The stress and urgency of juggling her needs on top of the business and the house build showing in his demeanour and personality. He was still loving ...and kind in other ways, but she knew that this was no longer an equal partnership, and she was being put in her place as wife and mother while he began to make all the decisions that would affect their lives in the long term. Peri was at a loss for how to help him or make things easier for him, so she meekly accepted most of the demands he made of. It’s never appropriate to say ... that to a girl, even the girl you may end up marrying someday. She has feelings and you ignored them for your own sake.”“Apologize to Ms. McArthur, NOW!”I looked over at Claire and then back to my mom and then back to Claire. I opened my mouth to speak, but my mind was blank. How do I say this? I had an idea.I put my hands on either side of Claire’s face and I gave her a wonderful, impassioned kiss. It didn’t matter to me that Mom was in the room right now. I. There's never an easy answer to anything about people, is there?Well, at least Angus himself kept an open enough mind to doubt himself. At root I think he's a good man, and an honest one so far as he's able. I wish I'd met him in other circumstances.She found herself drawn back to visit the erstwhile captain repeatedly, visits the man obviously welcomed. As the Ark emerged from worm space and began its deceleration to make rendezvous with Eden her excursions to his cabin became a daily. ‘Your aunt is telling you the truth Leigh, we will always be there for you and we will always take care of you…and none of you are alone anymore…none of us are alone anymore…’ * * * The truth of what he had said hit him as they were driving back north. Leigh was settled safely between the two of them and she had fallen sleep on Keni’s side. For the first time in his life, he realized just how alone he had felt in his life. There had been no reason for it, but it had been there all the same..