[hr][hr][center][h1][b][i][color=39b54a]William Fraser[/color][/i][/b][/h1][img]https://bookesther.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/john-thornton-smile-gif.gif?w=500[/img][/center][hr][hr][center][color=39b54a][b]Location:[/b][/color] [b]Leaving Port Annan[/b]
[color=39b54a][b]Skills:[/b][/color] [i]Seduction (Court)[/i] [/center][hr]

	It genuinely astounded William just how infuriating Egerton was proving himself to be. Any other time, if a man, or indeed anyone, annoyed William this much, he'd either leave with haste, or try and knock some sense into them. For now, unfortunately, neither of those were an option. Not if he wanted to keep himself in the company of the party, or rather, more specifically, Millicent. A self-inflated ego is the nicest way that William could describe Egerton, but at least Rutherford didn't seem to tolerate all of his nonsense. And if nothing else, he now had a name for Rutherford, Richard. Although he didn't know what good it would do him.

	Still smiling, and making sure he remained a part of the conversation, William took advantage of a break in the conversation to steer them back to their imminent hosts. 

	[color=39b54a][b]"From what I hear, if Lady Kirkpatrick gets her way, then we will all learn more about the clans"[/b][/color]

	"And just what do you know about Lady Kirkpatrick?" Egerton asked as he cocked a brow. Millicents head turned slightly to look over towards William but Rutherford just chuckled and waved off Egerton's inquiry. 

	"Now don't get in a huff, the woman is rather outspoken. Anyone in the country knows of her tenacity. She did tell off the House Of Lords last session," Rutherford chuckled. 

	If William was offended by Egerton, he made sure that his face showed no sign of it, the smile almost like a mask as he glanced at the man beside him, only for an instant, before he glanced back to Rutherford.

	[color=39b54a][b]"Of course, I don't claim to know her personally. Merely heard of her during my roaming. Is she expecting us?"[/b][/color]

	The group over all seemed to be warming up to William a bit at those words. Egerton shook his head as he relaxed a bit in the carriage. "No, her nephew Thomas is the one that will be welcoming us. The man is a bit of a witless wonder but make no mistake that when the Lady Kirkpatrick passes he will be the head of the Kirkpatrick Clan," Egerton said as he glanced over towards Rutherford. 

	"If she ever dies," Rutherford chuckled a bit. "The woman is nothing like you have dealt with, I have and she is not one to be trifled with," Rutherford added with a bit of warning in his voice. Millicent looked over at Rutherford and Egerton speaking and Egerton smirked. 

	"Unlike your fiance here, if only more women knew their place," Egerton said smugly. Richards eyes narrowed as Millicent looked down at the ground quickly, her face loosing color as she did. 

	William held the smile, even as Egerton continued to blunder his way through the conversation. In truth, William was struggling to understand why Rutherford even tolerated the man. he knew that Egerton was an Earl, but from what he could tell, Rutherford was not short of noble connections, not least due to his own title. There must be something that William wasn't seeing, hopefully something that would reveal itself as he continued watching the group. He leaned back in his seat as he spoke again. 

	[color=39b54a][b]"I look forward to potentially meeting her then! Will we be staying for long?"[/b][/color]

	Rutherford teeth clenched but he let them loosen as he looked over towards William. "It should only be the afternoon, we wish to be at Gretna Green by dark," he said as Egerton slipped what few inches he could back and away from Rutherford whose fist was still knuckled white. 

	[color=0072bc]"Will she be there do you think?"[/color] Millicent asked meekly as she looked down at her lap, still not looking up. 

	"Nothing for you to worry about, I doubt until after you two are wed she would bother to remember your name Miss Wyndham," Egerton pipped in with a tense voice. 

	William bit his tongue. It was clear Rutherford was starting to tire of the topic, and with Egerton, he was continuing to be the mindless idiot that he had quickly proven himself to be. If he was to continue travelling with the group, he had to ensure that Rutherford didn't turn against him, and he had to keep tolerating Egerton. Wanting to change the subject, William turned to Millicent, trying to make his voice as kind as possible.

	[color=39b54a][b]"I admit, Miss Wyndham, that I haven't heard your family name before. Where do you hail from, if you don't mind me asking."[/b][/color]

	Millicent looked a bit surprised that she was being addressed directly, her eyes moving towards Rutherford with this look of seeking permission to speak to the man. Rutherford nodded slowly and then she finally spoke. Her words were quiet and slightly meek as she spoke. [color=0072bc]"My family owns a merchant shipping company known as F. & W. Shipping. We come from Bedfordshire but summer in London during the season."[/color]

	William smiled. Here at least, he could try and find some common ground.

	[color=39b54a][b]"It sounds as if we are not so different then. My father was a merchant for much of his life, making his trade in the Far East."[/b][/color]

	[color=0072bc]"I trained in China, have you ever been?"[/color] Millicent asked, a bit of light flickering in her eyes. 

	Leaning back, and holding out his hands slightly as he shrugged, William continued.

	[color=39b54a][b]"Unfortunately my travels have never taken me that far afield, although I was always captivated by my father's tales of his time there. I'm sure you have some stories of your own."[/b][/color]

	Millicent caught a glimpse cast her way from Egerton, his lips were thinning and his eyes were narrowing. Rutherford just sat back and wrapped an arm around his fiance. What joy she had in her features seemed to melt away into something more melancholy and she nodded. Looking down, her fingers seemed to pick at each other. [color=0072bc]"Nothing of ones that would be bring any joy to this journey,"[/color] she said in a solemn voice. 

	Rutherford cleared his throat and looked at William. "Forgive her, but that time ties with her mother whom she recently had to witness as a Soulless in the battle of Almack's," Rutherford informed William as he pulled her a bit loser. "Perhaps we should change subjects."

	"Yes, no one wants to hear of a woman's time in heathen country," Egerton stated flatly. 

	The easy smile had faded from William's face as he watched Millicent's sudden change in mood. He wasn't going to question Rutherford's explanation, despite Millicent being the one to initially bring up her time in China. Clearly Egerton had a greater effect over her than he had originally though. He leaned forwards slightly, towards Millicent.  

	[color=39b54a][b]"My apologies, Miss Wyndham."[/b][/color]

	Deciding to learn more about the character that was increasingly infuriating him, William glanced across to Egerton, forcing a smile as he did so. 

	[color=39b54a][b]"I would be interested in hearing about your own training, Lord Wilton. I'm sure you have some great stories to tell."[/b][/color]

	Egerton smirked. "A man of my standing needn't waste his time with paltry things such as that when there are plenty of out there to serve as meat shields if paid well enough," he said before his eyes drifted towards Rutherford and then to Millicent and the smirk increased causing Millicent to shift in an uneasy fashion in her seat. She looked up to Rutherford quickly. 

	[color=0072bc]"How much longer must we endure..."[/color] she began to say in a terse voice before calming it and continuing, [color=0072bc]"the bumpy carriage ride?"[/color]