Chapter Eighteen

The Old Claymore

Claymore doffed his hat as he entered the living room after sunset. "Good evening. I'm pleased to see you are both home again safe and well," he said to Daniel and Carolyn. "It's a fine night for a drive out to see my family."

He bent to kiss the back of Carolyn's hand. "The sea air has fairly put a lovely bloom in your cheeks, my dear. I hope Boston treated you kindly."

"We fared very well." Sitting on the couch next to her cousin, Carolyn acknowledged the compliment with a smile. "Thank you, Claymore. It is good to be home."

She turned to Hazel who was watching Claymore closely. "Claymore Gregg, this is my cousin, Miss Hazel Williams. She's visiting us from Philadelphia."

"Another beauty come to grace our little town," Claymore acknowledged smoothly, also kissing Hazel's hand. "Good evening, Miss Williams."

"Good evening…" Hazel replied warily, snatching her hand back quickly when Claymore seemed inclined to keep it in his grasp as he admired her.

"We were about to partake of supper," Daniel commented, leaning on one end of the mantlepiece as he used the poker to stir the fire. "As always your timing is impeccable, Cousin."

"I found myself at a loose end this evening and Martha's fine cooking is an excellent draw card for a single man tired of dining all alone." Claymore chuckled.

He joined Daniel at the fireplace, turning to watch the two women talking between themselves. Behind his wire-rimmed spectacles, his eyes ran over Hazel's elegantly dressed figure approvingly.

"I have to say she's a rather fetching looking piece. And that's a very expensive French perfume she's wearing, too. Tell me more about her, Cousin. I could be interested in getting to know her better."

Daniel turned to frown at Hazel. "She dresses well, she knows a lot of people and she has travelled the world in the company of her twin sister."

"That's a bit bald. Go on," Claymore encouraged, his eyes glinting with speculation. "To have travelled so widely she must be more than comfortable. Does she possess a large fortune?"

"From what I can gather the twins are wealthier beyond even your dreams, Claymore."

"That wealthy…" Claymore's blue eyes grew round with avarice. "Then would you object to my paying court to the lady while she stays with you? I have always thought I should get married."

He preened a little. "I have so many wonderful qualities. Any woman would be glad to have me. Of course, finding a suitable lady of good independent means is always an advantage to any match."

"As much as I would enjoy seeing you squirming on her hook, do not think to go there, Cousin," Daniel warned for Claymore's ears alone. "The lady will not be staying long enough for you to pay her court. She is a liability we can well do without. And her conversation would bore a stone statue to death."

"Oh, so that's the lay of the land, is it?" Claymore questioned softly. "I did hear talk in town today of a well-dressed, penny-pinching female who demanded to be driven out to your house for half the usual fee. I could admire her thrift."

He shook his head. "She seemed like a woman after my own heart. I thought I would drive out and see her for myself. Save a penny, save a dollar, right, Cousin?"

"Cousin Hazel does not believe that a workman is worthy of his hire." Daniel shook his head. "She only believes in what is good for herself and her sister. She made no shift to help Carolyn when she was penniless through no fault of her own. Now she seeks to stay in this house while I am away to play chaperon."

"Very well, your point is noted." Claymore sighed. "A pity, but there it is. I also came out to see how my son is doing. He's growing fast from what I'm told."

"See him for yourself. I can hear the children now." Daniel nodded toward the open door. "Martha has just been giving Henry his bath."

"Martha?" Claymore questioned with a confused raise of his eyebrows. "What has happened to the Lacey girl I hired? She seemed very honest and reliable when I interviewed her for the position. She comes from a large family and is well used to caring for infants."

"All is in order," Daniel reassured him. "We have given Ellen a few days off to visit her family while Hazel imposes herself on us. You will soon see why."

Martha entered the room carrying Henry, followed by the children in their nightclothes and dressing gowns. Scruffy hurried in with them. They were all chattering at once, making Hazel's frowning expression look discomforted by the noise.

"It's about time you said hello properly to your Cousin Hazel, young man," Martha said, swiftly depositing the well-swaddled baby into the woman's arms before she could think to object or move aside. "You may hold him while I go and fetch the supper tray."

"Oh but, I…" Hazel stammered.

Henry gurgled as he stared up at his new carer, his wide, innocent dark eyes meeting frowning consternation equitably. He drooled happily as he reached to play with the nice silver locket Hazel was wearing around her neck, tugging at it and poking it into his wet mouth.

The children hurried in to crowd close. They well understood their roles as their parents had outlined to them earlier in the evening. There was no fear of Hazel insisting they be sent to their room tonight.

"See, he has such little fingernails…" Candy leaned in to point out. "And such tiny toes." She played with them, making the baby wriggle and laugh.

"And he's now got teeth too," Jonathan added, leaning closer still to peer into the baby's open mouth. "You'd better be careful how you hold him, Cousin Hazel. Henry likes to chew on things and he drools a lot."

"This imposition is not to be borne…" Hazel turned to scowl at Carolyn. "You should take him. I am not used to handling small children and infants. He will spoil my dress."

"Everyone in this house takes turns in looking after Henry," her cousin replied smoothly. "It's what families do. You'll need to get used to it if you are to stay with us for any length of time."

"How unkind. I cannot allow that you have the delicate state of my nervous disposition at heart," Hazel complained, trying to extricate her locket from the baby's firm grasp.

"No use having bad nerves around here," Martha commented as she returned carrying the tray of elegant French fancies which she placed on the coffee table right in front of Hazel. "Once the spring storms begin to roll in they can be loud enough to wake the dead. All that thunder and lightning."

She shrugged. "And as for the sea fogs. A body would struggle to see their hand in front of their own face the moment they stepped outside. People have sometimes gotten lost and fallen off the cliffs."

She chuckled as she turned away. "I'll just go and fetch the coffee."

"Sometimes the wind whistles so badly down the chimneys you'd almost swear the house was haunted," Candy added with relish. "And a lot of things can rattle and bang in the night."

"They're laying it on a bit thick, aren't they?" Claymore turned to Daniel in confusion. "I know we have spring storms, but they're not usually that bad. And we both know this house is quite sound. You ordered it built it to last with the best of materials."

"Take your cue from the children and play along, Cousin," Daniel advised. "It is all a means to a very good end."

"Very well." Claymore shrugged. "But I don't see the point in trying to drive the poor woman out into the night. She looks quite distraught."

"If Henry plays his part, she will soon take to her smelling salts and her bed. But she will still need a very good excuse to leave us. She is quite determined we stand in need of her extended company."

Claymore whistled softly. "Remind me never to get on your bad side again. I have learned my lesson there."

"A pity then that more of the Williams clan does not hold the same view," Daniel replied grimly. "Our lives would be more straight forward and far simpler."

He turned back to the fire, stirring the logs with the poker. "I do believe there is a favour you could do for us. Cousin to cousin. I would stand in your debt."

"You would?" Claymore's eyebrows rose suspiciously. "I trust you are not asking me to do anything illegal. I will not willingly endanger my many valued positions in the town."

"A small favour less illegal than your unwarranted tampering with the US mail service and Carolyn's letters," Daniel reminded him. "A life spent behind bars would not suit you or your state of health."

"Ah…" Claymore shook his head sorrowfully. "Am I ever to fully repay that unfortunate debt? I am a reformed man now. You'll find I'm quite respectable."

His lips curved wryly. "Most of the time."

"Well, tonight I require a little of the old, devious Claymore," Daniel replied. "Do as I ask and you may erase that unfortunate debt forever."

"Something only slightly illegal, then?" Claymore worried the point, stroking his chin.

He sighed. "Very well, what is it you require me to do?"

"All I need, dear cousin, is for you to send Cousin Hazel an urgent telegram from her sister."

"You want me to send her a telegram?" Claymore frowned. "But, why?"

Daniel smiled as he drew a small folded note from his pocket and passed it over. "Because the woman will not shift for herself unless we give her a solid push. She is convinced we stand in need of her. To be rid of her, we must present her with a greater need that she cannot deny."

He glanced back at Hazel trying to deal with a wriggling Henry and failing. Her face was a picture of mulish discontentment.

"Henry has successfully opened our campaign. But it will not be enough to shift her on quick enough before I sail. We must add to Hazel's level of discomfort by giving her a very good reason to hurry back to her family and leave us all in peace."

On the couch, Hazel turned to her cousin. "As I said earlier in the day, I am the bearer of family messages. Your mother and father send their love, of course."

She paused significantly, then continued, "You must know that before I left Philadelphia I did receive a very concerning visit from Robert's parents," she confided in a worried tone. "They thank you for your kind invitation to your wedding but they did not feel capable of attending. They could not bear the pain of seeing you married to another man so soon after Robert's death."

"I do not run my life according to their wishes," Carolyn interjected sharply. "I did think they might like to see me happy in my new life."

"Of course, of course," Hazel replied quickly. "But they had become aware I was intending to visit you. They'd been deeply worried by what your dear mother told them. That you are allowing the Captain to adopt your children as his own."

"It is his right as my husband," Carolyn defended herself warily. "And I fully support him. The children love him dearly and he is an excellent father to them."

"That is all well and good. But the Muirs are good people too and they miss their only son." Hazel shook her head. "I would not like to see them so upset by your thoughtlessness in allowing such a drastic move to take place. Perhaps you should take some time to reconsider. I am only saying this for your own good."

She frowned down at Henry. "I trust you are not also planning on adopting this bothersome child as your own."

"Henry is Claymore's adopted son," her cousin replied shortly, disliking the trend of the conversation and resenting the implication. "We are raising him."

"Good…" Hazel nodded sharply. "And what may I tell the Muirs about their grandchildren? They only want the best for them. They did suggest it would be better if they should both go and live with them to remain as Muirs. It makes eminent sense to me. After all, everything that is theirs will one day belong to you and yours."

"Candy and Jonathan are my children," Carolyn replied stiffly. "I alone will make decisions that I feel are right for them. Daniel is their father now and that is the end of the matter."

"If you say so," Hazel huffed. "Never let it be said that I wanted to interfere in any way. I was simply passing on a heartfelt message from two grieving parents who miss their only blood descendants. They simply wish the best for them."

"Oh no, we would not want anyone to think that you're pushing in, now would we?" Carolyn grimaced as she reached to take Henry from her, much to Hazel's patent relief.

"Now if you'll excuse me, it's past time for Henry to go to bed." Carolyn stood up and left the room with the baby balanced on her hip.

Daniel had been watching their tense interplay through narrowed eyes. He was prepared to step in and put the dreadful cousin in her rightful place if Carolyn had not ended the conversation so deftly.

"Yes," he murmured. "The sooner that blasted woman leaves our house, the better it will be for everyone."

※※※※※

"You must not allow that blasted woman to overset you," Daniel advised his wife quietly when they were finally alone in their bedroom. "The Muirs had no right to use her. They also cannot pursue any claim against you for your children. You are now a Gregg and they will have me to deal with should they choose to intrude on our happiness."

"I try not to allow Hazel to annoy me…" Carolyn sighed. "But my whole family seems to think I'm an unfit mother. I know the Muirs are grieving but their son was careless with his life and our fortunes. How can all that be laid solely at my door?"

"Since they cannot find fault with him, so they must do so with you." Daniel drew her into a comforting embrace. "Their intentions are understandable, but their way of going about presenting their case is sadly lacking in judgement. The sooner the children become the Greggs the easier your mind will be. No one will attempt to take them from me if they carry the protection of my name."

"Yes…" Carolyn nodded against his strong shoulder. "And if we can only find a way to also remove Hazel from our home, then it will be the best news I have had since we returned."

"It's all in hand…" Daniel kissed her hair. "Do not fret."

Carolyn pulled back to look up at him in awe. "Oh, what have you done?"

"You will see," her husband reassured her, smiling. "The less you know for now, the better. Then your surprise will seem all the more real and heartfelt when you receive the welcome news."

"Oh, I do like how you think," Carolyn approved, going up onto her toes to kiss him with intense relief.

※※※※※

"Old Pertwee, the telegraph boy, just delivered this message for Hazel," Martha said the next morning.

She held up the envelope to show Carolyn as she entered into the kitchen. "I wonder what it says. Pertwee wouldn't tell me, though I know he knew."

Her expression brightened. "I hope it's not bad news from home. That would be just too unfortunate." She chuckled. "Maybe Harriet's up and died."

"We'll have to wait until Hazel comes down," Carolyn replied, suppressing a wide yawn as she sat at the table with Henry on her knee. "I don't think her night was all that restful."

She kissed the baby's hair. "Nor was ours. But it's all a means to an end. Hazel simply cannot stay any longer. Our time is very limited and we have so much still to do. Who knew trying to become a published author could be so tiring."

"I could hear Henry from down in my room." Martha chuckled, carrying the coffee pot to the table and pouring two cups. "I was almost on the point of coming up to fetch him when all went quiet. He is usually such a good baby."

"Yes, well, we did encourage him a little and kept him awake. I left Daniel to sleep."

Martha sat at the table, sipping her coffee and frowning at the telegram propped against the milk jug. "We could steam it open," she offered hopefully.

Carolyn looked toward the open kitchen door. "Ssshhh, here she comes…" She looked up. "Good morning, Hazel."

"Is it morning?" A very discomforted-looking Hazel walked slowly into the room, seeming decidedly the worse for her disrupted night. "I wasn't sure. I never rise this early. It is unseemly."

"This is the country," Martha supplied helpfully. "We are always up with the first cock's crow."

"I was awake to hear that, too." Hazel made a face as she sat down heavily at the table to pour herself a cup of black coffee. She took a large mouthful and swallowed it, sighing with relief.

Martha tried not to smile as she picked up the telegram and held it out. "This came for you just now. The boy said it was urgent."

"Oh?" Hazel frowned at it. "I wonder what it says. I do hope it's not bad news from home. I already have a terrible headache."

"We have no idea what it says," Carolyn replied as she and Martha exchanged significant glances. "It's addressed to you."

Hazel used a nearby butter knife that had been laid for breakfast to slit the envelope open. She read the contents quickly, her hand creeping up to her cheek. "Oh, no. It's from my dearest Harriet. She has become quite prostrate again and needs me to hurry back to her as soon as possible. She's taken a serious turn for the worst."

Carolyn inhaled sharply with surprise then quickly shook her head. "Oh dear, poor Harriet. Do not think of us. You must rush back to her. How soon do you need to leave?"

"It seems I cannot waste a moment and must return to the city today. If I can secure transportation back to your Schoonerville. There I may take the passenger coach direct to Philadelphia."

The other two women exchanged significant glances. Carolyn shook her head.

"Claymore did say he was driving out again this morning," she replied smoothly. "We have some Gregg family business to conduct. I'm sure he would be delighted to return you to town as soon as you can repack your trunks and be ready to leave."

"We can certainly help you with that difficult task," Martha soothed. "If we hurry we can be ready by the time Claymore arrives."

"I am so sorry I cannot stay for as long as we'd planned…" Hazel sighed as she rose to her feet. "I feel so pulled in many different directions at once. Will you be all right without me here to care for you? Please tell me the truth, dear cousin."

"I'm sure we'll manage," Carolyn murmured, trying not to smile. "Go on home. Harriet needs you more. Give her my love and best wishes for her full recovery."

"Thank you, dear, dear cousin…" Hazel leaned down to hug Carolyn. "You really are so very brave. I will do my best to follow your wonderful example."

"You really are better off at home where you can rest and look after Harriet," Martha reassured her, indicating that Hazel should go before her out of the room. "I'm sure Claymore will be happy to organise everything for you when you get back to town. He'll make sure you catch your coach on time."

※※※※※

"Cousin Hazel is leaving us already?" Candy gazed in awe at the pile of luggage in the foyer. "How come?"

"Cousin Harriet sent her an urgent telegram. It seems she needs her more than we do," Carolyn replied. "We are sorry to see Hazel leaving us so soon."

"We are?" Jonathan's eyebrows rose. "Oh, yes, of course, we are." He managed to put on a suitably glum face.

"Don't overdo it," his sister warned, shaking her head. "Look out. Here she comes…"

Hazel descended the staircase slowly, pulling on her gloves. "Oh, my dears…" She sighed when she saw the whole household had turned out to see her off. "I truly wish I could stay and take care of you while the Captain is away. But, sadly, it is not to be…"

She sniffed as she glanced at Daniel, standing silently behind Carolyn. His grim expression gave away nothing of his thoughts.

"Don't think about us at all," Carolyn encouraged. "Harriet needs you more than we do."

"And what shall I tell the Muirs?" Hazel inquired tragically. "How will I even face them? You must reconsider. Surely you can see that what they offered is the best for the children and their future."

"Please give them my best and tell them I will have Candy and Jonathan write to them soon," Carolyn replied smoothly. "There is nothing more to be said on the matter."

"I truly do not know what will become of you all, stuck out here in this wilderness, my dear, dear cousin…" Hazel sighed.

"Come along, now. We'll have you all loaded up and ready to go in a trice," Claymore replied, hovering anxiously beside the open front door with his hat in his hands. "There's a coach to catch and we cannot be late."

Carolyn moved back to stand close to Daniel. "You must tell me later how you managed all of this so easily," she whispered, not looking up at him. "Hazel came here quite determined to stay until your return."

"A small but necessary deception with that telegram from Harriet…" he replied softly, watching the situation unfold with a look of deep satisfaction. "Along with the help of a master of manipulation." He nodded toward Claymore.

"Then it seems we owe him once more. But I do wonder what Harriet will say when Hazel returns home quite unexpectedly," Carolyn murmured before she went to help with removing the annoying Cousin Hazel from their house and their lives.

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