Standing quietly in the moonlight, watching Claymore drive away, Carolyn turned toward the Captain. "I suppose I have you to thank for these," she said politely holding the perfect string of pearls aloft. She was a bit surprised at the intensity of his gaze, and especially the words that followed, "Madam, if I were alive there'd be emeralds, diamonds and palaces," he said in a husky voice filled with all the emotion he had restrained throughout the day, and in fact the many days before this evening. Without hesitation, Carolyn decided to share the one thing she has been holding in her heart for months, "Captain if you were alive, Gull Cottage would be a palace," she said in a no-nonsense tone.
She paused for breath, and he appeared to do the same, both of them seemingly unable or unwilling to break their gaze toward the other, uncertain about what else might follow this unusual recognition of the powerful emotions they shared. "How I wish I might be alive," he said softly. She nodded, with the same, almost neutral expression she often held when they touched upon their feelings. Only the shine in her green eyes, barely visible in the dark, told him more,
"Carolyn," he said softly, all too aware of the impact his use of her name made upon her, "As I recall, you told your Mother you knew exactly what you wanted. You said you knew who could bring you into a true marriage of mind, heart and spirit. You told her that until we could be one, there was no one else you would marry in this world." Even in the dark, he could see her blushing. "Please," he wheedled, "surely by now we should be able to be honest, be candid with one another. I had assumed you referred to me, was I wrong?"
Fixing her gaze down at her feet, she weighed her words carefully, "No, no you aren't wrong at all," she said quietly. As she looked back up, and stared into his eyes, he saw a painful look of resignation. "And I'm not sure saying it aloud," she said in a strained voice, "will make either of us any happier. In many ways I feel like we've been on a long courtship, and as wonderful as that has been, I have no doubt that both of us long for something more, something we're never going to have." Solemnly, he stood, a single finger stroking the beard on his chin, "I understand. Yet here we are, clearly in love with one another. Are you sorry?" "For loving you?" she said with a smile, "never!"
"That's what I hoped," he said reaching toward her, "come here." To her astonishment, she felt herself being pulled toward him into a gentle embrace. His face, a whisper away from hers, he paused, "I need to tell you, that this is still an illusion. Nothing will make me a living, breathing man again. Nothing has changed." Shaking her head, Carolyn reached up and touched his beard, "Yet I can feel you?" she said puzzled. "It took time, and a bit of study followed by quite a lot of practice I assure you," he said with obvious pleasure. It made sense that if I could touch and move objects, that this could be, should be possible," he paused to let his fingers brush across the side of her face. "Scruffy was my first test subject, and then, in private I made other attempts to make contact and see what might be possible. The day of Jonathan's birthday party, I found one of the smaller party guests wandering about, and when I was able to hold out a finger and he could grab it, I knew I was close. All that remained was to find the optimal moment, which I believe is now."
The moment was familiar, the gestures exactly as she recalled from her dream fueled by the ague and Willow Bark Golden Elixir. She was tempted to look about for waltzing couples and the sight of Mrs. Coburn fainting into Claymore's arms. To her supreme happiness, the long awaited kiss, that soft, intense passionate moment was not interrupted this time by anyone.
One kiss rapidly followed another, and still held firmly in his arms, she paused and rested her head on his chest. "It's an evenings of dreams," she whispered. A low "Hmmm," echoed in her ear, "you think this is merely a dream, do you?" "I hope not," she offered looking up, "but right now I feel as if we practiced for this moment during the end of your Christmas dream. I must admit I far prefer this to the dream."
"It has the advantage of being real," he murmured into her hair, "or as real as this can be in any event." Snuggling happily, she smiled, "Feels real, isn't that enough?" "Oh, it is, but my love, be warned, while this completes some dreams, others will arise that have their own frustrations. We conquered one set tonight, but there will be others."
"I like our odds," she smiled, reaching up to give him a kiss.
"Now how far does this ability extend?" she asked with a winning smile. "If I have to contend with things arising, we should identify them as soon as possible." "We're not still talking about the future any longer, are we?" he said with a knowing grin. "It's still been over 100 years, but I recognize a wanton proposal when I receive one."
"Oh, just one? I suspect it'll be more than that. Or is this one of those unavoidable frustrations you mentioned?" Tugging his ear, he brought her close again, and in the midst of their passionate embrace, she found the answer to her question in the midst of their increasingly close connection. "Mind you," he murmured while running small, gentle kisses down the side of her neck, "I have had no real opportunity to fully understand what may be possible next."
"Then my love, let us together explore what the possible may provide?" she asked softly. With a small nod, he disappeared onto the balcony of the master cabin, and seeing him waiting there and knowing she had to run the gauntlet of family first, she made her way upstairs and toward her future. Their future, whatever it might be, together.