A note to all my lovely readers:

The third and final book in my series is now available on Amazon.

Lucie Of Beacon Bay

If you would love to read my recent novels retelling the original story of The Ghost and Mrs Muir then please go to Amazon (US)

and look under Books for Lucie and the Captain and Lucie Of Greystone Cottage by Katherine Lange.

They can be downloaded to any device with the Kindle app. You do not need a Kindle to read them.

Thank you for your attention, please enjoy!

Also a note for Ellen Mcilroy. Thanks for your kind review and question. Sadly, I cannot reply to any Guest reviews except in this form. I can personally reply only to members of FFN.

To answer your question about Let There Be Love, it is an ongoing chapter fic that alternates every Monday/Sunday with The Captain's Cottage. If you go down my list of fics you will find that one.

It is also an ongoing chapter fic. I hope this clears up any confusion for you and that you will continue to read and review. Thanks again.

Chapter Forty-Five

An Unwelcome Appearance

Two weeks later:

Daniel sat stiffly on a chair in Dr Morgan's reception area, trying to conceal his simmering impatience. He could feel the receptionist's frequent glances of feminine curiosity and hear her whispered conference with her equally fascinated colleague who appeared to have nothing better to do than to also stare at him with wide eyes.

He was no more used to their intense speculation now than he had been the last time he'd escorted his wife to her latest gynaecological appointment in Bangor. He moved his shoulders restlessly as he pretended to read the magazine he was holding. The words swam before his unfocussed gaze as he waited and fretted.

"Blast…" He grimaced, wishing he'd been allowed into the inner office to be with his wife. "Where's the harm?"

As a man long-trained to be in charge, he baulked at the needless delay in knowing all was still well. To be told he wasn't allowed into the room had only heightened his sense of impatience.

He flicked through more pages of the woman's magazine without seeing. The minutes on the wall clock ticked slowly by and it seemed like an age before the inner door to Dr Morgan's office finally opened.

"Captain Gregg? You may come on in now," the gynaecologist called, beckoning to him with one hand. "Your wife is ready for you."

"Thank God…" Daniel breathed as he cast aside the unread magazine and jumped to his feet.

He scowled at the two whispering women seated behind the reception desk as he passed them. "Ladies…" he muttered, snapping two fingers to his temple.

They gasped and giggled to each other, both blushing to be caught speculating on him. But neither looked away as they watched his rapid progress every step of the way until he finally shut the office door on their whispered conference.

"Please, take a seat, Captain." Dr Morgan indicated the chair next to Carolyn's before his desk. "We've been having an interesting discussion."

"Is there a problem?" Daniel grasped Carolyn's hand as the doctor sat down again.

"Oh no, not at all," Dr Morgan was quick to reassure him, waving his hands in denial. "Nothing's the matter. In fact, it couldn't be better. The twins are hale and healthy. I've never heard such strong heartbeats. They've both made excellent starts in life. We can hope for a healthy outcome."

"Well, that's good to know," Daniel breathed as he squeezed his wife's hand comfortingly. "You looked so worried, my dear. I thought there for a moment…" He shook his head as he exhaled sharply.

"There is an issue we do need to discuss, however," Carolyn replied, shaking her head. "Well, there's going to be one, soon."

"Yes, one sticky problem remains unresolved from what your wife has just told me." Dr Morgan frowned at Daniel. "And I'm afraid the solution lies totally with you, Captain."

"With me?" Daniel stared at him, at a loss for answers.

Various ideas and thoughts flashed through his mind. He speculated on each one and discarded them just as quickly.

He frowned at the accusation. "I… don't understand. What's the problem with me? What are you talking about?"

"I had to make a confession," Carolyn admitted, shaking her head. "It's the only way. I don't know why I didn't think of it before."

"I see…" Daniel replied slowly, watching her concerned expression doubtfully.

He swallowed tightly, wondering what was now happening and why. One awful thought assailed him. Surely Carolyn hadn't told the doctor anything about their very unusual relationship?

It wasn't possible. But what else could there be to make them both look so serious?

Dr Morgan's thoughtful expression became disapproving. "I'm afraid your wife has just confided to me that you do not know how to drive a car, Captain. That you have never learned to drive."

He shook his head. "I must say I was astonished when your good wife confessed. In this day and age, I do find the idea incredible."

"Drive?" Daniel's eyebrows shot up toward his hairline, his rigid shoulders slumping with relief. "I… well, no, I do not. I, ah, have never had the need to learn to pilot one of those infernal machines."

He failed to see what that had to do with anything right now. He looked from one to the other in confusion as he ran one finger around inside the collar of his sweater, feeling a sudden constriction.

"I'm sorry," Carolyn replied quickly. "I just never thought about it until now. Dr Morgan asked me if you did and I had to say no."

"I see…" Dr Morgan sat back in his chair. "And yet, your wife told me that you're a sea captain. I would've thought you would be conversant with piloting all manner of vessels both on and off the land."

"I was and I am," Daniel acknowledged stiffly. "But I prefer to command those of the sea. I can sail anything from a cutter to a clipper."

He grimaced. "And it's the number of horses that makes any modern, powered car harnesses that makes them inherently dangerous."

Dr Morgan frowned in deep confusion. "Cutters and clippers? Horses? How very unusual of you in these times. So, nothing with an engine, then?"

Daniel lifted his shoulders in brusque denial. "Not by choice." He frowned, wishing they could be done with this pointless interrogation.

"It's all my fault," Carolyn rushed to say. "I didn't think…" she whispered, her eyes filled with an odd mixture of humour and contrition. "But I had to confess when Dr Morgan asked me."

"Well, I still fail to see what that fact has to do with anything at all," Daniel replied huffily.

Dr Morgan sat forward, his expression becoming accusing. "Of course, it doesn't matter now. Your wife is still quite capable of driving you both to our monthly appointments. She will be for a few months yet."

He clicked his tongue. "But when those appointments become weekly and her advancing pregnancy prevents her from getting behind the wheel with any degree of safety or comfort…"

His words trailed off, dripping with disapproval. "I would have thought you would have been well aware of the problem, Captain. And you would be seeking ways to remedy the oversight and get out ahead of it before the time comes."

Carolyn squeezed Daniel's hand. "When I was having Candy and Jonathan I had Bobby to drive me around when I couldn't. Also Harriet and Hazel were always there to help out. You could say I was very spoiled for choice."

She shook her head. "Until this afternoon, I'd never given a thought to our immediate future without their help."

"I see. Well, if you're suggesting we allow either of those confounded, interfering twins back into our lives over such a small matter…" he muttered. "It's not to be countenanced."

He frowned suddenly. "What of Martha? Does she not drive?"

"Not an inch. She's never wanted to learn and never had any need to." Carolyn grimaced with a shrug. "There's always Claymore, I suppose. We could ask him if he could help us out."

"I wouldn't trust that miserable barnacle with the care of a caged bird, let alone the safety of my wife and unborn children!" Daniel shot back.

He braced his shoulders. "If I must learn to pilot your infernal machine for your sake, then learn it I will."

"You will?" Carolyn breathed in cautious relief. "Oh, that would be wonderful! I really didn't want to ask Harriet or Hazel to come and stay."

"What other choice do we have?" Daniel responded with a shrug. "I mean, I once sailed a ship, single-handed, through the eye of a hurricane. How much harder can it be?"

"Excellent, That's settled, then," Dr Morgan said with satisfaction, still regarding him with a troubled look of curiosity and puzzlement.

He shook his head as he picked up his pen. "Now, Mrs Gregg. We do need to schedule your next appointment…"

※※※※※

"I doubt I'll ever get used to piloting this infernal, horseless machine of yours," Daniel complained as soon as he got back into Carolyn's car. "But if needs must…"

"I'm sorry, but it looks like it's the only way." His wife shook her head. "I never gave it a thought until the doctor asked. I have to see him every month to make sure all is well. And we're both agreed we don't want help from either of the twins or Claymore."

She shook her head as she laid a hand over her abdomen. "I'm only sorry I didn't think of it before. We should have discussed it when we were alone. I know how you hate this car and anything to do with it."

"Don't apologise," Daniel replied quickly, putting one hand over hers. "That part worries me not. I will not allow any confounded horseless carriage to defeat me. I will master it as I have any ship and crew I commanded."

He stared at the steering wheel. "Though the manner of its piloting is a great deal smaller than I'm used to handling."

"Thank you." Carolyn nodded with a relieved smile. "Together, we can do this."

Her husband shrugged. "The doctor was right, of course. And he appears to be a sensible enough fellow. It's all the rest of the twentieth century I heartily detest."

He glared through the windscreen at the bustling scene around them. As before, the Bangor sidewalk was crowded with hurrying pedestrians who gave way to no one and appeared to be on some mysterious mission of their own.

He waved a disgusted hand. "Look at them all. They are like ants, always running to be somewhere else. In the nineteenth century, we showed better manners and courtesy to our fellow foot travellers. One always walked at the left hand of the ladies to protect them from any harm. A runaway carriage or some accident in the street."

He huffed a discontented sigh as he watched a fast-walking man rudely cut off a woman's progress without apology. "And the gentlemen always gave way to a woman with a courteous bow and a smile."

He shook his head. "Where's the harm? Now it seems it's every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost."

"I guess I never looked at it that way." Carolyn drew a long breath and released it slowly. "But now, in this time, we have to tell my parents about the twins. We can't keep it from them any longer. It wouldn't be fair. Especially if Harriet gets it into her head to show up uninvited again."

"Yes, it's time," Daniel agreed.

"Your world does sound so delightful and refreshing," Carolyn replied as she turned the key in the ignition.

She eased the vehicle backwards from the curb-side carpark and then turned it into the steady rush of passing traffic. "Remember when I told you that it was the time made for women? The fashions were feminine, the manners, grand, and the parties, very elegant indeed."

"I remember..." Carolyn shook her head. "I also remember that dream you gave me before Christmas. That was beyond lovely. I love waltzing with you, all alone in the moonlight."

"If you wish to return there, my love, you only have to ask. It would be my pleasure."

"Thank you," she replied. "I might just take you up on that offer if things start to get too stressful. My parents will soon wish to come visiting again."

She turned out of the city's outskirts and took the road leading toward home and Schooner Bay. "If you're willing, we can begin your driving lessons as soon as we get out to Spirit Island next week. It'll be nice and quiet and there's no time like the present to practice, I guess."

"I will certainly look forward to that," Daniel replied grimly.

※※※※※

A week later:

Carolyn leaned back in her deck chair on the front porch of their Spirit Island camp. She put aside the book she'd been reading and linked her fingers gently over the rounded swell of her abdomen.

She felt relaxed and happy, content with her world. She doubted she could be happier than right now. Everything seemed perfect and they would have a few days of respite to enjoy the peace.

That morning, Daniel's first driving lesson had gone well enough and he'd already mastered the art of piloting the car in a straight line. Though his white-knuckled grasp on the steering wheel told its own story, Carolyn was wise enough not to make any comment.

As the warm day wore on, her husband had taken the children swimming and Carolyn was alone in the yard except for Mr Peabody who was stretched out in the afternoon sunshine beside her chair. Carolyn had to resist the urge to reach down and run her fingers over the cat's dark fur.

He appeared so real as he snored gently. Yet she knew the sleek animal was no more substantial than the warm sunlight.

"Heaven…" Carolyn settled back and closed her eyes, allowing her whole body to relax.

Martha was making herself busy inside the main cabin and there was nothing for them to do until the children returned from their swim. Carolyn intended to have a quick nap before then.

"Trespassers!" Elroy Applegate hissed as he suddenly materialised beside her, making Carolyn jump with fright. "Not wanted aboard!"

She sat up, looking all around. "What are you talking about, Elroy?"

"Peoples!" Elroy replied, twisting his tasselled cap anxiously between both hands. "Beware, my Captain's pretty lady! Someone unwelcome comes this way…"

He frowned, cocking his head. "No, it's two someones. Not nice someones, either! I don't like peoples! They frighten me!"

Taking his cue from his master, Mr Peabody suddenly sprang to his feet, growling softly, deep in his throat. All the fur on his body stood on end as he turned to face the entrance to the camp.

Carolyn put her book aside and swung her legs over the edge of the deck chair. "Who on earth it is?"

Martha appeared at the open door of the main cabin, wiping her hands on her apron. "I could swear I heard a car pull up just now. But who'd be coming all the way out here, uninvited? Who told anyone we're here?"

"I don't know." Carolyn got to her feet as she heard two sets of footsteps echoing hollowly on the wooden bridge leading into the camp. "I guess we're about to find out."

"Not nice someones…" Elroy muttered as he and Mr Peabody began to dematerialise. "I'd better go warn my Captain for you. He'll want to know all about this…"

"Shall I see them off again, Mrs Gregg?" Martha offered. "I can go fetch my broom."

"Thanks, Martha. But not yet. We'd better see who it is first," Carolyn replied, as two figures appeared through the trees.

"Yoohoo, Carolyn…" One of them began waving furiously. "Oh, Carolyn, I'm so glad we found you! That Claymore Gregg told us where you were when you weren't at home! I was so worried something had happened to you when you weren't there! I'm so glad to see it hasn't and you're all right!"

"Harriet?" Carolyn stared at her cousin in baffled amazement. "What are you doing here?"

"To see you, silly." Harriet waved a hand as she looked all around. "This is an odd place for you to be in your condition, though. Rather quaint and a bit rustic. Are you sure it's suitable?"

"You've got to be kidding me," Martha muttered. "What's she doing here? And look who's with her! I don't believe it! I'm surely gonna fetch my broom, now! I've got some serious sweeping away of a pile of rubbish to do!"

A tall, blond-haired man had walked off the bridge behind Harriet, looking very sure of his welcome. "Hello again, Carolyn."

He looked her up and down. "It's been a real long time since we've seen each other. Too long. You… You're looking very well. Very well, indeed."

His gaze stopped on her belly for a long moment and a look of annoyance marred his confident smile. "I see you've been busy. Harriet told me all about your getting married again. Congratulations."

"Owen?" Carolyn's hand crept up to her open mouth in shock. "What on earth are you doing here? Why have you come?"

"Oh, I brought him, of course! We have so much to tell you!" Harriet gushed, taking Owen's arm and bringing him forward.

"We're here on our honeymoon!" she announced proudly, with a beaming smile. "We just had to come and see you! We owe it all to you! If you hadn't sent me hurrying back to Philadelphia, my darling Owen could be sitting in jail right now and we wouldn't be married!"

She laughed gaily. "Instead he's now as free as a bird! Of course, it was all a terrible misunderstanding. He was just too trusting of people he shouldn't have. You know how he is."

"Oh, I know only too well…" Carolyn frowned doubtfully at her old flame. "How fortunate for both of you."

"Fortunate, my foot," Martha muttered. "He must've thrown some other poor sod under the bus to get off scot-free like this. The man always was slipperier than a blasted eel and no mistake."

She glared at the smiling pair. "The Captain ain't gonna be too pleased about any of this. And I'm right behind him."

Harriet didn't seem to notice the growing tension in the air as she held out her left hand to display the large diamond ring she was wearing. "Look! Isn't it divine? Isn't it all just so divine? We can't thank you enough, dear Cousin Carolyn!"

She giggled, clinging to her new husband's arm. "Hazel's so jealous! It's so delicious! I can't tell you how jealous she is! She didn't even get to be my bridesmaid."

"Congratulations. I'm sure she is…" Carolyn shook her head, trying to keep a straight face. "Um… no one told us you got married."

"Oh, we thought it best if we had a very quiet wedding," Harriet confided with an airy wave. "We were both so involved in the court case. Owen thought it was better that way. The less people that knew then, the better."

"Of course, he would," Carolyn replied shakily.

"It turned out it was all my accountant's fault," Owen assured them loftily. "Very sloppy bookwork. But it's all been sorted now. The right man's in jail. I've been found completely innocent of all charges. Of course, I knew I would be."

"Then they just didn't apply the right charges," Martha turned her head to mutter in an aside to Carolyn. "Me, I'd have used some dynamite!" She chuckled.

"Stop it…" her friend begged, trying to smother her laughter behind her hand. "Please, don't say another word. This is all too surreal…"

Owen frowned at their barely-suppressed levity. "I must say, your mother and father have been totally brilliant through it all, Carolyn. They consented to be the witnesses at our wedding. They knew the truth."

He preened a little with satisfaction as if he'd just proved his point. "And they insisted we call in on you when we said we were coming down this way on our honeymoon. Harriet thought it was a wonderful idea. She's been so worried about you."

"I'm sure she has," Carolyn replied shakily, wondering when her husband was going to appear. "Harriet worries about everyone."

Elroy materialised beside her again. "Told ya! Not nice someones! The Captain's comin' and he's not best pleased! I reckon he'll keel-haul them two and in no short order!" He rubbed his hands in anticipation.

Beside him, Mr Peabody hissed and arched his back. He glared at the unwelcome pair with blazing eyes.

Alerted by the ghostly cat, Scruffy rushed from the cabin, barking his displeasure at the intrusion. The two animals began to compete with each other to make the most noise and confusion.

"Oh, such an awful noise!" Harriet clapped her hands to her ears. "Can't you make it stop? That dog's a menace!"

"People shouldn't have dogs they can't control." Owen folded his arms and looked offended.

Both Martha and Carolyn couldn't help laughing at the sudden mayhem. They could enjoy the obvious discomfort of their uninvited guests.

"What, in the name of all that's holy, is going on up here!?" Daniel roared as he and the children appeared through the trees from the direction of the beach. "And stop that blasted noise, right now!"

Both animals immediately ceased their barking and hissing. Scruffy slunk forward to fawn at Daniel's boots while Mr Peabody stalked off with his head held high and vanished.

"Ooohhh, now them two blasted trespassers are for it! The Captain's gonna keel-haul them nasty peoples good and proper," Elroy confided with beaming pride. "I'm really gonna enjoy this."

※※※※※