The Conquest's snow-white sails billowed in the Caribbean wind as I made my way down the stony path from my home. The crystal blue waters glistened in the morning's first light and my multiple skirts collected the drops of dew from the tall native grasses. I loved being away from the isolation of London. I may be on an island, but at least I'm away from the drama of the city life and formal manners of the dinner table.

The small trading town of Fort Atkin had existed for fifty years before I even arrived. It was one of the first British settlements in the Caribbean. Traders from all over Europe would come for the island riches of gold and silver and tropical goods. My father finally brought me here a year ago and I haven't been happier since. My father was not a wealthy man, but we were not poor either. He had gone on expeditions to this island ever since he was a boy and, finally, he settled us in a small cottage on a ridge above the town. Sadly, he passed away from heart failure shortly after his arrival. My mother died during childbirth so had been only him and me before he was gone. Now I am alone. Well not exactly. I now live in the same cottage with my bloodhound, Katrina, and my best friend from London, Rosalie. Rose for short. Her parents were back in London. Her family was one of the richest in England.

It was a month ago when she arrived. It was a surprise for me and so sudden. I didn't even receive a letter announcing her arrival. It was a stormy day. The great palms beside the cottages moved to and fro to the point of almost breaking. Rain pattered on the roof and I lie in bed not able to sleep from the weather. I pulled back the covers and lit the lantern on my nightstand. I walked on the cold, wooden ground and walked with difficulty in the darkness over to my father's old desk. It still had his old letters to the governor and to the trading company. His eyeglasses were beside the ink well and I grabbed the key beside them and opened the drawer. I turned the key and with a 'click' it popped open. I brought out his prized quill given to him by the king himself and dabbed it lightly into the ink. I strained my eyes to see in the dim light and looked at the blank paper in front of me. It was a light brown color and creased at the edges from years of no use. I wiped of the thin layer of dust and touched the quill's point to the paper:

My dearest friend Rose,

I do wish you would visit me soon. It will be a long voyage but I cannot seem to afford to see you. It's been a year too many since our last meeting. Please consider this letter. I love you and hope to see you soon.

With love,

Lynn

As I reread the letter too many times, the sun rose in the east. The first rays of sunshine welcomed a cloudless sky. I got up from the old wooden chair and walked over to the window above my bed. I stood up on it and looked out at the landscape, holding onto the windowsill for support. My eyes wandered down to the town and to the ship landing. The normal ships were arriving to pick up gunpowder and our island treats. I saw the redcoats lining up and walking in unison by the harbor with their bayonets and full military uniform on. This was not unusual. They wore these everyday incase there was any attack of some sort. I looked at the horizon that welcomed the morning sun and saw a triangle shape growing into larger black shape in the distance. I got curious. Usually ships didn't arrive until later in the afternoon or early in the morning. After several minutes watching the silhouette grow slowly, it appeared. Its vast sails billowed in the tropical breeze and by it's flag, I knew it was my own. There was a familiar boy in the crow's nest. Where did I remember him? He wore a tattered white shirt and brown pants with boots. A hat covered his brown curly hair.

I screamed to myself in the cottage, "Nick! Nicholas!"

Katrina lifted her head in surprise. I had woken her from a deep sleep. Despite my clothes, I stepped out onto the miniscule porch and ran barefoot down the grasses and through the town. It wasn't awake yet. Only the trade workers were unloading goods necessary for us to survive here. I jumped over the barrels and sacks of flour and reached the dock. My wavy, strawberry hair flew into my face in tangles and I lifted my nightgown. I was eager with excitement. I few men looked at me with suspicion but resumed working after a brief stare. I turned a corner and passed multiple boats, dinghies, and ships. The ship I was aiming for docked right when I arrived. My bare feet burned from the rotting wood rubbing against them as I came to a halt. I let my nightgown fall to the floor and I moved my hair from my face and put it behind my ear. My heart beat inside my ears.

I hadn't seen Nicholas since I was a child. He climbed the netting down from the crow's nest as a spider would. Oh how he had grown. He was practically a man. He was my best friend until he moved to Italy with his family. We could never keep in touch because his father prohibited it. I never understood why. I loved him as my own brother. I missed him more than anything once I saw him.

He dropped to the deck and pulled his hat off and ran his hands through his curls. He was no longer the boy I knew. He was muscular now and looked like you wouldn't' want to pick a fight with him. He was much more handsome, too.

I didn't know what to do. Should I run and embrace him? Should I wait until he is off the boat? These thoughts ran through my mind and I got dizzy with so many thoughts. I got on my toes and looked over the deck and then peaked over towards his way. There was a girl beside him facing the other way. Her hair was in a loose bun with a white ribbon and she wore an elaborate lace dress of the latest fashion of London. Nick walked over to her and started conversing. I got curious and stepped onto a ramp leading into the ship. It creaked as I walked slowly up it.

"…she will be so surprised to see that you have come!" Nick smiled and said to the girl.

"Yeah it's been a while. She'll need a good friend." I recognized the girl's voice.

"Rose! Rose!" I hollered at the top of my lungs and got up from my crouch position but tripped on the hem of my gown and fell into a pile of sacks mark "rice". Rose turned around and then put her hand over her mouth and started laughing hysterically. Nicholas was holding in the laughter. I wonder if he recognized me.

"I've come to stay with you because my parents have kicked me out and look at the introduction!" She walked over and offered me a hand. I took it graciously and she hugged me. It was nice to be in her presence again. I had missed her manner. She looked rich, but she sure didn't act it.

"You won't believe it. I was just writing a letter to you this morning pleading you to visit. So it's for sure? I mean you staying?"

"Yes! I have missed you so much. This boy has been talking to me all about the secrets of Italy ever since the journey began! He really is nice. I'm sure you two will get along quite well I suppose." He walked over to us and put out his hand.

"I'm Nicholas Wilson." I took it graciously gazing into his hazel eyes.

"Lynn Smith." His eyes got big. They were gorgeous.

"Lynn? Is it really you?" He let go of my hand and started jumping up and down like a child on Christmas Day awaiting unopened presents. He looked like a dork but I couldn't actually tell him that. He clasped both his hands around mine this time and I just stared. I think Rose was catching what was going on in our teenage minds.

She put his right hand onto ours, "I think I better be getting to where I'm staying don't you think?" When we didn't answer she looked back and forth at our faces and rolled her hazel eyes.

"Hello? Hello!" I snapped out of the hypnotism and Nick did as well. He walked over to a tangle of ropes and started untying them. Although he was a few paces away, he listened intently to our words. I embraced Rose in another hug.

"Oh, how I've missed you!" she said. "We better get you dressed into some decent clothing before anything else though. She chuckled and looked up and down at my nightgown and bare feet. I bit my lip and crossed my thin arms over my small chest. A breeze caught my tangled hair and I shivered from the crisp morning air.

"Nicholas," My eyes got wide with glee when she said his name. He looked up from his task and looked in our direction. "I would like to see you two meet up before you head back to Italy. I mean after that many years of separation, you are probably anxious to find out what became of each other. Am I correct?"

He put his hands in his pockets and said, "Well, you see, I think Lynn and I will have plenty of time to reconnect our friendship."

I tilted my head in confusion and tightened my crossed arms. He continued, "I won't be returning to Italy. I decided I needed to be away from it all and take up residence here in Fort Atkin as a blacksmith." Sounded exactly like my situation.

Rose got eager with excitement for me, "Eeep! Now Lynn and I will have a buddy! No more lonely days for you, right Lynn?"

She turned her gaze to me and I replied nervously, "Yeah…Well I better get back home to feed Katrina." The truth was that I was more than excited. I was ecstatic. I had loved Rose and Nicholas as my best friends even when I had thought I had lost them forever. How this remarkable and coincidental set up came to be I will never know.

Rose grabbed my hand, "You still have that pup?"

I nodded and smiled to Nicholas 'goodbye' as she pulled me off the boat's deck. He took a hand out of his pocket and waved and watched us walk away. That very moment my dull life had become all the more interesting.