"Then I’d best let George know the rest of what I found out today about Carolyn. Is Jack still here?" Isabelle nodded and pushed herself to her feet.

"Yes, he is. I believe they are down in the study." Isabelle started for the door and Morgan pushed herself to her feet, her heart a little lighter now that she had a plan that might bring Allison back into her arms again.

Isabelle smiled as George reached out for her, tucking her against his side as they watched Morgan disappear down the drive. The moon was just rising over the ocean in the east, the sky to the west still bright with the remains of the sunset. She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed softly as he pressed a kiss against her temple. "So what did you tell her, Bella, that her attitude changed so dramatically?" he asked quietly. Isabelle chuckled softly.

"Don’t you worry about it, dear," she said, patting his arm. "Let’s just say that I reminded her of who she is." George chuckled softly.

"Ah…reminded her that she’s a pirate, love?" George asked laughingly. Isabelle looked up at him in shock then laughed.

"You know me too well, don’t you?" George nodded and kissed her softly. "So did Morgan find out anything good about Carolyn?" George frowned a little and nodded again.

"Yes, she did, actually. Seems that woman had some long-term plans in motion and Henry was only a part of them. But don’t you worry, my darling, we have an idea of what she might be up to now and we can disrupt those plans. Apparently Carolyn acquired some rather lofty ambitions from her late husband." Isabelle nodded knowingly, remembering how evenly the town had been divided in its support between Thomas and George before the old Harbormaster died. There would have been a much more vicious fight for that prestigious position if Thomas hadn’t started angering his allies just before his death, his overindulgence in alcohol turning him into a belligerent person. His death had been met with equal remorse and relief among his supporters. Carolyn herself had told Isabelle that she was thankful that her husband was dead, having been on the receiving end of his brutal temper one too many times. It had been that vulnerable and needy woman that had drawn Morgan’s eye long ago. George led Isabelle back into the house as she pondered the history that was now rearing its head.

"Don’t you worry about it, my dear," George said soothingly as he shut the door behind them. "We’re watching them, and once Morgan gets things settled down for herself I think Jack and I have figured out the best way to take care of all of this." Isabelle looked up at her husband inquisitively and received a smile and a shake of his head. "We’ll fill you in after this matter with Allison is through, my dear." Isabelle sighed softly but accepted the answer, knowing that many things could change in the next couple of days.

The eastern sky had just started to brighten with the pale light of dawn as Morgan moved quietly down the street, Jonathan in step beside her. Fog had rolled in overnight and wisps of it swirled around their feet as they walked. Morgan tugged her hood forward more, trying to ignore the dampness of the chill morning air. They slowed as they approached the Dockside Inn, the ship that would carry Allison away moored not far away. Morgan slowed as she reached a stack of crates and leaned against them, watching as the ship’s crew loaded the last few crates waiting on the wharf for them. Jonathan leaned against the crate next to her, his eyes flickering up and down the street as he kept watch.

"Why didn’t Jacob come, Cap’n?" he asked quietly. Morgan glanced at him before looking back at the inn, noticing the glow of lamps in a couple of the windows.

"Joseph knows who he is, and I don’t want to risk him being recognized. That’s why he’s been letting you and the others do the following." Jonathan nodded slowly then nudged Morgan lightly with his elbow. Morgan followed his gaze and saw a couple of servants wrestling a large trunk through the door. Frowning she watched another pair come out with a second, and a couple walk out. Morgan swallowed hard, watching the slight redhead nod at the taller man at her side before he stepped back inside the inn. Jonathan touched her arm and motioned her to follow, leading her closer to the gangplank of the ship. As they settled into another unobtrusive vantage point she turned her gaze back towards the inn. Her heart twisted as Allison stood waiting outside the inn, her cloak held closed in front of her, head bowed.

"She’s so pale," she said softly. Jonathan nodded slightly.

"’E wouldna let ‘er out o’ t’room after she rejected ‘im," he answered. Morgan nodded slowly, watching as Joseph stepped out of the door. A cold anger started to kindle in the pit of her stomach as she watched Allison flinch away from him, walking one step ahead of him to avoid his hand on her lower back. Allison lifted her chin a little in defiance and Morgan felt a smile tug her lips, remembering the first time she had seen that rebellious tilt of the head as Allison slowly walked towards the gangplank. A sneer curved Joseph’s lips and he quickened his step overcoming and brushing past Allison. He headed for the ship’s captain where he stood on the dock talking to a couple of men. Allison’s eyes followed him for a minute then returned to the ship.

Morgan couldn’t keep her eyes off of her, soaking in every detail of her lover that she could, wishing she could just stride across the street and whisk her away. She walked in front of where she hid and Allison lifted her hood up over her head as a breeze picked up, Morgan gasping softly as a glint of gold caught her eye. Allison paused for a moment and turned her head, her left hand reaching up to hold her cloak closed. Morgan’s heart jumped up into her throat as Allison looked right at her, the ring she had given her shining brightly on her hand. The redhead glanced back at Joseph then turned back towards the shadows where she stood. Morgan held out a hand to stay her and stepped forward out of the shadows a bit, pushing her hood back as she did. The dark-haired woman watched as her turmoil was mirrored on the redhead’s face and she smiled sadly at her. A tear slowly slid down Allison’s cheek as she brushed a kiss against the ring on her finger. Morgan’s heart twisted and she started to take a step forward, halting as Jonathan grabbed her cloak.

"You can’t go to her now, Cap’n," he whispered softly. Morgan glanced over her shoulder at him then looked back at Allison for a long moment before stepping back into the dark shadows. Allison peered into the shadows after her, eyes liquid with tears.

"Goodbye, Morgan," she whispered softly. Loud footsteps rang out of the boards of the dock and the redhead reached up to brush the tears away and tucked her head deeper into the cowl of her hood. Joseph motioned her ahead of him briskly and she headed for the gangplank with hastened steps as he said something to her in a low voice. Morgan’s teeth ground together as she watched Allison step down onto the deck, her hands squeezing into fists as the young woman hastened across the deck away from her husband. The dockhands tossed the lines up to the crew waiting on the deck and shoved the ship away from the dock with long poles, pushing it out into the deeper waters of the harbor. The ship’s crew swarmed up the rigging and soon the sails were billowing with the early morning breeze. Morgan stepped out into the middle of the dock and looked after the ship, an ache in her heart. A hooded figure stepped to the back of the stern and leaned on the railing for a moment before reaching up to push the hood back. Morgan smiled as the first rays of the sun sprayed across the sky, gilding Allison’s hair, and lifted her hand to wave. The redhead waved slowly back and Morgan stood on the dock for a long time as the ship moved further away, straining her eyes after it. Finally, as the ship pulled so far away that it was just a shape in the mouth of the harbor, Jonathan stepped up beside her and cleared his throat discreetly. Morgan turned away from him and strode away down the street, taking the moment that it took him to catch up to wipe the moisture away from her eyes. He fell in step beside her after a moment and they walked along in silence, heading for the dock where her ship was moored.

As they approached Jacob started towards them, smiling as Morgan looked up at the masts in shock. The crew was up in the rigging lashing the last of the sails into place, the rest ready to be filled with wind. Jonathan quickened his pace as Morgan stopped and looked at her ship, making his way quickly up to the deck and throwing himself into the work with the rest of the men. Jacob crossed his arms and glanced over his shoulder at the nearly sea ready vessel.

"How did they do this, Jacob?" Morgan asked in amazement. Jacob chuckled.