Several people on the dock spotted their dory. Many waved a greeting.
From the crowd, stepped Sloan. He still wore a stained apron as he had a few days before, but this time he was smiling.
Alanna almost feared meeting these people. Something deep inside her told her she just might like them.
Caleb moored the boat alongside the dock and tossed a rope line up to Sloan.
Sloan caught the rope easily and tied it to a metal ring attached to the dock. “I see you weathered the storm.”
“I could say the same for you.”
Laughing, the barkeeper’s gaze pinned Alanna briefly then shifted to the Randalls, Alex and Ryan. “Looks like you fished your share out of the drink these last few days.”
Caleb nodded. “You know Alex and Ryan.”
Sloan shook his head as the boys tied their boat to the pier. “You two had best go find your mothers. Once they get over the shock of seeing you alive, they’re going to gut you like fish.”
Alex groaned. “I’ll never hear the end of this.”
Caleb laid his oars down in the bottom of his boat. “Good.”
Sloan shifted his attention back to Caleb. “When Crowley came back without the woman, I figured she’d drowned.”
Caleb tensed. “Aye, I’ve been meaning to have a talk with him.”
“He took off as soon as the weather cleared. I doubt he’ll be back any time soon.” Sloan looked at Alanna. “I got your bag from Crowley. It’s at my inn.”
Alanna had given up the bag as lost forever. Yet the discovery that it had been retrieved didn’t excite her as she’d first thought. She rose and reached for the ladder built into the side of the pier. “That’s very kind of you, Mr. Sloan.”
He squinted and studied her. “You look different.”
“Plainer and duller no doubt,” she said trying to keep her voice light. “I retrieved this dress from a chest in Caleb’s cottage.”
Sloan’s eyes burned with a keen intensity. “No, I’d say you look a sight better. All that nonsense you wore was a bit of a distraction.”
Alanna climbed up the ladder to the dock. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Sloan sucked in his belly a fraction. “Aye, it’s a compliment.”
Ryan and Alex scrambled up the ladder. The boys extended their hands to Thomas as he climbed the ladder. “Thanks, boys.” He leaned down and helped guide Debra up the ladder. He then extended his hand to Sloan. “Sir, I am Thomas Randall and this is my wife, Debra.”
Sloan took the man’s hand. “Pleasure. I reckon you hail from the Annabelle Lee.”
“That’s right.”
“I heard from some of the villagers who was on her late yesterday,” Sloan said. “She’s all but broken up now.”
Debra drew in a deep breath of air. She looked pale and unsteady. “I have never been more glad to be on dry land. I doubt I will ever get on a boat again.”
Thomas frowned as he looked down at his wife. “Debra, are you feeling all right?”
“Very tired and a bit seasick.”
Caleb climbed up to the pier. “Sloan runs a good inn. It’s clean and a good place for you to rest before the morning stage. I’ll talk with some of the men in town and see about a cart for your belongings.”
Thomas extended his hand to Caleb. “We cannot thank you enough.”
Caleb shook his hand. “It was a pleasure.”
Debra smiled up at Caleb. “Mr. Pitt, thank you.” She hugged Alanna. “It was a pleasure to meet you. I will never forget you or your husband.”
Sloan lifted a brow and met Caleb’s gaze. “Husband?”
Ryan nudged Alex with his elbow. “Guess you didn’t hear, Mr. Sloan. Caleb got himself married.”
Sloan lifted an eyebrow. “That so?”
Caleb shoved out a breath. “I’ll fill in the details later.”
Sloan’s gaze darted between Alanna and Caleb. “Now this is a tale I would not miss for the world.”
Caleb felt the villagers’ stares as he and Alanna moved down the muddy main street. He was a man who kept his own counsel but there were few secrets in Easton. Most knew something of his time in Virginia and all knew there’d been a woman in his past. He could almost hear the questions dancing about in everyone’s heads.
Who is she? Is she the one? Did he really marry her?
In Richmond after the accident, he couldn’t have given a tinker’s damn what people had thought about him. His mistakes were between him and the families who’d lost someone on the Intrepid. No one else had mattered.
But the people in Easton were different. They were family. This was his home. Many of these people were kin. And he wanted them to like Alanna.
“People are staring,” Alanna muttered as they made their way down the sandy road toward the village.
He pressed his hand into the small of her back and guided her to the weathered boardwalk. “Strangers always stir the pot in Easton.”
“Do you think Alex and Ryan have been talking?”
“Oh, yes.”
An old woman on the street corner—Ida Watson—stared at them with uncensored curiosity. She wore a black skirt and blouse and a crocheted shawl on her thin shoulders. He’d known her since he was six and she’d caught him stealing green apples from the tree in her backyard. The old woman had marched him straight to his father and the two agreed that Caleb would pick twenty bushels of apples for Ida as punishment. He’d shown up at her house the next day and worked all morning in the hot sun. Ida’s mood had softened when she’d seen how hard he’d worked and she’d brought him lemonade and cookies.
Squinting, her face looked as wrinkled as a sun-baked apple. “Caleb Pitt,” Ida squawked. “Who’s that woman on your arm?”
Caleb didn’t hesitate. “This is Alanna.”
“Some say she’s your wife.”
Caleb lifted an eyebrow. “Is that what they’re saying?”
Ida looked at Alanna. “Are you married to this man or not?” Ida demanded.
He felt Alanna stiffen. He half expected her to lie her way out of this one, but she said, “Not exactly.”
Ida snorted. “What the devil does that mean? Either you is married or you ain’t. Sorta like a little pregnant.”
Alanna blushed. “I suppose then we’re not—”
“We’ll talk later, Ida,” Caleb interrupted. “You know if the stage has arrived yet?”
Ida nodded. “About ten minutes ago.”
The old woman wasn’t happy. She wanted more information out of Caleb but she knew he gave answers only when he was good and ready.
“See you two at the auction,” Ida grumbled.
After the old woman was out of earshot, Alanna shoved out a sigh. “This is not good.”
“What?”
She shook her head. “Alex and Ryan have told everyone that we are married.”
He shrugged. “You’re the one that started this farce.”
She glared up at him, a grin plastered on her face. “I never thought it would go this far. The entire town is whispering about us.”
“That’s about right.”
She stopped dead in her tracks. “I know what you’re thinking. It wasn’t an impulsive decision. The situation arose and I had to think fast.”
He liked the way her cheeks flushed when she got angry. “You could have told the truth. In fact you can go to Debra now and tell her.”
She frowned. “I have to tell Debra the truth. I owe her that much. I’m sure she’ll understand.”
He could read her mind. “And it no longer matters if she agrees to keep your secret or not.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t you think Henry’s figured out something is wrong? You’re two days overdue and sunburned. I know Henry can be a bit slow, but he’s going to figure out where you’ve been.”
“Maybe he won’t.”
“Henry lives in a very orderly world, Alanna. You can set your watch by him.”
Her
brow knotted. “He can be flexible.”
“Tell me, does he still have lunch at the Capital Club on Fridays, sit in the third pew at the Presbyterian Church and drink precisely one and a half cups of sherry after dinner?”
“We all have our habits.”
“Henry can’t stand disorder. Once he discovers you are not where he left you, he’ll move heaven and earth to put things back in their proper place.”
“I’ll make it up to him. I’ll start wearing a watch so that I can be on time for every event.”
Caleb heard the hint of desperation in her voice. She was trying to convince herself as much as him. “It’s your nature not to bend to routine. No matter how much money you’ll have access to as his wife, you’ll go mad if you force yourself to live the life he’s mapped out for you.”
“He loves me,” she whispered.
“Aye, he just might. But that doesn’t mean he’s good for you.”
She arched an eyebrow. “So, I suppose you know what’s good for me?”
He brushed a curl from her forehead. “Aye, I do. Me.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Caleb, please. I thought we agreed you are better off without me.”
“You agreed, not me.”
“Don’t make this hard for me.”
“Sorry. My days of playing fair are over. I’ll do what it takes to convince you to stay.”
“I don’t belong here.”
“Why do you keep saying that?” he challenged. “Do you hate it here that much?”
Her gaze scanned the town. “It’s not that. This town is lovely. But I’m from a different world. And as much as I enjoy it here today, what’s going to happen if things get hard.” She squeezed his hand. “I couldn’t bear to let you down again.”
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her. “You won’t.”
Her eyes reflected a mixture of pleasure and fear. “I can’t take that risk.”
“Since when were you afraid of risk?”
“Since now.” She tried to pull her hands free. “I need to go to the inn and get my bag. I can wait there for the morning coach.”
Caleb didn’t release her hand. He’d meant what he’d said. He’d move the heavens to keep her. But despite the growing fear inside him that he could lose her, he kept his voice light. “And miss the auction? You’ve got to see it.”
“That’s all right.”
Still holding her hand, he started to walk down the street toward Hudson’s Docks, where the auctions were always held. “It’s scheduled for two o’clock. There’s always good food and music. With the sun shining as it is today, it’ll be a fun time.”
“I shouldn’t go.”
“Why not?”
“We should say our goodbyes now.”
His insides clenched at the thought of her leaving. “There is time for that tomorrow.”
She had to hurry her pace to keep up with his. “I think I’ve stirred up enough gossip and trouble in your life.”
“Gossip has never bothered me. And I like your kind of trouble.”
Her face reflected her fear and longing. “Caleb, this isn’t a good idea.”
“Tomorrow’s a long way off, Alanna,” he said. “And this day is too nice to waste sitting in a dark inn. Come with me to the auction.” He cocked an eyebrow. “What do you have to lose?”
She shoved out a sigh. “Everything.”
Laughter rumbled in his chest.
Alanna didn’t want to have fun.
But soon, she found herself enjoying the lively crowd that had turned the auction of the Nicholas B., a schooner that had sunk off the coast last month, into a celebration. Many families had brought food and picnic blankets. A fiddler played lively tunes between bids and the children ran around.
The villagers bid widely on a variety of items from steamer trucks, lanterns, ropes and furniture. Two sailors got into a heated bidding over a carved mermaid, which had adorned the front of the vessel. The final bid was twenty-four dollars.
Across the crowd she saw Debra and Thomas. The two were standing side by side, holding hands. Debra looked up into Thomas’s eyes. He cupped his hand to her round belly. They shared so much love; it made Alanna’s heart ache.
Alanna was very aware of Caleb. He stood next to her, greeting everyone who approached. Sloan brought them both ale. They talked of the weather and the price of items up for sale. A cobbler told Caleb his new boots were ready. A fisherman thanked him for the warning last week of the weather—because of Caleb’s warning the fisherman had dry-docked his boats and they’d not been damaged by the storm.
In Easton, Caleb was a different man. Relaxed and at peace, he smiled and even laughed. His laugh was rich and deep and it struck her she’d never heard him laugh before. Yes, he’d smiled and teased her in the old days, but she’d never seen him toss back his head and laugh. He looked years younger.
She noticed the young girls staring at Caleb and then at her. They were clearly disappointed that he’d gotten “married.” Soon however, they would learn that he was still quite eligible.
Jealousy jolted her system. He likely would end up marrying one of them one day.
Caleb’s wife would be an active partner, helping manage the lighthouse and assisting with rescues. The work would likely be backbreaking at times. The days would not be full of social engagements but quiet and, yes, sometimes lonely.
Alanna envied the woman that would one day be Caleb’s wife.
“Captain Pitt!” A boy who looked little more than six ran up to Caleb. The child wore oversize boots, pants that hit him midcalf and a white shirt covered with food stains. Freckles covered his face. “You said you’d race me at the next auction.”
Caleb, his eyes dancing, looked down at the boy. “Where are your manners, John? There’s a lady present.”
The boy shot Alanna a quick glance. “Sorry, ma’am, but he promised me a race.”
Alanna nodded, trying to look serious. “Well, a promise is a promise. Don’t let me keep you.”
Caleb reached in his pocket and pulled out a white handkerchief. “We’ll need an official starter. Alanna?”
“Me?”
“We want this race to be fair,” Caleb said, his tone serious.
Alanna bit back a smile. “Of course.”
Her fingers brushed his when she took the handkerchief and for a moment she imagined electricity shooting up her fingertips. She cleared her throat. “Where would you gentlemen like to race?”
“What do you think, John?” Caleb said.
The boy nodded toward the field next to the cemetery surrounded by a wrought-iron fence. “There’s a patch of grass over there. That should do.”
“Lead the way, sir,” Caleb said.
The boy, as if he were a general leading an army, led the way. “You ain’t gonna beat me this time. I’ve been practicing.”
“I’m mighty fast,” Caleb said, his voice serious. “And I have been practicing, too.”
Alanna walked a step behind the two and couldn’t help but smile as she watched John try to match Caleb’s swagger. The boy even shoved his left hand in his pocket like Caleb.
When they reached the fence, Alanna looked to John. “Where should I stand?”
He glanced up at Caleb who nodded for him to answer. “Right there would be fine. Me and the captain are going to the edge of the fence. You hold up the white flag, then say ready, set, go.”
“Yes, sir.”
Caleb glanced back at her and winked. Her heart melted and she flashed him a bright smile. His eyes darkened and for a moment, she glimpsed something dark and primitive that made her knees go weak with wanting.
At twenty paces, John said, “Stop right here, Caleb. This is far enough.”
“Will do.” Caleb lined up with the boy. “Ready, Alanna?”
Alanna raised the handkerchief high above her head. “Ready?”
John’s lips were pursed with concentration. Caleb rubbed his hands down his thighs and leaned forward.
“Set,” Alanna shouted. She waited an extra beat then shouted, “Go.”
John took off like a bullet. Pumping his arms, he moved his legs as quickly as he could. Caleb made a good bit of stomping noise and though his long legs could easily have eaten up the twenty paces in no time, he lagged behind the boy about a foot.
“I’m gonna beat you,” Caleb shouted.
“No, you ain’t.”
John crossed the finish line with Caleb right on his heels. The boy jumped up and down, thrilled by his victory, while Caleb bent forward his hands on his knees as if he were trying to catch his breath.
Alanna smothered a grin. This show of Caleb’s was for John’s benefit. Today Caleb had rowed in the surfboat full of the Randalls’ furniture and he’d barely been winded. “Mr. Pitt, I thought you ran faster than that.”
He straightened slowly. “I must be slowing with age.”
John, breathing hard, extended his hand to Caleb. “That was a fine effort.”
Alanna tried to imagine Henry tossing off his coat and loosening his tie to race a child. She couldn’t picture him ever doing such a thing.
Caleb nodded, all serious as he dug in his pocket and pulled out a quarter. “I believe the deal was for two bits.”
John stared at the money in Caleb’s palm. His eyes danced with excitement. “I really won that?”
Caleb handed the boy the money. “Fair and square.”
“This is great!” John said, his excitement bubbling over. “Wait until I show Ma.”
“Run on then and show her.”
The air was warm, the wind soft and she was very aware of Caleb next to her as they watched John run back toward the crowd. In his eyes, she read happiness and sadness.
“He’s a good boy,” she said.
Caleb tore his gaze from John. “Aye.”
“How do you know him?”
Taking her elbow in hand, he started to walk with her away from the crowd. “His father served with me on the Intrepid. He died in the accident.”
Twenty-three men had died in the accident but she’d never thought about the people left behind. How many other children had lost fathers? How many women had lost sons or husbands? So consumed about how the accident had affected her life, she’d never stopped to think about the families of the lost men. Sadness and guilt roughed her voice. “How did John end up in Easton?”
Mary Burton Page 15
