HOMECOMING........by Coralynn

Bess peers out the window, then yells out, "They're back!" and races to the door to let them in. Celeste, William, Marilyn and Little Will come running into the room as the six travelers enter the house and put down their luggage.
"Well, well, welcome home, travelers!" William says happily, "We have food, we have a fire blazing in the fireplace, we have......what else do we have, Celeste?"
"Anything your little hearts desire. Here, let me help you out of that coat, Eleanor. Did you have a glorious time?"
"It was an adventure, that's for sure! Getting zapped onto a Pirate ship wasn't exactly in the itinerary, but we survived it."
"How many times do I have to tell you people to be careful of those time travel coins? This isn't the first time one of...."
"Oh can it, William!" Celeste smacks him in the chest the back of her hand, "No lectures!"
Marthy and Jack arrive home and stomp into the house, knocking the snow off their boots as they come in.
"Hey, world travelers! Glad to have you back!" Marthy hugs each one in turn.
John begins to lug his suitcase upstairs. "Let's leave the unpacking for later, John," Jerry suggests, "Right now we have quite a tale to tell!"
Food is brought out and placed on the dining room table as they all sit down and relax. "Who wants to tell us what happened?" Marthy asks, her eyes dancing.
"John?" Rose looks at him, hoping he'll relate the adventure.
"You do it, Rose," he says with no enthusiasm.
She gives him a puzzled look, but then begins the tale, Eleanor jumping in from time to time, and Bethia interjecting how worried she and Roger were when they came up missing.
Celeste looks across the table at John and thinks, He found out just enough about Rhys Morgan that it's eating away at him. He isn't sure the man was involved with his mother, but he's close to learning the truth. I'll just wait for him to broach the subject with me. If not, then I'm going to keep mum about it. He does look conflicted, though, I wonder if Rose has noticed.

Rose is telling how John was mistaken for this pirate, and how that Molly witch was all over him like white on rice, Bess and Marthy and even Marilyn listening raptly to every word.
There is a knock on the back door, "Come on in, Henry!" William calls out, and Henry8 and Luke enter the kitchen, then go to the dining room to greet the six travelers.
At the same time, Hotspur, Mike, Rafe, Slim and Moose come in the front door.
Marilyn waves Moose over and whispers, "How goes the book?"
His eyes dance with excitement, "It's coming together great." then they listen to the others chatting about the cruise the six went on. Moose finds out from Rose and Eleanor and Jerry all about the wild time they had on the Pirate ship, and thinks, 'this is so odd....could there be a ship today that matches perfectly the one in the 1600s? HUH?! How appropriate, what were the chances this Pirate would show up both in the letters I found and in their misadventures at sea. I think the universe is trying to tell us something here.'
He glances at John, who wears a troubled expression and then at Marilyn, with a huge question mark on his face. She nods and whispers, "We'll talk about it later."
Jerry brings the tale to a climax by saying, "Then, John, our hero, found his time travel coin and we escaped!"
Everyone claps, everyone that is except John who is gazing into his coffee cup and seems to be a million miles away.

After everyone asks questions and more food is comsumed, Marilyn takes Moose's arm and walks him into the computer room and shuts the door.
"I know you're confused from what you just heard out there," she says.
"I am. Rhys Morgan was a Pirate in the 1600s, so how did the gang end up on his ship? And how did they get off the cruise they were on? This is weird."
"I didn't want to tell you so early on, Matthew, but there is a heavy element of time travel within this household."
He scratches his head, "Time travel? You mean like Jules Verne's book about it? What?"
"Here, sit down," the takes a seat on the small couch and he does the same, "Now, where do I begin? OK, everyone in the house, with the exception of Celeste and baby Julie, are time travelers from another time, another place."
"No way!"
"Yes, believe me, it's true. I was born in 1926. Do I look like an old woman, which I certainly would be if I..."
"You really are Marilyn Monroe, aren't you?" Moose scrutinizes her closely, "Of course you are. But you died back in the 60s!"
"They rescued me in 1961, a year before I died, so here I am."
"Who rescued you?"
"The others," he waves her hand inclusively toward the rest of the house.
"But why? And why did they time travel here?"
"For each person there is a different reason for the time travel, Matthew. I was brought here because when they were in London, Beethoven fell in love with the wax statue of me at Madame Taussaud's wax works."
"Beethoven?"
"I mean Luke."
"Luke is Beethoven?"
"Yes."
"You take that so casually, my God, Ludwig Van Beethoven is living amongst us? Has the media caught wind of this? It would be the story of the century."
"We try to keep it low key," Marilyn says conspiratorially, "You must never tell. Of course even if you did people would think you were totally insane."
"Just a minute, just a minute. Who else is someone I oughta know? Eleanor, is she Eleanor of Aquitaine? She kinds reminds me of her."
"Yes."
"YES?! Are you serious? Then who is William, is he the Conqueror?"
"Yes."
"Oh....my.....God.....Marilyn Monroe, Beethoven, Eleanor of Aquitaine, William the Conqueror....what other famous people are here?"
"Ever hear the poem The Highwayman?"
"Yeahhhh," he answers, warily.
"He's here, too. Name is Rafe."
Moose laughs, "I suppose John and Rose are time travelers?"
"She lived in the 12th Century and he lived in Southold, Long Island in the 1600s."
"But they managed somehow to get together here?"
"Sure. Once you're here, you can get together with whomever you choose!" Marilyn says as if it's self evident.
"So......the guys on the cruise were zapped back 400 yrs to the pirate ship, and that's a commonplace occurence around here?"
"Not common, but not terribly unsual. John took his time travel coin with him on the cruise, that was his mistake."
"His time travel coin? How many of you have these? Do you?"
"Sure!"
"Then if I want to go back and interview Napoleon, you could arrange it?"
"Yeah, sure!" she laughs.
"Son of a PUP!" he says loudly, slapping his thigh, "This is exciting!"
"You believe me, just like that? Most people want proof."
"Ahhhh, Marilyn, you couldn't lie if your life depended on it. Yes, I believe you. I'm not saying I wouldn't like a little time trip every once in awhile, however. It boggles the mind to think what a person could do with that kind of power."
"Well, I'm glad it pleases you. I'll drop over at your house tomorrow and we can plan our first trip together, OK?"
"You have a deal!" he declares happily.


_______________.....by Terri

"Where are you doing up so early, John?" Rose lifted her head sleepily. "It's still dark out...and it is COLD out there. Snowing like the blazes. Come back to bed."
John pulled his sweater over his head. "I have to check on things at the gym, honey. We were gone over a week. Besides, I have to touch bases with Daniel."
Rose groaned and pulled the covers up around her head.
John said, "I'm sorry I woke you up. I tried to be as quiet as I could. Go back to sleep, love."
Rose mumbled from under the covers, "Don't forget we resume on Planet tomorrow. This is your last day off. Spend it with me and the children."
John picked his keys off the dresser. "Can't be helped." He walked out the bedroom door. Rose threw the covers off her face and stared at the ceiling. He forgot to kiss me goodbye. He NEVER forgets to kiss me goodbye. Just what IS going on with you, John?

John pulled into the parking lot of the gym. Nice that Rose is staying home today, the SUV has killer snow tires. With this weather, only the die-hards will be here today anyway.
He hung up his jacket and opened the fridge and got out a protein shake. Within fifteen minutes Daniel came in. "Yo ho, matey!"
John's look startled. "What?!"
Daniel grinned. "Have a good cruise?"
John shrugged. "It was good. Very different. Lots of things you don't expect. Beautiful water. We had a good time. Yeah."
Daniel sat down and leaned back. "Then how come you don't have much of a tan. OH HO! Didn't you come out of your stateroom?"
John grew surly. "Of course I did. I just didnt' feel like laying out on the deck much. We did go scuba diving."
Daniel said, "Find any buried treasure?"
"WHAT?"
"John, are you deaf? Did you find anything good under the water. Any good shells or marine life? I hope you took pictures."
John looked out the window at the snow. It was coming down harder. "No. Not many pictures. Only a couple."
Daniel said, "Too bad."

John said, "Enough about me. How is the gym running?"
Daniel said, "A vast...." and took a drink of his orange juice.
John jumped a mile. "Avast?"
Daniel took the glass away from his mouth. "I was going to say BEFORE I WAS SO RUDELY INTERRUPTED...a VAST improvement in membership. Think alot of people got memberships for gifts and are just now starting to use them. You know..they put on weight during the holidays and are just NOW trying to sweat it off. JUST WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU SO JUMPY ABOUT ANYWAYS?"
John still stared out the window. He sighed. "Just coming down off everything that has been happening."
Daniel slathered cream cheese on his bagel. "Hey, if you are getting hemmed in by the little woman, just send her over to me.

John helped himself to a bagel. "You ever think about Mother and Father, Daniel?"
Daniel chomped on his. "Once in a while. I never could do anything right in their eyes, though."
"What do you remember the most about Mother?"
Daniel snorted, "That's easy. Her getting on my case about that damn porridge!"
John laughed, "Well, you DID throw it on the floor."
"Yeah, because it was crappy! I always hated porridge!"
"Daniel, do you ever remember her...looking out to the sea?"
"Hmmm? No, not really. I was always too busy running off. Father never did approve of me. Tell you the truth---and don't laugh!---I used to go up to the loft in the barn and on a summer night, I used to stargaze. Last year I took..."
Daniel abruptly shut up. John said, "Took what?"
"Nothing. I used to watch the stars. You know sailors and pirates used to sail by the stars. Sometimes I thought about running out to sea. If you and I hadn't come to America, I think I would have taken to the sea..something about it seems to call to me."
"The sea?" John asked reluctantly.
"Yeah. Imagine! It was freedom! A romantic ideal for a 14 year old boy."
"What stopped you, Daniel?"
Daniel stopped. "Couldn't leave you, John. We ARE twins! And then there was Cecily. I would have missed her tagging along, her incessant questions."
Then Daniel mimicked a little girl's voice. "Oh, Daniel! Where are you going? Can I come, too? Please? Huh? Huh? Huh?"
John laughed. "Katherine and Isabel were too busy with their beaux."
Daniel grinned. "Yeah, Cec was like a little puppy following us around!" John looked back out to the snowy window. "Father was decent. He loved us."
Daniel said, "Well, yeah...after all, we WERE his flesh and blood!"
John turned to him. "Think we would have turned out different if we were.."
"Were what?"
"Nothing."
Daniel put his hands behind his head. "Father used to look at me and shake his head. Like he couldn't believe I was his son. He was really upset when we decided to emigrate. Think he was more upset for Mother's sake."
John said, "She really went to pieces when we left."
Daniel said, "Oh, yeah. I never told you. I wrote her a letter when you disappeared."
"YOU WHAT?"
"I felt she should know. You always were her favorite."
John was disconcerted. "You mean she went to her grave thinking I DIED?"
Daniel said, "What did you want me to do? Have her wonder why she never heard from you again? You kept up semi-regular correspondance with her." John sighed. "Guess so. She was upset I married Elizabeth. She said 17 was way too young to get married. Think she would have liked Rosamond." Daniel said, "Well, sure...Rose has some of her qualities. Or maybe Mother did at one time. I think Mother may have had a streak of the wild child in her. Even though she always acted prim and proper. Like the song says, 'good little girls make some mighty wild women!'"
John looked seriously at Daniel. "Did she ever mention a Rhys Morgan?" Daniel shook his head "Don't think so."
"Ever wonder why we never went to see Grandfather Stafford?"
Daniel shrugged. "Don't know. I heard Aunt Lydia and Mother talking once in the garden. Mother said to her, 'I did what he insisted I do. I never brought reproach or scandal on this family. What more can I do?' and Aunt Lydia said, 'It's not so much WHAT you did...but with---' and then they saw me and started talking quickly about recipes. Have no idea what they were talking about."

Daniel stood up. "I'll leave you to your bookwork. I have an 8:00 training session."
"How is Moose working out?"
"Great. The 'dog-faces' hate him! That means he's good!"
John turned his computer on. "What's this?"
"What's what?"
"This. Music."
Daniel said,"Oh, that." He put his hand on the doorknob. "I downloaded some music files."
"You can do that?"
Daniel laughed and said as he walked out, "Sure you can! It's called pirating!"


MOOSE GOES TRAVELING............by Coralynn

Moose is editing and embellishing the part of his story he wrote yesterday when he hears a knock on the front door. Hastily putting a mark where he left off, he goes into the frigid hallway and opens it to find Marilyn standing there.
"Thought it might be you!" he says happily as she enters and he closes the door again.
She looks around and commnents, "Where are the guys who are supposed to be working on your furnace or lack thereof, Matthew?"
"In the back yard right now, unloading something, I'm not sure what, but they seem to know what they're doing."
They walk into the only heated room in the house, his computer room, space heater at the maximum setting. Marilyn goes over and yanks the cord out of the outlet, shaking her head, "This thing is so dangerous! I'll be glad when you don't have to rely on it to keep from freezing to death in this masoleum!"
"I have an idea, Marilyn, why don't we time travel like you said last night? We wouldn't have to be gone long, would we. How long does it take?"
"Two shakes of a lamb's tail," she laughs, "Would you like to go to the court of Henry the 2nd? That's where this whole thing started, you know."
"That's where William and Eleanor and Rosamond were? But......William isn't from that century, how could he have been there?"
"It's my understanding that somehow royalty from several different centuries were called together by William, who insisted the party was not time specific. I know it sounds bizarre, but there you are. Henry the Eighth was there, for instance."
"Glad he's still there!" Moose shakes his head, "There was a real male chauvinist if ever there was one!"
"Sorry, big guy, but he's here."
"Here?"
"Yep! Have you noticed that castle next door to the house on Winding Willow?"
"Hard to miss it. Looks like someone got carried away with himself and decided to pretend he was.......just a minute, is that where Henry the Eighth lives?"
"Bingo!"
"Why did they bring him here?"
"Seems he somehow sent himself to 1910 New Orleans, and was in such a mess that they had to go get him. They really didn't want to, but it seemed the humane thing to do at the time."
"And he's been here ever since?"
"Oh yeah. He refused to go back. But he's mellowed somewhat, perhaps it's been Luke's influence, playing that music all day every day."
"And Luke is really Beethoven, did I hear you right last night?"
"Sure did. He's writing his 10th Symphony for jazz ensemble. Wants to make a comeback."
"How hysterical!"
"Now, when we get to the court of Henry2, don't be surprised when you find he's not there."
"Why not? Don't tell me HE'S here as well."
"He is. Some enemies of Rose's used a coin to go back and fetch the rotter to this century. He played himself in the mini-series 'Time and Chance.'"
"And nobody caught on?!"
"Well, we knew, but I doubt the producer or director figured it out. Now, are you ready to go?"
"Yes."
"Hold my hand and away we go," she says as she feels the coin in her pocket and thinks 'Court of Henry2.'
In the blink of an eye, Moose finds himself standing outside a large castle, the drawbridge down. In his eagerness he runs over the drawbridge into the large main room, which is empty of inhabitants. "Where is everyone?" he asks Marilyn.
"Maybe still asleep. Let's wake them up," she says as she does that two-finger whistle through her teeth.
A dark haired young man stumbles out of one of the rooms that go off to the side, rubbing his eyes, "What was that?" he says angrily.
"Oh hello, John. My name is Marilyn, and this is Matthew."
"I can see you must be from the 21st century by your clothes. What do you want with us? You've taken about half the people here away with you, but have you taken me? NO! I am the future king and I've been left in this limbo to rot!"
"Sorry," Marilyn tells him insincerely, "Anybody else around? Matthew hasn't met any of them yet and would like to before we leave."
"A-ha! So you bring your friends here to view the freak show? I hope you're satisfied, wench! My father has come up missing, too, did you steal him away? We were right in the middle of a game of chess, and the board is still sitting here waiting for him to make his next move. You did take him, didn't you?"
"I didn't personally take him, someone else did. Yes, he's in the 21st Century, but hopefully not much longer."
They then see a woman emerge from another chamber, then slowly walk to where they're standing.
Holding out her handto Moose, she announces, "I am Mary, Queen of Scots. Have you news for me?"
Moose takes her hand and puts a quick kiss on it, then replies, "No."
Her eyes blaze, "Then why are you here? Have you come to watch the freaks who are trapped in a time-warp who cannot advance or retreat in time till that wretched William gets back and releases us?"
Moose looks questioningly at Marilyn, who shrugs and answers, "Not my fault, lady!"
Mary advances on Marilyn and looks about ready to attack her when Marilyn takes Moose's hand, then fingers the coin. They disappear.
"Oh swell, Mary!" John thunders at her, "We get visitors to take our minds off the excruciating boredom, and what do you do? Scare them off!"
"Just practicing, John, for when I go after that witch Elizabeth. If we are ever released from this place."
"I didn't even get a chance to beg them to take me with them!" he glowers, "And if father is off tootling around the 21st century, and mother also, I have no one to put on a powerful guilt trip because I am so abused."
"Tut, tut!" Mary says flippantly and flounces back to her chamber.

"WOW!" Moose exclaims as they find themselves back in his computer room, "That was a blast! And you get to do this anytime you want?"
"Yes."
"I'm wondering about Henry the Second. You said he appeared in that mini-series as himself. Where is he living? I haven't seen anyone around who looks like him."
"Mary Henshaw, the producer, has him living at his place, but since the production wrapped, I wonder....."

MEANWHILE:

Marty Henshaw has a dilemma. The mini-series wrapped up a week ago, yet Henry has shown no signs of moving back to his own residence, wherever that may be.
Henry enters the room, yawning, "That was one great night of sleep, Marty!" he says as he pours a cup of coffee.
"Better than at your house?"
"Oh yeah, much better."
"Henry," Marty begins tentatively, "I imagine your wife will be glad to see you back. When do you plan to go?"
Henry pauses, holding his cup, trying to think of a reasonable answer, "Bad news, Marty. She divorced me, sold the house, and moved to Arizona."
"Well, then, man, you need to find her, go to her, and at least get your fair share of the proceeds!" Marty suggests.
"Don't know where in Arizona she's living, and that's the rub. She's keeping it a deep, dark secret, even from her lawyer," Henry hopes that ends the conversation.
"So where will you go?" Marty hopes Henry catches the way he stressed the word 'go.'
"Ahhhhh, that's the problem. I have the money from the mini-series, but how far will that get me?"
Marty is thinking, 'hopefully out of this place!' but says, "There are some reasonably priced apartments in the area. What say you and I go looking at them this afternoon?"
"But I watch 'As The Planet Turns' in the afternoon."
Marty sighs, folds up the newspaper he's already done reading, and goes to get ready for work.
Henry is beginning to panic. Where can I go? he thinks, I can't move into that place on Winding Willow, that's for sure. Wonder if Henry8 has an extra room in his castle?"


IF YOU DON'T SAY IT, IT'S NOT TRUE.......by Terri

John walked over to the window and looked out over the snow. What is wrong with me? Why can't I let it go? It's not possible. And even if it was...what difference does it make? A little voice inside him said, 'because it changes who you are.'
To no one in particular, John said softly, "Shut up."

He looked at his computer. Worth a shot..maybe give me some clues. He clicked on 'google seach' and typed in Captain Rhys Morgan. The sites pulled up.
Not much....let's see...here's an ancestry.com site..
On the screen, the following information showed...

Captain Rhys Morgan, born May 22, 1580 in Conwy Wales. Father: Owain Morgan. Mother: Rhiannon Evans. Privateer for the British 1598-? Died unk.

John sighed. Pretty bare-boned facts. Let's look at this pirate site.. The following information appeared---

Captain Rhys Morgan, a pirate in his own right. He was overshadowed by his more famous great-nephew Captain Henry Morgan. Many of Rhys Morgan's exploits were wrongly attributed to the latter. Captain Rhys Morgan was born May 22, 1580 to Sir Owain Morgan and his wife Rhiannon. They resided in a castle in Conwy Wales. Rhys took to the seas at the age of 18 and soon rose in the ranks of privateer. By the age of 21 he had his own vessel, the Renegade. Feared by the Spanish, he plundered and pillaged all through the Caribbean. One story told was that he and his men were overindulging in rum and had decided to fire their cannons. The first mate accidently fell against the cannon and it turned 90 degrees and blew a hole in the ship, exploding the powder magazine. Rhys and a handful of others managed to escape serious harm but the Renegade was damaged. This was off the coast of Penzance, Cornwall in November 1609. The first mate was reported to be his lover, Molly McCormack who later became known as Captain Molly. Rhys Morgan was known to frequent the watering holes and the brothels of Tortuga, reknowned for his debauched exploits in port. Immediately after January 1610, Rhys Morgan disappeared but surfaced again in October 1612, resuming command of the Renegade once again. He became even more fierce in his fighting and his plundering, with no regard for himself or human life. Nothing is known of him after 1620.

That's it, John thought. A man's life reduced to a paragraph.
John turned his computer off and walked out of his office. "Daniel, I'm calling it a day."
Daniel said, "Yeah, you look like death warmed over. What's the matter, not sleeping?"
John took his jacket off the hook. "No, I'm not. Sometimes it doesn't pay to go on vacation." He picked up his carkeys and headed out the door.

John pulled into the carpark and went into the mudroom. "Rosamond? I'm home," he called wearily.
Celeste called back, "She's not home, John. She went to the store."
"In that little car? Is she crazy?"
Celeste said, "John, no big deal. It's just a mile down the road. Julie needed diapers."
"I would have stopped on the way home."
"She didn't want to bother you."
John went to the refrigerator and opened a beer. He sat down and put his feet up.

Celeste was browning meat for the beef stew. "I think beef stew would be nice on a cold day like today. With French bread."
John sat there taking a long drink of his beer. "We had beef stew the night Julie was born. It seems so long ago."
Celeste stirred the meat. "A lot has happened, John."
John rubbed his hands over his face. "I'll say. Too much."
Celeste added bay leaf and her cut-up potatoes to the meat. Rosamond came in the door. "Hi, honey! How was work?"
John shrugged, "Alright. I'm going upstairs to take a shower."
He went upstairs. Rosamond took off her coat and poured herself a cup of tea. "Celeste? I don't know what to do. Something is bothering John and I can't seem to find out what it is."
Celeste went to the refrigerator and got out the lettuce greens for a salad. "When did this start, Rose?"
Rosamond said, "When we got back from the cruise. The pirate one. So he looks like this Rhys Morgan. No big deal. People look like each other all the time. I mean, Henry looks like Peter O'Toole but you don't see old Pete freaking out about it, do you?"
Celeste said, "Give him time, dear."
Rose stirred her tea. "Celeste? Do--do you see something I should know about?"
Celeste thought, uh oh, I need to word this carefully... "If there is, I am sure you will know about it in due time, dear. Just be patient."
Rose sighed. "I suppose."

Dinner was a quiet affair. Marthy and Jack went to dinner with Slim and Bess. Marilyn was over at Moose's house going over carpet samples. Jerry was cooking dinner for Eleanor at his place. So it consisted of William, Celeste, John, Rose and little Will.
Will said, "Daddy,. can we watch Pirates of the Caribbean tonight? Mommy bought me the DVD today..."
John said, "I don't think so, Will. I'm tired."
Will looked crestfallen. Rose shot John a look. John said defensively, "What is that look for?"
Rose said, "Nothing, John. Nothing at all."
Dinner went on silently.

After dinner, John left the table with not so much as a by-your-leave. He headed upstairs. Rose threw her napkin down. "This has gone on long enough!" she said to no one in particular. In their room, John was just lying on the bed. Rose stood there with her hands on her hips. "Allright, John Gwinnett! What is all this moping about?"
John shrugged. "Nothing. Nothing at all. Just tired."
Rose said, "You have a little boy downstairs that is crushed--crushed, do you hear me?--because he looked forward to you coming home all day so the two of you could watch that movie because you both liked it so much!" John sat up. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. Tell Will I will be down in fifteen minutes and we will make popcorn and watch it together." Rose looked worriedly at him and bit her tongue. "Ok. Thank you. Little boys get disappointed so easily."
John muttered, "So do big boys."
Rose said, "What?"
"Nothing. I'll be down."

Fifteen minutes later, Will and John and William were seated on the couch watching Pirates of the Caribbean. Will snuggled up close to John, covered with a blanket.
John tried to concentrate on the movie.
Captain Jack Sparrow to Will Turner: "The only rules that really matter are these: What a man can do and what a man can't do. For instance, you can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man or you can't. But pirate is in your blood, boy, so you'll have to square with that some day..."

Will put a handful of popcorn in his mouth. "I love that part. It would be SO neat to have a pirate for a father!"

Will fell asleep near the end of the movie. William said, "Good thing he's in his jammies."
John nodded. "I'll take him up to bed." He picked Will up carefully. Will stirred and said, "Is it over?"
"It's over, pal."

Rose was coming out of the shower when John came upstairs to bed. Rose smiled and got a half-hearted kiss for her efforts. He didn't say much as he slipped under the covers. That night, as Rose reached over to touch him, he turned his back and said, "I have a headache, Rose."
Rose sighed and turned away.

In the middle of the night, the dreams came again to him. Nothing he could define.
He tried to go back to sleep. Just as he was dozing off, the thought struck him so hard it was like a thunderbolt. It was like the elephant in the living room that everyone tried to avoid talking about. He sat up in bed and finally put into words what he was thinking all along...Is Rhys Morgan my father?

John looked over at Rosamond, sleeping so peaceful and soundly. He carefully got out of bed and put his robe on. He looked out. The snow was coming down gently and silently, framed against the streetlight. So peaceful..and so pure. He quietly opened the bedroom door and shut it just as quietly. Being quiet as to not wake anyone, he went down to the living room and poured himself a brandy to steady his shaking hands. He sat in the leather chair and stared at the flames in the fireplace. He heard a noise behind him. Celeste stood there, her robe wrapped tightly around her.
He said quietly and painfully, "You know. Don't you?"
She nodded. "Yes, John. I know what is troubling you. Shall we talk?"


JOHN'S DILEMMA............by Coralynn

"What do you know, Celeste?" John looks at her imploringly.
"I know that since you returned from the cruise you've been troubled, John. Did you learn something recently that worries you?"
"Yes. I was mistaken for a pirate named Rhys Morgan all the while we were on Molly's pirate ship. She had obviously been his lover, so she would certainly know him when she saw him, and she thought he was me! Why would I be a dead-ringer for a man who lived about 400 years ago, who, to my knowledge, isn't even related to me? Or is he?"
Celeste sits down beside John and says softly, "It would bother me, too, John. A lot. What else have you learned that makes you think you may be related to this man?"
He pulls out the miniature and hands it to her, "Look! The only likeness ever made of him........it looks exactly like me, Celeste."
She examines the miniature and hand it back, "It does, I agree."
"I found out his ship was damaged and sailed into the bay of Cornwall, where, by the way, my own mother lived at the time. He didn't resume his active pirating for at least another year and a half. What went on during that time? Could he have met my mother? Molly said that Rhys, or I, as she was so postive I was him, had dumped her for a woman in Cornwall. She was mad as blazes about it and banished him to an island with no way off. Then, when she saw me, she was surprised that I'D found a way to be rescued from the island. Thank goodness she didn't ask me how I did it, because I have no clue."
"Might you feel better if you could visit your mother and ask her about this?"
"I've been toying with the idea. You think I should?"
"Absolutely. If this is eating away at you, you won't be our normal, stable John again until it's resolved. Please go, if not for yourself, then for your relationship with Rose. You know she's concerned about your turn in mood."
"I've been so depressed and worried. I could ruin my marriage if I keep this up. Yes, I'm going to get to the bottom of all this! I have to know who I AM."
Celeste pats his hand and nods, "Very wise decision, John. Do you need anyone to accompany you or would you rather go alone?"
"I'd better go alone. This is my dilemma, only mine. Daniel has no idea about any of it, and I'm only going to tell him if I find out something real, not imagined. Do you think perhaps my imagination is out of control?"
"You have to find out, John. Go to your mother and ask her so that you know once and for all. You're a good man. Don't let this suspicion go on any longer. Find out the truth."
"Ahhhh, yes, the truth, and the truth shall set you free, something like that. Thanks, Celeste, I owe you one."
Celeste chuckles, "No you don't, dear. You made this decision for yourself, by yourself. I'm just a good listening post."
"You're the world's best," he smiles for the first time in hours and gives her a hug. "The best!"


THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE........by Terri

Rosamond rolled over, half asleep. "Again, John? What is with the early, early mornings? The gym can wait. And we have rehearsals at Planet today."
John kissed her. "I got a call last night from Marty, reheasals delayed a day. The crew is snowed in."
Rose threw the covers over her head again. "Then come back to bed."
"Can't, sweetheart." He stroked Rose's hair back from her face. "I swear, I'll make the last few days up to you." He kissed her cheek but she was already asleep again.

John came downstairs. He looked at the clock. Five AM. Celeste was waiting for him in the kitchen.
"Here's the clothes you wore when you escaped from Southold. Will they do for England?"
John took them. "They'll have to. Not the finest but at least they aren't Armanis."
He went into the bathroom off the kitchen to change. Celeste talked to him through the door. "Are you alright with this, John? I am more than willing to go with you."
John reappeared and adjusted the drawstrings on his sleeves. "No, thanks, Celeste. This is something I have to do myself. One way or the other...I'll be alright. I will know for sure who I am."
Celeste handed him his backpack. "What date are you aiming for?"
John said, "I'll pick the summer. It's alot nicer there. Don't want to touch down in the dead of winter. I think June 22, 1635 would be nice."
"What is in the backpack, dear?"
John said, "Nothing much. The usual survival stuff like the first aid kit, things like that. Also a couple pictures of the the children and Rose and my wedding picture. I think Mother would love to see that. Wish I could take a camera with me to show the expression on Mother's face when she sees Julie. And to know she was named for her."
"What if Rosamond decides to call you at the gym?"
"I told her I would be in conference and meetings with some sales reps for gym equipment and then I want to re-do the lockers so I am talking to contractors and that I would be tied up all day and unable to take any calls. She'll never know I'm not there."
Celeste gave John a big hug and kiss and said, "I'll monitor you in my crystal ball. Any complications, just holler and I will take my time travel coin and fetch you myself. Godspeed, dear, I hope you find what you are looking for!"
John took a deep breath. "Thanks, 'Mom'!"
He closed his eyes in the kitchen and said, "June 22, 1635--Brookhaven Manor, home of the Gwinnetts. NOW!"
The air glowed and swirled. When it cleared, John was gone. Celeste raised up her coffee cup. "Like I said, 'Godspeed, dear.'"

John opened his eyes. He was standing out by the stables of Brookhaven. He looked up the pathway. There stood an imposing brick manor. Ivy was growing up the side of it. A fancy iron gate surrounded it. Mother's flowers...larkspur and lilac..those climbing roses that she loved so well...the chimney...it's like I never left. About 375 years ago...but wait! I guess it is only seven or eight years.
WOOF! WOOF! A shaggy English sheepdog loped out to greet John. He ran up to him and sniffed him up and down, his tail wagging. John's face broke out in a grin. "Barnabas! How well you look! You were only a puppy when I left!" John rubbed the dog's head and Barnabas jumped up on him.
"Shall we go up to the manor, old friend? Time to see Mother! Where is she?"
Barnabas leaped around him. John walked up to the front door and knocked. "Kind of redundant, Barnabas, seeing as how I was born here!" The door was opened by a butler. A smile a mile wide broke out on his face! "Master John!" Then the butler's face darkended and he extended a hand out to John's chest.
"Or be ye Daniel?"
John gave him a bearhug. "It be John, Mackenzie!"
Mackenzie broke out in a grin. "Aye, tell the truth, I'd even be happy to see Mr. Daniel. Pranks and all. But I be relieved it be you, Mr. John. Things not work out in the colonies, eh?"
John stepped inside and took a look around. The armor was in the Great Hall. Paintings and portraits of Gwinnetts gone by lined the stairway that split in two.
"I am back for a vist, Mackenzie. Something I need to take care of. Now! Where is Mother?"
Mackenzie smiled and laughed. "She be in the garden, Mr. John. It IS midsummer! Shall I announce you?"
John forgot he had to speak the language of that day. "Nay, mayhap I will surprise her. She knew not I was coming."
Mackenzie clapped him on the back. "Aye, and your quarters be just like you and Mr. Daniel left them. She'd not let us change a thing."
John went through the house and out the back.
There, sitting in a chair, was Julia Megaera Stafford Gwinnett. She sat there with a basket of flowers on her lap, her shears next to her. She was gazing out over the sea.
John came up from behind her. "Don't be startled. I have returned."
Julia slowly turned around. An incredulous look came over her face. She turned white. "Rhys. Oh, Rhys...." she whispered.
She caught herself and Julia jumped up. She ran over to John and cupped his face in her hands. "Are my eyes deceiving me? Is it really you, John?" She flung herself into her sons outstretched arms and cried. "You've come back..back to me!" She looked over his shoulder. "Is Daniel with you?"
John hugged her. "No, Mother, just me. Here for a visit. I have to go back to the...the colonies in a while. I had to see you. Is Father around?"
Julia grabbed him tight, afraid he would disappear before her eyes. "No, he is sitting in the House of Lords this week. He should be back any day now."
John took both her hands in his. "Good. I mean, I have you all to myself. Are the girls around?"
Julia said, "Katherine and Isabel are in London getting Isabel's trousseau fitted for her wedding to the Duke of Buckingham's son. Robert. A good man. Katherine was married last year. To the Duke of Norfolk's son. Good matches, both of them."
John said, "And Cecily?"
Julia shook her head. "She could be anywhere!"

"Then I really DO have you all to myself." Julia looked worried. "Is everyone allright? Daniel is fine?"
John laughed. "Daniel--fine. It's what we call an oxymoron. But yes, Daniel is...well, he's Daniel!"
Julia grew sober. "Wenching his way through the colonies, no doubt!"
Mackenzie came out with tea and scones for the two of them. John cleared his throat. "Mother, I have so much to tell you.I hardly know where to begin."
Julia poured tea. "Best at the beginning, dear."
John took a deep breath. He said, "I don't know how, so I am just going to plunge in. Seeing that it is just you and me. Mother...who is Rhys Morgan?"
Julia dropped her teacup and plate. They shattered on the ground. "Rh-rhys M--M--Morgan?"
John took both her hands. "Rhys Morgan, Mother. I know. I know all about it. Now I have to hear it. I have to hear it from your own lips."
Julia looked away. The pain was so great in her eyes, he couldn't bear to see it. John took her chin in his hand and turned her head towards him. The tears were in Julia's eyes, starting to stream down her face. John said softly, "Mother, I have to know. Is Rhys Morgan my father?" Julia looked at John for a long time and she whispered, "I swear, you look just like him. Yes. Yes, John, it is true. Rhys Morgan is your father. Yours and Daniel's."

John turned to look out at the sea. "Why didn't you tell Daniel and me? All my life we have been living a lie. Rhys Morgan...is he a pirate?"
Julia sat there, not answering. "Mother? PLEASE! It would clear up so many questions I have. Was Rhys Morgan a pirate?"
Julia looked down at the roses in her basket. She said quietly, "He was a privateer. But I suppose it was all the same. Privateer...pirate...."
John said, "Does Father know? Father....James Gwinnett, I mean."
Julia said, "I suppose I had better tell you the story from the beginning..."

Julia looked out over the sea and seemed to be talking to herself as much as she was John.
"My father was Lord Timothy Stafford. Duke of Cornwall. I used to go to the cliffs and write my poetry. It was a nice place to be and since we were on the coast, it was quite warm, even in the winter. There was a shallow cave that was situated near the cove. I loved it. I used to hide in it when I was a little girl. I considered it my secret place. Father never wanted me to go down there because he said the 'unsavories' were there. His polite term for people who were not of our sort. One day..it was a brisk November day...I was sitting up on the cliffs writing my poetry. A shadow fell across my paper and I looked up and into the grey-green eyes of the most magnificent man I had ever seen. He was tall...broad shoulders...he startled me. I had heard so many stories about pirates. My father used to scare me with them. I suppose he told them to instill the fear of God in me about them. I jumped up and started to run. I heard the man call out, 'Look out!' and a hand reached out and grabbed me. He saved me from going over the cliff. I was petrified. But when I looked into his eyes, all I saw was kindness and humour...he said he didn't mean to startle me but he had come up on the cliffs to sketch. My ankle was twisted and he rubbed it and put cool water on it. We talked and it was like I had known him all my life. Thereafter I made excuses to my father to go up on the cliffs everyday and I would meet him."
She turned to John. "Do I need to tell you how it is to love someone so much you can't live without them?"
John shook his head. "Please continue, Mother."
Julia said, "We met every day. I was barely 22, he was 29. We used to meet in the..." Here Julia stopped. She didn't want to speak of such things to her son.

Julia took a deep breath. "He promised to return in two months for me and we were going to run off. I waited. And waited. And then it became clear to me that I was with child. I waited four months before I had no choice but to tell my father. I thought Rhys would come back for me before I had to. He never came. The night I told my father was the night he told me I was going to marry Sir James Gwinnett within the next day or two. That I had no choice. I was going to live in Somersetshire, England. I would be married off proper and not to return. I married James Gwinnett the next day and he moved me to Somersetshire. At that moment, I became Julia Gwinnett. Wife to a member of the House of Lords. I ceased to be the girl I was the day before."
She got a faraway look in her eyes. A look of sadness.
John said quietly, "Who were you, Mother?"
Julia still looked towards the sea. "I was Megaera. Megaera Stafford. Overnight I became Julia Gwinnett."
She wiped the tears from her eyes and put on a brittle smile. "Julia Megaera Stafford. That's who I was. That's who I still am...inside."

John sat there, holding his mother's hands and not saying anything. She let out a pent-up breath. She said a little too brightly, "I have no complaints, John. James has been good to me. Charles needed a mother and he was like my own. As James treated you and Daniel. He considered the two of you his sons. It hurt him deeply when you decided to emigrate to the colonies. And we had the most beautiful daughters together. They were the belles of the balls."
John hugged her. "How could they miss with a mother like you?" Julia smiled through her tears. "But enough of me! What of you and Daniel? And no need to sanitize it for me as Daniel inherited the recklessness of Rhys."
John said, "I'm married now, Mother..."
"Yes, I know. To Elizabeth. A too young marriage if you ask me."
John shook his head. "Oh, boy, Mother. There is so much to tell you. I am not sure if I can ever make you believe it because it seems so impossible. I became a time traveler."
John proceeded to tell his mother their Atlantic crossing, his hasty marriage to Elizabeth and the arrival of William, Eleanor and Rosamond into his life.

Julia said, "You seem to have great affection for this Rosamond, John. I certainly hope you haven't betrayed your wedding vows to Elizabeth with her."
John said, "Elizabeth ran off with a reverend. Mother, I fell in love with Rosamond."
He drew out the wedding picture and handed it to Julia. "I married her a few months ago, Mother. And here are the children. Will is Rosamond's son from another, uh, marriage. Julie is ours."
"Yours? You and Rosamond have a child? How old is she?"
John said, "She will be a year old in April."
Julia looked at John and a small smile played on her lips. "Just like your father."
John looked abashed. "I would have married her a long time ago, Mother. There were...complications."
Julia looked at the picture. "Julie...Julie...you mean you named her after....ME?"
John nodded and Julia broke out in a wide grin. "She's beautiful! But John..where do you live now? In the colonies?"
John shook his head. "Mother, I live in the future. In the year 2004, to be exact!"
Julia looked at him increulously. "In-in the future? Daniel too?"
John sighed. "Daniel too."
Julia sighed too. "Daniel has been acting up, hasn't he?"
John said grimly, "Nothing I can't handle."
Julia said, "He wants what's yours, doesn't he? Even your wife."
John nodded. Julia said, "Some things never change."
He said, "Mother, I have to tell you. Rosamond is a time traveler, too."
Julia looked quizzically at him. "What time frame is she from?"
John said, "Twelfth century England, Mother. I married Sir Wallace de Clifford's daughter of Loverlock Castle."
Julia thought for a moment and then said, "You don't mean..?"
John smiled. "Yes, Mother. I married Henry the Second's....babe, we call them in the twenty-first century."
Julia laughed. "Well, I'll be!"


HENRY2 SENT PACKING.................by Coralynn

Marty returns from work to find Henry2 lounging on the couch eating bon-bons, watching talk shows. This has gone on far too long, he thinks.
"Henry. Just got a call from my relatives in Wisconsin. They're coming for a visit beginning tomorrow. All five of them, and we're going to have a full house. Would it be terribly inconvenient for you to move out?"
Henry blanches, sits up from his reclined postion and answers, "Oh, no problem at all, Marty!" but thinks to himself, No! Now where do I go??
Marty mixes himself a drink to celebrate his lie; at least this worked where other approaches have failed.
"I'll help you pack!" he tells the other man with perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm.
"No, that won't be necessary! I'll have to leave a few of my things here, though, until I get a permanent residence, and just take one suitcase. OK?"
Marty would much prefer Henry take all his stuff with him, but compromises, "Sure."

Two hours later, Henry is catching a bus for Chappaqua. The snow is coming down again, and the bus slides on the slick highway as they slowly proceed to their destination.
I can check out Henry8's Castle first, Henry thinks, That place has to be enormous inside. Surely he'll put me up. I'm not quite ready to return to Court, after all. I still haven't convinced Rosamond to go with me, and I sure as hell am not leaving without my son, Will. Living at the castle will give me more chances to lure Will away from Rose, should she prove stubborn. Yes, it's a plan!

The bus stops about a mile from Winding Willow, it's regular stop. Henry lugs his suitcase off the bus and begins his trek through what is now ankle deep snow. Blast! It doesn't snow like this back at Court. But not only am I not ready to go back there, I also have no time travel coin to facilitate that. Maybe Henry8 does. I know those skanky women on Elmwood have one, but that's a last resort.
He arrives at the castle tired and cold. He tries the front door, but it's locked. It is now dusk, but there are no lamps lit inside the house. Hmmmm, could they be out temporarily? I'd better find a way inside now. Can't wait for them to return......I'll be frozen solid if I do.
He walks around the building and finds all access doors locked. Returning to the front again, he decides to try a window. Surely one of them will open. He jiggles the casement on two of them and finds them secure. The third one, however, has not been totally locked, a lucky oversight for him. He tugs on it until it's open far enough for him to throw his suitcase inside, then clamber in himself.
No sooner has he entered the building, however, than he hears an alarm shriek and hears a whirring sound. To his horror, the whirring is the result of two iron gates coming down from the ceiling, one in front of him, one behind, which have him trapped inside.

Travis McGee has had a slow week. No murders, no burglaries to speak of, nothing. When he hears a dispatcher from the precinct talking on his police radio, instructing him to proceed to the castle on Winding Willow, probable break-in, he brightens and speeds up in anticipation. This is more like it! he thinks.
Speeding up has resulted in his car fish-tailing all over the road. Cursing wildly, he manages to get the vehicle under control and forges onward to his great arrest. Ahhhh yes, an arrest, my favorite activity!


LET'S DO LUNCH, I'LL MAKE PORIDGE.......by Terri

John and his mother sat in the garden while John regaled her with stories of Will and Julie. She clapped her hands in delight. "So I am a bona fide grandmother now! Do you mind if I keep these miniatures, John?"
John smiled. "That is why I brought them."
John hesitatingly asked his mother, "Mother? Did you ever hear from or about Rhys Morgan?"
She shook her head. "No. From what Lydia told me, he never made berth in Penzance or Cornwell for that matter ever again. I suppose I put my feelings on a shelf."
She laid her hand on John's arm. "Don't get me wrong, son. While James and I would never set the world on fire with passion, we did eventually reach a sort of love based on mutual respect. It was what they called a suitable match."
Julia looked at John closely. "I can see your eyes glow when you talk of your Rosamond. She is good to you?"
John smiled. "She is very good to me! We have the fire and the passion, Mother."
Julia said soberly, "And how is Daniel, dare I ask?"
John shrugged, "He has his moments. Somehow I think you would have been proud of him. He's not the wastrel he was in the 1640's. He is running a business for me and doing terrific at it."
Julia leaned back. "Are the two of you still in fisticuffs?"
John laughed, "Occasionally!"
Julia grinned, "You two were the dickens when I was expecting you! Always moving and kicking on opposite sides of me!"

John and his mother passed the afternoon away talking of anything and everything.
John stood up. "I hate to leave without seeing Fa---James."
Julia said, "He's still your father, John. You just don't have his blood coursing in your veins. He loved you like you were his own. Don't ever forget it."
John looked out towards the sea. "And somewhere out there is a man--a pirate!--whose DNA I share."
"DNA?"
"A technical term, Mother."
Julia hesitated. "John? You--you don't think badly of me, do you? I was young, I was in love."
John gave her a hug. "Of course not, Mother."
Julia's eyes teared up. "I never meant for you to find out. But you and Daniel were a gift that Rhys left me."
John said somberly, "And he never cared enough to come back."
Julia shook her head. "Something must have gone wrong. Terribly wrong. He wouldn't do that."
John just said to himself, Yeah. Right. Pirate. Take what you can. Give nothing back. John said, "I must get back to my home, Mother. Maybe soon Daniel and I can come to visit. Since we are time travelers."
Julia smiled broadly and said, "Wonderful! I'll make porridge!"




OH THE HUMILIATION..................by Coralynn

Henry2 hears another siren, this one coming from the driveway. Oh, good, he thinks, someone has come to rescue me!
But no one comes in the front door, which confuses him. Soon, however, he hears a banging and crashing at the rear of the castle. The door appears to be broken down. Now who would do something like that??
Travis stealthfully moves through the rooms, accidentally kicking over the cat litter box, the cat sitting thereon, sending the poor creature yowling as it's booted across the room.
Travis hardly notices, intent as he in on his quarry. Now where would the burglar be likely to hide? He sees a pantry off the kitchen. Right. Perfect hiding place. He draws his gun, then kicks the door open so hard that some canned goods are flung off the shelves. He takes aim and fires at whomever is in the pantry throwing canned goods around, hitting a can of tomato sauce, which proceeds to flow down the shelf onto the cans below.
Nobody in the pantry! he concludes as he makes his way into the dining room. There are no lights on, but he hears a noise over against the far wall. A-ha! So I caught the thief in the act of rifling through the buffet! He takes aim and shoots out the grandfather clock just as it strikes 6.
Henry hears all this and is panicking. Who is this person walking around inside the castle firing a gun? He shrinks down and sits on the floor, hoping to be less noticable. Travis has by now entered the main living room and sees the grates that seem to have captured someone. Oh goody! This will be like shooting fish in a barrel. Or is that fishing fish in a barrel? Whatever.
"HALT or I shoot!" he yells out in his most Cop-like voice.
Henry would have snickered at that, were he not so terrified. He turns his head and sees this man in a Policeman's uniform standing not 6 feet away from the grate, glowering at him. "And just where would I be going?" he asks imperiously, some of his courage returning in time to aid him. He is a King for God's sake, why should he bow down to anyone?
"How'd you get in there?" Travis asks.
"Ohhhhh, I don't know, just lucky I suppose!" Henry answers.
"What are you doing in this house anyway? You broke in, didn't you? Why?"
"My cousin lives here. He invited me to stay a couple weeks with him, but obviously he's off shopping, because no one was home when I arrived. So I came in to get warm."
"You came in through that broken window, didn't you, bud?" Travis catches sight of the smashed glass in the window. "Invited guests never come in that way. But.....no matter. This is a clear case of breaking and entering. You'll have to come down to the Station with me."
Henry looks at the two grates, one in front of him and one in back. He looks at Travis, who, he notices, is also looking at the grates with a puzzled expression. Henry smirks; that clown has no idea how to get me out of this little jail-cell I'm in.
"How do you plan to do that?" he asks Travis, who by now is looking high and low around the grates for a release mechanism.
Travis trains his gun on Henry again and yells, "Don't get any fancy ideas! Don't think you're going to bolt when I get these grates up again!" he takes out his stungun and lets fly a round on Henry, who collapses on the floor.
"Good thinking, Travis!" he says to no one in particular, "Now to get this criminal OUT of here!"


HOME AGAIN....by Terri

John took his coin and said, "The Gazebo at Winding Willow...February 17, 2004...NOW!"
When he opened his eyes, he was standing in the gazebo. He ran up to the kitchen door. Celeste was sitting there with her coffee and jumped up when he came through the door. John rubbed his arms partly out of cold and partly out of emotional fatigue.
"I guess we forgot to send you out with a winter coat, dear! Sit down! I'll pour you some coffee."
John sat down and Celeste put a cup in front of him. He drew a flask out of his back pocket. "Mother sent these spirits back with me!" He poured a generous splash into his cup and took a deep sip.
Celeste sat there patiently waiting. "Did you find out?"
John leaned back. "Sure did. Yes, I surely did."
Celeste said, "...and?"
John looked at her with a mixture of pain and relief in knowing the truth.
"Daniel and I are the sons of Rhys Morgan, pirate extraordinaire. A real love 'em and leave 'em kind of guy. He got Mother pregnant and then he ran out on her."
Celeste said, "Things are not always the way they seem, John. Perhaps there were extenuating circumstances."
John shrugged. "He could have stayed. Now I have to tell Rosamond the truth."
Rose came downstairs at that moment.
"John! You're home early!" She flung her arms around his neck. John hugged her like he never wanted to let her go. "I'm so sorry, Rose...I'll make it all up to you. Let's go out to dinner tonight. I need to talk to my best friend."

Rose and John were seated in the restaurant in Hastings-on-Hudson where they got engaged.
Rose said, "This is wonderful, John! But what is the occasion?"
John took her hands. "I need to talk serious to you, Rose. Something has come up..."
Rose's eyes registered shock and pain. "You have been seduced by Josie, that new trainer, and you are trying to find a way to tell me. That is why you have been so torn up with guilt the last few days...OH, JOHN!"
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! No such thing! Where DO you get your wild ideas, Rose?"
Rosamond retorted, "Excuse me, Mr. Gwinnett..."
John looked up at her. "It's not true."
She said, "Thank goodness! You had me scared for a minute.."
John said, "The 'Mr. Gwinnett'. It's not true. I am not John Gwinnett." Rose laughed a little uncertainly. "But of course you are! You aren't Daniel..are you?"
John sighed deeply and said to the waiter, "I'd like a double scotch on the rocks. What do you want, Rose?"
"Nothing."
John said to the waiter, "She'll have the same."
Rose said, "John, I just said.."
John said, "After what I am about to tell you, Rose, believe me...you'll be glad I ordered it for you."

The waiter set the drinks in front of them. John took a deep breath and plunged in. "I took a time travel today."
Rose looked shocked. "What..where...why...?" John said quietly, "I didn't want you to worry. Celeste knew. She helped me. And she helped me figure out what I needed to do."
Rose said bewilderedly, "Yes, she IS like a mother to us.."
John took a deep drink and looked at Rosamond through the glass refraction. "I went to England, the year 1635."
Rose was confused. "Why? Is there a problem? Your dad didn't die, did he? Oh John! I'm so sorry.."
John said, "Rose, this is hard enough. Please just sit there and listen. I went back to see my mother."
Rose sat there quietly and let John continue. He took another drink. "This is hard for me to say. I had to ask my mother if Rhys Morgan is my father."
Rose said softly, "And what did you find out, my love?"
John looked at her with pain-filled eyes. He nodded. "Pirate....privateer....plunderer..blackard..yes, Rhys Morgan is my father."
Rose took his hand in hers. "They are naught but words, John. You cannot choose your parents. Look at mine! Would I have chosen Alice de Clifford if I had a choice? Blood does not always tell. You are who you are. Not of who your parents are. To me you will always be the most wonderful, exciting and perfect man."
John laughed without humor. "For thirty years I thought I was John Gwinnett. The son of Sir James Gwinnett. Now it turns out my entire life has been a lie. Do you realize that actually my name is John Arthur MORGAN? That you are Mrs. Rosamond Morgan now?"
Rose said, "Well, then, Mr. John Gwinnett or John Morgan or whoever you think you are...all I can say is one thing..."
"What, Rose?"
Rose broke out in a smile. " 'Tis a good thing I didn't get monogrammed towels, isn't it?" With that, it was the first genuine laugh John gave in a week.
"Rose? I love you. I love you with all my heart."
Rose whispered back. "And I love you too. As Shakespeare said, 'what's in a name?' You are the same man you were last week and the week before and the year before that.."
John and Rose sat there and quietly drank their Scotches.
John said, "You know who is going to love this, don't you?"
They both said together, "DANIEL!"


ONE JAIL TO ANOTHER.............by Coralynn

Travis has called for backup and someone to dismantle the grate. Henry2 averts his eyes so that he doesn't get iron-filings in them, as the workmen are wearing goggles as they work, but no one has offered him a pair.
Soon enough of the bars are removed so that Henry can easily pass through. He hopes Travis doesn't zap him with the stun-gun again to keep him from bolting, but with a couple other cops there as well perhaps this won't happen. On the other hand......
Travis hits him again with a stun and he collapses.
The other two cops remark, "You didn't need to do that!" but it's fait acompli.
Travis cuffs Henry and the three cops haul him out of the castle, through the broken back door, and around to the driveway where he is shoved into the back part, that also sports grills to keep him from harming the policemen riding in the front.
Travis has Henry's suitcase and tells the others, "I'll look through this suitcase to see if this guy is a drug dealer. Better to book him on more than one charge, you know."
The others just shrug.
By the time they pull up at the Police Station, Henry can almost move his arms and legs again. He's hauled out of the car and shoved into the station. "Got me a big one!" Travis announces proudly as he shows his prize catch to Alan Carson. "This jerk was burglarizing the castle on Winding Willow, but I caught him before he got away with the loot!"
Loot? what loot? Henry asks himself but doesn't say, I had nothing with me but my suitcase, and now that idiot has that as well.
Travis flings the suitcase down on a counter and yanks it open. Upturning it so that eveything falls out, he comments, "This guy is probably a drug dealer as well!"
Alan and several of the senior officers look at each other and shake their heads, but, since Travis hasn't broken any procedural codes, leave it alone.
One of the cops who responded to Travis' backup call, completes the paperwork and shoves Henry into a cell. Henry sees that there are two other men in the cell as well. He has also heard from someone, he doesn't recall who, that if you act tough, these jail-bird types will back off and not beat you to a bloody pulp.
"What're ya in for?" he asks a tall red-headed man with crooked teeth.
"Murder One." the man answers almost proudly.
"HA! I'm in for Murder Five!" Henry boasts, and is surprised when the other two men look at him like he's teched.

Travis shoves the contents of the suitcase back into it, disappointed. No white powder of any kind, no bags of marajuana leaves, nothing. Oh well, at least I got him for breaking and entering, he consoles himself.
Henry calls out, "How long must I stay in this place?"
"Ya get one phone call, then you post bail if ya have it!" Travis snarls at him.
"Then bring me a phone!" Henry requests. He is given a cellphone and a phone directory. He tries to think of whose name the phone at the Big House on Winding Willow the would be listed under. He finds it more easily than he'd thought, under the name William Conqueror. Sheeeeesh, he thinks, how obviousl can William be? He thinks nobody suspects his true identity?
He punches in the numbers and the phone rings and rings......on about the 6th ring a woman's voice comes on, "Hello."
Hmmmm, which woman is this, he wonders. "I say there, young lady, might William be about?"
"For Pete's sake, Henry, why are you calling here? Nobody here wants to talk to you."
"William would, and how did you know I'm Henry?"
"HA! You sound like that goon who used to whisper in my ear, 'Ahhhhh fair Rosamund, nobody does it like you do!' What a load!!"
His heart sinks. Rosamond of all people. He hangs up and the cop immediately snatches the phone away. Sitting down desolately, Henry feels trapped, then wonders how much it would cost to be released.
"I say there, how much will it cost be to be released?" he asks Alan, the only Cop in the place with anything approaching an intelligent demeanor.
"For breaking and entering, it's a thousand dollars, which will be returned to you at your trial."
My trial? Henry is aghast. Nobody puts a King on trial. Nobody but these fools in the 21st century, that is.
"I'm ready to pay!" he tells Alan, who asks him what method he's going to use.
"In my suitcase there should be a checkbook," he answers.
"No checks. People who are arrested for felonies usually try to pass bum checks. We need cash."
Cash, cash, ok, I think I have a bit of that, Henry thinks as he rummages around in his pockets. Good, there's my wallet! He pulls it out of his back pocket and looks to see how much cash it contains. It has bills of various demoninations, amounting to three hundred dollars. "Do you take Visa or MasterCard?" he asks.
"What's the problem?" Alan inquires.
"I have but three hundred, not a thousand. But I have sterling credit!" Henry boasts, pulling out four credit cards.
"We don't deal with credit cards either, but I'll cut you some slack. Give us the three hundred and when you show up for trial, you can have it back."
"Thank you, kind sir!" Henry tries to act grateful, though what he's truly feeling is humiliation and rage. Trial? King Henry the Second, on Trial?


SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE........by Terri

Julia Gwinnett sat in her garden, the warm summer sun shining down on her face. She felt like a weight had been lifted from her. John and Daniel--time travelers!
Oh, Rhys, if you could have only seen them. So much like you, they are. She closed her eyes to the sun. Slowly, she drifted off...

"Megaera! Megaera Stafford, you come back here this instant!"
Megaera turned to her father. He stood there with his hands on his hips. "Just where do you think you are going?"
Megaera tightened her shawl around her. "To the cliffs, Father. I love it up there and it's not so very cold."
Lord Timothy Stafford shook his head. Again with the cliffs! He watched as his eldest daughter went down the path with her sheepdog Sheba.

Megaera spread her blanket down and gazed over the cliffs to the sea beyond. Her long dark hair whipped in the winds. Let's see...what shall I write today?
A shadow fell over the paper she was writing on. She looked up quickly. A man stood over her. He had on a white flowing shirt and tan breeches. Boots that came up to his knees and folded over. His light brown hair was tied back.
" 'allo, missy! " He said. Megaera took it all in...including the scabbarded sword by his side. PIRATE!! She jumped up and started to back up. "PLEASE! Please don't hurt me..I swear, I never saw you..."
She stumbled and started backwards. A hand quickly reached out and grabbed her. "Are you all right, Missy? Please! I shan't harm you."
Megaera tried to put pressure on her foot. "Ow! Ow!"
The man looked at her and sat her down. "Your ankle appears to be sprained. Let me look at it."
Megaera blushed at having a perfect stranger lift her skirt and examine her ankle.
"Twisted, she is." He rubbed it. "Here. Let me fetch some cool water."
He dipped his cup in and drew water out. He dipped the cloth he had in it and then wrapped it around Megaera's ankle. He grinned. "So...I think you are my captive audience for the next hour!"

Megaera sat there in quiet fear. What next? Shall I be...despoiled by this knave?
The pirate sat down and opened his box. Megaera's heart stopped. What is in there? Instruments of torture?
But the man took out paper and charcoal. Megaera looked questioningly at him. He laughed. "What did you think I had in here, pistols? Ropes? Nay, I like to sketch in my spare time."
He extended his hand to her. "My name is Rhys Morgan. And what might your name be, pretty missy?"
Megaera hesitantly took his hand. "My name is Megaera Stafford."
Rhys raised his eyebrow. "Stafford? Child of Lord Stafford?"
Megaera nodded wordlessly. Rhys smiled a little. "Well, welll! Pleased to meet you, Miss Stafford!"

"Megaera! Where are you off to now?"
Megaera put on her woolen coat and grabbed a muff. "Father, I am just walking on the cliffs. I just need some fresh air. I'll be back in a couple hours."
Lord Stafford just grunted his displeasure.
Soon Megaera was running down the path. Instead of heading to the cliffs, she walked down below them to the cove. Under the jutting rocks was a cave. She walked in. He was waiting for her and she flung herself into his arms.

Afterward, they lay there in the warmth of each other under the wool blankets that Rhys had brought. He held her in his arms.
"Megaera?
" "Hmmm?" she smiled contentedly.
"Megaera, I have to go away for a bit. The Renegade is ready to sail. I have to make one more run but I shall be back for you."
Megaera lifted her head up. "Take me with you, Rhys! Please! I can't bear to be apart from you another day! I am so afraid my father is starting to suspect things are not as they should be."
He kissed her shoulder. "Now, how would that be, a fine upstanding lass as yourself running off with a pirate? Nay, I will quit this life and come back respectable and shall ask for your hand proper."
Megaera looked deeply into his eyes. "He will never---NEVER give his consent, Rhys. You are a pirate! Your kind has left their booty in his caves and used them for smuggling. He tries to ignore it because he fears repercussions. But he hates you all the same."
Rhys looked off in the distance. "I wasn't always a pirate, you know. My family is very prominent in Wales. My father is Sir Owain Morgan." Megaera rolled over and propped herself on her elbow. Her fingers trailed down his chest and over his arm. "You never told me."
Rhys shrugged. "Maybe someday, Megaera my love. Someday."

Megaera slipped outside in the early morning. Her father was sitting in the House of Lords for the past fortnight and was not around to keep a close eye on his daughter.
Megaera had taken a bottle of Lord Stafford's best claret and two goblets. She wrapped her cloak around her and hid the bottle underneath. As always, she hurried down the path. Rhys was waiting for her in the cave. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. He had a candle lit and stuck in an upturned shell. She laughed and produced the claret. Rhys poured them each a glass. He lifted it and said, "To my Megaera. I swear, my bonny lass, I shall come back for you on pain of death in two months' time. Wait for me."

Megaera and Rhys lay snuggled up in their secret cave for the last time until Rhys would return. He stroked the hair back from her face and told her, "Close your eyes, love." She did and Rhys slipped a ring on her finger. He said, "It has been in my family for generations. Solid gold. Supposedly belonged to Owain Gruffydd. KIng of Wales in the time of Henry the Second. Of whom I am descended."
Megaera's eyes shone as he slipped it on to her finger. She kissed him gently. "I shall wear it forever."
Rhys laughed, "It is what I call a promise ring. Look inside. What does it say?"
Megaera took it off her finger and said, "The writing is so tiny.. it says, 'wa--wait--wait for me"
Rhys said, "I had it inscribed. It is a symbol that I will come back to you. I promise, Megaera, I will come back for you."
Megaera took the ring off her finger. "This was my mother's. She died in childbirth with my brother Charles. I want you to carry it with you, Rhys. To let you know that I will wait for you."
Rhys said, "I shall put my note for you in this little crevice. Like we have been doing all the time. It will tell you where to meet me so we can leave Penzance together. Oh, Meggie! The places we will see! Venezia! Firenza! Paris! Just be ready to leave as soon as you hear the Renegade has returned. Make haste, darling. And we will sail away together and start a new life somewhere."
Megaera whispered, "Somewhere no one has heard of you."
Rhys laughed. "Then the Caribbean is out!"

It was growing late in the day. Rhys stood up and reached for his breeches. Megaera tried to be brave. She said, "This is it, isn't it Rhys?" He said, "Yes. I am leaving at daybreak. I have to check the supplies. I swear, I shall be back no later than the end of February." Tears were beginning to spill down Megaera's cheeks. Rhys reached into his sketch box and pulled out a paper. He handed it to Megaera. "Here. I sketched you when you weren't looking, Meg. And here is one of Sheba."
Megaera looked at it through her tears. "Oh, Rhys! Look at the details! You are a world class artist!"
Rhys said modestly, 'It wasn't hard. The subjects were fascinating!"
He put his shirt on and reached for his boots. Megaera turned her head so he wouldn't see the misery on her face.
He sat next to her and cupped her face in his hands. "Don't cry, my love. I shall be back. And we have a wonderful life ahead of us! Be brave. And keep this close to your heart. The knowledge that I love you."
Rhys walked to the entrance of the cave and looked back just once at her with a face that reflected his love for her. He couldn't bear it any longer and squared his shoulders and walked out of the cave.
Megaera pressed her face into the blankets and cried as if her heart were breaking in two.

I MISSED. PERIOD.......by Terri

"Megaera, will you stop moping around? It's spring! Spring! And you are pale and peaked and losing weight. You had better watch it, you will die of consumption!" Megaera looked at Lydia with lusterless eyes. She shrugged. "Ok, so it's spring. Then comes summer and then autumn..."
Lydia said, "Father has been busy. He said he is going to get rid of those caves. Block them up somehow. He said someone had been...trysting? I think that was the word, whatever it means...in the caves. He found several wool blankets and a candle melted down. And a bottle of claret, empty. Meg..Meggie? What is wrong? You can tell me. Please! You were vivacious and fun-loving up until four months ago. Right around the new year. What has happened to change you? OH HO! Meggie's in love! Meggie's in love!"
Lydia pranced around in a sing-song.
Megaera locked her hand on her sister's arm. "Lydia, I need to talk to someone. I have no one else. But you must promise on pain of death you will tell no one..NO ONE!"
Lydia's eyes grew wide. "Of course, Meggie! What? Who is he? Oh, I know! It's that Sir James Gwinnett that has cast his eye on you! I saw the way he looked at you at the April feast! I think he was quite taken with you!"
Megaera fastened her hand tighter on her sister.
"Ow, Meggie! You are hurting me!"
Megaera tried to keep her voice low. "Lydia..I missed my flux."
"So what? Nothing unusual with that. Just the change in the weather..what do you.. oh, Meg! MEGAERA! NO! NO!" Megaera nodded miserably.
Lydia's mouth was a perfect 'O' until she asked, "It is Giles, the stable boy, isn't it? Father will pitch a fit.."
Megaera shook her head no. Lydia said, "It's certainly not the esteemable Sir James Gwinnett, is it? He looks too proper to entertain any lustful thoughts.."
Megaera shook her head again, unable to find the words. Finally she whispered, "It's worse, Lydia...much worse. He's--he's a...pirate!"


PIRATE BLOOD IN THIS FAMILY?.....by Terri

Megaera sat there picking at her food. Lord Stafford said exasperatedly, "Lord, Megaera, don't keep picking at your food! Eat it before it gets cold! Think of the starving children in Yorkshire!"
Lydia kept glancing covertly from Megaera to their father. Megaera took a deep breath and said, "Father, I need to speak to you privately."
Lord Stafford said gruffly, "After dinner, in my quarters."

Megaera knocked on her father's door. "Enter!"
Megaera cautiously opened the door and said, "It's me, Father."
Lord Stafford gestured to a chair. "What's on your mind, girl?"
Megaera could not look at her father. "I'm with child, " she whispered.
"What? What was that, Missy? I didn't hear you. Come, come! Speak up!"
Megaera looked up. Her face reflected her fear and anxiety. "Father--I am with child."

Lord Stafford sat down in his chair with a thud. He stared at his eldest daughter. "With child. You are with child. For certes?"
Megaera nodded. "For certes."
Lord Stafford scowled, "If you have been consorting with the help, I shall..shall..."
He didn't finish because he didn't know WHAT he would do. He sat down and took a deep breath. Lord, Megaera always was a handful. If only Margaret had not died...
He tried to remain calm. "Alright, Megaera, we shall deal with it. Who is the scoundrel who seduced you? Was it Giles?"
Megaera said, "Why does everyone think it is Giles?"
"Because Giles is the groom I made you take when you went riding. I swear, if he has seduced a member of this household...."
Megaera whispered, "It is not Giles."
Lord Stafford said, "Then who is it?"
Megaera just shrugged.
Lord Staffords exploded, "Don't tell me you don't KNOW??!!"
Megaera blurted out, "His name is Rhys Morgan, Father." Lord Stafford sputtered, "The captain of the ship the Renegade? The one that was drydocked here in the winter? The...the...." Megaera said, "The pirate? Yes, Father. Him. He is the father of my unborn child."
Lord Stafford raised his hand as if to strike Megaera and caught himself just in time. He sat down, his face purple with rage. "A pirate. My daughter is with child by a...a.... plunderer! A vagabond! A scalawag!"
Megaera sat there with her head down, unable to look him in the eye.
He said quietly and fiercely, "Go to your room, Megaera, and don't come out until I call for you. This takes some doing."
Megaera raised her head, "Father, he..."
Lord Stafford thundered, "Go!" and then he muttered, "Pirate blood. In THIS family? I think not..."

Megaera sat in her room looking out the window and praying, Please, Rhys! Where are you? Why haven't you come for me?
Lydia came into Megaera's room and took one look at her face. She crossed the room and hugged her sister tightly. Megaera sobbed like her heart was breaking. Which it was. Lydia held her and let her cry it out. She asked, "What happened, Meggie?"
Megaera broke away. "How do you THINK it went? Father told me to go to my room until I am called for. I don't know what he has planned."
Megaera reached under her bed for a small cedar chest. "Lydia, I don't know what is going to happen. But I would like to leave this chest in your safekeeping. There are some sketches in it."
She reached in and showed them to Lydia. Lydia exclaimed, "What fine work! Look at the picture of Sheba! Such detail...and OH, Megaera! A portrait of you! It looks just like you."
Lydia looked in the box. "What is this?"
Megaera through her tears picked up the ring. "Rhys promised he would come back for me. He gave me this ring. Oh, Lydia! Why didn't he come for me? He promised!"
But Lydia had no answers.

The next morning, there was a knock on Megaera's door. Emma, the maid, came in with a concerned look on her face. "Beggin' yer pardon, Miss Megaera, but I was sent to fetch you. Your father requests your presence in his quarters in half an hour."
Megaera turned to Lydia, " 'Requests my presence.' When did Father ever show us any love or affection?"
Lydia frowned. "He must have something worked out. Do you want me to go with you?"
Megaera shook her head. "What can he do? If Rhys never comes back, I will at least have his child. Father certainily can't do anything about it."
Lydia tried to give her a smile of encouragement but it was shallow.

Megaera walked down to Lord Stafford's quarters. "Megaera. Sit down." he said coldly. "You have brought disgrace and dishonor on this family. I will not---I repeat NOT---have it known all over Cornwall that my daughter was whoring around with a pirate. So I have had to clean up this moral mess you have made, Megaera."
Megaera looked at him wordlessly.
He continued. "Sir James Gwinnett--a fine man--has requested your hand in marriage previously to this. I hesitated because I knew not of what you wanted. Now it is clear to me that there is no answer but this. I met last night with James and told him you were with child. He is willing to marry you and make the child his own. I am giving him a substantial dowry and land that I own in Somersetshire. You are to be married tomorrow."
"T-tomorrow? Married?" Megaera flung herself at her father's feet, begging him. "Please, Father! NO! Don't sell me away like this!"
Her father, hard-hearted bastard that he was, looked at her without compassion. "I could accept it if you were with child by a man of our station. Even the stablehands would have been more acceptible than that...that..bootlegger. You have no choice, Megaera. You will be married tomorrow."
Megaera stood up furious. "And if I refuse?"
Lord Stafford sat down. "Oh, I expected you would not go peacefully. So I am giving you an option. You don't have to marry Sir James Gwinnett."
Megaera wiped the tears off her face. "Thank you, Father."
Lord Stafford reached over and grabbed her wrist. He held it tight. "Nay, you may refuse. But here is what happens. You will give birth to your child. In an obscure village up North. Your child will then be given to a childless couple. I know a squire whose wife is barren. They long for a child. You will then be set up with a small allowance in London. For two years. If you have not made a match by then, your allowance will be cut off and you will be left to fend for yourself. I am sure you know what that means."
Megaera looked at him incredulously. "A-all because of a pirate?"
Lord Stafford looked at her. "All because of a pirate, Megaera. I lost a lot of things to those raiders. Looks like I lost my daughter to them, also. All because of a pirate. You made that choice when you let him..touch you. Now you have to pay the consequences. Where is he, Megaera? Is he here with you? Nay, he took what he wanted and left. Now go. You have an appointment with the seamstress for your wedding dress."

The entire day was a blur for Megaera. Lydia walked around in a daze, too.
She tried to be upbeat for Megaera's sake. "Meggie, he IS a good-looking man with wealth. He is willing to accept your child. He's a good man."
Megaera said defeatedly,"Yes, he is a good man. But he's not Rhys."
Lydia touched her sister's arm. "I think you had best forget about Rhys Morgan, Meg. He's not coming back."
Megaera hung her head in defeat. "Something must have happened. He said he would be here no later than the end of February. And now I am to be Lady Julia Gwinnett. I was informed I was to go by my first name now. Father told me after I marry James he didn't want to hear from me again. I am being banished to Somersetshire."

That evening, Sir James Gwinnett came to dinner. He was a tall man, about 30, with blond hair and blue eyes. Dinner was a quiet affair. Megaera sat there eating sparsely, looking down at her plate and hardly talking. Not a happy picture of a blushing bride.
After dinner, James asked her, "Julia, would you like to walk in the garden with me?"

Megaera got up listlessly and followed him into the garden. He offered his arm to her which she took. "Julia, I know there are..complications...in this match. I wanted you to know that I love you and I have respect for you..in spite of what happened." He took Megaera's hands in his. "I will be a good husband to you and a good father to your child. As I know you will be a fine mother to Charles. He's only two years old. But there is one thing I must ask of you. We will never mention the name of Rhys Morgan. Not to each other or others. The babe you are carrying will be my child and I will accept and love the babe as if it were my own. That is all I ask, Julia. And no one in Somerset shall ever know that the child is not mine. Do we have an accord?"
Megaera managed a small smile. "Yes, James. We have an accord." But inside her heart was breaking.

The next day Julia Megaera Stafford and Sir James Henry Gwinnett were joined in holy matrimony. It was a simple affair. Bans were posted at the church in Someset and it was a quiet ceremony in the Stafford parlor. Only family was present.
Lord Stafford did not kiss his daughter.

Julia Megaera gazed at the cliffs of Cornwall until she could see them no more.

"Sweetheart? Look at you! Sleeping in the garden! You had such a smile on your face I was hesitant to wake you."
"James! You are back! I-I'm glad. Really!"
And with that, Julia took his arm and headed back toward the house.

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