Delighted that she was able to hold in her laughter, she couldn't help rolling her eyes in amused disbelief as the 'rejected' Claymore left Gull Cottage. As she expected, the Captain appeared next to her, and shared her amusement. "I hope you'll be able to recover from this heart rending incident," he offered with undisguised faux sympathy.
With her best 'Sarah Bernhardt" overacting, a hand flew to her forehead, "Oh I'll try Captain . . . I'll try!" She paused enjoying the moment between them, "But it won't be easy, you see there are only two Gregory Pecks!" She completed the dramatic flourish by dashing her own sherry glass into the fireplace.
"Peck's? In my day that was a word for the kind of kiss you'd use for your aunt or grandmother – is that what you'd want from a suitor? And the name Gregory, seems, well, overly bookish to me. . . perhaps a name for a school teacher or bookkeeper?"
She giggled, "No, not THAT kind of peck, it's the last name of a famous actor – in fact he played Captain Ahab in Moby Dick – surely you know the story? It would have been your kind of movie I think."
"Ahab? Sorry, no, though the name does sound familiar, is this from your time?" he asked with obvious confusion. "No, I thought it was from your time. Hmmm, let me check. . ." Carolyn poked around and pulled the old copy she had kept since high school from the bookshelf in the alcove. She paged to the front, and frowned, "OH, no I guess you wouldn't know the story. According to this it was published first in 1851, so I guess, perhaps, you just missed it?"
"Interesting," he murmured, "may I borrow this?" Nodding, she passed it into his hand, "A seafaring tale, and one I THOUGHT was accurate, but I suspect you'll tell me if my assumptions were correct," she continued. "At its center, It was all about a man obsessed with something he wanted. Despite his desire, and even with every effort in his power, it turned out it was something he couldn't achieve . . ." Carolyn stopped, all too aware that the Captain's eyes were focused upon her with obvious emotion. "Yes, I know something about that," he paused, seeing that the blonde widow entirely understood his meaning.
"Just read it," Carolyn smiled, "and I think you'll know what I mean, when I say your ability to get what you want is far more likely than Captain Ahab's. All in all, I'm no white whale, and whenever you want me, you can find me . . . anytime! But hopefully with more pleasing outcomes."
Smiling, she headed upstairs. As she glanced back at him opening the book, she knew his confusion would be short-lived. Carolyn hoped that he'd appreciate her offer once he finished the book, and understood what she had in mind. Knowing his ability to craft dreams now, she knew precisely what kind of outcome SHE had in mind, and was happy to wait until he finished the novel to see what they could dream together. "Although, I hope he won't think of me as a white whale," she giggled as she headed up to their room.