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When I heard the terms of Robbie's will and the terms of the trusts I thought it was odd that one could get only $20,000 a year. That seems so little. I understand that each trust is only a million but still it seemed odd. I think if Zach proves himself, he won't have to worry about money. It is that old worry that you take a Hayes boy out of Claremount and give him money he will destroy himself. If I remember right Gathan went through a lot of money on the way too school. Buying a car for Zach seems nothing compared to that. A while back Gathan was the golden boy, he seems to have lost that position. With Darius, JJ and Will against him and Robbie gone.

I understand that Gathan and Brad along with JJ don't believe in Zach's transformation. I must say I wonder about that too, however, Will is a lot smarter than they think. This is interesting that Brad and now Darhan don't given Will credit in growing up. Over the last year Will has matured a lot. Not the broken hearted lad after Berto. The other thing is that he is willing to give most people a second chance. He started doing that with John and now is trying it with Zach. However it seems like his eyes are open. Will is a kind person, a giving person, but also not a person who will let people walk over him. Not his father , not Gathan and not Zach. I liked JJ and John. Maybe John, who is a caring person, can bring JJ out of his bitchy moods. Thanks again Mark for a wonderful chapter as this family, we all love, trys to heal.

I'm thinking since the Earl is now on the Privy Council. The Earl would become a Marquess. George would become an Earl also getting a bigger ship and hand picking his crew and going back to the Med. We have to remember George risked his life to save the government, also is taking care of a royal child as his own. He has done eveything that has been asked of him. Only Wilcox and Fox are against him. Except for Nelson he is the man of the hour. He is also been a captive. The mob will demand a big reward.

I have never thought of myself as part of a mob but being part of Mark's mob sounds good.

Westie is right. Why do people go to war? Some do it for a job, a way of going to school later in life. Some do it because they feel compelled to do it. Of the charactors I see Darius doing that. Some do it for love of country. As in the Civil War or World War II. Aaron Hayes was one of those. I honestly don't see Will going to war. This war was different because of a lack of the Draft. Most of the burdon of the war is carried by a very few unlike Vietham. As JP said, " War is so easy to get into and hard to get out of". Good luck Mark, this should be an interesting tension. Can you imagine Brad dealing with a son at War. Teaching Will to drive will be nothing compared to that. Before Robbie's will I could see Brent or Trent going off to war. I'm not sure of that now.

I agree with you about Caroline. She was worryed about George. Now she is worried even more. It is not knowing that is the hardest. Up here in Minnesota we have a young man who as taken from his family some 20 years ago. His mother is afraid of moving and changing the phone number in hopes that her son would try to come home. Even if that is hopeless maybe there is a chance he is still alive. It is like that with Caroline worrying about her husband. Mark please don't draw this out for 20 years. There is no doubt she loves George. No doubt she will do everything she can to may sure he is happy.

The reunion in Paris between Lord Granger and Eastwyck was one of those moments which I will always remember. Two lost souls. We can forget that they are like birds in a golden cage. Only some 250 miles north is home. So close yet so far. It is very good they are together very good. As for Caroline, Lady Granger, does not know what we know. George is alive and safe, and living in comfort. What is needed is news from Paris that he is safe. I really don't see Caroline or Winkler hurting Calvert or Gatling. George would be very unhappy if they did. It is not his style. If he can forgive Freddie and Davina he will forgive Calvert and Gatling. I know that Lord Grangers returning home will bring this book to the end, or at lest the beginning of the end. Still George needs to return home. It is too hard of all of them, waiting, wondering, and worrying. So I add my voice to your other readers let our hero go home. Thank you Mark for one of the best chapters in the saga.

Well that was something. wasn't it. First of all I thank you for this new chapter. I have been missing George a lot. It was good to have Eastwyck join George in Paris. As for Caroline, her reaction is because of the fact she doesn't know if George is alive and safe. Once she finds that out she will settle down and so will Winkler. I can only hope that news of George in Paris will get to London soon. I can see that Caroline will go to any lengths to get her man back home. I have been reading the Granger saga over again I thank your so much for this new chapter. Great story! Thank again Mark!

Mark's concern for his readers, story detail, his characters all this makes the story and characters more real. It is the reason we care so much. The reason in times like this we check many times a day for a new chapter. The reason we go back and reread the story or saga from the very beginning. It is what makes Mark, Mark. And that is a very good thing.

I think that Robbie's will was fair and these guys will not be overwhelmed by the money. As for Ethan. Wade had a picture painted in his mind of what Ethan would be. It is good that Ethan wasn't like that. It would seem that Ethan has made his school and his friends his family. That is not a surprise. In many ways this whole story is a family not made of blood but bound by love. For some reason Matt is better prepared to deal with this. He will help Wade and Ethan along the way. I wonder what Will will think of Ethan? It may turn out that Ethan is Matt's little brother, like Will is Wade's. Thank you, Mark,for a wonderful chapter! Hopefully we will find out what is happening to George and the Grangers soon. It is also interesting to see what Robbie's brothers kids are like. Another interesting wrinkle in the story.

As Daddy Dave said, we really don't know Zach very well. If it is true that he looked at his life, didn't like what he saw, and decided to change it. Doesn't he deserve a second change? Very few people have done that, and if you add to that his age. It is even more remarkable. We must remember that we have only seen Zach though other people eyes. Upto this point either Will or Gathan have really liked Zach. Just as JJ has come out and now we understand him much better because we know what he is thinking. Maybe Zach will turn out to be a better person than we think. Only time will tell. Remember Roger was less than perfect when he first met Stefan, but later with JP he was a kind, loving, faithful partner. Only our beloved author knows for sure what will happen. (Just an aside I read Daddy Daves story about Dean Warner and loved it. Dave I hope you continue to write.)

Last night I broke my rule. Always read a new chapter twice before commenting on it. I thought and still believe that JJ is coming out, developing into a nicer more interesting person, and I think John can help him with that. John is just one of those caring people which is good to have around in times like this. I think that JJ could very easily narrate a story down the road. Now the part I may have been wrong about. Zach. Can he change? I guess I believe he can. The question is has he? Will is an important character to me. I worry about him. So when Zach almost forced himself on Will. I reacted. Upon looking at the chapter again, I see Will as not a push over and Zach not as forcefull. It's good that Zach understood what was happening in his life and moved to correct it. I hope that is true and that this Hayes boy can dig himself out and have a better life. It would seem we are not done with the Hayes family just because Robbie dead. Maybe Tim is right again, Zach could tell his story too.

Honestly, I loved the interaction between JJ and John. It is good to see someone taking care of JJ. However I agree with David, I don't like Zach. I don't trust him. I am worried that he will hurt Will a lot. Hopefully he will go back to Ohio and forget about Will. Sorry Mark that is just how I feel. I am glad you're ack to writing again honestly I was going out of my mind aiting for a new chapter.

Compared to Will of course. I just thought of some thing: can you see Brad teaching these kids how to drive?

Most states will honor your Delaware road test so you only have to take te written test.

California has a lot of weird rules which are muc different than most states. As for traffic LA is bad but most of the other parts of the state are not much different than other states.

I hope you are right, Tim. Frank has always been a gruff character, but there is not doubt he loved Robbie. As for JJ since the last revelations in the recent chapters we have seen the person behind the facade. Once we have gotten to know him better it is harder to dismiss him. If I am right he will turn 16 in December no longer needing a driver. I will tell you what I hope, first that he grows about 5 to 6 inches.(I have nothing against shorter people but I think JJ being shorter holds him back.) That way his family will not look at him and think he is still a little kid. Maybe that will give him the confidence to drop his bitchy personna. If he does that a lot of things will improve for him. No long will his brothers feel they have to look out for him. That will free him up eo be his own person, as Will would say. I for one would look forward to seeing a happy, yes maybe driven, young man come out of this horror of 9 11.

Matt's parents were in DC for the Senator's service, so I am sure they were at Robbie in LA.

Gene should be able to answer this question better than I can. I think that sometimes losses like what this family has had can bring the members together. Is Brad to old to change? Only time will tell. As for Frank, he invested everything is Robbie. He gave up his wife, his other children. Now Robbie is gone. I am not sure if Isidore will be strong enough to carry him. It maybe like Barry after Billy died. Only time will tell. I do think JJ is a lot stronger than he thinks he is.

Sorry JP is 5'7". I found this last chapter 50 very revealing. Brad has never up to this point discribed his sons. You can see an insight into how he sees them. Also you see Brad slowly returning leaving his grief behind. I know this has been hard on him but maybe he will grow from going through it. For the first time since 9 11 I see light at the end of the tunnel.

When something like this happens the grief and sadness can overwhelm whose who are left. Brad was like a men who was drouning at sea. Now things are different. Thanks to an amazing tribute and a healing session Brad can finally answer two questions. The first one was if given the choice with all the ups and downs would Brad choose Robbie again? Now he can say with a resounding YES YES YES. The second Brad asked himself Would the rest of his life be this painful? Again the answer is NO NO NO. What Brad has that he didn't before is hope. Because of that he can say goodbye to Robbie and move on. Brad will be able to live again. Thanks Mark, for a chapter of sadness yes, grief yes, a tribute yes, but also a chapter of hope and resolution.

Sometimes, just sometimes there are. I think of you and Paya. Every time I read your profile I think of that and cry.

In a response to a review our beloved author pointed out Wade was awesome. Ever since meeting him in Bloodlines he stood out. The perfect partner for Matt. Also a improved version of JP. It is interesting to see him deal with problems which would confound Matt or most other people. Matt bonds with JJ. Wade bonds with Will. When Will needs an opinion he goes to Wade. How will Ethan change that? Why did Wade ask Will to go with him? My guess is that Wade and Wills relationship is solid. As for expanding the saga to include the Danfields it is a natural flow. As like this saga started with one person JP. o this inclusion of the Danfields started with Wade. Again it has given Mark the evil mother, the broken father son relationship, and their efforts to repair it. Slowly they did. A real forgiveness. Now a new challange, Ethan JP called Will impressive on the bus. I think Wade is just as impressive. He is now the head of his family. More than a match for his mother. Yes Mark Wade is awesome!!

I've been reading your stories for over five years, I started with the CAP saga because I love history, I used to live in Ohio, and remember the Kennedy Assassination. Over the years I have grown to love those characters ( JP, Stef, Brad, Will and the others). Some time later I started reading about our 15yo hero, George Granger. Up to this point my first love was always JP and his family. Now I can't say that anymore. It's like the song torn between two lovers. Honestly what pushed me over the edge was the chapters about Winkler and Jacobs both on the ship and later on their trek to London. They became more than supporting characters. They were the story. Again I must say this is some of your best work. I hoped they would get through to Lady Granger. This last chapter was marvelous. It answered to many questions. I agree we are getting to the end of this story. That is always sad, but to see George safely home will make up for it. And we as readers know you can't keep our hero penned up in Paris or even at home in London. He must be at sea, wanting to be home, to be happy. That's who he is. On another line of thought, I did some research. Spencer continued as First Lord until St Vincent took over in 1801. So George should be safe for a while.

When I saw a new chapter I wondered what would it say. Whose story would be told. Would Calvert reach England? How is Lord Granger doing in Paris? What is happening in London.? I thought maybe one of these would be answered maybe two but in your love for your readers. You answered all of them. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! I can sleep better tonight because of it. Again you have given us this wonderful chapter. All of this would be perfect with George's return home/ Please don't keep him to long in Paris.