It didn't take long for Colm and the children to discover that Marjorie was not good at skipping stones. Despite the detailed instructions, and multiple demonstrations she was given, she just couldn't get the hang of throwing the rocks effectively. Colm, on the other hand, was incredibly good and shared his method on how to get more skips from each throw.

There was a lot of laughter as one after the other took a turn. Her grandchildren and the seaman encouraged Marjorie and, even with her lack of success, she was a good sport when the stones she threw hit the water with a 'kerplunk' never to be seen again. Everyone cheered when a good throw was made, and a stone would skip several times across the water. The children took as much joy from each other's success as their own and were in awe of Colm's ability to get five, sometimes six, skips with his throws. They both paid close attention to his instructions and did their best to emulate his technique and showed some improvement.

They were all having a wonderful time, but noting the time, Colm and Marjorie realized they needed to start back to the house. The children were reluctant to see the fun come to an end, but it only took Candy challenging her brother to a game of tag to get them moving. In an instant, they were off, enjoying the freedom that youth and living at Gull Cottage provided.

Just watching them was exhausting to the old friends. Candy and Jonathan ran around the garden then circled back toward their grandmother and the seaman, making a loop around them, before running back toward the house. Between their laughter and the dog's barking, the couple couldn't help smiling as they followed at a more sedate pace. They sobered when their eyes met and were quiet as they walked along. It was Marjorie who finally broke the silence.

"Colm . . . I thought of you often over the years . . . always hoping you were well . . . and having a good life," she confessed.

He looked at her and met her eyes.

"Thank you, Margie. 'Twasn't the life I expected but it's been good. I enjoyed my adventures and saw more of the world than most people could ever imagine. I've made life-long friends and like to think I've lived a good life. In a way, 'tis what I'd planned on; I just didn't expect to do it alone," he replied, breaking eye contact. "I often wondered how things turned out for you . . ."

He left the words hanging in the air, not sure if it would be appropriate to ask anything specific about her life. Marjorie picked up on his hesitation and sighed.

"I guess it's safe to say, my life didn't turn out the way I thought it would."

He looked at her but didn't say anything; leaving it to her if she wanted to share any details.

"It hasn't been what I expected," she admitted. "Things changed completely when we lost Abbie, and her death was just the beginning."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Father decided he was going to make sure that I made a good marriage."

"You mean because Abbie had been engaged to me . . . a common 'sailor?'"

"Seaman, Mr. Donegan. Seaman," she smiled sadly. "But yes, that . . . and I was all he had left."

"Ya mean because of your brothers bein' gone too?"

She looked at him and nodded.

"Mama was against his plan for me and fought him tooth and nail . . . in her own quiet way. She'd always wanted her children to marry for love . . . not to improve the family's social position. She'd been content with the life she'd shared with Father but wanted Abbie and me to have a choice in the men we married. She was slowly working to bring him around to her way of thinking."

"Can I ask what happened?"

"She ran out of time; within a year of Abbie's death, we lost Mama too."

"I didn't know. I'm so sorry, Margie. Your mother was always kind to me, and I enjoyed the time we all spent together."

"She felt the same way about you, Colm. When Abbie died, it was a terrible blow. We both understood we'd suffered two losses, because . . . well . . . we were losing you too," she said, placing her hand on his arm.

Colm fumbled slightly but managed to place his hand over hers, momentarily, and they continued to walk.

"With Mama gone, Father had no one to push back on his plans. He became even more determined to find someone he thought would be a good match for me."

"Mr. Muir?"

"Eventually . . . yes."

They walked along in silence for a short time while Marjorie pulled her thoughts together.

"I met him at the bank one day. I was running errands with father, and he introduced us. Ralph was working as a teller and waited on Father regularly. Years later, he told me he'd only taken the position because that was where the money was. He thought he would meet people of influence who could further his situation," she said, shaking her head at how naïve she'd been. "After our first meeting, he and Father struck up a friendship, and before I knew it, I was engaged to be married."

"Your father arranged your marriage without consultin' you?" he asked in disbelief. "He didn't give ya a choice?"

"I suppose, if I had absolutely refused, he might have given in, but I thought Ralph was a good man, and, if my marrying him pleased Father, I would agree to it. I'd already lost my brothers, Abbie, and Mama and couldn't bear the thought of being shunned by the only family I had left."

"Surely, he wouldn't have turned his back on you."

"I was afraid to take that chance; you know what he was like. He was a strict taskmaster before we lost Mama and worse without her there to make him see reason," she explained. "Ralph was a handsome young man . . . always polite and thoughtful. He was a perfect gentleman back then. It may have been my father's influence, but I was impressed with how much thought he'd put into what he wanted out of life and that he set out to get it. Father was convinced he had the drive and intelligence to be successful, and thought, if I were to marry him, I would become a fine lady and our sons would be future leaders of Philadelphia"

"Margie, you have always been a fine lady or, at least when I knew ya, a fine girl," he smiled. "It seems your father was right. Mr. Muir seems to have done well for himself."

"Yes, but I'm afraid it came at a very high price," she said sadly without elaborating.

Colm looked down at her, patting her hand as they continued toward the house.

XXXXX

Daniel and Reverend Farley had remained in the kitchen and were trying to stay out of the way while they talked with Martha and Carolyn. It seemed a more preferable place to be than out on the porch with Ralph and Claymore. Both men offered to help but, except for washing and drying an occasional dish or pan, they were repeatedly shooed out of the way. Finally, Martha put her foot down and told the men they'd have to find somewhere else to go; there were too many cooks in her kitchen!

They took their cue and left immediately for the living room. Carolyn contently watched Daniel leave with a smile on her face.

"Mrs. Muir, you should go with them. You need to spend time with your guests," she told her. "You can't hide in here all night, avoiding your father-in-law."

"That's not it at all, Martha. I just didn't want to leave all this work to you."

A raised eyebrow was her only reply, and the younger woman couldn't keep the smile on her face from growing wider.

"All right, you caught me, but are you sure there's nothing I can do to help?"

"Yes. I'm sure. When it gets this close to dinner being ready, you know I work better on my own. You go ahead with the captain and Reverend Farley. I'll call you when it's time to get the food on the table; I can always use an extra set of hands then."

"All right, but we'll take care of cleaning the kitchen for you."

"But Mrs. Muir . . ."

Carolyn put up her hand.

"No," she smiled. "You've worked hard these last few days and deserve some time to relax. We'll handle the cleanup."

"I'll be glad to take some time but not until your guests have gone back to Philadelphia. I will take care of cleaning up after dinner, and you should enjoy spending time with your guests . . . at least those who aren't a constant thorn in your side," she smiled.

"Martha . . ."

"Mrs. Muir; go . . . be with the captain and the others. I'll take care of whatever needs to be done in here.

With that, Carolyn finally agreed and left the room. Martha watched her leave then returned to the final preparations of another delicious meal.

XXXXX

The men had settled in the living room, the captain in the wing chair by the fireplace and Reverend Farley on the couch. Both stood when Carolyn entered the room. She took the chair next to Daniel, and the three of them began talking about things going on around town. A short time later, their conversation was interrupted when Ralph and Claymore came in from the porch.

Entering the room, Ralph nodded slightly, acknowledging Reverend Farley, and joined him on the couch. He glanced at the captain and Carolyn sitting across from him but didn't say anything. He didn't even try to hide his feelings about the seaman.

Claymore, seeing his favorite place by the fireplace taken by the captain, sat in a high-backed Windsor armchair next to the couch. Daniel had brought it, and the matching love seat, in from the dining room to insure everyone had a comfortable place to sit. The pieces were beautiful, with bentwood bow backs and a ship's wheel-decorated splat, they fit in perfectly with the nautical theme of the seaman's home.

Glancing around the room, Ralph looked at Carolyn.

"Where's Marjorie?"

"She went down to the pond with the children. I understand they wanted to show her how well they could skip rocks," she explained, looking at Daniel.

Ralph nodded his head at the explanation. Reverend Farley, feeling the increased tension in the room, picked up the discussion they'd been having before the two men joined them. Everyone contributed to the conversation except Ralph, who was preoccupied with his own thoughts. Finally, he realized someone was missing and looked at Daniel, interrupting Claymore mid-sentence.

"Where's your friend . . . Mr. Donegal?"

"Mr. Donegan," he said, correcting him. "I believe Colm escorted Mrs. Muir and the children down to the pond."

"Shouldn't they be back by now? How long have they been gone?"

Daniel didn't even glance at his watch, he just looked at Ralph calmly and replied.

"I'm sure they'll be back in plenty of time for dinner."

"They'd better be," he replied, glaring at the seaman.

Claymore and Reverend Farley looked uncomfortably at each another, but the captain wasn't going to put up with Ralph Muir's petulant behavior. He glared right back at him until the classless bore looked away.

Satisfied, Daniel turned toward Carolyn, completely relaxed, and smiled at her. He casually picked up the conversation where they'd left off by asking Claymore to continue the comment he'd been making before he'd been interrupted.

After fumbling a bit to get his statement out, he finally made his point, and the discussion resumed. It wasn't long, though, before the laughter of the children, and Scruffy's barking, could be heard coming from the kitchen. Ralph, ignoring the conversation going on around him, kept glancing toward the hallway waiting for his wife to appear. It took a direct question from Reverend Farley to bring his attention back to the others.

"So, Mr. Muir, how long will you and Mrs. Muir be in Schooner Bay?"

"What?" he asked distractedly.

"How long will you be visiting the family?"

"Oh, I'm not sure yet."

Carolyn and Daniel exchanged a look, and the seaman could tell by her expression that was not the answer she'd hoped to hear.

"Hello, everyone," Marjorie's smiling voice came from the doorway.

The men, with the exception of her husband, stood immediately, but one look from the captain was enough to bring Ralph to his feet.

"Welcome back! Did you have a good time?" Carolyn asked quickly.

"Yes, we had a marvelous time. This is a beautiful piece of property, Captain. You seem to have everything you could possibly need," Marjorie answered, receiving a smile and nod from the seaman. "The pond, and the surrounding woods, are just lovely. We had a wonderful time, although, I'm a dreadful failure at skipping stones, while the children are exceptionally good, as is Colm . . . Mr. Donegan. He was able to show Candy and Jonathan a better way to throw the rocks so they would get more skips. It was a great deal of fun."

Her escort came up beside her and they exchanged a smile. Ralph didn't miss it, and Colm didn't miss the glare directed at both of them.

Daniel watched one of his oldest friends as he stood next to Mrs. Muir. They seemed perfectly content together, and Mr. Muir's mood was anything but. His anger was as obvious as the smell of rotting fish, and the seaman was sure they were in for some rough seas.

Entering the room, and oblivious to her husband's foul mood, Marjorie took the seat between him and Reverend Farley. She smiled at Ralph as she patted his knee and then turned toward the pastor. She casually engaged him in conversation, which led to the others joining in. Her escort had moved to the love seat and looked as cool and collected as the captain.

Claymore hadn't missed Ralph Muir's response to his wife's return with the seaman and couldn't help being in awe of Colm's composure. If Ralph Muir had looked at him the way he'd looked at the retired seaman, he'd have found an excuse to go home.

It wasn't long before the children came in, full of excitement and anxious to share their adventures. They, of course, went to the captain and their mom first, to show them what they'd learned. The couple listened intently and watched as they demonstrated the technique they'd learned. They couldn't help smiling at how happy they were about what they'd been taught.

With their mom's encouragement, Candy and Jonathan went over to show their grandfather. Ralph tried to look interested but gave himself away when he immediately sent them over to tell their Uncle Claymore all about it. When they stepped away, Ralph looked at Marjorie and grasped her hand with his.

"My dear, I think it's time for us to go to our room and freshen up for dinner; don't you agree?"

She was going to tell him she'd already washed her hands in the kitchen, but the pressure of his grip tightened uncomfortably. She quickly agreed and stood to leave. Making their excuses, Ralph took her by the elbow and led her out of the room. Colm caught her eye, and received a hesitant smile from her as she passed.

Collectively, the adults in the room let out an almost audible sigh of relief as Ralph Muir left. Carolyn couldn't help being concerned for her mother-in-law, and, though his face was unreadable, Colm's concern for Margie equaled that of the captain's lady.

XXXXX

The inquisition began as soon as the bedroom door closed.

"How could you go off alone with that sailor?!"

"We were hardly alone. The children were with us the whole time."

"That may be, but how do you think it looks; you, spending time with an old, broken-down sailor?"

"Really, Ralph. Colm is not broken-down . . . he's not much older than you are, seems to be in good health, and is as trim as he was all those years ago," she said, defending her old friend. "As a matter of fact, except for graying hair and a few wrinkles, he hasn't changed much at all. Oh, and he's a seaman not a sailor," she reminded him again.

He looked at her with annoyance; not missing the unspoken reference to the weight he'd put on over the years.

"We had a wonderful time with the children, and it gave me an opportunity to talk with Colm about Abbie. I never see anyone anymore who knew her . . . or Mama and Father. It was nice to reminisce with someone who shares some of the same memories."

"Well . . . I still say you shouldn't have gone off with him!"

"It was perfectly proper, and I would do it again," she told him boldly. "Give him a chance, Ralph; he's a good man."

"Don't push it Marjorie," he spat the words at her.

"What are you so concerned about? Colm was Abbie's fiancée, not mine, but we were friends. For goodness sake, I was only a child back then." As the words were spoken, a thought occurred to her. "Is that what's bothering you? Are you actually jealous, or do you just not want me having friends who don't meet you 'high' standards?"

"Jealous?! Of a broken-down sailor?! HA!" he blustered. "My dear, that comment isn't even worthy of a reply. You just have to be careful who you spend time with; you know how people talk."

"Ralph don't be ridiculous. We're hundreds of miles from anyone we know and, even if we weren't, I would be happy for us to be seen with Colm."

"I can assure you; I won't be spending enough time with him to be seen by anyone and neither should you."

She just shook her head but realized he presented her with just the opportunity she'd been hoping for.

"While we have a few minutes alone, I would like to have a word with you," she said, watching as he went over to the wash basin and poured water from the pitcher.

"Would you like to wash first?" he asked.

"No, thank you. Colm and I washed our hands when we came in with the children," she said watching him.

He glanced at her, not at all comfortable with how easily that sailor's Christian name kept slipping off her tongue. Turning back to the basin, he began washing.

"Be careful with your hand; that cut is just starting to heal," she reminded him.

"Is that what you wanted to say?"

"No," she said, getting up her nerve. "I thought we should discuss your plan to convince Carolyn that she and the children should move back to Philadelphia."

"What about it?"

"If you haven't already, you should give up on the idea, Ralph, dear, I'm afraid that she won't take to it now."

He looked at her like she'd lost her mind.

"I'm sorry, Ralph. I know you'd like the children to be nearby, as much as I would, but that is never going to happen. Carolyn has found a life for herself here, as have Candy and Jonathan. I know I don't have to remind you, but she did already tell you no."

"Candy?"

"Yes. Earlier today, she asked me if I would call her Candy instead of Candace."

"Well, I'm not going to call her that! Her name is Candace, after my mother, and that's what she should be called."

"I explained that's how you would feel, and she understands. I have chosen to do as she requested and call her the name she prefers."

"Do what you want," he snapped. "Let's get back to giving up on them moving back home. I suppose you think she doesn't want to move because of her 'seaman.'"

"Really, Ralph; isn't it obvious?"

"Really, Marjorie, it isn't," he shot back at her. "It's not as if they're engaged."

"I'd say that it's only a matter of time."

"She wouldn't!"

"I believe she will . . . without any hesitation."

"But why? He's a sailor, for God's sake! He's a nobody!"

"Ralph, he's a very accomplished man. He owns his ship, runs a successful business, and comes from a prominent Schooner Bay family. More importantly, he's a man who loves Carolyn with all that's in him. Any fool can see that."

"Well, I don't see it!"

Marjorie bit back a smile.

"All I see is her mooning over him like an adolescent girl."

"Ralph, are you truly that blind? Captain Gregg is obviously in love with her, and she with him . . . It's plain to see he would do anything for her and the children. He treats her the way every woman hopes to be treated by a man; he values and respects her for the person she is."

"I still don't see why she would stay here instead of coming home with us."

She put her head in her hand and rubbed her forehead at his ignorance and arrogance.

"Ralph," she said in frustration. "Carolyn is an extremely intelligent woman. Since we arrived, you've done nothing but treat her like an errant child. I ask you, who would want to live with someone who always underestimates and belittles them? She is not going to put herself or the children in that type of situation again, and she is not going to tolerate the way you treat them. She will never choose to live where they are constantly criticized."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he remarked, unconvincingly.

"Yes, you do. You expect a woman to know and keep her place, regardless of her age. You believe the children should do the same. You only want the family to move back home so you can control them and be the masculine influence you believe Jonathan should have," she said defiantly. "I wouldn't be surprised if you had plans for Candy and Carolyn too."

"And what do you mean by that?!"

"You want to ensure our granddaughter makes, what you would consider, a good marriage; one that will benefit your business or improve our social status. I wouldn't put it past you to try to do the same with Carolyn, if she should choose to remarry. It would be no different than when you forced Robert to marry her. You wanted access to Brad Williams' business contacts, the backing of the First Pennsylvania Bank, and the prestige of our family being connected to their old family. You didn't care what our boy wanted."

"Well, it worked, didn't it? We were able to expand and double the size of the business, and our profits."

"At what cost?!" she demanded. "Our son is dead, his widow moved our grandchildren five hundred miles away, and I don't believe, even if Daniel Gregg weren't in their lives, they would move back home!"

"But how can they stay here?! Her parents, her extended family, her friends, and you and I are in Philadelphia."

"Maybe that's another reason why she's happy here. She can be her own person, run her own life, and not have to deal with the interference of her family or in-laws," Marjorie remarked sadly.

"Why couldn't she have been content to stay in Philadelphia? She could have continued to live the prominent life she had with Bobby."

"That might be another reason she wanted to get away."

By the expression on his face, she knew he didn't know what she was getting at, or he was intentionally being obtuse.

"Bobby wasn't ready to get married back then; you knew that . . . perhaps better than I did. He certainly wasn't ready to be a husband and father. If we were honest with ourselves, we would admit he may never have been ready for that responsibility."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ralph, our son was not the man we pretended he was. When he died, he left his wife and children with nothing. Nothing! No house, no savings, and absolutely no means of surviving without being dependent on family."

"That wasn't his fault, it was Carolyn! She spent money as if it grew on trees," he insisted.

"You know that's not true. You saw how simply their house was furnished, how she dressed, and how the children were dressed. I'll admit, I was just as guilty as you were in the way I treated and criticized her in those days, but, looking back, I'm seeing things in a different light and much more clearly."

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean; our son was quite the dandy, wasn't he? He dressed in the finest clothes made by the finest tailors, while his wife made her own clothes and those of their children. The only exceptions were the dresses she wore when they attended a ball," she reminded him. "And he only gave her money for that because she would be on his arm. Carolyn was a good steward of the small amount of money he gave her to run the house. What did he do with the rest of it Ralph?! Where did it go?! The Muir Company owed their house! He didn't even have the money to buy one himself. Where did he spend all the money he was paid?!"

"Well . . . I . . .

"Just how many women was he supporting, Ralph?" she asked bluntly. "How many women was he spending money on, while his wife and children made do with what was left."

"What?!"

"Don't play innocent with me. I heard you last night," she finally admitted. "I know the kind of man Robert truly was, and I'd really like to know how many women he had liaisons with while he pretended to be the perfect husband and father?"

He stumbled through a series of incoherent sounds, while Marjorie looked on in disgust.

"Tell me, Ralph, just how many grandchildren do we have in addition to Candy and Jonathan?"

After years of putting on an act in front of his wife, his ability to sway her finally failed him.

"How could you think that about our Bobby?"

"Because I am well acquainted with his father," she said quietly.

"Marjorie . . ."

"Don't bother denying it. After your drunken boasting, I understand the full extent of the kind of man you are and have always been."

"Marjorie, what's gotten into you?!"

"I suppose you could say the truth has finally gotten through to me, and I'm ashamed that it's taken me this long to realize it."

He was completely at a loss, and his angry response gave proof to his frustration.

"Have you lost your mind?!" he shouted. "Being in the middle of nowhere is obviously getting to you, and it's time to get you and our family back to civilization before you all go completely mad!"

Instead of arguing with him, she was unnervingly calm, and spoke in a low, even tone.

"Ralph, if you continue with your plan to insert yourself in the lives of Carolyn and the children, it's going to cost you more than you can imagine."

"Are you threatening me?" he asked incredulously.

"No, just stating a fact."

They stared at each other in silence for what seemed like a long time; Marjorie unruffled and poised, while Ralph appeared ready to explode. Before he could think of a reply, they heard a quiet knock.

"Yes?"

"Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes," Carolyn said through the door.

"Thank you, dear. We'll be right down," Marjorie replied, still glaring at her husband.

She waited a moment for their daughter-in-law to move away before speaking again.

"We should go down . . . and, Ralph, I expect this obnoxious behavior you've been exhibiting the last few days to come to an end . . . right now. You are to treat Carolyn, the children, Captain Gregg, and the rest of their guests as if they are potential investors you are trying to charm. Am I understood?"

He looked at her, speechless.

Standing, she walked to the door, looked at him expectantly, and, without a word, sailed out of the room when he obliged her by opening the door.