CHAPTER ONE

June 1689

King Edward's Cay lay along the eastern shore of a tiny, non-descript island about 30 miles due south of Port Royal, Jamaica. It was like any other island amongst the thousands that dotted the Caribbean with it's white sand beaches, scrubby palmetto thickets, and various tropical plants and fruit trees to provide food and shelter for whatever or whomever chose to call it home. The isle itself had no official name, even though the natives referred to it as "Chinchín", and indeed it was small, as the word implied. The two hundred or so inhabitants were all of Arawak descent, except for the governor, his family, and a few aging officers who were sent by the King's Navy to protect the harbor, such as it was.

Possessing only two docks, the shallow inlet could hardly be called a port. The one small sloop that had brought the English to its narrow shore remained only as a means of transporting supplies from Port Royal when they were needed, which was not very often. Life on the island was uncomplicated, and most of what was used by those that lived there was already at hand. Every family in residence tended gardens and raised livestock, and building materials were plentiful. The only tributes offered to the governor were the supplies they needed in order to live in reasonable comfort. Nothing else was required of the island's indigenous peoples, and they gained a measure of protection from possible looting, so they accepted the presence of a foreign rule with minimal fuss.

When the boat did make a trip to Port Royal, the most anticipated cargo it held on the return voyage was usually the lightest thing it carried: letters from "home". The information was often outdated when they arrived, as it took as long as two months for the notes to reach their intended recipients. But even old news was good news - and often the only thing that broke the monotony of life in such a secluded world.

And Brenna's world was definitely monotonous.

Dropping to the sand and stretching her long, brown legs out in front of her, Brenna Hastings watched as the surf rolled toward her, depositing it's foam just inches from the soles of her feet. She used to love to sit on the beach and watch the waves, but after seven years it was beginning to bore her to tears along with everything else about her life. With a weary sigh, she fell back to allow herself a full view of the intensely blue sky. 'Not a trace of cloud, as usual' she thought to herself with an almost disparaging amusement. She actually anticipated the stormy winter months with their wretched squalls and angry storms. The seemingly endless days of glorious sunshine had just become one more thing to detest. 'Oh how I wish for just one chilly, foggy day in London' she thought wistfully. It was hard for her to believe that she once had held the same disdain for London and it's soggy climate as she now held for the warm, tropical beauty that defined her current home.

Her eyes closed against the too-bright sun as she picked up a handful of sand and let it run out like water between her fingers. She felt her skin warm, and grinned mischievously as she imagined her mother scolding her, as always, about her appearance. Her skin had become so dark that she was easily mistaken for one of the natives, and her brown hair was unkempt and streaked from exposure. Having long outgrown the clothing she was wearing when she arrived on the island at the age of twelve, she had chosen thereafter to wear the simple clothing of the Indian women instead of the more traditional English styles still favored by her mum. The yellow cotton dress she was wearing revealed her calves, left her arms bare, and allowed all but her upper thighs and torso to become deeply tanned as she spent the days wandering about. Only her gray-blue eyes revealed her as someone who was not among the island's original inhabitants.

Brenna giggled as she thought of how scandalized her parents would be if those they had left behind in England could see her now. Between her exotic clothing-or lack thereof-and the sheer amount of skin that was currently exposed by it, they would all have thought that she was as mad as her father. She hiked her skirt up a little further to reveal as much of her legs to the sun as she dared, and continued to smile at the thought of nobles all a 'twitter about her "loose morals" and "obviously poor upbringing".

'Pompous windbags, the lot of them' she mused as she let her mind drift. She really did miss England; despite the occasional cold disdain she had felt from those of her same social standing. She knew why they looked down their noses at her, but she failed to understand how she was to be faulted for it, and therefore scorned. So what if her father was…different?! 'He is still Lord Oliver Hastings, and should receive the respect due him', Brenna huffed, "And I am his daughter", she proclaimed aloud, to no one in particular, "and I should be treated accordingly".

Lord Hastings had always been somewhat of an eccentric fellow, to put it nicely. While he was as friendly and genteel as any man could be, his mind was more than a bit muddled when it came to the practical things of life. His family had known this from the time Oliver was a small child, and for that reason sought to guard him in any way that they could. His older brother, Liam, had been given charge of the family's Southampton estate when their father, Lord Edward Hastings, passed away. The brothers were only 17 and 23 years of age at the time, and Liam did what he could to make life carefree for his younger sibling. But oddly enough, Ollie proved to be a kind of 'Idiot Savant' when it came to mathematics, so the task of bookkeeping for the household became his responsibility at the age of 18. Thankfully, Lord Edward had left all of his affairs in perfect order, so this proved to be a fairly simple job, and Ollie was content to do it. Well…until Dorothea arrived, that is.

Dorothea Waverly, the daughter of Count Vincent Waverly and Countess Irene Waverly, was as spoiled as a person could be. She was also beautiful, with curling chestnut hair and long lashes framing emerald eyes. Her soul, however, was black and greedy, and she saw great wealth to be gained in winning the affections of Liam Hastings. So she turned on her wicked charm with one goal in mind: marriage. A few tried to warn Liam of her less than honorable intentions, but her full, pink lips pouted their way right into his besotted heart, and she soon became Lady Dorothea Hastings. She could do no wrong, as far as Liam was concerned, and she cajoled and cosseted him into total submission to her every whim. Toward everyone else, she was rude, insulting and downright malicious-especially Oliver. She hated him with an unreasonable passion, seeing him as a threat to her position and pampered life, even though he posed none at all, for money held no sway over him. She teased and mocked him at every opportunity, but made sure to smile and speak sweetly to him in Liam's presence. This only served to momentarily confuse Ollie, and in his guilelessness he never thought to say anything to his brother about her duplicity. Dorothea's goal had been to drive Ollie away, but he never seemed to recognize her slights for what they were, which left her panting with frustration.

This went on for a few years, to no avail. When Dottie, as Liam called her, became pregnant with their first child, she decided to change her tactics. She knew that Liam would never forcibly remove his brother from their home; he was too protective. So she decided to "reason" with Liam, hoping to convince him that Ollie would be better off living on his own. When Liam laughed at her and showed no inclination to bend to her will in this one matter, she increased the pressure on him, claiming that her pregnancy was made more difficult by Ollie's presence. Liam couldn't imagine why that would be that case, since Ollie had many loyal and trusted friends who didn't hesitate to take such an agreeable chap as himself along on their adventures. As a result, he was frequently absent, and usually only returned long enough to balance the ledgers and pay a note or two. None of this mattered to Dottie. She wanted him gone, even if it meant resorting to violence, and began to have virulent fantasies about actually killing him herself. But as fate would have it, Ollie took care of the leaving part all on his own. The manner in which it happened, though, only served to make Dottie even more agitated, and her desperation grew.

No one had ever dreamed it would happen, but Oliver Hastings was in love! When he returned home, after a month long trip to Scotland, with a lovely young bride on his arm, everyone, with the exception of Liam, was shocked. Liam had actually known about Judith for some time, keeping her existence, and Ollie's feelings, a secret. Months earlier, Ollie had confided in him of his intentions to ask for Judith's hand. Liam couldn't have been happier that his brother had found someone to share his life with- if her father consented and she was willing, of course. Obviously Lord Hall had found Oliver acceptable as a son-in-law, because Judith Hall was now Judith Hall Hastings, and another perceived threat to Dorothea and her child's future.

Judith, however, could not have been more disinterested in the family's money. Ollie was all that she cared about. She was fully aware of his affliction, and knew that it would pose some challenges in the future, but his kindness, generosity, and gentle spirit had won her heart. While her own parents were very rich, she had not been a pampered child. Judith was intelligent, resourceful, and hard working, so even knowing that Ollie was not going to be the cleverest of husbands she was confident that their future would be a happy one.

Liam had wanted the new couple to stay at Hastings Manor indefinitely, but Ollie insisted, at Judith's urging, that he needed to have his own home. It hadn't taken Judith long to discern the hostility that Dottie attempted to conceal, so she knew that they didn't have the option of accepting Liam's offer to remain. Normally, an extra home and it's surrounding land would have been part of an affluent family's holdings, with the intention of it being passed on to a child as part of their inheritance, or on the occasion of their wedding to serve as their new residence. However, Lord Edward Hastings had not seen the purpose in maintaining more than one house himself because he had assumed that Liam would simply take possession of the Manor, and Ollie would remain there forever in Liam's care. He had not even considered that Ollie would marry- what kind of lady would want such a simpleton for a mate? So the Manor was the only residence the family owned, with the exception of an estate in Camberly, near London, that Liam had received as a wedding gift from Dottie's father. Liam noted that his new father-in-law had seemed all too anxious to relinquish both the daughter and the deed.

After the death of his parents, Dottie's father, Vincent, had inherited their estate, but he hated his family home and vowed never to live there. Vincent and his father had never been in accord- in fact, there were even allusions to abuse- so whenever the subject of his parents or his home was raised, he would set his mouth in a tight line and refuse to continue the conversation. Needless to say, he did not wish to return to a place that held such distressing memories, so the matter was not pressed. However, being a practical man, Vincent had not allowed the property to fall into disrepair. A staff was maintained to keep the house in order and the grounds groomed to perfection.

Vincent visited once a year to make sure that his investment was secure, and bided his time, knowing that some day the villa would be put to good use. He never stayed the night when he came, and never brought his wife and daughter along. He would arrive unannounced, hurry through the inspection looking more pale and jittery with each passing moment, and leave just as soon as he was satisfied that everything was running smoothly. When the Count was ready to depart he would hurry to his carriage, and the caretakers would always whisper to each other that he looked as if the hounds of Hades were at his back for he immediately urged the horses into a run upon gaining his seat. They never knew what ghosts apparently haunted him, or what specters dogged his steps. All they cared about was that he was a generous employer, and as soon as he left they would be able to enjoy all that the place had to offer for another year without the nuisance of a master.

All of Count Vincent's foresight paid off when his daughter met Liam. Countess Irene had ruined Dorothea, in the Count's estimation, by granting her every wish. Despite her father's protests, nothing she wanted had ever been withheld, and she had become an insufferable brat as a result. Vincent was afraid that no decent man was ever going to find her desirable, for even thought she was a great beauty like her mother, she had not inherited any of her mother's redeeming inner qualities. So when Liam came to him to ask for his consent to propose marriage, Count Waverly gave his blessing with wholehearted enthusiasm. Now, not only was he rid of his daughter's irritating presence, but he also foisted the villa off on Liam with the explanation that it was to serve as Dorothea's dowry, so he was finally free from overseeing the bane of his existence. Assured that the staff was competent to run things in his absence, Liam continued to pay them after the deed was turned over, but never cared enough to make the journey to see what had been given to him-even though his curiosity was piqued after Dottie relayed to him what she remembered about her experience there.

She had visited her grandparents only once, when she was seven, so her memories of it were vague at best. She did remember, however, that the place was enormous-a sprawling villa, with stables for her grandfather's prized horses, and acres of forests and rolling hills. She also seemed to remember there being a stream running alongside, with terraced gardens staggered down the slope from the veranda to it's banks. Her grandfather had loved to ride and hunt, and her grandmother had been content to spend her days with the flowers, but Dottie was averse to anything that remotely involved dirt, toil, or 'bothersome inconveniences'. She was afraid of bugs and spiders, and fainted dead away at even the mention of mice or snakes, so moving to Camberly had never crossed her mind, even if the villa was as grand as she recalled. Dottie did not enjoy the countryside, much preferring the refinements of the city where she now lived.

Liam loved Hastings Manor, had no intention of ever living elsewhere, and his wife hated the country, so he offered to give the villa to Ollie. Dottie was beside herself with rage! The house and land had actually been in Dottie's family for several generations, and though she had no sentimental attachment to the property, she had assumed that it would one day be passed on to her son when he married. It was worth a great deal of money, and Dottie would rather have seen it sold to a stranger than given as a gift to a man she loathed. But truth be told, Liam was simply too busy to be bothered with it, and when the situation with Ollie and Judith arose, transferring the house to them seemed the perfect answer. Though Dottie screamed her protests, her husband had become weary of her peevishness and would not be swayed from his decision.

So it was that Ollie and Judith made their way to Camberly, not knowing what exactly to expect from their new home. After a long days drive, the hired carriage turned off of the main road and began to make it's way up the winding drive toward the villa. They strained to see through the thick stands of beech and oak trees as they approached the house, and then suddenly…there it was! The newlyweds were completely dumbstruck. The sun was hanging low in the west to the left of the enormous structure, and it cast a pinkish-amber glow over the fresh-painted white of its façade. The roof was peaked and dormered, and dozens of multi-paned windows - graced with blue shutters and boxes full of blooming yellow pansies - were resplendent as they reflected the golden rays of the setting sun. Vast, precisely manicured lawns, interrupted by the occasional flowerbed, stretched in all directions and ended only when the verdant expanse abruptly met the dense forest that bordered the estate. It was certainly beyond their wildest dreams, and even after the driver had unloaded the trunks and bid them good evening, they stood agape, not sure that they were worthy of such splendor.

It was the overseers who finally rescued them.

The servants had been notified of the arrival of a new owner only two days prior, and were none too happy with the prospect of losing their freedoms. It was decided that no one would go out to meet them when they came; they would just watch, from whatever concealed vantage point they could find, and see if it could be discerned from initial impressions what kind of masters they would prove to be. It took only a few moments for the servants to realize that Ollie and Judith were overwhelmed, and not at all pretentious. One by one they emerged from hiding, introduce themselves, and disclose what function they performed in the household. The trunks were brought in, and the dazed pair followed in the wake of a procession to a bedroom larger than either of them had ever seen. With the hour being late, a young housemaid named Margaret turned down the covers of the bed, and promised to return with breakfast at seven. After an assurance that a tour would be provided in the morning, she bid them good night and gently closed the door. Neither one slept for the entire night.

Despite their initial apprehension, the next few years proved to be full of joy and laughter for the young couple. The villa was every bit as grand on the inside as it was on the outside, and they couldn't believe their good fortune. Even the staff had come to love them; taking to Ollie's good nature and Judith's intelligence and generosity with no complaints. When Judith became pregnant after only six months, they all rejoiced together. The excitement was palpable when her time drew near to deliver, and preparations were made with great care. The midwife predicted that Judith would have a girl, and she was correct.

Brenna Camille Hastings entered the world one chilly morning in early spring. Ollie named her after his grandmother, for whom he had loving memories in his heart. The late Brenna Camille Campbell had often cared for Ollie and Liam after their mother died, and the Scottish moors were a wonderful place for a boy to roam free. She was also one of the few people to encourage Ollie to develop his talents despite the obstacles, and that encouragement made all the difference to a young lad who never was expected to amount to much.

Under the loving hands of her parents, Brenna grew to be a delightful child. She was strong willed, to be certain, but her enthusiasm and enjoyment of life was infectious. The household staff adored her, and the world seemed to revolve around finding things to bring a smile to her face. Judith became pregnant again when Brenna was three, and they were all so wrapped up in their present state of happiness that it was almost as if another child would be an intrusion. But there proved to be no difficulty in making the transition from a family of three to a family of four when the new arrival showed her sweet face. It was love at first sight for all-even Brenna, whom they had feared would be jealous. They needn't have worried, for Brenna immediately became her sister's protector and companion, even though that meant she gave up much of the exploring that she loved to do.

Olivia Constance Hastings was the opposite of Brenna in temperament. She was quiet and obedient, and rarely cried. As she grew, she preferred to sit peacefully and play with her toys, or have someone read to her; she was not interested in exploring the forest and streams, as Brenna liked to do. Although named after her father, Olivia was more like her mother-delicate, reserved and sweet natured. She was just as lovely as her sister though, even if she was more petite and her facial features more refined. Their mother would often make matching dresses for the girls to wear when they received invitations to parties in London, and it was always mentioned what a pretty picture they made together. However, after the compliments were given, tittering and whispers about the girls' parentage commenced behind discreet fans and hands raised to cover gossiping mouths.

Judith was not blind to it in the least, and it made her blood boil. Her greatest concern was that her daughters would sense something was amiss, and ask questions. She endured it for the sake of introducing them to "society", as was proper for the high-born, but she made sure to keep a watchful eye out for those who might corrupt their innocence with openly sharp and condescending tongues. Judith was hoping to raise her children in a sort of 'in and not of' mentality; keeping them honest and pure in the midst of the lords and ladies whom she secretly despised with their twisted sense of decency and lack of compassion. Her trepidation grew every time they went to London. She knew that it would only be a matter of time before her impressionable daughters would have to go away to school. Tutors could only take them so far, and as much as she hated the idea, Judith knew she had to let them go for their own good. So, when Brenna was nine, she was sent to London to attend Briarwood Academy for Girls, and Judith prayed daily that the values instilled at home would not be eradicated there. Brenna was eager to go, and London had always fascinated the child, so Judith feared its influence. She knew how strong the lure of power and prestige could be- it was what she herself had fled when she married Oliver. Her distaste for the decadent aristocracy left a bitterness that lingered, and no matter her daughter's birthright, it was not an acceptable standard for them as far as Judith was concerned.

It was with great relief that she learned that Brenna would have at least one ally at the academy. Katherine Mayhew, Brenna's best friend, would be attending as well.

The Mayhew family lived just south of the Hastings' estate. Brenna and Kathy were only three months apart in age, and became fast friends after the Mayhews moved to Camberly when the girls were five. Captain Jonathan Mayhew and his wife Abigail were happy that their daughter spent most of her time at the villa. The child would have been very lonely otherwise, since her two older brothers, Christopher and Kyle, were sent off to academy a few months after the move. The boys had always tried to keep Kathy entertained because their father was usually away on business, and their mother was consumed with the household tasks since the family employed only one servant. Kathy was not inclined to join in the activities that her brothers thought were fun, but she enjoyed watching them as they climbed trees, fished, and swam in the pond. They would try to scare her with the bugs and frogs that they found, and though she always screamed and ran in disgust, she knew that her brothers would never do her any harm, so she secretly enjoyed their antics. Brenna filled the void in Kathy's life when they left, and the girls had been nearly inseparable in the years that followed.

When Chris and Kyle were home for summer break or for the holidays, the five children would often spend long hours playing together in the woods that stood between their homes. Brenna, being a tomboy, would usually join Chris and Kyle in whatever roughneck game they had devised to pass the time. Kathy, always the reserved young lady, would sit and play quietly with Olivia while the others grew dirty, sweaty, and usually scraped and bruised. Although Brenna was three years younger than Chris, and five years younger than Kyle, she could keep up with them in most any activity. As the years passed, Chris and Kyle grew to admire her more and more. She was not afraid of anything, and was often the one to initiate their more dangerous adventures. Sometimes they were glad to have Kathy and Olivia along to watch; not only because it was two extra pairs of eyes to make sure that they survived, but also because they wanted to have witnesses in case no one believed that it was Brenna who could get them into such trouble with her dares.

And Kyle had actually been the first boy to kiss Brenna.

Christopher, Kyle and Brenna were playing tag one sunny August afternoon, trying to capture a few final moments of freedom before leaving for school. Brenna and Kathy had been readying themselves for their first year of academy, and the stress was beginning to show on their faces. Kathy was in bed recovering from a late summer cold, and Judith knew that Brenna would not pay enough attention to her sister while she was playing, so she kept Olivia at home. Realizing that the glorious summer was coming to a close faster than they wanted it to, the three ran and screamed and laughed as much as they could through the pines that circled a small clearing near the center of the forest. Brenna was attempting to cross the clearing without being seen when Kyle appeared from behind a nearby tree and ran after her. With a squeal, Brenna sprinted toward the safe zone at the grassy center, but Kyle lunged after her and tackled her about five feet from her destination. They both hit the ground hard and Kyle sat up, straddled Brenna at her thighs, and proceeded to dance his fingers over her ribs, laughing and whooping at his victory.

Being uncommonly ticklish, Brenna shrieked, thrashing around and flailing at him in an attempt to free herself from the assault. Grabbing her hands, he brought them over her head to still them, and looked down at her red face as she gasped between her erratic giggles, trying to catch her breath. She lay there, flushed and grinning, with her hair in wild disarray around her face…and he couldn't help it. His faced turned serious as he suddenly dropped his head and captured her smiling lips with his own. Just as quickly as he had lowered his head, he threw it back and, with a look of shock that matched hers, rolled to his feet and took off running, disappearing into the trees.

Brenna remained on the ground for several minutes, her eyes wide and her fingers lightly touching her mouth. She finally moved when she heard someone approach. Lifting her eyes as a shadow fell over her, she was relieved to see Christopher standing over her, looking down at her with concern. She could see by his expression that he had witnessed his brother's actions, but he did not speak of it as he helped her to her feet and walked with her back to the Villa. Chris was the more sensitive of the two boys, and Brenna could hear sadness in the sympathetic tone of his voice when he said a simple 'Good-bye' and, after laying a hand briefly on her shoulder, turned to leave, disappearing into the woods in the same way his brother had. Brenna stood staring at her house, still in a state of shock, and listened to the fading sound of Christopher's footsteps as he made his way in the direction of home. Realizing that he had left without a response from her, she whirled around to call to him, but she could no longer see him in the dim light that filtered through the leaves, and her "Good-bye" came out so softly that she knew he never heard.

In the years that followed, Brenna shared a room with Kathy at school and they became closer than ever. The brothers, however, spent their summers with school friends at the coast, or in Southampton working for their father, who owned one of the shipyards that supplied the Royal Navy. Jonathan Mayhew wanted his sons to inherit the business, so as soon as they were old enough, he began to teach them the trade. Brenna would occasionally inquire of them, but the only response she received from Kathy was that they were fine, and doing well in their studies. She never saw them again.

Brenna feared that she would never see Kathy again, either, when she came home for the summer after her third year at Briarwood to discover that her father had been called into the service of the king. She felt like her jaw had become unhinged from her face as she took in the details of the way their life was about to change. Living on an island? In the Caribbean?! She had never been farther away from home than London and now they were going to be moving to what seemed like the other side of the world! Brenna sat in stunned silence and listened to her mother say that they were to be ready to sail in two weeks time. When Olivia walked into the room, Brenna took one look at her sister's tear-stained face, and knew that she had already been told. It was obvious that Olivia was terrified. Not only that, but she had just turned nine, and was eagerly anticipating the beginning of her own studies at Briarwood in the fall. Now they were being sent to an island so small that it didn't even have a name! Olivia's obvious despair made Brenna vow to be strong for her, so she held back the tears that threatened to overtake her.

With the servants left in charge of packing, the family made a brief trip to Hastings Manor. It was a heart-wrenching farewell for Oliver and Liam, knowing that it was very likely a final parting. Judith, who had always been very fond of Liam, also shed a tear when the few days that they had to savor together came to a close. Noticeably absent was Dottie, and Liam looked rather grim when questioned as to her whereabouts. An explanation was given to Ollie that she had gone to visit her mother, but when they had a few moments alone, Liam took Judith aside to give her a different story.

Judith had been puzzled at first when Liam asked to speak to her privately, but he seemed so distraught that she readily followed him to the library to find out what had caused him to look so dour during their stay. She had assumed incorrectly that it was just from the grief he was feeling over their departure. She left the library half an hour later, stunned by Liam's revelations, and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What she did know was that, if all of the rumors were true, Dottie was not a person to be taken lightly, or underestimated when she felt threatened.

Dottie was in London, but she was not staying at her parent's home there. According to Liam, she had been involved with a high-ranking official there for over a year, and made frequent trips to visit her paramour when their son Elliot was away at school, or when he spent a bit of his summer break with friends, as he was doing now. Liam had only recently discovered that she was being unfaithful, and apparently had used her influence to make sure that Ollie was offered a governorship, even though it was well known that his affliction had kept him from being offered Parliamentary positions. When Liam inquired of the man who made the decisions about whom to send to the new settlements, he was assured that Ollie was being placed somewhere easy to manage, and that everything would be fine. Liam begged the man to reconsider, but the king had already signed the order. It was too late. Liam was in shock, to put it mildly, for he had remained unaware of his wife's hatred for his brother over the years. Now Ollie was leaving, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

The funny thing was that Ollie could not have been happier about the move. To him, this commission was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, and he was thrilled. His wife and children were aware of this, so they had tried to keep their fears to themselves in order to spare his sensibilities. They would follow him anywhere, even to an unknown land and future.

At last, the clothes were packed and the few household furnishings that they had been allowed were carted to the harbor in Southampton. The ship that had been assigned to carry them and their belongings to the Caribbean hulked low in the water, packed to capacity with people and cargo awaiting a new home. Neither of the girls had ever seen a ship of this size, and it loomed over them, an ominous presence that creaked and groaned at its moorings, listing slightly toward them as if to whisper a nefarious secret.

They averted their eyes, trying to focus on the well wishers who had come to see them off. Captain Mayhew was there, since his shipyard was only a mile away from the passenger vessel docks. Brenna had already said farewell to Kathy before she left home, and through their tears they had pledged to write each other every week, and maybe even visit in the future. They knew that it was not likely to be possible, but they vowed to try anyway. Liam and Elliot were there as well, with Hastings Manor being so close.

No one was surprised that Dottie had stayed at home. Liam did mention, with no little sarcasm, that she had been most agreeable as of late, and a brief glance at Judith revealed her thoughts to him as if she had said them out loud. Judith would have gladly killed Dottie right on the spot had she shown her face. No one would have tried to stop her either, with the exception of Elliot, and maybe Ollie. Judith almost wished that Dottie were there, just so she could give in to anger, because her hands fairly itched to slap the little shrews face. Swallowing hard, Judith returned her attention to the group of people around her, and tried to content herself with mentally heaping coals on Dottie's head.

Everyone lingered as long as possible, but the last call for boarding finally came. Ollie handed the deed to the estate back to Liam, and embraced him one last time. Liam closed his eyes and sighed, hugging his brother back then pushing him away with a smile and a gentle nudge in the direction of the gangplank. Judith and Liam exchanged a meaningful look before she and the girls followed Ollie onto the ship. They were barely aboard when the command to weigh anchor was given, and they sailed out of the harbor toward the open sea without looking back.

Brenna did not realize that she had fallen asleep on the warm sand until she felt something poking none too gently at her shoulder. Shielding her eyes, she looked up to see Olivia standing next to her head, nudging her awake with a bare foot. Brenna sat up quickly, a little dizzy from lying in the sun for so long, and yanked her dress down to cover her thighs. The breeze from the ocean had blown it a wee bit higher than even she liked, and she was still modest enough to blush slightly at the thought that someone may have come by and seen her lying there so wantonly. She scowled up at her sister, wondering what was so urgent that it was necessary to interrupt a perfectly good nap.

"I have been looking all over for you! Don't you know what day it is?" Olivia stood with her arms akimbo, looking so much like their mother in her indignation that Brenna had to hold back from laughing.

"Of course I know what day it is! It's Thursday, silly!"

"But it's supply day, Bren, not just Thursday! The boat returned from Port Royal nearly two hours ago, and I surely thought that you would be there to greet it when it made port. Did you forget completely?"

"No, Olivia, I did not forget. You know that I would never forget. But you also know that a letter is the only thing I am interested in, and I have not received one from Kathy in over four months. I was not going to hang about the docks like a fool, waiting for a letter that, once again, does not arrive."

"Well, you should have," Olivia scolded, "because this time you wouldn't have been a fool!"

Brenna gasped as Olivia suddenly produced a wrinkled, dirty envelope from the pocket in her skirt and began whipping it back and forth in front of her sister's face. Brenna snatched at it unsuccessfully for a few moments, and then tackled Olivia at her legs, bringing her to the ground with a thud. Olivia screeched when sand flew into her mouth and eyes, but Brenna didn't hear a thing as she finally took hold of the letter and read the front.

"Two and a half months! It took two and a half months to get here!" she exclaimed after seeing the postmark. It looked as if it had been through a war. Brenna tore it open carefully, praying that the sheets inside were in better condition than their packaging. Getting to her feet she began to walk slowly in the direction of the village, reading as she went. She didn't appear to notice when Olivia came trotting up beside her and fell in step, still sputtering and spitting, but just as eager to hear news of their friends as her sister was. Brenna's lips were moving silently as she read the precious pages to herself, and Olivia tried to be patient, knowing that she would have her chance as soon as Brenna was finished. When Brenna's mouth suddenly dropped open and she stopped dead in her tracks, Olivia became concerned and leaned in to try to see what her sister was reading. Her alarm grew when Brenna threw her arms up, and let out a yell that scared a flock of birds from a tree about a hundred feet away. With a joyous cry, she hugged the papers to her chest and ran as fast as she could toward home. For a few seconds, Olivia just stared after her in shock, then, not knowing what could possibly cause her sister to act like this, followed as quickly as she could.

"Ah Tortuga! Gibbs, do ye think that life can get any better than this?"

"Well Jack, I don't suppose that it could. But a few more pints may certainly change me perspective."

"Then by all means, mate, have a few more!" Jack slurred, a little more so than usual, "I'll do me very best to match ye."

Taking their cups, they made a toast to gold and greed, then drank deeply, not caring that some of the liquid trickled in a broken line away from their mouths. They had apparently been at it for some good length of time, if one considered the wet stains on the front of their coats and their mellow state of mind. Jack leaned back from the rough plank table to swivel his head about, peering through the duskiness of the low-lit tavern in an attempt to spot the barmaid. He had some business to do with her, seeing as the bottom of his tankard had shown itself way too soon, and he had nothing better to do this night than to drink himself into a stupor. Ale wasn't what he wanted though.

"Where is that wench! She always disappears when I'm thirsty! I might as well go and gets some rum m'self, and pay m'self as well!"

Gibbs grinned at his friend's agitation, and chuckled. "If ye didn't paw the lass every time she was near, maybe she would be more friendly".

Jack turned back to face the teasing. His eyes flew wide in exaggerated astonishment, "But I'm Captain Jack Sparrow! She should be flattered…no!…begging me to paw her, as you put it. And I can't very well grab me own arse, now can I? Now, where did the lass get off to…"

A wheezing laugh followed the pirate as he weaved his way toward the bar, broad stepping over fallen sailors and downed stools. When he finally reached the bar, he inquired rather suggestively as to the whereabouts of the lovely young woman who had served them earlier. None too happy about men groping his daughter, the barkeep leaned in to bring his menacing face about one inch from Jacks, and snarled something about letting Jack have at someone a little more mature, pointing a grimy finger to his left. Jack followed the digit with his eyes, and finally his head, until he found the woman the man was indicating. The hag tossed a toothless grin in Jacks direction, and winked suggestively. Instantly sobered, Jack closed his eyes briefly, and shook his head as if to clear the image from his mind. With a tight smile and templed fingers at his lips, he bid the man 'thanks, but no thanks' and proceeded to negotiate the acquisition of two bottles of rum.

"Two bottles? That's an awful lot of rum, mate. Don' ye be makin' a mess back there, hear?!"

Offended at the suggestion that he couldn't hold his liquor, Jack scoffed, then narrowed his dark eyes and feigned his best look of indifference.

"It'll take at least one o' these bottles to clear that out of me head," he said, indicating with a sideways nod the woman who's company had been offered. "Th'other one is fer breakfast!" He flashed a golden smile at the barkeep and spun around on his heel, lifting his prizes in victory. Gibbs watched as Jack made his way back, not knowing if the unstable approach was due more to Jacks inebriation or his own unsteady vision. Reaching their table at last, Jack plunked himself down on the chair and proceeded to uncork the first bottle, taking a long swig as if he was parched. He then settled the other bottle between his feet for safe keeping.

"Hey!" Gibbs yelped indignantly, "Where be mine?!"

"Get yer own, mate." Jack grinned at him, leaning in to whisper in a conspiratorial manner. "Ye be a very rich man now, aye? Ye should be buyin' yer cap'n his rum, not the other ways around, savvy?"

"Right ye be, cap'n!" Gibbs agreed, at times still unable to grasp the fact that he was indeed wealthy. Scraping his chair back, he stood up with some difficulty, steadied himself with the edge of the table, and then pushed off, staggering in the general direction of the counter.

"Hey Gibbs!" Jack hollered after his friend, obviously amused. "Say hello to the fine lady fer me while ye be there!"

Gibbs looked back and shot him a questioning look. Jack saluted him with an upraised bottle, and laughed.