They had been back at sea for almost a week and Phoenix had spent every minute of it engrossed in his map. Zeta also seemed busy with her painting yet at night they still made love and held each other throughout the night. Missing their constant interaction and knowing he had been neglecting her Phoenix put away his map and headed above deck hoping to find Zeta it seemed as if it had been days since they last spent any real time together. Hitting the top of the stairs he searched her out to find her and her easel near the mass deep in thought as she painted. About to approach her he caught sight of the Captain at the helm, about to greet him he stopped. The Captain wore a dazed and lustful gaze and it was directed at Zeta, stepping back Phoenix watched the Captain watch her his anger brewing with each passing moment. Yes, Zeta was beautiful but it wasn’t just a passing fancy it was a look that had been cultivated with time it was that of love. His stomach turned at the thought. Passing over the helm to Declan, Crumb approached her placing his hand lovingly on her back as he leaned down to look at what she was painting his thumb moving in a circular motion over her back. Phoenix was about to lunge at him when Zeta smiled up at him as if sharing the same desire, Phoenix’s heart fell. Could she feel the same, was their love there, had she taken a lover? Phoenix watched as the Captain returned to the helm then he approached her. “Morning darling.” Zeta smiled “I’m glad you came out; decide to finally take a break?” Phoenix nodded “Figured if I didn’t show up at some point you might replace me.” Phoenix’s face showed no humor, Zeta frowned “You seem angry Phoenix, what’s wrong?” Phoenix turned and looked at Crumb “I guess I should have expected as much you looking the way you do and me working as much as I have been.” Zeta frowned “What are you talking about?” Phoenix shrugged then turned to walk away, Zeta stopped him “I’ll not let you walk away without explaining, so let’s hear it.” Phoenix looked at Crumb “Not here not like this.” Zeta grabbed his shirt “Fine then our cabin, who all needs to be there?” Phoenix looked at her like she was crazy “Who else you and the Captain.” Zeta frowned “The Captain?” Zeta acted confused Phoenix walked away “Unless there is someone else as well.” Zeta sighed “You’re an ass, Phoenix Prescott.” Rushing to the Captain Zeta took him aside “Phoenix wants to see you and me in our cabin.” Ryan frowned “Why?” Zeta frowned “He thinks you and I are in love and having an affair.” Ryan frowned “Why?” Zeta shrugged “The way you look at me or me you I don’t know. All I know is it was only a kiss and I’ll not risk my husband because of it so deny all of it, whatever you do or say make sure he knows we have never made love understood.” Ryan nodded “It will be hard to deny my love for you, it’s fairly obvious, if he figures it out just act like you didn’t know alright.” Zeta nodded “Come on let’s get this over with.” Ryan took a deep breath as he followed Zeta below deck. When they entered the cabin, Phoenix was waiting with a healthy glass of brandy. The Captain sat across from him and Zeta on the bed. “Phoenix the Captain and I have never had sex, you’re the only man I have made love to why would you doubt that?” Phoenix stared at Ryan “So Captain how long have you been in love with my wife?” Ryan sighed “I have been in love with Zeta since the second day we sailed from England, never been in love before so it was a new experience for me to say the least.” Phoenix nodded “Have you been trying to win her over for yourself?” Ryan shook his head “If I thought that possibly I would have but she’s made it clear she belongs to you and I myself am a married man.” Zeta remained silent Ryan looked from Phoenix to Zeta “What made you think she was in love with me?” Phoenix sighed “The way she was looking at you up on the deck earlier, I have seen it before it’s obvious she’s attracted to you.” Zeta went to talk but Phoenix stopped her “No harm in that, thank you for telling me the truth.” Ryan stood to leave “Let’s not let this ruin our friendship, I have no intentions of making any advances toward Zeta and she has never given me any idea’s that she would be interested in anything other than friendship.” When Ryan was gone Zeta laid back onto the bed silently looking up at the ceiling. Phoenix joined her about to apologize she sat up and walked out. Phoenix followed her up on deck calling her back. “I’m sorry Zeta, come back so we can talk.” Zeta stopped with the crew walking all around her, the Captain stood back at the helm watching her with a smile. “You ignore me for weeks then accuse me of fucking the Captain and now you want to talk.” The crew all stopped to watch, Phoenix ran his hand through his hair “I said I was sorry.” Zeta laughed “You never know Phoenix this ship is full of men, anyone else you’d like to question?” Phoenix shook his head “You’re angry I see that just come back and let’s talk.” Zeta turned her back to him “I’m too pissed off right now, just go back to your map and leave me be.” Phoenix sighed as he turned and went below, Zeta yelled up to Clay and took his place on the crow’s-nest needing some privacy. An hour passed and the Captain climbed up and brought her lunch “You alright up here?” Zeta shrugged “Yeah I guess, not quite ready to come down yet if you don’t mind.” Ryan shrugged “Take your time love, nobody’s rushing you and Phoenix hasn’t left the cabin since your fight.” Zeta sighed “You’re a good man.” Ryan climbed up higher leaning in more “There you go talking sweet to me again, next thing you know you’ll be kissing me and breaking that only one kiss rule or was that two?” Zeta laughed as she gave him a soft quick kiss on the lips, turning to look below Ryan turned back and kissed her long and hard then licked his lips. “You keep breaking your rule’s Zeta; no more do you hear me.” Zeta smiled “No more.” Ryan laughed “Don’t go feeling bad either; he had that one coming for acting like an ass today.” Zeta laughed “You know you’re right, thanks for lunch.” Crumb winked then started down the mast and took back over the helm. After a few hours she went back to her and Phoenix’s cabin and they talked, she could still tell he was holding back but it was obvious he didn’t want to talk about it so she did her best to let it go. Having thought back, Zeta had started to notice a change in Phoenix by the second week at sea, nothing drastic or unexpectedly strange just noticeably different. He had begun to chart out his map and had started working on it regularly which she expected. Zeta knew it meant a lot to him and tried to be supportive giving him the time and space he needed. Her presence in the cabin seemed to bother him so she had begun taking her easel up on deck to paint and even began bringing him his meals so he wouldn’t have to wait in line with the rest of the crew in the galley. Their evenings were pleasant enough it seemed as if their honeymoon phase faded faster than she would have thought but she chalked it up to the amount of stress it was obvious he was beginning to feel. Zeta had hoped their voyage would bring them closer together; she was so in love with Phoenix she found it strange that he seemed to grow farther and farther from her grasp. To her, it seemed as if his map was moving forward at a fast pace yet he seemed as if he had a time limit he had to meet becoming so anxious she began to feel as if he had been keeping something from her so much so that she finally decided it was time to confront him. Waking early she found Phoenix awake and bent over his desk. “Morning honey.” Phoenix looked up obviously tired from the night before “Morning.” Zeta sat up and stretched, “Can we talk?” Phoenix frowned “I’m rather busy, can it wait?” Zeta shook her head “No actually it cannot, you have been so distant lately and seem so stressed as if you have a deadline hovering over your head. Is there something you haven’t told me?” Phoenix stopped and sat down his pencil “If I want to be published in the London Magazine, I have to have my map finished and returned back to England with the ship by August 1st.” Zeta frowned “Does this mean you have decided to stay in the Virgin Islands after Phineas and Zudora’s wedding?” Phoenix nodded “Yes, I think we should buy the land Phineas spoke of and start our own Sugar cane plantation.” Zeta tucked her knees up to her chest. “Were you even going to talk to me about it, or just wait until we got there?” Phoenix shrugged “I don’t know I hadn’t decided yet, I was too concerned with finishing my map and getting it back in time to get published.” Zeta felt mislead “Well I guess me having a large dowry paid off in the end anyway didn’t it?” Phoenix sighed “Zeta it’s not like that.” Zeta shrugged as she got up and started to get dressed. “I’ll get out of your way so you can get back to your map. Apollo, Artemis come on boys.” Turning back to Phoenix she paused “Is there anything else I should know before I leave or is that all?” Phoenix sighed then turned back to his map without saying another word. Zeta had been sketching for hours when her pencil broke, Phoenix sat up on deck taking a needed break and getting some sun so Zeta ran below to their cabin to grab a new one. Searching the drawers she found a letter sent to Phoenix the week before they had sailed curious she read it. It was from Phineas informing Phoenix that he had already bought him the land on the Virgin Islands and had got him a healthy livestock of slaves to help work it and that all would be ready for their arrival. Zeta felt sick at even the thought, never in her life would she own a slave or have ever believed Phoenix would have either. Shaking in angry she crumbled the note and carried it above deck in search of Phoenix. Seeing him across the deck she screamed his name getting the attention of the entire crew. “Phoenix Prescott how could you?” Phoenix stood and frowned as Zeta walked up and handed him the crumpled letter. “Your cousin may think it’s alright to own another human being but I do not, and never in a million years did I think you would agree to owning slaves.” Phoenix grabbed the letter “I don’t Zeta but it’s the way of things, it’s the way things are done in those parts. A plantation needs workers I did not buy them he did.” Zeta shook her head “I will give every last one of them their freedom do you hear me, and will pay those that decide to work for us fairly.” Phoenix shrugged “They have already been paid for.” Zeta glared at him, “Not by me that’s your cousin’s problem you deal with it. It’s my money that’s buying this plantation that you bought without telling me, I’ll spend the rest of my money however I choose. By the way what kind of man calls another man livestock, your cousins a piece of work and for his sake, I hope he’s better in person.” Phoenix looked angry “Phineas is a good man Zeta watch your tongue.” Zeta laughed then turned and walked away. Pulling into Havana the crew seemed excited many having families and others in need of their favorite whores. The Captain invited Phoenix and Zeta up to him and his brother’s cocoa farm, a large plantation, the entire Crumb family lived and worked on the land. Ryan’s brother’s name was Hewitt and his wife was Jenny they had seven children, four boys, Harvey, Hayden, Henry, Hewitt jr. and three girls, Jamie, Janel, and Joanna. All of Ryan’s cousins and their wives also lived and worked on site and had children of their own. Walking up to the plantation it felt as if they were entering a small town, there was the main house that looked as if it had been there for centuries and was surrounded by smaller homes and cottages. Ryan lived in the main house with his wife Shannon and their son Ash and his brother Hewitt and Jenny and their children. Walking in they were bombarded with greetings then shown their room to settle in before dinner. Ryan went in search of Shannon and his boy only to hear they would be returning before dinner, so he washed up and changed anxious to see his boy. At dinner, the dining hall was filled with adults at one table while the children dined at another. Seeing his son Ryan brought Ash over to meet Phoenix and Zeta before returning him to the children’s table. Ryan’s wife Shannon was an attractive woman with light brown hair and hazel eyes. For not having seen the Captain in a month she wasn’t all that affectionate but it wasn’t Zeta’s place to judge. The Crumb family spoke of the plantation and work, they seemed like polite people. Shannon watched Zeta with interest. “Shannon, it’s nice to meet you the Captain was eager to get back here to see you, it’s nice to finally put a face to the name.” Ryan smiled Shannon looked at Zeta with a sneer “Why would he be eager to see me when he can look at you.” The table went quiet and Zeta started to laugh “Well honey to look at me would only be a tease, for he cannot have me, yet he can have you. If I was you, I’d just be happy he still wants me as much as he wants you; it’s not as if he doesn’t have plenty of opportunities to sample the local whores at every port. Kind of hard for a man to deny a half-naked woman throwing herself at him yet he does, I've seen him do it. Sad though he’s eager to see you yet you can’t even be here when he gets home. Maybe it should be him that’s jealous rather than you.” Zeta scowled “More wine please.” Hewitt laughed “Well said Zeta, so Phoenix how is your map coming along?” Phoenix smiled “Very well thank you, lots more to go but it’s coming along well.” Shannon looked at Ryan to find him watching her, leaning in he whispered “You alright honey?” Shannon nodded “Is it true?” Ryan smiled “Is what true baby?” Shannon wiped away a tear “What she said.” Ryan nodded “Yes of course.” Shannon looked at Zeta then back at Ryan and whispered, “When I first saw the way you looked at her I swore I saw love in your eyes, you have never looked at me like that.” Ryan sighed as he scooted out his chair and held out his hand to her. “Please excuse us we will be right back.” Taking Shannon to their room he shut the door behind them. “Let’s talk truth.” Shannon frowned “Alright.” Ryan sat down Shannon followed “Have you ever been in love?” Shannon frowned “Is this a test of some kind?” Ryan shook his head “No.” Shannon thought about it. “No never, I have cared for people, I love my family but I’ve never been in love with a man. Does that hurt you?” Ryan shook his head “No honey it doesn’t, I feel the same. Shannon, I want you to be my wife, the mother of my children, I enjoy you in bed and as my mate but I am not in love with you.” Ryan sighed. “Zeta was correct I’m faithful to you, I respect and desire you and I hope you feel the same.” Shannon nodded “You have never been so open with me Ryan, I understand and I too feel that way, and I apologize for acting so jealous.” Ryan sighed “I’m going to tell you something but I want you to listen to all of it before you decide anything, Phoenix and Zeta married in England and came aboard the Wind Serpent. I met her two weeks prior to their boarding but only for a moment. After setting sail everything went fine within two days of leaving shore we became friends, just talking nothing more and as time passed I found myself thinking about her more and more. She and Phoenix are a very happy couple and I of course, have never tried anything with her then or now. Somewhere between then and now I fell in love with her, never in my life have I felt this way, I would never get between her and Phoenix, they are a great match but I can’t just turn it off. Before we got here Phoenix saw me looking at her and accused us of messing around. So I confessed my feeling for her and told him she was innocent to all of it and that I would never try anything with her.” Shannon stayed quiet then laughed “It’s funny normally I would be upset with you but I’m not.” Ryan shrugged “The way I see it no matter what my eyes might be saying she’s only and will only be my friend.” Shannon stood up and faced him “The only question I have for you is do you still desire me? Do you still want to be with me, when you’re away are looking forward to coming home and seeing me?” Ryan stood and looked down into her eyes as he caressed her cheek “Yes, Yes and yes you’re all mine honey and I always look forward to coming home to see you. The lust and longing I feel for you is as bright today as it ever was. The only thing I dread is your jealousy you have no reason to feel that way. I can’t wait to get you in bed.” Shannon smiled “Let’s get back to our guests then we can go to bed.” Ryan caressed her cheek as he took her mouth in a passion-filled kiss. Phoenix spent most of his week in Havana working on his map while Zeta explored the plantation and learned all about Cocoa and sugar cane and the process in which they harvested it. The Crumb family was large and had many children so Apollo and Artemis took full advantage of playing. It seemed as if Ryan and Shannon were getting along well, they laughed and flirted at dinner and spent their days together. Zeta couldn’t help but feel a sting of jealousy while her husband hid away working over a desk failing to even attend dinner leaving an empty seat next to her while she was surrounded by happy loving couples. By the week’s end, she was eager to move on, even if it meant moving onto a plantation she now owned yet had never seen to be surrounded by poor slaves and a cousin that was sure to be a scoundrel. It had been a week since Phoenix had even touched her and she was beginning to think he was turning into a man she no longer knew. All she could hope for was he would change back to his old self as soon as the map was done and on its way back to London.