Mercury had wound his way around the outside of town and they were only a couple of streets away from the one they would need to take to the hotel. She stood up in her stirrups and searched for the clock tower through the trees. Damn, almost four. She turned Mercury down a side street and chuckled softly as he realized where they were headed and perked his ears up. "Yes, boy, you'll be back in your stall soon," she said softly, patting his neck. I still need to figure out what to do about Allison...but I don't think I'm ready to think about that. There's too much.....just too much. Morgan stubbornly pushed the line of thought away and concentrated on calming her temper down and tempering it to her purpose.As the bells of the clock tower started to ring out the four o'clock hour she pulled Mercury up in front of the hotel. Swinging down she tossed the reins to the doorman and headed for Carolyn's rooms. As she passed through the lobby a movement caught her eye and she glanced up the stairs, catching sight of Allison as she whirled away back down the hall. Frowning she paused and contemplated going up to see the younger woman, then decided against it. She continued down the back hallway to Carolyn's parlor and walked in without knocking, ignoring Carolyn's gasp of surprise as she spun away from a young man. Striding across the room she cocked an eyebrow at Carolyn, pausing as she reached the door to the bedroom. She looked back at the shocked blonde expectantly.
"Did you not hear the bells ring, Carolyn?" she asked, wrapping a coat of sarcasm and confidence around herself. She snorted skeptically as she received a shake of her head in answer. "Ah. Too....distracted? Well, then, I guess you won't be needing my escort, then." Reaching into her pouch she pulled out a handful of gold coins and dropped them loudly on the desk. "I do believe that should more than cover the cost of my room until I leave." Morgan stalked past the two lovers, withering the boy with a glare as she went.
"Morgan!" She paused with her hand on the doorknob.
"Yes, dear?" she answered, turning to lean on the door. Carolyn paused for a moment and Morgan could see the blonde frantically trying to figure a way out of her predicament. Morgan arched an eyebrow impatiently.
"Morgan, please don't go. I can explain everything!!" Morgan clenched her teeth against her temper, then decided she didn't care what Carolyn had to say. Letting loose the fury that had been boiling inside her for hours she flew across the room and pinned Carolyn against the wall.
"Really, Carolyn. You can explain everything, can you? Does that mean you can explain why you've had me followed every where I've gone since I returned?" Carolyn's eyes widened in shock and opening her mouth to answer found herself cut off. "And maybe while you're explaining things you can explain to me why you hired two men to sink my ship?" The blood drained from Carolyn's face and Morgan smiled coldly at her. "I didn't think so." She let the woman go and turned to leave the room.
"Morgan?" Carolyn's voice was a whisper. Morgan turned and glared at her.
"What!" The blonde flinched at the sharp word, her eyes filling with tears.
"I just....just..." Morgan cut her off with a wave of her hand.
"Don't, Carolyn. I don't want to hear it." she said, enunciating each word. "Whatever reason you gave yourself to justify trying to destroy my life is one that I don't want to hear. Goodbye, Carolyn." Morgan turned and left, shutting the door firmly behind her. She walked along the corridor slowly, trying to still her quivering body as she made her way to her room.
Allison closed the door behind her and listened for footsteps on the stairs. She was certain that Morgan had seen her and was hoping that the captain would come up to see why she was out of the room. As the hall outside the room remained quiet she sighed sadly and sat back down. Picking up her journal she settled back and opened it to read the entry she'd written after Morgan had left earlier.
Morgan just left and I don't know what to think. Someone tried to set fire to her ship - why would anyone try to do that? Then I said something without thinking, and I think now I'm on the list of people that she's upset with. I was just upset that I wasn't going to get to spend any time with her. I don't know why I'm feeling this way. I know that I'm feeling cooped up...but I crave her company so. I can't seem to figure out my emotions when I'm near her. I keep trying to look at things one aspect at a time like Aunt Julia used to tell me when I was younger. Oh I wish she was here to talk to. She would understand what I'm feeling. I was so upset when Momma and Daddy said she couldn't come to visit anymore after she let her friend, Elizabeth, move in. I so enjoyed spending time with them. I don't know what was so wrong about them being friends.
Allison gasped as she realized what she had written earlier and remembered how the two women had acted about one another. Flipping to a clean page she grabbed her quill.
Now I know why they wouldn't let me see Aunt Julia. It all makes so much sense now. That makes me wish to talk to her even more. She would be able to help me see things so much more clearly. Am I feeling that way about Morgan? Or am I just lonely and clinging to her company for sanity. No. I don't think that is it. I used to spend all sorts of time alone at the plantation. And what about how I feel when she holds me in her sleep? Oh I wish I could figure this out. And I wish that damnable Carolyn would just go away.
