The next morning, I woke up at dawn, roused from sleep by the energetic ringing of my alarm clock. Immediately, I leapt out of bed and started dressing.

"What in the...?" A morose voice came from the direction of the bed. "What are you doing?"

"Getting up as soon as I can, of course!" I cheerfully announced. "The early bird catches the worm! Wasting time is a crime!"

Mr Rikkard Ambrose's head emerged from between the pillows. "Admirable attitude, Mrs Ambrose. Now, if you could inform me why you suddenly developed it during a honeymoon cruise instead of at work, that would be even better."

"Now, now. Don't be such a grouchy, lazy layabout. Come on, get your juicy butt out of bed!"

"I can guarantee that my posterior has no more juice contained in it than the average man's, Mrs Ambrose."

"Debatable. Now come on!"

Grinning, I finished buttoning my dress and skipped out onto the deck. I'd had just enough time to get a whiff of the fresh sea breeze before Mr Ambrose joined me.

"So," he enquired, "what's the real reason you wanted to climb out of bed at this early hour?"

I opened my mouth to give some convincing excuse—only to be interrupted by the door to Adaira's cabin opening to reveal my dear sister-in-law with ruffled hair and pink cheeks.

"That," I told the truth without hesitation. "I came for that." Raising a hand, I waved at the freshly deflowered Adaira. "Hello, Adaira, dear. Slept well?"

The mild blush on Adaira's cheeks turned into a tomato explosion, and she ducked back into the cabin. I cackled and pounded the ship's railing—until I caught sight of Mr Rikkard Ambrose's face. Abruptly, I stopped and cleared my throat.

"Ehem. Well...nice weather we're having, right?"

"Mrs Ambrose?"

"Yes, dear?"

"I'm very glad to know that you have started to espouse my teachings on rising early. I'll make sure to make use of your new dedication once we return to work."

Drat!

"Yes, dear."

I made a mental note to suggest to Patsy and my other friends that demonstrating for maternity leave for young mothers would be an amazingly feminist idea. And speaking of friends...

"Oy, Adaira! Stop hiding behind that door and come over here!" Grinning from ear to ear, I waved at the newlywed, who was peeking through a gap in the door. "Why are you being so shy this morning? Last night, you were so loud and exuberan—ack!"

"Don't mind my wife." Slowly, Mr Rikkard Ambrose took his foot off my aching toes. Son of a bachelor! "She woke up too early this morning and is still a little muddle-headed."

"Thank you," came Adaira's voice from behind the door, sounding more grateful to her brother than I could ever remember her being. Oy! I wasn't that bad, was I?

"Don't thank me too early." His voice was chilly enough to make one wonder why a layer of frost didn't spread on the ocean waves. "She might not be quite awake yet. I, on the other hand, most certainly am, and have been for most of the night, thanks to your antics. Can you guess my mood?"

"Oh. Ehem." Adaira, who had only just emerged from her cabin, took a cautious step back. "I think I'll go back inside and—"

...and she bumped into the chest of Captain James Carter, his military uniform unbuttoned a bit too far for polite company.

"Oh, why, hello there, darling." Two strong arms wrapped around Adaira's waist from behind, stopping her in place. "Wonderful morning, isn't it?"

Well, it is, but judging by the look my dear husband is giving you, you won't think so for much longer.

"Adaira?" Mr Rikkard Ambrose's eyes narrowed infinitesimally. "I've got good news for you."

"Err...really?"

Adaira and I exchanged confused glances. Since when did Mr Ambrose use words like 'good' instead of 'adequate'? Something was definitely up.

"Oh yes. I still have a bone to pick." He cracked his knuckles. "But right now, it isn't with you."

Then he strode straight towards Captain James Carter.

Ah. I smiled. So that was it. Time for family bonding.

"Um, now, see here..." The good captain also seemed to have noticed what was going on. Hurriedly letting go of Adaira, he took a few steps towards the bow, away from the door. "I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding, and—"

"Oh? So I misunderstood when, last night, I heard you shouting for a certain someone to climb your ship's big mast?"

Adaira flushed like a vat of tomato juice.

Captain Carter took three more quick steps back.

"Oh no, you don't! Stay right where you are!"

"Um...bye, my beloved. I'll see you later." And, with a last desperate wave at Adaira, Captain Carter whirled around and dashed off down the deck, Mr Ambrose hot on his heels. Various roars and pleas for mercy (which went unheard) echoed over the deck.

Adaira moved over to where I stood at the railing. Wordlessly, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my usual reserve of solid chocolate, which I carried with me in case something needed an impromptu celebration. Taking one for myself, I offered the other to Adaira, and she accepted it without taking her eyes off the spectacle.

"You know..." Cocking my head, I watched as Captain Carter only barely evaded Mr Ambrose's grasp by leaping up into the rigging and starting to climb. Without hesitation, Mr Ambrose started to climb after him. "Seems like they're really starting to get along great."

"I know. Almost like real siblings, right?"

"Exactly. All that's missing is doing sleepovers or starting pillow fights."

"Isn't that for girls?"

"Do you want to let my husband fight the good captain with something in his hand that's harder than a pillow?"

"Good point."

"Here, have another piece of solid chocolate."

"Don't mind if I do, thanks."

Then we leaned against the railing and continued watching our husbands' antics. Life was good.

Fortunately, it turned out that while my husband was faster on the ground, Captain Carter's climbing skills kept him well out of range up in the rigging. Watching him jump from rope to rope like a chipmunk while Mr Ambrose clambered after him, I couldn't help but smirk.

In the end, even my dear husband's stamina turned out to not be endless. After many fruitless attempts to rip his brother-in-law's head off and use it as a football, Mr Ambrose finally decided not to waste any more time on fruitless endeavours and came down for a break. It took a bit of persuading on my part, but eventually, he even allowed the captain to come down as well, and graciously granted the newlyweds permission to take a stroll on deck, under the watchful eyes of a dozen burly sailors.

"Ah, young love." Sighing, I leaned against Mr Rikkard Ambrose. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"Debatable."

"I was talking about the two of us."

"In that case, yes."

"Oh, and speaking of young love...oy, Karim!"

Waving at the bodyguard who had been trying to sneak past us, I gestured for him to come over. He seemed rather reluctant, which might have had something to do with the way his turban sat askew and there was a faint stain of rouge on one of his cheeks.

"Ah, young love," I sighed again, this time with a shit-eating grin directed at the bodyguard. "Right?"

"Sahib?"

"Yes?"

"May I throw her overboard?"

"I think that, considering the effort invested into keeping her alive recently, it would be a poor return on my investment."

"Hey!" I elbowed the man who was supposed to be my loving husband in the ribs, while ignoring Karim's mutinous grumbling. "I saved your bacon several times as well, remember?"

"Really? Why do I seem to recall it differently?"

I was so focused on glaring at the stony son of a bachelor that I nearly missed Karim trying to sneak away. Emphasis on nearly. Just before he was able to get out of range, I snagged the big bodyguard's arm and held on tightly.

"Not so fast. Do tell, who was the lucky lady who had the pleasure of your company last night?"

Karim threw his employer a pleading look—which went completely ignored. So, over the next quarter of an hour, I happily badgered the unfortunate bodyguard about details of his rendezvous, and encouraged him to bare his heart to his beloved. By the time we were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps, he looked ready to keelhaul me and—

"Boy! Why are you glowering at the nice young lady?"

—and then, a voice came from right behind us, and he realised whom exactly the aforementioned footsteps belonged to.

He swallowed.

"Oh. Um, hello, mother."

The old lady marched into view, her eyes focused on Karim with unwavering intensity. "Good morning, son. What was this I heard about you and a certain lady?"

Grinning broadly, I left Karim to his doom and moved over to my husband, who had been watching me with a look I had come to recognize last night. Recognize both the look and what it meant.

"It's finally starting to settle in, isn't it?" I asked softly.

He nodded. "It is. We've done it."

"Yes. We've survived. We've all survived. You, me, Berty... We're all safe." Moving my gaze away from him, I let it sweep out over the ocean that stretched in front of us. Endless and beautiful, just like our future. "And we have our whole lives ahead of us, together with our newly freshly extended family."

Mr Rikkard Ambrose threw a look filled with nausea in the direction of a certain captain. "No need to ruin a perfectly pleasing picture of the future with that last horrible prospect, Mrs Ambrose."

"Oh, come on, now!" Throwing both arms around his neck, I dangled off him like a koala and cocked a head in Adaira's direction. "Just look at them. Can you really despise the man who makes your sister so happy?"

He glanced in their direction again. "There is no limit to what I can do, Mrs Ambrose. I am extremely talented."

"That you are." Nodding, I snuggled against his chest and hugged him close. "Talented enough to be the bigger man."

A muscle in his cheek twitched. "I do not believe I am that talented."

"But I do." Reaching out, I touched his face. "You're the man I married. A good man."

As if redirected by fate, Adaira and the captain picked just that moment to carefully approach. She was eyeing her brother rather cautiously. "Um...I hope we're not interrupting anything?"

That muscle in his cheek twitched again—then he forced his face back into the usual unmoving stone visage. "No, of course not. You...the two of you are family and always welcome."

Adaira blinked—then quickly rushed forward and put a hand on my husband's forehead. "Do you have a fever? Did you catch something back in India? How long has he been like this, Lilly? Has he been hallucinating or frothing at the mouth?"

I felt the corner of my mouth lift. "Well, he was a bit of a rabid animal last night."

"What?!" Clearly not getting my meaning, Adaira paled. "What are you still standing around here for? Quick, fetch the ship's doctor!"

"Ship's doctor? Adaira, did you forget? This is your brother's ship. Why would you think he'd waste money on something like that?"

"That...that... Oh, you penny-pinching son of a bachelor!" Growling, she punched her brother's chest. "See what that bloody stinginess gets you? Now it's your fault that you'll die!"

The non-expression on Mr Ambrose's face was something to behold. Judging by Captain Carter's face-splitting smirk, he also thought so. Apparently having decided he needed a closer look at this amusing spectacle, he took a step forward.

"Adaira, dear, your brother isn't sick." Still smirking, the captain stepped in front of Mr Ambrose and, with the true bravery of a soldier, threw an arm around his shoulder before my husband could deck him. "My dear brother-in-law is trying to be nice!"

"Remove. Your. Arm."

"Emphasis on trying."

"Remove your arm, or I will. At the shoulder."

"He could probably do with a lesson or two."

"Then why don't you give him one?" Grinning, I patted the both of them on the back. "You can spend some time bonding. After all, you are basically family now, right?"

A long moment passed. A really, really long moment. Mr Ambrose's little finger twitched spasmodically.

Then...

"Possibly."

Karim looked stunned.

Adaira looked delighted.

Captain Carter looked like his birthday had come early.

"Well, then, come along!" The captain beamed. "Let's get to know each other, brother—"

"The next time you call me that, I am going to have you thrown overboard."

"—in-law." The good captain's face morphed into a half-confused, half-innocent expression. Impressive how he managed that, considering he was still grinning from ear to ear. "But isn't that what you are? Why shouldn't I call you brother-in-law?"

"I have made people disappear for far less."

"You are truly amazing at cheerful small talk, you know that?"

Mr Ambrose's attempt at murdering his brother-in-law by glaring was interrupted by one of the sailors arriving to tell us that breakfast was ready. I glanced around and, indeed, we had been so distracted with family bonding time that we hadn't noticed the breakfast table being set up on deck. Quickly, I skipped over and claimed the most comfy chair at the table. Moments later, my husband sat down beside me, and before he could regret leaving the seat on his other side empty, it was claimed by Captain Carter.

Smiling at Mr Ambrose, the captain offered him a plate. "Would you like some cheese?"

"Leave or be poisoned."

"A sausage, then?"

"Three seconds. Two. One."

"You know, I'm really glad I married into this family. Never a dull moment."

As if by silent agreement, Adaira and I leaned back far enough to converse, quite literally, behind our husbands' backs.

"They do seem to be getting along rather well, don't you think?" I whispered in a perfectly audible tone.

She thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. It's almost uncanny how much they're like real siblings. Why, I remember when Rick and I were younger, we—"

A stone-hard hand grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and pulled her back upright. "No talking with your mouth full."

"My mouth isn't fu—"

That was all she could get out before her brother stuffed a spoon full of oatmeal into her mouth.

"—mmph!"

"Hey, now," Captain Carter protested. "Feeding my darling wife is my job!"

"If you want, I can feed you as well." With his free hand, Mr Ambrose lifted a large carving knife with a fruit speared on the tip. "After all, we are family now."

"Why, thank you!" Captain Carter cheerfully agreed, then plucked the fruit off the knife and took a bite.

Inconspicuously, I exchanged another wink with Adaira. Yes, they really were getting along like a house on fire.

On second thought, that might not be the best simile to use on a wooden ship.

Some time later, once the breakfast was concluded (without any casualties!) and Adaira and her new spouse had skedaddled to do things that probably would have made Mr Ambrose reach for his knife again, I and my husband ended up standing at the railing, gazing at the sun that rose above the horizon.

Reaching out, I gently placed my hand on his.

"You can let go of the knife, now, you know?"

"Hm."

There was a moment of silence, then the knife vanished—probably to an easily accessible place, to be used to threaten a certain someone at a later date.

"So?" I enquired, squeezing his now knife-free hand. "How is the feeling of being surrounded by friends and family?"

"Horrendous."

There was a momentary silence. Then...

"Thank you."

I couldn't help but think back to the sugar plum of sweetness that was his father. Considering what that man had tried to do to him...it was not surprising my husband didn't have the best view of the concept of "family".

Well, then I guess it's up to me to change that, isn't it?

Giving his hand another squeeze, I smiled at him. "You're welcome. So...the next time you would like to have a family get-together is..."

"The next Friday after never."

"Oh?" Innocently, I blinked up at him—then stepped aside to reveal the cradle holding Berty that I'd asked some helpful sailors to bring up on deck. "Are you sure?"

A muscle in his cheek twitched. "I was speaking of extended family."

My smile widened into a grin. Reaching out, I caressed his stony visage. "You'll get there," I whispered. "You'll be a happy man with a big, loving family, even if I have to drag you there kicking and screaming."

A growl erupted from his throat. Grabbing hold of me, he pulled me close until there were only a few inches between us. "My little ifrit! Why do you have to be so infuriating?"

"Because I love you," I told him, looking straight into his deep, dark, sea-coloured eyes. "And I will till my dying day."

His answer to that was exactly what I had expected and hoped for—silence, accompanied by a fierce, relentless kiss that took my breath away. To me, it didn't matter that he didn't say a single word, though. His fervent lips told me all I needed to know: I love you, too. More than my own life. More than my own personal bank vault.

Well, maybe not the last one.

When the two of us finally broke apart, we were gasping for air, but neither of us appeared to even notice. All we seemed to be able to see were each other's eyes, and the love we found there.

Love we knew would never go away.

And, as the ship sailed towards the horizon, we turned to face the ocean and the happy future that awaited us.

THE END

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And that was it, my dear Readers - the conclusion of "The Final Storm" and the "Storm and Silence" series as a whole. A moment of very silent silence for the end of Lilly's and Mr Ambrose's last adventure, please. I hope I gave you all an adequate end to this story.

Some of you might probably be asking what's next from your intrepid purveyor of historical adventures? Well, I have been writing this series for over ten years now, and I think I need a little break to refule my creative juices.

BUT!!

I already have an idea for an amazing new story - in my opinion, at least. That one still requires a retreat into my writer's cave to research, plan, and make a draft, however, before I can start to post.

If you want to keep up-to-date about my future stories, as well as the publication of any paperbacks or ebooks of both Storm and Silence and other series, you can visit my Twitter / X account "TheSirRob".

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for sticking with me throughout this series, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed the writing! :-)

Farewell, and I hope to see you again when I embark on my next literary journey.

Yours Truly

Sir Rob (spilling a little tear for the end of an era - then throwing himself head-first into research!)

P.S.: I have noted your response to my little survey regarding the extra chapters in Mr Ambrose's POV for the ebook & paperback version of "Storm over the Caribbean", and I shall begin work without delay!