Author's Note:

Dear Readers,

This will the last update on this book a little while. I have family arriving here tomorrow (may the Good Lord in heaven help me), I am finishing up my first semester, and trying to study for the SAT. Whoopee. But, I just wanted to let all of y'all know.

On with the chapter!

sarahlet2999

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Waves crashed against the stones of the beach and Sarah turned away from the spray, turning her eyes towards the rest of the coast where a person was approaching her. A black cloak whipped behind him as the sea breeze caught it. His tight chest and abdomen were on display for her viewing, save for where his gray tights began, ending with black, heeled boots.

Blond hair fluttered about his face, the breeze catching several locks and driving them away from his face, revealing a pair of turquoise eyes, peering into hers. Shivering, she tried to look away him but found herself rooted to the spot.

He stood before her, no more than a dozen steps away, saying nothing while he looked at her. Moments of complete stillness passed between them before she reached out towards him, only to feel water suddenly gathering around her ankles and swirling towards her knees. Crying out, she felt a wave crash over her, the cold water soaking her formerly dry skin.

A second wave knocked her down and a rip current yanked her out towards the sea. Unable to breath, she panicked and fought as blackness descended upon her.

Sarah sat bolt upright, gasping for breath as she glanced about her while her heart thundered in her chest.

Apparently, she had fallen asleep in the tub after her long soak. Shaking violently, she stepped out of the now freezing water and wrapped a fluffy towel around her. Despite loving the sea and learning about it, drowning had always been the one thing in life she feared. Being locked away from air by the unforgiving water terrified her beyond her wildest dreams.

Drying her body, she went to her bags and picked up her cloak, draping it around her shoulders and wrapping it around her trembling body.

There would be no more sleep for her tonight.

Snuggled inside the folds of the cloak, she pulled a book out of her bag and flipped through it, barely recognizing the meaning of the black lines on the white paper. Still slightly shaken from her nightmare, she tossed the book aside and walked into the living room, preferring to flip through the channels of the TV, landing on the Discovery channel and allowing the narrator to drone on about something uninteresting.

Her mind drifted back to the dream which was fading quickly from her memory except for the man's eyes. Those perfect turquoise eyes so like the ones which haunted her memories long before the dream.

After nearly two hours of rocking back and forth on the love seat in the living room, Sarah deemed it late enough to call the phone number that Mr. Grey have given her. Keeping the cloak tight about her, she hurried into her room and changed into a fresh set of clothes and brushed her hair before grabbing the letter and dialing the number.

It rang several times before a gentleman answered,

"Fredrick Grey speaking. How may I help you?"

"Mr. Grey, this is Ms. Williams. You told me to call you this morning, I believe."

"Ah! Yes, I did. I trust you had a pleasant trip?" The kindly voice on the other end inquired, peppered with a distinctly British accent.

"Yes, it was."

"And, your hotel is to your liking?"

"Very much so. It's quite the upgrade from my apartment." She chuckled quietly. "You mentioned discussing our itinerary?"

"Yes, I did. I thought that we might meet for lunch and become acquainted and, after the lunch is over, perhaps you'd like to see how far we've gotten so far?" Sarah thought for a moment before saying,

"Sounds like a fine plan. Who all will be present for lunch?"

"Myself, my wife, and Jared Finning, the main financial backer of our expedition. I know a lovely restaurant near the hotel. If you don't mind Chinese?"

"Not a problem. I love Chinese."

"Wonderful! Would noon work well for you?"

"Yes, noon is perfect."

"I shall send a chauffeur for you. Until noon, Ms. Williams."

"Until noon." She replied as the phone clicked off in her ear and she ended her side of the connection. Glancing at the time, she returned to her bedroom and lounged for an hour before rising and applying makeup. After finished with the thin coat of eyeliner, she grabbed her purse and hurried from her room to the elevator.

Just as she reached the front desk and the doors leading out, the chauffeur arrived and called out her name.

"Present and accounted for." She replied to him as she walked up. He bowed slightly and led her out to the sleek car. After opening one of the doors for her, she settled inside the plush interior and waited for him to pull away from the hotel. Their drive, though quite short, was delightful as the clouds had parted to reveal a day without rain, rare from her memory of the UK.

When the car stopped before the elegant restaurant, the chauffeur opened the door for her and escorted her to the entrance, leaving her to make her way inside. A waiter stepped up to her and asked for her reservation to which she told him she was in the party with the Greys. Instantly recognition zipped across his face and he quickly led her towards a private room.

Within the room stood two people, a middle-aged man with graying hair to match his gray suit and a young blonde woman no more than thirty in a yellow summer dress. No couple she had ever seen before had appeared so completely opposite.

They turned to face her and one's face lit up with a smile while the other remained calm.

"You must be Sarah Williams!" The woman stepped towards her and grasped her hand firmly in hers. "I'm Penelope Grey and this is my husband, Fredrick Grey, but I understand you two have already spoken over the phone." Sarah nodded and smiled politely at the lady, pleasantly surprised at her exuberance.

"Yes, we have. A pleasure to meet you both." Mr. Grey stepped forward and shook her hand when she offered it to him.

"The pleasure is all ours. You won't mind if the meal is held up a little, would you? Jared was delayed by traffic." Sarah shrugged and shook her head.

"Not a problem at all. I completely understand." He nodded and pulled out her chair for her before helping his wife into her seat and taking one beside her.

"I won't mince words, Ms. Williams. I brought you here with the hopes you might be able to provide some more insight as to why the ship sunk." Sarah folded her hands before her on the table and glanced towards the red curtains hanging in front of the window.

"There is nothing more to be said than what has already been published for the public to read. I don't remember much. I was only ten after all."

"I know but I had hoped that returning to the spot might refresh your memory. There is no logical reason for a ship, captained by a perfectly capable man with an excellent proven crew, would sink where no ship would dream of going near. You are the only survivor."

"I wouldn't know about the quality of men on board. My mother never let me associate with any of them." Mr. Grey's eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Why didn't she?"

"My mother didn't trust men. It was a rule that she or I would never be alone with any male."

"Ah, that explains it." He replied and as he began to change the subject, he glanced behind her and grinned, "Ah, Jared, I'm glad to see you could make it."

Sarah turned to face the gentleman and her breath stuttered in her lungs. Déjà vu washed over her despite his slender figure, golden blond hair and handsome face were completely unknown to her. Somewhere, in a forgotten memory, she had met him and her mind took note of it. Despite her first tendency being to stare at him until her memory was recalled properly, she schooled her face into a cool mask of businesslike politeness and waited for Mr. Grey to introduce her to the odd gentleman.

When Mr. Grey turned to her and completed the introductions, she offered her hand to him shake.

"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Finning. I wanted to thank you for funding this mission." He grasped her hand in his and shook it firmly, his lips parting in a smile and saying in the loveliest of British accents,

"It's my pleasure." After gracing him with a small smile, Sarah replied,

"I thank you nevertheless." He shrugged and ran a hand through his short blond hair, pulling a stray lock away from his face only to have his eyes, in the beginning a rather unremarkable shade of blue, flare turquoise for a moment before returning to their former mediocrity.

The alteration flashed so quickly Sarah doubted if she had seen it at all or if it had simply been a passing terror from her nightmare.

Her eyes must have relayed some discomfort because Mr. Fenning immediately frowned and lightly touched her hands.

"Are you all right, Ms. Williams?" Sarah nodded and pushed aside the occasion as completely unimportant.

"Yes, I am. My apologies, I'm just a little tired. Nothing to worry about." Mr. Finning's blond eyebrows knitted together but nothing more was said on the subject as they all sat down to lunch.

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