"Easy does it Rafeal," George called as his sixteen year old son piloted the ship into a small harbor

This looks good," Rafeal said.

"Yes I will run out the anchor," George agreed they were about a mile from a small town up river.

"Father do you think she will be all right here?" Rafeal asked.

"She is taken a bad beating but in the shallows she shouldn't take on much water but we are going to need to abandoned ship for a while, and scrape up the money for repairs and a new crew," George sighed.

"I guess we have no choice," Rafeal sighed, he had been born at sea and knew no other life.

George smiled, and studied his son who reminded George so much of his hot tempered Spanish wife. Rapheal luckily had his temperament, but had his wife's good looks. He mourned a bit for his wife and sighed, "No choice son."

"We need to walk into that town and get our bearings, I have no idea where we are." George sighed, the past two days had been horrible for them.

Later after a walk to the nearest town for some supplies they were down in hold looking at what they had. George was looking at the old newspaper the shopkeeper had used to wrap up the few items they had bought.

"I know this man," George said smiling at his son.

"James Warwick of Amberly lived with the red men for three years before coming back to civilisation,"Rafeal read over his fathers shoulder, then sighed, "Father this paper is five years old."

"Yes but he owns an Inn in this village of Amberly so he has money, and a place to put us up," George said smiling.

"Well we had to get out of Portland fast and I don't think she can take much more, but how are we getting to Amberly?" Rafeal asked.

"Leave that to me son, horses of courses," George said and winked.

Rafeal smiled and nodded. One of Georges purchases had been a small map.

Delilah Warwick laughed at Josiah's joke, it was a lovely day for a picnic.

"Oh Delilah, I love you so much you know that don't you?" Josiah asked.

"Of course I know that but I am telling you now is not the time to ask my father for my hand, he is still upset with you for keeping me out so late the night of the Spring ball," Delilah giggled.

"But it is not my fault," Josiah sighed, thinking he would get Todd Landers for unbolting his buggy's wheel while he and Deliah had been talking and star gazing and kissing a bit.

Delilah smiled, thinking how nice it was that Todd, Josiah, and Alexander were all in love with her. But she prefered Josiah, she just didn't want him too comfortable. And she did not want to get married yet she was only fifteen. She saw how her poor mother was and she did not intend on having nine children. She wanted to have fun and have lots of callers.

Not be tied down with a baby, the Warwick family now included Lissa and herself, their twelve year old sister Monique, eleven year old Annabelle, four year old Lucas, two year old Tristin, and their new baby brother Nicholas. Then there was Quentin who was grown, and their eight year old brother Jeremiah who was going to be a Duke in England and lived with their grandfather there.

Delilah wished her mother would stop having babies. She also wished her sister would be more lady like. Her only interest in boys was how badly she could beat them in horse races or games of some kind.

At breakfast next morning, Delilah decided to ask her mother about going to Rivers Edge with her friends, she wanted to go really badly they had a new dress shop in town.

"Mother may I go to Rivers Edge with Johanna and Madolyn?" Delilah asked, ignoring her father, she was still upset with him for yelling at Josiah.

"Who else is going?" Jamie asked.

"Monique I asked you not to do that at the table," Octavia said, glancing at Lissa who was grinning, "Lissa don't incourage her."

"Roland and Amelia," Delilah sighed, thinking if they can get Janette to watch their baby.

"Of course you may," Octavia said.

"Will you spend the night there?" Jamie asked, wishing Octavia wasn't so permissive with Deliliah, she had too many callers.

"Yes father, at Roland's friends home," Delilah said rolling her eyes.

"I just want to be certian you are properly chaperoned," Jamie said, thinking she should not be alone with young men.

It wasn't fair, Lissa was often out even after dark at times and alone on her horse, and her father never said a word but if Delilah was late it was an arguement.

"Father this is not medieval days, it is 1742," Delilah said softly.

Lissa giggled, but Jamie didn't hear her because just then Lucas started screaming from his highchair.

No matter how irratated Delilah got she could not get angry with Lissa, or if she did she could not stay angry. Lissa would call her sissy and make a joke and the anger would fade quickly. Delilah didn't understand how Lissa could get away with everything and her father was on her like a fiest on a rat at any misstep on her part. Lissa could be very charming if it behooved her.

The day Delilah went to Rivers Edge Lissa and Jamie were outside doing some ground work with some colts before saddling them and riding them out.

"Oh daddy look at him, he is going to be faster then his dam," Lissa cried, she was very excited about Satin her colt she had raised from her mare Ebony she was a sister of Posey, which had been Quentin's fast mare.

"He is looking good, you will be riding him out by summer," Jamie agreed, sometimes wished Lissa was a boy as well, but also worried would his daughter ever settle down and have a gentleman caller.

Racing him along the river, Lissa thought smiling she really wanted to beat that horse that Paul Amberly had, he was a son of Juniper, her dads stallion.

"Hello Mister Warwick, Miss Lissa," Roscoe called.

"Hello Roscoe, how are you, everything all right at the inn?" Jamie asked as Lissa waved at Roscoe.

"Well I think so," Roscoe said. and watched Jamie bring his young filly to the fence.

"What has happened does Jack need me?" Jamie asked.

"There is a man and his son at the Inn, he says his name is George and he knows you and Octavia, he says he helped deliver Quentin, they arrived last night Lewis gave them two rooms, but they didn't pay for them. Said you would want them to be guests," Roscoe said, and worried he might be getting Lewis in trouble.

"Run and tell your mother George is here," Jamie said seeing Monique nearby.

"I brought the wagon in case you wished to take the family," Roscoe said.

"Lissa you will have to stay with the children," Jamie said.

"All right," Lissa said thinking she rather stay home anyway, "You are dressed up today Roscoe."

"Yes we are going to a wedding today" Roscoe said.

"Oh who is getting married," Lissa said hoping she would never get married unless she founds someone who liked horses as much as she did.

"My cousin Tobias and Little Bess," Roscoe said proudly, he had bought their freedom through Jack, and Jack had given them a piece of his land to farm. So Amberly and others would think Jack owned them.

Jamie and Octavia went to the inn, and there was George sitting at the chess table.They almost did not recognize him, he had been nineteen or twenty last time Octavia had seen him and clean shaven.

Jamie wouldn't have recognized him, but he knew no other strangers were staying at the inn.

"I have been at sea since you last saw me Octavia." George said, "that was full twenty years ago come this fall."

"Good to see you George," Octavia said, motioning for Jamie to sit down, Jack was wanting her for something.

"How is little Quentin?" George asked.

"Married with a child of his own." Jamie said smiling.

"I have a son Rafeal, he is sixteen, we lost his mother this winter," George sighed.

"I am so sorry to hear that, we have four daughters, and three more sons," Octavia said.

"Very kind of you, I knew you would find Jamie, you are the most determined woman I ever knew and thats why I think I married Juanita, she was very determined as well and loved the sea, and was even a better sailor then you if you can believe it," George laughed.

Octavia smiled and excused herself and went to where Jack was waving to her,

"What is it Jack?" Octavia asked.

"Ummm how well do you know this guy Octavia?" Jack asked.

"Very well, he helped me pass as a man to come over here on that ship, then he helped deliver Quentin, and stayed with me until the press gang got him," Octavia sighed.

"Yes but that was 20 years ago, Roland says he looks just like that pirate they call Spanish Ice, because he married the daughter of Spanish Pete Santiago the worse pirate . . ." Jack started.

"That is rediculous Jack, George was a sailor for the king," Octavia laughed, "Besides what would a pirate do in Amberly we are miles and miles from the ocean."

"I guess you are right but there is something about him I don't trust and Terrence said their horses were shod like the Dutch shod their horses." Jack said.

"You are being silly, tell Jamie I am going home, I think he and George need to chat," Octavia said, and turned to leave.

Roland had now moved his press to its own building and had an office near his families business. Or she would have stopped by and given him a piece of her mind for spreading such silly rumors.

"Hello there, sorry," Octavia said almost knocking a young man off his feet coming out of the inn.

"Hello my lady I am Rafeal Sa-Samuel Pearson," the young man said.

"You must be George Pearson's son, nice to meet you," Octavia said smiling, thinking he sure was a handsome young man, "I am Octavia Warwick."

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Warwick," Rafeal said.

After her mother returned home she went to town to the inn, thinking if Oly was there she would play chess until she found someone to race with.

She ran into Rafeal who was just bringing his horse up.

"You are new," she said, not bothering to introduce herself, "Do you like to race?"

"Of course, but allow me to introduce myself, I am Rafeal Pearson, and this is my mare Fame."

"Fame, what an odd name for a horse," Lissa laughed, "Call me Lissa, and I will be riding my horse Ebony."

Meanwhile inside the inn George and Jamie were talking about their lives since they last had seen each other.

George had served three years for the king in the royal navy until one say pirates attacked and he was taken prisoner.

He escaped with his life, and found work for a merchant and worked himself up in rank.

He now owned his own ship, but unfortunately he was caught in a bad storm and now she was beached.

George had hoped Jamie would loan him money to fix the ship and hire a crew.

Jamie sighed and said, "Sorry George best I can do is give you a job at the pub Lewis my night bar keep wants to only work a night or two at the most, and our newest man just quit.

George nodded and accepted the job, he had done the work before. Pay was not that good but it would do until a better opertunity afforded itself.

"My son is good with horses maybe he could work in the stable," George said.

"Good I know Roscoe our stable man has been apprenticing as a blacksmith and his step father Terrance has wanted to expand their shop to some other things but hasn't the time, if he had Roscoe helping him he could do that." Jamie said.

That night when George told Rafeal the news he was not in a good mood.

"First I get almost beaten by a girl, a very attractive one at that, and then you tell me I am to work in the stable, father I . . ." Rafeal sighed, the race had been so close he wasn't sure if she had beaten him, but they would have a rematch tomorrow night.

"Now listen, this is temporary, we need this right now, fortunes always change for us," George said smiling.

"Well," Rafeal said thinking of Lissa, how lovely she was.

"By fall we will be ready to sail if not then next spring in the meantime you will enjoy your horse, you always complain about not having time to ride." George said, thinking Rafeal took after his uncle who was a famous spanish horseman.

Rapheal frowned a bit and looked in the wardrobe.

"I think I should get a new look," George sighed.

"Well all right," Rafeal sighed, but he was not thinking of Fame, he was thinking of Lissa, the lovely girl. There were no chances of meeting girls on the high seas.

He was glad he had bought a new suit today.

"I do have one question," Rafeal said and laughed.

"Do I look odd without my beard?" George asked.

"Younger, you look more thirty two then forty five," Rafeal said.

"Maybe I should loose the mustashe too, what is your question?" George asked looking at his son, thinking maybe life here would be good.

"You really think things will be all right here?" Rafeal asked.

"Of course," George said and grinned back at his son.