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Again I have been awaiting this new chapter. With the expulsion of Deventry and Granger from Russia the story continues. What will happen along the way? Once they get to Denmark will George be safe? And how will George get home? As for the countess I think she and George will become good friends. I have a feeling that there will be more dangers along the way.. The battle of Copenhagen is looming in about two weeks. Knowing that Nelson is there must mean that George will be there too. The one thing that Granger is during this war is a noble warrior. As in Egypt, George can not miss a battle or not do his duty. It is part of him like breathing. That is why we love him so much. Again, over the years I have followed both sagas. First CAP and then this one. This saga maybe because of the POV or that it is mainly about one character has drawn me in. I have awaited eagerly the new chapter hoping against hope George and Winkler will be safe. Mark you have painted a picture so real. that we feel we are there. That is a skill which is almost unbelievable since these events happened over two hundred years ago. It shows us, I think, that many qualities in George are still important and needed today. It shows us that the world really hasn't changed. Honor, courage and bravery are still needed today as back then. Bravo Bravo Lord Arbour!!

Again I couldn't agree with you more. When I have been to the bay area I always wonder if I would bump into Will, Brad, JP or Stef. Mark has created this CAP world which is so real. Again putting it into the historical context only makes it live for us , your readers. Bravo to you Mark. You are a true bard of our time.

The last few lines of this chapter remind me why you are the great writer you are. Bringing back Paul, the poor but bright young man. It shows us that Will is not the only noble person in this family. Knowing that will happen at the end of this book shows us that all three of the brothers have learned that important lesson " that is is better to give than receive". Even though these characters are fictional, they warm my heart and give me hope for the future.

David brings up something which I didn't think about. I agree Connie maybe very busy with his team. Honestly I don't think he is blowing Willl off. I believe Connie cares about Will. As for the interaction between Stef, JP and Will, I agree with David. The love between the three of them is touching. I also agree that JP understands Will better than Stef. I think it is the teacher in JP but much more than that. Over the past books JP has shown he trusts Will and maybe even more JP can see what Will can be as he grows into the awesome person he will be. Again thank you Mark for this story and thank you David for sharing your thoughts on them. I forgot something, David joked that JJ was our favorite person. Honestly, after the last book he is one of my favorite people. Beneath that bitchy facade is the happy, fun loving kid of old. A person who cares about John, his family and friends. As I said I am so happy to see that person again. It was a wonderful gift to all of us.

LOL rolling on the ground laughing.

“Because I knew that no matter what, even though I treated you like shit, you’d have my back,” he said sincerely. “That’s how you are.” This one line shows us who Will really is.

I hope you are right. I think that dinner will be very interesting. As for Will growing up. Again I agree with you.

A new chapter is always a gift to your readers. It is sad that Connie is gone, but I think New York can be exciting too. I wonder why Will doesn't want to be at the dinner. I thought Will and Politis were on good terms. I have the feeling that this chapter is a bridge to some new adventures. I thought Brad and Jake were joining Will in Sydney at the end of January. What happened? Why the change of plans? Again thank you for the further adventures of our young lad, during his Gap Year.

Having commented already on the chapter, I would like to share something with you. When I started reading Mark's stories, I started with the CAP saga. I guess part of my love for those books was that many of the historical events I lived through and after Will and Wade entered the picture I loved both the stories and them even more. However, now I am drawn to this saga even more. Like David I have always love history and like him I believe we must learn from it or we will repeat the mistakes of the past. However in this last book you have drawn me in even more. For some reason I am emotionally attached to these characters, this story and what happens to them even more than the CAP saga. Something about it is more compelling. I wish I could put it into words but it is there. I can not thank you enough for your two sagas. But even more for this one. Thank you so much!!

I want to thank David for his comments not only on this chapter but over the many years. Bravo David!! Even though I took Russian history in college I thank you for filling in the details. Russian history is a tangled mess of murders, coups, and power grabs. As I have said before, our hero, George, has been able to preform his mission with both skill, and the abllity to see all the threats along the way. He is so much more than the average naval captain. I don't believe anyone else ( a long with to Winkler and Jacobs) could have done it better. Thank you Mark and Thank you David.

Again you have done it. Our beloved hero is no longer in danger. The trio has returned to their Russian friends and this time they have a friendly new Tsar. Well done. Mr Arbour. I have been awaiting this chapter for a very long time. I can see a happy home coming soon.

It is interesting how this chance encounter with Cody will add a trusted friend to the mix for the whole family. Sometimes I sit in awe how your mind works. It is truly awesome and what we love about you and this saga.

This may not be the right place to post this ( however, maybe it is. If this is a book about Will's freedom to be his own person it is). I feel I am compelled to do this. Yesterday the trial ended and today the verdict to the Chauvin trial found him guilty on all charges. Honestly, I have never felt prouder of my city, my state. Today Equal justice for all rings true. After May 25th Minneapolis burned. The city has begun to rebuild and today was an important step to restore the soul of this place. Sorry but this is an important day for this city this state and this country. I hope you agree that America is for all people no matter who they are or who they love. Bob

There is an old saying what a tangled web we weave. Well Mr. Arbour you are a master weaver. It is what forces us to come back over and over again. Please don't stop weaving.

In this family saga, there are some priceless moments. Moments which reflect what this story is all about. Brad's toast at the wedding was one of those moments. It showed the love Brad has for Claire and Jack but even more for his family. Add to that the memories of his childhood, the hell he had to live with, before moving to California and we can see who Brad is. I've always thought through pain and suffering, love and loss, we as people grow stronger and become more human.

Be happy. Be confident. Be forgiving. Always love. Words all of us should live by.

Again David and I agree both about JP and Will. I feel so lucky that all those years ago, I found you Mark. It has brought me endless joy and during the lockdown was a lifeline. Thank you Mark for your sagas and thank you David for all your comments along the way.

Being 70 i can relate LOL As I have said above this story is about growth. Will's reason to do this gap year was to see if he can be on his own. So far he has done a masterful job. Both at the bar and later with Randy. I can only wonder what new adventures await our young lad. Unlike George he doesn't have pirates or crazy rulers but the world is still dangerous and I feel more than ever he will be able to handle what is before him.

In this chapter I see three things: first is the bond between Will and JP. They almost understand each other without words, and the trust between them is unbelievable The time Will has spent in Poly has been worth it. The second is the dinner between Connie and Will. This shows us two things how Will has grown over the last few years, and that this may not be an ending but a pause to resume in the future. The last is how Will handles the situation with Stef. Getting him to hire Tom. All of this shows us again how these characters have grown. At this moment I have started rereading the whole saga and I am up to B rad. I see many of the same traits in Will as in Brad and JP. Again Mr. Arbour you have given us a story of a family and the deep love which binds them together. Thank you Mr. Arbour!!!

this is the first of many losses in JP's life. Some people believe through loss you can either be broken or as in JP's case grow stronger. Underneath that facade is the loving, caring, gentle man who needs to be loved. In many ways it is a lesson for us too. We must take our losses and grow, grow stronger, care more. When rereading these early chapters i can see how Brad and Will have the same needs and now all of them have grown. It is what this story is really about Growth.

The answer is no, we can't love Winkler more. I think we forget that Winkler is smart, loyal, and brave. In this chapter, the strong bond between these three men, George Winkler, and Jacobs. Together they will be able to overcome almost any thing thrown at them. This is why we love this story so much. Any of them would risk their lives for the others. That Mr Arbour is truly awesome Sir

Well as our beloved naval hero is getting off a number of times. The tsar is being offed for good. For some reason that makes perfect sense. We are almost at the end of the tunnel and I can see a home coming down the line. Thank you Mark. After further reflection, I can understand this chapter better. We all know George and who he is. The idea of him being an active part of the assassination would be unthinkable. It is against everything he believes and is. However, creating a diversion is not. Also hiding the future tsar creates a lasting bond between him and Alexander. As the dirty deed is done ( the assassination) the coupling between these two men helps them both. They are only bistanders not killers. Even though we know from history Alexander carry the guilt about his father's death for the rest of his life. I believe George will not. And as I said above this paves the happy home coming George deserves. I thank you again. for giving us George a truly noble person, and Winkler and Jacobs trusted brave stewards.. They all are truly wonderful creations. I wish they were real. I was as upset as George and Jacobs with Winklers black eye. I just wanted to hug and protect Winkler. Thanks again I can't wait to see what will happen next.

“When do we leave, my lord?” Winkler asked. Granger smiled at Winkler and his loyalty. As long as Winkler was alive, he would never be in the position Cochrane had been in, of being deserted during his illness and left to die alone. Granger cynically wondered if Cochrane was like Elgin, his fellow Scotsman, who paid his servants next to nothing, and that was part of the reason they’d deserted him. When I read this story, I am overwhelmed with the bond between these two men. Loyalty is a powerful thing. It is what drives George to leave his ship, to follow the orders of his king and it also compels Winkler to join George on this mission. It is something which seems to be lacking today along with honesty and honor. The people which are true leaders do not live by polls or popular opinion but by what is best for the people and the country. I think that is what I love about George the most. Honestly, I await the next chapter wishing it was posted as soon as the last one was read.

Happy Easter!! Now we know what got Stef stressed. It is good to see JP and Stef joining Will. Now the feeling of danger has passed. Will is safe. Mark that doesn't mean you should do something evil to Will. And in a few days Brad and Jake will join the group too. I think it will be a good holiday for all of them. The idea of Tom being Stef's personal assistant is great. I've been rereading about George and his adventures. However Will is still important to me too. I love both sagas. It is almost unbelievable you can write both of these sagas at the same time. As I have said before you are a master storyteller. Thank you so much.

I am not sure if Panin was part of the assassination or not. However I am sure more and more people see the Tsar as unstable and we must also remember that his own mother had his father assassinated. So the thought of it happening to him is not a foreign idea. As we see the time shorten and March 23 appear the tension increases and all of us await the next chapter with longing.