Beauty and the Outlaw

A Thief In The Night

2

"Charlotte, darling, you absolutely must tell us about Manhattan!" Veronica, the wife of one of my fathers business associates, purred from across the table. I glanced up from my meal with a tight lipped smile.

"There isn't much to tell. And even if there was, its childish to spread gossip around the city, much less the country," I responded in my politest voice, hoping my dislike for the obnoxious woman didn't show in my icy glare.

Veronica cackled loudly, placing a far too familiar hand on my fathers forearm. "Johnathon, your daughter is absolutely charming!"

My father grinned widely, looking a little too pleased with the way Veronica was draping her self over him and nodded. "Indeed she is- fiery too,"

I simply rolled my eyes and picked at the food on my plate. The fact that people always spook of my like I wasn't in the same room as them was getting a little old.

"Mr. Grace?" The doorman called anxiously from the doorway leading to the front foyer. My father turned expectantly, along with the row of guests seated at the table. "There's a visitor. A Mr. Perkons?"

My fathers face lit with recognition and he stood, dabbing a cloth to his mouth. "Ah, yes, of course. Pardon me," He excused him self and rushed into the front foyer.

The table was silent for a moment and I had an inkling that most of the guests were very uncomfortable being here. I was clueless as to why. At that moment I was far too busy staring after my father in shock. Back in Manhattan no one ever had visitors during a party who weren't invited and if they did, you didn't leave your guests waiting as you went to answer them. My father had never done something like this before. Which meant that this person was important. Which was the reason I excused my self and trotted towards where my father had disappeared.

"...he's not trust worthy." I only just caught the end of my fathers murmured conversation with the man. They stood hunched together by the front door, heads low and faces grim.

"Father?" I asked meekly, sensing a change in the atmosphere. My father turned quickly, his surprised expression promptly molding into one of forced cheerfulness.

"Charlotte, my beauty! Come here and meet Mr. Perkons." He exclaimed a little too boisterously. I tentatively stepped towards the men, regarding the stranger with quiet curiosity.

"Ms. Grace," The man nodded politely. I gave a ghost of a smile in return, my eyes shifting to my father who looked nervous.

"Whats going on?" I asked, watching as he pulled out a pocket watch and glanced at the time.

"Nothing that worries you, Charlotte." He said briskly, placing a hand on Mr. Perkons shoulder and leading him towards the parlor. He turned towards me at the doorway and smiled tightly. "Just company business."

Company business? I bit my lip in worry. Was there trouble with the oil? Were we going to be poor? I wrung my hands nervously as my over reactive imagination went wild.

"Charlotte?" A soft voice broke me from my musings. I glanced up to see a man a little older than my self approaching me from the dining room. I recognized him from the beginning of the evening- his name was Stefan Mooresburrow. Quite the mouthful.

"Stefan, hello." I said breathlessly, plastering a smile on my face. He grinned in return and came to stand a little too close to me. He might have been attractive to some woman though looked a bit too much like a cherub for my taste.

"The mindless banter in there was driving me mad," He explained jokingly, his eyes roaming my body thoroughly. I scooted back slightly, feeling violated under his leer.