It was a beautiful early autumn day, soon the children would be returning to school autumn was upon them, Monique would be teaching again but Tristen was be thirteen which meant he would be going away to school. Lissa was lost in thoughts of how good of a summer they had, Pepper had only been defeated once and their were only a few more races before it got too cold or too much rain to race.

"Ruby is so easy to ride after riding young horses all summer," Lucas sighed.

"Ruby likes you a lot, I tell you what when you go to Rivers Edge you can take her with you, you have ridden well, but the toughest races are coming up," Melissa said smiling.

"You mean it I can take her to Rivers Edge," Lucas said smiling too. Ruby was his favourite of his sisters three older mares. "She is yours little brother you have worked hard this summer," Lissa said.

"Really, oh sis you know I would ride for you free and a little pocket money when I win, but I have always liked Ruby and wished she was mine," Lucas said patting the bay. His father had promised him a good colt if he finished academy. But he had wished for a horse of his own, Oly had offered him a space in his stable in Rivers Edge for a horse if he took one.

"Ruby is 12 I had her all her life. I will breed Fame once more to an outside stallion, maybe Royale, and then retire her too." Lissa said. Lucas smiled and nodded Royale had been the colt that beat Pepper.

"Would you sell Fame, because I . . ." Lucas started.

"No I would never sell her, but I might sell Pride," Maylissa said thinking of the four year old, she was up to twelve head of horses now, her dad had twenty but his stable only held 14 so she needed to sell some before winter, with Ruby gone and Pride gone it would make room for upcoming foals. Again she wished for her own stable.

"We will buy her," Lucas said, thinking with Tristens help and bringing in another partner they could swing it. She would be Tristens horse eventually. Pride could beat Pepper in a longer race, he and Tristen had raced them.

"You have a deal as soon as Dreamer is weaned, but I will need ten pounds cash, the rest of the price can be worked out mucking stalls," Lissa said thinking ten pounds was what Kayhill wanted for Royale's fee, it was quite expensive, but he had came from Englands finest racers.

Lissa was so happy that her brothers were interested in the horses like she was.

She was really enjoying this ride, Lucas and Tristen had turned out to be her closest siblings.

Although she loved both Annabelle and Monique and was proud of them as well.

They stopped at the village green and let the horses rest and played some chess.

"Did you miss going to Quentins this summer?" She asked.

"Not really, I rather race horses. Besides Tristen probably won't want to go next summer, and Nicholas won't go alone, so this way he gets a chance to get to know our Native side of the family. It will be at least two summers before Joseph will be old enough to go." Lucas explained.

"That is good, maybe Nicholas can take both he and Rafe then," Maylissa smiled, thinking since Lucas had grown up a bit and started helping her with the horses she had not missed Quentin that much.

Maylissa gave him a hug after they finished their game, and she went on to Amberlys Mercantile to shop.

He went on to the pub where he was helping out Philip a bit now that Todd had his own place to work at. Owen Chastaine was working nights, but Philip needed help in the mornings for the breakfast crowd. Jamie was looking for another person, he did not want Owens little brother quitting school yet. Even though Daniel was a great worker as Monique had said he would be. Lewis was continuely cutting back his work time. Now he was down to six times a month and restock days.

Jamie on Oly's advice rode to Rivers Edge and went to see Myrah and Logan at the house that Julius used to own. He was surprised how warm and homey Myrah had made it.

Jamie was truely impressed, he greeted Myrah who said that Logan was at work but would be coming home soon. Myrah sent him back to visit with Orsen.

When Logan arrived, Myrah greeted him and sent him back to greet Jamie she was busy with her babies Janettes first grandchildren beautiful twin boys.

"I would very much apprechiate it if my son Lucas could board here when he attends school at Rivers Edge Academy," Jamie said as Logan came into the room where he and Orsen were playing chess.

"Orsen had informed us that was the case, he is more then welcome, we have room for four boys, Alexander will not be joining us this year, he is working for my father in law at the Arcadia station." Logan said smiling, "Myrah enjoys helping them with their studies, she misses teaching now that we have our infants Thom and Thad.

"How much board would you charge me?" Jamie asked.

Owen smiled, and said, "I think we could work out a trade, a few nights at your inn with meals for a term, Myrah would really like to see her mother and father but it is a full house over there, despite the fact it is huge."

"It is a deal," Jamie laughed, thinking with his four new rooms he would most likely have an open room any time they would care to visit.

Jamie went to sign him up in the academy and pay the fees.

Orsen was thrilled, and that night he wrote two short letters one to his brother Ivan incouraging him to do well in his studies, the other one to Lucas giving him some ideas what he would need to bring with him.

One night right before one of the last races of the season, and the weekend before school started Annabelle and Alan were sitting on her parents back porch talking about the future and watching the sunset. Soon it would be too cold to sit out of doors, they would have to sit in parlors at one of their parents homes and no privacy there.

Alan was telling her about the land he had bought from Eddie Coates, it was only forty acres but there was a small stream, and a good site for a home. Eddie had gotten himself a bit in debt betting against Pepper, because he was sure she would have to be defeated, but the filly had only failed once.

"The land sounds wonderful, I would like to see it tomorrow," Annabelle said, "I love you so much."

"Alan you going to be at the races tomorrow? I think our horse has a good chance at the distance race." Tristen said grinning.

"You bet," Alan said smiling at the boy, "But are you sure she is ready she just weaned that foal."

"I am sure partner, I have been working her and Lucas raced me on Pepper, and she did really good," Tristen said.

"Oh then I need to make sure I have my part of the fee then," Alan said smiling, his father had been good about lending him a bit of cash when he needed it.

"You bought a horse?" Annabelle asked, a bit shocked.

"Later then," Tristen said, thinking they would get all mushy now, yuck girls, even though Annabelle was pretty, he would never kiss one. He would work at the pub and race horses and let Lucas get mushy.

"Yeah I put in five pounds with your brothers, we plan on racing her next summer then raising foals on her," He said smiling

I wish you would have spoken to me about this, if we are going to be married, you can't keep things from me," Annabelle sighed.

"Annabelle I assumed your brothers or sister mentioned it, I was not keeping it from you, it was common knowledge the horse is a great investment, after she retires she can pull our buggy.

"We don't have a buggy," she laughed.

"Ah but we perhaps will by then with our winnings," he said dreamily, "Annabelle I love you and I want you to trust me."

"I do Alan, I do," Annabelle said smiling. "It is just that my parents discuss everything and I want that in my marriage."

"Are you sure, if you are so eager then it is time we go to Parson Martin and announce our bans for the spring," Alan said.

"Why Alan are you proposing marriage," Annabelle giggled.

"Why yes, would you prefer me down on one knee the ground is a bit damp," Alan laughed.

"That is not nessasary, and yes I will marry you Alan," Annabelle said, feeling as if she were floating, Mrs. Annabelle Keene, she liked how that sounded.

Meanwhile upstairs Maylissa had came in to collect Rafe and Angelique who had spent the day with their grandmother.

"Maylissa, your mother and I have something we wish to ask of you," Jamie said.

Oh oh, Lissa thought, he called me Maylissa and brought mother into it, what has someone done now? Or perhaps he is unhappy that my brothers are going racing.

"We need you to go talk to your sister," Octavia said.

"Annabelle or Monique, they are both downstairs," Lissa said, feeling it was Monique she had been seen by some old biddy walking her dog with a Chastain, oh pooh.

"Delilah," Jamie said, and saw the smile fade from his daughters face. He had a feeling she would rather give up a race then go visit her twin.

"Oh no. Father please! Delilah have not spoken for two years," Lissa said thinking, at the time she had been with child and Angelique was now approaching her second winter.

"It is time Lissa," Jamie sighed, he was tired of the rift between his children.

"Please do this one thing for your father and I, she will never take the first step, you are so much more mature, in a lot of ways you have become an adult and Delilah hasn't," Octavia sighed.

"Not only that but something is going on over there, three days in a row I have stopped by, and no one answered the door the first day, and I could hear the baby crying. The second time Delilah was gone and Amy knew nothing. The third time it was quiet, you are a lot more clever then I and she will not be expecting you." Jamie explained.

Lissa sighed, she loved her parents so much, they had done so much for her, and she guessed she could swallow her pride and go speak to her sister.

"We want you to take her a gift, a pony and a trap, they have a shed, and I will have some hay taken to them," Jamie said.

Well it was not Lissa's idea of the best thing to do, but she felt she owed her parents so she agree.

The next day Lissa went to the house, she parked the pony and trap at a neighbours. There was no answer at the door. Lissa was not just going to walk away instead she went around back and went throught a kitchen window. Rex barked and let Deliah know someone was in the house.

"Who is it," Delilah called, and almost screamed when she saw her sister.

"What are you doing?" Delilah demanded.

Oh so far so very good, she is already angry, Lissa thought.

"I came to check on you our father is worried, who moved into the old Sheldon house, that looks like Lewis' horse down there." Lissa said.

"How should I know?" Delilah said rocking Ross, who was had been born last month.

Lissa shrugged.

"Oh really father is worried about me?" Delilah asked, wishing she could shove Lissa out the door and say goodbye.

"Yes he has been by twice to see you." Lissa said, deliberatly lying.

"Amy said he came by I was out on some errands," Delilah said putting Ross in his crib.

"Please Delilah can we put all this behind us and try to be friends again," Lissa said, then said, "Father sent you a pony and a trap so you can come out and visit.

"Oh that was nice, Lissa I am sorry, but you really hurt my feelings. I know I probably did things that upset you as well." Delilah said.

No joking, Lissa thought, she really has the some nerve, but Lissa forced a smile thinking of her father and mother and how she must do this even though it was worse then the castor oil she had been fed as a child and the mustard plaster.

Delilah went on about how Julius neglected her, how he ignored their daughters how Rochelle and Rosalee didn't even know their father, he spent all his time working and when he did come home all he did was play the piano and sleep.

Lissa found herself feeling really sorry for her sister. She realized what a good father and husband Philip was and how he wanted the best for Rafe even though he wasn't his blood son. He loved him just the same.

Lewis could not believe these women could talk so long, it was sweltering in the closet, and he hated being in close quarters, it always made him have bad memories.

God Delilah was so appealing though she was the best lover he had in a long time, she had filled a part of his heart he had been missing for a while.

Lissa went by the inn to see Philip she couldn't wait, she had to walk there but that was all right it gave her time to think about her sisters situation.

She went into the public room, and saw Owen he ran into the back room where Philip was checking supplies and told him that Mrs. Devereaux was out front.

He soon came in looking worried.

"What is wrong dearest?" Philip asked.

She kissed him, and said, "You think you can get off early tonight, the children will be asleep and we can have a bit of private time."

"Of course, Owen is here and Lewis said he would turn up later when he was by earlier," Philip said smiling.

Lissa smiled and nodded.

Meanwhile Lewis was relieved to be out of the closet, but he was curious.

"What did your sister want?"

"I do not know really, only that some how she has upset me, oh Lewis I do not know what to think, I have missed Lissa so, but at the same time her motives do seem unreal." Delilah sighed.

"I will take your mind off of unpleasant thoughts," Lewis said wishing he could get both sisters as lovers, but Lissa was too straight laced.

Delilah giggled and returned his kisses, in a way she really loved Lewis.