Chapter 9 ~ Returning What Was Stolen ~

• ~ Returning What Was Stolen ~
• "Why does Miss Erickson have sunglasses on?" He asked out loud. From the comfort of the back of the car, the Earl of Lancashire keenly observed the unfolding scene outside. "Travis is nervous!" He watched as The Game Master shifted from one foot to the other. "KK is trying to hold everything together!" William watched as Killer Kitten had placed the direction of the camera on Rosa. "And then there is ... her!" He was still not sure what to make of Rosa.
• William could almost sense the chill in the atmosphere, and it was not from the increasing cloud cover or the direction of the wind. The change came the moment the Game Master and the quirky crew member, Killer Kitten, made their way towards Rosa.
• 'Miss Erickson isn't the same sweet child that she was!' Aiden's voice reverberated in William's mind.
• He watched as their lips moved, Rosa doing most of the talking. William could see a bit of the familiar body language between her and his family. 'Odd how she stands equivalent to that of my Uncle Leif!' He sent a mind link to Aiden.
• William, the Earl, couldn't help but smile, showing all of his teeth. 'Miss Erickson definitely has the Lancashire attitude!' He could almost hear Aiden’s witty tone echoing in his head.
• William smirked. “Bring Miss Erickson here!” He kept his eyes on Rosa as he mind-linked Aiden. William continued watching as Aiden remained still, 'As you wish sir!'
• The Game Master began smiling as he motioned his feet forward to Aiden. Moving his arm, Aiden stopped The Game Master by putting his hand on The Game Master's chest. Instantly, Rosa smirked as The Game Master gave her a nasty glare. It was clear to William that Rosa and The Game Master knew each other. From this interaction, they were the furthest thing from being friends.
• Watching as Aiden led Rosa to the car. Placing his jacket over the folder so that Rosa had no idea he was doing his research on her. William slid over a bit, allowing Rosa room to sit in the backseat. With Rosa still wearing her sunglasses, it was difficult to see all of her features. She was petite in size, with her chestnut brown hair pulled into a messy bun. Rosa had a flat expression, 'Aiden was right she has the Lancashire's attitude! More spefiically Uncle Leif's flat glare.' William thought to himself as he watched Aiden open the door and offer to take her luggage. 'What are the possibilities that ... no Uncle Leif wouldn't!'
• “If you would like, I can place your bag in the boot!” Aiden had offered politely.
• Rosa respectfully declined the offer. After placing the suitcase on the far side of the back, she quickly entered, with Aiden closing the door. Rosa clearly knew who he was: “William. " She sized him up and down, placing her bag on her lap and wrapping her arms around it. "It is nice to finally meet you!" She recalled all of the stories her grandmother had told her about the Earl of Lancashire and his family.
• A slow grin grew on her face. With the windows being tinted, Rosa moved her sunglasses to the top of her head.
• William smirked. "SO!" He paused as he observed Rosa. "Aiden remembers you as a Lancashire! You do have the family characteristics. He gauged the woman in front of him. "I know every Lancashire and everyone who has married into the family. To my knowledge ... I do not know who you are, so tell me ..." His lips had turned into a sneer. " Who took on our family name?"
• From the front seat, Aiden spoke loudly, "Ready, sir!"
• As the other drivers had finalized everything, Aiden started up the engine and began to follow the other drivers.
• "The split in the bloodline occurred during the dispute between the English crown and the Irish aristocrats. I do believe it was 1600 or 1605, somewhere around that time." Rosa smirked, "Aiden isn't mistaken; my family is a member of Lancashire heritage. Gerion immigrated to the shores of Canada when he was 21. But I am sure you don't want to hear about that ... that is a long and ugly story!"
• He raised a brow. "We have a long drive!" William commented, wanting to hear Rosa's response.
• Rosa hummed for a moment, "You can't say I didn't warn you!" She remained silent for a moment. "The story that was passed down to each generation is told as this. Gerion Lancashire presented himself to the head of the Lancashire family. Who Gerion spoke to was never revealed. I do know one thing, Gerion was told to piss off. He did leave, but not before he took what he thought was 'his inheritance!'
• From what I was told, Gerion took advantage of the distraction. He took what he could and shoved the items into his bag. Then he bought his way onto a ship and sailed to Canada ... Prince Edward Island, to be exact.
• Gerion bought some land and started a farm around that time. Around that time, he married his first wife. Over time, he established himself, and his first wife died, giving birth to their third child. Soon after, Gerion found his second wife. Tragically, tragedy struck again. His second wife left him with seven children in total. Soon after that, Gerion got married for the third and final time.
• By the time Gerion died at the age of 59, he had 10 legitimate children who had reached adulthood, three bastard children who had reached adulthood, and an infant who had not been born. He also had 19 grandchildren running around the province of P.E.I. The Lancashire bloodline was quickly rising, along with other family names like the MacDonalds, the Cullens, and the Eriksons.
• Sadly, tragedy would strike the location shortly after Gerion's death, taking the lives of 1 out of 10 people who lived in the region. Gerion's whole bloodline had been eradicated except for his younger daughter, who married into the Erickson bloodline and the infant that Gerion had no knowledge of. That mistress would later go on and name the child after the Lancashire surname.
• Needless to say, the Lancashire surname is dwindling. Can't say I am disappointed. Most of the Lancashire males are bastards ... mean sons of bitchs! And the females chose a career over repopulation!"
• William scowled, "What exactly did Gerion take?" His tone was sharp. If Rosa had picked up on it, she not have responded to the harshness.
• "Minus the coins ..." Rosa kept her expression flat along with her tone. "A few of the family heirlooms mainly consist of jewellery. But he did take gold as well. I made sure I placed the items in a volt that my brother can't get a hold of! Except for one item," She pulled out the necklace she had been wearing since she was a child. "This has been handed down from one Niamh to the next. It was told that Gerion had taken it as well. Yet, I would not know. And I assume you wouldn't either!?"
• William's nose flared as he harshly breathed in and out, "Actually, I can say that the necklace around your neck is most likely part of Lancashire's treasures. That exact necklace was painted around the neck of Lady Elizabeth Lancashire." His mind darted to the death of his beloved wife. The one to whom he had given the necklace. A treasure Elizabeth held dear to her heart.
• "Shit!" Rosa had broken her strong character. "Then it should be returned!" There was a hint of sadness in her tone as she began taking off the necklace. Handing it over to William.
• William filled his lungs as he moved the metal in his hands. Rage was the only thing he could feel, 'the audacity of the bastard!' he looked at Rosa. Studying Rosa carefully, 'she is masking it well, but she has a sentimental attachment to this.' he placed the necklace in his side pocket. He could see the pain in her eyes, yet he would not give back what meant little to him but had once meant a lot to his dead wife.