THE MONKEY PUZZLE TREE

By Kathy

Mrs. Muir decides that Gull Cottage is in need of a little redecorating, and the Captain reluctantly agrees to let Mrs. Muir replace his old furniture. But when she has his favorite monkey-puzzle tree chopped down, it is too much for him and for a while, it seems that he has left the house for good. This episode is inspired by an event that takes place in the original GAMM novel.

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The grandfather clock sounded out the ten o'clock hour, as did they ship's timepiece over the mantle in the main cabin. And as she had done every night for the last week, Mrs. Muir rose from her work, pulled a jacket from the closest, zipping it tight, and headed outside.

He watched tonight as he had every night, his curiosity threatening to get the best of him. Despite the increasingly cold nights, she hadn't missed one in the last seven days. She always went out the front, paused on the flagstones to look up at the sky and then headed for the monkey-puzzle tree. She would look it over, touching it gently with her fingertips and if he wasn't mistaken, she was actually holding a one-side conversation with it.

Tonight, he noticed, she watered it, and he heard her say something about it having taken root nicely. It was true, it was a fine looking tree and seemed as though it had always been there instead of a merely a week. It was so hard to imagine everything that had transpired just seven days ago.

She was so absorbed in her work, he became bolder in his closeness and when she did see him, she gave a little cry and then a giggle. He knew her well enough now to know she was going to say something about thinking she had seen a ghost - and she didn't disappoint him.

"I never realized that the monkey puzzle was in the pine family," she turned to face him. "I read that it bears a cone. I think that's interesting."

"It's the shape of the leaves, and the way they grow, that make them special," he nodded. "And I don't think I've ever seen two exactly alike."

She turned to put the hose away, but he leant her a touch of his ghostly abilities, and wrapped it securely around its home. "I need to have Ed winterize the faucets," she said, more to herself than to him. "I never really know just how much there was to running and maintaining a house on this end. There is so much they don't teach you in home economics, that you really do need to know," she laughed.

He couldn't help but grin, it seemed she always caused him to laugh or smile any more. It felt good to do so again, and have a reason for it.

"Captain…" she said, in a low voice, almost a whisper.

"Yes, Mrs. Muir?"

"Tell me about finding the tree… your tree?"

"We had an unexpected layover in Santiago, and my mates and I were anxious to see the city. We had a grand time, eating at the best restaurants, buying trinkets and whatnot for our families at home. We found several lovely senoritas…"

"Do I want to hear this part?" she asked; her face one huge grin.

"You asked for the story, you will hear it all," he pretended to thunder. "We found several lovely senoritas," he began again, "and they showed us all the delights of their home."

"In more ways then one, I'm sure."

"Stop interrupting me, woman."

"Go on."

"Thank you. So, as I was saying, it was one of them that introduced me to the wondrous monkey-puzzle tree. The moment I saw it, I had to have it. I could think of nothing else."

"I'm sure that went over well with the uh… what's her name." Carolyn rolled her eyes.

"Madam, please." His eyes twinkled down at her. "She told me of a place where I might purchase one, and so the day before we left, I went and looked them over, picking the heartiest one. I carefully wrapped it in burlap and laid it in a far corner, checking on it daily and watering when needed. I almost didn't end up with it. During a storm, the captain wanted to jettison it as unnecessary, and another time a drunk tried to use it as his bed. And let me tell you Madam, he received the surprise of his life."

"But he never got drunk again."

"Finally we made it to New York, where it stayed in a boarding house with me until everything was made straight, then aboard a another smaller ship to Schooner Bay. A full three months later, I finally brought the poor thing up to my property and planted it where it stood until last week. It was brown and droopy and I feared for its life, but I planted it carefully, watered it often and watched over it. In time it grew green and tall. It was here before the house was; only the foundation had been laid when I planted the tree. It was my constant companion as we built the walls. And it was a good theft deterrent, hard for anyone to get to the windows even then."

"I'm sorry, "she said, tears welling up in her eyes. "I wish I had known."

"Don't grieve, my dear." He wished he had a handkerchief to give her. "It's all in the past, and I do mean that."

"I should have asked - I was just so angry, and a little scared."

"I know," he said gently, "I know."

"I'm afraid my story isn't near as wonderful," she shook her head. "A friend of mine from college has a greenhouse in Boston, and I asked him where I might find a monkey-puzzle tree. He gave me the name of a nursery and I picked the one that looked like it could withstand the car ride from there to here." She shrugged.

"Another one to stand vigil over us, to be our constant companion," he said gently.

She wiped her eyes and smiled. "It's getting colder, I think I'm going to go in and get a cup of coffee. Would you like to join me?"

"Are we putting brandy in our coffee?"

"I think we might."

"Then I would love to."

They walked to the front door, he walking to match her stride.

"Did you have a name for it?"

'The tree?"

"Yes, like Homer, or Jose, or something?"

"Don't be absurd Madam. It was a tree - not a dog."

"I think I'll call this one Monty."

"Woman, you are you going to drive me insane!"

"I'm working on it."

He hoped she would continue to do so for many years to come.