Sage woke suddenly. The crash of the waves could be heard even through the closed windows, but something had woken her. Swinging her legs over the edge of the massive bed, she listened. There it came again; it could be coming from the lower levels of the house. Wrapping herself in her dressing gown, Sage pushed her phone into her pocket; she didn't know why because it was not as if she could phone anyone on it, and the cove didn't have law enforcement she could contact.

Opening her bedroom door and stepping into the darkness, she waited; a soft curse could be heard from the entrance hall. Keeping her hand on the railing, Sage moved toward the staircase and padded into the entrance hall as a tall body appeared from the basement stairway.

"Who are you?" her soft question startled the person.

"Oh, it's you, Sage," Stuart's soft words came to her ears, "I was worried about you and Maddy, so I came to find out if everything was okay."

"During the night? Like someone who has something to hide?" Sage asked, her sense of humour rising to the foreground; she chuckled, "Why not come to the front door?"

"I'm... not permitted to freely enter the house," Stuart said, sighing, "I was the one who disputed Jeffery's claim on the house ... and the reason he is not permitted to live here permanently."

"Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee, or perhaps something stronger," Sage asked, padding across the space between them, "I sense you came all this way for more than a welfare check."

"I ... you ..." Stuart spluttered, sighed, rubbed his hands over his face and nodded, "We need to talk."

"Maddy told you about today? After we returned here ..." Sage whispered, "yes, Jeffery was here, yes, we got rid of him ... yes I saw the first picture of Rosemary Channing ...yes she is my grandmother... yes I am her named and documented heir ...well according to the latest Family Bible," Sage said, marking the sentences off on her fingers like a list, "did I miss anything?"

"The reason why you're here." Stuart said, "Do you know why?"

"I have a suspicion that it has to do with righting a century-old wrong," Sage said, "I have a feeling as I look into it, I'll find that it was someone in the line of amazingly clever women who got this place struck from public record. I have a feeling that my Grandmother isn't dead and is in hiding because she knows there is the male line that doesn't want what happened here to come to light ... that there is more happening in this cove than I will ever know. You're here to ensure I don't blab about this place randomly to anyone."

"Wow, that is a lot but very close," Stuart said, "I think something a little stronger than tea or coffee and perhaps in the library will be the order of the day."

"Then let's go and discuss what has brought you all this way at this time of day ... or is it night?" Sage said, smiling, "I also get the sense that your line is one of the originals from the Cove, like Charlotte's."

"We are ... our families are the reason that this place is protected," Stuart said, "we don't have law enforcement or something along those lines, but it doesn't mean that we're not protected in other ways."

"Why was Jeffery so surprised that he was told we took the hill trail today?" Sage asked, handing a glass of golden liquid to Stuart as his startled look met hers, "we were still at the start of the tunnel when you headed him off; thank you for that; we heard every word. Maddy became rather agitated afterwards."

"She has reason to be," Stuart said, easing his tall frame into a comfortable leather chair, "oh, these are comfortable. I see you close the curtains at night."

"I took to opening them in the morning, but of late, I find closing them at night gives me a feeling of privacy and safety," Sage smiled as she sipped from her glass and took the chair opposite Stuart, "why does Maddy have reason to be agitated about Jeffery? Why was Jeffery surprised about the hill trail."

"He is not from here," Stuart said, "he is part of the family who ... is from ... the mainland."

Sage cocked her head, "So he is a threat to the line of Charlotte."

Stuart nodded, "A genuine threat. Physically, literally and in every other way. He wants to prove that Maddy is the imposter ... that he alone owns the cove."

"Sounds like a song of old," Sage said, "how did Jeffery learn of the cove?"

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"We don't know," Stuart said, shaking his head, "he simply arrived and declared he was the rightful heir to all of this ... something about a signed confession that the line of Charlotte had ended."

"Huh, tell me about his reaction to the hill trail," Sage said, "you're either avoiding the answer to that query, or there is another reason."

"Both, actually," Stuart shook his head, "his reaction to what I told him is because the hill trail leads to the entrance of the cove's cemetery, among other things. It's not something that is usually taken to get around the village, and it's also one of the reasons many people have ... died."

"What? How do they die on a trail?" Sage asked.

"It's very steep. If you don't know what you're doing and where you're stepping, you can fall," Stuart said, "it also goes toward the place where Charlotte's brother-in-law ran to hide and supposedly died."

"Huh, I can see why Jeffery would be surprised, but now I want to take the trail and see what could possibly be in that part that could kill someone. Has Jeffery ever seen a picture of Charlotte?" Sage asked.

"I don't think he even knows who Charlotte is," Stuart said, "why would you want to go somewhere that could possibly take your life?"

Sage grinned, "To answer those burning questions. Something about Jeffery feels ...off."

Sage frowned at what she heard. Something about Jeffery's appearance had to do with time, a deadline or a time limit. It felt calculated and definitely held a strange urgency around it.

"Stuart, when did Jeffery suddenly appear?" Sage asked.

"Oh ... some time back," Stuart said vaguely.

"Years, months or weeks?" Sage asked.

"Oh, you want specifics," Stuart said, sipping at his glass, "must be nearly two years now. Why?"

"Just trying to get a sense of why I have weeks to sort this out," Sage said, "I know I have to remain here for six months, but it feels more urgent than that."

"It'll give you time, wouldn't it?" Stuart asked

"Normally, yes, but Jeffery being here, knowing who I am – he saw me with Alfred," Sage said, "coming and going in ways no one knows about or can track or keep trace of …" Sage frowned, "There is more to this than meets the eyes. Who are his parents?"

"According to the family tree, they are second or third cousins to Rosemary, the only pair of twins born both males," Stuart said, "the last time that happened was with Simon's father and Uncle …." Stauart's words trailed off, his clear gaze met Sages, "… do you think they are trying it again?"

"I don't know, but it cannot be a coincidence. What do the two men do?" Sage said, shaking her head.

"I think they are in something to do with land development," Stuart said, "but I can't be sure."

"If you can get me their names, I can do some digging," Sage said quietly, smiling.

"Do you have the right to?" Stuart asked.

"Yes, I do," Sage said, grinning, "more right than Jeffery has of even visiting Cooper Creek."

"Really, how do you know that?" Stuart asked.

"Do you know what my full name is?" Sage asked.

Stuart shook his head, his gaze alert even though his expression seemed relaxed, "I only you know you as Sage."

"Would it change anything if my full name meant something to you?" Sage asked.

"Perhaps," Stuart said, his gaze narrowing on Sage's animated face, "depends on the name … I'll have to hear it first … remember … the full name as you were legally named."

Nodding, Sage inhaled, exhaled and turned to face Stuart, "My full name is Sage Caroline Mary Annabella Rosemary Cooper-Channing."

Stuart froze, blinked twice and leaned forward in his chair, "Repeat those names."

"Sage Caroline Mary Annabella Rosemary Cooper-Channing," Sage repeated, "why? What is going on?"

"Those names do change everything," Stuart said, nodding and pulling a small booklet out of his coat pocket, "this would be yours then."

Slowly taking the small leather-bound notebook, Sage opened it and gasped, "Grandmother's personal journal," she swallowed her rising emotion, "I used to watch her write in this. Why are you giving this to me?"

"She asked me to," Stuart said, "you are correct in wondering if she is really dead … Rosemary isn't, but you are correct in thinking she is hiding. No, she cannot come out until you sort out the mess made of Charlotte's birthright all that time ago."

Sage looked from the beloved book to Stuart, "Birthright," she whispered, "... for that period, it was unheard of for a woman to have a birthright, unless …" Sage frowned, her thoughts going through the lessons learned at university, "… she was from royalty or nobility, and the land was not entailed it could be left to whomever the father wished to have it. Who was Charlotte's father?"

"That we don't know," Stuart said, "but I think you're heading in the right direction," he looked at his watch, "I need to get back … early morning fishing."

Nodding, Sage stood and followed him from the room, wandering behind him in the dark house, "Thank you, Stuart," she whispered as he prepared to enter the basement.

"My pleasure," he whispered, "be careful, vigilant and follow your gut, listen to your instinct and know the pure truth in your heart."

He disappeared on those words, leaving Sage speechless and staring at where he once stood. Hugging the notebook to her, she turned and returned to her room. So many thoughts flew through her mind and so much new information to process. She could not sleep … not now ... not after the conversation with Stuart; turning on the bedside lamp, she opened her Grandmother's journal and began to read.