Even though she knew the plan, even though she tried to be appropriately hesitant at first, she found him irresistible as always. Despite the setting and the crowds, Carolyn found herself disappearing into their increasingly passionate kiss. When at last she opened her eyes, she was startled to find Claymore looking directly at her over the Captain's shoulder.
"Well really!" Claymore blustered. "Mrs. Muir, Cousin Daniel, well really!"
Finding it no longer necessary to play their agreed upon parts, both of them were increasingly embarrassed as they viewed the overly attentive crowd. An unequal blend of shock and approval, appreciation and stern forbidding met them as they looked around their audience. Carolyn turned a lovely shade of mortified red and even Daniel, not used to public disapproval, rubbed and tugged his ear to the same crimson shade.
Turning to Claymore, but clearly speaking aloud to the gathered townspeople, he tried to clear his throat. "My apologies. After so long, after all the letters and calls, as you know, of course," he nodded at Claymore, but paused to turn back and look appreciatively at Carolyn. Reaching out and gently holding her hand, he continued, "I have so longed to see her, meet her, and I clearly have to admit," he smiled, bringing her hand up to his lips. "You, Carolyn Muir have proven more compelling than I had ever anticipated."
Looking somewhat wildly around her, she turned with a cautious smile, "I, um, I might, I suspect we . . . perhaps I could suggest we continue this conversation in a more private location?" Matching her look, he merely nodded, and continuing to hold her hand he led down the steps to her car.
As he opened her car door, she took another look around. No matter what other questions might eventually arise about the arrival of this latest incarnation of Daniel Gregg, nothing would supplant this first memorable reaction. Turning back to him and resting a single hand on his chest, she looked up into his shining eyes. "Mission accomplished sir?" she murmured. He took his own turn, surveying their audience, "For now," he smiled, taking a moment to tuck a wayward lock of her hair behind one ear, "but don't be surprised if an encore is required." Blushing and grinning at the same time, she took a playful slap at his hand.
As if on cue, Claymore approached, "Claymore, you didn't tell me," she said over her shoulder to him, "that your cousin is so . . . impulsive?" she said more loudly than required. Without another word, she slipped into her car and headed on her way home with a definite sigh of relief.
And so their newly public lives became part of local legend and history. Their nearly instant and obvious attraction to each other started tongues wagging immediately across the whole of Schooner Bay. It also did achieve the unspoken, but clearly designed goal of distracting everyone from questions about why Carolyn Muir hadn't ever been interested in another man since her arrival in Schooner Bay. It also avoided any further uncomfortable reflections in the community about her well documented fascination with Captain Daniel Gregg. And to his ever lasting satisfaction, the confirmation of a direct Gregg descendent clearly added an appreciated 'bump' to the masculine credentials of the Captain. All in all, it guaranteed him the top hero spot of the small town for decades to come.
Daniel and Claymore had to run a small gauntlet on the way back to his car, left near his office. A number of men slapped Daniel on the shoulder as he passed. "Way to go!" and "Go get her!" floated about and a number of clearly disappointed female faces lined their route as well. Finally reaching the car, they saw Norrie waiting on the passenger side. "Uh, Mr. Gregg, I'd just like to welcome you to town, and . . ." he paused, tilting his head. "Looks like Claymore will be taking you on to the Inn?" "Actually no," Daniel smiled, just waiting for reaction to the final surprise he was to deliver for the townspeople. "I've arranged to room at Gull Cottage. There is no better place to work on the Captain's Memoirs. And I suspect," he said brightly, "there isn't any where else in Schooner Bay I'd rather be, don't you agree?" He watched with satisfaction as the eyes of those listening near the car got wider, and the rippled whispers increased in volume as the news spread from person to person. With a sudden look of insight, Norrie reached through the car window and slipped his business card into Daniel's hand.
"If you and Mrs. Muir would want to come into town for dinner, well, it's on the house. All things considered, I'm betting that would be good for business." He looked and smiled appreciatively at the attentive unmoving throng. "Yup, mighty good for business indeed." With a nod of his head, he stepped away and let the men finally get on their way.
Putting the car into gear, Claymore slowly inched the car out of town, heading toward the Cottage. "Captain," he said with a worried tone, "you know what they're going to think! Poor Mrs. Muir, what will we do?" "I wouldn't worry too much, 'Cousin' Claymore," the Captain smiled, leaning back in his seat. "If all goes off as planned, very soon Carolyn should be the most envied woman in Schooner Bay." He raised a finger to his lips to stop the flurry of questions he could see coming his way, "Not a word! You'll find out at the appropriate time, but no worries, not too long to wait, I think."
The sun was just starting to set when they arrived at Gull Cottage. "Captain!" Jonathan shouted as he scrambled over the wall, "Hi Claymore – come on inside. BOY do we have a surprise for you!"
Start as you mean to go on . . . really? – Chapter 3 arriving soon