I don’t know.”“What’s the worry?”“I ... I’m dating the Prince.”“ ... ye’re what?”“The Prince is my girlfriend ... we love each...other.”“Oh, that is nae something I expected. Damien said you stopped him from killing her — still very much in the mirk about all that by the way — but I didnae realize you two were an item.” Fiona grinned and bounced in front of him. “He said she was ancient.”“She is.”“And ye’re very young. Young as me.”“Yeah.”“Well, ye love her. I’m guessing she’s an intelligent,. I might have some good T-bone out of an Angus. Them hams I know I have."You wouldn't have say two dozen or so good soup bones would you?" Linda asked thinking it would be a good treat for her friends."I got more than I can use. Let me box up your order and we can do the dreaded math."Linda laughed as she remembered Sam hated math."You mean you don't have one of those mechanical abacus' doing all that math for you?" A what?" Sam looked at Linda like she had just grown a third head and another. I surely welcomed this particular bit of news, and worried much less about Esteban and Ed as a result.With regard to the country outside New Mexico, the news was mostly about Kansas and the two Territorial Legislatures currently in existence, one pro-slavery and the other anti-slavery. The rumors were that President Pierce would step in with Federal troops and recognize the pro-slavery group.I knew that was exactly what would happen, and that it would set Kansas up as a powder keg for pre-Civil. She smiles as she remembers the way she has been so shy around the tall gallant Yankee captain, all the while feeling such strange (at the time) feelings and having such unladylike thoughts. She sighs and a smile comes to her lips as she remembers the first time she and Robert came together, not at all like it was suppose to be, not married, nor engaged, just two people tired of being alone, tired of the war and all the sadness. Two people possessed with a need to be loved and a desire to love..