Chapter Twenty-three
After what seemed like a blissful eternity of passionate embrace, Clytie pulled back slightly from the captain. Once again, his kisses had left her dizzy, disoriented, and drunkenly happy. She shook her head to clear it, trying to grasp at common sense from the midst of her delighted daze. Finally, she realized where she was and what was going on. She blushed. "Well, Captain, that was quite urgent, wasn't it?"
He grinned crookedly. "I had to kiss you. I've wanted to ever since you said you were going to climb that ladder."
She laughed softly. "And I asked you if you were going to threaten to shoot me."
He nodded. "Yes."
She sighed and leaned forward, resting her head against his strong chest, listening to his heartbeat. It felt so good standing like that, with his arms around her. She closed her eyes.
Englehorn closed his eyes as well, resting his chin on the top of her head, swaying slightly from side to side. Their embrace was almost a dance.
"Eric?" Clytie asked, her voice dreamy.
"Yes, Clytie?"
"What was in that note?" As soon as she asked, she could feel his muscles tense, and she regretted her questioning. But she had to know!
"Why do you want to know that, Clytie?" he asked stiffly.
"Because… It has to do with you," she answered honestly. "And I want to know everything about you."
He laughed sharply. "Do you really, Miss Seaborne?"
She pulled back from him, just enough so that she could see his face, could stare down those sharp blue eyes. "Yes. I do... Captain."
He pressed his lips together and looked away for a moment, quiet, and obviously bothered by something. Then he met her gaze, the look in his eyes intense. "If you must know, it was a summons, of sorts."
Clytie frowned, confused. "A summons?"
"Yes. I've been called back to New York for a… mission, if you will."
"A mission?"
"Yes. Yes, Clytie. A mission."
Her frown deepened, green eyes narrowing. "What sort of mission, Eric?"
The captain sighed, agitated that the moment, which had just been so romantic, was interrupted by business. "You know what I do, Clytie. Think. You're a scientist. This shouldn't be so hard for you."
Clytie gave him a withering glare. Then it dawned on her. "A live animal capture."
"Yes."
She cocked her head to the side. "What's so secretive about that, Eric?"
Englehorn shook his head. "Nothing, Clytie, it's just that…" Abruptly, he released her, turning his back on her and standing akimbo. He tilted back his head and closed his eyes, sighing once again.
Clytie was suddenly anxious. "Eric…" She reached out to touch him, but drew her hand back and bit her lip, not sure that he wanted to be touched.
Finally, he spun around to face her. "Don't you see, Clytie? I love you!" he exclaimed, nearly shouting. His eyes were almost unbearably intense.
Clytie gawked at him. "What… did… you… just… say?"
He took off his hat, ran a shaking hand through his blonde hair, then put his hat back on, hands on his hips once again. "I said--I love you," he repeated, not looking at her this time. His voice was strong with emotion.
"What--?"
He cut her off before she could ask any more questions. "If I take that job, I will have to leave again as soon as we get back to New York. It is a dangerous mission. I may not come back alive."
Clytie smiled weakly, still shaken by him saying that he loved her. "Yes, you will. You always survive."
He glanced sharply at her. "This time, I almost didn't."
She bit her lip and looked down. "I know. That was--"
"Not your fault. Hush." He crossed his arms and rocked back on his heels, staring at her. "Clytie, I'm afraid that if I take this job, I will lose you. In some way--whether by my death or by your forgetting me--I will lose you."
Clytie looked up at him, smiling softly. He was afraid. Afraid of losing her. That touched her deeply, almost making her want to cry. "You won't lose me, Eric. I'll go with you. I swear I will."
He raised his eyebrows, uncrossing his arms, hooking his thumbs in his belt loops. "You really mean that?" he asked, his voice low and hoarse.
Her smile widened, and her green eyes sparkled in the dim light of the deepest hold. "Yes, Captain. I do."
He stepped closer to her, reaching to touch her face. "Why, Clytie?" he whispered, lifting a strand of her red-gold hair and caressing it between his strong, rough fingers.
She closed her eyes and looked down, a tear sliding down her cheek. "You must know by now, Eric…" She met his cerulean gaze. "I love you."
"Clytie…" He hesitated, then swept her into his arms, kissing her passionately. When he finally stopped kissing her, he hugged her tightly, laughing breathlessly. "You love me?"
"Yes, I love you!" Clytie exclaimed, returning the embrace.
"Really?"
She pulled back from him, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Do I have to keep repeating myself with you? Yes! Yes! I love you!"
He grinned at her, remembering their first meeting. Then he sobered. "Clytie… I don't know if I want you to go with me…"
Clytie frowned. "Eric, I don't care. I'm going."
"It's dangerous, and--"
"What do you think this rescue mission is, Eric?" Clytie exclaimed. "I'm a grown woman. I can handle myself."
He smiled again. "That you can." Then he stepped back from her and held out his hand. "Miss Seaborne, I would be glad to have you aboard my ship on our next mission." As she shook his hand, he continued. "You are an excellent shot with a gun, a superb navigator, and…" He winked at her. "Quite attractive as well."
She grinned. "Thank-you, Captain."
He still held her hand captive in his. Suddenly, his voice was very serious, low and strong. "There is only one condition you must meet before going with me on my next voyage."
Clytie blinked. "Okay. What is it?"
"You have to marry me," Englehorn stated firmly.
Clytie's eyes went wide, her dark eyebrows raised. "Marry you?"
"Yes. I insist."
Her head was fairly spinning. "Wow. Uhm…" Then she burst into a smile so wide it hurt her cheeks. "Yes! I will! I will!"
The captain caught her up in his arms and spun her around. He finally set her down on her feet and was about to kiss her when a voice interrupted him.
"Ahem. Captain?"
Sighing with exasperation, Englehorn turned to see Jimmy walking into the section of the hold in which he and Clytie had been having their moment. "Yes, Jimmy?"
"We've got a problem," Jimmy said. He looked slightly pitiful with the bandage on his head, his eye wide.
"Another one?" Clytie asked.
"Yes."
(LINE)
"Look, Captain." Darby handed Englehorn a spyglass and pointed through the growing darkness toward the island.
The captain lifted the instrument to his eye, looked through it, then cursed. "Not again." He swiftly handed the spyglass back to Darby. "Mr. Galyon, we need to get out of here."
Darby nodded, green eyes wide. "Yes, sir. I heartily agree."
The two men walked back onto the bridge.
Clytie instantly went to Englehorn, touching his uninjured shoulder gently. "What is it, Eric?"
"It's those accursed natives again," he told her. "They're building a bonfire on the shore. And I think they are heading this way."
"There are natives on that island, too?" asked Jimmy, who was standing on the bridge beside Robbins.
"Yes," Englehorn replied. "Jimmy, go alert the crew. We're getting out of here."
(LINE)
Jack and Ann stood together on the bow deck. Jack had his arms wrapped tightly around his wife.
Ann turned to glance over her shoulder at the second island, but Jack held her even more tightly, not allowing her to turn. "No, Ann," he whispered. "Don't look back."
She nodded. "You're right. I shouldn't." She settled in his arms, closing her eyes. Even with them closed, she knew that the ship was moving deeper into the fog. Englehorn and Darby were steering the ship, trying to get out of the shroud of darkness, and Robbins was desperately trying to get the wireless to work again. It had worked just long enough to receive that message for the captain, then gone haywire again, like the instruments kept doing in the fog. Ann shuddered, remembering her first encounter with that darkness…
"It's all right, Ann. I'm right here. I've got you," Jack whispered.
And Ann smiled. His presence was always a comfort to her. He was her knight, her protector. And she loved him deeply for it…
(LINE)
Preston stood at the stern, watching the island disappear into the dark. His eyes remained fixed on the large bonfire until it could no longer be seen. Then he turned away from the railing and started walking along the deck. He noticed Jack and Ann at the bow, holding tightly to each other. He glanced up to see Jimmy in the crow's nest--again, despite his last experience there. At least this time, the ladder was fixed.
"Preston!" called a voice from behind him.
He turned around. "David. How are you?"
David was wearing his bright, charming smile. "Great, as usual. This is a fine adventure, don't you think?"
Preston studied the young archaeologist carefully, noticing his subtle resemblance to Clytie. There was something in that determined lift of the chin that smacked of Clytie-ness. "I guess you could say that," Preston replied dryly. "If it wasn't for the fact that people actually died on this mission, then I would like it much better."
"Oh." David sobered as he fell in step beside Preston. "I feel horrible about that. Those men died looking for me."
"It's not your fault, David," Preston assured him. "They knew what kind of risk they were taking." He smiled slowly. "And you sister can be quite… convincing, inspiring even."
David caught something in the other man's voice, in his expression, that he had not noticed before. "You… you really like Clytie, don't you?"
Preston glanced sharply at him. "Yes. I do."
"A lot?"
"Yes."
"I thought so." David shook his head. "Jimmy, too."
"Yes. Him, too." Preston smiled. "And certainly the captain."
"They're going to get married, I think--Clytie and Englehorn," said David matter-of-factly.
This disturbed Preston somewhere deep inside, where he still thought of Clytie romantically, but he was quite happy for her. "That's good. They're well-suited, don't you think?"
"I do," said David. He grinned crookedly. "Now it's time for me to find myself a woman."
Preston laughed. "Me, too, my friend. Join the club."
David clapped his new friend on the shoulder. "As soon as we get back to New York, me, you, Jimmy, and probably Bruce, as well, are going on a bride search!"
"Bride search!" Preston chuckled. "You have your sister's way with words, David Seaborne!" He raised his hand in a salute. "Look out, New York City! The bachelors are on their way!"
(LINE)
The Venture was still enshrouded in fog at midnight.
Captain Englehorn was at the wheel. Clytie was nearby, and Jimmy was running around the deck making sure that things were running smoothly. Most everyone else was asleep, save for a few crew members who were keeping the engines running.
"Eric, you look so tired," Clytie said suddenly, coming up beside him. "Maybe you should wake Darby up and have him take over for you."
The captain shook his head. "No. I'm fine. Darby said his arm was hurting him, anyway."
Clytie crossed her arms and raised a dark eyebrow. "Well what about you, dear Captain? Your shoulder? Your ribs?"
He gave her an annoyed glance, blue eyes narrowed, then turned back to the horizon and said nothing.
Clytie sighed, then moved to stand behind him. Gently, she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his lean, strong back. "I'm sorry, Eric," she said quietly. "I know it bothers you how much I worry. And I'm sure you're fine. You are a very strong man."
"Don't apologize, Clytie," he replied. "You didn't do or say anything wrong. I'm just…" He let the sentence go unfinished, turning to kiss the top of her golden head.
"I know," Clytie said. She smiled. That "you're a strong man" line had been a good move. She closed her eyes and settled contentedly against him. "I'm going to be your wife, Captain Englehorn," she said quietly.
He smiled. "I know."
"That will be nice."
"Indeed it will, Miss Seaborne."
"You won't be able to call me that anymore, Eric," she said, grinning. "You'll have to call me Mrs. Englehorn." Her grin widened. "But I'll still be able to call you 'Captain.'"
(A/N: Okay, so I decided that it was time for them to start the homeward voyage. The second island will probably come more into play in the sequel, which I am currently brainstorming. There is still lots to happen in this story, though. More romance, action, surprises, etc, probably like six or seven more chapters. Yay! I love writing this! And all your kind reviews encourage me to keep going!)
