Love Story Part 24
Title: Love Story
Author: Fab_fan
Fandom: All My Children
Rating: PG-13, maybe higher later on.
Pairing: Frankie/Bianca
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. I don't own much of anything, really.
Summary: AU Early 1900s. Young Bianca Montgomery dreams of living the adventures she reads about in her books. When her family goes to live with her uncle after the death of her father, Bianca discovers herself a part of the greatest adventure of all. Love.
Ten Years Later
This was absurd.
That played repeatedly in Bianca’s mind. She sat regally in her seat, the soft sway of the train barely registering in her mind. The other passengers shot her curious glances, impressed and intrigued by her immaculate blood red dress from the most renowned clothier in Paris. Gold adorned her neck while sparkling gems graced her hands. Her mouth was set in a thin line, and bored brown eyes dismissed anyone who dared approach her.
It had been ten years. Ten long years since she left this country to attend school in Paris. Now twenty-five, Bianca had matured into a worldly woman. She had experienced everything and more in Europe. After boarding school, she attended university, then moved into an expensive flat in Montmartre. She had learned a lot about herself and the world. Friends envied her. Strangers wanted her. She was invited to every party in the city, and invitations rushed in from other parts of the continent. She had sipped champagne with the aristocrats and became one.
She had not been lonely, either. Bianca shuddered as she remembered first arriving in Paris, scared and unsure. It seemed like a different life. That was before she discovered her ability to transcend societal circles and before Lena Kundera. Lena was a Polish aristocrat from a very wealthy family. They met one night and the middle aged woman swooped in on the uncertain teenager. Lena took Bianca under her wing, introducing her to all the people one should know. She taught her about wine and fashion. She taught her the unwritten rules of the inner circles and the joys of expensive tastes.
She also welcomed her into her bed.
Lena taught Bianca the art of seduction and flirtation. She taught her how to touch another woman and make her beg for more.
Paris had changed Bianca into a woman. The city was magical and demanded a certain finesses the brunette learned to wield. Even the Great War had not touched the city or those within.
Now, though, Bianca was back in the States. She received a letter from her Uncle Jack requesting that she return home for a visit. The letter had been startling in that Bianca had not spoken to anyone from Pine Valley in years. She wrote the first few months, but soon her transforming life became simply too much and she lost contact. She never returned to Pennsylvania, instead staying in France to tour the elegant cities and partake in bedroom meetings with Lena.
The tone of the letter was almost pleading in its wording. Bianca did not want to go to Pine Valley, but was reminded that an old friend from school wanted her to visit in Philadelphia. Bianca would much rather stay in Philadelphia for a few weeks and go back to France, but it would have been unseemly to refuse her uncle. She did not want to go, but her uncle had insisted. So, she would make a small stop in Pine Valley on the way to her friend.
“Whatddya mean ya ain’t got none?” a loud obnoxious voice shouted in the train car.
Bianca lazily lifted her eyes to see a rotund man looming over a short porter. His eyes were nearly bulging out of his skull, and spit flew from his mouth as he spoke.
“Sir, we cannot serve that anymore.” The porter shrunk back.
The man threw his hands into the air, “Good for nothin’ train and good for nothin’ government.” He spun to his companion and bellowed, “I told ya. See! We give women the vote and what do they do? They take away our drink!”
Bianca rolled her eyes. That was another think she had learned upon arrival. She was thirsty for a nice red wine, but was promptly informed it was illegal. The country was now dry. No more alcohol allowed.
The train whistled and a voice called out the next stop. Pine Valley.
When the train rolled to a stop, Bianca sighed and gathered herself. This was it. She was back in this tiny hole-in-the-wall town that had nothing to offer the world. She stood up and checked her dress and make-up before leaving. She signaled a porter to obtain her luggage and stepped onto the platform. A cool autumn breeze swept across her face, and the warm sun beamed down from a cloudless sky.
The town had grown a little. There were a few more buildings scattered about, and the streets were filled with more people. Cars had finally reached the village.
“Ms. Bianca?” a man waved his hand.
Bianca glanced over at him dully. He scampered up to her, hat held in his hands. He smiled at her cheerfully, “There you are. I was worried I wouldn’t catch you.”
Her uncle must have sent him, “The porter is getting my luggage.”
The man nodded, “I’ll help him. It is really good to see you again, Ms. Bianca. We missed you a lot since you’ve been gone.”
Bianca smiled thinly, “Thank you.” It was a dismissive gesture.
The man blinked at her, but turned and went to find the poor man loaded down with multiple trunks and suitcases.
Bianca went back to studying the town. She did not recognize anyone. Unconsciously, her feet began to walk. It was a wonder to know this had been home for some of her most formative years. She had lived there a long time. Dr. Martin’s sign filled her vision as she waltzed down the road. She knew that sign. She had seen it many times before. Up above was the apartment the doctor and his family resided in. There was the saloon, closed and boarded up now.
There was the store.
Bianca paused, a strange twisting in her gut causing her to squint. The twinge in her chest had her gasping softly. She remembered the store. The outside was exactly the same. The front walk was swept clean and the sign was freshly painted. Was the inside the same?
Without thought, she resumed walking. She marched up to the store, but stopped at the door. It had been ten years since she was inside. Her hand trembled slightly, and she mentally scolded herself. Why was her hand shaking? There was no reason for it. Bianca Montgomery did not tremble for anyone or anything. They trembled for her.
Head held high, she opened the door and stepped inside.
It was exactly how she recalled. Bianca had to blink to assure herself it was not some memory playing a trick on her. The aisles were stocked and items ready for purchase. Her breath caught in her throat as she slowly turned to face the counter.
A boy, about eight years old, popped up from behind the counter, a welcoming smile on his young face, “Hello.”
Bianca felt her stomach plummet at the sight. She had been expecting…nothing. She had not been expecting anything. There was nothing to expect at all.
“Ms. Bianca?” the earlier man’s voice called from the doorway.
She spun to see a sympathetic look on his face. It agitated her. Who was he to give her that look? “Yes?”
“The carriage is ready.” he nodded out the door. The horse drawn carriage waited outside.
“You cannot be serious.” Bianca scoffed. Her uncle had not gotten rid of that thing?
“Old Darby there can still get the job done.”
“Old Darby is none of my concern.” Bianca huffed, “My concern is the ability for my very expensive luggage to withstand your outdated mode of transportation.”
The man looked at her blankly.
Bianca rolled her eyes, “Just take me to my uncle’s.”
The man nodded, “Sure thing, Ms. Bianca.”
With one last look around the store, Bianca allowed the driver to escort her to the carriage and help her inside. Bianca sat primly in her seat and stared with slight disgust out the window as the scenery changed from the town to the countryside. She had left Paris for this? The carriage shook and the wheel hit a dip in the road. Bianca silently cursed at the sudden drop. Couldn’t this man maneuver around them?
Bianca shook her head and went back to her musings. Cecilia, her friend from school, now lived in Philadelphia with her mistress. Cecilia lived off an allowance from her father, and her girlfriend worked as a nurse. She wondered if Cecilia would mind her coming a tad sooner than previously decided.
Suddenly, the carriage violently jerked to the side. The front end crashed forward, and Bianca pitched off her seat with a cry. She fell on her hands and knees, and her dress tangled around her legs. A few black beads that adorned the sheer red silk popped off and rolled near her head. The carriage bumped and rumbled for a few yards, threatening to tip over. Finally, it slid to a stop.
“Ms. Bianca!” the driver’s voice shouted. The door swung open and his worried face appeared. “Are you ok?”
“What was that?” Bianca yelled.
The man frowned, “Lost one of the front wheels. It fell off.”
“It fell off?” Bianca was incredulous. “How did it fall off?”
The man opened his mouth to answer but she angrily waved a hand, “I do not care. Let me out of here.”
He quickly grasped her arms and lifted her out of the carriage. She inspected her abused dress, eyes flashing, “I could have been killed! You and this despicable contraption nearly took my life.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Bianca. I’ll fix it.” The driver pointed at the wooden wheel about a hundred feet away.
“Fix it? I am not getting back in there.”
“But, I have to drive you home.”
Bianca chuckled humorlessly, “That is not my home, it is my uncle’s house, and I will not get back into something that will only kill me given the chance.”
“Ms. Bianca, I was told to drive you home. Mr. Montgomery is waiting and Ms. Opal has prepared a good supper for you.”
“You are not understanding me.” Bianca waved her hand, “I am not getting back on that thing.”
“I can fix it.”
Bianca rolled her eyes in exasperation, “What is your name?”
The man balked, “Tim, Ms. Bianca.”
“Tim, nothing can make me get back in that carriage.”
“Let me fix it.”
Bianca stamped her foot in frustration as he scurried away to retrieve the wheel. She could not believe this. This was a nightmare. Not only did she have to be somewhere she did not want to be, she was stuck with a buffoon and a deathtrap. Well, she was not going to let herself be killed.
“Ms. Bianca! Where’re ya going?” Tim shouted as Bianca turned and began to walk down the road.
Bianca ignored him. They were closer to her uncle’s house than town. She would walk there, most likely ruining her shoes on the dirt road, and call for a ride to the train station. She would leave on the next train out of town.
With that plan in mind, Bianca marched down the gravel and dirt road with all the dignity she could muster in such a situation. She walked down the middle, so if a car did happen by, they would see her and stop. With each step her anger grew. She never should have returned. She did not need to see her uncle, mother, or anyone else. She had a new life now.
Walking, the wind kicked up and blew her hat off her head. With a growl, Bianca jumped after it. That would be a perfect ending - losing her hat. She pounced on it, and coughed as dirt floated up. She swatted the dust cloud away and picked up her hat. Straightening up, she heard a loud rumble behind her.
Before she could turn around, a frantic honking filled the air.
Bianca shrieked as a car came into view, barreling down the road. She covered her face as it roared closer. A squeal of tires and brakes sounded and a whoosh of air slammed into Bianca, forcing her to stumble back a few steps. There was a crash and mechanical sputtering.
Peeking open her eyes, Bianca saw the car had swerved to the side and was now stuck in the ditch. Smoke billowed from the hood. She brought a hand to her chest in shock. This person almost ran her over!
The sound of a door being slammed open was followed by two feet crunching in the grass. Uneven footsteps sloshed through the weeds. Bianca waited impatiently, arms crossed. The nerve of this person to be driving that fast at her was astounding.
“What the hell is wrong with ya!” the driver’s voice was hard as stone. They stormed around the car, cold hazel eyes burning.
“With me? You were driving like a maniac!” Bianca yelled back.
The driver, Bianca noticed, walked with a cane. They hobbled up the ditch and to the road. She could feel cold anger and power emanating from them. “Well, dumb broads ain’t usually standin’ in the middle of the road.”
“What did you call me?”
“Hey doll, why don’t ya calm down.” The driver pointed their cane, “Ya ain’t hurt. The only thing hurt is my car, which better not be too damaged.”
“You nearly killed me.” The nerve!
Bianca felt a shiver as the cold eyes never changed. A smirk formed on the driver’s lips, “I saved your life. Not many people’d miss like I did.”
“You’re a pig.”
The driver limped up to her, smirk still in place. They stopped a few inches from Bianca, “And you’re walking down a dirt road all alone, doll. Now, I could ask what a dame like you is doin’ or I could act like the pig you think I am.”
“Get away from me.” Bianca growled lowly.
Hazel eyes flickered up and down Bianca’s body, “With pleasure.”
Bianca grit her teeth as the driver stepped back. Anger bubbling up, she breathed in deeply. By the voice and form, she knew the driver was a female. She took in their appearance as they took out a gold pocket watch. The woman was a blonde; she could see wisps of yellow underneath the small grey fedora. They were clothed in a fitted midnight black suit. Sharp thin white pinstripes darted up through the black. The white shirt underneath was crisp and the black waistcoat housed the gold pocket watch she was currently looking at. The pinstriped trousers ended at shining two-toned shoes, the black and white a sharp contrast against each other. The cane they held was pure black with a gold handle and gold tip.
This person clearly had money.
“You will have to pay for this dress.” Bianca spoke up.
“It was ruined long before I got here.” the blonde replied and snapped her watch shut. "And I don't pay for nothin' if I get nothin' in return."
“How uncouth are you?”
“Careful, doll.”
“Do you know who I am?” Careful? This barbarian would have to be careful. This was not how a lady of her status was treated.
The blonde stepped back into Bianca’s personal space. Her voice lowered to a sharp whisper, “Do you know who I am?”
Oh my gosh.
Bianca felt something snap inside. Her breath caught in her chest. The cane. The limp. Her eyes roamed the woman. Her hands were covered with black leather driving gloves, but she imagined calloused tanned skin underneath. The suit was replaced with a plain vest and trousers. The fedora was a brown cap. The cold hazel became warm and tender. The frown a charmingly crooked grin.
“Frankie?” Bianca breathed out.
The blonde frowned harder. That tone. No one said her name that way except… “Bianca?”
Oh my gosh.
Author: Fab_fan
Fandom: All My Children
Rating: PG-13, maybe higher later on.
Pairing: Frankie/Bianca
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. I don't own much of anything, really.
Summary: AU Early 1900s. Young Bianca Montgomery dreams of living the adventures she reads about in her books. When her family goes to live with her uncle after the death of her father, Bianca discovers herself a part of the greatest adventure of all. Love.
Ten Years Later
This was absurd.
That played repeatedly in Bianca’s mind. She sat regally in her seat, the soft sway of the train barely registering in her mind. The other passengers shot her curious glances, impressed and intrigued by her immaculate blood red dress from the most renowned clothier in Paris. Gold adorned her neck while sparkling gems graced her hands. Her mouth was set in a thin line, and bored brown eyes dismissed anyone who dared approach her.
It had been ten years. Ten long years since she left this country to attend school in Paris. Now twenty-five, Bianca had matured into a worldly woman. She had experienced everything and more in Europe. After boarding school, she attended university, then moved into an expensive flat in Montmartre. She had learned a lot about herself and the world. Friends envied her. Strangers wanted her. She was invited to every party in the city, and invitations rushed in from other parts of the continent. She had sipped champagne with the aristocrats and became one.
She had not been lonely, either. Bianca shuddered as she remembered first arriving in Paris, scared and unsure. It seemed like a different life. That was before she discovered her ability to transcend societal circles and before Lena Kundera. Lena was a Polish aristocrat from a very wealthy family. They met one night and the middle aged woman swooped in on the uncertain teenager. Lena took Bianca under her wing, introducing her to all the people one should know. She taught her about wine and fashion. She taught her the unwritten rules of the inner circles and the joys of expensive tastes.
She also welcomed her into her bed.
Lena taught Bianca the art of seduction and flirtation. She taught her how to touch another woman and make her beg for more.
Paris had changed Bianca into a woman. The city was magical and demanded a certain finesses the brunette learned to wield. Even the Great War had not touched the city or those within.
Now, though, Bianca was back in the States. She received a letter from her Uncle Jack requesting that she return home for a visit. The letter had been startling in that Bianca had not spoken to anyone from Pine Valley in years. She wrote the first few months, but soon her transforming life became simply too much and she lost contact. She never returned to Pennsylvania, instead staying in France to tour the elegant cities and partake in bedroom meetings with Lena.
The tone of the letter was almost pleading in its wording. Bianca did not want to go to Pine Valley, but was reminded that an old friend from school wanted her to visit in Philadelphia. Bianca would much rather stay in Philadelphia for a few weeks and go back to France, but it would have been unseemly to refuse her uncle. She did not want to go, but her uncle had insisted. So, she would make a small stop in Pine Valley on the way to her friend.
“Whatddya mean ya ain’t got none?” a loud obnoxious voice shouted in the train car.
Bianca lazily lifted her eyes to see a rotund man looming over a short porter. His eyes were nearly bulging out of his skull, and spit flew from his mouth as he spoke.
“Sir, we cannot serve that anymore.” The porter shrunk back.
The man threw his hands into the air, “Good for nothin’ train and good for nothin’ government.” He spun to his companion and bellowed, “I told ya. See! We give women the vote and what do they do? They take away our drink!”
Bianca rolled her eyes. That was another think she had learned upon arrival. She was thirsty for a nice red wine, but was promptly informed it was illegal. The country was now dry. No more alcohol allowed.
The train whistled and a voice called out the next stop. Pine Valley.
When the train rolled to a stop, Bianca sighed and gathered herself. This was it. She was back in this tiny hole-in-the-wall town that had nothing to offer the world. She stood up and checked her dress and make-up before leaving. She signaled a porter to obtain her luggage and stepped onto the platform. A cool autumn breeze swept across her face, and the warm sun beamed down from a cloudless sky.
The town had grown a little. There were a few more buildings scattered about, and the streets were filled with more people. Cars had finally reached the village.
“Ms. Bianca?” a man waved his hand.
Bianca glanced over at him dully. He scampered up to her, hat held in his hands. He smiled at her cheerfully, “There you are. I was worried I wouldn’t catch you.”
Her uncle must have sent him, “The porter is getting my luggage.”
The man nodded, “I’ll help him. It is really good to see you again, Ms. Bianca. We missed you a lot since you’ve been gone.”
Bianca smiled thinly, “Thank you.” It was a dismissive gesture.
The man blinked at her, but turned and went to find the poor man loaded down with multiple trunks and suitcases.
Bianca went back to studying the town. She did not recognize anyone. Unconsciously, her feet began to walk. It was a wonder to know this had been home for some of her most formative years. She had lived there a long time. Dr. Martin’s sign filled her vision as she waltzed down the road. She knew that sign. She had seen it many times before. Up above was the apartment the doctor and his family resided in. There was the saloon, closed and boarded up now.
There was the store.
Bianca paused, a strange twisting in her gut causing her to squint. The twinge in her chest had her gasping softly. She remembered the store. The outside was exactly the same. The front walk was swept clean and the sign was freshly painted. Was the inside the same?
Without thought, she resumed walking. She marched up to the store, but stopped at the door. It had been ten years since she was inside. Her hand trembled slightly, and she mentally scolded herself. Why was her hand shaking? There was no reason for it. Bianca Montgomery did not tremble for anyone or anything. They trembled for her.
Head held high, she opened the door and stepped inside.
It was exactly how she recalled. Bianca had to blink to assure herself it was not some memory playing a trick on her. The aisles were stocked and items ready for purchase. Her breath caught in her throat as she slowly turned to face the counter.
A boy, about eight years old, popped up from behind the counter, a welcoming smile on his young face, “Hello.”
Bianca felt her stomach plummet at the sight. She had been expecting…nothing. She had not been expecting anything. There was nothing to expect at all.
“Ms. Bianca?” the earlier man’s voice called from the doorway.
She spun to see a sympathetic look on his face. It agitated her. Who was he to give her that look? “Yes?”
“The carriage is ready.” he nodded out the door. The horse drawn carriage waited outside.
“You cannot be serious.” Bianca scoffed. Her uncle had not gotten rid of that thing?
“Old Darby there can still get the job done.”
“Old Darby is none of my concern.” Bianca huffed, “My concern is the ability for my very expensive luggage to withstand your outdated mode of transportation.”
The man looked at her blankly.
Bianca rolled her eyes, “Just take me to my uncle’s.”
The man nodded, “Sure thing, Ms. Bianca.”
With one last look around the store, Bianca allowed the driver to escort her to the carriage and help her inside. Bianca sat primly in her seat and stared with slight disgust out the window as the scenery changed from the town to the countryside. She had left Paris for this? The carriage shook and the wheel hit a dip in the road. Bianca silently cursed at the sudden drop. Couldn’t this man maneuver around them?
Bianca shook her head and went back to her musings. Cecilia, her friend from school, now lived in Philadelphia with her mistress. Cecilia lived off an allowance from her father, and her girlfriend worked as a nurse. She wondered if Cecilia would mind her coming a tad sooner than previously decided.
Suddenly, the carriage violently jerked to the side. The front end crashed forward, and Bianca pitched off her seat with a cry. She fell on her hands and knees, and her dress tangled around her legs. A few black beads that adorned the sheer red silk popped off and rolled near her head. The carriage bumped and rumbled for a few yards, threatening to tip over. Finally, it slid to a stop.
“Ms. Bianca!” the driver’s voice shouted. The door swung open and his worried face appeared. “Are you ok?”
“What was that?” Bianca yelled.
The man frowned, “Lost one of the front wheels. It fell off.”
“It fell off?” Bianca was incredulous. “How did it fall off?”
The man opened his mouth to answer but she angrily waved a hand, “I do not care. Let me out of here.”
He quickly grasped her arms and lifted her out of the carriage. She inspected her abused dress, eyes flashing, “I could have been killed! You and this despicable contraption nearly took my life.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Bianca. I’ll fix it.” The driver pointed at the wooden wheel about a hundred feet away.
“Fix it? I am not getting back in there.”
“But, I have to drive you home.”
Bianca chuckled humorlessly, “That is not my home, it is my uncle’s house, and I will not get back into something that will only kill me given the chance.”
“Ms. Bianca, I was told to drive you home. Mr. Montgomery is waiting and Ms. Opal has prepared a good supper for you.”
“You are not understanding me.” Bianca waved her hand, “I am not getting back on that thing.”
“I can fix it.”
Bianca rolled her eyes in exasperation, “What is your name?”
The man balked, “Tim, Ms. Bianca.”
“Tim, nothing can make me get back in that carriage.”
“Let me fix it.”
Bianca stamped her foot in frustration as he scurried away to retrieve the wheel. She could not believe this. This was a nightmare. Not only did she have to be somewhere she did not want to be, she was stuck with a buffoon and a deathtrap. Well, she was not going to let herself be killed.
“Ms. Bianca! Where’re ya going?” Tim shouted as Bianca turned and began to walk down the road.
Bianca ignored him. They were closer to her uncle’s house than town. She would walk there, most likely ruining her shoes on the dirt road, and call for a ride to the train station. She would leave on the next train out of town.
With that plan in mind, Bianca marched down the gravel and dirt road with all the dignity she could muster in such a situation. She walked down the middle, so if a car did happen by, they would see her and stop. With each step her anger grew. She never should have returned. She did not need to see her uncle, mother, or anyone else. She had a new life now.
Walking, the wind kicked up and blew her hat off her head. With a growl, Bianca jumped after it. That would be a perfect ending - losing her hat. She pounced on it, and coughed as dirt floated up. She swatted the dust cloud away and picked up her hat. Straightening up, she heard a loud rumble behind her.
Before she could turn around, a frantic honking filled the air.
Bianca shrieked as a car came into view, barreling down the road. She covered her face as it roared closer. A squeal of tires and brakes sounded and a whoosh of air slammed into Bianca, forcing her to stumble back a few steps. There was a crash and mechanical sputtering.
Peeking open her eyes, Bianca saw the car had swerved to the side and was now stuck in the ditch. Smoke billowed from the hood. She brought a hand to her chest in shock. This person almost ran her over!
The sound of a door being slammed open was followed by two feet crunching in the grass. Uneven footsteps sloshed through the weeds. Bianca waited impatiently, arms crossed. The nerve of this person to be driving that fast at her was astounding.
“What the hell is wrong with ya!” the driver’s voice was hard as stone. They stormed around the car, cold hazel eyes burning.
“With me? You were driving like a maniac!” Bianca yelled back.
The driver, Bianca noticed, walked with a cane. They hobbled up the ditch and to the road. She could feel cold anger and power emanating from them. “Well, dumb broads ain’t usually standin’ in the middle of the road.”
“What did you call me?”
“Hey doll, why don’t ya calm down.” The driver pointed their cane, “Ya ain’t hurt. The only thing hurt is my car, which better not be too damaged.”
“You nearly killed me.” The nerve!
Bianca felt a shiver as the cold eyes never changed. A smirk formed on the driver’s lips, “I saved your life. Not many people’d miss like I did.”
“You’re a pig.”
The driver limped up to her, smirk still in place. They stopped a few inches from Bianca, “And you’re walking down a dirt road all alone, doll. Now, I could ask what a dame like you is doin’ or I could act like the pig you think I am.”
“Get away from me.” Bianca growled lowly.
Hazel eyes flickered up and down Bianca’s body, “With pleasure.”
Bianca grit her teeth as the driver stepped back. Anger bubbling up, she breathed in deeply. By the voice and form, she knew the driver was a female. She took in their appearance as they took out a gold pocket watch. The woman was a blonde; she could see wisps of yellow underneath the small grey fedora. They were clothed in a fitted midnight black suit. Sharp thin white pinstripes darted up through the black. The white shirt underneath was crisp and the black waistcoat housed the gold pocket watch she was currently looking at. The pinstriped trousers ended at shining two-toned shoes, the black and white a sharp contrast against each other. The cane they held was pure black with a gold handle and gold tip.
This person clearly had money.
“You will have to pay for this dress.” Bianca spoke up.
“It was ruined long before I got here.” the blonde replied and snapped her watch shut. "And I don't pay for nothin' if I get nothin' in return."
“How uncouth are you?”
“Careful, doll.”
“Do you know who I am?” Careful? This barbarian would have to be careful. This was not how a lady of her status was treated.
The blonde stepped back into Bianca’s personal space. Her voice lowered to a sharp whisper, “Do you know who I am?”
Oh my gosh.
Bianca felt something snap inside. Her breath caught in her chest. The cane. The limp. Her eyes roamed the woman. Her hands were covered with black leather driving gloves, but she imagined calloused tanned skin underneath. The suit was replaced with a plain vest and trousers. The fedora was a brown cap. The cold hazel became warm and tender. The frown a charmingly crooked grin.
“Frankie?” Bianca breathed out.
The blonde frowned harder. That tone. No one said her name that way except… “Bianca?”
Oh my gosh.