In the midst of her latest story, Carolyn had tried unsuccessfully to ignore the sounds of Claymore and the Captain. . . "Oh let's call it reuniting, shall we?" she murmured aloud at her desk. Even though she found her legal landlord a nice enough fellow, she had to admit to preferring the actual master of Gull Cottage if anyone asked. Smiling to herself, she was glad there was no one to actually ask her at all, especially since their long discussion the previous evening, after the new Monkey Puzzle tree was safely in the ground.
She paused, letting herself recall the warm words and feelings that surrounded them last night, when she noticed a lovely bouquet of flowers floating toward her. "Why thank you!" she called out to the seemingly empty air.
As she entirely expected, the Captain appeared there beside her, "Honesty compels me," he offered with an excited grin, "to confess that the flowers are not from me, but from that quivering mass of jelly."
She paused to look up at him, with what she hoped was a 'come hither' look, but made sure her voice was matter of fact. "Claymore. Well I better go thank him." She paused, knowing he'd finish the rest of his announcement in all good time.
"I'm afraid you'll have to hurry," he smirked, "He's about a mile and a half down the road by now." Standing, she joined him at the binnacle, and put her eye to the telescope there. "Poor Claymore," she said quietly, "he's running as if he's" . . . and to her delight, the Captain joined her in saying, "just seen a ghost."
Laughing together, she realized even in the early days of her marriage, she and her husband had never shared such a mutually lighthearted moment. Taking another peek into the telescope, she saw Claymore paused by the side of the road. "He's looking rather green," she said somewhat worried, "don't you think you should go and check on him?"
"That squidly lout?" the Captain grumbled. Noticing her concern, he paused for a moment, "do you truly wish me to check on him?" Looking slowly up into his amazingly blue eyes, she gave him a subtle nod. Grumbling, he paused, noticing yet again, how truly vibrant and green her eyes were in the morning sunlight. "If you wish it Madam, but mind you for no other reason!"
As he disappeared, she sighed softly for just a moment. "If only. . ." she murmured aloud, as she returned to her work. "If only . . ."