Bram went inside the church unsure what to do, but to pray no one was hurt.

Just then as he picked up some music leaflets from the floor a young man rushed in screaming "OH GOD" OH GOD!"

"Yes may I help you?" Bram asked wondering if this young man had been involved in the shooting of the gun.

"Where is Clive?" a young man demanded bringing Bram from his ponderings.

"He is at Mrs. Swensens home, perhaps I can be of help," Bram said thinking the young man was very distraught.

"You are the new minister?" the boy asked.

"Yes I am can I help you, you look dreadfully upset," Bram said gathering his nerves the gunshot. "Oh my God I have done a terriable thing," he cried.

"Tell me about it son," Bram said wishing Clive was here.

"My uncle killed my father and it was my doing, I told him my father was going to fornicate with my uncles wife and now my uncle has killed him and it was my doing my soul is doomed," Thoren sobbed. "I am a monster."

"Son, slow down why would you do such a thing and are you sure your uncle killed your father?" Bram said inside he was shaking. These barbarians needed God, that was for sure.

"My mother is dying I do not know what is wrong with her but she coughs the doctor says its pleurisy and there is nothing to do," the boy cried. Bram looked baffled. "My father is not a good man, but I shouldn't have had him murdered.

"Calm down maybe your uncle didn't murder him.

"Did not you hear that gunshot, oh God why did I do that, my father fornicates with any woman that takes his fancy and does not deserve my good mother but vengence is mine sayth the Lord, vengence does not belong to me," Thoren cried.

"That is true vengence is the Lords," Bram said thoughtfully, he could see this was a good young man who might have been led astray but with guidence he could be brought back into the church pure of heart.

"I should die, God take me for what I have done." Thoren sobbed.

"Calm down there young man, let us pray and think this over, I do not even know your name," Bram said, "allow me to introduce myself I am Bram DuBiose."

"Thoren Landers, I am sorry I am very upset." Thoren said.

"Understandable, now Thoren take deep breaths and for now put this out of your mind, we will work on your problem when we pray on it, but you must calm yourself," Bram said, hoping he sounded convincing. Three days out of missionary school and he was confronted by a mad youth in a savage town.

"What have I done," he said softly, "poor dear mother, she will never forgive me."

What had happened played through Olga's mind like a bad vision she could not seem to clear. It was like the stage plays she had seen as a child and she and her sister would discuss them and visualise them in their minds.

Her husband had charged in like a bull in a tea shop, only he was cold stone sober and angrier then she had ever seen them, and he had that damned gun Oly had given him.

Lewis had pled with him and she had felt frozen, but then there was a blur.

Olaf ran into the room and butted his father knocking the gun from his hands, it discharged. At the same time he shoved Lewis back.

"No father do not do this," Olaf ordered.

"He was with my beloved Olga I couldn't abide it," Neils panted, as Lewis fell.

"No he was not Neils I am not feeling well he was a gentleman," Olga cried.

It's true I was in the attic watching through a crack in the ceiling," Olaf admitted, "Father what have you done?"

"But I thought . . . oh no . . " Niels cried.

"Neils! Why?" Olga cried

"Oh Olga I love you I couldn't stand the thought of him touching you," Neils said tears in his eyes.

She stared at him realizing he really did love her.

"Father," Olaf cried.

"Will one of you help me up I think I threw my back out," Lewis moaned rubbing his head.

"He is alive," Neils said happily, really looking at Lewis for the first time as well as the hole in the floor the ball had dug.

"Yes very alive and a bit upset, Neils how could you think I would do anything with Olga?" Lewis asked in a quavering voice.

"She is a beautiful neglected woman, I know you Lewis," Neils sighed, there was no anger in his voice and he and Olaf helped Lewis up.

"She is your wife you two are true to each other, and besides she is my sister in law, and you are my wifes brother," Lewis said hotly, then looked at Olaf, and said, "You saved my life nephew you are very strong,"

"Sorry I knocked you down and hurt your back," Olaf said thinking his uncle and parents were getting elderly he should be more careful.

"No you saved my life Olaf, I owe you, think I am going home now . . . but I want you to know one thing Neils you are stupid, you have a beautiful sweet wife and if you don't sober up and start doing her right some man might come along . . . it won't be me, but mark my words," Lewis said.

"You are right Lewis, guilty as charged, I love her so much, I should have known that what Thoren said was lies," Niels said.

"What? My son said I was here with Olga in a . . . oh I know he hates me but this is going to far." Lewis said.

"I am so sorry," Neils sighed.

"Uncle Lewis we do not like Thoren much, when he was a child he was such good friends with Ivan and Victor and of course Tristen, but now Tristen doesn't even want anything to do with him, and Tristen is the nicest man I know," Olaf explained.

"Do you hate your father Olaf?" Lewis asked.

"No I hate what he does, but not him, that is the difference Uncle Lewis he is just full of hatred he hates Ivan because Ivan refuses to go to church," Olaf said.

"Neils you not only have a good wife but you have the best of men as sons as well," Lewis said.

"I am hardly a man I am only fourteen," Olaf said blushing as he went to show his uncle out.

"You are a man," Neils said, "Olga if you feel up to it would you please get dressed and come out to garden I want to talk to you and our son."

"I will be right there," Olga said and went to slip on her dress, she should have done this when Lewis came over but honestly she had been thinking of tempting him but then when he did not look at her the way she had expected she had doubts of her appeal as a woman, but now she wondered if the gossip about Lewis was true.

"Look I have been doing a lot of thinking, what Roland and Jamie did were the best thing in the world. Look at this house, it is huge, someday maybe Olaf or one of my younger brothers would have use for it, it is just to big for you and our servants are getting old its time to pension them out and settle into grandfathers old farm I want to raise goats and learn to make cheese, some nice cheese." Neils said.

"I know how to make cheese, it has been years, but I am sure with a little practice I could make some nice cheese, like my grandmother, I have the recipe," Olga said happily, she was a quiet woman and never felt comfortable in town.

"Wonderful you can teach me," Neils said smiling.

Olaf smiled too, so they moved to a goat farm as long as his father quit drinking he would move to an island with nothing but dogs and wild life.

After she was sure Thoren was gone, Delilah went into the church. She sighed remembering the last time she was here. The day she had made a fool of herself for tossing a fit about Julius drinking. Why did she accept the vows. She had been such a fool, now here she was twenty-four and four children and most likely the way she had been feeling Lewis had done it again and she was with child. She started to cry.

Lissa was right she was selfish shallow and worthless. The dream she had last night was horrible. She had killed Astrid with a poison apple. Lewis had been arrested for the crime and she was wondering the streets of Boston begging alms, while her children lived with her father and his new wife because her mother had eaten an apple too and had died.

She decided she would not see Lewis any more Astrid needed him, Thoren was so angry, and she didn't really understand what Lewis had done, but she could not go on like this. Her father was right she should find a decent man and marry him. It didn't matter if she loved him as long as he was a good man and kind to her and the children.

"What is wrong my child?" a sweet voice asked.

Delilah blinked, was that God's voice or maybe an angel?

She looked and saw a man, and if he had not had such a kind expression on his face he would have looked more like how she pictured the devil.

"I am not a good person," Delilah said thinking she should not be talking to this man she did not know him, and he had a strange accent.

"I am the new parsons, Bram DuBiose," the man said in his gentle voice. "Delilah Orphington, Mr. DuBiose. Please I don't wish to bother you," Delilah sighed. "I am here to serve mademoiselle," he said in his beautiful voice. "It is madame, well no I am not sure, you see I am a widow in waiting if it were," Delilah said. Their eyes met his warm and kind blue ones her dark stormy ones, and he saw and said a soft prayer, oh not again, his heart could not take this, and she a widow in waiting, what ever that meant.

He was so kind and soon Delilah found herself unburdening herself to this handsome mysterious new parson, who seemed so different then the upright cool Clive Martin. He seemed to have a smoldering underlying passion. She also felt more comfortable with him then she ever had with the slightly judgemental Clive.

"Heavens door and the churchs door is always open for you my child, and confession is so good for the soul. Yes you have done some bad things, but your husband should have not deserted you so cruelly. I want you to pray on this, and remember you can come and speak to me any time." he said, and added in his mind and please do not wear that red frock. It makes me think unpure thoughts. Impure thoughts lead to trouble and I do not want that.

There were sure a lot of adultery going on in this town, he thought it would be quiet with prim maidens and dowdy quiet house wifes. But if Delilah was any indicator he was going to have to give his sermon for Sunday another thought.

Delilah left the church feeling better, maybe she should bring her children to church. It would do them good.

Lewis was furious by the time he got home, "Where is Thoren?"

"I do not know he has not been home all day, you sound upset,"

"He tried to kill me," Lewis snapped, "Dammed his eyes, woman I am very angry."

"Thoren? Darling you must be mistaken, Thoren goes to church and is a model citizen," Astrid said rather proudly, both Todd and Justin spurned religion as did Lewis.

"Yes he told Neils I was laying with Olga . . ." Lewis said.

"Well were you?" Astrid cackled then started coughing.

"No, I would not do such a thing," Lewis said looking truely repulsed. Olga was probably fridgid, he did not know how Neils had gotten five children out of her. Besides that part of what he had told Neils was the truth he thought of her as family, "Neils almost shot me dead with that pistol, if Olaf had not rushed in."

"I am sorry darling," Astrid said catching her breath. "Please help me into bed."

"Of course. Have you eaten?" Lewis asked wondering where the servants were.

"Yes and will you come and lie with me before you have to go to the pub," Astrid sighed.

"Of course, what am I to do about Thoren? Perhaps we should see about getting him a conscription?" Lewis said.

"No, he is just a boy," Astrid said.

"Right," Lewis sighed, and he started thinking about Delilah, as Astrid explained that she would talk to him.

When he wasn't with her he missed her so, he never thought of other women like that. He had never not even his first real love.

Oh Deliliah are you thinking of me right now, as I am thinking of you?

"Didn't you hear what I said darling, are you that upset?" Astrid asked.

"Sorry what?" Lewis asked.

"I said that we got a letter from Ingrid today, she said Jeremiah bought her a beautiful cottage, and he spends more time with her then he does with his wife. She said Jeremiah provides for her and the child very well." Astrid said.

Ingrid indeed was very happy in her cottage, and Jeremiah and she had no need to see anyone else. Of course he was bound to be with his wife.

Ingrid did not mind, she was happier then she had ever been, and she knew as soon as his son was old enough they would be together for the rest of their life.

"Who did Jeremiah marry?" Lewis said trying to concentrate on the letter Astrid was reading.

"Someone named Penelope Kentland the daughter of Earl of Kent," Astrid said, thinking with a beautiful rich daughter of an Earl why would Jeremiah want Ingrid, but as long as Ingrid was happy what did it matter.

Good Lord, Lewis thought my half brothers daughter.

"Where is Richard and Maurisa?" Lewis said thinking they should be home.

Richard is playing at the Warwicks and Maurisa had a caller, Mr. Desmond." Astrid said, "I hope we are doing the right thing by allowing him to call."

"I will ask around," Lewis sighed, he thought about Delilah and wondered what she was doing.