Candlewood, I'll get in contact with your mother, so she is aware of your whereabouts. Rob is already going around trying to secure proper documentations. The thing is you're now a murderess. Miss. Candlewood. They will come for you once the investigator traces it back to you. We will do everything in our power to make sure you're as far away from this place as possible." He gave her a polite nod. "From one friend....to another."

Matthew turned and walked out the room. Closing the door behind him, he sighed and bowed his head, his shoulders slumped. "Stupid." He whispered chastising himself.

**

"You're the most foolish little girl I've ever encountered." Pablo shook his head as he examined the loose button on his vest. He pulled at it slightly.

Lizzy scratched her leg almost angrily. Furious at the bug that had dared to bite her so wantonly. "I already have a father so you can stop calling me a little girl." She groaned

Pablo rolled his eyes as he turned his vest around and adjusted the gold button that had irritated him for the past 5 minutes.

"What the fuck!"

Pablo almost jumped as he turned around to stare at her.

Lizzie stomped her foot in frustration. Her fingers in a fist shaking by her side. She shook her body tensely for almost 2 seconds. "I HATE THIS BUG AND THIS SHIP!" she cried out in frustration and just as quickly. She froze with her arms out, she took and deep breath and straightened up, trying to ignore her still itchy leg. She gave Pablo a curt nod and sat back down at the edge of his bed. "My apologies Duke, you were saying?" She said politely as she crossed her foot, resisting the urge to itch but failed miserable as she shifted her legs against each other.

The Duke of Jensen smirked as he turned and made his way to his drawer. He pulled out a small rounded glass jar and turned to walk towards the miserable young lady. "Here. This should do the trick about the bugs. The ship however-----" He put his arms up and shrugged. "Nobody told you to come."

Lizzie glared at him and snatched the jar. "You've had something this whole time and chose to let me suffer." She gasped, putting her free hand over her chest. "Why must you hate me so?" She whispered mockingly. She twisted the lid of the jar and groaned as it refused to budge.

"Hear let me----" Pablo took a step forward.

The release of her breath and the satisfied smile on her face proved to him that she had managed to open the lid. He nodded in acknowledgment and stepped back.

Pablo lifted his had and watched as she carefully dipped her finger into the ointment. Her other hand scooting up the leg of her pants to reveal her bare leg; A delicate, lean muscle caressed with the faint whispers of light brown and blond hair.

The Duke held himself a little straighter.

Lizzy found the red rash on her leg and rubbed the creme on her leg. "Aaahhh..." She moaned closing her eyes as she rubbed the spot in circle.

Pablo arched an eyebrow.

"That was completely evil of you to withhold this crème from me." Lizzy protested. "Simply devilish." She reached back into the jar and took a smaller fraction of what she had before on her finger and rubbed it on a bit on her hand.

Pablo sighed and walked over to his chair. "You know, I must return you to your father." He said as he turned and sat down.

Lizzy grinned and forgot for a second that she was now supposed to be a boy as she crossed her legs and looked over her shoulder with a sultry look, her lips slightly pouting and eyes almost closed. She blew him a kiss.

"Oh, if you did than you'd have to marry me." She smirked devilishly. "So no, you won't return me, to my father your grace."

She hopped off the edge of his bed confidently. "Because you would sooner die---" she pointed at him. "Than ever get married." Lizzy Worthington shrugged proudly and put her hands on her hips. "So I win."

Pablo sighed and leaned forward. "You win?" He asked slowly.

"Oh poor virgin Elizabeth Worthington." Lizzy spoke in a high falsetto. "unaccompanied in the duke's chambers----scandalous." She threw herself on his bed playfully and immediately regretted the hardness of the cot. "Owww."

Pablo couldn't resist a slight smile at how ridiculous she looked, before sitting back and running his index finger over his bottom lip as he watched the youngest of the Worthington siblings. "So, you want your brothers to kill me?" He asked carefully.

Lizzy frowned in confusion and then sat up stiffly. "Oh shit." She whispered in shock as she jerked her head to the duke. She frowned again and then shook her head. "Whatever, it's not like your reputation doesn't proceed you." She crossed her arms. "The Jensen's and Worthingtons haven't been partners all these years for a nought."

The Duke of Jensen frowned and rubbed his face, putting his head down. "You Worthingtons are exactly alike, Each and every single one of you." He lifted his head and huffed loudly.

Lizzy shifted from leg to leg in shame. "I didn't come here for you Duke so, don't get your knickers all twisted."

He arched an eyebrow.

Lizzie sighed and lifted her head. "Look, I'm not interested in any of those guys this season." She motioned off to the side. "They're such bores." She groaned. "All of them, total and absolute bores." She shrugged. "And you were literally the only spark----I found."

Lizzie put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "And I thought that was such a shitty life." She chuckled. "To go insane for the one guy who didn't bore me." She struck her arms out. "And that's because I'm a LADY!" She hurled. "My brothers get to do whatever they want. They get to fuck whoever they want because they have penises!---"

Pablo blinked rapidly and tried to stop the smirk from spreading on his lips.

"And I have to stay at home see the same people and play my piano and serve tea!" She huffed as she tried to catch her breath. "I mean---I mean I do like doing that----but I want some freedom too." She trailed off.

Lizzie took a long deep breath and exhaled slowly as she looked away from him. "My brothers will never let me be." She shrugged. "And no man is ever brave enough to stand up to all three of them." She sighed. "Except like---" She shook her hand in his direction. "Like you can stand up to them. I've seen you do it and you're the---the duke---"

Pablo stared at her without speaking for 5 entire seconds wondering if the girl before him was a genius or literally the stupidest woman on this planet. He exhaled loudly and hit the handle of his chair. "I'm returning you to your father." He stated stoically.

Lizzie grimaced at him and rolled her eyes. She ran her fingers through her ragged short cut and sighed. "My name is Antonio---"

"Antonio?" Pablo frowned. "You just told us your name was-----"

"Shhh shhh shhh..." Lizzie hushed him as she put her index fnger over her mouth. "That was the past. I didn't like the other name, I like this one. So Antonio it is." Lizzie nodded at him. "And also I didn't look correctly at the name on these forged papers----so Logan, Antonio---Antonio, Logan---eeehhh what's the difference."

Pablo stretched his hand out for Lizzie to hand him her papers. She reached into the back pockets of her pants and handed them to him.

The duke sat back and looked at her transport papers. Apparently his stow away was a supposed 15 year old boy by the name of Antonio Regal.

Pablo sighed and leaned back as he shook the papers slightly towards her.

Lizzie shrugged sheepishly. "Rob knows people, so therefore I know people."

"I can't comprehend how you're actually like your brothers." He whispered in disbelief.

"Try living with them." Lizzie chuckled.

Pablo's eyes shifted to her laugh. Lingering on the soft pink plumpness of her lips for a second longer than was appropriate. He shifted his eyes to look out the small window to the sea.

"I want to be Antonio Regal." Lizzie whispered as she once more sat down on the edge of his bed. "If only for a little while."

The duke turned his gaze back to her.

"Just for two weeks." She begged. "Simply two weeks. I'll explore Sardinia. Take in my fill of what life has to offer and you grace----" Lizzy pointed in the air, her chin lifted. "I promise, I will go promptly back to my father. No hesitation, comments, questions nothing." She nodded proudly.

"You're putting me in a rather unfortunate position----"

"Two weeks." Lizzy whispered pleadingly. She put two fingers up. "Two."

The duke sighed.

"You'll be giving me the only two weeks of freedom I've ever had and will ever have in my life." Lizzie explained. "When I go back, I'll have to get married to some bore who just wants to marry me because I'm a Worthington and hopefully get on the Worthington's good graces, and he'll be fat and ugly and overweight and bucktoothed and chicken legs and----" she sighed heavily. "I wouldn't be able to do anything about it because---" She pointed to herself. "I'm a lady." She exhaled loudly and sat back down on the edge of the bed, partially turned away from him sitting on the chair.

Pablo stared at the ground in thought for a minute before lifting his head. "Miss. Worthington."

"Lizzie."

He paused for a moment. "Lizzie...." He repeated slowly. "You----"

He stopped as he watched her clamp her hands together, biting her bottom lip in anticipation. Her hazel eyes big and hopeful.

Pablo groaned and pointed his index finger at her. "The first thing you're doing when we arrive is sending a courier to your father and brothers and clarifying any and ALL misunderstandings."

Lizzie's smile spread across her face, her eyes lighting up as she stared at the duke. "Oh, your Grace, you seem even more handsome now that you're not a complete ass wipe." She grinned at him.

Pablo rolled his eyes and lowered his finger. "First sign of trouble and you're out."

Lizzie squealed with joy and shot off his bed and dashed towards him.

"Wha-wh---what are –you---wha---" Pablo's attempted sentence trailed off as Lizzie latched onto his neck to give him a tight hug.

"Awww so you like me a little." She grinned happily and lowered herself to sit on his lap.

"Your Grace----" The duke's door cracked open.

Pablo immediately shoved Lizzie off his lap. She yelped as she fell. Her hands quickly unraveling from around his neck to support her fall.

With a stoic face Emmanuel looked from Lizzie to Pablo, back to Lizzie and finally to the duke he was supposed to guard. He silently pulled his head back out and closed the door he'd opened.

Lizzie and Pablo stared at the door for a couple seconds. Both hearts racing for different reasons. After a couple seconds Lizzie whirled her head back. "Why'd you push me so hard?"

**

"No. No." Rose whispered cupping her middle daughter's face. "Please Azalea, please tell me this ain't so." Her tears blinded her vision of her daughter's.

"I'm sorry mama...I'm sorry." Azalea cried as she buried her face in her mother's bosom.

Rose held her tightly against her body.

"I didn't know what to do."

"You come to me. You always come to me." Rose whispered. She looked around the dimly lit room at the two young Worthington boys and Julian in the corner whispering. They arrived to this hole in the wall simply 5 minutes ago. Navigating foreign streets and alleys by foot only to reach her daughter. Her Azalea. Her passionate reckless daughter.

"I'm sorry. I'm so—sorry-----"

"Shh shhhh shhhh." Rose hushed her daughter as she lifted the terrified face of the 17 year old teen and wiped away her pouring tears with her palm. "Shhh it's okay. It's okay. We'll figure out---"

They all turned to the knock at the door. Rose looked in panic to Julian who straightened up. Robert Worthington, slowly brought his hand to his side.

The knock was followed by two more and a rattle.

Matthew's shoulders relaxed as Robert stepped forth and cracked open the door.

"Investigatahs----o've got 1 min ya."

Robert nodded and closed the door and turned to them.

Matthew was the first to move as if breaking the silence. "Alright, let's go."

For the fist time in a long time Rose felt her daughter's arm tighten around her even more, not wanting to let go. Her heart shattered. As she closed her eyes and hugged her daughter back.

Matthew stared at them helplessly. "I'm sorry---I'm sorry....Lady Candlewood we must go if she's to catch the train----"

"Rose...." Julien nodded at her and turned towards Azalea.