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The next June day arrived with overcast skies and cooler temperatures forecasted. The pair dressed appropriately for a hike. Carolyn wore her new soft merino wool fisherman sweater. It was light blue and matched well with her denim jeans. She had just bought it in a shop in Dublin and today's weather looked to be a good occasion to wear it for the first time. Daniel had dressed in comfortable khaki trousers and his dark blue rag wool V-neck cardigan. Mr. and Mrs. Gregg had breakfast together at the hotel restaurant and then separated briefly. Carolyn walked on ahead to one of the gift shops on the vast monastery grounds in search of more post cards to send to friends and family back home. Daniel arranged for box lunches and a bottle of merlot for their afternoon picnic high up on one trail. He had been to Glendalough only once before many, many years before when his ship was in drydock in a Dublin shipyard. He and some of his mates had traveled by overland coach and camped in the mountains for the night before making their way back to the coast. Daniel hoped he could remember the way to the scenic overlook across the valley spreading out into the horizon. He caught up with Carolyn just as she was leaving one small shop and heading across the pavement to another. She waved and called him over. The box lunches and wine were placed in the bottom of her over-sized tote bag amongst her camera, rain ponchos, tissues and small first aid kit. Carolyn was a mother and traveled like one. The newly purchased stack of scenic Ireland postcards was placed on top of the pile. The Captain took notice of the bundle of postcards. "Do you intend to send one to everyone in America, my dear?"
"Not quite. Just my folks and Ralph and Marjorie—the kids will fill theirs out. Then there's Cousins Harriet and Hazel, people from church, Candy and Jonathan's friends from school. Oh—and Claymore, of course." She smiled up at him pleasantly.
"Any why that blethering eejit?" Daniel grumbled automatically at the mention of Claymore's name.
His wife had learned to ignore his petty grousing. "Because he is a friend, my dear Captain. I remind you, once again—if Claymore hadn't run the ad for Gull Cottage and rented the house to me…well, then, we wouldn't have met and we wouldn't be here in this lovely, peaceful place on our honeymoon now. Would we?" She placed her hand over his heart and gave his chest an affectionate pat. "He is a family friend. He's worth the six cents in postage or however much these will cost to mail home." Daniel's brief squall was again abated by his wife's charm. She crooked her finger in a bend-down-here gesture and puckered her lips for a kiss. He obliged obediently and as he did, she looped the handles of the big tote bag over his arm. "Thank you, love," she murmured sweetly. Captain Daniel Gregg, swashbuckling naval commander and tower of strength & dignity looked dismayed at the cheerful shopping tote she had assigned him to haul. It was decorated with bright yellow sunflowers, white daisies and purple pansies. It looked completely frivolous and feminine. Carolyn giggled at his discomfort and then placed her hand in his and gave it a tug. "You were taking me on a picnic hike?" The Captain nodded, his bearded jaw jutted out defiantly, his head held high and his sharp blue eyes gave piercing looks to the passing male Glendalough visitors as they approached from the opposite direction. It was as if he was daring them to make a comment or snicker. None did. The married men amongst the tourists knew exactly the marital status of the tall, imposing man with the petite blonde beauty at his side.
Forty minutes later they had left the paved pathway which led past the lower lake and branched off on a foot trail which took them through a swath of the Derrybawn Forest. Carolyn thought of it as an enchanted forest from the fairytale books she read as a child and to her own children when they were very young. Wildflowers like buttercups still bloomed in patches where the sunlight could warm them. Squirrels scampered through the forest's floor of overgrown ferns, fallen leaves and twigs while cottontail bunnies waited until the couple was almost upon them before bolting out from the underbrush. Daniel watched as Carolyn stepped off the trail a few yards to pick a pretty yellow flower, she brought it over to him as a gift. He smiled tenderly and took the blossom from her hand. He sniffed the delicate fragrance briefly and then gently placed the fragile beauty behind her ear. He then took her hand once again and said, "We'd best not linger here, love. Come along."
Carolyn looked startled by his statement and asked, "What's wrong?"
Daniel shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing's wrong. It's just that the forest beings can be protective of their beautiful things."
Carolyn pulled up short and placed her hands on her hips in a questioning stance. "Forest people?"
"Forest beings. Thefaeries and gnomes mostly." He paused and tugged at his ear. "I don't believe the elves live on this side of Derrybawn Mountain." He held his hand out to her again. "We'd best get a move on, we've a way to go to the picnic spot I have in mind." Carolyn just gazed up at him incredulously. She started to question him again but just shook her head in bemused amazement, threw her hands up in acquiescence and slipped her hand back into his protective grasp.
As they left the canopy of trees a potential problem confronted the pair. In Daniel's mind he remembered the mountain stream as a shallow babbling brook, but a gushing creek some ten feet across now blocked their trail. "Oh…I don't know about this, Daniel," Carolyn said warily.
Captain Gregg frowned. He was determined to take his bride to the scenic spot on Camaderry Mountain overlooking the whole of Glendalough Valley. He jogged back into the woods and came back with a fallen tree branch almost as tall as he. He gingerly walked to the creek's edge and poked his makeshift staff to test the water's depth. He turned back to Carolyn, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "We can make it."
Carolyn Gregg was not a high maintenance woman. She wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty puttering in her flower beds or break a nail wrestling with a wrench to fix a leaky pipe. She pitched in beside Martha Grant when it was time for spring cleaning and had no qualms helping the kids gut and clean the fish they caught. But taking a tumble into an ice-cold mountain river didn't appeal to her at all. "Uh-uh," she said adamantly. "Not going to happen, my dear Captain." She shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly.
Daniel tossed his measuring stick aside and wrapped his arms about her waist. "Where's your sense of adventure darlin'?"
"Right here—on dry ground," she gave him a defiant smile.
"But dearest, I want to take you to this special site. The view is glorious up there. It's breath-taking. You'll love it." His lower lip extended in a boyish pout.
"We can have our picnic right here. It is also quite lovely with the rushing water in front and the enchanted forest behind us." She looked over her shoulder, "We can invite some of your faery friends to join us for lunch, if it will make you happy." She beheld the expression on Daniel's face. She had seen it before. It was one of determination.
"Belay those fears, madam!" He thundered and promptly plopped on the ground and began pulling off his boots and socks.
"Daniel, what are you doing?"
"I've made a command decision. We're crossing over to the other side of this creek!" He began rolling his trouser legs up to his knees.
She couldn't resist. "Come hell or high water?"
"Aye!" The gleam in his eyes intensified. He stuffed his socks into his boots and then placed them into the girly carry-all bag. He handed the load to his wife. He then turned his back to her and knelt on his knees.
"You're not serious, Daniel."
"So I am."
"This is crazy," she was certain but still wanted to make him happy. She knew when Captain Daniel Gregg had his mind set on something there was precious little she could do to dissuade him. She picked up the tote bag and placed a hand on his offered shoulder. "Permission to come aboard, Captain?"
"Granted," determination in his tone. Carolyn wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as he lifted her small frame easily. She brought her hands together at his collarbone as she clutched tightly to the burlap handles of the tote. It dangled against his chest. She settled against his broad back and brought her legs up to wrap around his hips, using all her strength to hold on tightly. Daniel's large, strong hands gripped the back of her thighs. "Steady as she goes!" he boomed loudly in full confidence and set sail. Carolyn closed her eyes and hoped for the best as he took a few tentative steps down into the rushing water. "Och! Cold!" he gasped. But he kept moving against the strong current, stumbling a few times when he stepped on hidden underwater rocks. Carolyn shrieked in protest in his ear, afraid they were about to capsize, but Daniel regained his balance and re-positioned his hands under her legs to get a firmer grip. He made the last few steps in an ungraceful splash and deposited his bride on the far bank. Carolyn slid to the ground as Daniel collapsed beside her. "Another successful voyage!" he bellowed in triumph.
Carolyn leaned in close and rewarded him with a feather soft kiss on his nose. "My hero," she declared. Daniel chuckled happily and rolled her unto her back and rained kisses down on her own nose, cheeks, throat and lips. His affections were becoming more ardent as his hand slipped in between them to fondle her breast. She placed her lips next to his ear and said softly, "Darling, you best save some of your strength for later. You'll have to carry me back again on our way home." She took his earlobe lightly between her teeth for a playful nibble and then kissed away any discomfort.
He rolled off her body and sat up reluctantly, running his hand through his dark copper hair. "Aye, you have a valid point. I'll have my socks and boots now, madam. I can't feel my toes!" He stood and helped her up from where she was still sprawled on the mossy ground.
Carolyn brushed the seat of her pants with a swipe of her hands. "This better be one great picnic spot." She picked up the tote and pulled out his boots. "Where'd you put your socks?" She began rummaging in her bag. "Didn't you stuff them inside your boots?"
"That I did."
"Then where in the world?" She emptied the contents of the tote but his socks were gone. Just then she glanced across the creek. "Daniel, look!"
He turned to look where she pointed. On the creek bank from where they had just crossed, he saw his measuring stick jammed into the side of the creek bed. His warm, dry socks were dangling precariously over the rushing, cold mountain water. He sighed in resignation and made sure his pant legs were rolled back up at his knees. "Gnomes. Spiteful little buggers," he growled. "Darlin', wildflowers are now off limits for picking without first seeking permission from the forest folk. Captain's orders." Carolyn Gregg just gasped and nodded once in understanding, her mouth agape and her green eyes wide as Daniel waded barefoot back down into the freezing water. "Nach greannmhar!2" He shouted in annoyance as he sloshed his way back across the stream, snagged his socks and then stumbled back to Carolyn.
It was faint and barely audible over the roar of the rushing water but there came a reply from the edge of the woods. "Meas ar an bhforaois!"3
Twenty minutes later, and after a good stretch of the legs, as Daniel had promised quoting John Wayne in "The Quiet Man", Carolyn was panting for breath trying to keep pace with her long-legged husband. He finally stopped and helped her up to stand on a rock ledge. Before them was Glendalough's beautiful and pristine upper lake. "Now…look across there, love. Do you see that cave about 30 feet up from the shore?"
"I think so. What am I looking at?"
"That cave is what is known as St. Kevin's Bed. He was the hermit monk who founded Glendalough monastery. Legend has it an angel of the Lord sent him to this place. He sought shelter in that cave and used it as a place to sleep."
"He lived in a cave?"
"Not exactly. It's too small for a man to stand up in, or so the story goes, as told by the foolhardy who claim to have seen it for themselves."
"Then how did Kevin manage to find it? Did the angel show him the way?"
Daniel shook his head and swiped his hand across his mustache. "I haven't the foggiest. But I believe archaeologists from Trinity determined the cave is actually prehistoric—made by the earliest known Celts during the Bronze Age."
Carolyn opened the tote bag Daniel had dropped to the ground. "The light isn't the greatest, but I want to take snapshot. Stand there and I'll get the lake and the cave in the background." She found her Kodak Instamatic and pressed the shutter. "I'd better use a flash cube," she decided. She rummaged deeper in the bag and extracted a packet of four, square flash bulbs. "At least you will show up in the picture. Say sea breeze!" She giggled at the cheesy grin Daniel supplied for the camera. She returned the camera to the tote and handed it to him. "Lead on, MacDuff!"
Daniel led her off on another little used trail heading for a hill known as Camaderry Mountain. His own stomach was rumbling with hunger by this time. He turned to his wife. "The children will be so proud of you when they learn of our adventure, my dear. Imagine, this is practically a military assault through a wilderness, and having to deal with the shenanigans of a gnome—and yet, not once have I heard you say—are we there yet?" He beamed down at her in admiration. He placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it an affectionate squeeze.
Carolyn was puffing for breath. She was getting a stitch in her side from the exertion up the side of the mountain. "Daniel?"
"Yes, love?"
"Are we there yet?" She blew a puff of air up towards the bangs which had fallen across her eyes.
His laughter was genuine and filled with love for this incredible woman who had become his entire world. "Aye, lass. Just over this last rise. Don't dawdle now," he reached for her hand and pulled her forward.
As they crested Camaderry, Carolyn took in a wonderous site. She could look back down on the whole of Glendalough Valley and further still to Wicklow itself. "Oh Daniel! It is beautiful. We're on top of the world!" Interspersed with the rolling hills covered in forest was a broken patchwork of farm fields, rollicking streams and traffic on the winding, twisting country roads leading to the holy shrine of St. Kevin.
He chuckled. "Not quite, love. But it is Ireland in all of its glory." He led her further on, looking and trying to remember. "It should be…stay put, Carolyn. Let me take a gander." He handed her the flowered tote and jogged ahead and down a little glen. She waited until she heard his shout and then followed him. "This is where my mates and I camped." Daniel was standing amongst a grove of oak and white birch trees, his arms wide in welcoming. "Look there! I wonder if that is the original fire pit and stones we laid? Seems other pilgrims have visited this site."
Carolyn smiled fondly at her Captain Gregg. He was beaming like a triumphant little boy. She joined him beneath the trees. They offered a respite from the breeze which had rippled across the top of the mountain. "Let's eat, shall we?" A short while later, sandwiches eaten and now snacking on oranges Carolyn was comfortably leaning back against Daniel's chest as he used a large, sturdy oak as his back rest. They sipped wine from Dixie cups. Carolyn could feel the rumble in his chest. "Warm wine not your favorite, Madeira Man?" She tilted her head and smiled up at him.
"No."
She patted him on his leg in sympathy. "We are roughing it, darling." She took a deep breath and inhaled the sweet mountain air. She closed her eyes and just listened to the rustling of the tree leaves. "I can understand why you remembered this place. You feel so protected and peaceful here."
"Aye. Had I known that was the last time I'd spend with those chaps…"
Carolyn frowned at his sad tone of voice. "Did something happen to your ship mates?"
A moment went by before he answered her. "Lost at sea—all of them. When we got back to Dublin I was assigned to a new frigate. They remained onboard the Sea Legend. I learned later it went down trying to round Cape Point in South Africa when a gale blew up on them. If I hadn't been transferred…well…doesn't matter." His hand reached out to a tug at a clump of grass from the ground and then tossed it away in frustration. "I would have died at sea on duty instead of kicking the damn gas heater in my sleep." His words were bitter.
She stroked his leg tenderly. "And then the kids and I would never have known and fallen in love with Daniel Elias Alexander Gregg. Things happen for a reason," she added quietly.
Daniel remained introspective and silent.
"What were their names, Daniel? What did you talk about that night? Do you remember? Her voice was almost a whisper.
He took a deep breath and rubbed his bearded chin against the top of her silky blonde head. "Orin, Ronan and Tierney—all good lads and fine seamen." He smiled when he said their names aloud. "Had stories same as mine, went to sea because it was one less mouth to feed at home. We'd send most of our pay packets home whenever we were in port. Kept enough for a pint or two of stout at the local pub. You don't require a fortune when you're a young buck and spend your days at sea."
"They were happy being sailors?" She quickly corrected herself before he could object. "I mean seamen."
Daniel remembered the faces of his friends. "Ronan and Tierney were the restless ones but Orin-he had his love waiting for him back in Belfast. He and Siobhán were expecting their first child. They were saving up to immigrate to America, buy some land. They all perished and I'm the one who ended up in the New World." His smile was bittersweet as he laid a gentle kiss atop Carolyn's head.
Her breath caught in her throat unexpectantly when he once again mentioned a friend from his long ago past having a baby. She had wanted to have a serious discussion with him but there just wasn't the proper moment. Now she wondered if this was her opportunity—here, alone with him in this beautiful, meaningful spot for him. No distractions, no interruptions. "Daniel…I need to speak to you about something…ask you something," she stumbled with her words, unsure of what she was saying or asking. "I've…I've been taking the birth control pill since shortly after we married…"
She had his full attention. "Aye," he acknowledged and waited. He didn't realize he was holding his breath. He understood what she meant; she had explained what her doctor's appointment had been for when they had returned from their New York City trip. The miracles of modern medicine had come into his life.
"But now I…it's just…," she hesitated again. "Well…what do think if I did become pregnant again and had another child—our child, our baby?" Now she held her breath as she waited for his response.
He had suspected, of course. He had seen her face light up like a Christmas tree as she held the Fogerty's babe. "Carolyn—darlin'. You've already given me two of the most marvelous children any man could hope to call his own."
"I know you love Candy and Jonathan but I just…" her voice trailed off, uncertain as to how to explain herself. "You weren't in our lives when they were babies, you've only seen the photos and home movies Dad took."
Daniel Gregg smiled and remembered the visit she was referring to when her parents had come to spend an Easter weekend at Gull Cottage. Brad Williams had brought along his projector and screen and as Daniel watched in his unseen ghostly form, the images of a toddler-aged Candy and a diaper-wearing Jonathan flickered on the screen. His Carolyn looked so young and happy as the children waddled and played across the screen—Candy squinting against the harsh movie lights attached to the Bell & Howell camera. Daniel felt the need for this conversation to happen face to face. He gently but firmly tugged at Carolyn and pulled her up onto his lap, holding her in a light embrace. His voice was flooded with emotion. "I already consider myself the luckiest man to ever have lived because I have you to call my own. I couldn't ask you to put yourself through another pregnancy, my dearest, just to quench some primordial desire deep within me to procreate—no matter how wonderfully special it would be to hold our baby in my arms." He leaned forward and touched his forehead to hers in an intimate, loving gesture.
"You're not asking, Daniel. I'm just discussing the possibility if I was to stop using birth control and we did conceive a child together. You know, it's one of the most natural things in the world for a woman to want to have a child with the man she's in love with. I won't be the first or the last woman on earth to want that."
He smiled and kissed her lips softly. "So, you do want to have another baby."
She smiled shyly. "Yes, I guess I do. I love you. I suppose I've decided our family just isn't complete without another Gregg scooting around in diapers."
Daniel smiled and held her to him tightly. "Well, I'll say one thing. Judging from those television commercials I've seen-nappies are much improved from when I was a wee chissler. No pins, just a touch of sticky tape and the little ones are off like dodgems at the county fair."
Carolyn frowned and smiled at the same time. "When have you seen a Pampers commercial?"
"I must confess I did get involved in watching one of Martha's favorites on a slightly irregular basis. The Guiding Light. Bertha Bauer had her hands full with that crew of hers."
"Oh really?" Carolyn laughed in delight and pulled away slightly to see his smiling face.
"Aye, I saw them all; Madge soaking women's hands in dish soap, an odd grocery clerk squeezing toilet paper, a behemoth of a gypsy wearing white dungarees and sporting an earring selling kitchen scrubbing powder. Quite a brigade of characters," he mused. "Anyroad, love. A baby of our own would be a blessing if it is meant to be."
"Yes," she agreed and then snuggled against him again. "I believe that as well, if we're meant to have a child together, we will. I mean, well, most women are done having babies in their early 30's."
"—and my boys might not be up for the task," he added with a touch of regret.
She was relieved at his acceptance of her heart's wishful thinking. "I will just stop using the Enovid and we'll just go on living our lives together. No promises, expectations or regrets. Aye, Captain?"
He playfully rubbed his beard against her tender cheek. "As you wish, Admiral. But might we have one kiss for good luck and as we set sail on a possible new journey for the pair of us?"
"I was hoping you'd say that," she whispered and eagerly raised her parted lips to his. His mouth tasted faintly of sweet red wine and tangy oranges. Daniel enjoyed the sensation as well and prolonged the kiss until Carolyn was out of breath. She sighed in contentment and hugged him tightly. "I love you, Daniel Gregg."
"Forever and always?" he asked of her again.
"Forever and always, my dear Captain," her eyes were moist with the beginnings of emotional tears.
He ran his hand through her hair. "Now my love, I think we'd better start back down," he glanced at his wristwatch, "and I fear we won't be able to escape the rain showers for much longer. The clouds look heavy. We'd best break out those rain slickers."
Carolyn realized her body was sending her brain a different sensation. "Um…Daniel…I have to use the little girl's room. How should I go about this?"
Daniel glanced about and then made another command decision. "Designated female bushes down off the hill to the left, men can water the trees over in yonder glen." he gestured with his hand as if directing traffic.
"Are you sure? I mean…I don't want to come back to find you hanging upside down by your ankles in this tree," she was genuinely concerned. Picking a buttercup was one thing but urination was another matter altogether.
Daniel thought a moment and then picked up one of the box lunches. "Ah yes! This should do the trick." He held up a Cadbury chocolate bar and left it in the middle of the fire pit, an offering to appease the forest folk. Carolyn shrugged in half-hearted agreement and wandered away into the bushes.
A few minutes later they rendezvoused back to their picnic spot. As Carolyn came up the incline, she saw Daniel staring at the firepit. He placed a finger to his lips and shook his head. The chocolate bar was no more. They slipped the rain ponchos over themselves, gathered up the rest of their belongings and started back to their cabin in Glendalough and didn't look back. Neither of them witnessed the flutter of the candy bar wrapper float away on the breeze from high up a nearby mountain ash tree or heard the tittering high-pitched laughter. Faeries had a known affinity for all things loving and sweet. Chocolate bars were no exception.
2 "This isn't funny."
3 "Respect the forest!"