I DO! I Do! I Don't!
Amanda and Mary
Still don't own any of the original characters, just this story line.
CHAPTER SIX
A small crew was waiting for the Greggs when they got home later that evening. Jess, Adam, and Abigail Pierce, along with Candy and Thom Avery, were sitting in the living room with Jon and Zach.
"We brought dinner," Adam spoke up.
"I don't know how to make a little batch of my soup," Jess shrugged. "It always comes out by the gallon."
"We wanted to meet Zach," Thom supplied.
"And, Bronwyn's coming over; hope you don't mind," Candy added.
"Yes, thanks to Blackie and Candy's assistance, I've got a document that should interest both Mr. Leland and her," Adam said.
"Will she be here soon? That soup smells great," Jonathan sighed.
"You are a bottomless pit," Candy shook her head at her brother, and then looked down at the baby she was holding. "Er, Jess, speaking of food, I think Abby is looking for dinner. She's trying to inhale my finger."
Beaming, the other woman got up and took her child. "Mind if I step into Martha's old room?" Jess asked.
"Go ahead, you know the way," Carolyn smiled.
It was only a few minutes before Bronwyn arrived. After greeting her hosts and shooting Zachary a cold glare, she turned to Adam. "You said you needed me to come here?"
"Yes." Picking up his briefcase, the lawyer opened it and pulled out a sheaf of papers. "One copy for each of you," he said, handing one to both Bron and Zach. "Would you prefer that I ask Daniel, Carolyn, Jon, and Thom to step out and Jess not to come back in?"
"I'm willing to waive confidentiality," Bronwyn replied awkwardly.
"Me, too," Zachary agreed.
"Right. I consulted Blackwood on this, as marriage is, no pun intended, a spiritual contract as well as legal. In plain English, this says, citing Romans..." Jon rolled his eyes. Blackie cited Romans for almost all occasions. "…That upon the death of Zachary Leland, both parties were freed to pursue other relationships. The brief attached says that all marital bonds dissolve upon the death of one party. However, should either party believe that their mate is still on this side of eternity, they do have the option to retain their fidelity to that commitment and if they reunite and neither has entered into a covenant with a new love interest, then it may be understood that the prior marriage stands as a common-law union that will suffice on its own or until formalized by a ceremony reaffirming the prior vows. It may also be understood that as long as any relationships entered between time of death and time of reunion do not count as adulterous in nature, unless the party entering believed that they did, in fact, have a current marital situation on which to cheat. And, lastly, if the parties meet again after being parted by death and do not wish to reassert the marital claims, then they are both free to go on their way and not be considered to have done anything that would make any future relationships adulterous or bigamous."
"That's plain English?" Jess asked from the door where she stood, holding a now sleepy Abigail.
"Comparatively," Adam nodded.
"In other words, we can go about our way, and all that's gone on in the last few decades or may go on in the future is no harm, no foul?" Bronwyn asked. At his nod, she smiled. "Sounds good to me."
Zach frowned and looked at his soon-to-be-officially-former wife. "Bron, are you sure this is what you want? I don't suppose I could change your mind?" Inclining his head slightly to one side, he gave her a look of entreaty. "Come now, love, was it all bad?"
Bron shook her head reluctantly. "No, it wasn't all bad, but it shouldn't have been, Zach. We were too... different. We had our own sets of priorities. And now I am used to not having you around. The only reason I ever wanted to see you again, after we both died, was to tell you what I thought of you."
"For being a bad husband? I am who I always was, Bron."
Shaking her head, she replied in total exasperation, "No. For interfering with my mail, for preventing me from making my own choice about Siegfried… For lying!"
He shook his head again. "I didn't lie... not exactly. I just didn't give you Sig's note. You reached your own conclusions. Besides... you wouldn't have been happy on a farm. You still acting and being involved in a theater after all these years proves that. Couldn't you get used to having me around, Bronnie? We were good together once."
"Then, why can't you remember that I hate being called that?" she snapped.
"Force of habit?" he shrugged. "It's just a pet name, love."
"I am not your love... or your pet. Not any more."
"But are you his love?"
"Whose?"
"Siegfried Matthews, that's who. Why isn't he here fighting for you, if he loved... and loves you so much?"
"Well, that could be partly my fault," Adam spoke up. "I didn't think to call him and tell him about this. Sorry."
"If the two of you are meant to be together… if you were soul-mates all along, separated by fate, or just little old me, he would know he needs to be here," Zach maintained stubbornly. "Bronni... Bronwyn, I want some time to think this over. I'm not a bad chap, really, and I've changed. I think we could be happy together, if you would just open your mind to it."
"How much time?" Bronwyn asked coldly. "I want this done. I need to be able to concentrate on other things. I have a play to get on."
"Ah yes..." Zach smiled. "The play's the thing, isn't it? I'll let you know after the play is over. That's this weekend… Thursday through Saturday, right? I'll decide then. Surely even your lawyer and friends won't begrudge me a couple of days."
"You might be surprised what I could begrudge someone," Adam remarked pleasantly. "But, that's not my call," he added, when he caught a glimpse of Jess' foot twitching. He really did not want to be kicked or poked, even lightly, for being tactless.
"What if I say I don't want to wait any longer, Zach?" Bron countered. "We've been apart since 1853 and I have known what you did for a year. I'm happy here, and I am not in love with you, or anything close to it. Why can't you just... go?"
"I…" for once, eloquence failed him. Finally, he asked, "Where? Bron, you're the only person I have remotely resembling family, here and now, and I left my home, or what passed for one."
"You..." Bron stopped, stumped. "All right, I hadn't thought of that. Can't you find another empty building somewhere?"
"Uh... excuse me for cutting in here..." Carolyn said quietly. "But I really don't think there are any in the area at the moment. Nothing really hauntable, and if there was, Claymore probably owns it, and..."
"And he'd have another heart incident if another ghost moves into one of his properties," Jess interjected. "And really, I can't say that I blame him."
"And, what's more, there is more to being a ghost than simply moaning and tantrum throwing. Bron, you could guide me in how to get beyond the hidebound traditional spook I've been!" Zach pleaded.
Bron sighed. "Zach, you need more than I can give... I am not a teacher. Not in the way you demand. You need something I can't and don't want to offer. Fontenot might be able to help you, but not me! I'm a director… sometimes an actor. Not an instructor, or a nursemaid, babying you through something that by all rights you should have learned a hundred years ago."
Daniel slipped his wife an oblique glance. He considered offering to call Fontenot, but his teacher had never done him an unkind thing in the years he'd known the man. He had a feeling Zach's dramatic personality would make the ancient ghost homicidal… especially after dealing with the egoistic personalities of the acting troupe he was already teaching!
"Won't you please think about it for a couple of days, Bron?" Zach entreated again. "I just don't think I can sign anything, until I am convinced you have thought things through. Really, being around me is much different than being angry at an absentee ghost."
"Yes, it's more annoying," she snarled. Taking a deep breath, she added, "However, I refuse to engage in a brawl in front of my god-child. So, to keep the peace for Abigail, I will allow you a day or two, no more."
"Fine," he nodded. "So can you instruct me in some of the basics before you kick me out of Schooner Bay?"
Thunder rolled.
"Perhaps one of my men or I could," Daniel suggested quickly.
"You can't. You're the ones who talked me into leaving my haunt to begin with. You said you would teach me. Should I go back to Sleepy Hollow?"
"Why does that disqualify Captain Dad from teaching you?" Candy asked.
"I meant you can't force me to go back since you are the ones that made me leave."
"That's not what I was suggesting! I was offering to help you learn to be more than a… phantom. Really, Bronwyn does have somewhat a full plate for the next few days!" the Captain exclaimed.
"I see... but do you have time? You did say you were working on a book. It wouldn't do for me to distract you, old boy."
"Fine..." Bron rolled her eyes. "I have a play opening in three days, and you don't seem to have a problem wanting me to stop what I am doing, and show you how to be a better ghost!"
"Er… I have no idea what the writing process entails, but you are so familiar and adept at theater work; after all, you grew up in it, that surely… I'm not going to be able to dig myself out of this hole, am I?"
With a smirk, Thom shook his head. "Nope. Just salt your shoes and accept the foot that is firmly in your mouth."
"Trust Thom he knows whereof he speaks," Jess grinned. "Now, if we are anywhere close to ending this discussion, I really should get Abby home for a nap. She'll probably fall asleep in the car, but that's beside the point."
"You mean I can't have my soup?" Adam asked, looking stricken.
"We'll eat it at home. There's enough you'll be utterly sick of it. Well, maybe not. We need to drop off a quart at Lynne's, Blackie's, and Clay's, too."
"I think Jess' crock-pot must be the Cauldron of Blessing," Candy grinned. "You know; that Irish legend about the kettle that never ran out of food?"
"My grandmother's recipes were all designed to feed an entire boarding house," her aunt defended herself. "And cutting them throws them off."
"I'm not arguing," Carolyn grinned. "I worship great cooks and I am lucky to know several."
"I think it's rude to talk about food around those who can't partake," Zach sighed.
"So, you expect Carolyn and Jon to starve until you decide to leave?" Bronwyn asked. "Granted, Daniel could get by, but honestly, on their side of… whatever, humans still need sustenance."
"No... No… not at all, but does everyone have to enjoy it so much? Blast it, it isn't fair… How would you mortals like to watch people eat a feast through a window… knowing you can't have a morsel?"
Uncomfortable looks passed around the room, then, the Captain said, "You know, food can help in energizing one to better maintain tangibility. Perhaps while Carolyn and Jonathan have dinner, I could teach you how to eat? It was one of the earliest skills both Dash and I learned."
"Why isn't that surprising?" Thom asked, thinking how much his step-father enjoyed chocolate.
"And why do you have to go off somewhere to teach him?" Jonathan asked.
"Jon, do you learn well if you have people watching you?" Jess asked. "One of the first things I resolved to never, ever do when I started teaching was to come around and… and… hover over students. I figured out how to observe them and keep an eye out for cheating without doing that. It always bugged me to feel even a teacher I liked standing at my shoulder to see how I was doing or whatever. I wasn't worried about getting caught cribbing notes or looking on papers, because I didn't do that, but it was a freaky feeling." She shivered.
"Yeah. Miss Stoddard was a chronic hoverer," Candy nodded.
Zachary shot the two women a grateful, sincere smile. They did have a point, but the main thing, which he was sure they realized, but had the grace not to mention, was it could be a most humiliating lesson as well.
"So, to make things go faster, the Pierces will make their exit now," Adam said, taking his daughter.
"I will as well," Bronwyn nodded. "Thank you, Adam, Candy. I'll pop over and thank Blackie, too." Giving Zach one more withering look, she vanished.
"We'll make it a total clearance," Thom agreed, rising and following the Pierces to the door.
Candy lingered for a second. "I was wondering, Mom, Dad, how's the book coming? What are you up to?"
"We're still in year one," Carolyn lifted her lips in a half-smile. "We have a long way to go yet. I know you are anxious for us to get to the second year."
Candy grinned. "Well, yeah. And, I was thinking... since you do have to change a few details so that no one gets mad or is able to identify our family, could you maybe have us keep Slugger when it comes to that Christmas?"
The Captain and his lady exchanged glances. "We had not planned that far, dear girl, but we could entertain the idea," Daniel promised. "I do not know if we will or not, but it is something to consider."
"All I can ask, I guess," Candy shrugged. "Though I guess, logically, it would be hard to rationalize a single woman in 1969 being able to adopt a child. The 1860's would be different; there were probably lots of foundlings around then who needed a home and family, and you and Captain Dad were getting married in a week, in the dream. I just think it would be sort of..."
"Candy!" Thom shouted from the doorway, "You coming, Hon?"
For a moment, irritation flashed in her eyes, then abated and she sighed, "It'd just have been… sweet, which is okay to say about a situation! Even if you are part of the situation, Captain Dad!"
"My dear girl..." The Captain said quietly, "I have only protested that I am not sweet, not your dear mother. And, dare I say, if the situation had come up, back then, it would have been both typical, and sweet of your mother, for she would have done it for a helpless baby as quickly as she... and you and your brother… did with Jenny."
Reaching up on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, Candy said, "I know. Just teasing."
"Not teasing back," Daniel grinned, placing his arms on her shoulders, facing her, and kissing her on the forehead, and then her cheek. "I meant every blasted word... and truly, my dear, we will consider it."
Giving him a last squeeze, Candy turned to her mother and brother for hugs, and then said, "I'd better go on. Good luck." She had the grace to look a little abashed about wishing him luck with the teaching, even obliquely, in front of the pupil. "See you at Bible study tomorrow?"
"I wouldn't miss it, my dear."
Candy was gone a moment later.
"Bible study?" Zach raised an eyebrow.
"The Blackie that we mentioned is Thom's cousin and our pastor," Carolyn explained. "He leads a Wednesday night Bible study. At the moment, he's teaching on the Doctrines of Grace."
Jon snickered silently. He suspected Blackie liked the studies better now since they were kind of non-dates with Bree. Unaware that he'd made any noise, he was startled when everyone looked to see what was funny. Uncomfortable with even almost gossiping, instead of telling, he gave the ghost a look. "You're welcome to attend, if you wish. Even invisibly. Elroy managed that when he was visiting, and he is not what you would call a greatly empowered ghost, though he is learning. He's been a ghost for over a century, and is just now managing solidity for short periods, and he can eat."
"I cannot promise if you will see Bron, Sean, or Molly tomorrow though," Daniel shook his head. "Dress rehearsal, you know."
"Not Tris, either," Carolyn added. "Bronwyn has him on stage crew."
"Or Sig," Daniel said, pointedly. "He's been Bron's right hand man, assistant director, jack of all trades for the productions, lately."
Looking decidedly disgruntled, Zachary replied, "Humph. Well, if you don't mind, may we get on with this lesson? That way, your lady and your son can go on and eat, and perhaps that dog will stop staring at the kitchen like she's trying to conjure something."
"Who? Dakota?" Jon ruffled the dog's ears. "Doesn't matter if you fed her five minutes ago. She always looks like that." He laughed. "I think she is teaching her tricks to the cats. They act the same way. In the mornings, it's like a herd trampling through to the kitchen."
"But, it's a fair point. We do need to move ahead," the Captain said. "Come along, Zach. Let's experiment in the dining room... No, let's make it the wheel house." There was less to be ruined by spills in his office than the more formal area.
The two spirits vanished, and Carolyn shook her head.
"What is it, Mom?" Jon asked, as they started toward the kitchen.
"I'm not sure," Carolyn said with a sigh, "but I am glad your grandma isn't here to meet Zach."
"Why? You think she'd be scared of him?"
"No... Just the opposite, actually," she answered. "I think she would tell him to get over his attitude, and put him in a corner to think things out, like she had to do with me a few times when I was young."
As he opened the door for his mom, the boy reflected, "Well, that might be good for him. I can remember the Captain saying someone shoulda done that to Danny Shoemaker and Penny the Pill a long time ago."
"Oh, really? And when did he say that?"
Jon shrugged. "I didn't mark down the date, just some time when Candy and I came home from school and one of them had given each of us a hard time over nothing important, just to hassle us."
"I see. I thought maybe you meant recently."
"It could happen; they never grew up, but no… we were still just kids then. You know, sometimes I wish Tris had come up with a few creative twists on Danny Shoemaker's name."
"Why? Penny's are quite enough."
"Oh, just because I remember realizing a long time ago that Danny's real name was Daniel, and I thought it was rotten that he had the same name as the Captain, and they were nothing alike."
"That's certainly the truth," Carolyn emphatically agreed. "I do seem to recall Tris referring to Jane as Troublemaker."
"Yeah..." Jon grinned. "We loved that. Still do. Well, I guess if Sean can deal with the Callahan's having his first name, The Captain and I can live with Danny and Daniel." He moved over to the pantry to retrieve a box of crackers to go with the soup.
"As Shakespeare said; what's in a name?" Carolyn agreed, and then started laughing.
"What is it?" Jon asked, confused.
"Oh, I just remembered something from years ago... remember when Candy had her first crush?"
"Yeah, I do, but I think she might want to forget."
Carolyn frowned. "I'll have to find out how she feels about that one being in the book! Anyway, I don't know if I ever told you, but for a short while, Daniel was confused, and thought I was the one in love, not Candy."
"You're kidding."
"Nope. He even gave me a Waterford Crystal punch bowl and a set of Georgian silver as a gift to help outfit me on my journey on "new seas." I still have them, and wouldn't give them up for anything! Anyway, a little before that, I remember him asking, already confused, you see, what the name of the "man involved" was, and I said... let me see... I believe I said, "I think its Mark Helmore..." This confused Daniel even more, and he answered something like: "Think? You aren't sure? And I gave him the same answer… 'What's in a name'?"
After a second's thought, Jon grinned and countered, "Yeah… and as often as he changed name and faces when you two were dating, I bet there were times you weren't sure who you were going out with."
"Oh no..." Carolyn shook her head slightly. "...I always knew who he was. All I ever had to do was look into his eyes."
"Bet you forgot what to call him in public at least once," the young man insisted.
"I may have stumbled a few times and started to say Daniel," Carolyn grinned. "I usually got as far as Da... and ended up saying Darling. It was a good substitute, and he never seemed to mind."
Her son just continued to grin as they sat down to eat.
XXX
The Captain joined his humans a couple of hours later for dessert.
"I wouldn't think you'd be in the mood for ice cream," Carolyn teased. "I noticed a box of Popsicles has vanished from the freezer."
"That seemed like a good food for a lesson with Zach," Daniel shrugged. "They are the right consistency to be both easy to go down, but a bit more complex than say, water or other pure liquid. What's more, no one here currently really likes them unless they are feeling poorly or have been seriously overheated."
"Amberly likes them just fine, if we scrape them off the stick into a Dixie Cup," Jonathan protested.
"We'll buy a fresh box; those were five months old. As I recall, Jess had a sudden craving during a visit, but after eating one, she lost her taste for them," the seaman replied.
"How did the lesson go?" Carolyn asked.
He sighed. "At the very least, Zach has learned some humility. And, I have greater respect than ever for Fontenot. I had to teach him how to hold the stick first, but then it only took three Popsicles for Zach to get the hang of things. After that, he managed to down some Melba toast. I left him practicing trancing."
"Was it this tough for you when you were a new ghost?" Jonathan asked.
"For the first few years, I must admit to being somewhat limited," Captain Gregg answered reluctantly. "Anger at the invasion of my home allowed me enough powers to do ghostly things, such as Zachary has been able to do. But, I found that frustrating and I did miss my Madeira. Sean came to visit quite often, and we were discussing how nice it would be if we could have just one more glass, so, we decided to try. When it worked, we experimented more, and became able enough to be of use to Grace Dashire when Dash's care taxed her stamina too much. After his death, we were able to guide him in the "how-to's," but he did want more, though until you all came into my afterlife, his efforts at being practically human seemed senseless to me."
Jon shook his head. "You know, it amazes me that you didn't figure out a lot sooner that if you were solid enough to eat and smoke cigars, you could be solid enough to touch people. After all, you did push me on the shoulders to get me out of the way of Joshua Albertson's mechanical Captain Gregg that was throwing all those pies that one time!"
For only a moment, Daniel seemed to pale, and the he touched the young man on one of his self-same shoulders. "Lad, I had no idea... that is... you realized I did that?"
"Sure. Mom's hand would've felt a lot… lighter than yours. Besides, you were standing right behind me."
"It t'was me, lad, but... but... why didn't you say anything? Surely you knew I shouldn't have been able to do that? After all the trouble I had teaching you to tie knots when I couldn't touch you hands and guide you where to put your hands on the rope? I didn't even realize that I had done it myself, immediately..."
Screwing up his face in thought, Jon tried to recall his mental processes from so long ago. "I guess, it's just normal for most people to touch, so it was easy to forget how important it was when you did it, even though you normally couldn't, or didn't."
"Well, I wish you had mentioned it, Jonathan!" Carolyn grinned. "I know I wondered if maybe you could, Daniel, because when you gave me my shawl, you put in around me, and for a few moments, I knew I felt your hands rest on my shoulders. But like Jon said, it felt so natural, I didn't realize it at that moment, or I would have said something. It came later. All I could think then was being glad that I was there and Vanessa the fourth, or whatever she was, was out of Gull Cottage, and you really wanted it that way." She gave him a long look, and then smiled. "Do you think that part belongs in our novel, too?"
"As I was not fully aware of those reflexive touches until after the fact, perhaps it the way to work it in is to weave the thought in without overtly stating it, so that the readers realize what is happening along with the characters?"
"Hmm..." Carolyn said, "You mean like saying: 'Captain Edward Smythe rested his hands on her shoulders, saying: "The past is a wonderful place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there... For a long-term arrangement, I much prefer the present."?' Then wait for the reader to pick up on it? Likewise with Jon and the pies? Like doling out clues in a murder mystery book?"
"Yes, and I may have one or two other instances to contribute later."
"We'll have to do some rewriting there, then..."
"Plus, maybe just make up a few instances, since you won't be sticking strictly to the facts," Jonathan added.
"You have a good point, but we don't want to clobber the reader over the head with hints, either," Daniel nodded. "After all, I didn't get good at it until after I blundered and sent you all away and Claymore managed to find you and get you back."
"You're going to take it that far? Cool!" Jon exclaimed. "It would make a great ending... to a novel, or a movie, even."
"We haven't set a cut-off point on our time-line, yet," Carolyn replied. "And, I'm really not sure I want it turned into a movie. Hollywood can make a complete hash of a book."
Jon shook his head. "Not if the two of you write the screenplay, and/or set it up so that you get final approval. Lots of writers do that." He scratched his head. "Though, maybe a TV show would be better..."
With a laugh, the Captain suggested, "Let's take it one step at a time, lad. It may well be that no one outside our family finds the story as fascinating as we do."
"Hey, with you two writing it, it can't miss!" Jon winked. "After all, it's a terrific story. And girls... women… will think it was romantic as anything. Not to sound like Claymore, but "romance sells." It'll be at the top of the charts in no time… Mark my words."
"If you predict correctly, don't let Claymore know or he might try to harness your ability," the ghost warned, but in a teasing tone.
"Okay," the boy shrugged. "So what's on for this evening?"
"I believe," the ghost said somewhat sheepishly, "that Blackie did assign some 'homework' for tomorrow night, and I must confess, I never got around to completing it. Even though there is no penalty for failure, I will, sometimes between now and then, see to it."
"I think mine is done, but I'd like to give it a once over," Carolyn added. "Other than that, I was thinking about a walk with the 'animules,' and I suppose we could get in a little more time on the book..."
"But there is no sense breaking our backs, either, my dear," Daniel cut in. "It might be nice to just relax a bit, too and not do anything. Except I will join you in that walk, if you don't mind!"
"I'd mind more if you did not!"
"Good," Daniel smiled complacently, "And what of you, Jon?"
"Dunno, really. I was wondering if you want me to keep Zach company. Or, I could introduce him around? If I could have the car. I don't pop. Bree hasn't met him, has she? And who else hasn't?"
"Martha and Ed, Claymore, Lynne, Barnaby, Blackie," Mrs. Gregg listed. "Jenny and Dave, but you can't drive that far!"
"I don't even know if Zach could pop that far!" Jon laughed.
"Zach can't pop where?" the ghost asked, materializing.
"Australia," Daniel replied.
"Why would I want to go to Australia? Unless you are tossing me out? Am I that hopeless a specimen?"
Smiling, Carolyn explained.
"Ah, I see," Zach nodded. "So now your question is what to do with me this evening? I have an idea… we could go watch Bronwyn rehearse."
"I… er... I don't think that's a good plan..." Jon stuttered. "She's kinda uptight about that sorta thing, and… well, Sean and Molly are at least sorta nervous. Aren't they?"
"A bit," Carolyn hedged. "Daniel?"
"I do remember her saying she didn't appreciate outsiders looking in. That reminds me… you won't be able to meet Ed and Martha tonight. They'll be at the theater. Ed's on crew and doubling for Sean playing the saxophone in one number, When the Kids Get Married and Martha is playing the piano, as usual."
"Who's handling the violin on that song?" Carolyn asked.
"Molly's doing it herself. She did dabble a bit with other musical instruments besides the piano during her lifetime, and Bron said she can play as well as she needs for the number. She doesn't have to be Jascha Heifetz."
"I never knew that," his wife marveled.
"She's a woman of many talents," Daniel grinned. "Just like you, darling."
"So... Maybe we can go see Bree?" Jon asked, "Unless she has a date."
His parents looked at each other. "It's not our place to monitor her social life," the Captain grinned.
"Well, it would be nice if you and Bree could meet, Zach," Jon added, "Since she knows other actors, and everything. She might be able to help you out, there."
"Why don't you give her a call?" Carolyn suggested. "At worst, you'll find her not home, busy, or just not in the mood for company."
"She won't be at the theater, helping Bronwyn?" Zach inquired.
"Her interest is more in the business end of things," the Captain answered. "After studying drama, she discovered her talents lay more in managing it than creating it." Although, if the young women in town who felt they had more right to Blackwood's affection continued to needle her, that could change in an interesting way.
END CHAPTER SIX
