Chapter Thirteen
The Man Who Sees And Hears Everything
Six days later:
"You seem very pensive this afternoon, Madam," Captain Gregg commented as he poured two glasses of Madeira. "You're not looking your usual self. Is there something weighing heavy on your mind? Anything that I may assist you with?"
He returned to the velvet love seat where Carolyn was seated with her bare feet curled beneath her. He paused momentarily to admire the beguiling picture she made before he collected himself and handed her the crystal glass. He sat down as close as he dared.
"I'm sorry, Captain," she replied, nodding her thanks for the wine. "I… have rather a lot on my mind. I guess I'm not very good company today."
"Allow me to be the judge of that, Madam," he replied quickly. "Now tell me, what taxes your mind so? You look quite pale. Are you sickening for something?"
He had a good idea why she looked so distracted and worried, but he wanted to hear her say the words. It had been nearly six days since her last dream, and he knew the remnants of it still troubled her mind. He had held back from sharing any more details of the story with her. It was obvious she needed to sleep peacefully and without dreaming.
"All right…" Carolyn drew a long breath and released it in a rush. "Captain…" She shook her head. "What would have happened if the Mary Anne hadn't survived that storm?"
The Captain frowned at her. "I must say that is a very odd question," he replied finally, studying the wine in his glass. "It's not the done thing to contemplate the potential death of any ship. And I thought we had agreed last year that 'Maiden Voyage' was never to be discussed again. It brought you nothing but notoriety and unwanted attention. You were very sure you were done with that tale and had moved on."
He managed to keep the note of satisfaction from his tone. "What makes you ask that of me now? We both know how the story ended. Has something momentous occurred to change your mind?"
"Um, no, nothing, I guess…" Carolyn prevaricated. "I… Well, I happened to come across the manuscript for the old thing a couple of days ago and I just wondered." She shrugged. "That's all," she concluded lamely.
The Captain turned his glass slowly in the light, watching the swirl of the dark ruby liquid. "I think you already knew the answer…" he replied gently. "If the good ship had foundered that night, then you and I would never have met. Certainly not in this life and century."
His mouth thinned. "My bones would be lying at the bottom of the Atlantic and my great-nephew Claymore would have gleefully ordered my house torn down to the foundations and erased from all memory years ago. There would have been no one to stop him."
He shook his head. "I died in the very best of health."
It still irked him that everything he'd ever owned, and had worked so hard to accumulate, had gone to his blasted snivelling relative. His beloved home had constantly been in more danger of oblivion than he was.
He stared at the woman he loved beyond all doubt or reason. "And you, my dear, would have married another man who was not worthy of you or your love. Your mother would have made very sure of that. She has made that very clear whenever she visits."
"You sound so sure about it all…" Carolyn frowned at him and shivered. "I guess it doesn't bear thinking about, does it? That we might never have met, you and I."
She wanted to reach out and touch him then. To make some sense of her jumbled emotions. Surely if he could touch that seal and then Scruffy, then surely it couldn't be too difficult for their fingers to connect. He had carried their dog from the front steps and into the house before closing the door on him.
The Captain regarded her steadily. "No, it does not bear thinking about. Therefore, we will not do so." He sighed. "But why must we dwell on what might have been, but did not happen? The Mary Anne survived, and I regaled you with her tale. Little good though it did you."
He waited again, watching the changing emotions flicker through her eyes. She seemed about to confess something and then changed her mind. It grated against his sense of fair play that she still did not seem able to trust him with whatever her secret was.
He resolved then and there that he would not give her any more dreams with her until she confessed the truth of what exactly she was up to with her renewed work on expanding the story of the Mary Anne and the fate of her pretty stowaway.
He'd offered the rescind the household rules and she had snubbed him. She'd gone out of her way to insist they remain in place when he could see she was not enjoying being so constrained. He missed her unfettered company and that of the children as they were clearly missing his. And yet she remained resolutely stubborn and unwilling to share what was weighing too heavily on her mind.
"Yes…" Carolyn finally said on a shaky breath. "But I wish…"
"Ah, wishes…" The Captain frowned at her beautiful face and tear-bright eyes. "At times like these, they really are such damnably inconvenient things. If we could wish into reality what we most desired…" He shook his head.
"Yes…" Carolyn nodded. "But you're right. They are such damnably inconvenient things…" She lifted her hand to touch her face where he had invisibly kissed her.
"Drink your Madeira," the Captain instructed quietly, indicating her untouched glass. "And we will talk no more about the dubious fate of the Mary Anne. She survived the storm and sailed on to Bristol with her crew intact. That is all you need to know. Now, you must rest and recover from whatever it is that has you looking so drawn and troubled."
"Aye, aye, Captain…" Carolyn smiled tremulously as she saluted him and then took a long, welcome sip of her wine.
※※※※※
Two weeks later:
Martha walked into the foyer from the hallway beneath the stairs, wearing her evening coat. Tonight, she was going out on a date with Ed. She'd baked the required birthday cake for Jonathan's imaginary friend and iced it.
She had no desire to take any further part in the evening's ghostly festivities. The rest of the entertainment was up to Mrs Muir and the children. They were the ones with the imaginary friend.
"Party hats and favours for an invisible man, indeed. I never heard of such a thing," she complained.
The bell rang as she neared the front door. She shook her head at the absurdity of the evening ahead as she answered the summons.
She opened the door to see Claymore standing on the porch, clutching a gaily wrapped gift and looking very nervous. "Hello, Martha…" He touched the brim of his hat as he entered slowly, looking all around. "Aren't you staying for the party for you-know-who?"
"No," the housekeeper replied crisply. "And I didn't stay for Peter Pan's either. I presume you're here to eat my cake and drink my ginger ale punch. There's plenty of both."
"Always delicious, Martha…" Claymore tittered, still looking around. "I'll be sure to get my share."
Martha frowned at him. "I'll be going now, then." She turned as Carolyn walked from the kitchen carrying a tray of coffee cups. "Ed and I are off to the Thursday night, half-price special at the drive-in."
She gave a small laugh. "He really knows how to spoil a lady. That's his truck just pulling up outside now."
"Hi, Claymore…" Carolyn smiled at her landlord's nervous behaviour. "Night, Martha. Enjoy the movie."
"I'm sure we will and there won't be a spook in sight. They're playing a nice romance tonight." The housekeeper nodded. "Night, Mrs Muir. Enjoy your evening." She left the house, shutting the door behind her.
"Goodnight," Claymore called after her before he turned to Carolyn, holding out his gift with a satisfied smile. "Guess what I got him!"
"A toaster," Carolyn teased, feeling oddly glad of his uncomplicated company tonight.
She felt she could finally relax. They had all made it this far without Captain finding out about their plans for his birthday. Even though she hadn't dreamed about Colleen Ryan or the fate of Mary Anne for more than two weeks now, she was feeling well-rested and happy. The respite from the dream that had become too real had done her some good.
She was making steady progress with fleshing out the manuscript and Bridget Lacey was very pleased with everything Carolyn had written so far. She was now convinced they were onto a winner, and she'd even started talking of book launches and author signings.
"Oh no, silly…" Claymore laughed at Carolyn's quip as he took her arm. "It's just a book. But I think Old Spookface will enjoy it. It was meant for him."
"Oh, well, you had me fooled." Carolyn smiled as they entered the living room together.
It had been decorated for another birthday party with streamers, bunting, and balloons. The children were waiting excitedly at the food table, wearing their party hats and drinking the punch. Scruffy was sitting on the floor looking a bit put out to also be wearing a hat.
"Oh, this is really lovely, Mrs Muir," Claymore exclaimed, looking around the room. "Everything looks wonderful. I'm so glad you phoned me to remind me of this evening. I was quite at a loose end."
"Thanks, Claymore and you're welcome," Carolyn replied as she carried the tray of cups and put it down on the table beside the large bowl of ginger ale punch and presents. "Then I'm glad I could persuade you to come tonight. I am sure the Captain won't mind."
"If you say so, Mrs Muir. Hi, kids…" their landlord greeted them.
"Hi, Claymore…" they both replied.
The children crowded up beside their mother, looking at everything excitedly. "When's the Captain coming, Mum?" Candy asked. "Did you tell him to be here?"
"Well, no, remember it's supposed to be a surprise. But I'm sure he'll be here soon. We'll watch Scruffy. When he points, we'll all shout, 'surprise' for the Captain."
They turned to look at the dog, who sat yawning and looking totally disinterested in the whole affair. He lay down and put his head on his paws. They all settled down to wait.
Sometime later, nothing had changed, except the dog was now stretched out asleep. The party attendees were sitting together on the couch, looking bored and out of sorts.
"Mum, where's the Captain?" Jonathan asked plaintively. "Why isn't he here? We want him here. It's his birthday. Do you think he doesn't care?"
"It's been almost an hour," Candy complained. "He'd better turn up soon. We've still got school tomorrow. I want to eat some cake before we have to go to bed."
Carolyn shrugged. "Oh now, just try to be patient, kids. He'll be here. You know how he likes to appear when we least expect him."
Suddenly, they heard footsteps crossing the front porch. All four jumped up in excitement, looking toward the living room doors.
"Shhhh! It's him!" Claymore exclaimed. "I just know it's him! Come on, kids! Hurry up, quick! Let's go, Mrs Muir!"
They all grabbed their party favours and hurried to the open doorway. They waited expectantly.
As the front door opened, they all began to jump up and down, shouting, "Surprise!" and waving their party favours.
Martha entered and stopped to look at them with resignation. "We got almost all the way to town when I realised, I'd forgotten my purse. Ed likes to split the bill. He's another of the big spenders like Claymore." She waved a dismissive hand as she walked away toward her bedroom.
The partygoers all sagged, looking very disappointed. Candy gazed up at her mother. "Isn't the Captain gonna be here, Mum?" she asked in a stricken tone. "What's keeping him? Doesn't he like us anymore?"
Carolyn escorted both children back into the living room. "I'm sure he'll be here very soon. You'll see."
"Geez…" Jonathan dragged his feet with his head down. "Where's he gone? What's more important than us?"
"I'll phone in my 'many happy returns'," Martha commented drily as she reappeared and left the house, closing the front door behind her.
The party folk all sat down again in the living room, looking put out and abandoned. The time ticked slowly by without any sign of the guest of honour.
"Some birthday party," Candy complained.
"Yeah, this is no fun," Jonathan grumbled. "Where'd the Captain go? Doesn't he know we love him and want to celebrate with him? We've done all this work and baked him a cake and everything."
"Well, maybe he is gone," Claymore sat up suddenly and looked a lot more cheerful. "It happens, you know, Mrs Muir." He pointed his party favour at the portrait above the mantle. "They hang around for years and years and then suddenly, poof!" He snapped his fingers. "No more ghost."
"Oh, Claymore…" Carolyn complained in a worried tone.
Claymore considered what he'd just said and smiled. "Maybe this night is not a total bust, after all…" he murmured to himself. "I could finally be the master here…"
"Oh, come on, Claymore. Don't get all choked up about it," Carolyn replied sharply. "You know you never liked the Captain being here."
"Oh, ho, my dear. This could turn into a real celebration!" her landlord crowed. "Pass out the punch, Mrs Muir! Blow your whistles, kids. Come on, throw the confetti!"
He jumped to his feet. "May I have the honour of this dance, Miss Muir?" He bowed formally to Candy and extended his hand.
She stood up for him and they immediately began dancing around the middle of the room. "Oh, this party just keeps getting better and better all the time!" Claymore exclaimed. "Laugh it up, everyone! Make some noise! Old Spookface isn't around to object anymore!"
He blew his party horn loudly and laughed. "All change for Gull Cottage and its rosy future! While it still has one!"
"Hey, Claymore! You're a genius!" Carolyn told him. "That's what we need to be doing! Making noise! That's sure to bring him out! He hates it when we're too loud."
"Hey, yeah!" Candy abandoned her dancing partner.
"Yeah! Groovy!" Jonathan declared happily.
Carolyn and the children started shouting and calling the Captain's name. Even Claymore joined in, though he looked annoyed at how his innocent remark had been taken and used. He would have preferred that the Captain never appeared again.
He could already feel the weight of the money he would be paid for the land, once the house was torn down. Maybe Marcus Cornell was still interested in buying the old place. The idea made him smile.
"Three cheers for the Captain!" Jonathan shouted, dancing on the spot. "Hip, hip…"
"Hooray!" Candy shouted in reply.
Immediately, Scruffy sat up and began to growl. He pointed with his forepaw. Everyone took notice of the animal.
"He's here somewhere! Hurry up, kids!" Claymore shouted, quite losing himself in the moment and the excitement.
"Come on, kids!" Carolyn encouraged. "Be quick and light the candle on the cake!"
The children needed no further urging. They ran into the alcove and closed the curtains behind them.
At that moment, the Captain appeared standing in front of the table with the punch bowl and presents. He had his hands balled on his hips and he looked none too happy about everything.
"Ah, we thought all the noise would bring you out," Carolyn said happily, walking up to him. "I'm so glad."
The Captain looked around the room. He turned to scowl at the laden table behind him. "By the powers! Not another birthday party, Madam? I thought we'd settled the matter of all the noise with the last one."
"Yes, but this time it's for you," Carolyn replied happily, watching him with loving concern.
"For me?" The Captain looked perplexed and a little put out. "Oh, Madam, you shouldn't have…"
He stared down at her. His hands curled into fists at his sides to prevent himself from reaching out to touch her. If the cursed Claymore was not in the room…
"Many happy returns, Captain," Carolyn said gently, wishing she could kiss his tanned cheek. "We're so happy we managed to keep everything as a surprise." She was deeply aware of Claymore's frowning, and not too happy, gaze.
"Oh, well, thank you, Madam…" The Captain replied, staring at her with longing in his eyes. "That is very kind of you. I see you have gone to a great deal of trouble."
"Happy birthday, beloved Uncle Daniel," Claymore chirped from behind him. "May you not live many more happy years!" He giggled to himself.
"Why, you…" The Captain turned on him with a thunderous expression.
"Ooohhhh…" Claymore cringed away from him.
He was saved by the children chanting 'Happy Birthday' as they dashed back into the room, pushing a tea trolley with an iced chocolate cake on it. There was a large, lighted candle on top of it.
"Happy birthday, Captain!" they continued to chant together. "Happy birthday! Martha baked a cake all for you!"
"Oh, look!" Claymore seized the plate holding the cake and lifted it to offer it to his great-uncle.
"Why, thank you, children…" The Captain softened.
"Now, blow out the candle and make a wish," Carolyn directed.
The Captain looked briefly confused. "Oh, yes, of course…" He pointed a commanding finger toward the dancing flame.
"Oh, but not that way…" Carolyn said quietly as she suddenly found the courage to place her fingers lightly on the sleeve of his naval jacket.
It was an impulsive move she expected to fail. To her amazement, she felt a solidness beneath her fingers where she'd assumed she would encounter nothing at all. There was a faint sensation of warmth, and his arm felt more corporeal than incorporeal. She gasped softly with shock and her heart began to race with confusion.
"Not that way…" the Captain echoed in amazement as he stared down at her.
He drew a sharp breath as the fleeting warmth of the unexpected contact seeped deep into his being. She had touched his sleeve and the soft look in her eyes said she was aware of the momentous thing she'd just done and was pleased she'd managed to do so.
"Oh, sorry…" he said softly, still watching her.
Their silent communion hummed with expectation and many questions. The Captain longed to be alone with her, to explain and confide everything to her. But first, there was an unexpected birthday party to get through. The sudden need for restraint irked him.
He smiled as he shook his head and inhaled deeply. Dreading that he was about to be blown away, Claymore didn't notice their silent interaction as he turned his head and cringed away while still managing to hold up the cake. The Captain raised his brows mockingly at his great-nephew's reaction as he reached out to deftly extinguish the flame between his thumb and forefinger.
"Ohhh…" Claymore sagged with relief, glad he hadn't been blown out along with the candle flame. He quickly returned the cake to the trolley as everyone cheered. "Happy birthday, Great-Uncle."
"Aw, now wasn't that sweet?" Carolyn commented softly, still smiling.
She'd been very aware of what had just happened. The little intimate contact of her fingers against the Captain's sleeve. It had been inadvertent, and he hadn't expected it. He seemed both shocked and momentarily stunned.
Now, she couldn't get that contact out of her mind. Of course, she had not touched him, simply his sleeve. But the impossibilities they'd always faced suddenly seemed to be growing more and more possible by the day.
Olivia Tibaldi's vision of the two ardent lovers entwined upon a wide bed in the soft moonlight returned to haunt her inner vision. "Two lovers…" Carolyn's breathing hitched as her cheeks warmed.
She remembered what the Captain had said to her on the morning after Madame Tibaldi had sent him away. He'd spoken about how a woman's soft white skin glowed in the candlelight while wearing nothing but diamonds and pearls. Her hands curled into fists at her sides to prevent herself from reaching for him. She badly wanted to be that mysterious woman.
"Madness…" she whispered under her breath as she shook her head.
Surely it was impossible. But the rich temptation to reach out and touch him again remained.
She became aware he was watching her, and she glanced up at him to see a fathomless look burning in his blue eyes. She wished she could be alone with him right then. She had so many questions that were screaming for answers. But before any of that could come to pass, there was a birthday party to get through.
"Open your presents!" the children chorused excitedly, unaware of the electric currents in the room as they danced around.
"Yeah, here you are!" Candy picked up two gifts. The smaller one she handed to Claymore while she held the larger one out to the Captain. "This one is from me and Jonathan!"
"Thank you, children," the Captain shook himself from his introspection as he accepted the gift. "How very nice of you to think of me."
"They wrapped it themselves," Claymore added, also blissfully unaware of the unspoken connection that had just been made.
"And it's way better than some old penny and an orange," Jonathan added excitedly. "Candy and I picked it out all by ourselves. You said you liked to have peace and quiet around here."
"Well, now you can!" Candy added, smiling widely.
"I'm sure whatever it is, it will be wonderful…" The Captain smiled as he unwrapped the gift. He opened the box to find a pair of earmuffs and a sleep mask.
"For the man who sees and hears everything," Carolyn told him, helping him with the gift.
"Just what I've always wanted," the Captain replied, watching her again with deep shadows of hunger in his eyes.
"And this…" Claymore held out his gift, breaking into the intimate moment. "This one is from me, Uncle." He preened slightly. "I put a lot of thought into it."
"Oh, Claymore…" the Captain replied, allowing Carolyn to relieve him of his gifts. "You've bought me a book."
He unwrapped it and turned it over to read the title. His smile quickly faded. "How to Win Friends and Influence People," he said slowly then gave his great-nephew a hard look of distaste.
"Well, it's the thought that counts!" Claymore asserted nervously.
"Then guess what mine are!" The Captain growled as he handed the book back to him.
"When are we going to eat the cake?" Jonathan demanded to know. "I'm starving!"
"Right now," his mother replied. "You and Candy can run and get the ice cream."
The children cheered and ran from the room. Their dog followed them, licking his lips. His work was done.
"Were you really surprised, Captain?" she asked as she dealt with the cake. "The children and I agreed to follow your rules because we wanted to make it special for you."
"I was absolutely speechless, Madam," he replied. "However, I do not think that this particular night is an occasion for frivolity."
Carolyn turned to him. "Oh, but what better occasion than your birthday?"
"Ah ha…" Claymore immediately grabbed the limelight. "And it's all because of me." He preened. "I told them the date." He looked very pleased. "The children wanted to know."
"I thought you might have, you clod!" The Captain glared at him. "You're not celebrating the day I was born. You're partying on the day I passed away!"
Carolyn turned from cutting the cake to look at Claymore with resignation. He tried to brush off the error with a wave of his hand.
"Oh, well, nobody's perfect," he defended his gaff with a grimace, moving quickly away from any ghostly retribution. "Everyone says it's the thought that counts…" He smiled weakly.
"If only you had a single, competent thought," the Captain replied, shaking his head. "Every time you open your mouth you put both feet right in it! Once again, I'm left wondering how on earth you were ever born a Gregg!"
※※※※※
Carolyn was standing at the kitchen bench, washing the last of the birthday dishes, when the Captain reappeared behind her. The hour was late, and Martha was upstairs putting two excited but tired children to bed.
Claymore had fled the house, hotly pursued by the Captain's outraged wrath. He'd enjoyed chasing his great-nephew's car all the way back to town with thunder and lightning bolts.
"Thank you for this splendid evening. It really was a lovely thought, Mrs Muir," he said softly, watching her work. "I knew you were planning something when you agreed too readily to my new set of rules for this house. I will say you did an excellent job of concealing from me exactly what you and the children were doing."
"You're very welcome, Captain." Carolyn turned from the bench to indicate a small, wrapped gift on the kitchen table. "There's just one more gift for you. A little something from me. I wanted to give it to you when we were alone."
"Thank you, Madam…" The Captain shook his head as he picked up the gift and moved it beside his ear.
But his attention was not on the contents. Carolyn's gentle touch on his sleeve earlier in the night was still vivid in his mind. It had been so natural and yet so momentous. He'd wished they had been alone in that moment, and he could have laid his hand over hers and made her as aware of him as he was of her. But now she was diverting him again with another example of her caring thoughtfulness.
"You won't know what it is until you go ahead and open it," Carolyn said softly, watching his frowning puzzlement.
"Very well…" He put the gift down and did as she asked.
He frowned as he looked inside and then picked the box up to shake the contents into his open palm. There was a cascade of tiny scraps of paper with his elegant handwriting on them. "I don't understand…"
"It may turn out to be your favourite present of all. I know, it's mine," she replied gently, walking toward him. "I worked very hard to secure that gift. Almost six weeks, in fact."
"But it's only little pieces of paper…" The Captain let the scraps drift from his hand onto the table. "How is that hard work?" He poked at them with one fingertip.
Carolyn smiled at his confusion. "Those are the remnants of your rules and regulations concerning Gull Cottage and its crew. I thought it was about time you finally rescinded them. Since they are of no further use to any of us."
She sighed. "You were right, of course. This is a house, not a ship. And we are not crew, we are a family."
"Bravo, Madam!" the Captain approved, tossing the last of the remnants into the air with a relieved smile. "I knew it was lonesome around here for you without me to guide and counsel you. I was aware you were just trying to keep a stiff upper lip for my sake. All you had to do was ask me to forget all the rules…"
"Of course…" Carolyn shook her head at him. "I knew you would see it that way."
The Captain's brow creased thoughtfully. "But, yet…"
"Oh, please, no more rules," Carolyn demanded hastily, picking up a nearby dishtowel to wipe her wet hands. "Let's all just go with the idea that we are a normal family living in an abnormal house. I can cope with that."
She hesitated. "And…" She drew a long breath and released it slowly. "I have one more confession to make. There's something else I've been keeping from you. Something that concerns you, Captain. And our long-term future in this house… with you."
But the ghost didn't appear to be listening to her words. He seemed intent on another sound coming from the direction of the pantry. "Ah, a moment please, Madam. There is just one more small thing I must do tonight."
He turned to frown at the closed pantry door. He crossed the room to point at it just as Scruffy had been doing to him for the last few weeks. "Open the door, if you please, Mrs Muir. I suspect we have a conniving culprit in there."
"What on earth are you doing?" Carolyn asked, wiping her hands as she followed him.
"Please, just do as I bid, if you will. All will be revealed."
Totally intrigued, Carolyn did as he asked, opening the door to see their dog eating cookies that had been spilt from a container and onto the floor. "Scruffy!" she declared. "Caught with your paw in the cookie jar!"
The dog dropped to his belly, burying his muzzle between his front paws, whining guiltily. He refused to look at them as he crawled for forgiveness.
The Captain looked very pleased with himself. "We're even, you fur-lined informer," he growled with a hard smile.
Carolyn looked away from the dog to watch him, trying not to laugh but failing. She couldn't help it. It was all so silly and adorable. And she had never felt such relief. The dreadful rules were no more, and she was about to tell the Captain everything.
Now that the need for secrecy was over, they needed to talk and there was no better time than tonight when they could be alone in her bedroom. She would finally be able to confess the truth about what she had been doing to the ghost of a man who didn't always see or hear everything…
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