Obadiah Hakeswill stood at the stern of the ship he'd booked passage on, looking back as the coast of Portugal faded into the distance. It was only now that he could feel a measure of relief; that he'd made good his escape from Richard Sharpe.

Cackling softly, he muttered to himself as he looked back, 'You can't kill me, Sharpie. You should have known better than to think you could."

After taking several long minutes to smoke his pipe, he headed below decks, where he'd paid for a small, closet-sized room. There was barely enough space for him to turn around in, but it suited his need for privacy and to have a place where he could keep his loot locked up. There was a bunk and enough room to stow his gear, so that was enough for him.

It would be his home for the next couple of weeks and he could easily bear it for that long. Hakeswill intended to use the time planning his next move. He knew that he'd have to move his family out of England for awhile, for there was no doubt in his mind that Sharpie would try to track him down as soon as he could be spared to return to England. By that time, Obadiah intended to be long gone with his family. They'd hide for a few years until the war ended or Sharpe forgot about him. With any luck, Sharpe would be killed in some battle and never return to England.

The time aboard ship passed fairly quickly, even though there wasn't much for Obadiah to do but eat, sleep, and walk the deck. Nevertheless, the time couldn't pass quickly enough for him. It had been so long since he'd been with Anna and the closer he got to home, the more eager he became to see his family. Each day he asked one of the ship's officers about how many miles they'd travelled that day so he could know how many more miles they had left to travel.

He kept mostly to himself, not much wanting to discuss his business with others aboard, spending more time than usual sleeping and resting. On some days, he watched the sailors go about their work, glad that he'd joined the army, rather than the navy. There wasn't much opportunity to steal aboard a ship, and no way to bugger off if things went bad. Being a pirate might not be as bad as being in the navy, but, still, the thought of being at sea for months on end, year after year, trapped on a cramped, leaky tub, did not appeal to him at all.

For the first several days aboard ship, Obadiah's thoughts often turned to Maria, wondering how her voyage was going and thinking about the child she carried. Though he knew she was a good woman and would properly take good care of their child, she would never even begin to compare to Anna in his estimation.

Anna was the only woman who had ever freely chosen to be with him. She loved him just as he was and had proudly stood by his side all these years. Maria, on the other hand, though they had ended up getting along well together and she had become accustomed to being with him, had not come to him of her own choice, nor did she love him. Still, she had helped him to escape and she had made the free choice to care for their child, so he would always be grateful to her for that. Nevertheless, Anna was the one who possessed his heart and, as the voyage progressed, his thoughts centred more on her as thoughts of Maria faded into the background, just as the Portuguese coast had days earlier.

Obadiah was standing on deck early one morning a couple of weeks later when the first faint sight of the English coastline came into view. Pulling Anna's portrait from his pocket, he muttered to it softly, "I'm almost home, Anna. Won't be long now."

No sooner had the mooring ropes secured the ship to the dock some time later, than Obadiah stood impatiently waiting to disembark with his belongings. A few minutes later, he was the first one down the gangplank, glad to be free of the ship. He was finally on the last leg of his journey back home.

His first stop was at a pub to have the first decent meal he'd had since leaving Portugal. He'd not eaten much while at sea, as the rolling decks of the small ship had done nothing to encourage his appetite. His next stop, after eating his fill and packing up the leftovers to take with him to eat on the road, was to find somewhere to buy a horse. It would be much quicker to travel on his own and he knew he'd need a horse, in any instance.

Because it was still early in the day, Obadiah set off for home as soon as he'd bought the horse. He'd go as far as he could today, then stop to rest for a few hours before going the rest of the way.

It was a cold ride, but Obadiah didn't mind, as he'd dressed himself warmly. His thoughts of his reunion with his family had also served to distract him from being overly affected by the chilly ride. As the miles passed behind him, his mind went over the events of the last year. For the most part, it had been a great success, considering that he'd been able to steal with impunity, both when still with the army and to an even greater extent after taking over the deserter army. Unexpectedly getting Pot au Feu's booty as well had just been icing on the cake.

And, while it hadn't been something he'd planned and was something he could never share with Anna, Obadiah was happy to know that he would become a father again in the coming year. His only regret was that he'd not ever know the child, but that was the price he willingly paid for his wife's continued happiness.

He was less happy with having had to desert the army and the fact that he'd have to take his family into hiding to avoid Richard Sharpe's wrath, but that was over and done with now, and Obadiah saw no need in dwelling on it. He'd escaped with his life and a whole lot of gold and that was all that mattered in the end.

After several hours of travelling, he reluctantly stopped for the night about an hour after the sun had gone down. Not only was he exhausted, but the already cold temperatures had dropped quickly after sunset and Obadiah thought it best if the horse was stabled within shelter overnight.

He settled down comfortably for the night in a rented room at a roadside inn, knowing that the next time he went to sleep, he'd have his wife in bed with him.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Anna Hakeswill was feeling cranky when she got out of bed the next morning. Baby Catherine had awakened her several times during the night, crying from teething discomfort. This had been going on for a few days, so Anna was feeling exhausted from the lack of sufficient rest. She would try to get a nap later in the day when her aunt and Bridget would look after the baby girl for a few hours.

Fortunately, there wasn't that much she needed to do today. The children would have their lessons and chores to keep them busy, while she and her aunt intended to spend the day quietly as they attended to the family's mending. Considering how fast all the children were growing, this mending session would also be a prelude to making all new clothes for them. Some of Barry's things could be cut down and remade for Will, but Anna knew that some of the clothing would no doubt end up as cleaning rags.

Now that Christmas was well past, life in the Hakeswill household had settled into its normal, humdrum routine. Though she functioned rather well with the predictability of her days, it also left her quite a bit of time to brood about Obadiah. A new letter from him had come just the day before, with him telling her that he'd be coming home soon; that he should be boarding a ship around the first of the year. It was nearly February now, with no sign of him, so she peevishly wondered to herself what was keeping him.

She was grateful for her aunt and her four children, because she didn't know how she could have borne being away from her husband for over a year if she'd had to be alone.

It troubled her greatly that he'd deserted from the army, because she knew quite well what would happen to him if he happened to be caught before he could leave Spain. It was precisely for this reason that she became more and more apprehensive as the time continued to roll by with no further word from Obadiah. She didn't quite know how she would manage to go on if she were to lose her husband.

"You're looking rather glum," Aunt Catherine observed as she joined Anna n the sitting room not long after breakfast. "What's troubling you, dear?"

"I'm thinking about Obadiah's latest letter," she said, frowning. "He said he'd be leaving Spain right after Christmas and here it is almost February and there's no sign of him."

"You must be patient, dear," Catherine told her. "You know quite well that voyages aboard ship vary greatly depending on the weather. He'll be home; you just have to give it time."

"I'm worried that he might have been captured by the army and executed for desertion," she admitted. Her lip trembling slightly," she added, "Oh, Aunt Catherine, I don't know if I could go on without him."

"You could and you would," the older woman said firmly. "You have four young children to think about and that is what Obadiah would want you to do." Patting her niece on the shoulder, she added in a softer tone, "But I don't think you should be borrowing trouble. Obadiah has shown time and time again that he is quite capable of looking out for himself."

"You're probably right," Anna acknowledged. "But I can't help but worry."

"I know I'm right," the other woman shot back. "Everything will turn out all right. You'll see."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

Obadiah rose early, when the sun was barely up, eager to be on his way. After having a hearty breakfast, he loaded up his horse and was gone. The temperature had moderated somewhat, so he wasn't uncomfortably cold out in the open air. Rather, he felt invigorated as he travelled the final leg of his journey, his anticipation building like a child waiting for Christmas morning.

He stopped for a moment as he crossed into Surrey, just to take in the familiar sights of home. As he spurred the horse on again, he muttered, "I'm almost home, Anna."

When he reached the gate to the Perkins estate, Obadiah urged the horse into a fast canter as he directed it to the lane that led to Throckmorton Cottage. As he rounded the corner and saw his home standing like a beacon at the top of the hill, he slowed the horse to a trot, drinking in every detail.

No one was outside as Obadiah rode up the gravel lane to the house. He dismounted quietly, then tied the horse to a nearby tree, with the thought in mind that Barry would stable him after a while.

Looking around at the peaceful scene, he sighed in contented satisfaction, gladdened by the sight of his home.

A moment later, Barry Hakeswill came around from behind the house, lost in his own thoughts, at first not noticing his father standing there. He looked up as the horse snorted, seeing Obadiah for the first time.

"Da!" he cried out, rushing over to Obadiah. "When did you get home?"

"Just now, boy," Obadiah replied, looking fondly at his oldest child. "Sight for sore eyes, you are. Look at how much you've grown, too. I ain't that much taller than you now. You ain't so much of a boy no more, are you, eh?"

"I did what you told me while you were gone," Barry announced proudly. "You should see how well I shoot a pistol now."

"I knows you did a good job, son," Obadiah said, twitching, as he patted his son on the shoulder. "I never doubted that you would." After a moment, he added, "Where's your mother, eh? I wants to surprise her."

"She's been missin' you something fierce, she has," Barry reported. "She don't talk about it much, but I can tell." Thinking for a moment, he added, "Last time I saw her, she was with Aunt Catherine in the sitting room. Will and Bridget were there with them, too, doin' their lessons."

"Good," Obadiah said, the wheels turning in his mind. "What I wants you to do is go in there and tell her is that somebody is here to visit and that you don't know who it is. If she tells you to come back out here to get a name, you tell her I wouldn't give you no name. That should bring her out here right quick, see?"

"Oh, I see!" Barry said. "She'll be so surprised."

"Go on now, boy," Obadiah urged, twitching again. "I ain't seen your mother in over a year, so the sooner, the better."

"I'll be right back," Barry promised, hurrying off eagerly to get his mother.

"I'll be right here," his father said, chuckling at his son's enthusiasm.

Barry opened the front door before tramping loudly into the house. "Moooother!" he bellowed, wanting to make sure he got her attention. "There's somebody out front to see you!"

"Don't shout, Barry, I'm not deaf, you know," Anna scolded as he stomped into the sitting room. "And don't run in the house."

"Sorry, Mother," he apologized.

"You said there was someone to see me?" she prompted him. "Who is it?"

"I don't know, Mother," Barry replied, shrugging. "But he said it was important."

"For heaven's sake," she grumbled, getting up. "I hope it isn't some peddler wanting to sell me something." Looking sharply at Barry, she demanded, "Was he driving a wagon?"

"No, just a horse," her son answered.

Turning to her aunt, she said, "I suppose I'd better see what the man wants. I shouldn't be more than a few minutes or so."

Anna followed her son to the front door, still grumbling.

"He's over here, Mother," Barry said, walking to where his father stood looking expectantly at the door.

Anna stopped dead in her tracks when she looked up to see Obadiah in front of her, not quite believing her eyes at first. "Oh, my," she managed to squeak out as tears of joy began to fall from her eyes.

"I'm home, Anna," he said quietly, twitching slightly. "Kept my promise to you, I did."

Picking up the hem of her gown, she rushed over to Obadiah, throwing herself into his waiting arms. "I can hardly believe you are home. I've missed you so much, Obadiah!"

Obadiah leaned down and kissed her thoroughly, as if his life depended on it, pulling her tight into his arms.

"Every night I was away from you, I dreamed of this moment," he said raggedly into her ear, as his hand came up to caress her cheek. "Kept your portrait in my pocket all this time to keep me company and I looked at it whenever I missed you."

"As did I," Anna whispered as she rained small kisses all over his face. "The nights were so long and lonely without you."

"I can't wait to get you upstairs, missy," he growled, kissing her neck. "I've been wanting you for so long."

"If we were alone, I'd have dragged you up there myself," she purred, giving him a seductive look that promised a good night ahead for the both of them. "Tonight, my love."

At that moment Bridget and Will ran out of the house, followed by Aunt Catherine at a slower pace, holding the baby.

"Da! Da!" they both cried in unison, running up to latch on to him with their hugs.

Reluctantly letting go of Anna, Obadiah opened his arms to accept the hugs of his two middle children. "Look at the two of you. Grown like weeds, you have. I hardly recognized either of you, 'cos you both done got so big. What has your mama been feeding you, eh?"

"Welcome home, Obadiah," Aunt Catherine said warmly as she walked over to join the happy reunion.

Reaching out to take her youngest daughter from her aunt, Anna presented baby Catherine to her father. "Meet your daughter, Obadiah. Her name is Catherine."

Gently taking the infant from Anna, Obadiah held her close and spoke softly to her. "I'm your Da, little girl. Sorry I ain't seen you 'fore now, but it couldn't be helped. Pretty as your Mama, you are."

The baby girl looked up solemnly at this stranger who was her father, reaching up to grab his nose with her chubby little fist.

Laughing softly, Obadiah said, "I think I'm going to call you Katie. Suits you, it does." He gave her a kiss on the cheek as she trustingly snuggled close to him.

Anna took Katie back after she began to whimper. "It's past her naptime," she apologized. "I'd best put her down for awhile."

Stooping to pick up his bags, Obadiah followed Anna into the house, with the rest of the family trailing behind. He was home at last.