Carolyn welcomed the ordinariness of her carpool morning. Keeping to schedule, getting kids in and out of the car gave her a sense that the world was still as expected and normal. With all the new and unforeseen adventures with the Captain. . .or rather Daniel, she corrected herself. 'I'm traveling across dimensions, having the most romantic relationship of my life, and I think at the least, I should be using his first name, shouldn't I? Yet, it feels so comfortable calling him Captain, maybe both might work?'
Looking up into the rearview mirror, she straightened her hair a bit, muttering, "Wonderful, now I'm not just talking to myself, I'm debating with myself too." She got out of the car, and after briefly looking up at the house, she dropped her purse back on the front seat and turned toward the path they had taken the night before. She stood watching the retreating tide, sunlight reflecting on the wide white ribbons pulling across the beach. Perched on the stone wall, she enjoyed the warmth on her face and the quiet, only broken by the occasional call of a gull. Curious, she followed the same route as the previous evening. 'Amazing,' she observed looking over the wall, 'it looks exactly the same.' She proceeded down the path, and noticed the identical rocks barricading the way to the beach. "Everything is the same," she said aloud turning around, surveying the scene. "Except there are no footprints." she realized, "I know it was real. Wasn't it?" she asked of herself.
"Of course it was, every perfect moment," she heard behind her. Turning she saw him smiling down at her, "I can't blame you though; it takes a while to get used to accepting what your eyes tell you is only a fraction of reality."
"Thank you," she smiled at him, still shaking her head, "I needed the reality check – but if I had to go under psychiatric examination, telling them I got the confirmation from a ghost, might be a problem, don't you think?" "Perhaps, but if we got to that point, we'd rewrite their text books together M'dear, that would indeed shock the world at large."
She laughed at the image, "Ah yes, Doctor and Captain Gregg, the worldwide experts on ghostly reality and cross dimensional romance." She pausing thinking for a second, "you know, there's a story, if not a whole book in that idea, remind me to write it down." She felt a whisper against her cheek as his hand brushed by her face, "Personally, I like the idea," he said with meaning, "so you become Doctor Gregg, do you?" Her eyes twinkling, she looked up, "I did it again, didn't I? So far, at least, you don't seem put off by my proposals."
"Madam, I hold that the proposal is still the male prerogative, and that there is usually a period of time between the beginning of courtship and a formal proposal, but I'm pleased you are open to the idea." He turned, and headed them back up the path. Not ready to give up their bantering, she continued clearing her throat, "Well, Captain, a woman can't just come up to a man and say," she paused realizing to say the words aloud now were very different than in their earlier sparring. "Can't say," she said in a gentle, beguiling tone, "I love you, will you marry me?"
Walking to her side, he replied, "Why not?" He bent over and whispered in her ear, "I'd be honored if you asked me." Looking directly into his eyes, she continued, "You speak from a very safe position." As they reached the side of the road, he stopped, looking down, "Safe, my darling? Right now, I'd be delighted to be at risk; in fact if you trotted out a reverend this moment, I'd say it in front of witnesses Carolyn." A warm and appreciative smile crossed her face, and taking a long breath, she turned and reached into the car for her purse. Leaning against the car, waiting for her, he asked, "So Doctor, tell me your professional opinion, how is Mrs. Muir doing today? Happy? Content? Confused? Full of questions?"
"In my purely professional opinion?" she asked walking with him to the porch, "I'd say she's overwhelmed but she'll live, and happily at that I think." "Yet, overwhelmed isn't a comfortable state is it?" he responded, "How do we help the patient?"
"Difficult to say, my Captain," she continued, "I still hold to my view the other day, there isn't any expected protocol here. It's not like we are going to be a traditional couple, are we?" Speaking even more quickly, she went on, "No meeting the friends and parents, no dinners out, no family vacations or PTA meetings, unlikely we'll have the usual steps of engagement, marriage, more children or growing old together?" She stopped herself, holding her hands in front of her face. "Daniel, I'm sorry," she said with sorrow, "this isn't truly how I feel, but it's in my head, and somehow you have me sharing more about what goes on there than I should, I'm just blathering, I'm sorry. Please forgive me?"
Sorrow filling his eyes, he stepped closer, a mere breath away from her face, "Don't ever, ever think you need to apologize for sharing what's in your heart. I don't care for you only for the moments of loving closeness and bright sunshine, but also, when we share the moments of darkness, fear and uncertainty as well. I may be new to this kind of intimate caring, but I am certain that only by talking, by sharing can we be closer, be truly together. While I may not share your desire for us to experience PTA meetings together," at that she finally looked up and smiled, "I do share and understand the rest. How I do wish my mother might have known you. It would have been a deep delight for her to know someone cared for her son as you do, my dearest."
"Blast, I don't have a scarf or even a pair of gloves," she said digging about in her coat pocket. "I do so want to hold you, touch you right now." "I'll help you pack in future," he smiled, sweeping a touch of his hand across her hair. "Might I invite you inside, perhaps a cup of tea could be comforting right now?" "Tea?" she asked with quiet disbelief. "Indeed, I have been talking with Martha just this morning that I actually prefer a strong cup of tea at start of day. Irish Breakfast was what my mother prepared, and Martha has promised to add it to her shopping list. For now, she has something called 'Lipton's', if you like?"
"I would, just for you, try your mother's tea, but until then I'll stick with coffee please." Walking side by side, he opened the front door for her, and they walked inside together.
"Thank you Martha," she said, as the fresh coffee cup appeared in front of her. Bending over she took a sniff of the Captain's teacup, "Really? Are you sure that's enough to start the day? I thought that was just for ladies needing a quiet afternoon pick me up with scones?"
"Woman!" he said with indignation. "How dare you impugn the drink that made England the power of the world?" Giggling, she leaned back, and he was delighted to see her earlier pensive mood passing. "Wait a minute, now it's my turn to ask a few questions," she insisted. "Here you sit, recorded as one of the strongest men in New England of your time," "Pardon me," he interrupted, "THE strongest man of my time, thank you." "As you say," she continued, "yet since meeting your family isn't going to be on our list of 'to do's' kindly reconcile for me your family serving Irish tea, your own obviously cultured English accent and having a great great grandfather who founded Schooner Bay grammar school before the Declaration of Independence?"
He watched Martha turn from the sink, still slowly washing breakfast dishes, clearly listening to their conversation. "Truly? After close to two years you are at long last asking these questions?" "Oh, I am," she smiled, "surely this is a mystery that has an answer?" Martha turned, and he smiled back at her, "Seems to be a day for questions doesn't it?" Martha merely nodded and went back to her dishes. Carolyn looked between the two, but seeing nothing to explain the meaning of their smiles, continued on her own questioning. "It was never due to lack of interest, but merely that it wasn't the right time. Is this the right moment to ask?"
Leaning back in his chair, he looked over to the sink, "Martha is there more tea? I suspect this may take a cup or two?" "Of course Captain," she answered, "let me put the kettle on, I admit to being curious myself."
"It's interesting, as two story tellers," he said, looking at Carolyn, "you and I have never explored our own stories in any detail, M'dear," he finished with a subtle but meaningful look to Martha. With her usual calm, she only acknowledged the reference to their earlier discussion with a subtle nod, but said nothing as she put the kettle back onto the stove. "I may have, in earlier adventures touched on some of this, so kindly do let me know if I'm traversing over territory I've covered before, will you?"
Taking a pause, he began, "I suspect starting from my great, great grandfather Ephraim Elias Gregg, would be a place to start. He was the one who first arrived in Schooner Bay. As you know, he was a seaman, in fact a Captain himself with the Royal Navy. According to family stories he was in line for the admiralty, but his obsession with Lady Theresa prompted him to follow her and her much older husband Lord Whitehorse-Smythe when they came to the colonies in 1734. Her husband had been granted extensive holdings across what is now New Hampshire and southern Maine, and when he died, due to a severe chill that first winter, she was left a widow, but from the journals, I don't think she was particularly desolate, or very alone," he finished with a suggestive grin.
"He retired from active duty, and married Theresa after her year of mourning had concluded. Unfortunately, Lord Whitehouse-Smythe's sons from his first marriage inherited the land grant, but Theresa's settlement and Ephraim's savings allowed them to purchase much of the land in and around Schooner Bay."
"So, you inherited the land also? I thought Claymore was the only one to benefit from Gregg investments?" Carolyn asked. "Not exactly," he paused, "when Ephraim and Theresa began their family, the eldest, my great grandfather, Daniel Ephraim Gregg benefited most from their legacy. In fact, his need for schooling was what prompted the founding of the grammar school. In those early days, there were not a huge number of young children in the area. In time, he also went to sea in the British Navy and married a young woman here when it was still the colonies, Charity Ernestina Gregg, who became my great grandmother. Their house actually was first built here, where Gull Cottage stands today."
Martha paused to fill his tea cup, and refresh the coffee for Carolyn and herself. "I had no idea," she said, "there was so much history in this isolated place." "Hardly isolated Martha," he continued, "in those days this was a robust fishing port and one of the busiest harbors north of Boston. My great grandparents eventually owned a small fishing fleet here and most of their five children, whether they wished to or not, spent time either at sea or in the fishmonger business. Their oldest Ephraim Benedict was lost at sea during a massive storm, leaving my grandfather Jacob Daniel Gregg to take over as the expected next son to head the growth of the business. I don't know if Ephraim married or not, but I've always assumed if Claymore were truly related to the family, it would have been from his side of the Gregg family, it's definite nothing later would have made the connection possible."
"Great grandfather sent Jacob back to England during the war, and that is where he met his wife, Elizabeth. He seemed to prefer the English lifestyle, and settled near Portsmouth, where my own father Alexander Elias was born. "Did he go to sea?" Carolyn asked. "Indeed no, it seemed, like his father, he far preferred the life of commerce. It was during business travel to Cork, in Ireland that he met my mother. Just a moment," he said, raising a finger and disappearing. The two women looked at each other curiously but in a second he reappeared holding a small miniature portrait. "This was she," he said holding out the oval framed painting.
"She's lovely," Carolyn looked carefully at the tiny portrait. Sparkling blue eyes shined in the intelligent face, yet there remained a touch of merriment in her expression. Light red ringlets cascaded down the sides of her face, ivory skin and a very familiar roman nose completed the picture, "What was her name?" "Susan, Susan Caroline actually," he smiled. "As the story was told to me, he saw her walking down the main street in Cork with her mother. He fell in lovely instantly. He had docked in Cork, and was to travel across land to Tralee. He had only planned to stop in Cork for the night and a meal at the inn, but it was long enough to change his life."
"Before he left, he had found out her name, gotten an introduction to the family and learned all he could about her before he departed. Apparently, she had also noticed his interest, with some degree of appreciation, or so my father would joke with her when I was small. "For the sake of a good story," he stopped and smiled, "I wish I could say she said 'what a magnificent man!' at first glance," he said looking with a roguish smile at Carolyn, "but I suspect she was far more circumspect."
"Honestly!" Carolyn grumbled not unhappily, to herself, "one impulsive comment and I hear about it forever! Was your father the heartbreaker his son turned out to be?" "In fact, M'dear, in that we are quite alike," he said, looking intently at her, "upon finding the right one, every other woman truly became inconsequential from that moment onward." Martha, with impeccable timing, stood and turned to the stove for more coffee, as the moment seemed to call for privacy, or as much as she could provide the couple. She busied herself until she heard the Captain, begin to speak again, and only then did she return to hear the rest of the tale.
"My mum was the only daughter of the largest grocer in the Princes Street market, and had shown little interest in the local lads. Seems she had a desire to travel, and that was part of her attraction to my father that he seemed to do a fair bit of traveling; that and her initial good opinion of his looks. Once he returned to Cork, things proceded quickly and I believe they were married only a month of two later." "Which side do you take after?" Martha asked taking the portrait in her hands, "I see the red hair and maybe a bit of her in your eyes, and your nose, that's clearly hers." "I suspect the rest would be Gregg," he agreed, "but in truth, I don't recall her family the Reilly's at all. The first year after my parents' marriage, they remained in Cork, and that was where I was born. We never returned afterwards once we moved to Portsmouth where he kept his business offices. I imagine they thought there would be time to return or visit, but there was not." "Once I was old enough to wonder about her family my mother had been long gone, and my father gone himself."
"I'm sorry to hear that Captain," Martha shared, "I know what it is to lose family when you are young." Both Carolyn and the Captain looked at her in surprise. Martha looked up at them, "My father, mother and baby brother were all lost in the Spanish influenza epidemic when I was barely six," she recalled, the mists of memory hanging in front of her eyes. my sister and I were raised by my Aunt Violet, outside of Boston. She tried her best, but she had never wanted to be a mother, her career as a musician was the center of her life. When she wasn't teaching violin, she was performing in Boston or other places. We still call her mother though. Funny," she paused, "I haven't thought about all of this in years. It's interesting that we share a common beginning Captain," she smiled at him.
"Indeed Martha, my own mother passed when I was nine," looking at Carolyn he went on, "just about Candi's age, I believe. She succumbed to scarlet fever; it took her and the child she carried. Portsmouth being such a major sailing port; we had travelers coming from around the world and with them they brought their diseases. My father was devastated, and after we laid mam and my small sister to rest, he thought it best to bring me here to America, with the belief that living here in Schooner Bay with my great grandparents would be healthier. We came here about 1840, and he went back to his business travels. I never saw him again."
Taking his teacup in hand, and taking a sip, he recalled, "It's odd, so much of those early years are hard to recall, yet my father's voice coming in for a morning cup of tea still is vivid in my mind. Each day he'd come down stairs looking for my mum. I could hear him call out, 'Give us a kiss, my girl' and she'd laugh and he'd sweep her into his arms. As long as I could hear that, all seemed right with the world."
He stopped again, recalling those special moments, "He died on Java from fever, alone on the far side of the world. My great grandfather died shortly after I arrived, and great grandmother Charity survived until just after I joined the Navy here as an apprentice at 13. I suspect I was a great trial to her, she was quite old then and I was always getting into one scrape or another, filling her house with stray dogs and other pets, and no doubt piles of dirt and destruction. I'm just sorry after all the years of mud, messes and upheaval she never knew I learned how to be 'ship shape' at last," he finished.
Martha replied softly, "Oh, if you had, I'm sure would she have been pleased, but I can only imagine how lonely she was after you left, with her clean house and spotless floors – I know I would have been."
Smiling, he looked at both women, "Perhaps, but we'll never know. I was at sea a long while. Whatever Gregg relatives had been here by the time I made landfall here had moved away long before. Once I reached the rank of Captain, I fulfilled my promise to return and stay. The family home had been unoccupied for years, so I saved what I could before they tore it down, and built Gull Cottage as you see it today. Not much remained, yet a surprising amount of the kitchen is unchanged," he said, looking around the room. "See," Martha interrupted with a laugh, "I told you this kitchen was ancient!" Laughing with her, Carolyn reached out and placed her hand near his, "What else remains from their home?" "The children's bedroom has the most of what I could retrieve," he told her. "The silhouettes were those of my grandfather Jacob and his eldest sister, Charlotte, or so I was told. Although I never imagined marrying or having children here, I kept the pictures and the room as I remembered it during my own childhood years." "I'm glad you did," Carolyn said fondly, "I hope you can tell Jonathan and Candi one day that they sleep under the watch of your family members. I wondered about the portraits, and much, much more. I'm so happy to know your story."
Looking up at the clock, she jumped up. "I've totally lost track of time, I promised the editor at Boston Life I'd call to talk about my next article 10 minutes ago!" With that she dashed out of the kitchen and upstairs to her desk.
Leaning his chair back and balancing on two legs, the Captain, took a final swallow of tea, and realized Martha was watching him carefully. "So, that's how you're planning to start getting her to talk about her past by beginning yourself?" Looking at her thoughtfully, he confessed, "It seemed like a reasonable first step, don't you agree?" She walked forward and pushed his chair so all four legs hit the floor solidly, "I do, but no matter how clever you are, I still don't allow anyone to scuff my kitchen floor!" she finished with a wide grin.
Standing, he carefully slid the chair back in place under the table. "Martha, thank you again for everything," he said and disappeared. She had the illusion of a kiss on her cheek, but she brushed the thought away and turned to preparing lunch.