Author's Note
The release between parts one and two was a little longer than I anticipated but, when you get to the end of the chapter, I think you'll understand why I waited.
Thanks to everyone who left a review and to those who sent me messages inquiring when Part 2 would be released. I'm very happy you're so invested in where this AU of the captain and Mrs. Muir will take our favorite couple. I hope this next part continues to hold your interest.
I have to thank Mary for being my beta. She catches the mistakes, provides wonderful feedback, keeps me on track, and on my toes. She is a huge help, and I am forever grateful.
As always, thank you for reading.
Part 2
"Making Memories"
Daniel arrived at Gull Cottage early Sunday morning. The night before, he and Carolyn had agreed that, instead of meeting at church, they would arrive together to further disprove the gossip started by Mrs. Shoemaker and her cronies. Since the jaunting cart didn't have enough room for all of them, he would ride alongside as they made their way into town.
After tying Splash at the hitching post, he was just inside the gate when the front door opened, and Carolyn came down the steps to meet him.
"Good morning, Captain Gregg," she said, sashaying toward him.
"Good morning to you, Mrs. Muir. Have you been waiting for me?" he asked, taking her hand and kissing it before she reached up on her tip toes to greet him with a kiss.
"Maybe I was, and maybe I wasn't," she smiled, putting her arm around his waist as they walked to the porch.
"My dear, have you been seeing Mr. Peevey in my absence?"
"Well, actually . . ." she teased. "Mr. Peevey comes by from time to time . . . to visit . . . Martha."
"Really?! Are they . . .?"
Carolyn couldn't help but smile.
"Might, then again, might not," she chuckled. "But he seems terribly fond of her . . . cherry pie."
"I've known Ed a long time. He doesn't move fast, but he's a good man . . . and steady," he smiled. "Does she like him?"
"I believe she does, but she's pretty quiet about her feelings."
Reaching the porch, Daniel motioned to the swing, and they sat down together, his arm around her shoulders.
"I hope she's not in a hurry," he chuckled.
"I don't know that she is. She's never mentioned seeing anyone after her husband passed away. He was the love her life."
"When you and I first started seeing each other, Martha mentioned her husband. I'm glad she had a love like that, and it's good for her to have someone like Ed around. On top of everything else, he's very handy," Daniel smiled. "Whatever happened with Colm? As I recall, he and the cherry pie lover were vying for her attention at the last dance."
"She likes him too, but I think they're just friends. Was he ever married?"
"No. He was engaged once but lost his fiancé in an influenza outbreak back in the late 20's."
"Oh, that's so sad."
"I don't know that he ever got over it."
"I've known a few women who never married after a loss like that. I guess I never considered that men would feel the same way."
"I've known some men who never married for that reason, and as far as women go, of course there was my mam, and then my father's cousin, Therese. She lost her fiancé in the Mexican War," Daniel told her, kissing the hand he was holding. He knew that if he couldn't have Carolyn as his wife, he wouldn't have any woman.
"It's tragic when someone loses a love like that. When Robert died, I never thought I'd ever marry again, but it certainly wasn't because he was the love of my life. After everything he'd put us through, I didn't have much faith in men, or marriage, and never thought I'd trust a man again. I assumed I would live my life for Candy and Jonathan and that would have to be enough," she said quietly. "I never dreamed there was a man out there, who I could trust and count on, to show me every day what true love really is. Daniel, I thank God for helping me find my way here . . . to you," she admitted.
There was so much she wanted to say to him but, when she placed her hand on his bearded cheek, she was afraid she was getting too serious and abruptly changed the subject.
"I can't believe how much your beard has grown out in just two days. It's softer today, much more so than last night."
"How was your face this morning . . . besides beautiful?" he asked in a low, intimate voice; unwilling to let the moment pass.
She smiled and actually blushed.
"Better than yesterday morning, but I still had to use powder to cover a few areas," she answered quietly, her hand gently touching her neck, while her eyes remained rivetted to his.
"Perhaps tonight, it won't leave any evidence at all," he said leaning in, rubbing his beard against her cheek.
"It is much softer," she purred as she turned her body toward his, kissing him in a way that made going to church the last thing on his mind. As he enthusiastically returned her affection, a cough at the door interrupted them.
Breaking the kiss, they shared a disappointed look and together quietly muttered, "blast."
"Good morning, Captain. We'll be leaving in a few minutes. Perhaps you would like to come inside until everyone is ready. In case you've forgotten, we are going to church."
"Good morning to you, Martha," Daniel responded, before turning his attention back to the lovely woman in his arms. "My dear, I think we should go into the house. We don't want to worry the poor woman too much."
Carolyn didn't say anything. She could only smile as she briefly rested her head on his shoulder. With a nudge from her captain, they reluctantly stood and, as they passed Martha on their way into the house, couldn't help hearing the deep sigh that escaped her lips.
'These two are wearing me out,' Martha thought.
Inside, Candy and Jonathan could be heard upstairs running toward the steps. Upon seeing the captain, they hurried the rest of the way.
"Good morning, Captain Gregg."
"Good morning, children," he returned their greeting. Noticing Candy's dress, he smiled and took her hand, twirling her around. "Don't you look lovely this morning?"
She looked up at him with pure joy. When she caught her mother's eye, they exchanged happy smiles.
"Thank you, Captain. It's new. Mom made it for me."
"She did a wonderful job but, with you as the model, I don't know how she could miss."
Candy couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She gave the seaman a hug and was rewarded with a kiss on the top of her head.
Turning his attention to her brother, Daniel put his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Lad, I've been informed we'll be leaving for church soon. Perhaps we should go to the barn and bring the cart around for the ladies."
"Yes, sir!"
As they went out through the kitchen, all three 'women' watched them leave. When the back door closed, they looked at each other conspiratorially.
"Do you think he suspects anything?" Carolyn asked.
"I don't think so, Mom."
"I agree," Martha added. "The only thing that might give us away is the aroma of the turkey in the oven. It hasn't been in there long enough to be noticeable yet, but there will be no hiding it by the time we get home from church."
"If we can't keep him out of the house and he says anything about it, we'll just say we're celebrating his return," Carolyn said, smiling.
"He's sure going to be surprised!" Candy added.
XXXXX
The cart came around to the front of the house with Jonathan at the reins. The captain was seated beside him, instructing him on how to bring Bonhomme to a gentle stop. Only going slightly past the gate, the pride in his accomplishment was plain to see on the boy's face; he looked as if he'd grown a foot.
Seeing the ladies walking toward them, the seaman spoke quietly to the lad as they stepped out of the cart. By the time the rest of the family reached the gate, Daniel was there to open it, and Jonathan was waiting by the cart. He offered his hand to Martha, helping her in, then did the same for his mother and sister. Once they were settled, he stepped in behind them and handed the reins to his mom. Thanking him, Carolyn looked at the captain and, upon catching his eye, winked.
XXXXX
When they arrived in town, the family drew the attention of people on the street; most of whom gave them a friendly wave. They received similar greetings as they walked through the church yard. Reverend Farley was standing outside the church door when he noticed them coming up the steps.
"Welcome home, Captain Gregg. Mrs. Muir, Mrs. Grant, children – it's good to see you all back together."
"Good morning, Reverend. It's good to be home," Daniel replied, shaking the younger man's hand.
"Captain, I feel I should tell you that today's sermon was planned long ago, it has nothing to do with . . ."
He was interrupted by another family's arrival and could only shrug his shoulders at Daniel's puzzled expression.
"What was that all about?" Carolyn asked quietly.
"I don't know," he replied. "But I suppose we'll find out soon enough."
As they walked down the aisle, Carolyn holding Daniel's arm, many people acknowledged their arrival with a smile. Sarah Farley, who was playing the organ on the alter, was happy to see the captain and the Muir family reunited.
There were several notable exceptions to the friendly greetings, though. Mrs. Shoemaker gave them a look that made no attempt hide her contempt for their whole party, her sister, Mrs. Worth, avoided making eye contact, and a few rows down, Mrs. Hassenhammer seemed overly interested in the hymnal she was holding.
Taking the pew in front of the Horans, the family welcomed James home, and Marguerite did the same with Daniel. The women shared a few words, while the captain's first mate shook his hand and leaned into him.
"It didn't take you long to stir things up, did it?"
Daniel acted as if he had no idea what his friend was talking about, but the pleased expression on his face gave him away.
The service started with a welcome home for the crew of the Kitty Keane, and a prayer of thanks for their safe return and successful voyage. The service then progressed with the usual music and prayers but, when Reverend Farley got to the readings, things got interesting.
The first reading was from Ephesians, Chapter 4, verses 17-32, and caught the attention of quite a few people when he began reading verse 25:
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Reverend Farley finished the reading and looked out over the congregation before sitting down. It seemed he was giving the parishioners time to absorb the words spoken, and most believed the verses had been chosen intentionally as a result of the latest round of gossip.
When Mrs. Farley finished playing the interim hymn, the minister returned for the gospel, reading from James, Chapter 4. By verse ten, the connection between the two readings was obvious.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
As the last words faded, Reverend Farley closed his bible and, again, looked out among the worshippers. His eyes appeared to travel across each pew, and every person there felt as if he were looking directly at them. You could have heard a pin drop as they waited to hear what he was going to say.
The lesson that followed focused on families, and what that term encompassed – traditional families, people that, by choice, care for one another though they may not have a name in common, church families, communities, up to the ultimate family they were all a part of as children of God.
While Reverend Farley could have easily focused on gossip, especially after the last few days, he let the gospel readings get that point across. Instead, he spoke of the importance of caring for, supporting, and being kind to one another. He did say it was unrealistic to expect that a person would like and get along with everyone they met but, because they were all God's children, they should treat each other with respect and kindness . . . regardless of the differences they believed separate them.
The church was quiet as their young pastor returned to his seat. When he stood, and the closing prayer was completed, he looked out one last time and gave them a thought to take home with them.
"Go forth and serve the Lord as Paul instructed in his letter to the Ephesians, 'And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.'
After the final hymn was sung, the Gregg, Muir, and Horan group, talked amongst themselves while they waited for Mrs. Farley. Joining them a short time later, Sarah happily welcomed the seamen home and greeted the rest of the party. Together, they walked down the aisle to the back of church.
As they grew close to Reverend Farley, Martha offered to take Candy and Jonathan outside to give the adults time to talk.
"Thank you, Martha. We won't be long," Carolyn replied.
"Take your time. Those two could spend hours looking at those old headstones."
After thanking Reverend Farley, the older woman and her charges went out into the churchyard.
"So, your choice in today's readings had nothing to do with the events of the last few days?" Daniel asked, shaking the pastor's hand.
"No, just a happy coincidence," the younger man smiled. "I'm hopeful, though, that the timing will allow the message to have a larger impact than it would have had otherwise."
"Your faith is obviously stronger than mine," the seaman replied. "But considering your position, I would hope that was the case. I can't imagine certain people in this town changing their behavior after all these years."
"Well, the Lord does work in mysterious ways," Reverend Farley smiled again, but being human, he had his own doubts when it came to those certain people.
"That He does, Reverend," Daniel acknowledged.
"I know the last few days haven't been easy for you. If you'd like to talk about it, I'm available," he offered.
"Thank you, Reverend; we appreciate the offer. Your lesson today was eye opening on many levels and gave me a lot to think about," Carolyn admitted.
The group chatted together on more pleasant issues for a few minutes and, when they parted, promised to get together before the Kitty Keane sailed again.
The captain, Mrs. Muir, and the Horans, left the church to collect the rest of the family. Candy and Jonathan were on the other side of the churchyard, while Martha was visiting with a friend. Down the path, leading out of the yard, Sam Shoemaker, husband of the notorious Jane Shoemaker, was waiting.
His presence, after yesterday's events at Norrie's, caused James to suggest that he find out what the man wanted, but Daniel turned him down.
"No, I'll go see what he has to say. Why don't the three of you gather the children? Sam's a reasonable man, and I suppose it's me he wants to speak with," he suggested. "How he ended up with that shrew of a woman is beyond me."
"Daniel, the events of the last few days involve me too. I'd like to go with you. We'll find out, together, what he wants," Carolyn told him, squeezing his arm.
He searched her eyes and saw the strength and determination he so admired about her.
"All right, my love. As with all things, we shall face this together," he agreed, touching her hand.
They let the Horans go ahead of them and then proceeded down the walk.
Mr. Shoemaker greeted James and tipped his hat to Marguerite as they passed. Seeing the seaman and the young widow coming toward him, he stood up straight and removed his hat completely.
"Good morning, Captain Gregg . . . Mrs. Muir."
"Mr. Shoemaker," the seaman replied, while Carolyn nodded.
"I . . . ah . . . wondered if I might have a private word with you?"
"We seem to be alone now. What would you like to talk about?" Daniel asked directly.
"I . . . ah . . . I would like to apologize to you both . . . especially you, Mrs. Muir . . . for my wife's behavior toward you."
Neither the captain nor Carolyn replied, so he continued.
"It's no secret in this town, or to anyone who's ever met my wife, that she is a terrible gossip and can be quite unpleasant."
Still, not a word was said.
"I've spoken to her about her conduct, on many occasions, but can't seem to get through to her," he said, meeting their eyes, his embarrassment obvious. "Quite frankly, Captain, the dressing-down you gave her yesterday, and the readings in church this morning, have had no impact on her at all. She still doesn't see that she has done anything wrong."
Daniel and Carolyn exchanged a look of sympathy for the man, but, at the same time felt, if he had done something about his wife's behavior sooner they wouldn't be having this conversation.
"Sam, you don't have to apologize for your wife's behavior, though we appreciate that you did," the captain replied. "But I told her, and I'll tell you. I consider any gossip she or any of her cohorts spread about Mrs. Muir, her family, or myself slander, and I will be keeping up with what's being said around town, and by whom. In my absence, Joseph Stringer has the authority to bring suit against anyone he feels has maligned any of us."
The man's face went pale. His wife had made no mention of that when she told him how Captain Gregg had spoken to her the day before. Of course, she claimed to be the innocent party, but he knew full well she had started the rumors about Mrs. Muir, and he had no doubt Jane deserved the dressing-down she received. He only wished he'd done it himself.
"Captain, I can assure you that won't be necessary. I'll see to it that she keeps her mouth shut about you, and the Muir family, and anyone else in town," he answered forcefully. "I should have done it years ago and, for not doing so, I apologize."
"I hope you can, Sam," Daniel replied doubtfully.
"Ma'am, I hope you will accept my apology. By not reining in my wife before now, I am to blame for her behavior toward you and your family. I will do everything I can to correct that oversight."
"Thank you, Mr. Shoemaker," Carolyn replied.
When there didn't seem to be anything else to say, he shook hands with the seaman and bowed to Mrs. Muir.
"Thank you both for your time. Good day."
As he walked away, Carolyn looked up at her Daniel.
"You don't think he'll do anything drastic do you?"
"You mean to Mrs. Shoemaker? No, I don't. He's always struck me as a reasonable man, but one who left his wife to do whatever she wanted. I suspect the only thing he will do is finally start saying 'no' to her and his children," he replied. "Other than at church, I've never seen him out with his family. That could be the reason the Shoemaker children are just as unpleasant as their mother."
"If nothing else is accomplished, it would be refreshing if something could be done about their son, Danny. I've never met a more annoying child."
"Aye, I've heard about the boy from the children."
Seeing their mom and the captain walking alone now, Candy and Jonathan ran to meet them. Stopping in front of them, they were nearly shouting when they arrived.
"Can we go home now?!"
"Goodness! What's the hurry?" their mother asked.
"No reason. We're just ready to go," Candy replied, trying to bring the excitement level down, so the captain wouldn't suspect anything was going on.
"Are you sure you've looked at all the headstones you wanted to see?" Daniel asked.
"Yes, sir. Besides, the ones we haven't seen will still be here next week."
"Aye, lad. I believe they will," he chuckled, patting Jonathan's shoulder. As they walked together to join Martha, he looked down at Carolyn and smiled.
"Mrs. Muir, may I have the privilege of escorting you and your family home this morning?"
"Why, Captain Gregg, we would be delighted," she smiled. "May we have the honor of enjoying your company at dinner this afternoon?"
"If you're sure it wouldn't be any trouble?"
"It's no trouble at all. There's always a place for you at our table."
"Thank you, madam," he smiled and bowed. "I would be delighted to join you and the family."
Candy and Jonathan looked at each other and rolled their eyes; wordlessly agreeing that, sometimes, grownups were just silly.
XXXXX
Arriving home, they stopped at the gate so the women could go directly inside, then Daniel and Jonathan walked the horses to the barn. Martha had been right. The mouth-watering aroma of the turkey cooking for several hours greeted them as soon as they came through the front door.
The day's plan was for Jonathan to keep the seaman busy and out of the house for as long as possible, while his mom, sister and Martha finished the preparations. With that in mind, when they reached the barn, but before they unhitched Bonhomme, the boy asked the captain if he would give him another driving lesson.
"I don't see why not. Perhaps Candy would like to learn."
"Aww, do we have to include her?"
"We don't have to, but it would be the right thing to do. Your sister should know how to drive the cart too."
"I guess," the boy agreed, reluctantly.
"Why don't you go ask her while I take care of Splash and put him in the pasture? I'll meet you in the house when I finish."
"No, you don't have to do that," the boy said quickly, thinking fast. "It won't take me long and, if Candy wants to come, we'll meet you out here."
"I suppose that makes more sense, but I should make sure it's all right with your mother."
"I can tell her. She won't mind."
"Oh, and how do you know that?"
"I . . . ah . . . I mean . . . ah . . . she . . . she told us just last week it was time for us to learn how to drive the cart."
"That's excellent! I couldn't agree with her more."
Jonathan almost let out an audible sigh of relief.
"I'll be right back," the boy said, scrambling out of the barn.
When he ran through the back door, Martha was in the kitchen.
"Where are Mom and Candy?!"
"They're in the dining room. What's wrong?!"
"Nothing, I just need to talk to them . . . quick!" he said, running out of the room.
His mother and sister were putting the finishing touches on the table when he entered.
"Wow! This looks great!"
The Muir women looked very pleased with themselves.
"The captain is going to be so surprised," Candy replied smiling.
"Where is he?" Carolyn asked.
"He's still in the barn. He's going to teach me more about driving the cart and wants to know if Candy wants to learn too."
"Really!" his sister asked excitedly.
"Yeah. Do you want to?"
"May I, Mom?"
"We don't have much more to do to get ready," she said, looking around. "Of course, you can go. It's about time you learned anyway."
Her answer made Candy very happy, and Jonathan actually looked relieved.
"Mom, I'm glad you said that; I had to tell the captain a fib a few minutes ago. When I asked him about having another driving lesson, he said he should ask you if it was all right. To keep him from coming to the house, I told him you had just talked about wanting us to learn."
"I think, in this case, your little white lie was necessary," she smiled. "And I have been meaning to start teaching you both, so it's not really a fib," she added, gently thumping him on the head. "I think I'll walk down with you to see what he has in mind. That'll give us an idea of how long you'll be gone."
XXXXX
When they reached the barn, Daniel was walking in from the pasture. He had taken off his coat, vest and tie and looked quite fetching. Carolyn took in the sight of him and couldn't help but sigh. Upon seeing her, the seaman's face lit up.
"My dear, will you be joining us for the lesson?"
"No, as much as I'd like to, since the children will be with you, I told Martha I'd set the table and help her with anything I could. I came down to find out what your plans are. Will Candy and Jonathan be driving the cart around the property, or are you going to take them down to the main road?"
"We'll have to see how they do first, but I think there's a good chance we'll end up down on the road. It shouldn't be too busy, and they're both very good with Bonhomme. Between he and I, we won't let them do anything that could get anyone hurt." he replied. "That is, of course, as long as that's agreeable to you?"
"It is, and your timing couldn't be better. I was just telling the children last week it was time for them to learn how to drive the cart," she said, sharing a knowing smile with Jonathan.
"How would you feel about them learning to ride?"
"Oh, boy!" both children exclaimed.
"Well, I'm assuming we're talking about them riding Bonhomme?"
Daniel nodded.
"And you would be their instructor?"
"Who else?" he smiled.
"Then, I think that would be all right. Candy and Jonathan should know how to do both. You never know when it might come in handy."
"Yay!"
Their response made their mother and the captain smile, and the look in Carolyn's eyes told the seaman, once again, how much she loved him and appreciated all he did for the children.
"I'd better get back to the house so you can get started. How long do you think you'll be gone?"
Daniel looked at his pocket watch.
"We should be back by half past twelve. After all that activity, Bonhomme will require a good rubdown and brushing. We'll need time to do that before we come in to eat," Daniel replied. "Children, why don't you walk him out of the barn? I'll be right with you."
"Okay."
Together, brother and sister led the horse out, leaving their mom and the captain alone.
"Captain Gregg, did you do that to create an opportunity?"
"Might," he smiled. "Then again, might not." Daniel put his arms around her and kissed her gently.
"Umm, what a good idea," Carolyn sighed as they broke the kiss.
"I'm glad you think so. We'll have to see what we can do about creating other opportunities as the day goes on. I have a feeling Martha is going to be making her presence felt, quite a bit, from now on."
"Do you really think sh . . .?"
"Mrs. Muir?!" came a call from the housekeeper.
The couple laughed, shared another quick kiss, and walked out of the barn; the captain's arm around her shoulders and hers around his waist. Martha was in the yard – hands and hips – looking their way. They glanced at each other, smiling as they separated.
"Candy and Jonathan, I expect you to do as the captain says. It's important you know how to handle a horse properly. They are powerful animals and can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing," she told them. "And," she added. "Make sure you have fun."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Thank you, Daniel. I can't wait to hear how it goes," she said and walked toward the house – his eyes following her retreating figure.
When she reached Martha, they watched the captain turn his attention back to the children; getting them situated and providing instructions. Climbing in the cart, he allowed Jonathan to take the reins and head toward the private road. The older woman gave her friend a 'look' but didn't say anything. Carolyn bit back a smile and focused her attention on Daniel and the children. As they rode out of sight, she turned back to her friend.
"They should be back around half past twelve."
"It will be another hour after that before dinner is ready."
"Well, Daniel said they'd have to brush Bonhomme when they came back, but that won't take long. What can we do to keep him out of the house until it's time to eat?"
"Maybe you could talk him into going for a walk," Martha suggested. ". . . with you AND the children, of course," she added pointedly.
Carolyn couldn't help but chuckle.
XXXXX
By the time Daniel and the children returned, dinner was well in hand. Carolyn was just finishing the dishes in the sink when she saw them come around to the back of the house with Candy at the reins. Her daughter was doing a very good job of leading Bonhomme into the barn.
"They're back. Martha, is there anything you need me to do?"
"No," she said looking at the time piece pinned to her dress. "It will be close to 45 minutes before everything is ready. I can finish up in here."
"Then, I think I'll go down to the barn and help keep Daniel from coming up to the house too soon. We may have to do as you suggest and go for a walk."
"That's fine, as long as you take at least one of the children with you."
"Yes, ma'am," Carolyn smiled and touched her friend's elbow as she passed her. "I promise I'll be on my best behavior."
Martha watched Mrs. Muir leave the house and wondered just how long those two could possibly hold out.
XXXXX
When Carolyn reached the barn, the children were unhitching Bonhomme from the carriage.
"How did it go?" their mother asked.
"It was great!" Candy replied excitedly.
"Yeah, we took turns driving the carriage on the private road and, when the captain thought we were ready, he let us go down to the main road. I drove away from town, and Candy brought us home," Jonathan said, giving her the rundown.
"Madam, they did very well," Daniel said, walking over to her. "I'm not saying they're ready to drive into town on a busy Saturday morning, but it won't be long before they are."
"Wonderful! I knew you were ready."
Both children beamed at the captain's assessment of their abilities, and their mom's confidence in them.
"What brings you down here?" Daniel asked. "I thought you and Martha would have your hands full getting dinner on the table."
"We weren't quite to that point yet. Quite frankly, I think she wanted me out of the way," she smiled a little guiltily. "Soooo . . . I decided I'd come down here and see if you and the children would like to go for a walk."
"With you?"
"Of course, with me! Why?"
"I was beginning to think you were avoiding me."
"Captain, you know better than that."
"Do I, madam?" he teased.
The words didn't do it, but his tone, and the look he gave her, caused her to blush. The children were brushing Bonhomme, listening to the exchange, and only picked up on the captain's teasing tone. They thought it was funny, though, that their mom was telling her own fib to keep him from going to the house before everything was ready.
Daniel looked at his lady and sighed heavily, as if resigned to undertake an unpleasant task.
"I suppose, once we finish with our friend here, we might be able to go for a walk."
"If it's too much trouble, we don't have to," she replied, calling his bluff.
"No, it might just be a good idea. A walk would do us all good. Don't you agree, children?"
"I guess it would be okay," Candy sighed, acting put out but pleased to be in on the captain's teasing.
"Yeah, but I hope dinner's ready soon. I'm getting hungry," Jonathan added, staying true to form.
As they shared a smile, Daniel ran his hand down his lady's arm, giving her a contented gaze before turning to join the children. Carolyn, feeling the same way, let him know by catching his fingers before he could move away.
"Did you notice? A delivery of fresh hay came last week," she said, glancing up at the hayloft.
His eyes followed hers, then glanced toward the children, before giving her a stern look. Pulling her closer to him, he spoke softly in her ear.
"My love, today, it is you who's not playing fair," he said softly.
"Daniel?" she said quietly, reaching out to him.
Taking her hand and sharing a look of longing with her, he moved away, shaking his head at the frustrating position he found himself in. He would have been more than happy to explore the hayloft with her but, if they were left alone, he knew he wouldn't be strong enough to stop and wasn't sure she was either. Despite how they both felt, he still understood they couldn't take that chance.
Carolyn immediately felt guilty for making such a flippant remark about something they both so desperately wanted but continued to deny themselves. She followed his every move and distractedly sat down on a long, tarp-covered box to watch him with the children. Now was not the time, but she knew she should talk to him, but it would have to wait until they had a private moment.
He felt her eyes upon him and glanced in her direction. When he realized where she'd settled, he got a strange expression on his face but, since she wasn't paying any attention to what she was sitting on, other than as a place to rest, he went back to the task at hand.
XXXXX
With Bonhomme brushed and in the pasture with his new friend, Splash, the captain had put on his tie, buttoned his vest and was slipping on his coat as they started out of the barn.
"Is there any place special you'd like to walk?"
"I thought we'd stroll around the back of the property."
"As you wish, my love," he said, presenting his arm.
Daniel had walked the property since his return, not just to the pond with the children his first day back; he wanted to see as much of it as he'd had time for. He loved this piece of land that was completely his, and he had since he was a boy. He'd purchased it with the idea that it would be the Gregg family homestead for generations to come, but that dream vanished with the tragic loss of his sister and mother; that is, until now. With Carolyn by his side, he knew they would make it all he had ever dreamed it could be.
As they walked along together, the children told their mom about their driving lesson. They were both beyond happy to be spending time with the captain and with what they were learning from him. They were already comfortable with Bonhomme and had absolute faith and trust in him. Daniel had to remind them that all horses were not as smart and good natured as his. To show them the difference, he told them they'd take Splash out the next time. The pinto was good natured too, but all horses had their own personalities, and he wanted Candy and Jonathan to see that for themselves. He explained that to be as safe as possible, a driver had to be in control, regardless of the horse they had out.
"I don't think you'll have any trouble with Splash, but you will see a difference. Do you understand what I mean about being in control?"
"Yes, sir."
"Just like you told us when we were out driving, right?" Candy asked.
"Exactly."
"Mom, may we go ahead of you and the captain, down to the pond?" Jonathan asked.
"I don't see why not but stay on this side; don't wander."
"Yes, ma'am," they replied and were off like a shot; leaving the couple to stroll on their own.
When they reached the vegetable garden, Daniel commended Carolyn for getting everything in the ground.
"The weather wasn't very cooperative. It stayed colder longer than we're used to and rained nearly every Saturday in May. We waited as long as we could and then prayed there wouldn't be a late frost," she explained. "Mr. Peevey came up to help and brought Caleb with him."
"Caleb?"
"Yes. Mr. Peevey has used him before and is very good at keeping things simple for him. The boy . . . I mean the young man . . . tries so hard."
"He does; his grandmother saw to that. She and her husband raised him when his mother died after he was born. They didn't treat him any different than they treated the other children – within his abilities, of course," Daniel explained. "I'm not sure what will happen when she passes away; Mr. Billingsley died several years ago. I suppose one of his siblings will invite him to live with them."
"Sometimes I take for granted how blessed I've been to have two healthy children. Meeting someone like Caleb is a reminder that there are no guarantees."
"No, there aren't. I didn't realize Ed used him in his work. I'm glad he brought the lad with him; I always knew Peevey was a good man."
"We couldn't have gotten the garden in without their help or, if we had, we wouldn't have planted nearly as much."
"Did the children help too?"
"Yes, we all pitched in. It was quite a production. Thank goodness the weather finally cooperated."
Daniel smiled, as he put his arm around her, and they continued to walk.
"I knew I made the right choice hiring you as my property manager."
Carolyn looked up at him and chuckled, earning a kiss in reply.
Reaching what had been an ignored flower garden when he left, the seaman stopped and moved behind her, slipping his arms around her slender waist and clasping his hands together in front of her.
"My dear, I meant to tell you how impressed I was, and am, with the progress you've made with the flower garden. I hardly recognized it," he said, kissing her neck. "And the front of the house has never looked so well."
"We haven't had time to do much more than pull weeds, and there were certainly enough of those to keep us busy. I just haven't had enough free time to devote to the flowers," she admitted. "The vegetable garden was the priority, and there have been a few other things that have taken up my time."
"Oh, and what might those be?"
"Mostly, working for Uncle. By the time I get home and we eat, there's hardly time to do anything outside."
"I don't know how you get as much done as you do. My love, you are a marvel."
"No, Martha is the marvel. If it weren't for her, our lives would be very different, I don't even want to consider where we'd be without her."
"I know you and the children wouldn't be here if she hadn't agreed to come with you. Thank God she did," Daniel said, holding her closer. "You know what that means, don't you?"
"What?" she asked, turning so she could see his face.
"We don't owe our happiness to Claymore; we owe it to Martha. Madam, you have no idea what a relief that is."
Carolyn chuckled deep in her throat and ran her hands up his chest, resting them around his neck while his hands claimed her waist and pulled her to him. They gazed at each other for several moments before they stopped fighting their feelings and came together in a scorching kiss.
At the backdoor, Martha stepped outside and rang the bell, calling the family to dinner, startling the couple.
"What in blue blazes is that racket?!" Daniel asked, pulling away from their kiss.
"That, my dear Captain, is the woman we owe our happiness to," she chuckled. "It's Martha's way of calling us. It wasn't an issue until the weather got nice, and the children started spending more time outside. She got tired of shouting for them, especially when they weren't close enough to hear her."
"That's certainly not an issue now," he remarked, watching the children run toward them.
"It's time to eat! Let's go!" Jonathan called out as he and Candy ran past with Scruffy on their heels.
Their mother couldn't help smiling at their enthusiasm, but Daniel was perplexed.
"Jonathan is always hungry, but I've never seen Candy act this way. What's gotten into them?"
"I guess they're just ready to eat," Carolyn replied, taking his arm. "Shall we join them?"
"Well, I suppose I could be persuaded."
"You need to be persuaded to sit down to one of Martha's amazing meals?" she puzzled. Stopping in front of him, she placed her hand on his forehead to check for a temperature but, to Daniel, it felt like a caress. "No, you don't feel warm."
He gently took her hand as she lowered it to her side.
"No, not at the moment, but that can change in an instant . . ." he said as his lips grazed the back of her fingers.
"Outside?!"
"Outside, inside . . . anywhere I'm with you, my love."
Their eyes met and held . . . until the clanging of the bell put an end to their moment. Glancing toward the offending noise, they were greeted with a stern look from Martha; one they were becoming very familiar with. Sharing a smile, he presented his arm, and they followed the others into the house.
Coming through the utility room, Daniel noticed the table wasn't set.
"We're not eating in the kitchen?"
"No, we thought it would be nice to eat in the dining room for a change. We don't get to do that often."
"That's a lot of extra work for you, Martha."
"Now, don't you worry about that, Captain" she replied. "It's nice to have a formal meal once in a while." Seeing Candy and Jonathan heading to the dining room, she called them back. "Not so fast, you two. You need to wash your hands," then, looking at the couple, added, "I'd say you all do."
The children rushed through washing their hands and hurried out of the room with Scruffy. Martha was right behind them, causing Carolyn to call out from the sink.
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"No, Mrs. Muir; everything's on the table. Come along, now, before the food gets cold."
"What is going on around here? First, Jonathan and Candy, now, even Martha seems to be eager to sit down to dinner. Didn't anyone eat breakfast this morning?" Daniel commented.
Carolyn smiled while she finished drying her hands and handed him the towel.
"I guess they're just hungry," she said, shrugging her shoulders.
"Granted, the aromas are enough to drive a man to distraction, but I've never seen this family act like this. My dear, you seem to be the only one not in a hurry."
"Oh, I'm just as hungry as they are but, by lagging behind, we get a brief moment to ourselves."
"I do like the way you think," he smiled, pulling her into a kiss. When their lips separated, they stayed in each other's arms until Daniel lifted her chin and kissed her again. "Truth be told, I'm hungry too. Are you ready?"
"I am," she smiled.
"Mrs. Muir, may I have the pleasure of escorting you into dinner?" he asked, offering his arm.
"Captain Greg, I would be honored."
When they reached the dining room, Daniel was struck speechless by what he saw. The room was alight with candles, a small fire burned in the fireplace, pine branches and other greenery adorned mantle, hutch, and table, a small, fully decorated balsam fir was in the corner – complete with gifts – and the table, which had been reduced in length to an intimate size appropriate for the small family, was weighed down with a feast. There wasn't a flat surface in the room that wasn't decorated, and even Scruffy had a Christmas bow tied around his neck.
With an expression of wonder on his face, the sea captain, who hadn't had a family Christmas in more than ten years, was startled by what he saw, and the family's heartfelt greeting.
"Merry Christmas, Captain Gregg!"