Chapter 36-3

"A sweet." William replied looking from it to her. "Very good." she replied, though her voice gave no hint of praise, it merely acknowledged that he was right. "Do you know what it's made of?" she asked. "Chocolate." "And ground glass." she informed him, her voice almost a whisper as she spoke. "Your wife gave Jamie five sweets made of chocolate and ground glass. And the only thing that saved him from eating them was an overzealous pup." she breathed, staring almost wonder struck at the small harmless looking concoction. "I've been trying to think of a reason...why I shouldn't kill your wife, William. As of yet, I’ve not come up with one that would excuse her for trying to kill Jamie. I think that's mostly because I don't want to find one, which is interesting because I normally consider myself a very understanding and forgiving woman. I don't like to judge others based on only brief encounters. But when those others try to kill my child, my son!" She snapped the endearing title that fit all Jamie was to her in one word. "I find forgiveness and understanding are things I no longer possess.” She growled as she finally looked to William and slowly rose from her seat. “I want her dead!" Nan barked, fury glowing so hot in her eyes it was almost as if hell had risen to boil the sea of her blue of them. "I want that bitch dead!" she declared once more making sure William understood her completely. "She will be dealt with Nan." William replied his tone, his very being uncharacteristically calm. "I don't want her dealt with. I want her dead." she replied quickly. "Dealt with could have been, if she had aimed directly for me. Dead is what she will be, for going after Jamie.” She stated, seeing no other course of action to take, though she knew there were many, but none of those scenarios had satisfied her bloodlust or assured her that the threat to her child was no more. “And how, pray tell, do you intend to end my wife, Nan?” William asked, his words ringing of skepticism as they rang in her ears. “Do you intend to oppose me on this? After all your declarations that should she hurt me she would die. Now you will refuse to let me kill her?” she gawked, staring at him with a mixture of shocked disbelief and rage. “Those declarations, as you put it, were that I or Hoss would deal with my wife. Your hands need not be dirtied by such business.” William replied, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned back against the door. Keeping his eyes and tone level as he watched Nan pace about the small room, reminding him so very much of the large cats he’d seen caged in India. “Dirty my hands!” Nan scoffed at his words. “Oh for God’s sake William do you think you’re the only one of the two of us who can take a life? Who has?” she asked, with an aggravated shake of her head. “What do you mean?” William questioned, not liking the road their conversation had turned down. “Oh my God!” Nan cried to the ceiling. “Did you think my threat to kill you was empty? Do you think all my threats are?” she snapped. “I serviced a brothel for eight years, William. Did you never once consider that maybe there were men who wanted me to service them as well?” she asked, staring at William with eyes that begged him to open his and see that he was not the only one capable of shedding blood. “Was there?” William asked, the thought rubbing a hole in his control. Certainly William had considered such, but given how she acted the way she treated men in general, he had thought by some miracle she had gone untouched by those. That perhaps Carrie had protected the woman who protected her most valuable assets.  Now he was beginning to doubt such was the case at all. “Several.” Nan replied, noting the minor widening of William’s eyes at her admission, and quickly shoveling the pieces of her broken heart into a heap before explaining further. “Who are they?” William asked, his tone a whispered growl. “What does it matter?” Nan shrugged, as she turned from him not wishing to see anymore of his anger or worse his disgust with her. “Damn it woman give me their names!” William roared, slamming a fist against the wall as he snarled at her. “I’ll not have such men walking the face of this earth after what they’ve done to you.” he snapped. His words bring her eyes back to his with wide open surprise. “Now tell me their names.” “They’re dead.” Nan replied, unexpectedly. “What?” “They’re dead William. They died before they could ever lay a hand on me.” she answered quickly, clearly not wanting any confusion on William’s part. “But you said—“ “I said several had tried. I never said they succeed.” She shook her head. “James is the only man I’ve ever been with, but he’s not the only one who’s tried to be with me.” she informed him.  “My point was not to anger you William, but to tell you I’ve blood on my hands too.  When I say I can kill you, it’s not an empty threat. I’ve done it before. For me, for Jamie, and even go so far for you.” “Oh my love.” William breathed, cupping his forehead, as he took up her now empty seat. “We’re not even married yet and already you seem determined to put me in my grave.” he commented, a mild sort of amusement lacing his words as he rubbed at his temple, then looked up to Nan. “I’ve ordered Hoss to find Sophia, once he has he’ll send word. And whatever your wish shall be my command.” He informed her, taking her hand in his as he brought it his lips.