"And so, you intend to be the official scribe for this miscreant, this teller of false tales, do you?" the Captain growled behind her, as she tried to work on her story about the founding of Schooner Bay Grammar School.
Thankful he stood behind her, and that the rolling of her eyes wasn't obvious, she allowed herself the required count up to 10 before responding. As much as she adored this man, as much as their relationship brought her more joy than she had ever imagined, she could not quite understand why he somehow found it impossible to let a single day go without making her blood boil (and not in a good way, she thought with a sly smile).
"Ten," she whispered aloud. "Captain! One of us was hired to write this history, did I miss something, perhaps you were the one they meant to do this work." She spun about to see him looking down, with a broad smile that was on the very of outright laughter. "WELL?" she said sternly.
Frustrated that she was unable to keep her heart from fluttering as he slowly bent over her and brought his lips to her ear, she fought to keep her face serious at least and hopefully impassive. "Getting to ten isn't going to be long enough this time, M'dear," he teased. "I'm right, and I know I'm right, no amount of righteous author indignation will dissuade me."
With that, he disappeared, his laughter hovering in the air after him. "BLAST," Carolyn hissed aloud, letting her tension escape. And with another roll of her eyes, she returned to the typewriter, unaware that the Captain was taking a fresh tack, this time with Miss Stoddard's pupils in the parlor below.