Under His Protection

Epilog

Epilog

1891 aboard The Graceful Lady...docks of England

"I cannot believe we will finally make one of these voyages," Val explained to her husband.

"Well having two sons back to back has prevented that," Oliver replied smiling at his beautiful wife.

"Yes, and this voyage will have many young babies onboard," Val responded, thinking about Devlyn and Anthony now below with their nannies. "What with Cat and Myles daughter and son, Avery and Pricilla's new son, James that they never expected to have."

Both Oliver and Val chuckled at how surprised those two were when they learned that Pricilla was expecting.

"Yes and this year everyone has been able to make the voyage," Sir Alec said coming up to the railing to stand next to them.

"That's why we are taking two ships this time," Geraldine told them. "Will all these children and adults we need more space for bunking as Avery calls it."

The other's chuckled or giggled.

They would be going once again to the West Indies and staying at the two plantations owned by Devlyn and Tony. They almost thought that Avery ship would be needed as well. These two ships were now just for pleasure since they had long been replaced in the Herrington-Maddox Shipping Company line. Amada was once more captaining her old ship The Free Spirit; they all knew she would never be parted from her late father's ship.

Even Trey and Qiao were onboard with their two sons, with Trey now the new Duke of Markham since just after Christmas. They had all mourned the passing of Charles Landsdowne and missed him terribly. He was a man loved by many by not only his family but his many, many friends. They all hoped that this voyage would help lift Trey's his wife's spirits at the passing of his father over six months ago.

Charles had lived long enough to see his two grandsons and knew that the Landsdowne line would continue on into the new century less than nine years away. Val would always think of him as her very own grandfather.

                                                                                          * * *

Myles' cabin later that night after they'd sailed...

"Well does everyone have their drink?" Myles asked as he looked around at the adults gathered in his cabin. Even the adults that would be traveling on The Free Spirit were onboard for a finial dinner together before they left England.

"Yes," they all replied in unison.

"I want to make a toast to our voyage, may it be everything to everyone."

"Here, here," the group replied and they all took a draw from their glasses.

"And I'd like to make a toast to those we lost since our last voyage," Myles added. "To Charles, Lady Carolyn and our good friend Sir Humphrey."

"Here, here," they replied once more in unison.

Oliver's Aunt Caro had succumbed to a heart attack just a few months after the birth of their second son and Sir Humphrey only a few months after that. He had been such help to her transferring the monies that Bruce had left into the fund that Charles had established for the families of those men that lost their lives thanks to the treasonous actions of Bruce and the others.

"And lets make a toast to the few young ones that because of other commitments couldn't make this voyage," Cat said.

Several of the young men were involved with different endeavors at the present time, like Jamie Maddox and their own son Richard who decided he wanted to spend some time with a family of one of his Eton classmates in Scotland. While Jamie was working onboard one of Herrington-Maddox ships going to China this year, he was following in his mother's and grandfather's footstep as he had always proclaimed he would and wanted to captain his own ship one day. He like the others hoped he would not be filling his father's shoe anytime soon.

"Here, here."

"Before we make anymore toasts we'd better refill these glasses," Trey said smiling while the others chuckled.

"I have something Val and I'd like to say that doesn't require a toast," Oliver told the group. "This will be Val's and mine first voyage with everyone and we couldn't be more pleased that this year we can make this trip with so many of our wonderful friends. Many of us have known each other most of our lives grew up together, went to school together and through it all we have remained the closest of friends. Along the way others have been added to our ranks and each one has brought the greatest gifts of love and friendship. As the children grow we hope and pray that they endure a lasting friendship among them as we have that will take them into the new century and beyond."

"Here, here!"

And their children did.

With the marriage of James Maddox, Marquess of Norcross to Lady Marjorie Wainwright, they all came together for a grand celebration of that marriage and several years later they gather together once more for the celebration of the marriage of Lord Richard Wainwright to Lady Gwyndolen Portia Landsdowne-Cameron.