Now with Delilah gone and Lissa living at the Inn, Monique and Annabelle were looking forward to the last day of school.

Their father took them to Oly's station to pick up some things he ordered, it was crowded and he warned them, "Now you girls behave yourself."

"We will." Monique sighed.

"Now that I am oldest sissy things are going to change, we are going to have fun," Annabelle announced.

"Sounds good to me," Monique giggled.

"Next year just you and Lucas will be going to school, I will be 13 and to old to go to school I will be stuck home with mother and all the little boys. So I want to have fun before I get old and boring," Annabelle said.

"We could go over to Alan's he told me he is sneaking out tonight to spy on his sister," Monique said.

"Alan is always fun," Annabelle said smiling.

"Oh darn I am out of soap, these were fun, father sure is taking his time," Monique sighed, "so how about tonight?"

"That does sound like fun, we used to spy on Delilah," Annabelle said grinning.

Just then a woman and her daughter came along.

They were dressed very stylishly.

"Now Penelope, stay out here and wait for me, I won't be long," the woman said.

"Hi my name is Annabelle Warwick and this is my sister Monique," Annabelle said polietly.

"Oh I know who you are, you smell like horses, your brother is crazy he lives with savages, your sister had a baby with no husband, and your other sister made a fool of herself at her own wedding, you may be the granddaughters of some Duke over in England, but everyone knows your just rubbish," the little girl said in a snooty voice, immatating what her mother said.

"Why you take that back or you will be sorry," Monique said angrily.

"What a snob," Annabelle sniffed.

"I am so scared." the little girl

Annabelle could see her sister was seeing red. She thought she should risk going in to see how much longer their father would be.

When Penelope looked in the window that was when Monique splashed her with water someone had put in a pan by the roses.

"That was not nice," Penelope sobbed.

Monique laughed and said, "Neither are you."

Oh no, Monique thought seeing the snobby girl's mother coming as well as Annabelle and father.

"Mother that mean stinky girl splashed me with something nasty." Penelope cried.

"My apology madame, be assured that Monique will be punished." Jamie said bowing.

"It was just water," Monique sighed.

"I am sure Penelope," the lady sighed, "Thank you for the invitation Mr. Warwick, I will do my best to attend."

Penelope stuck her tongue out as her mother led her away.

"Father did you see that, and you should have heard what she said to us," Annabelle said thinking it was not fair.

"Well still you must learn not to act upon taunts Monique." Jamie scolded.

"But father . . ." Monique started. "I think you can go to the picnic on the green instead of swimming with the older children," Jamie said. "But you made Lucas go to that last year when he was five," Monique said looking horrorfied.

Annabelle and Lucas will be going swimming with the others," Jamie said sternly.

"Sorry," Annabelle said and she meant it.

That evening after dark the girls slipped out to meet Alan.

"Hehehe I got this new thing I made it will pinch you," Alan giggled.

"Lets try it out," Monique said, she had been so unfairly punished, and worse her mother had agreed.

Carefully he worked the stick with the pincher on the end through the bushes.

It was all Monique and Annabelle could do not to burst out laughing.

"Todd get your hand off of my bottom," Johanna scolded.

"Ouch," Johanna said, but this time she saw both his hands.

"I didn't do anything," Todd said, he had decided he wanted a nice girlfriend and he was not going to try anything.

They heard some bushes rustling, and Johanna looked puzzled. Todd put a finger to his lips.

Then he kissed her gently.

"That was your brother," he whispered.

"Oh I am going to get him," Johanna laughed.

Todd smiled most girls would be mad, he remembered a few times he had pranked Justin and his girlfriends.

"I have the perfect way to get him back," Todd whispered.

"I am listening but can I have another kiss please?" Johanna said smiling, she was really glad Delilah had broken her up with Alexander Swensen, Todd was so much a better kisser.

"Your father have brown boot polish?" Todd said, remembering a prank Justin had pulled on him.

She nodded and heard giggling in the distance and thought it sounded like more then one child. She had helped her mother put the little ones to bed so it was probably Alan and one of his grubby friends.

One thing Jamie loved about Lissa living in Quentin's old quarters is he could stop by and visit her any time.

"How are you and how is my grandson?" Jamie asked, seeing Lissa relaxing in the middle of the day seemed strange some how.

"He is fine, I was thinking about having Naomi watch him and come out to farm and see Satin and Fame," Lissa sighed, thinking again about Rafeal and wishing he was here with her but it was not to be.

"I could bring them in if you wish, but Fame is in foal," Jamie said.

"She is that is wonderful, no I want to leave them there but I would like to have a horse of my own here, maybe Ruby?" Lissa said smiling at her father.

"Anything you wish, Lissa," Jamie said, he could really refuse her nothing she had been through so much.

"I would like to talk to you about something." Lissa said.

"We can talk about anything you wish Lissa." Jamie said.

"What do you think of Philip?" Lissa asked.

"He is a good young man, and a hard worker, I am glad Lewis found him, and Todd is good as well, but Philip goes that little extra effort," Jamie said, "Your sisters say you have became friends, thats good, I know Todd and you have been friends since you were small.

"He has asked me to marry him," Lissa sighed.

"Well you could certainly do a lot worse, but what ever you decide is fine with me," Jamie said.

After her father left Rafeal was up from his nap she bathed him and looked at her son, he smiled at her.

"I love you more then anyone in the world, and I want you to have a wonderful life I had, well up until the bad things that happened with your father," Lissa cried.

"If Philip still wants to marry me by this winter I will say yes," Lissa said and kissed her son. She didn't regret being with Rafeal, but she knew Philip would give her the kind of life she wanted for her son and herself.

Monique was so upset she was missing the swim and childrens picnic, she was the only child there except for some little kids.

The food wasn't even that good her mom was a lot better cook.

"This chicken stew is good, but I thought we were having roast," Jamie sighed.

"I don't know the women voted on who to have cook this year, they chose two women I barely know," Octavia sighed.

Then Monique saw him, the best person to bring her out of her blues, her best friend outside Annabelle, there was Alan helping with the serving.

"Told ya I got in trouble for playing in fathers brown shoe polish, I didn't do it I don't know how it got all over my face, I fell asleep on the sofa. Woke up with it on my hand and all over my face. But my mother scrubbed me til it hurt and now I am stuck here," he sighed, he was glad to see her though.

"Oh no that Penelope is here too," Monique said seeing her mother and her in their bonnets.

"Oh we need some worms from Mr. Emmersons garden, he has the best ones," Alan giggled.

"Okay I will go get them," Monique said, she wasn't a bit squeamish about worms neither was Annabelle, both of them loved to fish.

"Meet you over at the west side of the meeting hall, there is no windows," Alan said, "I have a few more of these to serve.

"You got it," She giggled, her parents were busy visiting this day suddenly got a lot better, she realized how much she liked Alan, he was so much more fun then any boy at school.

"Sorry Alan, Mr. Emmersons gate is locked," she sighed.

"That is fine when I was dumping out some left overs I found a slop bucket full of bad milk and rotten strawberries. Mrs. Dutcher told me to take it to the hogs, but I have a better idea." Alan giggled.

"Oh I like how you think," Monique laughed.

Penelope was drinking huge amounts of lemonade, it was only a matter of time until she had to use the ladies outhouse.

Monique waylaid the ladies that wished to use the room, and sent them to mens.

Finally she came and Monique and Alan felt like they were going to burst with bottled up laughter.

The bucket of rotten things fell on the rotten child and Monique and Alan ran off to laugh, and get back into the bushes where they had been playing with Sunshine, a dog that always visited the school and belonged to Mrs. Dutcher.

Sunshine was their alibi.

Quickly they got back and released Sunshine and came out of the bushes.

"Oh boy, that was the funniest thing we ever did," Monique laughed, hearing Penelope's mother scolding her for making a mess of herself.

"But mother those two little ruffians did this to me!" she said pointing to Monique and Alan.

"They have been there playing with Sunshine all the time," Jack said, petting the dog.

Monique wanted to hug Alan, but that was too girly of a thing to do.

"Honestly Astrid I do not know what I am to do with Penelope, she does not get along with any children her age they are always picking on her," Priscilla sighed.

"She reminds me a lot of my oldest Justin, I don't know what would have became of him if his father had not taken him in hand, I spoiled him dreadfully, and he was made to think he was better then other children. It is the worst thing you can do to a child," Astrid said.

"But I want Penelope to realize she is . . ." Priscilla started.

"There is plenty of time for them to realize that they are upper class when they are young women, as a child they need to learn how to get along with others, Justin is doing wonderful now he knows how to talk to ranch hands, and I don't think if he still had that chip on his shoulder he would. He also knows he is a Landers, he knows his place in society and he has married well," Astrid said, thinking this young mother was much as she was, and had a lot to learn, she was so proud of Lewis he was a fine example of a man.

Meanwhile the men, Lewis, Seth, Jamie, Edmond, Jack, and Albert Underwood who Neils had sent to the event, he was Neils new head of freight, and had brought his wife Priscilla and daughter to Amberly to live.

"Too bad Neils couldn't be here, but I understand he is busy in Portland with the new shipping line." Seth said, thinking what Neils said about Albert.

"He is and Oly prefers the childs picnic," Albert laughed.

"Well let us get down to business. We have a lot to discuss about this General Harding, something must be done, we have to protect our allies, as well as the farmers along the border," Seth said.

"We also have to run off squatters, these people have no right to be in the Native land, something must be done before Beaver's band kills one of them. He does not have the control over his young men that Saban has," Jamie said.

"You know these savages," Albert said and Jack kicked him under the table, he didn't like Albert Underwood, he thought he was superiour to everyone.

"Ouch," Albert said.

"Jamie is our liason to the tribal commitee," Seth said coolly, "He can speak their language."

"He also speaks French," Lewis said in a hauty voice, thinking this guy was probably a moron, he had wished Oly had sent Parnum.

"The man who is a trader to the Natives is French," Jamie said kindly seeing Alberts confusion.

Seth sighed, he did not want this to turn into a pissing match between Lewis and Albert, he was relieved with Coats came up with an idea.

"We can't kill this crazy General, all our attempts to go through channels like Captain Ferrin suggested were quashed. Lewis's plan to appeal to his greed did not work, why not drug him. Box him up and ship him to parts unknown," Coats said.

"Wouldn't he die?" Jamie asked thinking that was cruel even to an insane man, who thought about murdering people for no reason.

"Not if we box him up right," Coats said.

"It could work," Albert agreed, "Especially with the Swensens help."

Jamie, Lewis, and Jack all thought the plan was a bit far out there, but they couldn't think of anything better.

Seth laughed, it was far out, but everything they had tried had failed.

No one wanted to kill the man, although Jamie had reasoned, if the man stayed in command of the fort more would die.

Fall had arrived, and in a few weeks Delilah and Julius would return from their European honey moon.

Lissa told Philip she would marry him but she only wanted her parents, Lewis, Todd, and Clive Martin at the wedding.

Roland agreed not to put the announcement in the paper, until after the wedding, so no one would be the wiser.

Oh Rafeal. How could I ever love anyone but you. But I have your son to think of. This is my best choice Philip is sweet and wise and he loves me. Lissa thought as she stood before Clive.

Lissa felt so empty as she kissed Philip, she cared about him, and she knew he loved her, but she could never love anyone but Rafeal. She hoped she was not making a mistake.

Lissa looked at her mother Octavia had a slight smile, like she was thinking of something else, her father looked so sad. Todd looked as if he was mourning for someone or something.

Lewis was the only one who looked pleased, and he was his son had married much better then he dared to hope.

Deliah was furious when she found out her sister had not waited for her, nor had she had the big wedding Delilah had.

She went home for a visit and talked to Monique and Annabelle and told them, that under no circumstance could they have a wedding without her consult.

Monique made a face and said, "I am never getting married."

Annabelle agreed, and then added, "Unless I could find a man who liked to have fun."

"I don't know any man like that, they are all boring, except Todd, I might marry him," Monique said smiling.

"Todd is too old for you besides he is calling on Johanna, who knows what he sees in her," Delilah snipped.

"She is boring always yelling at Alan," Monique agreed.

"That's true sissy," Annabelle laughed.

Delilah sighed her sisters were so silly, here Annabelle was 13 and not concerned about her future or marrying well, in another year she would be coming out at the spring ball.

"Mother what are we going to do about Lissa and Annabelle?" Delilah asked.

"Nothing dear, time and nature will sort it all out, how was your honey moon, do you enjoy married life?" Octavia asked.

Delilah rattled on and on about all they had seen and how sick she was on the ship going and coming, just like her father she had no stomach for sailing and would never go on a ship again.

"I love our house, I have a lot to do all the things we bought should be arriving and I have the most marvelous wall paper," Delilah said.

"That's nice." Octavia said, wondering if she should do something about her house, since she got the new living room set she had not given it much thought.

You really should think of sending the girls to Mrs. Bartons charm school, those two really have no clue," Delilah said and walked out of the room.

Octavia sighed, what had she done so wrong with Delilah, she only cared about herself or the appearance of others for her sake.

Lissa had been coming out for short visits since her marriage to Philip to see the family as well as her horses and the dogs, she tried to avoid Delilah.

But one day it happened they ran into each other, usually Lucas or Monique warned her.

"Hello Lissa, where are you living still at the inn? Every time I stop by there Todd or Philip tell me you are out or occupied," Delilah said.

"That is because they are too nice to tell you I don't want to see you," Lissa snapped.

Delilah looked as if she had been slapped

"But why?" Delilah asked.

"You are so clueless, go polish your silver," Lissa snapped, and went out to the stable and saddled Satin.

"Why is she angry with me?" Delilah asked and realized the room was empty. Jamie had taken the little boys upstairs and her mother had gone off as well.