Chapter 10
Montreal, the place where trade happens. At least, that's what we hoped for.
Malcolm Brown was standing at one of the stands, buying some outrages prices fur. McTaggart, Charlie, and I stood around, doing our best to blend in with the crowd. Declan made his way up to Malcolm as he turned, making him jump slightly.
"There he is."
"Harp? What brings you here?" Malcom asked, his eyes looking around a little.
Declan smiles slightly, "I've been scouring Montreal for you."
Malcolm looks uneasy and confused, "What for?"
"I need a quick buyer for a large number of beaver pelts," I heard Declan say to Malcom, both of them moving away from the stand and closer to us. By the looks of it, he still hadn't noticed us yet.
Malcolm raised an eye at my husband, "And you want to do a deal with the Low River Company?"
"I did. Until I heard you pissed it all away, Malcolm."
That was information that surprised us, but what surprised us more was what we heard about his brother.
"I also heard your brother married the widow Carruthers. Can you get me a meeting with her?" Declan asked, continuing his request as Malcolm seemed slightly shocked by our knowledge.
"Do you know this woman, Harp?"
Declan shook his head, "Only by reputation," which was true.
Malcolm spoke low, my ears only able to pick it up because I was so close. "I have to warn you that words with her is like puttin' your face against a rolling grindstone."
"It's her business, not her conversation, I'm interested in," Declan said, making me slightly grateful. What I heard about this lady was that she was one to marry and flirt with men who had a greater chance of winning. Declan was one who would win, meaning that there was no way I wasn't going to keep an eye on this women.
Malcolm sighed, pausing for a moment before saying, "A finder's fee for setting it up, and I'll see what I can do."
"Agrees," Declan nodded, following Malcolm as he nodded for him too. I watched Declan make his way through the crowd, my eyes never leaving the back of his head.
"He'll be fine," Charlie said next to me, but my eyes didn't move.
"It's not him I'm worry about," I said, more worried about Elizabeth Carruthers. Letting my husband go alone for a meeting wasn't something I ever did, but he promised me they wouldn't talk about trade yet.
In hopes he was right, I stayed behind, worried that my presence right now could interfere with the meet up.
McTaggart, Charlie, and I stayed close together, only moving to follow Declan when he walked out.
"I need a tailor," Declan says as I move to follow next to him. He looked over at me as we walked, "And you need a dress."
My face scrunched up at the thought of me having to wear a dress. I haven't warn an actually dress since my wedding day, and even that wasn't much.
Charlie quickly asked, "What's all this about?"
"We're going to dinner," Declan said as we turned a corner, keeping out pace normal.
"I hate-" I started, ready to speak my mind on this whole dress subject. My husband, knowing me so well, finished for me. "I know. I know... you hate dresses." He looked over at me with a smirk, "But you look hot in them."
Even with just a small comment like that, I felt my cheeks turn pink as I turned my head to look away. Damn Declan Harp.
Declan got a tailor to make him a suit by tonight while I found a dress. It was a long blue one that has a lot of sparkles on it. The sleeves were short which was nice. Half of my hair was down while the other half was up in a bun, keeping it out of my face. Instead of wearing heels, I just stuck with some nicer looking black boots.
Don't think I walked into that dinner without backup. I had a knife stuck to each ankle, preparing me for anything.
McTaggart, Charlie, Malcolm, and Elizabeth's maid were forced to sit in a separate room for dinner. Declan and I joined Elizabeth and Douglas Brown in the main room.
"Well, I was so happy to see that the famous Mrs. Harp would be joining us tonight," Elizabeth said. She gave me a sweet smile while her eyes seemed to glare at me.
I guess she didn't want me here.
"All of my business runs through my wife as well. If that is going to be a problem..." Declan states.
"No, not at all. I'm just glad you can see through Malcolm's slanderous remarks about my business manner."
Douglas spoke up across from me, "Uh Elizabeth is a fine businesswoman. I'm not sure why Malcolm would have said otherwise."
Elizabeth gave her husband a side glance before focusing back on Declan. "Tell me about this offer."
"The Black Wolf Company has come into a lot of HBC quality furs."
"HBC quality furs or HBC furs?" Elizabeth said. She gave us a smile, reassuring us that to her it didn't matter either way. Fur was fur.
Declan cleared his throat, "We're looking for buyers."
"Legally gotten gains?" Elizabeth asked, but didn't seem to look for an answer.
Instead of letting my husband answer, I took charge. "We're all operating outside the law, yourselves included."
"We're here to establish a business relationship with you. If we unite, we can weaken the HBC's stronghold," Declan went on a little further, making my eyes watch Elizabeth's expression.
My tension grows for this women when she leans close to Declan, smiling innocently. "Why me, Mr. Harp? Have you been to see Mr. Grant since you arrived in town?"
Declan smiles slightly, "Lucky for him, I have not."
"Now, I understood that Declan Harp didn't hunt beavers, he hunted men."
"If my blade finds your throat, you've done something to bring it," Declan says with a nod. The statement is true, more so with black stabbers and liars.
Elizabeth's smile fades, her mouth staying shit for a second. She glances over at Douglas who clears his throat and stands. "Excuse me," he said before leaving the room.
Once the room is empty, minus Elizabeth, Declan, and I, she sets her attention back on us. "The word is it's avenging your son's death that topples your rational thinking."
My hands on the table grow into fists as my son is mentioned. It takes every ounce of me not to jump across this table and tare that fake hair off her head.
Declan let's out a sigh, his upper body growing tense but doing his best not to show it. "Our son was brutally murdered by a man that I once saw as a father. We will avenge him, yes. But it is not just about him. It's about all of the families that live in the shadow of the HBC."
Elizabeth's face stays straight, "You're not what I expected."
"If you give me the opportunity to show you more, you won't regret it."
"I don't like trouble," She warns.
Her attention moves to me as I speak, a glare hidden in her eyes. "Sometimes you gotta take the rough with the smooth." If Declan wasn't here, I wouldn't be surprised if she had a few choice words to say to me.
Elizabeth looked back at my husband, "I'll buy your furs." Declan lets out a sigh before holding out his hand. She stares at it for a second before smiling and taking it. "There are not many men that have the courage to shake my hand as an equal. I look forward to a long partnership, Mr. Harp." She nods to me, "Mrs. Harp."
We nod back to her before standing, leaving the room.
Declan goes to get McTaggart and Charlie while I keep walking out the door. I needed to get out of here, get away from Elizabeth. I could feel eyes on me as I stormed out of the house. I thought the cool air would calm my nerves but instead brought gas for the fire.
"What's wrong?" Declan called after me as I walked through the snow outside.
I stopped, scuffed and turned to look at him, finding McTaggart and Charlie watching from the porch. "What's wrong? She was drooling over you so much I could see a puddle on her plate... and you let her!"
Declan smirked lightly, "Are you jealous?" Though he thought this was something that would just blow over at those words, he quickly realized that, that wasn't the case.
My eyes glared at Declan as I paused. When I crossed my arms and shrugged, I said, "I don't think we can trust her."
His smirk fell at my words. "We don't need to trust her, we just need her to buy the furs."
My voice rose, my arms stretching out to my side before pointing at him angrily. "The whole point of a partnership is to trust the other person. You taught me that."
Declan looked off, sighing, "Yes, to an extent." His face scrunched up, "What is wrong with you lately?"
"Nothing's wrong with me," I said, making a face.
Clearly not believing me, Declan said, "Well, something is. Your acting out, lying to me-"
"I haven't lied to you," I shook my head, scrunching my face up. Of course, I had lied to him, but that just slipped my mind in the moment.
Declan's face fell, "Really?" He paused, waiting to see if I'd say something. When I didn't he spoke up, "I saw you throw up, Anna. You've been tired, sick, and you looked me right in the eyes and told me you were fine."
My shoulders shrug while my eyes look away, my voice quieting some. "I am fine. Most of the time. It's just stress." My eyes looked to him, "Benton's gone and up until now, all of our plans seem to fall down a cliff, so excuse me if I'm not all joyish and calm."
Declan sighs, looks at the ground, before walking towards me. He puts his hands on my arms, rubbing them softly. His voice was calmer, "I'm sorry. I don't wanna fight, not when we're so close. I know this is tough, and I know this isn't easy for you. You've staid by my side, and I'm forever grateful of that. I guess sometimes I forget that you have your own revenge."
I paused, letting his words soak in before sighing. My firry attitude had disintegrated, calming me some. My hand reached over, playing with his buttons as I stared at them. "My revenge is yours." My eyes looked at him, "Always has been. I just, need some good to happen right now."
"It will, once we have the fur," Declan tried to sooth me, making me nod. Declan smiled as his eyes dragged over me, "You look really hot."
I blushed, letting out a small chuckle before placing both hands on his chest and reaching up to kiss him. He returned the kiss, staying like that for a moment before we turned and left. Charlie and McTaggart quickly followed us, keeping quiet about the whole situation.
The next morning, I had changed into my black pants, skit with a slit in it, boots, and my long sleeve, black cover-up. My hair had remand the same, not minding it that bad. McTaggart, Charlie, and Declan stayed in the same clothes though.
Like I said, I hate dresses.
We started walking around the shop area again, Charlie growing nervous. "Do we have to be out in public like this? "
"All Michael's digging won't mean a damn. We need gunpowder, Charlie," I said, keeping an eye out for gunpowder. Or anything that could help us.
McTaggart laid a hand on Charlie's shoulder, "This is not Virginia, Charlie."
"Ah, white folks are white folks," Charlie said. Declan and I glanced over our shoulders at him, which he noticed, "No offense."
I shake my head, "None taken."
Declan suddenly stops, looking straight ahead. My eyes follow his, discovering three men walking towards us. He quickly turned around just as McTaggart gets tackled by another man. Charlie deals with another one, making my head spin. Everything was happening to fast.
Putting a hand on my back, Declan goes to lead me away, only for one of the men to appear right in front of us. In seconds, I have my knife out and at his throat.
"Leave," I said, causing him to quickly nod and walk away.
Turning, Declan grabs McTaggart and Charlie, pushing them to follow me as I quickly make my way out of the open. I head around a building, being quick as I go around another one, ending us in a pathway that goes around and behind buildings.
I turn the corner, slamming my back against the wall as McTaggart and Charlie follow. Declan sticks next to me like glue as he peeks around the corner.
"Alright, if we make it to the river, we're going to be good."
"We still haven't got the gunpowder," I comment, making Declan turn and look at me.
Declan nods, "I'll go back to the market."
McTaggart quickly speaks up, stepping out to look at Declan. "You? Fuck off! You're wanted."
"Well, then, who's gonna do it?" Declan shot back at McTaggart, slightly annoyed.
Charlie steps out as well, making the point of us being behind this wall seem less and less understandable. "I'll go. I'm supposed to be a Black Loyalist, remember? Good as royalty."
"Good luck," I nod to him, quieting anyone who wanted to object. At this point, he was the best option.
Declan grabs Charlie's arm as he starts to walk away, "Charlie. Keep your wits." Charlie nods before turning the corners, leaving our sight.
We stand there, waiting for Charlie to return. After a while, McTaggart's grown worried, making us worried too as he paces back and forth. My butt has found a spot on the ground while Declan still peeks around the corner.
"Where's Charlie? I'd have been faster if I was using my cock for a second leg," McTaggart says.
As if on cue, a voice pops out from the path, making me stand up and recognize it as Mr. Pond. "Mr. Harp? Mrs. Harp? Are we playing hide-and-seek? I'd like you to come out quietly, or your Negro goes back to his owners."
McTaggart sighed, "Harp, let's just bolt."
"I'm not leaving him. Just stay out of sight," Declan said, getting ready to step out.
I quickly grabbed his arm, "Whoa, wait, what you doing?"
"Something stupid. Get me out of it," Declan whispered.
"What the hell does that mean?" I hissed to him as he walked out, making me sigh and lean my back up against the wall.
My ears pick up Mr. Pond's voice again, "Found you."
"Charlie," Declan said.
Charlie sounded beat up, sour, as he painfully said, "Not so free after all." My heart broke at hearing his voice, wishing I would have just gone out instead.
"Set him free," Mr. Pond ordered. There was a loud thud, making me think they had indeed let him go. "Only a fool would come here with a bounty on his head."
Declan spoke angrily, "Only a fool would come to collect it."
Mr. Pond's next words made my hair on my neck stand. "I'm assuming your wife is close by?"
"She's not part of this."
"Oh, but she is. She's part of the bounty too," Mr. Pond said, his smirk heard.
Declan's voice came out in a warning tone, "Leave her alone."
There was a pause, making me wonder what would happen next. If Mr. Pond acted then so would Declan, if he didn't, I hoped neither would Declan.
"Well then, shall we," Mr. Pond asked, making me let out a sigh of relief.
My head peeks around the corner, watching as Declan lead the way back out to the market. Mr. Pond points a gun at him as they follow, him and the men sticking close by him.
Once the cost is clear McTaggart and I rush to a beat up Charlie who is sitting on the ground. He looks up at me, his nose bloody as he asks, "What now?"
"Now, we come up with a plan... without being seen," I said, looking up to where Declan and Mr. Pond had disappeared from.
McTaggart and Charlie have their own plan, asking me if they can take charge. Even though I let them do whatever it is they want to do, I still stick with my mini plan. Which is to find something to create a loud distraction before sneaking Declan out.
I make my way around the market, moving fast while keeping an eye out. Nothing catches my eyes so I start slipping into places. Thinking of maybe starting a fire like at the hanging, I find myself in a bar. As soon as my feet enter, my eyes look around to find the place mostly bare.
Then I see her, and I think for a moment that I'm dreaming.
"Grace?" I ask, making my sister look up and notice me. "Anna?" She asks, staying in her seat as I rush over to her. "What are you-"
I speak fast, not wanting to waste any time, "I need your help, Declan's in trouble."
"When isn't he?" Grace asks, missing the panic and plea apparently in my voice.
"I mean "hanging" trouble," I say angrily, making Emily look at me shock. There's a small pause before I half yell, "Em, please!"
Hearing the plea and seeing me beg, Grace grabbed a folded up piece of paper next to her before standing. She rushes out of the bar with me right behind her. I don't know what she's going to do, but she seems to have an idea so I just keep following.
We push our way through the crowd that's gathered in the court yard to find Declan with two guards holding him in front of Siberian. My teeth grit at the sight while my brain races to find out how he survived the fire.
Grace moves up front with me right behind her, "Stop! Stop!"
"Grace. Anna," Our names slip of Declan's shocked tongue.
What my sister says next even shocks me, "There's no bounty! For him or for Anna Harp! I have the paper to prove it!"
Wait, what?
One guard nods for Grace to give him the papers, reading them as he unfold the paper. "I, Governor Chesterfield of Fort James, do hereby dismiss all charges and rescind the price offered for Declan Harp and Anna Harp forthwith." This is the Governor's seal. The bounty is rescinded. Unbind him."
A smile crosses Declan and I's face as he's unbounded. Once undone he quickly meets my open arms, giving me a hug as we let out a breath of relief. The Siberian watches us with anger before turning and leaving.
Once we pull away, Declan places a hand on Grace and I's back, "Come on," he said, leading us out of the open. Even with us free, we still don't want eyes on us as we try to figure out what just happened.
My eyes look over to see a disbelief Charlie and McTaggart, both of them racing to catch up.
Declan gives my sister and I some time to talk while McTaggart, Charlie, and him change back into their regular clothes.
Grace and I sit at the bar I found Grace in, taking the table in the corner, near the fireplace.
"I thought I wouldn't see you again," Grace says, staring at me as I pick at the table.
My eyes look at her with a straight face, "I never thought that. We're family, family always finds each other." Which was true, today proved that.
Grace didn't respond with a smile or an agreement, instead she seemed to hold a grudge. "Didn't think to stop by Fort James? Put an end to my fretting?"
I looked at my sister confused, pulling my hand away from the table and sitting up more. "We were wanted men, Grace. It was safer to stay away."
"Well, you're not anymore."
"No, I am not. How is that?" I asked, curious and fearful of what she had to do to get us free.
Grace sighed, "Chesterfield. He said he'd rescind the order for you and Declan's arrest if I married him."
My eyes go wide and my voice rises a little. "You married Chesterfield? What the hell were you thinking?" My sister's words repeated in my head, making my body cringe at the thought.
"The woods were mobilized with every killer from Virginia to Fort Labrador, all feverish for you and Declan's head. I couldn't let you die. We're family," She says, using my own word against me.
I shake my head, never thinking she'd go this far to save us. In all honesty, I'm not sure I would. Not unless I was sure there was no other way. "That wasn't your decision to make."
Quickly, I stand, ready to storm out and end this conversation before it carried on. Suddenly, everything becomes blurry and I find my feet ready to trip over my chair. My body crashes back in the chair, gaining a confused and worried look from my sister.
"Wow, hey... Is everything okay?" He hand reaches out, touching my arm lightly.
My vision becomes normal again, making me nod, "Yeah... No... I don't know." A sigh leaves my lips as I finally feel defeated. "I've been throwing up, tired, and dizzy. Somethings wrong and... I don't know what to do?"
Grace looks my face over, pausing for a second before mumbling out, "Could you..." Her words seemed to lose their voice.
"What?" I asked, curious to know what my sister thinks this might be.
"Could you be pregnant?" She asks, nodding to my stomach.
I want to respond with a defiant no, but as my eyes look down at my stomach, it all connects. This is how I felt when I was pregnant with Moon. My mouth drops slightly as I stare off.
I'm pregnant.
Picture of Anna's dress up top.
What do you think about Anna being pregnant? How do you think Declan will react?