It was early summer now, Three years had passed since Olys Death.

It was still made her think of Oly every time she rode this way, up what she called Fame's hill.

She still missed him and knew Alexander did as well, sometimes she would stop by and see Annabelle or Monique, both were happy and had new babies.

She was thinking about Tristen coming back from the academy and about their plans for the up coming races, they both were happy that Lucas and his wife and child were at home again and living at the farm with mother and father, Joseph and Nicolas.

Fame nickered but Lissa was deep in thought and did not see or hear the other horse.

There he stood and at first she just blinked.

"Rafeal," she said.

"Yes," he said looking at her, his dark eyes studying her.

"You are alive," she gasped, realizing this wasn't one of her little girl fantasies.

"I am back, and very careful not to let anyone see me, how have you . . ." Rafeal started.

Lissa was off the horse and kissing him before he could say another word.

"Oh Maylissa," he gasped how he had dreamed of this.

Philip was outside playing toss the ball with Rafe when Jamie rode up.

Rafe giggled when he caught the ball, it was clear he was enjoying the game.

"Thats good, you got it, now try to throw it straight," Philip said smiling at Rafe who he felt like a father to.

"Hello Grandfather," Rafe said.

Jamie dismounted, smiling at his grandson and son in law, thinking Philip was a good father, despite not having one to model himself after.

"Hello Rafe, Phillip," Jamie said.

"He is sure growing like a weed," Philip said smiling proudly at the boy.

"Yes he is getting big," Jamie said smiling at his grandson, "Where is Lissa."

"She is out riding still, maybe she stopped by to see Delilah or Annabelle, Rafe why don't you go check on your sisters?" Philip asked.

"All right da," the boy said and trotted towards the front of the house.

"Jamie, we must do something," Philip said, he still felt a bit shy calling his father in law by his first name.

"What is wrong Philip?" Jamie asked seeing the consern in the blond mans eyes.

"Its Neils, last night I caught him in the back room dipping dregs out of a cask of ale we had finished, he was drunker then a lord, if Lewis and Cass Timberland hadn't been there I don't think Owen and I could have handled him." Philip sighed.

"What the heck, I thought he had been sober for the past year," Jamie said looking concerned.

"Well Lewis said he got drunk last week at Orsens wedding and he has been drunk ever since and Olga left him, went to stay with Roland, Olaf is coming home to a mess, we need to do something. Roland is off in Boston covering some kind of a meeting there about the future of the colonys. Orsen is on his honey moon and Alexander is in Portland." Philip explained.

"Well he was going out of control a bit before Oly died but since then he has gotten worse and I will give this some thought, perhaps we need to intervene," Jamie sighed, he needed to talk to Lewis.

Rafe and Rebecca all waved goodbye at their grandfather, but Angelique had to come and give him a hug.

"I love you grandfather," she said, he was her favourite grandparent.

"Lets have some berrys and cream for breakfast, seems your mother is running late," Philip said smiling at the children. How he loved his family. There had only been his mother, his uncle and him growing up.

The children cheered at that idea.

Jamie rode on into town, after finding Lewis was not at home, he was going to go to Rolands, thinking maybe Lewis had gone by there checking on the women for Roland.

Meanwhile Delilah and Julius were quarreling about Julius being so strict on the children.

"Quit that giggling and get in there," Julius ordered his daughters, he had about had it with them.

Delilah sighed, what was wrong with him, he was acting as a tyrant.

"Once more and concentrate, it is not that hard," Julius scolded.

"It is my hands are small," Ross pleaded.

"Julius, the poor child you . . ." Delilah sighed.

"That was horrid, once again," Julius said glaring at his wife.

"Please father . . ." Ross pleaded, he knew he could not play it correctly.

"Ross do not whine, play it again." Julius ordered ignoring Delilah

Ross attempted the complex piece again, for five he was brilliant, but his father never seemed satisfied.

Nathanial started to cry.

Delilah watched her child, tears in his eyes as he once again failed. Her heart went out to him, why couldn't he just play what he wished.

"I have to go to that wretched job, have this right by tonight, or you will be standing to play you understand me? Delilah shut that brat up," Julius growled and almost ran into Jamie on his way out the door.

"Poor Nathaniel," Deliah soothed her youngest child.

Julius pardoned himself and rushed off. Jamie had not found Lewis and had decided to see if Lissa had stopped by Delilah's home.

"Can we get up now?" Rosalee asked, she disliked when her father forced them to sit there montionless while he humilated poor Ross.

"Of course, go do the washing up," Delilah sighed, glad the girls were now old enough to do a lot of the work around the house.

"Do I have to practice more?" Ross asked tearfully. Delilah shook her head.

"What is going on why are the children all in tears?" Jamie asked, thinking this house always felt so much different then Maylissa's cheerful one.

"Ross didn't play his assignment well enough so we all got punished," Rochelle said.

"She is so much like Maylissa exadurates," Delilah chuckled. Jamie shook his head. Ross tried the piece of music again, but there was no joy in it.

Jamie sighed and said, "Delilah you know if things are not good you can come to your mother or me don't you?"

"Of course everything is fine," Delilah said wanting to smack Rochelle.

Jamie sighed and hugged his four grandchildren and left.

Lewis slipped in shortly after he left, he climbed up the back trellis and entered her bedroom. She got the girls busy and went up to be with him.

"Oh Lewis without you I think I would loose my mind," Delilah murmered, he was the only good thing in her life besides the children.

"Delilah I feel the same, I am married to an elderly frail woman, and it is my fault I think Richard took too much toll on her aging body, I should have restraint," Lewis said, and thought he was actually upset about Astrids weakness maybe he did love her, but he loved Delilah even more.

Meanwhile at Swensen and Son, Julius was at his desk and working on something, he wanted to smack Pharnum for that remark about him being late again.

Just then a very drunk Neils staggered in and looked angrily at all the little rodents that Alexander had working there.

"You are all fired clear off or I will pull this horsepistol and shoot you dead," Neils growled.

"Gladly," Julius said, he was tired of the way things had been going anyway.

"Get out of here you peons," Neils said.

"I could kill you old man, I hate you and this stupid place, I am better then this, I am a master musician," Julius shouted in Neils face, then he smelled the gun powder, and backed away remembering he had a gun.

"Sir, You don't want to do this," Pharnum pleaded.

"Go to the devil," Neils said.

Julius went out and got one of the horses the couriers rode and took off for the hamlet of Dutchers Mill, a public house called the Flying Horse.

Julius told his friend he had lost his job, but Peter thought that it would be fine better this way.

"That darn catterwailing brat my wife gave birth to had my nerves on edge, I almost got shot by the boss's lunatic father, I need a drink to settle my nerves,"

"You should have drowned it as a small infant," Peter laughed.

"I was not sure it wasn't mine until it had that blond hair, no one on my fathers side has blond hair, its always brown or red, and her parents are dark haired.

"Well I can have everything ready in a couple of days we will be well off and we can go to Europe like you wished," Peter said smiling.

He thought about that little brat and how Delilah was so fond of it.

Perhaps Peter could think of a way to snuff out its life that Delilah would not suspect, he hated the brat.

After having a drink with his friend , he went upstairs to spend some time with Marian the serving wench at the Flying Horse.

Julius liked Marian but no woman was ever going to tie him down like Delilah had done.

"Julius darling I wish you would leave your wife," she crooned.

"Marian, I love her she cheated on me, but she has been good as gold since that brat was born with blond hair," he laughed.

Marian smiled, she liked Lewis Landers too, she had seen the baby he looked like Lewis. Oh she fancied him she did, but he would not be presuaded to her bed. The time would come, his friend the general was not as particular.

Meanwhile there was more drama going on west of town.

"No I can't do this I am a married woman," Melissa said.

"You found someone else?" Rafeal asked.

"Yes, Rafeal I love you, I always will, but I am married to Philip," Maylissa said.

Rafeal nodded, he had feared this had happened he had told her to go and marry, and kissed her goodbye after she helped him out of the coffin at the cemetary, while the grave diggers were busy busting out the frozen earth. He had hoped that she would have not acted on it.

"I am so glad you are alive." she said.

"What is life without you, look I am working for a merchantman now, I am working my way up, I am no longer a pirate, I decided that once I talked to Salty, he helped me go straight, my name is Miguel Valance now." Rafeal said.

I am so happy for you Rafeal, I need to go." Maylissa said seeing the sun and realizing her husband would be worried.

"How is my son, can I see him?" Rafeal asked, seeing even though her lips had told him she still loved him it was never to be, "Fame looks good."

"Do you wish her back?" Lissa asked.

"No she is yours, as is my heart," he said softly.

"Oh Rafeal," Lissa said, she wanted to cry.

Julius decided to go home, he frowned as he saw all three of his children outside weeding the garden, even the brat was out there.

"Where is your mother?" Julius snapped.

"Oh no it is da, he is home early," Ross said looking upset.

"She has a headache, she says we are to weed," Rosalee sighed.

Julius sighed, this meant that Ross had probably not gotten his three hours of practice in.

He went upstairs and saw Lewis Landers and Delilah in his bed.

He stood there gaping at them in disbelief. But he should have known.

So that was who had sired the blond brat.

"Thats it! I am leaving you, you worthless wench! I am taking Ross."

"No! Julius!" Delilah cried.

"Oh no," Lewis sighed, he had never meant for this to happen.

"Run children, run to the school," Delilah screamed out the window.

Nathaniel cried with fright as his siblings suddenly took off running.

"I better get out of here, he might get a gun or sword," Lewis said, "If you need me I will be at your fathers public house."

Delilah sighed, she had to get Nathaniel she was always afraid Julius would harm him.

She was standing there with Nathaniel in her arms when Lissa rode up.

"Oh Sissy I have to talk to you," Lissa said.

"Oh Sissy, we must talk," Delilah said.

"Why are you standing out here in your night dress?" Lissa asked, thinking it must be nine at least.

"Julius found me in bed with Lewis, and he has gone mad the children ran to Monique's will you ride there make sure they are safe, I am going to pack some things and harness the pony and go to the inn for now, I am scared to death," Delilah cried.

Lissa gaped at her for a minute, then hopped on Fame and rode to the school.

The girls were at the school, Monique said they could stay there for as long as needed, but Ross was with his father. He had rode them down, almost ran the horse he was riding over Rochelle who was trying to protect Ross.

Now Lissa was mad, yes Delilah was wrong in having an affair with Lewis, he was an old guy Lissa didn't understand. But Julius had his children terrified and he had taken his son, she went by the inn and changed horses and told David to take a message to her father and husband, there was trouble, she also asked that a room be made ready for Delilah.

Julius was not to be allowed in, and to alert the constable. David looked confused but agreed to take the messages and talk to Alan who now cooked for the Inn, no one else was in yet.

"Good God the town has lost it's mind," Someone said as Lissa rode by, she thought it was an unusual comment, how did they know what was going on. She had no idea that Neils bombed out of his mind on homemade whiskey was shooting up Swensens and sons. The newest constable was cowering in his office.

Lewis was at the pub when Delilah came in she looked as if she was about to loose it, but before he could go to her, she heard shouting outside and ran upstairs. Jamie arrived at the pub relieved to see Lewis's gray mare.

Then a man Jamie recognizes as a teamster for Swensen and Sons, came up and shouted, "Neils Swensens gone crazy is shooting up the coach station, no one can find the constable, the bloody bootlicking Amberly coward."

Jamie arrived at the pub

"Lewis!" Jamie shouted.

Lewis hated leaving Delilah alone right now, but who knew she probably blamed him for this.

"Come on Lewis we have to stop him," Jamie said.

"We, Alan . . where . . ." Lewis said.

"Alan man the pub," Jamie called and almost drug Lewis towards Swensens and Sons.

"Lewis go find that bloody constable, I am going to go in. Get him down there I don't care what you have to do, go get the Timberlanes," Jamie said.

Neither of them heard any gunfire, but Neils was somewhere in the building shouting about it was his company and he could do as he dammed well pleased.

"Yes I can do that," Lewis said, thinking Jamie was either a little crazy himself to face Neils alone when big teamsters were running from the man, or he had a good plan.

Jamie had no plan, he knew guns and knew anyone as drunk as Neils was reported to be probably could not be capable of firing off more then one round and was more likely to injure himself. People tended to panic when they saw a gun.

When the building had been built it had been built over the site of an old house which had a root cellar. Oly had planned on using it for storage but the first really wet spring brought flooding in the cellar so he had not put anything down there.

When Neils heard Jamie calling him in his alcoholic stupor he thought it was his father. Suddenly he was nine again, his father was angry at him because he had torn up his mothers best table cloth to make a ghost costume to scare some other children.

Jamie saw where he went, and knew about this cellar, one summer Oly had stored some wine shipments in it for Jamie. He slammed the door shut, and latched it.

Lewis was standing outside the coach waiting room looking a bit vexed and worried, oh he was a bad man, Jamie was the best friend he had ever had, and he had gone and seduced his daughter. If Jamie got out of this alive he would be true to his wife, well except for Ferrin maybe . . . he tried to pray but couldn't remember if he ever had known how, he had prayed in prison. So he tried again.

God curses a coward his father had once said, something about dying a thousand times, Lewis could not remember. Oh why had he left Jamie to find that worthless constable. The Timberlane men were all up in the forest harvesting the wood.

"Lewis where is the constable," Jamie asked in a soft voice.

"Can not find him," Lewis said looking at Jamie. He seemed unharmed, it was a miracle.

"It doesn't matter now I suppose, Neils is safe and so is the town, he will probably pass out soon, but I am going to need your help to fix up the place for him. I think if we keep him locked up away from the grog for a while he will dry out and stay sober perhaps," Jamie reasoned, he remembered discussing this with Roland after Oly died.

"You mean, keep him prisoner?" Lewis asked.

"There is no other way, I need to go talk to . . ." Jamie said as David came up.

"Master! Julius done run off with Ross and gone crazy, Delilah she at the inn, I been looking everywhere for you," David announced.

"Has the whole world gone insane," Jamie said, too shocked to correct David on calling him master.

"Miss Maylissa went hunting him," David panted.

"Oh God," Lewis said, he had hoped the children had gotten away safely.

"Do you know anything about this Lewis?" Jamie asked, what was Lissa thinking.

"Unfortunately I do but now is not the time, do we know what he was riding or driving?" Lewis asked, wracking his brain, he had not heard a horse or an equipage.

It was getting dark, Lissa had to find Julius and her nephew and before he got too far, and she had no clue where he would head.

She ran into Rafeal and almost didn't recognize him. He was wearing a wig and hat.

"Is that horse any good?" She asked.

"He is no Fame in her prime, but he is a good horse, now you are going to have me race your husband for you?" He asked, playfully.

"No Rafeal this is serious, my sisters boy has been taken by his crazy father, I fear for him," Lissa said, thinking how much he was still that teenage boy she had loved.

His smile faded and turned to an expression of amazement, as she explained what had happened. Rafeal remembered Julius.

After getting a discription of the boy and man, Rafeal rode off towards Rivers Edge, while Lissa headed to Arcadia.

After an exhaustive search which yeilded nothing but tired horses and men, Julius and Ross were not found. Lissa had not heard back from Rafeal but part of her had not expected to, he probably kept on going back to where ever his ship was docked and who could blame him.