This has taken me a very long time to complete with work and family commitments. Thank you for continuing to read it, especially after such a long time, and please let me know what you think if you can.

Nan watched as the ship burned to a charred skeleton. She realised this would put a significant crimp in Delaney's plans and, in turn, her own. Delaney left, not waiting to see his ship eat itself in flame; she'd had no desire to follow him. Instead Nan went to The Dolphin to watch men's faces.

As the sky grew dark, she'd come to a conclusion about who might have spewed to the East India, now she waited for the inevitable.

When he arrived, Delaney seemed to bring the night with him. Nan had folded herself into the shadowed corner and saw him head over to Atticus sitting by the fire pit. Even though the fire was burning brightly, it seemed to Nan that the flames dimmed as Delaney warmed his boots. She was certain he too knew who had talked and she waited to see what revenge he would wreak but there was also a shade of desperation around James and this unsettled her. Nan was absolutely sure he would be useful in the execution of her plan and had welcomed the idea that he was as unshakeable as herself, however, it appeared, the path out of this particular wood was unclear to both of them. He also had to plug this leak and prevent any others…there was only one way to do that and she was sure Delaney would have no problem with it.

Before midnight she was proved right. Nan watched the execution of the traitor from a short distance and realised the brutality would serve a fine warning to anyone else with loose lips. She was surprised to witness the normally immovable Atticus visibly disturbed by the night's work. Delaney was truly a master of men.

Pushing herself off the wall, she went off in search of a distraction. This came in the form of a beautiful sailor fresh from Italy; soulful eyes, skilled hands and absolutely no English, who didn't care about her family, her history or her clothes. In the morning, Nan returned to find Winter had been murdered and Delaney was to blame.

She'd managed to get as much of the story as was known from Pearl, Helga was inconsolable and wouldn't leave her dead daughter's side. In the end, Nan had given her a brandy laced with laudanum to make her sleep and they could lay Winter out and contact the priest. Atticus visited to pay his respects but his fears about Helga were clearly etched on his face. He felt Nan's eyes on him and avoided her gaze.

She attended the funeral and saw Delaney sitting on the shoreline, far enough away not to be noticed by Helga or perhaps she was too distraught to care. Nan waited until the boat carrying Winter to the sea was a dot on the shimmering ribbon of the river and walked away.

For once, Nan was at a loss as to what to do. Christ, what she really wanted was to just go home, back to Trepellar and the cliffs and the harbour and the soft light but knew that was impossible. One day but not today.

She was leaning on the bridge, watching the water, when she saw Winter flicker in the corner of her eye.

"Did he kill you?" she asked and Winter shook her head.

"Does he know?" again the shade's head shook.

"Who did?" but the shade was gone, to where she couldn't see.

Nan sighed and made a decision. If she was going to get what she wanted it now was the time to throw her lot entirely in with Delaney.

Walking up the steps to the door of his house, Nan felt a whisper of apprehension; so much rested on Delaney doing what she needed him to do, what if he denied her? A crow cawed from the roof and then flew away towards the heath, she took this as a sign.

An old man opened the door and the look on his face almost made Nan take a step back.

"We don't want anything" he snapped before she'd even opened her mouth. Then the weight of her aristocratic ancestry and years of training at the hands of her formidable mother and grandmother surfaced.

"I am here to see Mr Delaney, please inform him Lady Trepellar is here" and she swept past the startled servant and waited for him to take her coat. He didn't seem to notice her trousers or waistcoat such was her authority.

He ushered her into the sitting room and she took the seat nearest the fire, he bustled off to get Delaney and she took the opportunity to warm her bones. The house was filled with the past, it settled like dust all around her; she felt the Crow weave through the walls, floors, furniture, even the air tasted of her anger. However, there were others, a man riven with madness and desperate to escape his own flesh, a liar frantic to tell the truth, ghosts and shadows in every corner and threading all the way through was Delaney.

She didn't turn when he entered the room even though his presence was like a lead weight on a scale.

"Lady Trepellar" and he bowed low, mocking her, "Why are you here?" he asked.

"I will be of use to you" she replied.

"How?"

"You have no ship and you're running out of time, you're at war with the Company and the Crown…I have experience of both and influence with one. Helga will betray you to one or the other and that will mean the Tower, I've already survived my visit, perhaps I could help you survive yours. When you do go to war, you'll need a doctor and I'm offering my services. The Crow wants us both…you can't deny her and I don't want to anymore…so here I am"

He grunted and stared at her.

"Why should I trust you?" he asked.

"You don't have to trust me, you just have to realise my usefulness."

"What makes you think you can trust me?" he asked and was surprised when she laughed her curiously loud and infectious laugh.

"I don't. Jesus Christ, could you imagine what would happen if people like you and I went around trusting each other? We'd be dead before the clock struck 6. No Mr Delaney, I don't trust you but there are people I trust even less…so here I am" she said again.

He stared at her and they both felt The Crow call from the river; he appeared to come to a decision.

"Brace!" he yelled and the old man came in looking unnerved, "The Lady Trepellar will be staying with us, please ready a bedroom… one with the least water damage."

"Sir…" Brace began but Delaney had already pushed past him and was climbing the stairs to the attic.

"Where's milady's bags" asked Brace.

"I don't have any…and it's Nan, not milady please"

Brace nodded, mute with surprise.

The day softly turned to night as Nan sat in the window and watched the river. She hadn't seen Delaney or anyone else since she'd closed the bedroom on Brace. Her mind had crept through the house, searching in all the rooms, corners and shadows, learning what she could. Most of it was fragmented horror and fear, she was sure she saw Winter slip through the attic door but left Delaney with the child.

A loud knocking pulled her out of the doze she'd fallen into. The house echoed with Delaney roaring for Brace and the creaking of the stairs as he went down to open the door. She heard muffled voices and the clink of a glass but no shouting. After a battle with her curiosity she had no hope of winning, Nan walked quietly down the stairs and leant against the wall by the open door. She'd always had an uncanny knack for becoming almost invisible and now used this to listen to the two men.

The nature of justice was being discussed. Justice. Nan smiled derisively, there was only one kind of justice she believed in and it certainly didn't come in the form of a Royal Commission.

"I'm investigating the sinking of a sloop called the Cornwallis, renamed the Influence, off the coast of Cabinda in July Eighteen 1804. As far as I can ascertain, you are the only surviving member of the crew of the Cornwallis. I want you to write an account naming Sir Stuart Strange as the man who organized the loading of the Cornwallis with slaves. Bound for a sugar plantation in Jumby Bay Antigua. Owned by his own brother." Mr Chichester explained in a very calm and precise manner. Delaney met his stare and for the first-time Chichester, a former slave, educated, clever and hungry for justice, felt unsure.

"Hmm.. 'Aye aye Captain', I said…" James began and, outside the door, Nan closed her eyes; so, this was what she tasted on him during their first meeting…the repulsion she had felt and that hidden desire for something that wasn't quite redemption and wasn't quite revenge he needed. She pushed herself off the wall and returned to her room, she didn't need to hear anymore, she knew enough.

Delaney watched as the boy, Robert, reached for the key in his hand. He moved it just out of reach, teasing the boy in his new job as servant. James had no desire to indulge any thoughts about the boy who was his blood but he had been useful and earned his place in the plans.

"For the safe" he growled and registered the boy's shock.

"Now…send the witch to see me" and sat back in his chair.

Nan was tucking her shirt into the waistband of her trousers when someone knocked on her door. The boy peered round the door, nervous but not petrified.

"Mr Delaney wishes you to speak with him…he's in the attic" he said and Nan narrowed her eyes.

"Mr Delaney can wait until I've had tea and toast" she said and the boy grinned.

After she'd eaten and smoked a bowl of tobacco, Nan climbed the stairs and pushed open the door. Delaney was sitting in the chair surrounded by papers and sealed envelopes.

"I sent the boy to get you half an hour ago" he murmured, staring at the papers.

"And I wanted tea and toast, I came when I was ready" she answered, sitting down without waiting for his invitation. James grunted but didn't comment further.

"You heard Mr Chichester last night?" he asked and Nan nodded.

"You know my past" he continued.

"We all have secrets; yours are no more shocking than others who have played with the Crown or Company" Nan answered, nonchalantly crossing her legs.

"What of your secrets?" he asked, staring at her with glittering eyes.

"My secrets are my own" she stated, "But yours have already proven problematic…redemption is a costly prize for a man attempting to fuck both sides of the Atlantic" Delaney snorted, it could have been a laugh or it could have been anger, Nan didn't care.

"I will go to see Helga today" James stated.

"She is going to try and kill you" Nan said, "I think you already know this but you'll go anyway…there is no fear of death in you"

"I'm already dead" he said

"No" Nan gave him an appraising stare, "No you don't really believe that…you have much more to do before you join the choir of the dead…some will go before you however, are you prepared for that?"

"Yes" he answered simply.

They sat in silence as they'd done in their first meeting.

"And what of your death?" he asked quietly.

"My death is no one's concern but my own."

"There's no one who'll mourn you?" he asked.

"There's nobody left" she replied without regret.

"Alone" Delaney stated, and she laughed.

"No" she sighed, "Never alone. Never that"

"What is it you want?" James asked, finally giving in to his curiosity about this woman.

"To go home" she said softly.

He grunted and nodded.

Nan stood up and wandered over to the circular window, she felt James join her and they both watched the river.

"What is it you really want?" he whispered.

"To burn them all to ash and watch them scatter to the four winds" she replied.

The Crow was standing up to her waist in the water, she threw her head back and opened her mouth as if to scream but there was no sound just the rush of water and creaking of the trees. Nan found herself standing on the bank directly in line with The Crow, looking down at her hands, she saw they were painted white again but this time the streaks were red and black. Raising her head, she saw a man, painted white, standing directly opposite on the other bank. He stepped into the water and waded towards The Crow, Nan did the same. The Crow held out both her hands waiting for them to reach her but Nan felt her feet go from under her and fell into the icy and fast flowing river. She tried to reach the painted man…she tried to reach James but was swept towards the gaping maw of the ocean.

Nan fell to the floor, holding her head and feeling her muscles seize and jerk but she also felt Delaney kneel beside her; his heat crackled over her flesh, he smelt of the river and gunpowder and wood smoke. She opened her eyes to see him leaning over her, unalarmed. She raised her head until her lips were almost touching his.

"Let's set fire to the ocean together" she murmured and he felt her voice vibrate across his skin.