AN: Sorry so much for the wait! My life has been nothing short of a rollercoster lately, and summer homework has not been making it easier. Thanks to everyone who keeps reading, it is greatly apprieciated. Enjoy the next chapter!

Elizabeth drummed her fingers on the breakfast table, not quite seeing the biscuits and gravy set before her. Three days. Three long, heartbreaking, days. It was like Will had left again, only this time, is was Winnie. It may have only been two months, but Elizabeth had felt completely at peace whenever she was with her. She had an aurora of love that just seemed to engulf everyone that she met. To say the least, Elizabeth missed her with her whole mind, heart, and soul.

"Lizzie," asked Arielle shyly, "have you heard anything about Winnie yet?"

Elizabeth shook her head wordlessly. When Winnie hadn't shone up after the attack, Elizabeth had gone as quickly as she could to the fort to report the incident. She had assumed that the pirates that had attacked had taken Winnie, until two very disturbing pieces of information came to her ears. One, Clarissa had been kidnapped also. This was hardly unforeseen, considering that she was the governor's daughter after all. However, it did prove that these pirates were not the ones who had ran off with Winnie. Which left the other piece: Jack had gone missing mysteriously as well. Elizabeth was no idiot. Jack had no doubt ran off with Winnie, whether she went willingly or not was another matter, but not one that particularly mattered to her at the moment. All she wanted to know was whether Winnie was safe or not.

It was interesting that this attack was soon after the one at Savanna, of course. Elizabeth had wondered over and over whether they might have been at all related in any way, but had yet to come up with a certain answer. Other than the fact that it was pirates attacking the towns, neither incidents had anything similar between them. Well, and that both had had a kidnapping involved.

"Lizzie, can we play now?" begged Isabella impatiently.

"Of course," said Elizabeth softly. The two girls left the table, leaving Elizabeth sitting there miserably.

"You know, she is quite a capable lady, Mrs. Turner." It was Robert, the butler. he was standing stiffly in the door way, unsmiling as ever. He was talking about Winnie.

"I know. But still, the fact that she is gone…" she trailed off. Sighing, Elizabeth grasped her hands together and stood up. "I wish there was some way I could find her. I've lost too many people already."

"Of course, m'lady. I expected nothing less from you."

She looked up tearfully and walked into the parlor. Robert, sensing his need, followed silently. "I would go after her, you know. But then there are Isabella and Arielle. I can't very well leave them here with no one to watch after them. They are just as worried about Winnie as I am, and for me to go off so suddenly would be selfish. I've been selfish enough in the past year."

Robert cleared his throat awkwardly. "If you don't mind me saying so, I would not see the venture as selfish, though most definitely foolhardy. But if my memory serves me correctly, that has never stopped you before."

"Robert…?"

"Your household is a very capable group of people, miss. I'm sure Isabella and Arielle will perfectly happy here, especially if they knew that you went away to rescue Winifred. They are awfully fond of her, you know."

Elizabeth smiled and ran up to Robert to hug him. "Would you watch after them? I want so much to make sure Winnie is safe. I trust Jack, but he always seems to have some sort of ulterior motive behind everything he does. I don't want to have her sucked into another one of his schemes."

"Naturally, Mrs. Turner."

Elizabeth stepped out of her carriage with stout determination. The day before, she had hired a captain to take her toward Savanna, where the Commodore was. If anyone could help her, it would be him, that she was sure of.

"Good day, Miss Swann," greeted the captain smartly, but with slight distaste.

"It's Mrs. Turner now, Captain. Please remember," greeted Elizabeth icily. "How long till we cast off?"

"As the tide leaves. Please, let me help you with your belongings. We don't have much time."

"Thank you," said Elizabeth. As the captain followed behind her with her trunk, she strutted up onto the boat. It was a merchant galleon, and Elizabeth grimaced. "I don't suppose you have anything…faster? Less noticeable? I don't mean to be rude, but time is not on my side."

The captain glared. "I had a sloop, but it was stolen three days ago. The navy has a ship out looking for it, but obviously we aren't going to be able to use it."

Elizabeth nodded curtly, but mused at the information. So, a sloop had disappeared three days ago? Interesting that it should coincide with Jack's mysterious departure. At least now she knew the type of ship she should be keeping an eye out for.

Within the next hour they were off, sailing into the horizon. It was mid-afternoon, and the captain said it should take at least four days, probably more, to reach the Commodore. That was with the assumption that he had already left Savanna and was traveling toward Port Royal. Could Elizabeth honestly wait four days? What could happen to Winnie in that amount of time?

Now that she thought about it, nothing much. It had been blatantly obvious that her regard for Jack was that of a small child that needed some serious discipline. If he tried anything, Elizabeth had the utmost confidence that Winnie would dispel it without a second thought. The idea was comforting, but did not let disappear the instilled sense of urgency that was fastened into Elizabeth's mind. Something big was happening, another adventure, and to tell the truth, she really didn't want to miss out on it.

And who knows, maybe I'll catch a glance of Will.