This is the last of what turned out to be a trilogy. Real life now demands my attention for a while, but I hope people will feel some satisfaction in the way this tale has been completed. Minor notes. The computer described is from an advert from 1991, and that was the original price – which I found quite terrifying! Since the only other local town we're told about in the series is Keystone, I made the assumption that place is rather larger than Schooner Bay and a main shopping and amenities centre. Boston was simply too far away for the purposes of the plot. All characters and places you recognise belong to 20th Century Fox and R. A. Dick – I am merely borrowing them for this story. Rowena, Sarah, John and others not in the originals are my own creation and, as usual, any similarity to persons living, dead or in spirit form is entirely coincidental. Finally, if anyone with a real artistic gift wants to create the painting described at the end, feel free to do so but please let me know. It would be great to see it outside my imagination.

※※※

His earlier attempts at getting in the weekly supplies ("Food shopping, Daniel. We're not starting an expedition to the Antarctic.") has been somewhat less than successful.

"Daniel?"

"Hmm?"

"Given we don't have a dishwasher, why did you buy these?" Carolyn held up the tablets.

"We do have a dishwasher," he asserted confidently. "Maria does the dishes."

"By hand. These are for a machine."

"There are machines to do dishes?"

However, in the end it had worked out (Maria was delighted with the new dishwasher) and Captain Daniel Gregg proved a master at finding bargains – much to the local shopkeepers' annoyance. Today, they were in Keystone looking at the computers and printers available to replace Carolyn's decrepit typewriter.

The salesman, who can't have been more than 18, was expounding on the virtues of the equipment in a language that the Captain assumed was English, but he was damned if he understood a word of it. "This one is an Intel three eight six, running DOS five point oh, but the new operating system, Windows three point oh, is due out soon and you can upgrade it to that. It has four megabytes of RAM, expandable to eight if you need it, sixty-four K of cache to speed things up, a two hundred megabyte hard drive, just one three and a half inch floppy drive but with that much hard drive you shouldn't need it except for carrying files around, and a full colour monitor with sixteen bit SVGA at ten twenty four by seven six eight resolution." He smiled, patting the beige box. "Even future-proofed with room inside for two exposed and one internal half height drive so you can upgrade it instead of having to buy a new one in a year's time."

"Buy a new one? We haven't bought this one yet!" he snorted. "Bottom line, man. Will it allow my wife to do her writing and print it out?"

"Well, yes, but it can do so much more."

"How much?"

"Special offer this week. Only $2,199.00 plus tax."

"How much?!" he roared.

The salesman shrank. "It usually retails at $2,399.00," he offered, by way of explanation.

The Captain stared at him. "For a box? What is it made of? Pure gold?"

To his credit, the salesman managed to hold his ground in the face of the Captain's glare, but it was a struggle. "No, it's the technology. Not easy to make. They have to have sterilized rooms and all sorts. A single bit of dust during the manufacturing process and you have to throw it out and start again. Then there's the software. People have to write it and check it – millions of lines of code – and it won't work without it. That's what costs, and this is a good one. Not top of the line, but close."

Another salesman, a much older man, walked over. "Mike, let me serve these people. Go help Dave in the storeroom." He dismissed the 'young pup' (as the Captain termed him) and shook his head. "Sorry about that. These kids know all about the machines but they haven't a clue about customer service. What do you want to do with your computer?"

"I'm a writer," Carolyn replied, as relieved as the Captain to have a salesman who seemed more focused on them than the machine. "I just want something that will let me do my work, save it and print it."

"Anything else?"

"Such as?" the Captain asked, wondering if they were in for another exercise in foreign languages.

"Image viewing and editing? Desktop publishing?"

"Desktop what?" Carolyn asked.

"Right." He took a breath and nodded. "Let's start at the beginning. Are you just wanting a word processor or do you want to be able to lay out books with images?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You can do that, now?"

"Oh yes. It's what the big publishing houses are using. Of course, they usually use Macs but these machines will be able to do the same thing, especially once the new software is released, and Macs are very expensive."

"More expensive than this?" the Captain baulked. Not that money was an issue now, but these numbers boggled the mind.

"I'm hardly a publishing house!" Carolyn insisted, ignoring the Captain's comment.

"No, but you could be. I mean, you don't have to pay someone else to do it, you can do it yourself."

"I think for now we'll leave that to the professionals," she replied. "We're both very new to all this. Just something that will do the basics will be just fine."

"In that case…"

By the time they'd finished they had a computer, a printer, spare ribbons, five reams of paper, software and the promise of a technician who would deliver it, set it up and install everything for them. The price tag was still enough to make the Captain's eyes water, but the salesman had thrown in a manual for the software and a year's guarantee at no extra charge.

By the time they left he noticed Carolyn was looking a little pale. "Are you all right, my dear?" he asked solicitously.

"Hmm. Just tired. That was a bit… overwhelming."

"Did you understand any of it?"

"Not the young salesman, no, but I think we've got a good deal. Should last me a while. When I was over at the college I noticed they're running classes in basic computing. I think I'll sign up for one of them." Carolyn had been attending a film make-up course so she could manage her appearance should her husband, who maintained the illusion of their age, be so far away his powers could not reach. It had proved enlightening and quite fascinating. The college had only been running the course as a trial and Carolyn knew she'd been lucky to find it, but already she felt confident in her abilities, even if it did still take her some time. At home she was building up a collection of ready to wear prosthetics in case of emergency. Some of her earlier efforts had been cringe-worthy, but she was fast becoming the class star-pupil. The fact she had to learn it for her own safety had added an impetus to her studies and she often stayed afterwards to learn extra tricks to refine and perfect the illusion.

"You're spending too much time at that college," the Captain grumbled. "No wonder you're tired."

"You're there too, remember?" she smiled, patting his arm.

Catching up with events since his death so he could fit in more effectively had been something the Captain had resisted initially, but even he had to admit he'd learned a lot, and given Carolyn's course was in Keystone – which was beyond his range from Schooner Bay – he had to go with her anyway. He'd started with a history course on the 20th century to fill in the gaps in his knowledge, then added courses on DIY and car maintenance on the grounds that, while they now had money, he could think of better things to spend it on than plumbers, electricians and the garage. It also allowed him to tinker around the house, thus staying out of Carolyn's way when she was working. He was top of the class in woodworking where the skills he'd acquired making repairs on his ship and building Gull Cottage in his previous life proved extremely helpful. Those skills had already been put to useful effect in the house where, in addition to his repairing several features that were beginning to show their age, he had installed a hidden vanity in the bathroom so that Carolyn could change her appearance if required. When asked why the bathroom, he'd argued it was the one place in the house there was always an excuse to visit in private, even under the direst of circumstances – a fact she could hardly dispute. His plumbing had improved and while he'd struggled at first with the electrical side, at least he could now safely wire a plug, change a fuse, fix a damaged cable and fit a light, which he was rather proud of. It was hard work, but now they didn't have to worry about paying the bills, they could both throw themselves into their studies full time.

"Perhaps we should get something to eat?" he suggested.

"Hmm. I'm not that hungry." To be honest, she felt rather nauseous, but she kept that to herself.

"Just a coffee, then?"

"No, I think we should get home."

He frowned. While Carolyn lacked his appetite, she was never one to turn down coffee. "Perhaps I should drive?" he offered.

"You've not passed your test, yet," she reminded him.

"No, but so long as you are with me I am legal, and I still have Sean's Irish driving licence should it be required. You know I am much better than I was."

She looked at him. When he'd started driving the 'infernal machine' it had been slightly scary, but recently he'd settled down to it and she felt confident enough in his abilities to allow him to drive them into Schooner Bay when the need arose. She handed him the keys. "All right."

His frown deepened. She normally needed much more persuasion for longer trips. He opened the passenger door for her and made sure she was safely inside before shutting it and walking around to the driver's side. The car park they were in was easy to navigate and before too long they were on the road to Schooner Bay.

"I might join you in that course, you know," he said, watching the road. "I was thinking that people might be interested in some seafarer's tales. I think I understand what you meant about trying to find an 'angle' and, well, perhaps if they're in the first person, told by the Captain to some children? Along the lines of Uncle Remus but set at sea. I'd have to tone them down a bit, but it would only be repeating what I did for Jonathan and Candy. What do you think?" When Carolyn didn't respond he glanced over at the passenger side. Her head was to one side, her eyes closed. "Carolyn? Carolyn!" When she didn't respond he reached out and shook her. When there was still no response he looked out for somewhere to turn and quickly made his way back to the town and the nearest hospital.

※※※

The Captain paced the corridor, starting every time a door opened in the hope it was the doctor come to tell him what was the matter with his wife. The longer it took, the more he feared the worst, and he was about to charge in, protocol be damned, when the door opened and a nurse stuck her head out.

"Mr Gregg? You can come in, now."

"Thank goodness. Is she all right?"

The nurse smiled. "She's conscious and wants you to join her."

He rushed into the room where Carolyn was still lying on the bed but looking a lot better than she had when they'd arrived. She had a drip in her arm, however, that did nothing to assuage his fears that there was some serious problem they had to face.

"My dear, I was so worried about you! What was it? Was it the ague again?"

The doctor turned, raising an eyebrow. "The ague? Now there's a term I've not heard for a long time. No, Mr Gregg, it's not the ague. Your wife's suffering from some mineral deficiencies, but that's to be expected. She'll have to adjust her diet and make sure there's plenty of fresh fruit and green vegetables, and we can make an appointment for her to come in again for a scan, say in two week's time?"

Carolyn nodded. "That would be fine, doctor."

"A scan? Why? What's wrong with her? Don't you know?" He was becoming genuinely fearful and increasingly agitated.

"Oh yes," the doctor replied, smiling, "I know, but I think she'd like to tell you herself." He turned back to Carolyn. "Shouldn't take more than another ten minutes to get that in you, but no more skipping meals, you hear me?" He wagged his finger at her. "You can't afford that nonsense now."

"I know, doctor. Thank you."

Daniel sat on the bed taking in the needle, the tube and the bag that was emptying its contents into her arm. "I don't understand. What is this?"

"I was low on iron, but that happened to me the last two occasions, too."

"Two occasions?" He frowned, wracking his brain to think of two occasions in the past twenty plus years he'd known her that Carolyn had been ill like this, and simply could not bring any to mind.

"Umm hmm. First with Candy, then with Jonathan." When he remained confused she smiled at him and said, "Daniel, I'm pregnant."

His face went through so many different expressions so quickly that she had a hard time trying to catalogue them all. Starting from confusion and fear, he paused at astonishment, took a right turn at amazement and finally parked in front of utter, breath-taking delight.

"You're pregnant?" he whispered.

"Uh huh."

"With my child?"

"Well it's certainly not anyone else's!"

"I'm going to be a father?"

"That's the general idea."

"At my age?"

She checked the door was shut. "I admit a hundred and sixty is pushing it a little, but apparently everything is working just fine," she deadpanned.

"And you are all right?"

"I will be once all that's inside," she replied, nodding her head at the bag. "I should have realised, but we've been through so much lately the obvious didn't occur to me."

"Not so obvious. It was not the first thought in my head when you passed out."

"Yes, Daniel, but there are other clues for a woman. The biggest one is normally morning sickness but this time I seem to have escaped it, so far at least. I've felt a little nauseous occasionally, but nothing on the scale I associate with being pregnant, and given the way we've been making up for your years without human touch it was a bit inevitable."

He looked slightly chagrined. "I am sorry. I promise to stay away until the baby is born."

"You will do no such thing! I'll tell you when it gets too much. Sex during pregnancy is perfectly all right."

"But the baby…"

The doctor walked in and smiled. "I half thought I'd find you unconscious on the floor. You certainly wouldn't have been the first new father at your age to do so, Mr Gregg."

"Captain Gregg," the Captain corrected, narrowing his eyes at the doctor, "and I do not pass out like some raw recruit!"

"My apologies, Captain," the doctor replied, unaffected by the man's ire. He moved to check the drip.

"Doctor, I was just explaining to my husband that it's perfectly all right for couples to continue to have sex during pregnancy." She had the pleasure of seeing the Captain's face turn red with embarrassment.

"Absolutely, 'though obviously you'll have to adjust for your age. Given the way the hormones build I've had quite a few say it was the most exciting sex they'd ever had. When the baby bump becomes too big you'll just have to go from behind, but so long as you're gentle and loving it'll be fine, and naturally there are ways of giving pleasure to your wife without penetration."

Carolyn hid her smile at the Captain's shock. The poor man didn't know where to look! She cleared her throat. She simply couldn't resist. "Perhaps there are some books, doctor? I think my husband has some studying to do."

"What?!" There were books about such things?

"I can give you some recommendations. There," he added, pulling the needle from her arm, "all done. I'll send over the report to your doctor back in Schooner Bay so he's kept up to speed, and see you in two weeks. I've made you an appointment." He handed over a card that Carolyn quickly put in her purse. "Now, you follow my instructions and reduce your caffeine intake. No more than two regular sized cups a day. Captain, make sure she gets all the right foods and plenty of exercise while she can. Keeping her locked up in the house does no one any good. I must say, Mrs Gregg, you're a remarkably healthy woman for your age, so I see no reason this shouldn't go smoothly, but be sensible about it. Nurse!" he called out as he walked from the room. When the nurse arrived he whispered something to her and she nodded and walked off, returning shortly with some leaflets.

"Here you go, Mrs Gregg," she said, handing them over. "These should help. Congratulations."

Carolyn decided that given her husband still seemed to be in a state of shock (although more about the contents of the leaflets than the fact she was pregnant) she should drive home. Once they got there she quickly let Maria know the good news but asked her to hold off sharing it until they'd got past the scan. The Captain had put the leaflets on her desk and taken himself to the wheel house, where he was clearly struggling to get his head around modern attitudes towards sex. After she'd left him to stew for an hour she decided it was time to let him off the hook.

"Daniel?" she said quietly as she opened the door. He was standing at the window, staring out over the sea. She walked over and wrapped her arms around him. "So, dad, how are you feeling?"

"I will NEVER get used to modern attitudes!" he replied, his tone clipped.

"It was a bit of an eye-opener for me when I first came across this stuff," she admitted.

"That… that… stuff!" he blustered. "It's obscene!"

"No. It's educational. Believe it or not, not everyone has your grasp of how to please a woman in bed." She smiled, remembering how he had demonstrated that talent on numerous occasions. "Going with a prostitute is considered a far less acceptable way to learn," she added and fixed him with a look. "What was it you said when we first met about a woman in every port?" She mimicked his tone. "'Ten, twenty, half a hundred if I wanted them'?"

He had the grace to look embarrassed, pulling on his ear. "That was different, and it may not have been quite so many."

"Uh huh." She pulled his turtle-neck from his trousers and ran her hands around his stomach, resting her head against his broad back. "You know, reading those things together can be quite the erotic experience."

"Madam!"

She couldn't help it. She burst out laughing. "Daniel, for goodness sake! You're a grown man with a great deal of experience, as you've demonstrated repeatedly. I'm a grown woman with two children already. As my grandmother used to say, 'if you can't talk about it, you shouldn't be doing it'."

"Yes, but…but…" He threw his hands up, his inner turmoil apparent. "You are a lady," he finally said, his tone quieter, his hand resting on hers. "This is not decent."

She decided pushing him simply wasn't going to work on this occasion. A little reverse psychology might be in order. "Well, if you're not man enough to read a few simple leaflets…" she released him and walked to the door. "Maybe I'll read them first, then I can teach you?" With a smile and a wink, she walked out.

※※※

She was pleased to see that, when she returned from a trip into town to do some extra shopping, the leaflets had disappeared from her desk. Instead of passing comment she placed the book she'd withdrawn from the library where the leaflets had been. Even she had to admit that had been embarrassing. She'd claimed it was for an article she was writing – an excuse clearly not swallowed for a second by the woman behind the desk who merely raised an eyebrow and muttered 'riiight' as she placed the stamp – but she'd been relieved when she could hide it in the depths of her bag. Remembering the computer would soon be delivered, she relocated it to her side of the bed, cover down. Placing it on his side would alert him that she intended for him to read it. Putting it on her side made it look like it wasn't for him – a suggestion guaranteed to result in his sneaking a look. With a little more thought she turned the spine to the wall and placed something rather more prosaic on top. No need to give the technician a cheap thrill. She could remove it again later.

Installing and setting up the computer equipment took longer than she'd anticipated, and the Captain joined her to learn exactly how to set it up should they ever need to move it. He took the software manual and sat down on the couch by the fireplace and began to read as the technician started to go through the basics. The man had the decency to ask how much she already knew before he started and adjusted to her very rudimentary grasp so that by the time he left she was feeling a lot more confident. She spent the rest of the afternoon playing with it and practising some of the things she had learned so that they were thoroughly ingrained before announcing that, since it was a beautiful day, she would go for a walk on the beach.

The Captain, feeling he'd reached his limit with their new studies, opted to join her and together they walked arm in arm, enjoying the peace their little slice of heaven (he'd made sure Claymore included the beach – albeit reluctantly – in the deeds) afforded them.

"What's that?" he said suddenly, his head jerking up at a glint in the trees just above the beach. He frowned and narrowed his eyes, trying to make out what was causing it. The flashes promptly ceased and it occurred to him that someone was watching from the cliff.

"Probably just some tourist or other," Carolyn offered, dismissing it.

He grunted but made a mental note to explore later and see what he could find.

When they returned from the beach, Maria had made an excellent dinner that was overflowing with dark green vegetables. Carolyn raised her eyebrows. "Meat and ten veg?" she commented.

"All the vitamins and minerals the little one could ask for," Maria replied, refusing to be cowed.

"Quite right," the Captain responded, digging in. "I do not care for a repeat of today's performance."

"Maria, I'm only eating for two, not a football squad!"

"Eat what you can. I can always turn the leftovers into something else. We'll make sure you're in tip-top condition by the time the baby arrives."

Still dubious as to her ability to reduce the mountain of food to anything even close to an empty plate, she began eating. The Captain had no such qualms and was polishing off his with gusto.

"You know, Daniel, if you keep eating like that you'll get fat."

"Me? Fat?! I'll have you know I've been the same size for one hundred and forty years."

"Yes, but you weren't eating for a hundred and twenty of them. You'll have to start running to keep the pounds off."

"Blame Maria for being such an excellent cook," he replied, shovelling in another forkful.

"Why thank you Captain," Maria smiled, giving him a slight bow, "but Mrs Gregg is right. Don't blame me when you get a paunch."

"In that case," he said, finishing his plate, "I will begin an exercise routine tonight. If you will excuse me." He rose and headed out the door.

"Daniel, if you run so soon after eating you'll get cramp."

"I thought I would walk quickly. I can run tomorrow morning." With a wave he stepped outside.

"He took that rather well," Carolyn observed with a frown.

"He has to keep looking his handsome self for you. That could be considered motivation."

"I wonder."

※※※

Carolyn was quite right; his intentions were far from exercise related. She and Maria had merely given him the perfect excuse to leave and explore the cliff from whence he had seen the reflection that afternoon. As he climbed up he found himself ruing the fact he could no longer pop wherever he wanted, nor remain invisible while he investigated. Still, he had learned a thing or two over the years about sneaking up on people, so his assent was relatively silent. Despite this, when he arrived there was no sign of the interloper. He followed the path of broken branches and footsteps in the patches of dirt until he reached a trail where he dropped down to examine the tyre marks. Someone had definitely been there, and given the view from their chosen spot there was only one thing they could have been looking at: his beach. The question was, why?

※※※

The wonders of modern technology never ceased to impress him. Looking at the grainy black and white image, however, was a little confusing. The doctor smiled and pointed.

"There's the head, the body, legs… See it now? Looking at this I'd say you're already about 8 weeks along."

He tilted his head to get a better grasp of it. Ahh, now it made sense. "Amazing," he murmured, enthralled. "All that already."

"Quick work, mister," Carolyn commented, having done the maths. "That must have been our wedding night."

"Would you like to hear the heartbeat?" At Carolyn's enthusiastic nod the doctor flipped a switch and the beat echoed around the room.

"That seems very fast!" the Captain said with a frown. Was it frightened?

"Totally normal when they're this small. Everything looks fine. We'll do another one in, say, 4 weeks' time? Doesn't seem to be a reason to do it any sooner. Would you like a print-out?" Well, that one went without saying. The doctor froze the image as the printer did its work and the Captain touched his fingers to the screen in wonder.

"Hey, dad? Over here," Carolyn called. "He or she is in here, not up there."

"Of course," he smiled, "but to see him… or her," he quickly added off Carolyn's look, "like this. It is truly a marvel."

The doctor grinned. "Most people don't appreciate how clever this is."

"I think my husband is remembering how it was when he was a child," Carolyn quickly explained. "In those days you didn't know what to expect until you gave birth." That had been as true fifty years before as it was when the Captain really had been a little boy, back in the 1830's.

After a few more checks the doctor wiped the lubricant away and allowed Carolyn to sit up. "Well, all looking good so far. Keep doing whatever it is you're doing and I'll see you in a month's time. Captain, would you like to carry the photograph?"

Eagerly he accepted the envelope, pulling out the picture and staring at it as they left the room and headed to the car.

"Maybe I should drive us home?" Carolyn said, watching him as they neared their vehicle.

He looked up and shook his head, slotting the picture back into the envelope. "I have my test in a week. I need all the practice I can get. I will drive." Once she was settled he gave her the envelope and closed the door before making his way to the other side. Just as he was opening it he felt a tap on the shoulder. He turned to see a face he had hoped never to see again.

"Hello, Captain Gregg. Nice to see you." The man offered his hand and, with a frown, the Captain returned the handshake. However, knowing there was no way Sean Callahan would know this man he feigned ignorance.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"Oh, I would think so." He bent down and looked across at Carolyn. "Hello, Mrs Muir, or is it Gregg now? Paul Wilkie. Remember me?"

"I do, Mr Wilkie. What brings you to Keystone?"

"Oh, the usual. Your husband seems to have forgotten me."

"I don't believe he ever met you. Daniel is the writer, Sean Callahan."

"Ah, of course. How silly of me. I'd forgotten," Wilkie replied, his eyes narrowing at the Captain. "And yet you look so much like Captain Gregg."

"So I'm informed," he replied, adding a little of Sean's Irish tenor to his voice. "Jonathan mistook me for him when I first visited Gull Cottage back in 1970. Genetics will out, it seems. I'm a direct descendent of that man." He smiled.

"And you've taken his name, I see."

Light began to dawn and the Captain stiffened. "I did. I wanted to start a new life. It helped Daniel was me middle name."

"Uh huh. Well, just wanted to say hello. I hope you aren't ill," he said, jerking his chin towards the hospital.

"Not at all," Carolyn replied. "Never been better. Now, if you'll excuse us, Mr Wilkie, my husband and I have some things to do."

"Of course. Have a nice day."

The Captain nodded and got into the car, pulling away easily before joining the traffic. He kept his eye on the rear-view mirror until he was certain they weren't being followed and then found a side road and pulled over.

Carolyn was way ahead of him. "Do you think…?" she began.

"I fear we may have found the source of Blair's information," he nodded. "I also strongly suspect he has been watching us from the cliff."

"That was two weeks ago."

"He's been there since. I spotted that reflection several times during our walks and investigated, but to date I have not been able to catch him."

Carolyn shuddered. "Given our past experience, do you think we should…?"

He laid his hand on hers. "For the present, I think he will bide his time. However, now he has introduced himself I have little doubt we will be seeing more of him."

She rolled her eyes. "I suppose it was too much to hope we might get some peace and quiet."

"Have no fear, my dear. I will see to it that Mr Wilkie will regret crossing our path."

"Now, Daniel, you can't play games the way you used to. He can bring charges now."

"Oh, I have no intention of giving him a thrashing, unless he is on our property at which point it could be put down to self-defence. I do, however, intend to keep a very close eye on that miscreant. Perhaps we can play some tricks on him and reassure him that Captain Gregg still haunts Gull Cottage." With that he put the car in gear and drove them back to Schooner Bay.

※※※

Arriving at the town (or village, as the Captain still insisted on terming it), Carolyn went to the library to do some research while the Captain went down to the harbour. While initially the local fishermen had been leery of a writer pretending to know anything about their chosen profession, it quickly became obvious that, regardless of his desk-bound career choice, Daniel Gregg was extremely well informed on matters of the sea. As a consequence he never had trouble engaging any of the locals in conversation. He was chatting amiably with one of the fishermen about the recent downturn in fish stocks when a woman stumbled into him.

"Your pardon, madam," he said automatically, helping her to her feet, even though the fault had not been his.

"Wow, you're an old-fashioned gent, aren't you?" she replied, brushing herself down. "I'm afraid I was the clumsy one. Theresa Philips," she added, holding out her hand.

He took her hand lightly and gave a small bow. "The docks' paving stones are uneven. I am sure they are at fault," he replied gallantly. "Captain Daniel Gregg."

"A sea captain?" she batted her eyelids in a way which, he assumed, was supposed to be coquettish, but had no effect on him whatsoever. "Do you have some huge yacht in one of the coves? I'm sure someone as impressive as you must have quite the ship."

He frowned. She was throwing it on a bit thick. "Not at present, madam. Is there some way in which I may be of assistance to see you on your way?" It was a polite but firm suggestion she leave him alone.

Apparently unaware of the brush off, she carried on. "Oh, if there's a nice restaurant or coffee house? Perhaps you could take me and show me what Schooner Bay has to offer?"

He drew himself up to his full height, unaccustomed to women who threw themselves at men in this way outside areas that had a certain reputation. "There are many along the harbour. If you go in that direction," and he pointed, "I am sure you will find them. Now if you will excuse me…" He tried to return to his conversation.

"I'd have thought a 'gentleman' would want to see a lady was escorted," she pressed, her accent on the word making the accusation clear.

"A single gentleman might, madam. I am, however, happily married."

"Oh, I've read all about you sea captains. You had a girl in every port."

Now he was getting angry and dark clouds started to form over the harbour. The fisherman looked up and frowned, partly at the change in the weather and partly at the woman's pushing herself on the Captain. He decided to intervene.

"Hey, Cap'n. Is Carolyn up at the house or in town today?"

He looked over his shoulder. "In the library researching an article," he replied, nodding his thanks to the man. "In fact," he looked at his watch, "it's probably time I went to collect her. Thank you for the reminder." He turned back to the woman. "I hope you find a suitable eatery. Good day, madam." Without a backward glance he headed to the library. He could feel her eyes on him but refused to turn around, knowing that would send a message he categorically had no intention of communicating. Whatever was happening in the world today? He prided himself on the fact he was still a good-looking man, despite his apparent age, but he'd never had a woman throw herself at him like that unless she was expecting to be paid in the morning, and such a woman would starve to death for lack of business in Schooner Bay.

When he reached the library Carolyn was just stepping out. "My dear," he said, reaching for the large bag she carried. "Allow me to help you with those."

"Thank you, darling. Gives a new meaning to 'heavy reading'."

"So I see," he replied, well aware of the weight. "What do you have in here? An anvil?"

"Unfortunately, all the books on 'beautiful east coast drives' were those coffee table types. There are a couple of smaller guide books, but unless we want to drive to all the places for the next year – in which case I'd miss my deadline – I need to be able to see them at their best. Seemed the simplest way."

"Once I pass my test, we can share the driving," he smiled and reached down to give her a kiss.

Behind them Theresa Philips watched. "All right, Captain Gregg. I've got my eye on you. I'll soon know if Paul is right." She looked up as the last of the storm clouds dissipated, leaving blue skies. "First test seems to fit."