CAPTAIN Matey Sparrow: I'm not saying, but it's not any of the items you guessed… or is it? DUN DUN DUN!

Le Jack: that last chapter actually printed out as 5 pages on my program. Long enough if you ask me. So I guess this one will be a bit disappointing as it was only 2.5 but I guess you take what you can get, non?

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It had been four months. Life at Bridgewood was much more peaceful since Edmond left. If only Sera would return to her usual self, then, Katrina decided, life would be almost back to normal. Katrina tried everything she could to think of to bring Sera out of her self imposed shell. And slowly, the little girl did respond, if not with her usual enthusiasm she had also started to throwing tantrums or sulking for no apparent reason. Well, Katrina reasoned to herself, it was a step in the right direction. Hopefully life would be closer to normal in the following months.

But it seemed that life was not destined to be normal just as Katrina was making progress, however small with Sera, another event rocked the manor to its very core.

It had been a cool and misty morning when the master went out for a hunt, but a hazy figure spooked the horse, causing him to rear. The master of Bridgewood fell off, hitting his head, knocking the older man unconscious. The horse ran back to the manor, riderless.

A search party was sent out with in the hour, but by the time they found him, the master had passed on, supposedly from loss of blood, he had a nasty gash at the back of his head where he had fallen.

The new master of Bridgewood was immediately sent for.

Edmond arrived in three day's time. He was no better for the discipline and training that he had. If anything the war games made him stronger and more merciless. The first few days that Edmond returned had no effect on the household, as he set about straightening his father's affairs, then there was the funeral.

But soon enough, things were changed. The manor as a whole had a more oppressive atmosphere, there wasn't as much banter or gossip. Millie was replaced by a hard and exacting butler. And nothing was there to stop Edmond from doing what ever he wished, which, most of the time, was getting raving drunk, or having all his raucous army cronies over for parties, which usually ended in all them being raving drunk.

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Sera's nightmares had woken her up again, and she couldn't fall back asleep. So Katrina gave up and headed for the kitchens, perhaps a little milk would help, but if not, there were always dishes to be washed. The milk didn't help.

Katrina was scrubbing an unusually stubborn burnt on food off of a skillet when she heard uneven footsteps behind her. Katrina spun around to see an unsteady Edmond directly in front of her.

"'ello, Minx." He slurred. "I 'ave you now. No 'ero to 'hic' say-ve you. Nope. All alone Minx."

"Sir," Katrina gritted, this man apparently liked whiskey as much as her father. "you are completely drunk. You need to go to bed and sleep it off."

"You are 'n no postitstion to tell me wha' ta do." He leered.

"And you are in no condition to be awake, much less talking somewhat coherently."

"Ah, Minx, ya're so 'hic' cruel ta me. We coul' 'ave fun. Besi', ya don' wanna loosh yar job, hu?." He added grabbing her arm, a mistake on his part as her other hand was still gripping the handle of the skillet.

Edmond crumpled at Katrina's feet. "Consider that my notice." She then gathered her skirts and rushed up the stairs, throwing all hers and Sera's clothes into a small cloth bag which, once full, she slung over her shoulder.

Going into Sera's room she picked up a sleepy Sera and left.

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It took the few remaining hours remaining until dawn and the better part of the following day to walk to Charleston, arriving a few hours before sun down. It was amazing how much longer it took to do anything when you have a two and a half old girl that refuses to be carried and wants to stop for a rest every ten minutes.

The Lyon's Den was just as Katrina remembered it, neat and tidy.

"John! Look who it is!" was the first thing Katrina heard when she walked through the door. "Bless me soul lass. We got all worried 'bout ya when ya just turned up a-missin' tha' day. An' now ya jus' walk through tha' there door, as if ya been here the whole time."

"Sorry if I caused you trouble, Mrs. Lyons." Katrina said as she wearily sat down at one of the tables, allowing Sera to crawl onto her lap.

"Why, deary, ya look dead on your feet. Ya just sit tight. I'll ge' ya and the wee lass both some good fillin stew."

"Oh, but I can't pay you " Katrina started, realizing she had forgotten to take her sparse cash.

"Would no' o' taken it nohow. So ya jus' set there an' I'll be righ' back."

"Thank you Mrs. Lyons." Katrina said with a sincere smile.

"Tis no trouble at all."

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And there is where I shall leave it for now as it is currently 4:00 am and I am getting a bit tired.