Ghost of Schooner Bay

Chapter Four

The next day Martha and the children picked Carolyn up from the hospital, happy to have her home at last. Her injury truly was a flesh wound, and although sore, healing nicely. The doctor thought she could pick up physical therapy in a week, and then get back to normal activities that took her shoulder restrictions into consideration.

Carolyn frowned as she entered the house; she couldn't sense the Captain anywhere and hadn't seen him since the day before. The kids welcomed her home and sat down on the couch with her to that they could catch her up on the two days she had missed from their life.

"The Captain's a hero, Mom, did you know?" Jonathan's eyes glowed with happiness. The Captain had always been a hero to him.

"Yeah, everyone is talking about how he saved you!" Candy said. "How brave he was and how he also saved all of us kids."

"By taking down the drug dealer?"

"Of course, what did you think, Mom?" Jonathan said.

"They think you're very brave too," Candy added. "After all, you confronted him first."

"You're both heroes," Jonathan said happily.

"Yeah, we have the best parents ever!' Candy agreed.

"Have you seen your other parent?" Carolyn tried to work in the question quietly.

'No, not since he went to see you yesterday," Candy frowned. "We thought maybe he was resting. Even for a ghost he did get hurt pretty bad."

"Yeah, did you see the hole in his chest?" Jonathan said. "It was cool."

"Cool?" Candy grimaced. "It was gross."

"Yeah, good thing he was dead already," Jonathan said. "That way he didn't get hurt." Jonathan crept on Carolyn's lap and gently gave her a hug. "He saved you Mom, isn't that great."

"He was groovy!" Candy agreed and hugged her Mom. "We're so lucky to have him with us."

"Yes, we are, aren't we?" Carolyn agreed and looked in the faces of both of her children. "But things are going to change for us now that everyone knows about him, you know that, right?"

"It's okay, now we can tell everyone how cool he really is," Candy said.

"And now maybe he can come and watch us at school things like a real dad," Jonathan chimed in.

"So you kids don't care that everyone knows that the man you think of as your Dad is a ghost?"

The two looked at each other and shrugged.

"Why would we care Mom, when it's the truth?" Candy asked.

"And we already love him, so why would it matter?" Jonathan asked.

She looked at them in amazement. Apparently they were more accepting than she was of Daniel's state of being, and she was supposed to be the adult. She knew she was in love with Daniel and had been for a long time before she admitted it to herself and to him. That was a huge step for her, and she thought she had accepted the way things were between them, the way things had to be between them. Everything had been fine until he had gone public a couple of days ago. He had saved her life for God's sake, what was wrong with her? Why was she so worried about what the town would think?

"You don't care if some people find it strange that you love a ghost as your father?"

The two looked at each other and shrugged.

"Why would that matter, Mom? He is what he is and we've known about him from the beginning. It's not like he pretended to be something else."

"He's never lied to us," Jonathan said.

"Your right, he doesn't lie to us, and he has always told us what he is."

"So what's the problem?" Jonathan asked.

"There is no problem, I'm just glad that you're not bothered by what happened."

"We're good," Candy said. "Are you all right?

"Yes, the doctor said I can get out of my sling in about a week and I'll be fine."

"Yay!" Jonathan danced around happily. "Can we go now, Mom? Candy and I want to look for seashells on the beach."

"Sure, go ahead. Just be back for supper. You have a little over an hour."

"Okay," the kids agreed and left the room.

Carolyn got up and went to stand in front of the portrait. She stared into the blue grey eyes that looked down at her and sighed. How could she be so ungrateful? He valued their privacy as much as she did but had risked it all for her, and his reward was to tell him that now that everyone knew about them she was uncomfortable with their relationship. She was so lost in staring at the portrait that she never heard Martha come in with the coffee pot and cups which she set down on the coffee table.

"Mrs. Muir, would you like some coffee?"

"What? Oh, Martha, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."

"You seemed lost in thought." She paused. "What's wrong?" She looked at the portrait that Carolyn had been staring at, and could guess that it had something to do with the Captain. "I haven't seen him since he went to visit you. Did you two have a fight?"

"Oh, Martha," she turned and sought the comfort of Martha's arms. "I think I really screwed up."

"There, there, Mrs. Muir, it will be all right." She paused. "Let's sit down and have some coffee and you can tell me what you're talking about."

Martha poured them both a cup of coffee and waited for Mrs. Muir to start drinking it, knowing that it would calm her. After a few moments, Carolyn expelled a long sigh.

"What has he done now?" Martha asked with great patience.

"Daniel? Nothing, I mean everything. He did everything right, I'm the one that messed up."

"Why would you say that? You two always argue and you always work it out," she sipped her coffee.

"I hope you're right," she said.

"What did you do?" Martha asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Yesterday he came to visit me, it was going along very well, but he was caught being solid again."

"Oh. Did he stay?"

"It was a little late for him to go, so he listened to me and stayed by my bedside, corporeal. A young doctor came in, maybe she was new around here or something, but she flirted with him."

"Oh? And what did you think of that?" Martha asked, knowing full well that her friend and employer was completely capable of being jealous if she felt so pushed.

"I handled it."

"But why would the doctor do that if she knew you two were an item?"

Carolyn looked sheepish. "I said that Daniel was my friend, and only my friend."

"Your friend?" Martha laughed. "Carolyn, you're quite a bit more than that. We all know that you and the Captain are discreet, but we all know how much you love each other."

"You all know? You and the children?"

Martha gave her a knowing look. "How blind do you think we are?"

"I didn't mean to insult you, Martha." Carolyn bristled.

"It seems that you're in a mood to insult everyone, so why don't you continue before you insult me more?" Martha bristled back.

Carolyn gathered herself and shook off her bout of crankiness.

"So then what happened?" Martha asked.

"Well, this young, attractive doctor began to flirt with Daniel."

"A handsome, charming, available man…err ghost according to you."

"Well, yes." Carolyn drew her lips together in a thin line.

"And what did the Captain do?" Martha studied her friend as she spoke.

"He graciously told her that he was involved with me and that we were more than friends. The doctor apologized and left."

"And what is the problem?" Martha asked.

"I told Daniel that I was uncomfortable with him declaring his love for me now that everyone knows he is real," she said in a small voice.

"You what?" Martha set her cup down and gave Carolyn a reproving look. "That man saved your life and tells another interested woman that he's committed to you and you tell him you're unhappy because he's publicly declared his feelings for you?"

"That about sums it up," Carolyn said with a grimace.

Martha shook her head and remained quiet for a few moments. "Mrs. Muir, Carolyn, why would you do that?"

"That's just it, Martha, I don't know."

"Do you love him?"

Carolyn bowed her head, almost in tears now. When she looked up at Martha, her eyes were bright. "Yes, with all my heart," she whispered.

"Then why did you do that? He risked everything for you."

"But he's a ghost."

"And you've known that since you moved in here. If he was real, and did what he did, he would truly be dead now. Would that have been better? For all practical purposes you would be a widow again."

"What's wrong with me, Martha? Why did I do that?" She was in tears now.

"Mrs. Muir, don't get me wrong, I love you like a daughter, but the Captain's a damn fine man despite his quirks. He can't help that he is what he is. I think we're damn lucky that he's here with us and has shared his life….err..afterlife with us. And he loves you to distraction." Martha paused and gave her a sad look. "I think you owe him an apology, but only if you really mean it. If for some unknown reason you can't live with everyone actually knowing the truth about you two, then you need to end it." Martha stood up and scowled at Carolyn. "And that would be a damn shame. If you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

Martha stood up and without a backward look left and disappeared into the kitchen. Carolyn stared after her, knowing she was causing her own misery.

The Master Suite was quiet when she entered after supper, no trace of the Captain there either. She had not sensed him in the house since she had come home. This was ridiculous, she was acting childish, but why? Maybe she was still feeling surly from her injury; it did hurt and seemed to be making her cranky. She was still very tired. Deciding not to argue with the inevitable and not feeling up to seeing Daniel again, she told Martha and the kids that she was going to bed early, changed into her nightgown and climbed into bed. She took her pain medication and was asleep within minutes.

The ship's timbers creaked as the bulkhead pushed against the waves. Carolyn found the sounds comforting as she lie cocooned on the all too narrow bunk within the arms of her Captain. Their lovemaking was spectacular as always and she always found it soothing to relax within his arms, the arms of the one that loved her above all else. What had she ever done to deserve such love?

The Captain placed a long lingering kiss on her lips before slapping her bare derriere and with a wink, getting out of bed.

"You're leaving? She asked disappointment evident in her voice.

"We are not that far away from port and docking, and the Captain of the ship should be in attendance. Besides, it will get you time to get dressed," he said already, pulling on his trousers.

She watched him, admiring his well muscled torso and firm behind, and looked into his handsome face, knowing that she would be content to watch him for the rest of her life. "Daniel, do you really have to go, I thought we had a few hours?"

"Never enough time for a Captain, my dear." He was dressed now, just putting on his jacket.

"You dressed quickly," she said with a frown.

"No rest for the wicked," he winked. "I will see you when we dock."

"I can hardly wait! It will be lovely to meet your family and friends. I've wanted to do that for so long. Then we can tell everyone that we plan to spend the rest of our life together," she smiled happily at him, and didn't notice the frown that crossed his face.

"I will see you then," he repeated with a nod, and left the Captain's cabin.

For just a moment, Carolyn wondered if there was a problem, then she shook it off and went about the lengthy process of getting dressed as a woman in the eighteenth century should.

They pulled into port four hours later, and Daniel brought her up from his cabin a half an hour before they would do the actual docking. He noted points of interest for her as they pulled in, but somehow he was different, he seemed uncomfortable around her. How could that be after all that they had shared?

"Daniel?" she asked laying a hand on his arm, noting his pensive mood.

"I need to tell you something but I'm not sure how to do it." He paused and she saw him open his mouth to speak when he was called away by his crew. "Apologies, I'll be back as soon as I can." He turned and issued orders to his junior offices.

She watched him leave, concern marring her features, something was wrong. She didn't see him again until they had docked and put the gangway down, an half an hour later. She smiled as she looked at the crowd and wondered which of them was Daniel's family. He said his aunt would be here and some friends he had known since he was a boy, and she could hardly wait to meet them. She saw him standing by the boarding area and a group of four people moving onto the ship to meet him! She smoothed her skirt and made her way over to his side, and at last she would be introduced as his fiancé.

She heard the people greeting Daniel, clapping him on the back, saying how glad they were to have him back after another successful voyage. She made her way up to him, beaming a wide smile as she took his arm. He chafed uneasily but didn't move away.

"And who is this, Daniel?" the older woman, obviously his aunt, asked.

"Allow me to introduce Miss Carolyn Williams."

"And who is she to you?"

"She is…a friend," Daniel gave her a long look knowing full well what they had shared.

"A friend?" She gasped. "How can you say that? We're so much more than that. You said that you loved me."

"My dear, you are not of the proper upbringing," he said trying to diffuse the situation.

"But you've always known my upbringing, my background, why does it matter now? It shouldn't matter at all. You know what I am, you've always known," she said, trying to hold back her tears. "I can't help my background; you're holding that against me?"

'As long as what was between us wasn't on display for everyone to see, I'm happy to be with you." He offered her a smile.

"Are you ashamed of me?" she asked, tears falling down her face.

"No, of course not," he said but turned his head away so that he couldn't see his face. "I will meet you down at the restaurant, please give me half an hour," he said to his friends.

They gave him a look of understanding, politely tipped their hats to the Captain's woman, and left the ship.

"Daniel? How could you?' she cried. "I thought you loved me!"

"I do, but you won't fit in with all of the people I know. I didn't know how to explain that to you…" he said in a sad voice.

'So what does that mean? Are we over?" she asked. "Daniel?"

Her eyes started to blur, but not from tears, her head swam and she lost her footing…

Carolyn woke up sobbing in her bed, still crying from her dream. It took a few moments to remember that she was in the Master Suite at Gull Cottage, in her bed. She closed her eyes remembering the painful dream, how awful it felt when Daniel had turned his back on her. He would never do that would he? He would never throw her over because of what she was? Because of what had happened in her past?

Oh, God, she thought with startling clarity, that was exactly what she had done to him, except that wasn't a dream, she really had turned her back on him because of what he was. The tears welled up again, and she couldn't stop them, had no need to stop them.

"Daniel," she whimpered, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it, I love you." There were no answer to her whispered pleas but she hadn't really expected any. "Daniel, please. Let me apologize," she whispered again.

The clock was the only thing that she heard, and burying her head in her pillow, she began to cry again…