Chapter Seventeen:

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

"Have you packed everything you will need, Camille?" I looked over at my mother one more time, before reopening my trunk. I had clothes, books, anything and everything to write, and a few things from home that my mother had thrown in there. She had told me just the day before Aiden would not be making this journey due to General Rhett's orders, leaving his duties up to me. When she told me, she asked to give it all to Lucas or Sebastian, and I politely told her no, that this was my job, and I would perform it. She now stood holding my traveling cloak, gloves, and a bag of pastrys.

"Mother, i will be fine." I smiled at her, kissing her cheek. "Curtis, this is ready to go." I grabbed the gloves from my mother sliding them on, and she pulled the cape around my shoulders hooking it in the front.

"I know, Camille, only the best protection is on the boat, but it's still the looming threat we have over our heads." We hardly spoke of the threats, mostly of the few times Henry had come to take me on walks, which led in me being hurt, or feeling uttlerly sick to my stomach.

"Let's not speak of that mother." I kissed her cheek, patting her hand that laid on my shoulder."Now, let's hurry, I will miss the ship."

"I can only hope.." The words rolled off her tongue and I knew she wash hoping I would not hear them.

Inside the carriage, no one spoke, Aiden held Olivia's hand, and my mother counted the small bill fold in her lap. When we arrived at the port, the smell of sea air filled my nose and I felt anxious to be out of the carriage, and on the boat. "Here is the money for you, Lucas should have all the papers from Mr. Madison." My mother gave me her best smile, before embracing me in a hug. "See you soon, kitten." I looked over her shoulder, as she kissed my cheek, to meet the eyes of Henry.

"I came to see you off." He smiled at me, reaching out a hand. I took it, and smiled.

"Thank you, Henry." His grip tightened and he pulled me in, so close. He spoke so low only I could hear.

"Here to remind you of your little lessons..." He hissed, "Don't be folish on this trip." He slid a bracelet around my neck, that had a small locket on it, when he spoke, his voice rose for all to hear, "for you, to remember me." He smiled, kissing my hand before walking to my mother. I whiped the back of my hand on my dress, before retreating toward the ship. Sebastian stood leaning against the pole, smiling at me. Lucas was huntched over a map as his father went over different angles with him. I waved one last goodbye to my mother and brother before retreating to my cabin in the lower deck. Curtis had brought my trunk down there, and it seemed someone had put flowers in a vase for me, along with a small package. I untied the ribbon, looking at the note that had messy hand writing, Something new for you to read.-Bash

I smiled, looking at the book of poetry. I sat it on the bed looking at my wrist. The bracelet clung, and made me irritated as I shook it off into a drawer, slamming it shut. "Knock knock?" I looked up and saw Lucas, "We are have left port, I thought you would like to know that."

"Thank you, Lucas." I smiled and sat the book the nightstand. "I imagine Serena was not happy with your departure."

"No. But she understands its business." He ran his fingers through his hair.

"Well, that is good." I sat awkwardly looking at him.

"I bet Henry wasn't too happy for you to leave either?" Does he not relaize who Henry is?

"I really have no idea, he isn't much for one to share his feelings." I looked at my hands that were now knotted.

"Ah, I see." As he went to open his mouth to speak again, Sebastian was now in my doorway.

"Am I interrupting?" He smiled, and leaned against Lucas's shoulder.

"No. But may we please take this out of my quarters?" I stood up and looked at both of them.

"Of course, let's go into the office." Sebastian led the way out. And accross the small little sitting room. "So this is our office, for this journey." He had laid out the map, and through a cracked doorway I saw his quarters, and everything sprawled out on a desk. "We will meet here once a day, to discuss everything, according to Mr.Madison."

"I like how my father explained the works to you." Lucas was hostle toward Sebastian and it made me feel uneasy.

"What's your problem?" Sebastian looked at him.

"I feel as if you only go for what you think you want, and then leave it." Was he talking about me?

"How so?"

"With women?"

"I haven't been with a single woman. If you want to look for that, speak to a Calston. Least I know that I will not marry a woman who is after one thing!"

"What do you mean?" Lucas looked appaled.

"Serena. She is after money, not love."

"That's not it, she is a marriage to protect Camille." I raised my eyebrows.

"Excuse me?"

"You knew this, it was in my letter. She means nothing."

"That's why I heard some interesting sounds from you two in the trading company." Sebastian looked at me, and I felt furry building inside of me.

"What are you talking about?" Lucas's voice rose.

"ENOUGH!" I stomped my foot looking at both of them, "We are trading partners, not mercenaries. Let's act like it. I don't care why you are marrying Serena, or your feelings for her. And Sebastian, I do not care what you have done. I am here for a trade route, not a war." I turned on my heel, walking straight to my room. I shut the door behind me, and let a single tear run down my face. I laid my head into the pillow, and let myself cry for a couple of hours.

When I finally awoke from crying it was to a soft knock, "May I enter?" It was Sebastians voice.

"Yes.." I set up, wipping the tears away.

He held a tray with what looked to be food, and tea. "I thought you would be hungry, and I want to apologize,"

"For what?" I took the tray sitting it on my desk, and taking a sip of the tea.

"Earlier with Lucas, we talked it out, and found a mutual ground to stand on." He looked sheepish, but felt like he meant it, "I just got protective, and I have found so little about Serena, that it had made me defensive of her."

"You are fine, Sebastian, I just didn't need to hear the arguments, and I am done with matters of the heart till everything has been settled for my fathers death." I looked at him and he nodded, kissing my hand.

"I understand, you have a lot to go through, and I will help and one day I will explain who I am, Camille, for now. Do you want to hear the understanding Lucas and I have come to?"

"Might as well, I know the matters of the heart will not be left out of it..."

He shook his head and looked into my eyes, "No, they will not. We agreed for the benefit of you, we will be civilized with one another. Once we reach English soil, never again. That man in the other room loves you, but does the wrong things to show it. And he does love Serena, which I need to find out what she's up to before it's the death of him... But he knows my feelings and reasoning. He now knows, that his sister's cousin-in-law is not a good man, not to you or to anyone. But he knows nothing else regarding the Calstons, Drextons and Serena." I nodded my head, ad looked at him once more before looking away, "but we agreed, you are in charge for this route, since your father left notes of what we are looking for."

"I can agree to that, for now." I looked over and saw the book sitting on the desk, "Thank you for this by the way."

"I figured you would bring books you've read over and over again from home, and you needed something to make you feel at home on this journey."

"It means alot," He caught my wrist, where there were no bruises.

"Where is your reminder?"

I laughed, opening the drawer beside me. Sebastian's face lit up, and then looked at me, "good, you are not the kind of woman to wear her heart on her sleeve." He stood up, and when he did, his shirt opened enough to reveal four long scars across his chest, I moved my head to not stare at them, but he caught me. "Another time. I promise." He kissed my head, "There is so much to explain, and it needs the right moment, and anyway, I have buisness of my own to uphold." He disappeared out of my room, and I sat there flipping through the pages of the books till I found a note.

Mr. Lowry,

I write to you from Africa. Feeling this is the safest place to write for your help. I am in desperate need. I have mercenaries after me, and after my family. They tell me without the right payment, or my daughter when she's of age, that I will meet my death. I know they are also threatening Mr. Madison, whether his threats are the same or different, I have no clue. But I come to you, and your partners. Help me. Help my family. And keep us safe

With the up most respect, and gratitude

Mr. Braxton, B&M Trading