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Chapters: 12/12 Epilogue: The Last Contract

For the second time in as many weeks, Cornelia fled into the depths of the wild and unforgiving American frontier leaving bodies strewn behind her. And just like the time before, she followed the lead of a man who had kept her safe before she had even been aware of his existence.

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Chapters: 11/12 The End of the Line

“Remember what I said about the bag,” she said quietly.

His jaw flexed and his nostrils flared but he kept his eyes on the threat ahead. “Here for you, not the money.”

Tears stung her eyes but she touched his hand briefly before stepping forward. “Even still.”

The pistol in her pocket, the one she had carefully selected in New Orleans, lost in Kansas and searched bodies to retrieve on the border of Wyoming, bounced against her hip as she climbed the hill. She could sense Eli keeping pace just behind her.

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Chapters: 10/? Honourable Men

“I have come looking for David Melmont.” She was proud that her voice remained so level and strong.

Thomas’ eyes widened with alarm as he leaned forward. “No, no you cannot. I absolutely forbid it. Did I not warn you of the man in my letter? He is the very reason I broke off our engagement Cornelia, so as to protect you from that fiend.”

Forbid. The word roused her ire but she tried to squash it down. Pursing her lips, she raised an eyebrow and attended to a different correction. “We were never formally engaged Thomas. If you don’t recall, I hadn’t given you an answer when you left.”

His eyes skittered away as he swallowed hard.

She didn’t look, but she could feel Eli’s piercing gaze focus in on her.

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Chapters: 9/? Decipherment

As they left the main trail behind them, the chirping of crickets in the grasses enfolding them once more, Cornelia listened enthralled as Eli explained how Pawnee stories were passed down in word and song and gesture.

With the miles diminishing beneath their horses’ hooves, she supposed she should be preparing for what was to come; quite possibly the end of her story. But to prepare meant thinking of David Melmont and she had already wasted too many hours of her life doing that. Her story died with her, so she decided that she would rather spend her numbered days thinking of her son and of Eli Whipp instead. Both were far worthier recipients of her thoughts than the devil at the end of the line.

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Chapters: 8/? Scorpius to South

At the end of each day, when the stark scorching sun was replaced by a twinkling explosion of starlight, she would gratefully rest her weary body on a thin bedroll. The residual warmth of the day, trapped in hard-baked ground, radiated through the canvas.

On the fourth evening, after she’d exhausted the topic of her father’s time in the army and settled back to listen to the comforting crackle of the bonfire, he finally broached the question.

“So why you lookin’ to kill this man?”

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Chapters: 7/? Ambuscades

Over the course of the morning she dabbled in leading questions to prompt conversation but was thwarted every time. Eli was a man of very few words, although she didn’t think he was in want of them. At her questioning of his jacket, he admitted to being an ex-Scout and cavalry Sergeant. Having grown up in the shadow of one taciturn soldier, she recognised the stalwart silence to be observational. A man more adept at keeping his cards close to his chest than she was.

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So sad this morning to learn The English isn’t going to get its chance at Emmy recognition.

I do not usually have Thoughts on matters like awards but what is up with the Emmy nominations this year. I'm glad Ted Lasso got some noms but it was for the wrong things?! how does Jason Sudeikis get a nom despite phoning in half the season, but no recognition for Nick Mohammed or Toheeb Jimoh? Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple both somehow in the Best Supporting Actress category? Writing nom for So Long, Farewell but not Sunflowers? Bizarre. But the most egregious omission...

...WHERE IS THE ENGLISH?! Where are the nominations for this, the finest limited series of 2022? Where is Chaske Spencer's Best Actor Award? Why is Episode 5: The Buffalo Gun not being showered with Best Writing, Best Directing, Outstanding Cinematography for the 49 minutes of unrelenting excellence it brought to our screens? Why, for the love of all that is holy, is this show so consistently underrated? This is a travesty and I and the 20 other people in this fandom will be mad about it forever.

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Can’t wait to read!

Huukatawicat

Chapter 2: GeminI

The docks were bustling with activity; they had been since early that morning when Cornelia had taken a seat by the window of her hotel room, drinking cup after cup of tea as she watched the sea, waiting for the steamliner to make its appearance amongst the sailed ships. She had arrived a day early, and had learned from the Guion Line office that the Wyoming would be a day late. This had done nothing to soothe her anxiety as she paced the room, the streets, regretting declining Neil’s offer of an escort, until reminding herself how awkward it would be for him when Eli arrived. Not just for him, truly.

Keep reading

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Chapters: 6/? Microscopic Advantages

“It’s Whipp.”

Lifting her head, she glanced back at him questioningly.

His dark eyes continued to watch her, “my name. Eli Whipp.”

Cornelia smiled softly. “Eli Whipp. How do you do?”

“Been better.”

She laughed, a short and ragged sound but a laugh nonetheless. “I should hope so.”

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Chapters: 5/? Magic and Madness

“All this time I had a sense that someone was watching me. I thought it was magic keeping me safe.” Her hand found her locket and held on tight, foregoing mentioning why she’d thought magic was at play. “And then I just thought that perhaps I was going mad.”

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Chapters: 4/? Crossing the Line

The Lady had claimed to know a devil and he suspected that he was steering her down a path to another, or possibly even the same. She was not from his world to be sure but he was no clearer on what world she did reside in. Whatever it looked like, he was starting to get the feeling it might just be as empty as his own.

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Chapters: 3/?: Wild & Reckless

Eli had first come through when the stench of rotting buffalo carcasses competed with the reek of liquor-soaked drifters passed out in the street. Survivors of wild nights loudly decried by preachers in neighbouring towns, none so brave as to try proselytizing in the pit itself. The number of buildings then were outnumbered by plots in the cemetery filled with those who came in off the plains and never left.

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Chapters: 2/?: Against the Current

One plank in and out, as long as he kept that in sights he’d know when she jumped ship. As the boat pulled away, a bell clanging from the helm to announce their departure, he settled in and kept to himself. The sounds of laughter and cutlery and music drifted down from above on warm air, the smell of cigars and food making him crave. 

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Chapters: 1/? Fandom: The English (UK TV 2022) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Cornelia Locke/Eli Whipp

Good money for an easy job; tracking the English Lady from New Orleans to Kansas. Only Eli Whipp’s last contract proves to not be as straightforward as he’d thought.

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BAFTA nominations for Hugo Blick and Chaske Spencer this morning! The English finally getting some recognition.

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Past the Aiming - Epilogue

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The last chapter of your fic came out the day I finished watching The English and started diving into everything online. Magic timing. It was lovely and perfect, thank you for writing it!!

This is just the loveliest thing to read, thank you ❤️