The General on the ship had been none other then a childhood friend of Jamie's brother, and who had always liked Jamie better then his arrogant brother. Rafeal's fast thinking had probably saved them from being arrested as pirates. They claimed to be prisoners on the ship. Rafeal had even penned a ransom note for Duke Warwick that the men had found. Since the General knew Jamie, it was thought to be authentic. So they had been rescued and were now resting in an inn located in a small port town. Jamie thought they were pretty lucky, but worried about his daughter and son in law, who was badly wounded.

Rafeal was growing weaker, and all Lissa could do was care for him and sit beside him. Jamie wondered if he should send Lissa and Rafeal back on the first ship to New England as soon as Rafeal was healed well enough for the trip.

Jamie seemed to recover fairly fast the doctor was a good one and seemed to know what to do for Jamie.

Rafeal at least seemed to be resting better and his fever seemed to be subsiding.

"Lissa I must talk to you," Jamie said.

"What is it father the doctor is here to see Rafeal, you look much better," Lissa said smiling sadly at her father. "I am better, I think I should go collect Jeremiah, Warwick is a five day journey round trip,

"Father do you think you are up to that?" Lissa asked.

"Yes, we really need to return home, When I return we can book passage on the Lancaster, the harbour master tells me it leaves in a week for New England, Doctor do you think Rafeal will be able to travel by then?"

"I think he will be ready to travel one way or another," the doctor said ominiously. He had never had a case like this.The young man should be better if he was to live.

"Lissa do you mind me leaving you alone with Rafeal?" Jamie asked.

"No father," Lissa said, what could he do anyway.

Jamie hugged the daughter he favoured over his others, even though he loved all his children, Lissa was special.

Lissa watched him go, then turned to the doctor, wishing he had some kind of words of incouragement.

"How is he doctor?" Lissa asked.

"He is not good, he should be eating solid food and sitting up and trying to move around by now, but he grows weaker." the doctor said.

"I thought you gave him laudamun so he could rest, and sulfer for his fever," Lissa said looking worried.

"I did but I stopped giving the laudamun yesterday, say you seem to know a bit about medicine," the doctor said studying the young woman.

"A bit, I doctor our horses, and helped my mother with my siblings when they were sick, nothing this serious though," Lissa sighed.

"Well I shall be back tomorrow, you can manage his bandage change tonight," the doctor said.

"Of course." She said.

Lissa lay down beside Rafeal and never felt so alone in her life, even though the couple who ran the inn were kind, and the nice young soldier was still out there guarding them.

She wished her father was here, she was missing him so. But she understood why he had to go and she felt a quiet desperation herself to return home. She wondered if she would ever feel Rafeal's kisses again. She dozed off.

She dreamed she was alone in a moonlight graveyard and there was snow on the ground.

Awaking abruptly as she felt the bed move.

"I am too warm," Rafeal whispered.

"I need to change the bandages," Lissa said.

Rafeal shook his head hearing footsteps outside in the hallway.

"That soldier is still here?" he whispered.

Lissa nodded, trying not to cry, he looked as if he was in pain.

"Lissa I need to talk to you I am dying, I need you to order a coffin and I need you to have me buried at night," Rafeal said in a loud but shaky voice.

"No Rafeal, you are my husband, you can not die." Lissa cried.

"Yes and you must find someone else, this will never work," Rafeal said quietly.

Lissa started to cry. She changed his bandages and then smooth the covers and allowed him to lay on top, he was very warm.

"Don't cry, listen to me and listen close, you know the guard they left, he is for me not your father. When you went to bath I heard them talking that other soldier and this one, they are bringing someone here who knows my father and I," Rafeal explained.

"Father thought they were here to keep us from being kidnapped," Lissa sighed.

"They will bring that person and they will find out I am Rafeal Santiego son of Spanish Ice and Deloris, grandson of the most famous Spanish pirate of all. They will hang me, it is better if I die of my wounds, if I am dead and buried no one will bother with me, and better yet you, please do this one thing for me." Rafeal pleaded, it seemed to take all his strength.

"I will because you asked, but I don't like this Rafeal, I love you," Lissa cried.

"Then return home with your father and find a man who will love you and be a good father to my child," Rafeal pleaded.

"Oh Rafeal," she cried, and she knew he was dying, he beckoned her closer and whisphered something in her ear.

Then they kissed. When it was daylight she brought a big breakfast to her room and then she went out with the things Rafeal had given her, a couple of gold rings, and a bracelet, one had the initals JO on it but she thought nothing of it. She bought his coffin and brought it to the room, as Rafeal had asked.

Jamie was now a man of thirty eight years of age he had not seen his father for twenty-two years. He himself was grandfather of Quentin's two children. His other two daughters were married or were to marry this spring, and still as he stood looking up at the white towers of his fathers house he felt much as he had when he had been 16 and his father was threatening to send him away.

His father the pious cold man, who had done his best to raise him up to the point when he believe Jamie had sinned very badly.

Of course now his father knew he was innocent, he had found this out according to several people in the village that before Jeremiah came, the old man was on his death bed and now he was doing much better, he was younger then Oly, who in his seventies was the father of four children under twelve. Still full of life and running his part of the business.

Slowly he walked to the door, why had he came here? He belonged back at the in with Lissa who may be loosing her young husband.

His father would never give up Jeremiah, and he had nothing to back up his claim to his son.

As he stood looking into the cold interiour of his family home, he shivered, not so much because of the snow which had came a bit early it was only November wasn't it? But because of the coldness of his father the last time he had seen him. The day he let Jamie be transported when he could have stopped it by paying a few pounds.

"Grandfather I believe I heard someone knocking, are you expecting someone?" Jeremiah asked. He was doing his favourite indoor activity reading a book.

"I suspect Hampton will see to who ever it is," Cedrick said looking at his grandson with pure adoration.

"Good as soon as I am done with this chapter Molly and I will go build a snow man," Jeremiah piped smiling.

Cedrick nodded and said, "Good, but come back in if you get chilled . . . oh I say we have company."

"Well Jamie," Cedrick said studying his son.

"Father," Jamie said stiffly.

"So what do I owe the pleasure of this visit," Cedrick sniffed.

Jamie thought he looked a lot older then Oly.

"I came to get Jeremiah," Jamie said.

"No, I won't go," Jeremiah said glaring at his father, trying to wipe away the tears.

"You want to stay here with him?" Jamie said amazed, wondering where Ethan was.

"Yes," Jeremiah sobbed.

"Why is that?" Jamie said, thinking of Jayrun what if appeared one day to take that son, would he wish to go, no of course. Jamie suddenly wished he would have stayed with Lissa.

"I like it here, and besides I want to be Duke, you can't be Duke, you live in New England," Jeremiah said.

Jamie studied his son, a son he never had known.

"All right let us just get to know each other," Jamie said.

Cedrick smiled and sat down, he had won, of course he knew he would Jamie never had a back bone.

"Besides I can't leave my Molly, she is a good dog." Jeremiah said.

"You have a beauty of a dog, I wouldn't make you leave her behind," Jamie said, feeling maybe his father had changed allowing Jeremiah to have a dog.

"I would like you to come some day and visit your mother and I when you have finished your education, if you are not a Duke by then," Jamie said.

"Very fair, I shall insist he go then, after all he needs to learn much and not all is taught in the class room," Cedrick said smiling at his grandson.

"If I was a grownup I would like to visit and ride a big ship," Jeremiah said smiling.

"I know your mother and your sisters and brothers would love to see you, and wouldn't you like?" Jamie asked.

"We had a white dog," Jeremiah said smiling,

"Yes Piper," Jamie said.

"My sisters were all mean to me but Lissa, is she a grown up now?" Jeremiah asked.

"Yes she and Delilah are, Delilah is marrying an Orphington." Jamie laughed, he could see the boy was warming up to him.

"That is a funny name," Jeremiah giggled.

Jamie smiled.

"Delilah wasn't too mean, Monique and Annabelle would pinch me," Jeremiah said smiling.

"One of the Cyrus Orphingtons grandchildren?" Cedrick interrupted for the first time.

"Manfred's son Julius," Jamie said, thinking he had liked Rafeal better then that somewhat priggish Julius and all his gold jewelry.

"I am impressed, noble lines even if he married a Scot, didn't Manfred marry a Swede?" Cedrick asked.

"Is it true what uncle Ethan said that Quentin lives with the savages?" Jeremiah said coming to sit by his father.

"He lives with the natives, they were there when we came, and they are not savages, their life is good, they have their own government and . . . " Jamie started.

"Well, things are a bit strange in that wild land, Ethan was very afraid there," Cedrick said, wish Jamie would have stood up to him and not ran away, the trouble with Jamie was he had no backbone no spirit, but Jeremiah had that.

The next day Jamie was planning on returning but he decided to give it one last try, let Jeremiah make the choice.

He went out to where the boy was making a snow man.

"Need some help?" Jamie asked.

"Sure Jamie," Jeremiah said, causing Jamie to wince slightly.

"Are you sure you want to stay with your grandfather?" Jamie asked.

"Sure, father you have other children, you have mother, you have grandchildren, grandfather has no one, besides someone has to be duke and it might as well be me I don't have an Indian wife, and I like England best," Jeremiah said smiling.

Jamie looked sad, and nodded.

"Besides I will come and see you when I am grown up," Jeremiah said smiling, "Tell mother I love her."

"I will, we can write letters," Jamie said, and Jeremiah nodded laughing as Jamie added a carrot for a nose.

When Jamie went to get the few things he had brought, he was surprised to find his father had slipped some money into the bag. His first thought was to throw it at his father and stalk off Jeremiah wasn't to be bought then he realized he needed the money to get home.

When he went downstairs he saw Ethan.

"You better take care of my son, or else," Jamie threatened.

Ethan nodded and said, "That is my job, I work for your father, I tutor the boy and teach him riding and other things a gentleman should know. My wife teaches him the things a mother should teach a son, Jamie we care about Jeremiah as much as our own child."

"Good," Jamie said.

"I understand you only want the best for him, he has the best," Ethan sighed.

"Good, you know your sister and I are counting on you, don't let us down Ethan," Jamie said.

Cedrick was wrong about Jamie, he had spine, and guts and Ethan felt Jamie would come and kill him if anything happened to Jeremiah. Something about that wild new country had done something to shy bookish quiet Jamie. Made him a man Ethan would not want to cross. Probably those savages.

"Goodbye Jeremiah, remember I love you," Jamie said.

"Goodbye father, I know, I love you, and grandfather too," Jeremiah

"I know take care of him, and Molly," Jamie said hugging him. Jamie had been afraid he would push him away but he hugged back and said very softly, "Thank you father, and I will, I will never forget you. I will write, and when I come see you I want to meet Quentin's wife and children."

Jamie headed back to where Rafeal and Lissa waited.

When he arrived at the inn the land lady told Jamie Lissa was at the cemetary.

Jamie heard her wails before he reached the cementary. He knew it meant one thing, Rafeal had died.

"He is gone father," she sobbed, shivering.

"Oh Lissa, my darling daughter, I understand, how grievious this is to you, but you are going to catch your death out here.

"I don't care," Lissa sobbed, glancing around to see if that soldier was gone. "Well then care about the child you carry," Jamie said hugging her. The soldier was gone.

"Come on Rafeal would want you to go on." Jamie pleaded, she looked so pale. They got up to his room, he thought she shouldn't stay in hers, he would take it.

The landlady had a letter for her.

"The captain of the Vantage says if you wish to sail soon you should get down there he wants to make it off before there is a storm." The landlady told them.

Jamie nodded and told her they would go and watched his daughter fold away the letter wondering what it was, he paid her for the rent and asked about the funeral expenses, they had been paid. Jamie wondered how Lissa had managed that and then noticed that her earrings and jewelry was gone.

After what seemed like many months later he arrived home to Octavia, feeling both happier and wearier then he had for a long time. He hated being sea sick.

Octavia was thrilled to see him, she had gotten the letter from Maylissa a few weeks ago, saying that they were coming home.

"Delilah has been beside herself with worry that you and Lissa would miss her wedding." Octavia laughed.

She is still determined to marry Julius Orphanington?"

"But of course," Octavia said she wanted him to take her upstairs but they had so much to talk about.

Where is Lissa?" Octavia said suddenly realizing Lissa had not come in with him.

"We need to talk about Lissa, she won't be at the wedding." Jamie sighed.

"But I thought she and Rafeal . . ." Octavia said studying him, then she asked, "What has happened Jamie?"

"They were married on the ship, then he was killed protecting her from pirates," Jamie sighed.

"Pirates, but . . ." Octavia said looking confused, then sighed, "Oh Jamie, nothing could be as bad as loosing your husband."

"She is also with child, and she wants to do her confinement at the Inn, she wants to be away from the family, I think she just needs time to grieve, she wants you to come and see her," Jamie said, thinking Octavia's crying was going to wake the children and he was really too tired to see them right now.

"It's late, let us go to bed, I just want to hold you," Jamie said.

"Oh Jamie, I am so glad your home," Octavia sniffed.