The next afternoon, as she sat silently in the alcove off the parlor, she tapped absently at the typewriter keys. The echo of his words played again and again across her memory. "No Madam, the nearest I've ever come to a family is now. I suppose if you must put up with those babbling women I must too." How was it possible, after so many contentious months that he had uncovered the one perfect way to arouse her feelings, to touch her heart again?
Rolling her eyes, a definitely unladylike snort escaped her. To her amazement, once the ladies had left, it was abundantly clear that the Captain had meant what he had promised. She knew him far too well to doubt the honesty of his words. Clearly, she and the children were the nearest thing he had ever had to a family for himself and he was going to, yet again, treat them as the dearest people in his life.
'Was it fear?' she thought sitting in the quiet sunshine. Surely as they inched closer to one another, as their feelings became more obvious, more profound, the risk was more clearly defined. 'Was he afraid of losing me, losing all of us if he admitted. . .' she paused as she heard the phone ring in the entryway. "His love?" she whispered aloud, eyes wide as she began to challenge every negative thought, every painful assumption she had held after Seagirt left Gull Cottage after singing that that song, 'his song' she smiled as she recalled the afternoon and the look she had seen in the Captain's eyes that day.
"Mrs. Muir," Martha called out, "It's Claymore about the Centennial Games, he says the planning meeting has been moved up to this afternoon! 2pm sharp!"
Shaking her head, Carolyn Muir stepped out into the parlor. Looking up at the Captain's portrait, she snorted again. "Idiot, I'm still an idiot," she laughed softly to herself. "MARTHA," she called out, "Tell him I'll be there, and he can count on my support he asked for of the Gregg family name!"
Glancing back up at the portrait, she allowed herself a quiet grin just for herself, 'How could I have missed it? How could I have so completely misunderstood? You told me why Vanessa wasn't the one to hold your heart; you shared how hard it was to love after all you endured in your youth. How could I not understand you were scared? "
Bending over she picked up the papers and her notes, "And you weren't the only one," she sighed quietly allowing herself another peek toward the painting, "so we begin again, but you won't fool me again Daniel Gregg. If you are ready, so am I!"