"And Mom don't forget the brandy?" "The what?" she said surprised. "The brandy, that'll put a keel under it." Jonathan finished with a big smile. "Brandy? Well, no brandy for either of you. Jonathan, head upstairs after you finish that cookie and start your homework." Grabbing Candi by the elbow, "Not you miss! You head up and crawl into your bed. I'll be up with the thermometer and an aspirin in a second."
"Aw Mom! I'm fi . . ." she stopped interrupted by another huge sneeze. "Mom really I'm fine!" "Nice try, I'll see you upstairs."
"It's good to see that at least one female in this house know how to behave appropriately when she is ill. You should learn from her Mrs. Muir," the Captain chided, appearing next to her, Candi's steps sounding loudly as she slowly made her way upstairs.
"So, let me guess, after your success in curing me, you think we all should automatically follow your suggestions? Or are they commands to your crew?" Carolyn said with narrowed eyes. He was grateful he had caught the challenging tone to her comments, especially since he was nearly ready to congratulate her on her fine and growing common sense. Looking away for a moment, and scratching his ear, he gave himself a needed moment to retrench his thinking. Sitting down beside her, he finally turned with a gentle look, "Indeed not, just thankful to see both of you taking care of yourselves, even if you need a prompting from time to time."
Grinning widely, Carolyn stood to put the cookies into the jar, "Nice recovery," she said, peeking over her shoulder to catch his reaction. Raising his eyebrows in mock surprise they both laughed. As she sat back down, she leaned toward him, "So this also answers my other question, so it's not just Madeira then Captain? I admit I always assumed it couldn't be the only drink you enjoyed?" "Madeira Madam is something civilized, a drink fit for ladies, but brandy, like rum is far more a man's drink." "Odd, you never asked my preference," Carolyn mused, "you just automatically assumed which I would choose. That's hardly fair I think."
"You would have preferred a snifter of brandy then?" he said with curiosity, wondering where she was heading with this discussion. Surely not another diatribe about women's rights and equality, he hoped. "To tell you the truth Captain," she answered, "I would have agreed to any drink, brandy or otherwise if that is what sent me off into my dream. All these days later, I find it still haunts me." "So you said, but you still haven't shared the details with me. I have to wonder which haunts you? The dream, or perhaps the man?" he asked, focusing on her blushing cheek.
As she slowly stood up, and walked to the door, he wondered if he had gone too far, been too forward, when she finally turned toward him, he knew. Her eyes sparkling, and a look of determination on her face, she cleared her throat, "Both, I think," she said firmly. "And for that conversation Daniel Gregg, I expect an excellent cognac. There are times when to be a woman, you need to leave being a lady behind. Tonight perhaps?"
"Wheelhouse once the small ones are asleep then?" he asked. "It's a date," she said, heading upstairs before her common sense made her change her mind. "Tonight then," he said softly to himself, "time to leave the dreaming behind, at last."