Chapter Fourteen
Martha Meets The Captain
The Captain sat in his chair on the other side of Carolyn's desk and watched her roll a clean sheet of paper into her typewriter. He'd been very patient while she had left the room to get changed and prepare for bed. Now she seemed disinclined to continue their previous conversation as she fiddled with the settings of the carriage and the sheet of paper.
"Madam…" He was prepared to make allowances.
It had been a long day, and he knew she was tired. He'd carried the gift box containing the remains of his rules into the living room and Carolyn had set a match to them after she'd tipped the scraps of paper into the empty fireplace. They stood together, watching them burn to ash and the flames die out. Then Carolyn left the room and climbed the stairs to her bedroom.
The Captain felt he had waited long enough for her to tell him what she'd been hiding. It was time for her to confess all. Make a clean breast of everything she'd been keeping from him for reasons of her own.
He sighed as he tapped his fingers on the desktop. "Earlier this evening, Madam, you said have one more confession to make," he commented with a frown. "That there's something else you've been keeping from me. Something concerning myself and your long-term future in this house… with me."
"Yes, I did say that." Carolyn nodded as she looked up from her work. "I really did need to stick to your irksome rules for two reasons."
"I see…" The Captain nodded. "Of course, one being the children's lovely idea of throwing a surprise birthday party for me on the anniversary of the day I died," he commented slowly. "You didn't wish me to know. I do understand. The children meant well. It was that oaf, Claymore, who led them astray."
"Yes, well…" Carolyn looked briefly uncomfortable. "I'm so sorry they got the date wrong. I guess I should never have trusted Claymore to get it right. But I was… too distracted with my other news to phone him and check."
"Claymore is a complete fool and not worthy of your time. I saw him off my ship in fine style. And I forgive you, my dear," he replied softly. "It was certainly the thought that counted tonight. It was a very sweet and lovely gesture. I have not been given a party for more than a hundred years."
He sighed as he sat forward in his chair. "And the second reason? What more do you have to confess? You said it concerned your continued occupancy of my house. I trust it is not bad news."
His blue eyes filled with concern. "Have I stepped over some unseen line you've laid down? Something I am unaware of? Is that it?"
He could still feel her gentle touch on his sleeve from earlier in the night. It felt like a burning brand. It had been so natural and momentous. Now that they were alone, he could reach out his hand to hers if he wished to try. But there was still this one obstacle in the way. The second reason she spoke about.
"No, nothing like that…" Carolyn shook her head as she quickly typed two lines onto the sheet of paper in the carriage. She frowned at it for a moment and then nodded.
"Here…" She pulled it from the machine and held it out for him to take.
The Captain accepted it gingerly, not knowing what to expect. "What is this?" His concern deepened. "A resignation letter?" The sheet of paper trembled slightly in his hand.
"Read it," Carolyn encouraged, pointing to the sheet of paper. "It says everything. And it's very good news. The very best kind, if I can make it happen."
"Everything?" The Captain's eyebrows rose as he read the two lines. "All it says is 'A Stowaway On Board' by Danielle Grant."
He looked up with a deepening frown. "What does this mean and who is this, Danielle Grant?"
"That's me…" Carolyn smiled slightly as she laid the flat of her hand against the top of her dressing gown. "I am Danielle Grant. And she's also you."
"But I am not female, Madam," the ghost reminded her crisply. "And, thankfully, never likely to be so. What fresh folly is this? I suspect you're overtired and have lost the run of yourself."
"Not at all…" Carolyn smiled. "You know that I cannot publish the novel under my own name for reasons we have already established as unworkable. So, I changed your first name into the feminine and, with Martha's permission, I borrowed her surname. And the original title of 'Maiden Voyage' needed to be changed because of what happened last year. What could be simpler?"
"Martha already knows about this new venture while I do not?" the ghost asked with raised brows. "And it's neither simple nor clear, Madam. What exactly have you been about with a story you swore you would never touch again?"
"And that is the second reason I wanted to stick to your dreadful rules for as long as possible." Carolyn inhaled deeply then released her breath in a rush as she made her confession.
"It does concern me that you might not wish to help me now. I know that was a foolish notion, but…" She crossed her fingers and hoped he would be happy to help her with the work.
"It all happened the day of Jonathan's birthday party…" She then told him everything about the new direction of women's literature and Bridget Lacey's exciting offer. "I wanted to tell you then. But the children had already asked about a cake and throwing a party for you…"
She shrugged. "Then you came up with your list of rules. I was trapped. I had to make them work."
"I see…" the Captain said when she finally finished speaking and waited for his reply. "It certainly is a wild tale and a fortunate one for you. I would not have believed it possible a year ago. But if you can sell this novel and more like it, then you will never have to worry about money again."
He held up the sheet of paper. "And, of course, I will assist you in every way I can. It is a better idea than digging up my treasure for Claymore to purloin. He can smell gold from a mile away. His cowardice will not stop from returning to nose around."
"So, you're not mad with me for not telling you sooner?" Carolyn asked anxiously, sitting forward in her chair. "I'm sorry if you are. But I needed to be sure the children could throw your party without you knowing. They were so eager to do that for you. And it was easier if you weren't around."
"Of course, I'm not angry with you. I could wish you had told me sooner, rather than trying to do it all on your own." He shook his head as he scanned the page in his hand again. "'A Stowaway On Board'…" he read the title for a second time.
Now it was his turn to draw a deep breath and expel it slowly. "Since it seems to be the night for it, I too have a confession to make."
He looked up, watching her lovely face with wary eyes. "I have known about this new work of yours for some time now. Weeks, in fact. I have been following your progress with keen attention."
Carolyn sat upright in shock. "You have? Then why didn't you say something before now?"
"Because you were being so secretive and totally sure my outrageous rules were very suitable for all concerned. You refused to allow me to rescind them at every turn. I knew you were up to something, but I could not put my finger on exactly what it was."
He held up the sheet of paper. "I was unaware of the scope of this." He raised his shoulders. "But I did take steps to try and help you in my own way." His frowning gaze begged for her forgiveness.
"Steps?" Carolyn asked softly. "What sort of steps? What exactly did you do?"
The Captain leaned forward to place the sheet of paper next to her hand where it lay on the desk. "I gave you your vivid dreams. I allowed you to see how it truly was aboard the Mary Anne on the night your Captain Webster encountered Colleen Ryan and rescued her from his motley crew."
"My dreams…" Carolyn breathed. "Then it wasn't my imagination, at all?" She tried not to sound too disappointed. "I was so sure…"
"It was the only way I could help you since you were not prepared to confide your new works to me. I wanted to help you in any way I could. Dreams are something I have a considerable knowledge of."
"I see…" Carolyn shook her head. "Well, it certainly is a night for confessions and revelations."
"You are not angry with me?" he asked quietly.
"How could I ever be angry at you for trying to help me?" Carolyn advanced her hand as close as she dared to his where it lay on the edge of the desk. All she had to do was slide her hand a fraction sideways and touch the tanned skin of his hand and not just the sleeve of his jacket...
"You did say once that together, we would make the greatest writer since William Shakespeare." She laughed shakily. "Maybe we can be even better."
"And I still stand by that statement, Madam," he affirmed, staring down at her small hand where it lay, so close to his.
All he had to do was move his fingers a fraction to the right for them to connect. He steeled himself to finally try. He stared at her fingers, summoning all his reserves of energy and…
"But I'm too tired to do anything more tonight…" Carolyn complained with a ragged exhalation.
Her courage to try to touch the Captain again had failed her. She glanced down. She'd buried Tim Seagirt's letter beneath the papers in the bottom drawer of the desk. Now was the time to take it out and hand it back to its rightful owner. She would ask no questions and pray the Captain did not offer any information about the poem and which woman from his past he had written it for.
She shook her head in defeat. Maybe he didn't even remember. Once again, not knowing the outcome was better than finding out and ending all her hopes for a deeper connection with the spirit of the man she loved with all her heart.
She quickly withdrew her hand to stretch both arms above her head. "It's been a long day. But we will begin this new journey of ours in the morning, as soon as the children have gone off to school on the bus. Martha can pick them up in the afternoon when she goes shopping."
"Tomorrow it is, then…" The Captain stared at her soft beauty as she stood up. "Good night, Mrs Muir…"
He glanced at the bed. His bed…
He sighed as he remembered going down on one knee and sifting his fingers through the fall of her hair while she slept. He'd bent forward to press his lips to her cheek near the corner of her mouth. Then he kissed her gently on the lips, feeling their soft warmth against his in a moment of breathless glory. The memory ripped through him on wings of fire.
'What I wouldn't give…'
"Goodnight, Captain…" Carolyn replied softly as she walked toward the bed and sat down on the edge to remove her slippers.
"So near, and yet…" The Captain shook his head as he began to dematerialise.
"Oh, and Captain…" Carolyn called as she turned back the covers to get in and lie down.
He faded back into view. "Yes, Madam? What is it?"
"About my dreams…" She smiled tentatively at him. "If it's all right with you, I really would like to continue with them. Now I know where they came from, and I have nothing to fear. I would really like to see how Captain Webster managed to ride out that storm. Research for our book, of course. We can write it together now. It will go faster if you read the manuscript to me while I type."
"Of course, Madam…" He bowed his head. "Your wish is my command. Research is always a very important component of any new endeavour."
"But not tonight, if you don't mind…" She cautioned with an upraised hand. "I'm too tired. But perhaps another night, soon…"
"It shall be as you wish, Madam. Now go to sleep. I will keep watch over your rest from the bridge…" The Captain smiled at her as he faded from view.
※※※※※
The next evening, Martha was drying the last of the dinner dishes and Carolyn was putting them away in the cupboard. She stopped to consult her shopping list lying on the end of the bench. "Martha, will you please remind me in the morning to pick up Jonathan's new shoes from the shoemaker? He's growing up too fast and out of all his clothes."
"Oh, I took care of that this afternoon, Mrs Muir," Martha replied as she busied herself at the sink wringing out her dishcloth. "I picked them up when I was in town for our shopping and fetching the children."
She glanced at Carolyn. "You were sounding far too busy upstairs, anyway, banging away all day on your typewriter. I do hope our story is progressing nicely. It sure sounded like it is."
"Yes, it is…" Carolyn stared at her. "Well, thanks for doing that. But then I'll still have to pick up the vacuum cleaner at Mr Peevey's…" She consulted her shopping list.
"All taken care of," Martha told her. "He delivered it out this afternoon in exchange for a slice or two of my cherry pie." She smiled happily. "No charge for the repair." She smiled knowingly and winked.
"Oh, well, that's marvellous…" Carolyn read the rest of her list. "Thank you. Then all I'll have to do is have the spare tyre checked at the garage." She crossed everything else off her list.
"It doesn't need it," Martha told her as she wiped down the bench and picked up a dry dishcloth.
"Well, I'm sure there was a leak in it when I was in town the other day," Carolyn pointed out. "I was sure I heard it hissing."
"Oh, I heard that too. So, I changed out the valve before dinner." Martha turned from the bench to begin drying the stacked dishes. "I like to keep my hand in. Anything I can do to help you and that gorgeous Captain Webster with your story." She winked. "I'll be wanting to read it, of course."
"Of course. You know, Martha…" Carolyn marvelled. "I don't know what we'd do around here without you. You're always one step ahead of me and I need a list to remember everything I need to get done."
Martha laughed indulgently. "Well, one thing is for sure we're never going to find out. I'm still hanging out for that nice, fat raise I'm going to get when you publish your book. You can put that on your list, for sure." She looked very pleased as she continued to wipe the dishes and stack them for Carolyn to put away.
"We can only hope it works out that way," Carolyn cautioned. "What I really need to do is start dreaming again while I work on fleshing out the manuscript."
She knew she couldn't tell her good friend that it was the Captain who was behind the dreams she'd been having. She wished she could. It would make her life so much easier if Martha knew about the ghostly occupant of the house. She was aware it was a forlorn wish, so all she could do was continue to pretend she was the sole author of the work.
"Well, it's about time you got back there. I know you've had a lot on your mind, what with throwing the party and all," Martha replied. "But I can't wait to hear about what you've dreamed up next. Another reason why I'm not going anywhere. Wild horses couldn't drag me away from finding out more about our delicious Captain Webster. Did he make it through that storm? Did Miss Ryan survive? Are they sailing off into the sunset together?"
The next moment, they both looked at each other when the telephone rang. "I'll get it," Carolyn said, walking to the side table to lift the receiver.
"Hello?" she said, then listened for a moment and nodded. "Yes, she's here. Just a minute…"
She put one hand over the mouthpiece of the receiver. "It's for you, Martha. Long distance."
"Long distance?" Martha wiped her hands on her apron. "That Cary Grant just can't leave me alone for one minute." She chuckled as she walked over to take the receiver. "I tell him, he can't keep calling me, but he doesn't listen."
"It's always so hard to get them to listen." Carolyn smiled as she went to take over wiping the dishes.
Martha nodded as she answered her call. "Hello? Yes, this is she, Operator. Oh, hello, Evelyn! How are the oranges and grapefruit treating you?"
She covered the mouthpiece with her hand. "It's my sister down in Florida…"
She went back to her call. "What? You don't say? I don't understand. Can the Navy do that to poor Harry? I mean, doesn't a Chief Petty Officer have some kind of pull? Surely, someone can do something."
She shook her head as she covered the end of the receiver again as she conveyed her news to Carolyn. "The Navy's decided to ship my brother-in-law out of Pensacola. But they've been there for years. They know everyone and everybody knows them. It's their home."
She went back to her call. "Yes, yes, I'm here. Oh, that's terrible, Evelyn. What are you going to do about Mother?"
Carolyn turned from her task to watch her friend with deep concern. She felt helpless to do anything but listen.
"No, of course, you can't…" Martha nodded. "I see, yes. And I totally understand. It wouldn't do at all. Ah, huh, no, we can't have that."
Her shoulders sagged. "When are you leaving? Oh, that's really short notice, Evelyn. Yes, of course, I'll be there. Don't worry, dear, it'll work out for the best. Bye for now and give my love to everyone."
She slowly replaced the receiver in its cradle with a long sigh. "I really don't know what to say, Mrs Muir. The family need me down in Florida by tomorrow night. I'll need to get packed right away. And the children still have their play, and we were going to start the spring cleaning early this year…"
"Don't you give it another thought," Carolyn replied bracingly. "You could use a vacation. You work far too hard for all of us. Take a couple of weeks, if you like. I'm sure I can hold the fort here."
"Oh, no…" Martha shook her head quickly with visible distress. "You don't understand, Mrs Muir. My brother-in-law is being shipped all the way up to Alaska. They can't take my mother with them, and someone has to be there to look after her. She's nearly eighty and has health issues. She hates the cold. That's why they moved her down to Florida all those years ago. She loves it there."
She pulled her handkerchief from her apron pocket. "There's no other way around it. I'm going to have to leave you all, permanently." She dabbed at her eyes. "I can't stay…"
"Permanently?" Carolyn repeated in a shocked tone. "Oh, no, that can't happen. We need you too. How are we going to tell the children and Ed?"
"And I won't get to find out all about how you get on with Captain Webster," Martha said as she began to cry. "And we were just getting to the really good parts. Oh, the Navy has a lot to answer for!"
"Look, I'll mail you copies of the chapters as soon as I write them," Carolyn promised quickly as she stared at her friend with sympathy. "I'll keep you well informed. It will almost be like you're still here. You'll be just like my ghost writer, or something…"
Her shoulders sank with her distress. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't put a brave face on any of it. What had seemed so permanent was now falling to pieces.
Martha stared at her. "Oh, Mrs Muir, why is this happening now? What are we going to do? I don't want to leave all of you. Not forever. I promised you that the first day I arrived at your house to cook and look after you and your darling children. Jonathan was so tiny, and Mr Muir was so nice to me too. You were such a lovely and loving family. I just knew I'd finally found my forever home."
As the full impact of the new situation hit them both at once, they looked at each other with sorrow mixed with tenderness. With tears in their eyes, they moved closer and embraced tightly.
Martha shook her head even as they clung together, trying to comfort each other. "How are we going to tell the children? They'll be heartbroken. I know they won't understand."
Carolyn pulled her handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes. "Don't worry. I'll do that." She released her friend reluctantly. "You put the coffee on. We need to make plans and we're going to need it hot and strong to get through this without falling apart."
"I can do that…" Martha sniffed as she wiped her eyes. "Oh, I hate the blasted Navy and Alaska! Blast them both! "
※※※※※
Carolyn wiped her eyes and braced herself as she walked slowly into the living room. The children were lying on the floor in their nightwear watching the television. Someone was singing a song, but she didn't pay it any attention. There was too much going on in her mind.
"Hey, Mum, look…" Candy sat up and pointed at the screen. "That's that Tim Seagirt, who came here last year. And he's singing the Captain's song."
"Yeah…" Jonathan added, as he also pointed to the television and the variety show that was being screened. "You must remember him, Mum. The guy who got stuck out in the rain and we put him up for the night. He was neat. The Captain seemed to like him. He gave him his song to sing."
"Listen to me…" Carolyn shook her head. "I don't have any time to watch television tonight. I need to talk to you both," she said, as she turned the television off. "Please get up and come and sit down on the couch with me."
"What's the matter, Mum?" Candy asked as she did as she was asked. "Why have you been crying?"
"I… have some bad news I need to share with you. Martha has just had a telephone call."
"So, is Martha upset then too?" Jonathan asked worriedly. "What's going on? Why have you been crying?"
"Well…" Carolyn took their hands in hers. "It seems that Martha's brother-in-law is a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy. And those at the top have seen fit to ship him off to Alaska at short notice. And he has to obey his orders and go."
"Is Martha having to go too, then?" Candy asked, looking confused. "But we need her. They can't have her. She's ours."
"No, Martha isn't going up to Alaska," Carolyn replied. "She has to go to Florida to look after her mother. Her sister cannot take their Mum with her. She's old and sick and can't stand the cold."
"So, Martha's having to go away too?" Candy asked with tears in her eyes.
"Forever?" Jonathan wanted to know. "But that's not fair, at all!"
"Yeah, what will we do without her?" Candy stated. "She tells us what to do and how to do it. And when. We'd be lost."
"I'm afraid we have no choice, my darlings." Carolyn squeezed their hands in hers. "Martha's mother needs her more than we do."
"Can't the Captain help?" Jonathan brightened. "He was in the Navy. I'm sure he knows things and the right people to talk to. He could make it all go away."
Carolyn shook her head regretfully. "It's a sweet idea. But I don't think he can help us. No one can, it seems. We'll just have to make the best of it and try not to miss her too much. We'll get used to not having her around in time. She can come back for holidays."
"Well, I don't want to do that!" Jonathan declared hotly. "Martha belongs to us. She always will!" He pulled his hand from his mother's and crossed his arms across his chest with his bottom lip pushed out.
"Yeah, we can't do anything without Martha," Candy added, as she stood up. "But I guess we better try. Come on, Jonathan. I guess it's time to for us go to bed. I guess we'll just have to start getting used to doing things without her. Though I can't see how."
"I'm sorry, kids. I really am." Carolyn stood up to hug both of them. "Together we can do this. We'll have to."
"Okay, Mum…" Jonathan nodded with a heavy sigh. "But I sure wish the Captain could do something about it."
"We'll try to do our best," Candy added before the pair of them trailed out of the room, looking as if they were carrying all the troubles of the world on their young shoulders.
※※※※※
Carolyn and Martha wished each other an early goodnight. Neither had any appetite for their usual evening routine of coffee, cake and conversation. They'd tried and failed dismally. Both were sunk in their own pits of misery at the prospect of losing each other. They finally parted at the bottom of the stairs and went on their separate ways with lagging steps.
Carolyn entered her bedroom with a heavy heart. To her surprise, the electric lights were out, and the room was illuminated by branches of candles. Just as the house had been in her wonderful dream about dancing the waltz with the Captain on the front lawn of the house.
"Oh, how lovely…" She pressed a hand to her chest and blinked back her tears.
The Captain materialised beside his telescope. "Since you requested to go on dreaming with my help, I thought the candles would add to the atmosphere. I am ready to begin whenever you are."
"Thank you, Captain," Carolyn replied as she shook her head. "But I don't feel much like dreaming tonight. I've… just had some very bad news."
"Bad news?" The Captain waved his hand and the candles disappeared. The electric lights hanging above the desk and beside the bed came on.
He stepped down and approached her. He stopped and frowned. "Tears, my dear? Who are they for and why? Surely nothing can be that bad. Tell me."
Carolyn stared at him as her bottom lip trembled with suppressed emotion. Once more she longed to be able to walk into his embrace and feel his arms close tight around her. She wanted to cry out her distress in the strength of his shoulder and be reassured everything was going to be all right. Even if she knew it wasn't going to be so ever again.
She dragged in a shuddering breath and sighed. "Martha is having to leave us. Her sister needs her to go down to Florida to take care of their mother. Martha's brother-in-law is being transferred."
"Oh, my dear, I am so sorry…" The Captain approached her slowly and stopped as close as he dared. "I know how much that good woman is needed and loved by you all. She is a part of your family."
"Yes, she is…" Carolyn nodded jerkily, unable now to stop her tears. "And we all love her dearly. It's just so unfair."
Looking on helplessly, the Captain shook his head. "You know I cannot stand to see any woman cry. But seeing you in tears, it quite unmans me, my dear."
"I wish…" Carolyn put out one hand tentatively and touched her fingertips against the sleeve of his jacket.
Once more, to her growing confusion, she felt a slight solidness beneath her fingers where she had expected to encounter nothing at all. His arm felt more corporeal than incorporeal. She gasped softly with shock and her heart began to race with confusion.
"Madam…" the Captain said softly. "Have a care about what it is you are wishing for right now…"
"I…" Carolyn lifted her eyes to his. "… wish you were able to hold me right now," she whispered. "I feel so helpless and alone. I can't do anything to stop Martha from leaving. She must go."
"Ah, my dear, sweet Carolyn…" The Captain looked down at her hand resting lightly on his sleeve. "I am truly here for you in every way but that. To become corporeal enough to embrace you would require a deal more strength than I currently possess. If only it could be so. No one wishes such a connection more than myself."
"I'm sorry…" Carolyn started to withdraw her hand.
He forestalled her by laying his hand gently over hers. "Embrace you, I still cannot," he admitted sadly. "But I have been working very hard on being able to touch you for a few very precious moments out of time."
"Daniel…" Carolyn whispered. "How is it possible? I mean, what is happening to you?"
"At times I feel as if my whole being is on fire…" He moved his fingers across hers for a brief moment before withdrawing his hand with a deeply regretful sigh. "There are other times when I have no clear idea what is happening to me. I have been trying to become corporeal for you from the very first night you invaded my house and refused to leave."
"You have?" Carolyn asked as she watched him move gently away from under her hand. She allowed it to fall back to her side. "I have dreamed more than once that you touched me," she admitted. "You kissed my cheek. I know that I felt it."
She raised her hand to her lips and stared at him questioningly. "And I'm sure now, that once you even kissed me…" Her eyes darkened with the wanton memory.
"Ah, Carolyn…" The Captain shook his head as he spoke her given name for the second time. "You have uncovered my most cherished secret." He looked briefly discomforted. "I had believed that you were sound asleep at such times. I was sure of it."
"Why didn't you want me to be awake?" Carolyn asked, staring up at him. "What were you so afraid of?"
The Captain's tensed shoulders lifted. "I feared that I do not yet possess the power nor the strength to give you what you most desire," he admitted. "What we both need. Not until I have worked a great deal more on my abilities. It all takes time. A great deal of blasted time…"
"I see…" Carolyn tried to keep the frustration from her voice. "I wish you'd told me before. I wanted to know. I still do."
"I could not bear to disappoint you, my dear," the Captain replied. "That is something I have tried mightily not to do. You deserve a true man, not the mere shade of one."
"Don't you know by now that you could never disappoint me?" Carolyn put her hand out toward him again, but he evaded her touch with a regretful shake of his head. "And I only want you, in any way I can have you. I'm not going anywhere. It would be impossible."
"Thank you, Madam…" He sighed as he looked down into her eyes, his gaze begging for her understanding. "It is too soon. I do have not the strength now. I must rest and rebuild once more."
"Then please, go and rest," Carolyn encouraged softly. "I'll be all right by myself tonight. I was going to have an early night anyway. I have to be strong for the children. Martha will leave us, and life will go on as it has before."
"Maybe not entirely as it has before," the Captain replied gently. "I am trying to become for you everything a man can be to the woman he cares for deeply. I am working on it with all my heart and soul, day and night. But for now, I will bid you good night, Carolyn…"
"I wish for that, too…" Carolyn whispered brokenly as she watched him slowly disappear. "Good night, Daniel…"
She shook her head as she stood still in the middle of the room. She knew she should fetch her nightwear and get changed before going to bed. She was about to move when she felt the softness of masculine lips against her cheek and the rasp of a beard on her skin.
"Thank you, Daniel…" She shivered with reaction as she put up one hand to capture the endearing contact and smiled wistfully as she walked toward the wardrobe to get her night things.
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