The "dog days of summer" had really settled in over Schooner Bay. The air was muggy and heavy and the heat . . . well . .. "unrelenting" was the word the locals used in daily conversation. Carolyn sat on the porch, the ice in her iced tea had long since melted, but he mind was a hundred years away as she perused the last few pages of Rebecca Hadley's diary. Times had been hard for the Hadleys, but they had weathered many storms, but the last, Rebecca's illness and death had left a lasting impression on everyone.

Pressed into the pages of the journal, Carolyn found a letter and she immediately recognized the handwriting as Daniel's.

18 December, 1861 - Liverpool.

Dear Zeb,

I've just received the sad news of Rebecca's passing. Captain Newman, of the Henry Essex, was kind enough to present your letter to me today. My heart is heavy. I am quite certain that there are no words that I can express to you that adequately convey my deep sense of sympathy for your loss. Rebecca was one of those rare people that, I believe, was an angel here on Earth. Please know how dreadfully she will be missed by all of us. She was a blessing and Schooner Bay is richer for having known her.

My dear friend, if there is anything that I may do to assist you in any way, please contact me as soon as possible. We sail from Liverpool in three days time with a cargo bound for New York. I anticipate arriving in Schooner Bay in short order thereafter. I shall do my utmost, as you ask, to find Abraham and return him with me.

Again, my sorrow is great and I am sorry that I was not able to bid a final farewell to such a gracious lady. I do thank Rebecca and you for the many kindnesses you have shown me.

Your faithful,

D. Gregg

Carolyn carefully refolded the letter and returned it to the diary. Now, she knew, at least in part, what had happened to the Hadley's youngest son; Abraham was in New York. She made her way up to the wheelhouse in search of the Captain.

He was seated as his desk, writing in his log book and she tapped softly on the slightly open door. "Daniel? Am I intruding?"

"Not at all, my dear." He put his pen down. "Just updating the log."

"I see." Carolyn tried to peer around his arm to see what he had written, "Anything interesting happening?"

"Plenty. The results of the Regatta needed to be recorded." Daniel smiled at her.

"Candy and Jonathan did very well."

"They did, indeed. I'm very proud of them."

Carolyn ran her hand over his arm. "I know, and they know that, too."

"Indeed."

"Now, I have a question that only you can answer." Carolyn seated herself on the same settee.

"My dear?" Daniel replied as he joined her there.

"What happened to Abraham Hadley?"

Daniel cleared his throat in the way he did when annoyed.

"Oh, come on, Daniel, you promised you'd tell me the rest of the story," Carolyn implored.

"Well . . . if I must."

"Yes, you must."

"After the voyage to Bristol and back, young Hadley couldn't get off the ship quickly enough to suit himself. We made port in New York and he practically leapt off the deck. He said he'd had enough of the seamen's life and if he never got on another ship again that would be too soon."

"No kidding?"

"Truly. I paid him his wages, meager as they were, and pointed him toward the railroad station where he could get a train to Boston and then on to Portland. But, he never left New York. Seems he met a young lady that first evening and her father offered him a job in his dry goods store. Abraham stayed on with him, married the girl and lived in New York. I saw him occasionally when I was in port there. He seemed happy and was doing very well; eventually he took over his father-in-law's business and made a fortune."

"Wow! Did he ever come back to Schooner Bay?"

"Once or twice. But, his life was in New York. I know Zeb missed him after Rebecca died, but he knew the boy was happy there and never tried to make him return."

Carolyn leaned her head against Daniel's shoulder. "I'm not looking forward to the day that Candy and Jonathan leave for greener pastures," she said wistfully.

"Leave? Nonsense! They'll stay here in Schooner Bay."

"Don't be so sure, Daniel. They have to find their own lives, too. You did."

"Ah, yes, but I always returned to Gull Cottage" He placed a soft kiss on her head. "I had to . . . I needed to be here for you. For our forever."

End.