“Please, tell me more about how you saved Morose,” John said carefully. The mermaid didn’t seem to mind being asked.
“He was took down. I untook him. Like you, I fed him air. He would not wake like you, so I brought him here to help him be better.”
“How long was he here?”
“How long was he here?” she asked.
“Yes, how many suns go up and down, when he was here?”
“Hm, not sure. Many suns, one moon,” she said, raising the pitch of the last word as though it were a question.
“That is a long time. Did he come to care for you like you care for him?”
She thought carefully for a long moment. “No, but I helped him.”
“You helped him care for you?”
The mermaid was ever so slightly glowing now, and she moved closer to John. “No, he cared for me. I helped him love me.”
“Did you teach him how to help others love him?”
She moved even closer to John. Her whole body was touching his now. She felt cold and wet, even though she did not look either. “I do not know.” Then she leaned in and kissed John on the lips. Conflicting thoughts swirled through John’s mind. If he stopped her now, would she be angry and tell him no more? Was that right to use her in this way? Was she going to make him love her as she had apparently done with Morose? John pulled away.
“Thank you,” he said politely. “That was very kind.”
The mermaid smiled. “You are warm.”
“Thank you. You have been so very helpful and a most wonderful savior. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Please.” She took John’s hand and led him to the edge of the pool. She placed a glowing hand in the water and swirled it for a moment. As she lifted her hand from the water, it held a pearl just like the one around her neck. She tried to give it to John.
“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly accept.”
“It won’t hurt. It is a gift.”
“You have done too much already. I couldn’t possibly accept. Please. You have done enough.”
John deeply suspected that the pearl was the same as the one Morose had given Lavender, and the same that the mermaid wore around her neck. He also suspected it was the way the mermaid had tried to make Morose love her and how Morose made Lavender love him. He knew that Morose had somehow broken the spell, however. Perhaps the distance from the mermaid determined the strength of the spell. Perhaps he even faked it simply to get away from the mermaid. Still, he couldn’t chance it.
The mermaid frowned, and her glow subsided. Her eyes turned inky black again, and her hair became flat and wet against her head. She stepped into the pool and slowly sunk down. Before her head went under, she said, “I will bring you food now.”
“Thank you, thank you. You are ever so kind. Really. I am your friend forever.”
And then she was gone. She did not return until the morning sun broke. She said nothing and brought him oysters, raw fish, and kelp.
“Thank you. You are too kind. Please, join me. I like your company, my friend.”
The mermaid smiled. “You are too kind,” she said in his British accent.
“Ah, very good, you are a quick learner. What is your name?”
She climbed out of the pool and sat on the side. This was the first time John really saw her tail. It was gray and illuminated green and blue. He could not see the bottom of it but assumed it was like the fin of a fish. “My name,” she said mimicking John’s words and accent again.
She handed him an oyster, and when their hands touched she started to look more human-like again. But it subsided after a few moments. John smiled. “I am John. Morose is Morose. You are?”
“Morose called me Lil’ Mermaid.” She smiled shyly as she captured Morose’s Irish accent perfectly.
“Tell me, Little Mermaid, did you offer Morose a pearl?” John said as he pointed toward the pearl around her neck.
“Yes, he took it.”
“What happened after he took it?”
She looked at John blankly.
“He took the pearl and then he loved you?” John asked.
“Yes, he loved the pearl and me.”
“If I take your pearl, will I love you?”
“I don’t know.” She blinked several times, staring blankly at John. Then she handed him the pearl around her neck. “You may still take my gift.”
“I don’t know if I can take it. You see, I think that it might make me fall in love with you, and I already gave my heart to another.”
She stared at him for a long time. Then she picked up the raw fish and ripped it open gracefully with her teeth, which looked serrated and sharp.
“You cannot tell me what will happen if I take this pearl?”
“I don’t know what will happen.”
“Well, then, I suppose I must decline again.”
This time she frowned and shrugged, then pounded an oyster with a rock. Afterward she slurped up the contents of the shell and then looked down. She saw that John had finished the others.
“You need more,” she said. Before John could stop her, she had gone into the pool. She returned several hours later with more oysters, a lobster, and some prawns.
“You are too kind,” John said as he held a wiggling prawn in front of his eyes. “These are delicious cooked over a fire with some butter.”
She looked at him blankly again.
“I have some butter on my boat. Can you take me back to my boat?”
She nodded solemnly.
“What’s the matter?”
She shrugged.
“Are you upset?”
“Morose is gone. You wish to be gone also.”
“Ah, I see. Where are your mermaid friends?”
“No friends.”
“You are alone? There is no other like you? Anywhere?”
“Somewhere. Not here. Not my friends.”
“You are a sentient being. You must be terribly lonely.” John felt incredible pity for this poor creature. After being all alone for so long, she finally found someone, only to have him selfishly leave her. That was another reason he must rescue Lavender from Morose.
“I should like to call you Serene. It sounds likes siren, which you are not quite, but I suspect that your counterparts are the source of that name. I think Serene is lovely, however.”
“Serene. You don’t want to call me Lil’ Mermaid? It has been my only name, given to me by my love that I want to wedding day.”
“I suppose I will call you whatever you wish. I sometimes call my love Lavy, but I am the only one. It is a way to build rapport with someone, to have a special name with them.”
“Does this special name make me your love?”
“No, no. It makes us friends.”
“You are John, my friend,” she said as she handed John another oyster, which he took without thinking. When he looked down to open it, he realized she had handed him the pearl as well.
Volume Five
Nefarious
Liz was extraordinarily quiet as they walked.
“What has you so preoccupied?” Harriet asked.
“Oh, sorry. I was thinking about my story. I have been wrestling with a problem as of late, but I think I have it worked out. Sometimes I find myself composing dialogue in my head. I suppose you think I am very strange.”
“Quite. However, your success tells me that strangeness must be a virtue in the instance of being a storyteller.”
“I’ll take that as a very sad compliment, I suppose.”
“Yes, it is a compliment. I am very proud of your accomplishments. I tried writing for the Gazette, but I only ever did a few news stories and short biographical stories. I suppose no one read them since Mr. Dixon never asked me to send more. I suppose he simply needed to fill pages.”
&nb
sp; “I read them. I thought they were very good. I mean, not very creative but very purposeful, which is what they were supposed to be.”
“I suppose that’s true. Here we are. Now, what are we looking for?” Harriet asked as they entered the store.
“Well, I don’t suppose you noticed that I am wearing a men’s shirt today.”
“No, I did. I thought it was just your strangeness. Perhaps you were trying to make a fashion statement.”
“Harriet, you are strange to think such a thing! I need something fashionable that will accommodate my growing . . .” Liz gestured to her belly with large circling motions of her hand.
“Yes, it’s so cute.”
“Cute? I don’t think so.”
Gladys, the shop owner’s wife, made eye contact with Liz and waved from behind the counter. “Be right over! Just finishing up here.” As soon as she was finished, she made her way over to the sisters.
“Liz, Harriet. I hope you aren’t here for a hat.”
“No,” Liz said. “Well—yes, I could use a hat, but mostly what I need is a new dress or two.”
“Well, let’s go see what we have. You are in luck because Jessi and Megan are here right now, and they could custom fit a dress for you.”
“Oh, I don’t think that would work,” Liz said apprehensively, understanding that a custom-fit dress would not fit for long.
“Oh well, come say hello anyway. Jessi, Megan, you know Elizabeth Latter. She writes Enduring Promises of the Heart. And this is her sister Harriet.”
Jessi offered her hand to Liz and smiled widely. “Of course, I know who you are. I am a big fan. Big fan. Remember all the lavender-colored dresses at the ball last year? I made almost all of them.”
“Well, that is very interesting! I had no idea that a single person made all of those. They were very lovely.”
“Thank you,” Jessi replied. Her sister Megan stayed quiet and timid.
Gladys butted back in to the conversation. “Now this young lady needs a new dress. She usually buys your dresses premade, but I think she deserves something special. A custom piece.”
“I don’t think she would want to waste her money on that now,” Megan said quietly.
“Why ever not?” Gladys gasped.
“Well, it won’t fit her for long,” Megan almost whispered, causing Gladys to gasp again.
“I am surprised by you, Megan. You are usually such a kind-hearted soul. How could you be so rude to Mrs. Latter?”
Megan simply pointed at Liz’s middle and frowned. Jessi looked at Liz’s belly and then jumped.
“Oh! A baby! How wonderful! I love making baby clothes!”
“A baby! Liz, you are having a baby!” Gladys held her heart at her bosom.
“Yes, I’m so sorry, Gladys. I thought you would have heard by now.”
Gladys covered her mouth with her hand. “This is wonderful! Congratulations! You are going to need maternity dresses, dear. We don’t have anything appropriate for your refined tastes right now!”
“I am quite desperate, Gladys. Whatever it is, it will just have to do.”
“Well, they are drab. I have very few customers who wear such vibrant and stylish clothing as you.” Gladys pulled a dress that looked like a nightgown from the rack. “Maternity clothing is quite comfortable, though.”
“I see. It’s brown, Gladys. I never wear brown.”
“I know. I told you, dear. I have nothing suitable for you.”
“It will have to do. I don’t suppose Jessi and Megan can get started on some fashionable maternity frocks for me?”
“Of course. You will have to come to our home. It is where we work,” Jessi confessed a little uncomfortably.
“Why don’t you open a shop?” Harriet asked.
“We’ve thought of it. A shop with a home attached. It’s just always a funding issue for us.”
“I wonder, if you split the shop with someone else if it would be worth it?”
“Yes, that would make it much easier. But I don’t know any other dressmakers willing to go in on such a venture.”
“What about a hatmaker?” Liz smiled.
“Sure. We could share a shop with a hatmaker. That could be beneficial for both of us.” Jessi smiled, intrigued by the idea. “Do you have one in mind?”
“Yes, my sister-in-law, Mary Black.” Liz pointed to the display of her hats in the window.
“Mary is looking for a shop?” Megan asked dubiously.
“No, but she sure could use one. She has practically run her husband out of the house with her hat-making supplies cluttering up the place.” Liz laughed.
“I would be thrilled to work with Mary. Please, how do we contact her?” Jessi asked.
“Let me talk to her about it, and I’ll have her contact you.”
“Here is my address. Bring Mary when you come for your fittings. You can come anytime,” Jessi said.
“Thank you. First thing tomorrow then?”
“Yes. Excellent!”
“Gladys, have this sent to my house, please,” Liz said, pointing to the drab maternity dress.
“You don’t worry about a thing. It’ll be on your door step waiting for you before you can get home!”
“Thanks, Gladys. Come, Harriet. I’ll treat you to lunch.”
As Harriet and Liz walked into Heather’s, they saw Isaac sitting at a table in the corner, heartily eating his own lunch. He saw the ladies and wiped his mouth, preparing to speak with them, but Liz and Harriet just nodded politely.
“He is quite handsome for a rogue—whatever he is,” Liz said.
“Sister, you are a married woman.”
“So, I still have eyes, haven’t I?”
“I don’t disagree. He is everywhere we go lately, isn’t he?” Harriet said as she watched Heather pour her a glass of water.
“Good afternoon, ladies,” Heather said. “He is a catch, I tell you. I don’t know much about him, but he is so handsome in his manners and his face. He often buys extra food for the poor and needy. Such a handsome man.”
“More like for his supper at home.” Harriet scowled.
“No, he’s the real deal, Harriet. If he gives you half the time of day, you’d be a fool not to take it and snatch him up.”
“Hmph.” Liz sneered. “There’s something secretive about him that I don’t like.”
“Like what?” Heather asked, truly surprised.
Liz didn’t want to air her dirty laundry around town that Isaac, Peter, and Michael had some strange acquaintance that none would fess up to, so she just shrugged her shoulders.
“Well, what can I get started for you, ladies?” Heather asked.
“I’ll have a slice of pot pie and a cup of tea, please,” Liz said.
Harriet was staring at Isaac, her mind drifting off to some far-off place.
“Harriet, honey, what can I get you? Besides him?” Heather said.
“Oh, I’ll have the chicken gravy and mashed potatoes.”
“Coming right up.” Heather smirked and trotted off into the kitchen.
Liz looked disapprovingly at her older sister. “How are Mother and Father?”
“They are well,” Harriet said as she glanced at Isaac again.
“Have you heard from Lilac lately? Are they coming to the Fourth of July celebration?”
“I don’t know. Haven’t seen her in ages.”
“Well, don’t you ever talk to Mother?”
“Not as much as I should. I am quite busy at work. I’ve worked past seven for the last two weeks, editing a certain distraught author’s work.”
“No, my manuscripts are not that bad, are they?”
“You tell me. Mr. Dixon insisted I speak with you. He grew so tired of trying to decode what you had sent that he put me on the task of getting the
m done.”
“Oh dear.” Liz could feel the emotions bubbling up. She was likely going to cry. She took a deep breath to stave it off when suddenly Harriet jumped up.
“I must ask him if he would join us for the fourth. He has no family to speak of, you know. It’s the Christian thing to do.”
Liz blinked in surprise. “All right.”
Harriet walked gingerly over to Isaac’s table.
“How do you do, Isaac?” Harriet said. Liz thought she sounded strange.
“Well. And you, Arie?” Isaac calling her Arie made Harriet blush and smile.
“I’m quite well, thanks.” Harriet paused for an awkward moment. When she went to speak again, Isaac began to speak as well. “Sorry,” she said, “go on.”
“Oh, nothing, what were you going to say?”
“Well, the town Fourth of July celebration is coming up. It’s the best on this side of the Mississippi—or so I’ve heard. If you have no one to join in the celebration, I thought that perhaps you would like to . . . want to join our family?”
Isaac smiled warmly. “Yes, thank you.”
“Oh good, so we just meet at my parents’ home. You know of it?”
Isaac made eye contact with Liz. She wasn’t scowling exactly, but she wasn’t looking friendly either. He raised his finger at Harriet to stop her.
“I just realized that perhaps—I mean I am definitely busy—out of town. I’ll be out of town that day.” He started to rise and placed some change on the table. “Sorry. I forgot. Good day, Arie,” he said as he walked out the door, leaving Harriet gob-smacked and standing alone.
She walked back to her table and sat. “That was—I don’t. Did you do something? I would swear he looked at you then turned me down,” Harriet said angrily.
“Me? Well, yes. He did look at me, but I promise I was being a perfect lady. What do I care if he comes? What did he call you?”
“Arie. He said it’s the nickname his friend Harriet from school had.”
“Friend from school? How much time have you spent with him, Harriet? Enough to get a nickname obviously. Are you angling yourself toward him?” Liz said with her brows furrowed.
“I—I didn’t mean to. I—I can’t help it. I think of him day and night. I hope to see him every time I leave the house. I—I suppose I am angling for him.”
Unbroken Promises of the Heart: (Promises of the Heart Book 2) Page 10
