Prologue
It all started the night that he docked in England. He went to the bar and spotted her. He bought her a drink, then flirted with her again. Boy, had he missed her.
The next morning, he woke with her sleeping next to him. He dressed, gently woke her, and gave her her clothes. After she had dressed, he kissed her as he had the night before, and slipped a necklace into her hand. It was a small, gold, heart-shaped locket.
"Love you, Arabella." He whispered in her ear, and her eyes watered, because the same was true for her. She tied the necklace around her neck, then kissed him again.
Then, she remembered her husband, who was out at sea, and her son, who was at a friend's house. She began to cry. He tried to comfort her, but she pushed him away, and ran home.
Nine months later, a baby girl was born. She tells her son that the baby is his half-sister. He smiles and gently holds the baby in his arms.
"What is her name?" He asks.
"Saoirse," Arabella replies. "it means 'freedom'."
Four years later, Arabella fell sick. Saoirse tends to her ill mother, while her step-brother worked. Just before she died, Arabella pulled Saoirse close to her and handed her a gold locket.
"What is this?" She asks.
"A locket. Your father gave it to me nearly five years ago. Take it, it's yours."
"Mother, who was my father? What was his name?"
"Jack..."
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sorry it's short, but it's the revised version. thanks to nineteennintytwo for the help rewriting this. hope you like it...
jacquline