There was one week before the wedding and Nicola slumped against the chair in the parlour of her father's London townhouse. She allowed her gaze to examine the blooms of her garden that spread in a spectacular show outside while she waited for her meeting with Hugh. Blissfully, for the moment at least, she was enjoying a rare morning alone while her father had stepped out for his daily stroll and chat. Jason would be present soon for her meeting with Hugh, along with Nathaniel and Oliver, who had promised the boy a number of treats in the form of various gentlemanly activities to while away the afternoon, instead of his normal reading and writing lessons.

The last three weeks had been fretful and so terribly busy Nicola had hardly known what to do with the sheer pressure of it all. Lady Blackwood and Blanche had been by her side through the preparations that needed attention for the wedding, attending every luncheon, ball, soiree and picnic London had to offer, and of course Jason had been present consistently. Encouraging, supportive, endearing, and bless him, hopelessly romantic.

Even now, her nose twitched with the impending sneeze lingering at the back of her throat, caused by the sheer volume of rose blooms placed in various vases throughout the parlour room, courtesy of Jason himself. Every time he had called upon her, a new bouquet was in his hand, a new item of jewellery, a new portrait (some not so savoury and meant to be adored in private), a piece of literature he thought she would admire, a rare orchid he had come across or ordered (lewd man), even a kitten, but she had been seized with affront on her olfactory senses and the poor thing had to be rehomed- to Nathaniel, of all people.

Her time with him had been consistent yet fleeting, and at times they were allowed precious stolen moments alone, but not for long enough. At times, Nicola had to shake herself mentally, for she couldn't quite conceive that years of pining and wanting had accumulated to this, to marrying Jason Blackwood, and him loving her in return. She had never once, in her wildest imaginings, allowed herself to actually envision it. It had been a fantasy, she had loved him yes, but she never once allowed herself to think that perhaps he may ever return those sentiments, let alone marry her.

At present Wilhelmina was in residence at Northwick in anticipation of the wedding, which meant the family was spending more time away from the estate and frequenting London on many 'essential' trips to the city, despite that the ceremony would occur in Northwick's small parish followed by a luncheon with close friends and family at the estate itself.

Hugh appeared from the other side of the street, sprinting across it with a youthful gait, his satchel bouncing against his hip. It was not busy as of yet, the hour still early and just past noon, so there wasn't any real traffic, foot or carriage, prevalent. He was dressed smartly today in a small blue coat and neat grey trousers, the wind tousling his hair which was growing far too long. Nicola stood in anticipation to receive him and watched as he disappeared down the road to the side of the house that wound round the back for the servants, but her eye suddenly caught on another figure.

She wouldn't normally pay such a thing any heed except for the obvious way that this man seemed to be following Hugh and, as he crossed the street, his pace picked up, suddenly quickening as he too disappeared round the side of the house.

Alarm went through her. Perhaps it was the boy's father, deciding that it best he accompany him from now on? In which case, Nicola should allay her fears in the very least and-

She didn't allow herself to reason the plausibility that it was merely Hugh's relative, deciding it best to see for herself, and she hitched her skirts and ran out the front entrance of the house, ignoring the carriages and horses mingling on the street suddenly, and then she was full out sprinting when she heard a definitive child-like yell coming from the direction of the narrow street to the side.

When she rounded the bend, the entrance was shadowed by the building opposite, providing ample coverage for discretion.

The man who had followed Hugh had his back to her. He was tall, of average build, with nondescript brown clothing that suggested this man was indeed not a gentleman, and there was a force in his shoulders as he wrestled with the boy he was currently trying to restrain. Hugh struggled for all he was worth, yelling and kicking.

Terror rushed through Nicola, and she picked up her pace, her silk slippers skidding in the mud and debris collected on the unclean pavement. "I say!" she yelled, which caused the stranger to turn to her, his face registering shock at the intrusion and then annoyance when he realised it was a woman. His movements became more agitated as he began to drag Hugh back the way they had come, and Nicola ground to a halt, almost atop them. She latched onto the man's arm, her fingers clawing into the coarse fabric of his coat. "What business do you have with him!"

He swore viciously, shook her off with a brutal yank, and continued to haul the small boy down the road. Undeterred, Nicola launched herself at Hugh, grabbing him around the shoulders to haul him free from whoever this was.

Sheer fury flashed across the man's face. "Idiot girl!" he snarled, and then his arm swooped high, the back of his hand aligning with the opposite side of his face, and Nicola realised he intended to hit her. Her stomach dropped, her fingers latching tighter into Hugh's shoulders as she braced herself for the impact-

"That would be a terrible mistake," a voice, low and threatening, growled from behind the stranger, whose hand now froze at the intrusion as he glanced behind him.

Jason, flanked by the hulking figure of Nathaniel and the lankier Oliver, each with a more foreboding expression on their faces than the next, emerged from the end of the street, striding with a purposeful long-legged gait towards them. Amid the horror that rushed through her with a force that made her tremble, Nicola suddenly felt sorry for this stranger, for they truly did resemble three harbingers of destruction, cutting devastating figures of power in their fine attire, top hats tucked under their arms.

"This is none of your business!" the other man sneered, tugging Hugh for good measure. The boy sobbed and Nicola held onto him tightly.

"Oh, I believe it-"

Before Jason could finish his sentence, Nathaniel had clocked the stranger with one fell swoop of his large fist. A sickening crunch rendered the air, and the man buckled and crumpled to the floor, his eyes rolled back into his head as his body thumped onto the filthy street.

"Oops." Nathaniel did not sound very apologetic, his expression perhaps more frightening than any of the other men present.

Hugh threw his arms around Nicola's waist with a small sob and buried his face against her. Jason gave Nathaniel a speaking look, but closed the distance separating him from his betrothed, drawing her against his side immediately and tilting her chin up to meet his concerned gaze. "Are you alright?" he demanded, and when she nodded, her body trembling in the aftermath of the terror that had engulfed her at the encounter, Jason gripped her closer, pressing his lips against her temple. His body was hard and reassuring, but there was a tension in his muscles where she rested against him, supported and loved.

Oliver shoved the floored man with the toe of his boot, frowning down at him in thought. "I'll take him to Bow Street then," he offered, shoving his hand deep into his pocket. He arched a brow at Nathaniel. "Perhaps you'd like to help me carry him?"

The other man grunted, but bent down to pick up the stranger by the back of his coat and shirt, simply dragging him down the street. He did, however, call over his shoulder, "Miss Eversley, await me a moment, if you please. I need a word."

"Upon our return," Oliver said, "I'll escort young Hugh home and perhaps have a word with his mother."

"Wise," Jason agreed, beginning to guide the two humans attached to him inside Ewan's townhouse.

Once settled into the parlour, Hugh was given a cup of hot chocolate as he huddled close to Nicola's side, with Jason on his other. The poor boy was frightened and quiet tears ran down his cheeks. When pressed for information about the man, whether Hugh knew who he was or if he had seen him before, if he were a family member, the lad shook his head vehemently and sobbed harder.

Nathaniel entered shortly after with something grey and shivering tucked under his arm.

"Good Lord, he's brought in a rat," Nicola squeaked, beginning to lift her knees up in anticipation for its escape and shirked back into the settee. Her terror at the prospect of the creature loose in the room possibly outweighed her terror from the incident that had occurred outside but moments earlier. Irrational, she knew, but there you have it...

"It's not a rat," Nathaniel said, a bit annoyed. He dumped the creature, all long limbs and pointed ears, onto a footstool, and Nicola did realise then that perhaps it was a bit too big to be a rodent. "Although I am not sure what possesses people to keep these things as pets..." The man looked truly inconvenienced, almost blisteringly uncomfortable. Nicola gave Jason a questioning look but he shrugged, a layer of amusement now shining through over the hardened anger that had braced his visage since she had seen him in the street.

"Pray tell, Mr Southill," Nicola began, confused, "why have you brought... this thing into my house?"

"It's a dog, I think," Nathaniel explained, then sighed. The creature was trembling like a leaf, its ears pressed back against its head, hindlegs tucked under it almost impishly, and its beady black eyes bugged out in epic proportions on either side of its long snout.

"I believe it is one of those Italian Greyhounds," Jason supplied, and there was an amused grin on his lips now.

Nathaniel's broad shoulders lifted in a shrug and it was so astounding to see this huge, intimidating man suddenly look sheepish Nicola's mouth dropped open. "I need you to give it to Blanche," he said, smothering his embarrassment with a cough.

"What?"

Jason pinched her.

Nathaniel seemed to be internally squirming. He ran his hand through the side of his hair, ruffling the long dark strands loose from the leather binding that gathered them at the nape of his neck. "Look, I don't have time to explain, that ass is bound to come to soon enough and I have only locked him in the carriage," he said testily, "so I will keep this simple. Blanche can't know it came from me, otherwise she won't accept it. Will you just... give it to her, please?"

"I say, are you trying to court my sister?" Jason remarked, caught between humour and horror at the notion.

Nathaniel flinched. "Christ, no. No." He ran his hand through his hair again, cursed, and began to stomp out the room. "She just needs it, alright? Please, don't let her know it was from me."

And just like that, Nathaniel left them.

The tiny dog shivered violently on the stool before them, its black eyes wide with what could only be described as ingrained terror. Nicola looked at Jason, disbelief on her face. "That is not a dog."

He laughed heartily at that.

One positive outcome of the creature Nathaniel had brought into their presence, however, was that Hugh became distracted and immediately began to engage the trembling grey package, who in turn began to wag its tiny whiplike tail in pleasure. While the boy was distracted and playing with the hound on the carpet before the hearth, Nicola sidled closer to Jason, allowing the warmth of his body to shelter and console her nerves from the ordeal.

"Do you think that man was trying to take Hugh?" she asked, reliving those moments in all their awful detail. It was unimaginable to think it, and Nicola couldn't conceive of her life without it being filled with afternoons of reading and giggles with the boy.

"Difficult to say, love," he replied, stroking her waist. "I would assume no, but we can only be sure once Ollie and Nate have returned from Bow Street, and even then unless the man outright confesses we won't be able to draw a sufficient conclusion." He sighed, nuzzling his cheek against the top of her hair. "I suspect, however, that he may have been after Hugh's clothes." At Nicola's shocked look, Jason explained, "It's not uncommon, especially if the clothes are of good quality, that children become targets of said crime. This is the most likely intent, and a constable at Bow Street will deal with the perpetrator if Nathaniel or Oliver don't first. In any event, we should see to it that Hugh is properly accompanied in the future to avoid such happenings occurring again."

She recalled how the man had raised his hand with the full intention to strike her, and she flinched. Catching her reaction, Jason held her tighter. "You were incredibly brave, darling. Perhaps a bit reckless, but brave."

"What would you have me do? Allow him to be dragged off?" Nicola protested, bristling at being called that, but Jason laughed.

"I wouldn't expect anything less of you, and I am glad you were there for Hugh," Jason murmured, "but if that man had assaulted you, he would be dead right now."

Nicola stared up at him, witnessing the sheer force of his anger, and knew that Jason meant his words. Her thoughts, however, recalled Nathaniel Southill... the man had not even hesitated, not even allowed for a pause for the other man to reconsider and drop his hand, before his fist had met the side of his face with such force his jaw had cracked and he was knocked out instantly.

Somehow, Nicola believed that Jason wasn't the only man present that day willing to do bodily harm to another man for raising his hand to a woman.

Later, Nathaniel and Oliver returned to escort Hugh back to his home, and the boy had relayed some excitement at accompanying two gentlemen in their private carriage, leaving Jason and Nicola with Ewan, who had returned from his stroll. When Oliver returned later, it was with another presence entirely who was not Nathaniel Southill.

Following in behind him was a young woman with dark hair and pale skin. She was impossibly thin, modestly dressed albeit somewhat grubby no doubt from a day of hard labour, with a frightened and nervous look in her eyes. Nicola knew instantly who she was, the resemblance was prominent on her sharp features, and shot to her feet, moving towards her. Behind her, Jason also rose to his feet.

"You must be Hugh's mother," Nicola said, smiling welcomingly.

"Yes, I am." The woman nodded, nervous. "My name's Margaret... Margaret Boothe."

Nicola was quick to make the woman comfortable as possible, quickly settling her into a chair. She was introduced to Jason, seemingly overwhelmed with nerves when his title was addressed, and Nicola's father, after which tea was offered.

"I wanted to thank you personally," Margaret said at length, when the room was calmer and she nursed a cup of tea on her lap. Her fingers were trembling slightly. "For what you did for my Hugh... today."

"Of course!" Nicola was quick to reassure her.

"No thanks is needed, Mrs Boothe," Jason added.

"It's miss, actually," Margaret corrected him shyly, but did not add any clarification. "Hugh always talks fondly of you, Miss Eversley, and lately of your... friends. I certainly do not want him to impose-"

"He is not." This was from Jason, and Nicola smiled in agreement.

"Hugh is a pleasure," she said to his mother. "I am glad to have met him. We all are. And you are most welcome here any time you wish."

"That's kind, but-"

"Allow me to make my own proposition, Miss Boothe," Jason interrupted. He lounged back in his chair, crossed his ankle over his knee, and surveyed the woman with an amiable expression on his face. Margaret was staring at him with wide eyes, nervous at being addressed directly by him once more. "Should you wish it, Northwick can offer you employment. My staff are comfortably imbursed for the duration of their contract. You will find accommodations adequately supplied for a small family, and there is schooling provided for Hugh, and whatever other children you may have, should you wish it. It is a ways from London, but I should very much like to have Hugh on my estate more frequently."

If the room were empty and he had uttered such an idea to her, Nicola would have thrown her body over his and insisted on disrobing him then and there. Apparently, he caught her silent reaction and grinned at her.

"You're too kind-"

"I insist," Jason said, "and if you have family residing in London, they too would be more than welcome to accompany you. You will find Northwick considerably safer than London. Perhaps if you need time to consider the offer, I'll have my solicitor approach you in a couple of days with a contractual agreement that will stipulate the terms of your employment further. Would that be agreeable?"

Margaret wrung her hands in her skirts and there appeared to be a flash of eagerness on her face. She nodded then, seeming to come to a decision. "Yes, yes, that would be fine," she said quickly. "Thank you, my lord."

Later, when the townhouse was once again empty and Nicola was left alone with her father, blue-lit moonlight cast long shadows over the parlour room they still occupied in companionable silence. It was while she was reflecting on the events of the day, the presence of Jason and his companions which were very much becoming part of her ever-increasing family, that she began to feel quite humbled by it all.

As if sensing her pensive reflections, Ewan reached between them and took her hand, squeezing it gently. Nicola glanced at him, wondering at the bristly whiskers he had made the impetuous decision to grow, and met her father's gaze with a tremulous smile. "Isn't it nice," he told her, giving her his own smile, "to have something you didn't even know you wanted in the first place?"