To Margaret – here is your requested Easter holiday treat. This was a fun chapter to write and as always I look forward to your input and review. The plot thickens…

Kia Kaha! Judith

Chapter Twelve

The Unwelcome Return

Claymore fussed with his lunch, carefully peeling the shell from his hard-boiled egg. He held it up to assess it from all angles, looking for any signs of imperfection before he considered it suitable enough to be quartered on his plate.

All the while he kept glancing at the telephone. Earlier in the morning, he'd put through a call to Harriet Williams, as he'd promised himself last night when he'd sat in his car on the hill overlooking Gull Cottage. The utter peace and darkness of the house and gardens hadn't fooled him.

"Not for one second. Something big was going on in that house last night. I could feel it in the air. And I intend to find out exactly what it was…" he muttered, as he salted the quartered egg before adding it to his cold luncheon of left-over lobster and a green salad.

"Waste not, want not," he chanted, well satisfied with his thriftiness of bringing home the remains of his meal from Norrie's last night.

He glanced again at the telephone but it remained stubbornly silent. He shrugged and then groaned at the unwise movement.

Along with his consternation over losing a valued property, he continued to think of as rightfully his, he fancied his left shoulder still ached from where his great-uncle had seized him when he'd caught his great-nephew digging for treasure in the back garden of the cottage over a week ago. The sharp sensation of phantom pain only added to Claymore's deep sense of ill-usage.

"Oh, come on, Cousin Harriet," he urged, glancing at his wristwatch. "I don't have all day. I've got my rents to collect."

When he'd called, he'd connected only with Harriet's answer phone. Her voice message said she was out. Claymore had been forced to leave a message, encouraging her to call him back as soon as possible.

He sighed as he stared at his food. He hadn't enjoyed himself at Norrie's last night. His appetite was not what it had been before he'd lost Gull Cottage to Carolyn Muir. That unfortunate day, the threat of having all his bank accounts vapourised by a vengeful Captain had motivated him to grudgingly sign the property over to her.

"And think of all the money I could've made showing the place to the summer tourist trade…" He lifted his gaze to the George Washington portrait that covered his wall safe.

Inside it, a large, bulging bag filled with gold doubloons, silver coins and jewels called to him with their almost irresistible siren's song. He would often get up and go to the safe to count and recount his loot. It comforted him, soothing his deep sense of ill-usage.

He hadn't yet plucked up the courage to take the bag to the bank. The uncomfortable questions he'd been forced to endure the last time he'd tried to deposit some of the Captain's ill-gotten loot dissuaded him. The bag would have to wait until the next time he took a trip to Bangor or Boston.

Which depressed him even more because of the expense involved and what might happen in the town while he was gone. He sighed, pushing his plate of untouched food aside, as he propped his chin in the cup of his upraised palm. "Why was I born a Gregg? I've always said I never wanted to be a Gregg…"

Behind him, his office door opened and closed. Turning in his seat, Claymore was startled to see Cousin Harriet walk in.

"Good afternoon. I was trying to call you," he said with amazement.

"Well, I've just got into town and I thought I'd better ring my answering service," Harriet addressed his bemused expression as she stripped off her driving gloves. "You left me a message saying you needed to talk to me urgently. Well, here I am, ready and willing to be of assistance. Never let it be said that Harriet Williams doesn't do her duty."

She tucked her gloves into her purse. "Now you know I'm never one to interfere or intrude, or poke my nose in where it's not wanted. But I've had to come back because I'm really worried about Carolyn. However, I didn't feel I could visit Gull Cottage again until I found out what it was you wanted to tell me."

Claymore jumped to his feet. "Come on in…" He seized the back of his chair, pulling it out. "Sit down. You must be exhausted from such a long drive."

"Why, thank you…" Harriet walked to the chair, allowing him to push it in behind her as she sat down. "I would have been here sooner. But I've been days away from home, taking care of a very sick friend, just up the coast."

She clasped her hands together. "But, wouldn't you know it? Only last night, after spending days in her sickbed, Violet suddenly made an almost miraculous recovery and got up."

She preened, looking well satisfied. "Of course, it was all thanks to my pills and potions. And I do pride myself on my nursing abilities. Calling in on dear Carolyn was my next duty. I was about to telephone her when I got your message. Has something happened?"

Claymore frowned. "Oh, no, nothing's happened. Well, nothing that I'm aware of. But I do have my suspicions that all is not well with your cousin. It seems she hasn't been seen in town much lately and people are concerned about her," he said, his earnestly worried expression concealing the lie.

He had no real idea if Carolyn Muir had been in town at all. And he cared even less. If she wasn't around then nor was her ghostly companion.

"What sort of suspicions do you have?" Harriet raised her brows as she looked over the meal. "Ohhh, lobster," she approved. "You know, I haven't eaten a thing since breakfast and I'm starving."

"Then, please, of course, you must eat…" Claymore reached to push the plate toward her. "I wasn't hungry anyway. Then we can talk."

Harriet didn't need to be told twice. She picked up the knife and fork. "You know, your twin brother might be romancing Carolyn, but I still think you're by far the better-looking one. I've always been partial to tall, good-looking men, but I really don't like beards."

"Twin brother?" Claymore's eyebrows rose in confusion, momentarily forgetting their last encounter.

"You know, Carolyn's Captain Gregg…" Harriet waved her knife at him. "When I visited her last time you were running off to sign up as a deckhand on his ship. I must say I'm also rather partial to sailors. It sounded like a marvellous adventure for the two of you. Was it?"

Claymore stared at her in confusion. He hunted frantically through his memories of the last time they'd met, trying to remember exactly what he'd said.

"Oh… oh, yes, well, of course, you know, brothers together. What could possibly go wrong? We had a positively wonderful time together and—" he stopped, suddenly seeing an unexpected opening to spread more discontent. "But, you do know that a sailor's life is full of women, wine and song." He giggled. "A girl in every port and all that."

"Well, I don't approve of too much frivolity. It's bad for the digestion." Harriet shook her head as she pushed more lobster onto her fork. "But since you're back in town, I gather your brother is, too? No doubt he's the reason you haven't seen Carolyn in town."

"I don't know…" Claymore answered cautiously feeling his way as his mind worked overtime. "Um, he's like the wind, you know. He comes and he goes. I'm never sure exactly where he is…" He looked around his office, worrying and wondering if his great-uncle was somewhere close at hand and spying on him. But nothing moved.

He was about to continue embroidering on his litany of complaints when the truth suddenly hit him. It was all right there in front of him. Harriet was the perfect weapon.

The half-baked idea he'd had of meddling in the Captain's affairs evaporated. A far more daring plan began to form in his mind. A plan that could potentially give him everything he wanted and finally rid him of his nemesis.

He dropped his voice to a sorrowful tone. "But I do know he's not where he should be, and that's up at Gull Cottage. You won't find him there, no matter how hard you look. And once he sails again for the far horizon your cousin will fade from his mind completely. He never once mentioned her on our trip."

"I knew it!" Harriet stabbed an accusing finger. "Carolyn's parents were so worried she was going to elope with your brother. It was such a family scandal the last time when she ran away with Bobby. They just knew she was hiding something when she telephoned Emily to wish them a happy anniversary last month. She was being very cagey about even having a relationship with the captain."

She shook her head with a tragic sigh. "They were so sure they'd uncovered her plans that they hurried here to arrange the wedding and everything. Now, look how that turned out? It caused the family quite an upset, I can tell you. My dear twin sister, Hazel, insisted I return to find out why their wedding was called off. But I had Violet to attend to first."

"Oh, no, the wedding was simply a complete misunderstanding…" Claymore shook his head vigorously. "No, no, no, no. My brother doesn't have any interest in getting married. Never has, not in all the time I've known him. He's not called as love 'em and leave 'em Gregg for nothing. Why do you think he became a sailor?"

He glanced around the office again before dropping his voice even further. "His has always been a roving eye, with a woman in every port. The whole family has given up on him. It's so sad, but I guess it's for the best that Mrs Muir found out the painful truth before she married him."

"Then it's just as well I came back," Harriet replied in a horrified tone. "She'll need a shoulder to cry on. Oh, what a cad! Cutting her adrift like that, leaving her so vulnerable."

"Yes, yes, it's all too awful…" Claymore hid his smile of triumph that he'd managed to shove a well-aimed spoke into his great-uncle's affairs. "You know, I really do think you're better to make a surprise visit. Catch her unawares and see how she reacts."

"Yes, I think I might just do that." Harriet sighed as she finished the meal and sat back. "Oh, poor, poor Carolyn. Such a willing martyr. Stuck all the way out here, so remote from all her family and friends. Her parents arrived back in Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago and they telephoned me immediately."

She frowned at Claymore. "They said she'd bought that big, old house from you. Something about a wealthy benefactor who'd conveniently died and left her a fortune. I don't believe a word of it, not for one second."

Claymore shook his head. "I can assure you that if any wealthy man had recently died in this town and left a fortune behind, I would be the first to know. I would've handled the estate."

"Yes, I said it sounded too implausible." Hazel waved a hand in front of her face. "There's something very fishy about this whole affair. It's almost like Carolyn's trying to hide things from us. Like she's too ashamed to admit her poor, trusting heart's been broken by your fickle brother. Well, I for one, intend to find out exactly what's been going on with her love life. The whole family is relying on me to set things right."

She stood up, reaching into her purse for her gloves. "It's just as well I'm already packed for a long stay. I shall run up the hill and see her right away. Oh, the poor, sad thing, trying to hold it all together after being so duped by a honey-tongued man in uniform…"

"Oh, no, no, no... We must talk first," Claymore put out one hand to detain her. "How do you like your coffee?"

"Black, two sugars…" Harriet eyed him with deep interest. "Now, I want only the facts of the affair, mind you. You know I'm not one for idle speculation or gossip. Captain Gregg is your brother and I'm sorry for that. But Carolyn's my cousin. I won't rest until I've carried her and her darling children safely back to Philadelphia, well out of the reach of that dreadful man."

"Excellent. That's what I want, as well. For Mrs Muir's sake, of course," Claymore added hurriedly as he went to make the coffee. "And just so you know, I'm more than willing to buy the house back from her. For the right price, of course. That way she wouldn't have anything to keep her here anymore…"

He turned away, a secret smile of satisfaction curving his lips. He rubbed his hands together gleefully. This day was turning out to be far better than he could ever have imagined.

※※※※※

Candy and Jonathan were playing ball with Scruffy in the front garden when a car drew up to the gate. They stopped their game to stare at the woman who honked the horn before she got out of the driver's seat.

"Yoo-hoo! Good afternoon, children…" She stopped at the gate and waved at them impatiently. "Come along now and help me with my luggage."

She went back to the car and pulled a bag from the back seat. Another soon followed.

"Oh, help, Cousin Harriet's back…" Candy whispered in an aside to her brother. "I don't know what she wants, but it looks like she means to stay. You'd better go inside and tell Mom that she needs to get out here quick."

"Oh, her!" Jonathan sighed dramatically. "The last time she was here the Captain said he was gonna confine himself to his cabin for the duration. He was hopping mad. If she stays for too long we'll never get our ship in the bottle finished."

As he turned away, Candy seized him by the arm. "And remember, not one word to her about the wedding, right? That's our secret."

"Yeah, I remember. I might be only a kid, but I ain't silly." Jonathan looked offended as he picked up his bat and ball before heading inside.

"Mom…" he called the moment he entered the house. "Where are you? Mom? I need you right now."

"Where's the fire, lad?" The Captain appeared beside him.

"Not any fire…" Jonathan shook his head morosely. "But there sure are gonna be some fireworks any minute now." He knocked the end of his bat against his foot. "Candy sent me inside to tell Mom that Cousin Harriet's back and she looks like she really means business this time."

"That old snoop of an interfering busybody!" Daniel snapped indignantly.

"That's the one." Jonathan sighed. "Now we're never gonna get our ship finished and Mom is gonna be so annoyed."

The Captain stroked his chin. "Don't you worry yourself, lad. I'll put such a shot across her bow that it will have her running for the hills in no short order."

"Oh, no, you won't," Carolyn replied, as she descended the staircase. "You can't show her any of your tricks. Harriet's been sent here for a reason. To spy on all of us and dig up the truth about my buying the house from Claymore and who I'm involved with, romantically."

"There's an easy solution." Daniel shrugged in exasperation. "Go out and tell her I died and you're not receiving visitors because you're in mourning."

"Oh, then she'll stay for a month, thinking she's consoling me. We'll have to be a lot cleverer than that."

Carolyn shook her head ruefully. "Clearly, my parents are behind this. We all need to be on our best behaviour and show her there's nothing to concern her or my family. Convince them that we're all ship-shape and Bristol-fashioned."

"But, my dear…" Daniel extended an imploring hand. "With her snooping around the house, poking her long nose into every crevice and corner, we will have no time to be together in private for fear of being discovered."

"I know… But that's a sacrifice we'll just have to make…" Carolyn sighed as she walked up to him, trying not to cry. "Some short-term pain for a longer-term gain?" She begged silently for his understanding.

"One night, alone with you, was not enough…" Daniel replied, well aware of the small, interested child standing beside him. "Even eternity will never be enough…"

"There will be other nights, I promise…" Carolyn reached to touch him then dropped her hand with a sigh. "Then we can make up for lost time…"

"I'd still rather have your permission to put a shot across her bow before she even steps aboard our ship," Daniel whispered, looking down at her with naked longing in his gaze.

He shook his head slowly. "The woman is simpleton and a menace. She is not to be tolerated."

"I know, but we will tolerate her because she's family," Carolyn replied sadly as she moved past him and didn't look back as she walked out the front door to greet her guest.

Jonathan looked up at his hero anxiously. "But we're family too, right, Captain?"

"Of course, lad," Daniel replied, his narrowed gaze following his wife's progress. "It's just that there are families and then there are families. Don't worry, our trim little ship can survive any storm."

"Oh…" Jonathan looked doubtful. "But you're still my new dad, right?"

Daniel jerked his hard gaze from the view of the front garden where Carolyn was greeting her cousin and looked down at his adopted son. "Of course, lad. Never doubt that for a second. It's just that we can't tell Cousin Harriet. Her tongue's far too loose and her brain is addled."

"I know, I know…" Jonathan sighed gustily. "Candy said, Mom said and Martha too. I think I get it that I need to keep quiet about everything."

"Eh, lad, no long faces, now. It'll all work out in the end, you'll see." Daniel went down on his haunches before him. "And it will always be that way. Cousin Harriet coming here changes nothing and never will."

"Except we're not allowed to talk about you or the wedding. And I won't even be allowed to talk to you any time I want. And we won't get to finish our ship in the bottle…"

The boy's small shoulders fell. "And I won't even be allowed to have any of my new ghost friends in the house while she's here. It's not fair!"

"Very little in life is, I'm afraid…" Daniel shook his head. "But Harriet won't be here forever."

"But you will be, right, Captain?" Jonathan asked anxiously.

"Of course. I'll always be here." Daniel straightened. "Now, for your mother's sake, you'd better run along and warn Martha. Tell her there'll be another place setting for dinner."

Daniel returned his gaze to the front garden. "I want to keep a very close eye on the old snoop. I won't have her upsetting your mother with her impertinent questions and prying ways."

"Okay…" Jonathan dragged his feet and his baseball bat as he headed for the kitchen. "But I'd rather help you put a shot across her bow. I'd like to see that."

"Stout lad…" Daniel watched him leave, a smile curving his lips as he stroked his beard thoughtfully.

Out in the garden, Harriet extended her arms wide. "Carolyn…" she cooed, hugging her cousin close. "I'm so glad to see you again."

"And I'm happy to see you," Carolyn replied, managing to smile.

"Oh, no. I bet you said, here she is, back again so soon after the last time." Harriet chuckled as she patted her on the arm. "It's all right, dear. I understand. I'm sure you'd rather be alone with your grief."

"My grief?" Carolyn looked puzzled.

Harriet turned to instruct Candy to take care while removing the luggage from the trunk. She glanced back at her cousin. "But of course, I know you wouldn't mean it. You couldn't possibly. You know I don't intrude, and I don't impose. All you have to do is tell me I'm not welcome…" She paused and waited expectantly.

"Of course, of course, you're always very welcome," Carolyn managed the lie with a straight face as she went to help her daughter with the growing pile of luggage.

"I knew that…" Harriet beamed at them happily. "And I would've come sooner if I'd known about everything, my dear, sweet cousin."

"Known about what sooner?" Carolyn looked puzzled, completely at a loss as she carried the bags inside the front gate.

"Oh, about you and the Captain, of course. Such a shame, such despicable behaviour."

"Harriet, I don't know who you've been talking to…" Carolyn laughed. "What about me and the Captain?"

"Claymore told me all about you and his beastly twin brother…" Harriet patted her arm soothingly. "It's all right, you can tell me. You know I will understand."

Carolyn's exasperation rose as she added another case to the pile. "Understand about what?"

"That the Captain has abandoned you. That honey-tongued devil who was wooing you the last time I was here. He tried to sweep me off my feet too, you know. But I was wise to his game. A woman in every port, indeed. It's insufferable."

Carolyn couldn't help laughing. "Dear Harriet, you have entirely the wrong idea about everything."

"Oh, do I?" Harriet arched her brows in disbelief. "I know a broken-hearted woman when I see one. Now we'll go inside, have a nice cup of tea and you can tell me all about it. Get it off your chest, so to speak. You'll feel a lot better if you do."

She sighed blissfully. "I'll stay for as long as you need me. It'll be just like old times when we were girls together and told each other every little secret."

Carolyn frowned at her. "If I remember rightly, it was more that I told you my secrets first and then you ran and told my mother…"

"Oh, Carolyn, that was for your own good…" Harriet replied soothingly. "You know you were always getting involved with the wrong sort of man. I could always see that none of them were any good for you. Not even Bobby, we both know that. Hazel always said she didn't trust him."

"Who I chose to go out with was never any of your business, or Hazel's." Carolyn shook her head.

"Yes, well…" Harriet shrugged. "See how you and that awful Captain Gregg have turned out? Such a man doesn't deserve you or your love."

Suddenly thunder rumbled and lightning flashed as Daniel appeared behind Harriet with a face full of fury. He spread his hands wide, obviously intending to throttle the life out of her.

"What very odd weather you get up here," Harriet remarked, looking all around. "I noticed it last time. Do these storms blow up often? If it's going to rain, I don't want my luggage to get wet."

"Tea!" Carolyn suddenly exclaimed, hurrying to pick up some of the luggage. "What a wonderful idea! Come on inside while Martha and the children get the rest of your bags. And don't worry, I can assure you it's not going to rain."

She cast a significant glance at her husband as she put herself between them, waving her hand behind her back dismissively. When he didn't move she jerked her head in his direction, trying to get him to leave as she hurried her cousin toward the house.

"Madam, I am not a child to be dismissed so easily," Daniel replied, miffily. "She may stay the night and that's all. She will leave tomorrow or I will not be responsible for my actions. And that is my final word on the subject." He waved his hands and vanished with a snarl of outraged discontent.

Carolyn looked back as she shepherded her cousin into the house. "I'm sorry, but I can't help it…" she whispered to the empty space where her husband had just been standing.

"Can't help what, Carolyn, dear?" Harriet turned to regard her with some confusion. "You really are behaving very strangely. Almost as if you don't want me here. It looks like I arrived just in time to save you from yourself."

"Oh, it's nothing to be concerned about, really. I was just talking to myself…" Carolyn hurried to reply. "Martha…" she called. "You'll never guess who's stopped by for a return visit."

"You know, talking to yourself is not a good sign," Harriet worried the point. "Maybe it's for the best if I stay longer than I'd planned. You wouldn't mind, would you, dear? After all, this is your house now. You can have anyone you please to stay. And I am family."

Overhead a fresh round of lightning flashed and the thunder rolled. Dark clouds began to block out the sun.

"Of course, you can stay," Carolyn hurried her toward the kitchen. "That'll be nice for us. But we'd better get your luggage inside before it does start to rain."