Box Set: The ArringtonTrilogy

by Roxane Tepfer Sanford

  “Hope never to see such a storm like that again,” Ayden commented, gulped the last of his coffee, and headed out with Heath to see the work.

  I was excited about a new family coming to join us, extending the unit we had already formed on Jasper Island. Maybe the wife would be similar in age to me. I would have a new friend, a woman who could share in the daily grind of island life. Or perhaps she was years older, like Opal, a mother figure I could turn to for advice as well as companionship. Children running and playing would take me back to the happy times here at the lighthouse. I looked forward to hearing school stories and even helping them with homework, if I had any free time.

  The timing could not have been better. I needed a distraction, something to take my mind off my troubles and my frequent uninvited feelings for Heath. I was tired of noticing his yearning eyes following me everywhere, and exhausted from sensing his uninvited desire for me. Each night as I closed my lids, I saw Heath’s forlorn vision in my mind, and remembered how he fearlessly came and pulled me from the inferno and made me well again. I was torn between being grateful and having him interpret my gratitude as a signal that I would welcomed his advance, or staying disengaged and aloof toward him, keeping safe from him as well as myself.

  I regularly questioned my conclusions and doubted that they were accurate. I still wanted to believe that what he’d said when I was medicated was all made up in my mind and that when he now gazed at me, it was because he pitied me, or at least, pretended to - not because he truly did long for me.

  There was a way to have all my doubts put to rest. I had two letters, which I suspected were from his beloved Sarah, yet I hadn’t found the courage to take them out from my bottom drawer, underneath my stockings, and read them. I was too afraid of what they would reveal.

  Instead of keeping Ayden company that night, I spent my time preparing the second keeper’s quarters for their arrival. I swept, dusted, washed the interior windows, and polished the silverware. Then I took the rugs out under the light of the full yellow moon and beat the dust and grime out with the back of my broomstick. I finished up just before dawn broke, making their beds with fresh linens. There were only three beds in the house and I couldn’t imagine where they were all going to sleep.

  As the sun began to hover above the horizon, I sat down, exhausted, and admired my hard work. The place was spotless, the floor clean enough to eat off. The windows that were once covered with layers of soot and filth were now clear, and I opened them to allow the fresh ocean breezes to take away the musty odors.

  “You have done a fine job,” Ayden commented. He had been standing there in the open doorway watching me catch my breath.

  “I hope they feel welcome.”

  “Of course they will. You worry too much,” Ayden said with a comforting smile.

  “I should start on the preparations for supper,” I said, slowly rising from the chair.

  “Have Heath help you. You’re tired, and he doesn’t mind doing that kind of woman stuff.”

  “I can handle it just fine. I don’t need his help,” I replied.

  “Suit yourself. I have to get down to the shore. They should be here within the hour. I will have Heath wait with me. I will need his extra hand to unload the trunks. His one arm works as well as two good ones on most men.”

  I didn’t comment. I didn’t let him know I believed Heath could use his bad hand.

  I watched as the vessel out in the distance neared the island. Two rowboats were being loaded and prepared to disembark. A chill of excitement ran through me. There were new people to meet, relationships to develop. I hoped they liked me, and most of all, I prayed they knew nothing of my past. Would I be recognized for my part as a burlesque singer and dancer, or as a model for the nation’s most famous ladies’ magazine? I didn’t need the headache, the grief that fame had unfortunately burdened me with.

  My nerves were on edge, and my stomach felt as if there were butterflies fluttering madly around inside as I stood on the bluff with my hand shielding my eyes from the sun’s intense glare, watching them come closer and closer to our island. Heath and Ayden waited only a few minutes before they began to pull the boats ashore.

  The middle children scurried off, running up the embankment, while one boy, who must have been close to the age Ayden had been when I first came to Jasper Island, assisted with the trunks. The oldest girl had beautiful long blond hair, almost the exact color as mine. She stayed behind and held a baby on her hip, with two small boys at her side, while her mother carried another young one off the boat.

  Without waiting another moment, I made my way down to the shore to greet them. Along the way, two red-haired, freckle-faced girls whizzed by, laughing and running toward the house without looking my way or stopping to say hello. The oldest girl led two identical-looking boys and the baby boy, who was no more than a year old and was crying and tugging at her hair. “Now you stop that, Willard!” She spoke with a firm voice. The baby stopped crying when I came over. His green eyes widened, then he reached out to with his small dimpled hand took hold of my hair.

  “He likes to tug on hair, as you can see,” the teenage girl stated flatly. She was taller than me, and had a bosom as developed as any grown woman. “I’m Sylvia Cooper. This baby here is Willard, and these boys are Owen and Oliver. No one can tell them apart except for me and Ma.”

  “Nice to meet you. I’m Mrs. Dalton, and the two men helping your parents are Mr. Ayden Dalton, my husband and primary keeper, and his brother, Doctor Heath Dalton.”

  “I best get Willard a bottle of milk before he starts bellyaching again. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Dalton.”

  “Nice to meet you, Sylvia.” I said while tenderly stroking Willard’s baby soft hair.

  Ayden called for me, and I made my way down to greet the rest of the Coopers.

  “Pleased to meet you. Welcome to Jasper Island,” I greeted while standing beside Ayden.

  “This is James Cooper and his wife, Hazel. They were relocated from a station off the outer banks of North Carolina,” Ayden informed me. “And that strapping young man is James, Jr.”

  James, Sr. was a small man, and years older than Ayden. He had a full head of gray hair, and his face was tired and worn. His eyes were as black as coal and shifted away uncomfortably when I gave him a welcoming smile.

  Hazel was a large woman, the perfect size for birthing eight babies. She towered over her husband, her shoulders were broad, and she was twice his weight. There were fine streaks of gray running through her jet-black hair. The wrinkles covering her forehead were deep creases, and no doubt caused by the stress of raising so many children. She had with her a little girl, whom she introduced as Mary, in tow. The two girls who headed up to the house, Polly and Lizzy boldly announced that another mouth to feed was on the way, “come spring.”

  “You have any children?” she asked me in front of Ayden and Heath. Her voice was brash, and seemed loud enough to make out all the way to the harbor.

  “No, no children,” I uncomfortably replied, without looking at Ayden.

  “Smart girl.”

  “I’d best get started on supper,” I announced. James, Jr. and Heath began to lug up one of the four trunks, as Ayden assisted James with another.

  “I will be right there. Sylvia, Sylvia! Where is she?”

  “She went to the house.”

  Hazel charged up the embankment shouting for Sylvia, practically dragging Mary all the way. The poor little girl could barely keep up with her mother’s brisk pace.

  Giggles, laughter, and the occasional argument went on outside the kitchen window as I peeled the potatoes. I heard Ayden talking with James, Sr. as they walked around the structures, explaining the damage from the last nor’easter. I watched Heath and James, Jr. pass by, heading into the second keeper’s quarters with the last of the trunks.

  All the activity made time pass quickly, and with Hazel’s help, supper was served an hour early. She knew her way around a kitchen, and even burped Will
ard while stuffing the chicken. Sylvia handed him to her as she had to chase down one of the twins, who was throwing rocks at Lizzy. The small, frail eight-year-old was no bigger than her little sister, Mary.

  “She’s been sickly from the time she was born. Got her father’s weak genes,” Hazel said when she noticed me staring at Lizzy. “Thank goodness she’s the only one. All the rest are as healthy as an ox. Especially Sylvia. She is tall for her age, thirteen. Her feet as big as mine. Eleven pounds when she was born. Nearly killed me to birth her. But look at her now . . . gorgeous child. Got my ma’s golden blond hair, not that ugly red that James gives our kids.”

  It was strange to have such a large gathering. Our large wooden table was full of food and people. The noise level was almost deafening, for we had to eat inside due to strong offshore winds. The younger children were whining to eat first, the baby was crying, and the older ones, James, Jr. and Polly, didn’t wait for grace before digging in and loading their plates. Hazel was one who belted out orders. “Sylvia, move yourself over. A wife sits beside her husband. Take the seat across, for goodness sake!”

  Sylvia grabbed her plate and squeezed around Ayden and Heath, and as I watched her move, I noticed her indiscreetly pressing her bosom against Ayden’s back, causing his face to instantly flush. Everyone else was too busy eating and talking . . . or crying . . . to notice. All but me and Heath.

  Heath had been eyeing Sylvia, keeping close attention on her behavior, seeming to make mental notes, while Ayden often gazed at her enormous, heaving bosom that could barely be contained in her tight, low-cut dress. She was as obvious as any burlesque dancer I had encountered, and just as beautiful.

  “Sorry about that, Lillian. Girl is beautiful but not too smart,” Hazel said in front of everyone.

  “Tell us about North Carolina and the station you presided over,” Ayden encouraged, after clearing his throat and peeling his eyes from Sylvia.

  Heath sat back in his chair and listened to James describe similar storms and tales of dangerous rescues during fierce hurricanes. Then Ayden added stories of icebergs, freezing cold temperatures, and disastrous nor’easters that blew through nearly every year.

  James was matter-of-fact as he spoke between bites of his supper, where Ayden was passionate and fanatical about tending the lighthouse.

  “And what position do you keep?” James, Jr. asked of Heath.

  “And what happened to your hand!” Polly shouted over everyone.

  Hazel reached over and smacked the back of her head. “Don’t you have any manners, Polly?”

  “Just wondering, Ma!” she shouted back, the smack not affecting her at all.

  “My brother is a hero. Saved a child sure to die in a fire. He is also a doctor by trade . . . well, before his injury,” Ayden declared, with pride in his voice.

  “If you will all excuse me,” Heath said uncomfortably and rose out of his seat, “I have some chores to attend to before dark.”

  “Sure is an ugly scar,” Polly added, and received a harder blow to the head.

  I couldn’t blame Heath for wanting to leave. This gathering wasn’t what we were used to. It was chaotic and noisy. I needed some fresh air as well, and excused myself minutes after Heath departed. The men stood as I nearly flew out of the room - the arguing continued all the way until I reached outside.

  * * *

  Chapter Twenty

  Take me as I am

  The howling wind muffled the insanity of the Cooper family, as well as the footsteps that came up behind me. “I was beginning to get a headache,” Heath confessed when he appeared before me. I bundled my wrap over my shoulders and nodded in agreement.

  There was a long, awkward pause between us as the wind turned piles of sand into small funnels that blew straight into our faces. The long strands of my hair lifted out and snapped against his face as he tried to talk over the howling wind. “How is your leg? I haven’t asked you in a while.”

  “It’s fine.”

  “What?”

  “I said it’s fine!”

  Again, there was another awkward pause. I had my eyes open into small slits to keep the sand out. I asked myself why I was standing there with him when I should have gone back inside to bring out the cake I’d baked for the special event. Stay away from Heath. He will only hurt you! He only cares because he is a doctor at heart. You mean nothing to him.

  “Would you mind coming to my cottage. I need to talk to you,” he shouted loud enough for me to hear.

  “I have to serve the cake. I’d better get back inside,” I said and turned to go. But he reached out, grabbed my arm, and held me back. I looked down and saw it was the hand he claimed he couldn’t use, the one that was supposedly paralyzed from the blaze.

  “Only for a moment, please.”

  “For a few minutes.” I nervously agreed to follow him into his private cottage. Just before we turned to go, the door opened, and Ayden called me back inside. “Let’s have dessert!”

  Heath and I looked briefly at one another, silently agreeing to another time.

  “I wasn’t interrupting anything important, was I?” Ayden asked, as I walked back in and tried to fix my windblown hair with the palms of my hands.

  “Not at all. Heath was going to check my injury, that‘s all, to make sure it was healing all right.”

  “Sure is good to have a doctor around.” Ayden sat back down, his mouth watering for his favorite dessert - chocolate cake.

  The day couldn’t end fast enough for me. By nightfall, I collapsed into bed, knowing Hazel was cleaning up as a token of appreciation for our warm hospitality, and Ayden was busy showing James the workings of the Jasper Island station. Sylvia rounded up the children and ushered them off to bed, then hovered around Ayden and her father as I used to as a child. For all I knew, she stayed up there until late into the night, watching and listening to the keepers. Maybe she was truly interested. Perhaps she hoped to be a keeper and take over for her aging father when his time came to retire.

  Morning was no longer slow-paced or monotonous. Now there were hungry children whining to be fed. Skillets were heated well before dawn, and eggs scrambled and left aside in large wooden bowls. James, Jr. brought in the pitchers of fresh milk and placed them on each end of the table. Owen and Oliver pushed one another and hastily poured their own glasses of milk, which were immediately toppled over, dripping onto the floor.

  “Damn you boys. Polly, grab a cloth. Lizzy, stop crying now! Sylvia, take your sister up and get her changed!” Hazel ordered.

  Sylvia huffed, then handed baby Willard over to Mary, who was barely large enough to contain the baby in her arms. Owen and Oliver fled past me, ran outside, and played until the food was on the table.

  Ayden sauntered to the table expecting to see the hot food on his plate. He needed to eat, then get straight to bed. Heath and James hadn’t arrived yet.

  “I’m sorry, dear. Everything is running behind this morning, including breakfast. Hazel opened the supply box and found there was no lard for biscuits,” I explained, as I poured him a cup of hot coffee.

  “I just can’t get to the village today, Lillian. James and I have a ton of work to do. Ask Heath to row you over,” he said wearily. “Just hope I can manage to get a few hours of sleep in.”

  Ayden glanced around the room, realizing all these rambunctious children were going to prevent him from getting his much needed rest. “I can’t figure out how James manages,” he mumbled in my direction for only me to hear.

  All the children flew through the door, followed by James, Sr., then Heath. Sylvia took Willard from Mary’s lap and shoved a bottle in his face while Hazel dished out the eggs. I served James, Sr. and Heath a cup of coffee, then sat myself down.

  “No biscuits?” James, Sr. asked in disbelief. “Ma, you know I like my biscuits and gravy.”

  “Supply box had none. Just eat your eggs, James,” she snapped back.

  “I will go retrieve the box that must have been left behind,” I a
nnounced.

  “Heath, you take her. Give Mr. Makson a piece of my mind, too. Damn if we should have to row back for something he forgot to load up.”

  “I need some items from the store, in any case,” Heath said.

  “By tonight you’ll have your biscuits,” Hazel assured her husband. He appeared mollified for the moment.

  “Can I go with them, Ma?” Sylvia asked over Willard’s fussing.

  “I need you right here, Sylvia. Got loads of washing to do, three days’ worth,” Hazel replied without lifting her eyes to look at Sylvia’s dejected face.

  “What about school? Don’t you have to get us registered,” she cried.

  “Got plenty of time for that. Now hush up and eat your breakfast.”

  Sylvia scooped up Willard and stormed off without being properly excused from the table.

  Her siblings paid no attention to the brief squabble and finished off their meal with lightning speed so they could get back outside to play. All the children but Lizzy. Her face was pale and gaunt, her large round eyes gone dazed and bleak, and before I had time to point out her condition, Lizzy was hurling what little food she ate all over the table. The vile fluid splattered all over, across the table and directly onto Heath’s shirt.

  The sickly little girl began to wail in shame as Heath quickly jumped up to avoid the rest flowing onto his trousers.

  “Polly . . .” Without waiting for direction, Polly nonchalantly led Lizzy out, and the remaining children were excused from the table. Ayden lost his appetite, though he made the excuse for leaving that he needed to get to bed. Ayden never left the table without finishing his meal.

  I went to get a wet cloth to clean the nasty mess and handed Heath one as well. “Let me get that,” Hazel said, taking the cloth from Heath.