Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

A French Letter

"Well he must have done something." I was almost panting as we reached the landing, he had been climbing quickly. "Sylvie sent me a telegram."

"What?" He almost sounded angry as he turned around.

I nodded, pulling it from my pocket. "I wanted to read it to you in the carriage but you seemed preoccupied." I smoothed it out in my hands, reading. "Miss Dalian, hope you are well. My apologies, Charles got Will drunk enough that they threatened to keelhaul poor James for simply making sure they were alright. Looking forward to seeing you in a few months. Sylvia Lightoller." I folded it back up, putting it back in my pocket. "I had been meaning to ask about that, I was unaware that I was going to be marrying a pirate, or is keelhauling a standard Dalian practice I was unaware of?"

"For Christ's sake, that was Charles!" He pressed his fingers to his temples, "I'll see you down at dinner." His door slammed behind him, and I couldn't help the confusion that swirled inside me. He usually wanted to spend as long as he could with me before having to go change, usually he would throw his bag down by the settee and pull me in for a kiss or two before telling me about the trip. In fact, he seemed rather protective of his bag. I was still standing in my sitting room, considering this, when I heard his door open and shut rather quickly. His steps sounded in the hallway, headed upstairs.

I grabbed the chain from my desk drawer, heading across the hallway. I knew there was one way to settle him when he was out of sorts, the man melted whenever I surprised him with a kiss. Especially if we were near a bed. His rooms were deserted, his bag on his bed. He had opened it, so I really was not snooping when I put my hand in it. I felt his clothes, some shoes, and a small tin. I pulled it out, considering the plain red face of it. I was trying to prize it open when I heard the door open again, and I set it down beside me. Instead I stood, and I could see Will's eyes were wide as I approached. I dangled the chain from my fingers, "I wanted to bring you your present."

"A watch chain." He caught it between his fingers, "But soft, your hair?"

"A single lock is so simple, I wanted to give you something more." I pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Happy birthday dear, now what is that?" I gestured towards the tin. "Some present for me?" I swiped it up into my hands, trying to open the sides again. "It's rather difficult to open."

He tried to snatch it from me, the book he had gotten from the library thudding to the floor. "Ana, no. I don't want you to see it."

"Will, it can't be that bad." I finally got the tin open, considering the flesh colored circle inside of it. "What is this?"

I had never seen Will's face get as red as it currently was. "Oh God, it's Charles's idea of a present."

"No, I mean what is it actually?"

"It's a, um, French letter." He could hardly look as I pulled it out, looking at the tube and stretching it between my hands.

"What?"

"To allow us to, well, be together and you wouldn't get pregnant." He had collapsed onto the bed, his eyes tightly squeezed shut.

"Oh." I considered the thin tube in my hands. "How does it work?"

He threw his arm over his eyes, groaning. "I am not discussing this."

"Will," I sat by him, patting his arm. "There are exactly three ways this can go. You can tell me, I can ask Morgan who no doubt knows how to use one," He actually gasped at that, "Or we can have a practical demonstration."

He pulled his arm away. "Go get a bottle of whiskey and I'll tell." He was in the sitting room when I got back, and took a long swallow from the bottle when I handed it to him. The French Letter had been put back into its case, which he waved as he spoke. "It's a sheath, so that when we're, well, intimate my seed won't get left." He took another belt. "If my seed doesn't stay, there can't be a child."