Part 4
"A Short Separation"
Daniel rode into town before sunup, leaving Bonhomme at the stable to be cared for while he was gone. He was already aboard the Kitty Keane, confirming all was ready, when James joined him. The remainder of his deck hands arrived sporadically, just after daylight. All the men sailing this trip had crewed with him before, knew their roles, and went about the business of preparing to cast off. A few hours later, the Captain and his first mate met on the bow and observed the final preparations being made in the pouring rain.
"Sir, we're ready to cast off as soon as you say the word," his first mate advised.
"Thank you, James."
"It may be rough going, with this weather."
"Aye, but only until we leave Rockland. Once we're on the open sea, we should leave the rain behind."
"Even with this weather, we'll get to Halifax by daybreak Monday."
"That's what I've planned for. That timeframe should allow for anything that might come up to slow us down. We can unload the cargo as soon as we arrive in port. The appointment with Mr. Forbes, at Starr Manufacturing, is Tuesday afternoon. Depending on how that turns out, we should be on our way home by Wednesday – Thursday at the latest," Daniel remarked as he kept an eye on everything.
"What does Starr Manufacturing make?"
"Ice skates," Daniel chuckled.
"Really? You can buy ice skates almost anywhere. What makes theirs so special?"
"I don't know, but we'll be meeting with Mr. Forbes and Mr. Starr. They've promised a demonstration when we get there, so we'll find out then."
"And they're going to ship them to England?"
"Eventually, all over England, Europe, and the United States, according to their letter. That's why they want to meet with us."
"Ice skates. I never would have believed it," James commented shaking his head. "Not to change the subject, but how did Mrs. Muir handle your leaving?"
"She handled herself well. She didn't say anything directly, but I got the impression she was looking at it as a small test for herself and the children. I can't blame her. It takes a special woman to be able to handle her man being away so long, and so often."
"So, are you?"
"Am I what?"
"Are you her man?" he asked with a smile.
Daniel stared sternly at his first mate for a moment, before a small smile appeared on his face.
"I can't speak for Mrs. Muir, but from my perspective, I am, and I believe things are moving in that direction for her – if we're not already there."
"That's good to hear. Marguerite mentioned trying to get together with her and Mrs. Farley while we're away. The three of them seemed to get along very well at the picnic last week."
"That's very kind of her," Daniel absently remarked as his eyes continued to take in everything around him, including weather and tide. Deciding it was time, he gave the order. "Mr. Horan, prepare to cast off."
XXXXX
Carolyn was exhausted after working all week and took full advantage of sleeping late Saturday morning. A hard rain was beating against the window as she came to wakefulness around half past seven, and her first thoughts were of the Captain. She wondered what he was doing, if he had set sail yet, and how the weather would impact his voyage. A week wasn't too long for him to be gone, but she knew she would miss him a great deal. Since meeting last Saturday, they had seen each other every day, sometimes twice a day, and she always enjoyed her time with him
Before she could dwell too much on his absence, she was aware of Candy and Jonathan talking quietly just outside her bedroom. They were debating whether they should disturb her or not, and their quiet voices carried easily through the thin door. Eventually, they tapped softly so as not to wake her if she were still asleep.
"Come in."
That was all they needed to hear. They hurried into the room and jumped into bed with her. There wasn't a lot of room, just enough for the three of them to snuggle down together and talk. It was a luxury they hadn't enjoyed since moving.
They discussed the usual array of subjects, focusing mostly on the Captain, and how much they would miss him while he was gone. While Carolyn felt the same way, she reminded them, and herself, his return at the end of the week gave them something to look forward to. It didn't make them feel any better, but they pretended it did, thinking it would make her feel better. Lying in bed the night before, Candy and Jonathan talked about how quiet their mom was after the Captain left. They decided she must like him as much as they did.
The conversation eventually changed its focus, from the Captain, to the day at hand, but the weather would definitely put a damper on their plans.
"If it stops raining, may we go to the park later?" Jonathan asked.
"Sweetie, even if it stops raining it might be too wet. We'll have to wait and see," Carolyn told him. "Let's have breakfast. By the wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen, it must be nearly ready. We can talk about what we can do today while we eat. I'm sure we can come up with something to keep us busy. "
"Okay," the children said together, as they climbed out of their mom's bed.
XXXXX
The Kitty Keane arrived in Rockland just after noon. Daniel and James set off to the harbormaster's office to arrange the loading of the cargo and then planned to grab a quick bite.
The harbormaster greeted the two men as they came through the door. The man was new to his job, and Daniel only met him earlier in the week when he was here to meet with the supplier.
"Good afternoon."
"You're awfully late, Captain. I expected to see you first thing this morning. Did you tie one on last night? "
Daniel looked at the man with a quizzical expression.
"What are you talking about?"
"Didn't I see you in the tavern last night?"
"No. We left Schooner Bay this morning and just arrived on the Kitty Keane," he said, and looked at James.
"I'll be. Then you should know you have a double running around here, and he can really put it away."
"Really? Which tavern did you say you saw this man?"
"I didn't say, but it was up at the Boar's Head."
The Captain acknowledged the man's answer and turned the conversation to the business at hand.
XXXXX
Leaving the docks, Daniel turned in the direction of the Boar's Head Tavern. The harbormaster's comment answered the question of where the reprobate had gone after the ball last week. The Captain knew the owner there and wanted to see if he could find out what Callahan was up to.
"Do you really think this is a good idea," James asked knowing where his friend was going.
"What? I just want to get something to eat."
"And what else?"
"If, while we're there, we can find out what that degenerate is up to, that would be very helpful."
"If you knew, what could you do about it?"
"I'd beat him to a bloody pulp and throw what was left of him in the ocean," he answered angrily.
"Sir, you need to let this go. You cannot seek retribution against Callahan without causing trouble for yourself. You know that."
"Aye, I do, but I'll never let it go, and the impulse to see that bastard burn in hell will be with me the rest of my life, and beyond."
"But you don't have to send him there. Someone will catch up with him eventually, and hopefully, they won't have as much to lose as you do."
Daniel looked at him. He knew his friend was right, but he was uncomfortable not taking control of the issue himself.
"You win. I won't seek him out, today, but if I catch him trying to hurt another woman, all bets are off."
James nodded, relieved to have calmed him down, at least for now.
"Why don't we go down to the Red Stag instead? They're food is better anyway," James asked.
Daniel agreed, and they continued on their way. The establishments were across the street from one another, and the men couldn't help looking toward the Boars Head as they went in the Red Stag.
After a quick meal and a beer, the seamen returned to the ship. They didn't know Sean Callahan had left the Boar's Head Tavern just after they left the Red Stag. Recognizing the seamen, Callahan followed at a safe distance, from the other side of the street, to see where they were going.
XXXXX
A steady rain fell all day in Schooner Bay and scuttled any plans the children had to go to the park. No outdoor activities would take place today. Carolyn considered going to the library to see what it had to offer and to do some research, but even her curiosity about the Captain's untried superstition, couldn't overcome the unappealing prospect of getting soaking wet.
Their day indoors was made easier by Claymore working at the office all day, without her. When he agreed the family could move up to Schooner Bay, Carolyn insisted on having Saturday and Sunday off so she could spend the time with Candy and Jonathan. Her uncle wasn't happy about it, but recognized he couldn't get help that cheap anywhere else and eventually agreed.
The family spent the day doing everything they could to stay busy. Martha did her part keeping the children engaged by enlisting their help cleaning the breakfast dishes, and later, having them help prepare lunch. The rest of the time was spent playing games, and for quiet time, Carolyn insisted they read in their room for a while. After dinner, with Claymore home, Carolyn grabbed her well-worn copy of The Swiss Family Robinson and started reading it out loud to everyone.
Her uncle enjoyed being read to almost as much as the children. So much so, he allowed her to use multiple candles to give her enough light to read without straining her eyes too much. Everyone was absorbed in the story. Carolyn read with emotion and used different voices for the characters, keeping the story fun and interesting. Martha took advantage of the light and knitted while she listened – although she could have knitted in the dark without difficulty.
After reading for quite a while, and sipping tea to keep her throat from getting dry, she came to a good stopping point, and brought the evening's entertainment to an end. Her uncle put up the biggest fuss about her stopping. Carolyn offered to let him borrow the book so he could continue reading, but he declined. Quite unexpectedly, he gave her a compliment, telling her it wouldn't be as interesting without her reading to them.
The children said goodnight to everyone and went off to bed, knowing their mother would be along shortly to tuck them in. Claymore went to his room to look over the ledger he'd brought home. Martha remained in the living room and was still knitting when Carolyn came back from saying goodnight to the children. The younger woman picked up her sewing and started ripping out hems so she could let down Jonathan's pants and an older dress of Candy's.
"If that boy keeps growing like this, it will be time for new pants. There's barely enough material left to let out, and Candy's dress is the same way."
"It's funny how you don't notice how much their growing until you see how short their clothes look on them," Martha remarked as she watched Carolyn working diligently. "You kept yourself busy today."
"To tell you the truth, I missed being with the children all week. My time is so limited now, I want to spend as much time with them as I can. I know we'll all get used to this new routine, but for right now I just feel so . . . guilty."
"For heaven's sake! About what?"
"Not being here for them all day, taking them away from family and friends, moving them from my parent's beautiful home to Uncle's small bungalow . . . Need I go on?"
"Mrs. Muir, you have no reason to feel guilty. Everything you've done has been for your children, and I happen to believe you've made the right decision."
"Thank you, Martha."
"Granted our living arrangements are a bit cramped, and Claymore can be hard to take at times, but you've taken them away from people who treated you, and them, unfairly," she remarked. "Mrs. Muir, your parents are very nice, but they tend to take control of things when given half a chance. They did exactly that when you and the children moved in with them. And those cousins of yours – my goodness – how two spinsters can think they're experts on raising children I'll never know. We won't even go into the kind of influence the Muirs – especially Mr. Muir – would have on them. You're providing a wonderful example for Candy and Jonathan. You're someone they can be proud of, the kind of adult they can aspire to be like. You are teaching them to stand up for themselves and, if it means anything to you, I'm terribly proud of you."
Carolyn looked at her friend, encouraged by her comments, and was not the least surprised she knew her family and in-laws so well.
"It means everything to me. Thank you, Martha," she said, giving her a look a gratitude and receiving a slight nod in return.
"I hate to ask, but I have an unrelated question for you," the older woman said, looking down at her knitting. "Has Claymore paid you anything yet?"
"No. I'm guessing he hasn't paid you either?" Carolyn answered.
"No, he hasn't. It's not that I need the money, yet, but . . ."
"But you don't work for free . . . I understand. I'm so sorry, Martha. I'll talk to him. In the meantime, I'm going to begin paying your salary again. You shouldn't have to wait for your money."
"Mrs. Muir, that's not necessary. I'm sure he'll pay me . . . us . . . eventually."
"I'm sure he will too, but I don't want you to have to wait, and I have a little bit of money in savings. Let's just take it out of his hands."
"Are you sure? I really don't want to take anything away from you and the children."
"Martha, you're not. Rest assured, I will get the money from Uncle."
"But . . ."
"No, buts. It's settled. I will pay your salary. I'll go to the bank Monday."
"Thank you. I do appreciate it."
"I'm sorry I didn't think of it sooner."
The two women went back to their work in a companionable silence for a few minutes before Martha brought up another subject.
"How are you holding up with the Captain being gone?"
The young woman was taken by surprise at the question.
"Fine," she said as she dropped her eyes to the sewing in her lap.
"Good. I was wondering. You haven't stopped all day and, though I understand your feelings about spending time with Candy and Jonathan, it was almost as if you were trying to avoid having time to yourself."
"Am I that transparent?"
"Only to me. The children, being children, are too self-absorbed to take much notice of others. Come to think of it, so is Claymore."
The women chuckled at her assessment of her uncle, knowing it wasn't far from the truth.
"So?"
"I'll be fine, Martha. He'll only be gone a week. I'm sure I can go without seeing him that long.
"I'm just checking. You know if you ever need to talk . . ."
"Thank you. I hope you know how much I appreciate and depend on you."
Martha nodded, slightly embarrassed, and the women focused their attention back to their work.
XXXXX
At the Boars Head Tavern that night, Sean Callahan struck up a conversation with a couple of longshoreman and bought them a beer. He recognized them from earlier in the day when they were loading cargo on to Daniel Gregg's ship. It didn't take any time at all for the thirsty men to tell him the Kitty Keane was on its way to Halifax and comment on how much their benefactor looked like its captain.
Callahan just smiled, raised his hand to the bartender, and ordered another round.
XXXXX
Sunday, Carolyn, Martha, and the children made their way to services under overcast skies. Claymore chose to stay home again to enjoy time to himself. The family sat in the same general area they had the week before, and when Marguerite Horan arrived, Carolyn invited her to join them so she wouldn't be sitting alone.
The service ended with another insightful lesson from Reverend Farley. Candy and Jonathan paid attention throughout, and their mother was glad to have found this little church. As the parishioners filed out, the Muirs and Mrs. Horan stayed in the pew and talked while waiting for Mrs. Farley.
"Mrs. Muir, I received your note the other day. It was our pleasure to include you and your family at the ball and the picnic," Marguerite commented.
"Mrs. Horan, you and your husband, the Farleys and Captain Gregg provided a welcome we never expected, and very much appreciate, and I wanted to thank you all."
"You're very welcome. We know how difficult it can be when you're the newcomer in town, and we're happy to make your transition easier if we can."
When Mrs. Farley joined them, hellos were exchanged and they all chatted for a while. It wasn't long before the children, after being cooped up all day yesterday, started to get fidgety. Martha offered to take them outside so the ladies could talk without distraction.
"Thank you, Martha. We'll join you shortly," Carolyn told her.
As Candy and Jonathan quickly made their way down the aisle, Martha was right behind them to make sure they didn't get their Sunday clothes dirty.
"Mrs. Muir, it's so good to see you again," Sarah told her. "How was your first week at work?"
"It went well. Thank you for asking."
"Sarah and I were talking earlier this week, and wondered if you would have time to join us for lunch?" Marguerite asked. "We know you work all day, Monday through Friday, but hoped we could arrange something with you.
"I'd like to, but I don't get much time at lunch. I usually only take 15 to 20 minutes."
"Oh, that isn't much time, is it? Do you think your uncle would let us eat with you at the office?" Sara asked. "That would save you time coming and going."
"I'm not sure. I'll have to ask him," Carolyn remarked as she considered the idea. "If the weather is decent, he might not object if we sit outside on the bench and eat – if that's acceptable to both of you."
The two women agreed immediately.
"If that's what we have to do to spend time with you, we're happy to picnic on the bench," Marguerite answered smiling.
"I'll ask him when we get home. What day did you have in mind?"
"Tuesday or Wednesday? Whichever is better for you," Sarah said.
"I'll ask Uncle. If he says yes, I can drop a note in the post to let you know what day is best. If he doesn't agree, I'll let you know that too. If either of you will be home this afternoon, I could stop by. You're not too far from the park and, assuming the weather holds, I'll be taking the children over to burn off some energy."
"I only have plans to catch up on my mending this afternoon, so I'll be home," Marguerite remarked. "Sarah, do you have any plans?"
"I do. Lucius and I have been invited to dinner," she told them regretfully. "I'll be tied up all afternoon."
"Then I'll stop by your house on our way to the park, Mrs. Horan." Carolyn said. "I know the general area where your house is, but I'm not sure exactly where it is."
Marguerite gave her the directions and, as she finished, had a thought.
"Mrs. Muir, if you're agreeable to the idea, would you mind if I came to the park with you and the children? I could use a walk – and the company," Marguerite smiled.
"I'd enjoy that very much. We'll come by for you after lunch. Mrs. Farley, I'm sorry you aren't able to join us. I hope we can catch up this week."
"As do I," Sarah replied.
"Oh, when you get to the house, come around to the back; the front yard is torn up," Mrs. Horan explained.
"All right. We'll see you after lunch."
The ladies said their goodbyes and headed home in opposite directions – Marguerite walking with the Farleys and Carolyn with Martha and the children.
XXXXX
When the family arrived home, Claymore was asleep on the couch with the newspaper over his face, and his feet hanging over the arm. His slumber was interrupted, as the children rushed loudly through the house to change out of their church clothes, and a groan was heard from under the headlines.
Carolyn and Martha stepped into the room.
"Did you have a nice nap, Claymore?" Martha asked.
The irritable man uncovered his face and groused at them as he sat up.
"It was a nice nap, just not as long as I'd hoped."
"Uncle, do you have a minute?" Carolyn asked.
"I suppose so . . . since I'm awake . . . now."
"Would you mind if Mrs. Horan and Mrs. Farley came to the office Tuesday or Wednesday to share lunch with me?"
"My dear niece, the office is not a tea room for you and your friends."
"Yes Uncle, I know that, but I didn't think you'd be open to the idea of me leaving the office to join them somewhere else and taking more time away from the work – or do I have that wrong?"
"No, no, no. You're right, I can't have you neglecting your work any longer than necessary."
"Weather permitting, we could sit outside on the bench and not have to bother you at all. It would be no different than when the Captain and I eat lunch together."
"Oh, I suppose it would be all right," he grumbled. "What day did you say?"
"Tuesday or Wednesday – whichever is more convenient for you?"
"I have to go to Rockland on Wednesday – do it then. At least I won't have to listen to a bunch of clucking hens."
"Thank you, Uncle, but hens? Really."
Martha gave him a disapproving look that had him scrambling behind the newspaper again.
"I'm going to finish reading. Call me when lunch is ready," he said without lowering his shield.
The woman exchanged a smile as they walked out of the room.
"Would you like to come to the park with us after lunch, Martha?"
"No, thank you, Mrs. Muir. I think I'll take advantage of the quiet and relax a bit before I start supper. You go on and enjoy spending time with someone your own age."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. Now go change your clothes, and I'll get lunch for everyone."
XXXXX
Carolyn and the children cleaned up the lunch dishes for Martha, then left the house to begin the afternoon's adventures. After being housebound all day yesterday, the youngest Muirs were full of energy and couldn't wait to get to the park. Truth be told, Carolyn couldn't wait for Candy and Jonathan to get to the park either.
When they reached Marguerite's, they saw what she meant about the front of the house being torn up. It looked like they were doing some kind of addition to the house, and after all the rain yesterday, the front yard was a swamp. The Muirs gave the mud a wide berth and made their way to the back of the house.
Mrs. Horan saw them coming and greeted them at the door, inviting them in.
"Welcome! Please come in. I'm sorry you had to come in through the back, but there's no other way to get around that mess out front,' she explained. "James and the Captain are putting on a porch. It wasn't too bad until the rain yesterday. Now it's completely inaccessible. Come in while I get my wrap and then we can be off."
The Muirs stood in the small kitchen and waited politely. When Marguerite saw their hesitation, she invited them to follow her.
"Please, come through. I'll just be a minute."
They moved through the narrow kitchen to the front of the house where she was taking her shawl out of the closet. It was a striking room, painted a coneflower blue with off-white trim. The furnishings were cozy and against the wall was an upright piano.
"Do you play, Mrs. Horan?" Carolyn asked.
"Yes. I love music."
"What do you like to play?" Candy asked.
"I like most music. I play classical, Irish folk songs, Stephen Foster – really – anything I can get my hands on."
"Can you play Camptown Races? That's one of our favorites!" Jonathan inquired.
"I can."
"Can you play it now?" He asked excitedly.
"Now, Jonathan, we didn't come here for Mrs. Horan to entertain us."
"Mrs. Muir, I'd be happy to play the song for him."
"As long as you don't mind . . . and as long as he asks you properly."
Jonathan looked from his mother to Mrs. Horan.
"Mrs. Horan, would you please play Camptown Races for us?"
"I would be delighted to play the song for you; as long as everyone sings along."
"Okay!" both children replied.
Marguerite sat on the round piano stool that was a child's dream. To adjust it to the appropriate height, it could be turned clockwise to go up, and counter clockwise to go down. Carolyn knew this, because she had done just that with her family's piano stool when she was little.
They gathered around Mrs. Horan as she played an introduction. When she started to sing, they all joined in. Candy and Jonathan were particularly loud on the Doo-das.
Camptown ladies sing this song,
Doo-da, Doo-da
The Camptown racetrack's five miles long,
Oh, doo-da day
I come down here with my hat caved in,
Doo-dah! doo-dah!
I go back home with a pocket full of tin,
Oh, doo-dah day!
Goin' to run all night
Goin' to run all day
I bet my money on a bob-tailed nag
Somebody bet on the bay
They sang the remaining verses, and Marguerite finished with a flourish to appreciative applause.
"Mrs. Horan, that was great! Can we sing another?" Candy asked, with Jonathan nodding his head in agreement.
"Children, I thought you were ready to go to the park," Carolyn asked.
"Oh, yeah," they answered, thoughts of the park having slipped their minds.
"I'll tell you what. Why don't we plan an afternoon when the men are back and everyone can join us?" Marguerite suggested. "As you know, Mrs. Farley is very musical, Reverend Farley plays the guitar, Mr. Horan can sing a bit and plays the violin, and the Captain has a very nice voice – a beautiful baritone."
"Captain Gregg sings?" Candy asked.
"He does! I've never heard anyone sing Irish ballads like Daniel," Marguerite finished and smiled at Mrs. Muir.
"That's sounds like fun," Carolyn agreed. "We'd love to join you."
"Wonderful! Are you musical, Mrs. Muir?"
"I play the piano – badly – and can sing a little, but Martha plays the piano very well and sings too. She's really something," she smiled.
"The more the merrier," Marguerite said happily. "Obviously, we can't get together here before the porch is finished. The men laid the footers last week so they could work on it when they got home from Halifax. Once they get started, it shouldn't take long. Maybe we can plan something before they set sail again?"
Carolyn nodded.
"What are footers?" Jonathan asked.
"I don't really know. I was told they are necessary to keep the addition up and solid," Mrs. Horan chuckled. "As long as they do what they're supposed to, that's all that matters to me."
"A porch will be wonderful," Carolyn remarked. "Uncle's house is not very big, but we can go out front to enjoy the extra space – at least as long as the weather's nice."
"That's what we were missing. I can't imagine building a house without one. At a later date, we may need more room, so James wanted to make the structure solid, and a part of the house, so if we do add on, we can start there."
"Why would you need more room?" Jonathan asked.
"Never mind, sweetheart," Carolyn said smiling. "Is everyone ready to go to the park?"
"Yes, ma'am!" The children answered, and Mrs. Horan smiled at them and their mother.
XXXXX
When they reached the park, Carolyn gave her energetic children their instructions. They were to stay where she could see them. If they needed anything, they should look for her and Mrs. Horan walking around the green and come to them. Once they agreed, she let them loose to run to their hearts content, and the two women started their walk.
"Mrs. Muir, they really are nice children."
"Thank you."
"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"
Carolyn looked at the woman and wondered what she wanted to know. There was so much she wasn't ready to share.
"I guess it depends on the question," Carolyn said as she smiled. "Why don't you ask, and if I don't mind, I'll answer."
"Well, how is it living with your uncle? His house seems too small to accommodate everyone."
Carolyn laughed before replying.
"It is small, but we make do. That's not to say we don't have the occasional issue. In addition to the close quarters, we have a volume problem. If you haven't noticed Candy and Jonathan can be a bit boisterous, and Uncle is used to quiet solitude. It's an adjustment for all of us, but a good lesson for the children. They're learning to be more considerate of those around them."
"Then you're getting along well with Mr. Ebenezer?"
"Oh yes. He has his moments, but for the most part, moving up here has been a blessing."
Marguerite would have loved to pursue that comment but felt she would be crossing a line.
"Speaking for our small circle of friends, I can tell you we're very glad you came to Schooner Bay."
"Thank you. All of you have made us feel very welcome," Carolyn remarked. "You have obviously adjusted to small town living. What has it been like for you?"
Marguerite chucked before she spoke.
"I've only been here since June, but it's been an experience living in a small town after growing up in a big city like Baltimore. I would imagine it will be the same for you. Of course, there are things I miss – my family, the wonderful food, having anything I could possibly need readily available, and the people. For such a large city, the people of Baltimore are wonderful. I'll always be proud of being from there, but Schooner Bay is where my heart is now."
"So far, how is the town itself? Working all week, I haven't had the chance to get out much. The occasional clients who come in the office seem nice, and the few people I spent time with at the ball last week are exceptionally fun to be with," Carolyn said and smiled at her companion. "I did visit some of the shops before I started working, but not enough to really get an impression. Martha will have more contact with the shopkeepers than I will."
"On the whole, everyone is very nice. There are a few exceptions, but you have that in any community. It is a small town though, and while the people have been cordial, the Farleys are the only couple that really reached out to me. James has his mates – and they're very polite and nice – but most of them are single, so there's no opportunity to make friends with women in the same situation. The shops are better than I expected. That might have to do with the shipping industry here. We eventually get things big cities have, like dry goods, books, sheet music, and household items, but it takes longer than in the larger cities. Depending on where something has to come from, we don't get some food items at all because of the distance. In Baltimore, it seemed we got everything."
"What you said about growing up in a big city is something I can relate to. I feel the same way about Philadelphia. I miss my family, the food, and being able to find whatever I need when I need it and, I suppose, I miss the people. As a group, the people of Philadelphia are nice, it's when you get into the smaller communities people show their true selves. It's like that everywhere, I suppose."
While they talked, Carolyn kept an eye on Candy and Jonathan. They found other children to play with and were having a good time running around playing a game of tag. When she looked back up the path, she recognized the Captain's friends playing chess on their usual bench. She chuckled at seeing them. Marguerite followed her line of sight. The fixtures of Schooner Bay Park, the retired seamen, were absorbed in their chess game.
"I see you've already met Seamus and Colm," Marguerite remarked.
"Yes, the Captain introduced us one evening last week, when he was walking me home."
Marguerite had heard from James what he knew of Daniel's efforts with the young widow, but she didn't comment on Carolyn's escort; she stayed on the topic of the retired seamen.
"Those two are quite a pair."
"Yes, and they seem very protective of the Captain. Uncle was performing his chaperone duties that evening, and was walking behind us as we strolled through the park. Mr. Armitage, quite seriously, warned us we were being followed."
Both women found the idea of Claymore Ebenezer being a physical threat to anyone outrageously funny and laughed out loud. Their laughter was picked up by the chess players, and they looked up.
"Ahoy Mrs. Muir, Mrs. Horan!" Seamus greeted them as he and Colm stood. "It's good to see you both."
"Hello, gentlemen," the ladies greeted them.
The seamen found as much humor in being called gentlemen, as the woman had in Claymore being a physical threat and laughed heartily.
"I see the Capt'n and his first mate have both found ladies with a sense of humor," Seamus laughed. "Gentlemen? Ha, that's a good one ain't it, Colm?"
The other man simply looked up, and they all laughed. Carolyn was startled by being referred to as the Captain's lady, but found she didn't mind at all. Marguerite watched her reaction and smiled to herself.
"So, what brings you to the park today?" Seamus asked.
"We brought my children over to run off some energy after yesterday's rain," Carolyn explained. "They're over there in that large group of rowdies," she chuckled pointing across the park where carefree laughter floated across the green.
"Aye, there's nothing worse than children that can't get out and use up some of that energy. Oh, if only I had that kind of energy now. I'd still be sailing, I would." Seamus remarked.
"Who's winning?" Marguerite asked.
"I am," Colm answered unexpectedly. "But I'm lettin' him think he is."
Seamus shot him a look, but opted to wait until the young women were out of ear shot to tell him what he thought.
"Ladies, we know your men are away for the week. Remember, if there's anything we can do for you, let us know," Seamus added.
"Thank you Mr. Armitage, Mr. Donegan. It's been nice to see you both. Enjoy the rest of your game," Carolyn said
"Goodbye Seamus, Colm," Marguerite added.
"Those two are definitely characters," Carolyn remarked after they were far enough away from the chess players.
"They are, and they have good hearts.
"I wish you could have seen their faces when the Captain introduced me as Claymore Ebenezer's niece. You could have heard a pin drop."
"I can just imagine."
"The news even prompted Colm to say a few words."
"Oh, Colm is the quiet one, all right, but when something is important to him, he has plenty to say."
Carolyn nodded, and they walked along in comfortable silence for a while. Finally, Carolyn posed the question she been considering since she'd met the Horans.
"Mrs. Horan, may I ask you a personal question?"
Marguerite looked at Carolyn and smiled.
"Well, I guess it depends on the question.'"
The ladies exchanged a look of understanding.
"How do you handle your husband being away for long periods of time?"
"I was wondering if you would ask, and really, I don't mind telling you. This is actually the first time James has been gone since our wedding, and it is different. While we were courting, he was on several much longer voyages, and I have to admit it may have been easier then. I was still living at home with my family and had friends nearby. There was usually some kind of distraction to keep me from moping around and feeling sorry for myself because James was gone. It didn't keep me from thinking about him, but it kept me from dwelling on his absence too much. My situation is different here in Schooner Bay, and I don't know that this trip will really be a test with James only being away a week.
"We were married in May and had a wonderful honeymoon trip before we arrived here in late June. With Daniel and the crew still out to sea, I had James all to myself for more than a month. The time we spent together was perfect, and I'm afraid I got a little spoiled. Now, with this voyage, and the one coming up, I'll spend much more time alone and will have a lot of time on my hands. I can't help but dwell on his absence."
The young bride was quiet for a minute, and Carolyn didn't want to impose on her thoughts. When Marguerite looked back at her, she had a wondrous smile on her face.
"I must tell you, though, anticipating his return is an amazing feeling, especially when the time gets close. I think any wife of a seaman would tell you the same thing but, make no mistake, it's not an easy life for some, but when you've found the right man, the burden is lessened."
"I wondered," Carolyn said. "If I may ask, what made you decide to settle here away from your family?"
Marguerite looked at her with a conspiratorial smile.
"Perhaps we could save that for another time. We may have more in common than we realize."
Carolyn nodded, understanding her hesitation to share. She did wonder, though, what Mrs. Horan thought they might have in common.
XXXXX
They continued their walk and ended up walking around the green three times. They were greeted by Candy and Jonathan as they finished the third lap.
"Hi, Mom. Hi, Mrs. Horan."
"Hello, you two. Did you have a good time?"
"Yes, ma'am. There sure are a lot of kids around here. We only saw one person we'd met before."
"That's good to know. Are you ready to go home? It's getting close to suppertime."
"Yeah, I'm hungry," Jonathan informed the two women.
"Me too," Candy agreed.
"Let's get a move on then. Mrs. Horan, would you care to join us? I know Martha has fixed plenty of food. She always makes enough to feed an army. Uncle and I would be happy to walk you home after we eat."
"Please say yes," Candy said looking at her.
"Yeah, please come with us," Jonathan added.
"Thank you. I would enjoy that very much," Marguerite replied appreciatively.
The women walked together toward Claymore's, allowing the children to take the lead.
"You know, we've been so busy talking, I forgot confirm our plans. Uncle will be out of the office Wednesday and said that would be the perfect day for the three of us to get together for lunch."
"Mrs. Farley and I will bring the picnic," she said smiling. "This is just wonderful! Something else for us to look forward to."