L_{ife in Lakeside had continued, the brothel still maintained its usual clientele and handed over an unfair amount to the Mayor for 'protection'. Samantha wished she had the guts to stand up to the horrific man but she knew that it would affect people other than herself. She had only disrespected the Mayor once before, and some of the girls still cried out in their sleep from the consequences. Mayor Greenson ruled by fear and intimidation, and it had certainly worked at keeping the feisty madame in check.}

I_{t was with a heavy heart that Samantha found out that one of the Mayor's henchmen had been to the brothel to collect money when she hadn't been available. Lily had been worried to the point of sickness when Samantha finally returned, explaining how she had tried to be polite and use her womanly wiles to charm the young man, Master Horton. She feared she had put the brothel in jeopardy by not being able to keep him there until Samantha returned. The poor girl had to be taken off the books for that night, resigned to sitting in the office behind the scenes, where Samantha kept checking on her, promising her that it wasn't her fault. Next day, the usual man, the slob who took liberties with her girls, arrived for the money... and a discounted visit to Lily... claiming it would help smooth things over with the Mayor if she made it worth his while to come out of his way.}

S<sub>o, it was no surprise that Samantha's blood boiled when she saw Sebastian Horton wandering the streets of Lakeside. That... bastard. His father was such a good man, kind and fair, and yet this little twerp seemed to only be out for one person, himself, aligning himself with the Mayor, doing his dirty work. Samantha couldn't help what she did, some of those girls were the closest thing she had to daughters, the way they looked up to her, Lily most of all.

"Master Horton!" She called out, striding across to him in a fashion that wouldn't be classed as ladylike, she was a woman on a mission, "A moment of your time, if you would..." She all but snarled as she approached him.</sub>