Chapter Sixteen

Do I Stay Or Do I Go Now?

"You know, Captain…" Harriet sipped her second glass of sherry as she gazed longingly at her table companion. "I'm afraid I've had to revise my whole opinion of you, tonight."

"You have? How so, Madam?" Daniel raised one of Claymore's eyebrows, trying not to smile with satisfaction.

"I must tell you that your twin brother gave me quite the wrong impression of you," she leaned closer to confide. "That was very naughty of him, don't you think? I really should give that man a good piece of my mind. You're not at all the man he described to me as being a two-timing scoundrel preying on lonely, defenceless women. With a love in every port. Quite the opposite, in fact."

She sighed as she smiled a quick apology toward Carolyn before turning back to Daniel. "I can see now that you love my cousin with all your heart."

"Ah, that I most certainly do…" Daniel slanted his wife a knowing look of triumph. "But I wouldn't be too hard on Claymore. He's capable of loving only one thing in his life and that's his bank accounts. But he's jealous of what we have and will do or say anything to scupper it. I think it best if you leave town quietly and let him stew on his perfidy. I will deal with him, in my own time."

He leaned over to take Carolyn's hand. Lifting it to his lips he kissed her open palm. "Would that we were alone right now…" He enclosed her hand between both of his, looking deep into her eyes. "Such sweet, sweet songs we would sing together…"

"Oh, that's so beautifully old-fashioned and deliciously wonderful…" Harriet breathed, watching their intimate interaction with hungry eyes.

"I think you've already seen that the Captain is quite the old-fashioned man," Carolyn commented, finding it rather disconcerting to have Claymore gazing at her with such sensual intent.

"Oh, I wish I could find a love like yours…" Harriet sighed dreamily. "I could be so very happy…"

"There's always Claymore…" Martha supplied helpfully, shaking her head.

"Yes, but his address cannot compare to the Captain's." Harriet shrugged. "Perhaps I've been looking in all the wrong places all these years. Maybe I should stay in Schooner Bay for a while longer and look around…"

"Oh, I think you'll find there are plenty of men of the sea back in Philadelphia," Carolyn told her quickly.

"And there's always Owen Mitford," Martha commented wickedly.

"Martha…" Carolyn warned, retrieving her hand quickly when her husband seemed intent on kissing his way up her arm.

"Awwww…" he complained, with a wicked glint in his borrowed eyes.

"Mom, we've finished watching the TV. Can we please have a cookie each?" Candy asked, walking into the kitchen.

"Yeah, can we? Oh…" Jonathan stopped in the doorway, staring opened-mouthed at the sight of Claymore Gregg sitting at the table looking totally unlike himself. "Captain…?" His eyes widened.

"Of course, it's the Captain," Candy reminded him quickly. "I told you he'd be here tonight."

"Evening, lad…" Daniel nodded, a warning clear in his narrowed eyes.

"Oh, yeah, that's right…" Jonathan shook his head. "I forgot. I wanted to show him my frog." He felt the pockets of his clothing, coming up empty. "Oh, well, maybe another day."

"Come and get yourselves a cookie each, then." Martha got up. "But just one now, mind you. Then it's upstairs to get changed for bed and brush your teeth."

"Okay…" Jonathan followed his sister to the cookie jar, looking back over his shoulder at the Captain with wide eyes. "Wow… He's good."

"Ladies, as much as it pains me to say, but I fear the flag has been raised, signalling that I need to make my sad departure…" Daniel pushed back his chair. "I must return to my ship and prepare to sail far away from my beloved once more. My heart is already heavy with longing…"

"Oh, but I still have so many questions…" Harriet rushed to her feet. "I mean, what are your plans for your future together with my cousin? Is there going to be a wedding soon?"

"Harriet!" Carolyn remonstrated, getting up. "I don't think that's any of your business."

"Well…" Her cousin looked determined. "The family needs to know his intentions toward you. I can see that he loves you deeply, but—"

Daniel raised his hand. "It's a fair question. I'll allow it."

He took her hand, carrying it to his lips once more. "Good, kind, Cousin Harriet, know that my love for this lady runs deeper than the limitless ocean and is as certain as the sun rising each morn. Leaving her now can only ensure I will return, for she holds my very soul in her small hand. Be well assured, that I shall be at her side for all eternity."

"Ooohhh, Carolyn, he's such a keeper," Harriet breathed, her eyes shining as Daniel released her. "Don't you ever let this one get away."

"I won't…" Carolyn did her best to suppress the laughter bubbling up inside her. "Besides, I rather like having him around…"

Daniel winked at her as he linked arms with both women again, escorting them into the front hall. There, he turned to Carolyn. "Farewell, my love. I beg that you do not come outside to wave me goodbye. I would rather that you wait and keep watch for my return upon the walk above this house."

He pointed to the ceiling. "And I too shall stand as a sentinel at the rail of my ship, counting every day between that doth conspire to keep us so far apart for so long."

Taking her by the shoulders, he leaned forward to kiss her on each cheek before releasing her with a knowing smile. He turned to wave at Martha and the children clustered in the kitchen doorway watching him with varying expressions of awed fascination.

"Until the day I return, fair thee all well…" He picked up his cap before walking proudly toward the front door, exiting quickly and closing it behind him.

"I must say…" Harriet stood enchanted with her hands clasped as she gazed after him. "You are so very, very lucky. He is the most interesting and incredible man I have ever met!"

"Oh, believe me, there's no one else quite like the Captain…" Carolyn replied, with a relieved smile. "He is utterly unique."

※※※※※

The morning after the dinner party, Harriet knocked on Carolyn's open bedroom door. "May I speak with you, Carolyn?"

"Of course…" Her cousin looked up from her typing. "Please, come in."

"I've just gotten off the phone from speaking with Violet." Harriet walked to the desk. "I rang to see how she was and she said she needs me urgently. It seems she's had a mysterious relapse. She's been seeing strange and terrible things all night and the poor dear is quite, quite prostrate with exhaustion."

"Oh, no. I do hope there's nothing badly wrong…" Carolyn tried not to show her relief at the news. "When do you need to leave?"

"I should go to her right away." Harriet looked worried. "But only if you're sure you'll be all right without me. I hate to leave you here all alone with the Captain away at sea."

"Oh, I'll be fine. I have the children and my work. Martha takes good care of me." Carolyn shook her head. "If Violet's need is so urgent, then I wouldn't dream of standing in the way."

"Thank you, dear Carolyn." Harriet nodded. "I knew you'd understand. And I really do feel I'm leaving you in safe hands. I've told Hazel we don't need to worry about you with the Captain around."

She looked about the room as of seeing it for the first time. "You know, you're a very lucky woman to have found such a wonderful love. The Captain's a positive volcano of poetry and passion. He's so fascinating. I can see you wanting to write all about him like you're planning to do with those memoirs of his ancestor in that painting downstairs. You would be making it into a kind of Gregg family history of passion and prose."

She sighed. "But, dear Carolyn, only for yourself, of course. I'd hate for all those pent-up feelings to spill over into another one of your articles. I really couldn't bear to see such tangled emotions in print again."

"Of course, you couldn't," Carolyn replied soothingly, shaking her head. "That article should never have appeared in print."

"Thank you…" Harriet breathed. "I just knew you would understand, dear cousin. Those memoirs of yours are one thing. We all know that Maiden Voyage was an unfortunate mistake on your part. I mean, the family wouldn't wish to see your name attached to any more such trashy fiction."

Carolyn smiled, folding her hands together tightly in her lap beneath the desk. "Oh, rest assured, Harriet dear," she replied sweetly. "You've just helped me make up my mind. You won't see my name on any more trashy romance articles like that one, in the future."

"Oh, I'm so glad you see it my way…" Harriet breathed in relief. "I just know the Captain would thank me for looking after his affairs so well while he's away at sea."

Daniel materialised beside his wife. "Thank you, Cousin Harriet," he replied with a dismissive smile. "I'm sure Violet needs you more than we do. She's been vastly overset by the odd things she's been feeling and seeing all night…" He chuckled gleefully.

Carolyn slanted him a quick look and he shrugged. "Well, since Mount Harriet wouldn't be moved voluntarily I was forced to give her a little shove in the right direction…"

"I'll drop in on Claymore Gregg on my way out of town," Harriet continued, completely unaware of his presence. "I will be telling him I do not indulge in malicious gossip or slander. Never let it be said that Harriet Williams can't change her mind about someone."

She shook her head. "And to think I once thought that Claymore Gregg was better looking and more fun than his incredible twin brother. I quite like a beard on a man now, too."

"Bravo…" Daniel bowed ironically.

He turned to Carolyn. "Before she shoves off, there's a little something in the top drawer you might wish to give her as a parting gift."

"There is?"

Harriet frowned at her. "Did you say something, dear Carolyn? Oh, I do hope you're not talking to the shadows again. Maybe I should stay, after all."

"I just said before you go there's something I have for you," Carolyn replied quickly, opening the top drawer of the desk.

She picked up a folded document. It looked very official and important. "Here it is."

"An excellently executed forgery, if I do say so myself." Daniel stroked the line of his moustache with one finger. "I employed the best lawyer I know in the afterlife."

"Oh, for me? What is it?" Harriet accepted the document her cousin held out.

Daniel replied, "Tell her it's the last will and testament of a certain Captain Horatio Mathers. A confirmed and lonely bachelor, without any known kith or kin, late of Beacon Cove, Maine. Hereby and therein leaving all his worldly goods and monies to his good and kind friend, one Mrs Carolyn Muir, a widow residing in Schooner Bay, Maine."

He nodded with satisfaction. "I told you I would find you just the right old sea-dog. Sadly, in reality, he died without a single penny to his name."

Carolyn smiled at Harriet. "It's the last will and testament of Captain Horatio Mathers. When he died, he left all his worldly goods and money to me." She cast a quick frown at her husband over the last piece of his statement about her still being a widow.

"Well, in the eyes of the human law, it's still true, my dear…" He shrugged his apology.

"Oh, your sailor man friend…" Harriet unfolded the document eagerly, beginning to read. "How interesting…"

"She may read it later, Madam. It's a certified copy she can take away with her," Daniel encouraged. "You retain the original under lock and key and there will be no further discussion or interference on the subject."

He leaned closer to his wife. "Get her gone, Madam, or I will not be responsible for my actions. The children are attending school and Martha has taken the day to help Ed Peevey. We do have some rather urgent business of our own that I'm rather keen to get back to the moment the interfering and nosy Cousin Harriet departs our home."

Outside the house a storm began to rumble in the distance as lightning flickered along the horizon and dark clouds started to cluster, blocking out the morning sunlight. A cold wind blew up, stirring the curtains at the open window.

Harriet looked up from her reading. "Ohhh, there's another of your weird weather patterns. I do hope it's not going to rain. I don't want to get wet and be delayed starting my journey back to Violet's. You know I don't drive in the rain."

The looming storm immediately abated. Bright sunlight returned to flood the bedroom.

"There you go, it must have heard you." Carolyn looked up at her husband knowingly.

"How odd…" Harriet mused, going back to her reading. "Ah, so your generous friend lived in Beacon Cove. No wonder Claymore Gregg didn't know anything about him…" Still reading, she walked slowly around the desk with the obvious intention of sitting next to Carolyn.

"Get her gone, Madam…" Daniel growled, setting his hands on the back of the vacant chair with the obvious intention of pulling it away. "I will not say it again…"

"Yes, of course…" Carolyn jumped up to head her cousin off. "That's a certified copy that you can take away with you to show the family that everything's just as I said it is…" She took Harriet's arm.

"I'll come and help you pack," she offered, glancing over her shoulder at her husband as she urged her cousin from the room. "If you leave now, you'll be there in time for lunch. I'm sure Violet will be very grateful to see you. You can phone me later and tell me how she's getting on."

※※※※※

Claymore looked up sourly when someone knocked on his office door. He was seated at his desk, holding his head between his hands and feeling very sorry for himself. "What happened last night? What did I say and what did I do?"

He'd returned from Gull Cottage without any memory of what had gone on there. His great-uncle had released him the moment Claymore had gotten behind the wheel of his car, sending him on his way with a stern warning never to meddle again in affairs that didn't concern him.

"Aye, aye, Captain…" Claymore had saluted weakly before he'd driven home in a haze.

He'd undressed and crawled into bed, trying to find some peace in the oblivion of sleep. He knew he'd dined well because his groaning stomach was full of delicious food. The soothing warmth of an excellent sherry lingered on the back of his tongue along with the rich taste of Martha's superb cherry pie and whipped cream.

"Maybe that was it…" he groaned, frowning as his office door opened. "Maybe I over-indulged and imbibed too much and that's what gave me those nightmares…"

He'd endured a very bad night, full of knocks, creaks, talking and insane laughter that had him huddling in fear beneath his bedcovers. He was well aware of who was behind all the chaos, but he had no answer to the Captain's meddling with his rest.

"You lied to me, Mr Gregg." Harriet Williams stood in the office doorway regarding him with a deeply censorious look, her handkerchief very much in evidence. "You tried to make a complete fool out of me, you did. You sent me to dear Cousin Carolyn with a totally false idea. Your twin brother is nothing like how you described him to be."

"So, he's fooled you too. He has a way with women that often blinds them to his true nature," Claymore muttered sourly, wishing fervently she would just go away and leave him alone to nurse his aching head.

"I have come to doubt that very much," Harriet replied, walking to the desk, dabbing at her eyes. "I think your jealousy over the happiness he's found with my sweet Carolyn has blinded you to the truth. He certainly has an excellent turn of phrase that is quite, quite captivating."

She sighed. "Oh, he was a true gentleman and a wonderful poet at our dinner last night. I could have listened to him all night. He was almost too good to be true…"

"Was I?" Claymore squinted at her. "I mean, he was?"

"You know very well he was," Harriet replied with an impatient sniff. "Don't bother to lie to me. I see through you. Oh, how awful. Your perceptive brother was so right. Your only care is for money. Family honour means nothing to you. You wanted to regain ownership of Gull Cottage by any means, fair or foul."

"By rights, the house should still be mine," Claymore grouched. "It belongs in the Gregg family."

"And yet, you sold it to Carolyn, fair and square. She told me how quick you were to part with it for money."

"Well, not money, exactly…" Claymore protested weakly. "But I know you won't listen to my side of the story."

"I have this…" Harriet ignored him as she pulled Captain Mathers' will from her purse and held it up. "Here's the proof that dear Carolyn did indeed have a very good friend and benefactor who left her enough money to buy the house from you. She was kind enough to furnish me with a certified copy to show the family."

"Let me see that…" Claymore struggled up from his chair to take the document from her. He frowned at it. "But I wasn't aware of this will. I don't know any Captain Mathers."

"That's because he lived in Beacon Cove, not Schooner Bay…" Harriet plucked the will from his slackened grasp with a warning frown. "It seems you don't know everything, after all. And to think that I almost believed you. How could you be so mean and cruel?"

She shuddered with distaste as she pushed the will back into her purse. "Well, the next time you decide to make trouble for my cousin with your outrageous lies, you'll have me and our family to answer to!"

She turned and walked to the door. "Goodbye, Mr Gregg. I cannot say it's been a pleasure," she quavered, tears gathering in her eyes. "I am returning to care for dear Violet. It's where I'm most needed now. Carolyn has her Captain to care and protect her from the likes of you."

She pressed her handkerchief to her lips. "Ohhh, and to think I once thought you more entertaining and handsome than your marvellous brother…"

She gave a quiet sob, leaving the office and closing the door sharply behind her. Silence descended in the office.

"Was I that good last night? I don't remember a thing about it…" Claymore sank back down into his chair, holding his aching head between his hands once more. "Why, oh, why did I get out of bed this morning?"

The echoing sound of mocking laughter was his answer. "Claymore, remember the lesson I tried to teach you not so long ago…" a familiar spectral voice intoned. "A man can be cured of his lust, but a fool can never be cured of his greed..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah… I heard you the first time you said it last night, Uncle. And the tenth and the twentieth…" Claymore sighed as his eyes strayed to the wall safe hidden behind the portrait of George Washington.

He pressed the palm of one hand to the top pocket of his shirt. The moment he'd pulled it on this morning he'd felt something hard and sharp-edged inside.

"Owww…" he'd complained moodily, inserting two fingers and a thumb to pull out a sparkling, Victorian-cut diamond of first-water quality and clarity.

He repeated the same movement now, bringing out the flawless diamond. It came with a small, folded note. Claymore already knew what it said.

'Payment made in full for an excellent night's work. You may keep your blasted treasure! DO NOT come begging at our door for anything more or it will be the worse for you. C.G.'

"I really do wish I knew what I did and said last night…" Claymore sighed, holding up the gem to study its beauty and flawlessness from every angle. "But, whatever it was, I must have been very, very, very good…"

Defeated and confounded, he got up and tottered over to the safe. Maybe, just maybe, counting and recounting his beloved treasure would soothe his shredded and overset nerves…

※※※※※