Hope you all like this. Thank you to Susan G. for her
editing expertise.
Happy weekend everyone!
Denise G.



Where There's A Will…


Early one morning, Captain Gregg materialized in
the attic of Gull Cottage just as the first rays of
sunlight peeked over the horizon. He had just returned
from his post on the widow's walk where he spent the
night keeping watch over the house, making sure the
Muir family was safe and secure.
He smiled to himself as he thought of the family
members sleeping within the confines of the house. His
family…at least, he had come to feel as though they
were his family.
It was just about two years ago that the Muirs,
Carolyn and her children Candy and Jonathan, had taken
up residence in Gull Cottage. They had brought along
their housekeeper, Martha and Scruffy the dog.
The arrival of the Muirs had been a great adjustment
for the Captain.
The first hundred years of his afterlife had been
spent in the solitude of his home, undisturbed by the
outside world. The Captain had been perfectly content
to exist with only memories as his companions. He took
great pride in the fact that he had managed to scare
away potential boarders with some ghostly pranks and a
few eerie sound effects. Anyone unfortunate enough to
attempt to stay had been easily
discouraged from remaining in the cottage for any
great length of time.
But all that changed the day the Carolyn Muir had
arrived on the Captain's doorstep. Unlike anyone
before her, Carolyn had stood up to the ghost and won
not only his respect, but also a place in his heart.
The house, which had been empty for so many years, was
soon transformed from its tomb-like existence into a
cozy home filled with warmth and love.
On this particular morning, the Captain was about
to make an entry in his journal when he noticed his
personal papers, along with his maps and books were in
complete disarray. With a slight movement of his hand
he whisked the desk chair back, allowing him to take
his seat.
The Captain heaved a sigh as he sat and thought of
the tongue-lashing he would receive from Martha if she
saw the mess. Although she usually kept her
housekeeping duties restricted to the floors below,
occasionally she would venture into the attic.
Captain Gregg knew those infrequent visits would
always end in a lecture about setting a good example
for the children.
‘Martha is a bossy bit of goods,' he thought to
himself, ‘but no one keeps a vessel shipshape the way
she does."
As the Captain picked up the first stack of papers,
he became aware of the muffled sound of Carolyn's
alarm clock ringing in the room below.
"Ah! Saved by the bell," the Captain laughed aloud
as he pushed himself away from the desk.
"Time to join the family below deck," he rejoiced,
then faded from sight.
*****
Later that same morning, Carolyn sat at her desk
reading the notes for the article she was working on
when someone knocked on the bedroom door.
"Come in!"
The door slowly creaked open and Martha peeked into
the room. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Mrs. Muir, but
there's a problem with the washing machine again."
Carolyn's shoulders sagged at the announcement.
"What's wrong with it THIS time?" she asked, not
really wanting to hear the answer.
"Well, it filled with water but now it won't
agitate. I can hear the motor turning but it isn't
doing anything. I think the belt might have worn out,"
Martha concluded.
Carolyn closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh.
'What else is going to break down this week!' she
thought to herself.
Martha cleared her throat to gain Carolyn's
attention. "So… should I call the repair man or
should I start wringing out the clothes?"
"Sorry about that, Martha. Go ahead and call the
repairman. We can't do without the washing machine."
Martha nodded and headed toward the door. She
stopped herself and walked back over to the desk. "By
the way, I forgot to give you this,"
Martha said as she handed an envelope to Carolyn.
"What is it?" Carolyn asked, even as she opened it.
"It's the estimate from the contractor for the cost
of replacing the gutters on the house."
Carolyn's eyes opened wide in disbelief. "This is
outrageous!"
Martha shook her head in disgust when Carolyn
showed her the paper.
"I'll say it is. So, does this mean the washer
doesn't get fixed?"
Carolyn frowned and looked up at Martha. "No,
Martha. Go ahead and call the repairman. I'll have to
put off having the gutters replaced until I get
paid for this article."
"I know it's none of my business, Mrs. Muir, but
shouldn't Claymore be the one paying for those
gutters? After all, he does own the place. I
just don't see how he can get away with shirking his
responsibility."
"I know, Martha…but what can I do? It's my own
fault, really. I was so happy about finding the house
that I didn't take the time to consider
what problems might come along with it."
"Well, if you ask me, I think you should take
Claymore to court. I bet a judge would take your side
and make him pay."
"You're probably right, Martha, but I couldn't
afford the lawyer!" she sighed.
"Oh, well… I'd better make that call to the repair
shop now so they can get someone out here this
afternoon. I'll let you know when lunch is ready,
Mrs. Muir."
"Thank you, Martha," Carolyn replied quietly as she
stared at the estimate in her hand.
Once Martha had gone, Carolyn angrily crumpled the
paper and threw it as hard as she could across the
room. Carolyn held her breath, trying desperately to
hold back the tears that threatened to fall. It didn't
take long before she lost the battle; a sob escaped
from her lips and tears began to flow.
‘I don't know how much more of this I can take,” she
thought to herself.
Since the death of her husband, Carolyn had been
able to earn enough money to meet the everyday needs
of her family. Renting Gull Cottage from Claymore two
years prior had changed all that. Although Carolyn
had fallen in love with the house the moment she saw
it, she hadn't been prepared for the cost of its
upkeep. As owner, Claymore should have paid for the
necessary repairs needed on the house. However, he
had cleverly included a clause in the original lease
stating that the tenant, not the owner was responsible
for all repairs. Even now that the lease was upfor
renewal, Claymore insisted the clause remain.
Despite the seemingly endless list of things that
were wrong with the house, Carolyn knew that she could
not leave Gull Cottage. Leaving the house meant
leaving Captain Gregg and Carolyn could not imagine
her life without him. No,leaving her beloved Captain
was definitely not an option. But what was she to do?
Carolyn moved away from the desk and walked out
onto the balcony. She closed her eyes and gently
massaged her temples with her fingertips.
"Think, Carolyn. There must be something you can do
to make this work!" she whispered aloud.
"If you keep talking to yourself, Madam, people
will think you have gone barmy."
Carolyn smiled at the sound of the rich voice
coming from the spirit behind her. "But Captain,
don't you know that talking to oneself is considered
‘normal' behavior for a writer?" Carolyn turned and
as her eyes met the Captain's, a smile crossed her
lips. She suddenly felt the familiar flutter of
excitement course through her at the sight of him
standing there. He smiled in return but then his
expression quickly changed.
"You have been crying," the Captain stated with
concern in his voice when he noticed the glistening
trail along her cheek.
Carolyn looked away and quickly brushed her hand
against her face.
"Yes, well … it's nothing really. I was just reading
something … and … well … silly me, it made me a little
weepy."
"I see…" the Captain moved closer to Carolyn and
looked at her a bit suspiciously. "May I see it?" he
pleaded lightly.
"NO! I mean…it's just a bit of nonsense, Captain.
You wouldn't like it."
"I wouldn't?" he wasn't about to give up his
questions until she admitted what was wrong.
"No," she softly replied then slipped by the
Captain and back into the room.
"Madam, if you will not tell me what is wrong, how
do you expect me to help you?"
"That's just it, Captain…you can't help me."
Out of the corner of his eye, the Captain noticed
the crumpled paper on the floor and walked over to
where it lay. He picked it up to toss it into the
wastebasket when Carolyn noticed what he was about to
do.
"Um…Captain. I'll take that," Carolyn said as she
reached to take the ball of paper from his hand.
Captain Gregg quickly put his hands behind his back
so she could not reach it. "Is this the thing which
has you so upset?" he asked.
Carolyn tried to deny it. "Oh, Captain! It's
nothing…please give it to me," she pleaded.
The Captain turned away from her and straightened
the paper so he could read it. A moment later he
muttered the word "blast" then turned to face Carolyn.
"Has that miserable skinflint, Claymore refused to
take responsibility for this repair?"
Carolyn squeezed her eyes shut to try to prevent
the flow of tears, which threatened to spill over
again.
The Captain's anger suddenly flared. "This is the
last straw! I am going to have a little talk with my
so-called nephew. When I get through with him, he will
wish he had never been born!" the Captain
bellowed.
"Please, Captain…don't…I appreciate your concern
but it wouldn't do any good. I'll find a way to make
this work."
"I wish I could take that sniveling jellyfish
and…."
"Captain," Carolyn interrupted his tirade before it
got out of hand, "you know very well when it comes to
money, Claymore cannot be swayed
no matter what the threat."
The Captain's anger deflated somewhat.
"I'm afraid you are right, M'Dear. It simply pains
me to see you upset like this. I hope you realize that
I would do anything in my power to help you."
Carolyn was deeply touched by the tenderness in his
voice.
"Yes, Captain. I know you would."
He reached into his jacket, drew out a handkerchief
and gently brushed it against her cheek to dry her
tears. Carolyn rewarded him with a warm smile.
"That's better," he exclaimed.
"I'll figure something out, Captain. You know that
old saying, ‘Where there's a will, there's a way.' I
just need to FIND the way."
"Very well, M'Dear. As you wish. But I'd rather
beat the funds out of Claymore's sorry hide. Please…
no more tears," he shook his finger at her.
Carolyn let out with a little sniffle, "Yes, sir."
Captain Gregg nodded then disappeared, leaving
Carolyn to try to come up with a solution.
*****
Martha was downstairs in the kitchen rolling out
dough for piecrust.She reached inside the canister of
flour and tossed a handful on the table where she was
working. Captain Gregg materialized behind her and
cleared his throat.
She looked over her shoulder and greeted him
cheerfully. "Good morning, Captain."
"Martha…"
"I thought you would have joined the children for
breakfast. I made apple pancakes."
"Did you? Sorry I missed out, but there was a
matter of a missing baseball glove which needed to be
addressed."
"Ah…were you able to find it, Captain?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact it was in the toy chest
where it belonged," he said as he picked some cherries
from the bowl and pop them in his mouth.
"No wonder they couldn't find it!" Martha grinned
widely as she continued to roll the dough.
When the Captain remained silent for a few moments,
Martha decided he had something on his mind. "Is
something wrong, Captain?"
"Wrong? No…yes, I mean there is nothing wrong with
me. It is just that I am quite concerned about Mrs.
Muir. I just found her crying in ‘our' room."
Martha noticed the use of ‘our' in reference to the
bedroom but thought it best not to mention it.
Instead, she gave her opinion on Carolyn's dilemma.
"It's all because of Claymore, you know. He simply
refuses to fix anything around here and poor Mrs. Muir
ends up spending all HER money for HIS property."
"I tell you, Martha. Nothing would please me more
than to see his mongrel hide strung up from the
rigging."
"I'm afraid we're fresh out of rigging, Captain,"
she replied saucily, "so you will just have to come up
with some other way to ‘convince' Claymore."
"I will just have to give the matter more
consideration," he replied.
"I really don't see how else you could help Mrs.
Muir; unless you have some hidden treasure you haven't
mentioned. I do know how you could help me, though."
"How, may I ask, can I be of help you?"
"You can start by straightening up that desk of
yours in the attic! What kind of example are you
setting for the children if you leave things a mess?"
The Captain slapped his hand against his forehead.
"Blast!" he groaned and disappeared from the kitchen
leaving Martha standing there complaining to no one.
*****
Claymore was filing documents when Captain Gregg
appeared in his office. "CLAYMORE!!" the Captain
shouted at his unsuspecting nephew causing him to toss
the file into the air, scattering papers all
over the office.
"Why do you always do this to me? One of these days
you're going to give me a heart attack," Claymore
whined as he started to gather up the papers from the
floor.
"I'll give you a heart attack alright! I want to
talk to you, you money-gouging sand shark!" the
Captain sneered.
"What is it, Captain? Now what have…I done?"
Claymore cowered behind his desk.
"DONE? It is what you have NOT done which brings me
here, you nincompoop! Are you aware that the gutters
on Gull Cottage need replacing?"
"As a matter of fact, Captain…I did know that. Mrs.
Muir told me."
"And WHAT, pray tell, do you intend to do about
it?" the Captain leaned far over the desk.
"I told her that…um…well…according to the lease…she
is responsible for the repair work," Claymore slowly
regained his composure as he rose from the floor.
"And you think it is right to burden Mrs. Muir with
the cost of something which is clearly your
responsibility?"
"Captain... Mrs. Muir signed the lease. It's not my
fault she overlooked that one little detail in the
paperwork."
"Little detail, you say? Where's your sense of
decency, man? You are aware of her financial
situation. For goodness sake, Mrs. Muir has treated
you like a blasted member of the family and yet you
continue to take advantage of her."
"Captain, I am not treating Mrs. Muir any
differently than any of my other tenants. The new
lease is being written up now and it will remain
the same. There are always other houses she can rent."
"But she wants to live in Gull Cottage. "I" want
her to live in Gull Cottage!"
"Well, then Captain, Mrs. Muir will just have to
sign the lease the way it is. Business is business and
I refuse to be bullied into changing it. So there!"
"You mark my word, Claymore. I will find a way to
make you pay. I promise you, you WILL pay," Captain
Gregg threatened.
"Just how do you intend to do that, Captain? Face
it; Spooky… you have no right to complain about what I
do with Gull Cottage. It's mine now and that is that!"
Claymore boasted.
The Captain growled angrily and then disappeared,
leaving Claymore shaking in his shoes wondering just
what the Captain was planning to do to him.
*****
That evening, after regaling the children with one
of his sea tales, then bidding Carolyn and Martha
goodnight, the Captain went up to the attic to
straighten up his desk. While he reached over for one
of the maps, his elbow hit a stack of books and
accidentally knocked them to the floor.
Carolyn called out from down below to see if
everything was all right. After assuring her that all
was well, he resumed his task. As the Captain picked
up the books, he noticed there was a sheet of paper
stuck to the back cover of one of the volumes. Slowly,
he peeled the paper off the book and quickly glanced
at it.
As his eyes skimmed the page with its elegant
print, the Captain assumed it was a party invitation
from years ago. After reading a few lines he soon
discovered that it was indeed an invitation of sorts,
but one unlike any other he had ever received in his
lifetime.
Captain Gregg dropped into the closest chair
sending a cloud of dust scattering through the air. He
quickly read the note, nervously running his hand
through his hair.
"How on earth could I have missed this?" he asked
himself aloud.
The Captain jumped up from his seat and began to
pace back and forth in the attic. He was overwhelmed
by the implication of the note. He came to an abrupt
stop and reread the invitation aloud; wanting to be
sure he understood correctly what was written.
"To Captain Daniel Elias Gregg,
In appreciation for your valiant efforts during
the Battle of Vera Cruz, you are hereby awarded the
privilege of returning to the past for a day.
During this twenty-four hour period you may do
whatever you please as long as it does not interfere
with the course of history.
As this is a rarely granted privilege, it is
suggested that you give careful consideration to how
you intend to make use of this time.
Many souls realize after they have passed on that
there were a number of things they never had the
chance to accomplish. You now have the opportunity to
do just that.
Please contact us once you have made your final
decision. At that time you will be instructed as to
how to proceed to your destination.
Congratulations on a job well done.
Eternally,
The Powers That Be"
"Imagine," he said to himself as he placed the paper
aside, "an entire day to do as I please. I could spend
a day at sea again… breathe the salt air… feel the
sway of the deck beneath my feet." He rose from the
chair and paced the length of the attic while memories
of the past flooded his mind.
"If only I had met Carolyn in my past. I could
return and spend the day with her… holding her… loving
her…" he whispered. A hint of sadness overtook him as
he wished for what could not be. Captain Gregg
mentally shook himself to clear his head.
He decided to put all thoughts of his decision out
of his mind for the time being. It was late and just
about time to begin his watch from the widow's walk.
He glanced out the window into the night sky to check
the weather. As he was about to turn away he noticed a
light coming from Carolyn's room. The Captain looked
over at the clock and was surprised to see the
lateness of the hour. He decided to check in and see
why Carolyn was still up.
The Captain materialized by the telescope and found
Carolyn sitting up in bed, fast asleep. There was a
stack of bills beside her and the book she used to
keep track of expenses open on her lap. The Captain
carefully slid the book out from beneath her hand
resting upon the open pages and placed it on the desk
along with the stack of bills.
He leaned over close to Carolyn and whispered in
her ear. "It is time to rest, M'Dear. Put all
thoughts of your problems aside and dream of happy
things."
Without opening her eyes, Carolyn turned to her
side and slid down upon the bed while the Captain
swiftly adjusted her pillow then brought the blankets
up to cover her. Carolyn sighed in her sleep. The
Captain opened the French doors slightly and then
after one last look at Carolyn, he went off to the
widow's walk to keep watch.
Carolyn and Martha were sitting in the kitchen
together the next morning when the phone rang. Carolyn
jumped up from her chair to take the call.
"Hello…yes, this is Mrs. Muir…oh, yes… I've been
waiting for your call… Friday at 10am. I certainly
will, Mrs. Anderson. I'll be there. Thank you.
Good-bye!"
Captain Gregg materialized beside the kitchen
table, startling Martha just as Carolyn was about to
hang up the phone.
"Captain, I wish you would learn to knock or
something before you just ‘pop' in the way you do.
It's enough to give a person gray hair."
The Captain was just about to make a comment when
Martha held up her hand.
"Watch it, Captain," she warned and began clearing
the dirty dishes.
Carolyn laughed at the expression on the Captain's
face.
"You have an appointment Friday, Mrs. Muir?" Martha
changed the subject.
Carolyn went to the stove and picked up the coffee
pot. "Yes, as a matter of fact I'm meeting with a
lawyer."
"A lawyer?" the Captain asked, "Whatever for?"
"Oh, it's just a meeting to go over the terms of
the new lease. Claymore insists that we meet with his
lawyer." Carolyn paused and took a sip of her coffee.
"And what lawyer would be desperate enough to have
that bilge-rat for a client?" the Captain wondered.
"It's a firm in Schooner Bay...hmm… Colebrook,
Smith, and Livingston. Yes, that's the one," the name
suddenly came to Carolyn.
"If I remember correctly, that firm has been in
business since the early
1800's."
"Colebrook you say? I went to sea with a chap named
Colebrook. Wonder if it is any relation. Yes…come to
think of it, he did say his father
was a lawyer," the Captain remarked.
"Well, I don't know about that. I only know that
the lawyer will be on Claymore's side when it comes to
the final terms of the lease. I'm just hoping the rent
isn't going up too much. I just cannot afford to…"
Carolyn's voice trailed off as she thought of her
options.
The Captain suddenly stood up from the table and
looked over at Carolyn and then at Martha. "If you
ladies will excuse me, I must be off," the Captain
announced.
"And just where does a spirit need to rush off to?"
Martha was quick to ask.
Carolyn looked over at the Captain, a puzzled
expression on her face. "You're going somewhere,
Captain?"
"Yes, but I will not be gone for very long."
"I see," was all Carolyn could say.
"Well, wherever it is you're going, Captain, have a
nice time," Martha said then headed to the laundry
room.
"Thank you, Martha."
Captain Gregg turned his attention to Carolyn. She
was still standing by the stove staring into her
coffee cup.
"Are you all right, Madam?"
"Yes," she finally made eye contact with him,
"It's just that you don't go away very often and…
well… I was wondering why?"
He stepped forward and came to a stop only a few
inches away from her.
"Would you do something for me," he hesitated for
the briefest moment, "Carolyn?"
Her face immediately brightened when he spoke her
name. "Yes…Daniel?"
"Trust me," was all he said then gave her a wink.
She smiled back at him and then he was gone.
True to his word, the Captain was back within
twenty-four hours and though Carolyn was very curious
as to where he had been, she decided it was best not
to question him. If and when the Captain wanted to
tell her, he would do so when HE was ready.
*****
Friday morning came quickly and Carolyn readied
herself for the meeting with Claymore and the lawyer.
The Captain made an appearance beside the telescope as
Carolyn was getting her jacket from the closet in her
room.
"So, Madam... You are off to meet with the jellyfish
and his lawyer?"
"Yes, Captain. I'm not looking forward to this but I
have to do it," Carolyn sighed.
"I shall see you upon your return this afternoon.
Cheer up, M'Dear, perhaps when all is said and done
the outcome will leave you pleasantly surprised."
"That's highly doubtful, Captain. But thank you for
the encouragement." Carolyn picked up her purse and
headed out of the room.
"I have no doubt, M'Dear that you will indeed be
pleased with the outcome," he smiled then dissolved
into thin air.
*****
Carolyn arrived at the offices of Colebrook, Smith,
and Livingston at 10am sharp. Miss Gorman, the
receptionist, greeted Carolyn and led her down the
hall to a small conference room where Mr. Colebrook
and Claymore were waiting for her. Both men stood as
she entered the room.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Mr. Colebrook
called for his secretary.
"Yes, Mr. Colebrook?"
"Oh, there you are, Mrs. Anderson. Would you please
bring in the packet I told you about? It is in the
vault in my office."
"Right away, Mr. Colebrook," the secretary
immediately left to do as he asked.
"As you both know, this meeting was set up to
discuss the renewal of the lease to Gull Cottage.
However, it has recently come to our attention that
another matter must also be discussed here today…" he
paused when Mrs. Anderson reentered the room. The
secretary handed the packet to Mr. Colebrook. "Thank
you, Mrs. Anderson. That is all."
Mrs. Anderson nodded, excused herself from the room
and then Mr. Colebrook opened the packet.
"Now we may begin," he announced. "I'm sure you
both must be wondering what is in this packet," he
looked at Carolyn and then Claymore and they both
nodded.
"I hold here in my hands the last will and
testament of Captain Daniel Elias Gregg,"
Mr. Colebrook waited for a reaction from the couple
seated at the table.
"But… Mr. Colebrook… my uncle… I mean… the Captain
didn't leave a will," Claymore managed to stammer out.
"There must be some mistake, Mr. Colebrook,"
Carolyn agreed.
"I assure you; Mrs. Muir, Mr.Gregg, it is not a
mistake. I hold here in my hand Captain Gregg's will.
And now, if you will permit me, I shall read the
contents to you."
Carolyn and Claymore looked at each other then back
at Mr. Colebrook, giving a nod for him to proceed.
"I, Daniel Elias Gregg, of Gull Cottage in the
township of Schooner Bay, in the state of Maine, being
of sound and disposing mind and memory, hereby
revoking any other wills and codicils at any time made
by me, do hereby make, publish and declare this as and
for my Last Will and Testament in the following manner
and form:"
Mr. Colebrook paused and looked at Carolyn and
Claymore.
"I won't go into all the legal terms. Basically,
the Captain left all rights to his home; Gull Cottage,
including any and all possessions
contained therein to the surviving members of the
Gregg family."
Carolyn seemed a bit confused, "I don't understand
what this has to do with me, Mr. Colebrook. I'm not a
member of the Gregg family."
Mr. Colebrook smiled at Carolyn and continued,
"There is a clause to the will, Mrs. Muir, which does
concern you."
Claymore sat up straighter in his chair.
"Mrs. Muir? How is that possible? She wasn't alive
when the will was written… unless," Claymore looked
skeptical.
"Unless, what?" the lawyer asked.
"Unless the will is a fake!" Claymore accused.
"Claymore!" Carolyn chided, "Before you start
jumping to conclusions why don't you let Mr. Colebrook
finish."
"I guess you're right. Besides, I'm not saying YOU
did anything, Mrs. Muir. I meant that maybe…
‘you-know-who'… is trying to get back at me," Claymore
stated as he fiddled with his tie and looked nervously
around the room.
Mr. Colebrook spoke to Claymore. "Mr. Gregg, I
assure you this is not a fake. This packet has been in
the possession of the law firm for over one hundred
years. It was placed in the firm's vault where it
remained until it was discovered a few days ago. The
instructions pertaining to the reading of the will
were very specific.
My partners and I decided that it should be brought
to your attention at this meeting. Since this firm has
done business with the Gregg family for close to a
hundred years now, we had all the necessary records on
file to know who needed to be contacted. As I said
before, the instructions were specific. Any surviving
members of the Gregg family were to be at the reading
of the will along with the leaseholder of
Gull Cottage, or any descendants there of, should
there be any. The will did not specifically name Mrs.
Muir, simply the leaseholder who had fulfilled the
requirements set in clause one."
"So that is why you asked me here?" Carolyn asked.
"Yes, Mrs. Muir. Mr.Gregg is the last surviving
relative of the Captain and since you are the only
person ever to lease Gull Cottage in over one hundred
years, you were invited to be present. Now, if neither
of you objects, I will go over the section, which
refers to you, Mrs. Muir. As I stated before, all
property and possessions of the deceased contained in
Gull Cottage were to be passed down to members of the
family. This means that up until today, Mr. Gregg, you
were the legal heir to the Captain's property."
"WERE? What do you mean? Were?" Claymore was
flabbergasted.
"Yes, were. According to the conditions of the
will, the Captain stated that, and I quote, "I wish
Gull Cottage and its possessions therein, to remain in
the Gregg family with the understanding that at
least one member of the family take up residence
there. However, should Gull Cottage be made available
to an outside party for rent or lease,
the …" Mr. Colebrook paused for a moment and looked at
Claymore before he went on to say, "Remember, I am
only stating what was written here. All right…where
was I? Oh, yes… for rent or lease, the…um… "blasted"
sea-slug shall forfeit all rights and ownership of
Gull Cottage to the leaseholder or the descendants of
such, who resided in said house for a period of no
less than one year AND took full responsibility for
the maintenance and repair of said property from his
or her own funds. These are my wishes and I trust they
shall be carried out as specified.
Captain Daniel E. Gregg"
Carolyn could not believe what she had just heard.
"Mr. Colebrook, may I see the will?"
"Of course you may, Mrs. Muir," he said as he
handed the papers to her.
Carolyn felt her heart skip a beat as she
recognized the Captain's handwriting. The one question
that gnawed at her she was why the Captain had told
her he had never written a will when he obviously had?
Mr. Colebrook looked at the dejected figure of
Claymore, who was slumped in his chair. "That is all.
According to the records, which you provided, Mr.
Gregg, Mrs. Muir is the only person since the time of
the Captain's death to ever sign a lease to Gull
Cottage. At the signing of the original lease over two
years ago, you passed along the responsibility of
maintenance to Mrs.Muir. Since the will states Mrs.
Muir legally became the owner of Gull Cottage at the
end of the first year, a refund in the amount of the
second year's rent is due to her…"
Claymore let out a groan as he thought of having to
repay all that rent money to Carolyn. Mr.Colebrook
ignored Claymore's outburst and turned back to
Carolyn.
"Mrs. Muir, since you have fulfilled all the
requirements set in the will; ownership is hereby
transferred to you. My secretary will have all the
necessary paperwork for you to sign before you leave."
Mr. Colebrook reached out and shook Carolyn's hand
and then he turned to Claymore.
"Mr. Gregg, all I can say is that I'm sorry things
turned out this way for you. My secretary will be in
touch with you regarding the check you will be issuing
to Mrs. Muir. If you will both excuse me. I have to
make a phone call."
Mr. Colebrook closed the door behind him leaving
Carolyn and Claymore alone in the conference room.
They sat in stunned silence, both overwhelmed by the
information they had just received. Claymore let out
a deep sigh and put his head down on the table.
"I cannot believe this," Claymore moaned. "The
Captain said he would make me pay someday. I never
imagined it would be this way."
Carolyn looked sympathetically at him, not knowing
what to say. She felt sorry for him but at the same
time she was elated at the news that Gull Cottage was
now hers.
Rising from her chair, Carolyn approached Claymore
and lightly patted his shoulder. He looked up at her
and said, "Thank goodness it's over." His remark threw
her completely off guard.
"I know this is a shock, Claymore... what did you
say?" she seemed confused by his reaction.
"What I mean, Mrs. Muir is that I don't have to put
up with ‘Old Spook-face' any more. No more of his
temper squalls or his threats. I won't have to worry
about him popping in and ordering me about. I am
finally free of him!"
"I would not count on it if I were you!" the
Captain's voice thundered throughout the room.
Claymore sprang to his feet and came face to face
with Captain Gregg.
"You simpering toad! As long as you bear the Gregg
name I shall be there to make sure you do not tarnish
its reputation. Do I make myselfclear?"
"Yes, sir! Loud and clear!"
"Claymore, I hope there won't be any hard feelings
between us," Carolyn stepped in.
"No, Mrs. Muir. I won't hold this against you.
Besides, I'm sure I'll find some way to make up for my
losses. Maybe I can claim it on my income taxes…"
"I have no doubt you will find a way, Claymore,"
she reassured him.
"Well, good luck, Mrs. Muir. I hope you and old
‘Spooky' will be very happy."
"Oh, Claymore, Thank you for being so… well, thank
you," she smiled at him.
Claymore smiled back crookedly then picked up his
hat and headed out the door. Captain Gregg strutted
around the room, his face set in a smile. He was quite
pleased with himself over the outcome of his plan.
"Well, Madam…we are finally rid of that
penny-pinching tightwad," he announced.
He turned around and found Carolyn sitting at the
conference table, her hand covering her eyes. He
immediately dropped down and knelt beside her chair.
"Carolyn…" he said her name softly.
She slowly picked up her head and met his gaze; her
eyes brimming with tears. "Yes, Daniel?"
"Why are you crying?"
She let out a little laugh, "Because…I'm so happy."
"You are crying because you are happy?" he looked
quite perplexed.
"Confound it, woman! That makes no sense. No matter
how hard I try I shall NEVER understand why woman act
as they do," he shook his head in disgust.
"I would say, Captain, that at this point you
should probably stop trying," she teased.
"I believe you are right, M'Dear."
"Tell me, Captain. How did you do it? You told me
that you never had a chance to write a will. I don't
understand how this came about."
"Perhaps this will help explain things," Captain
Gregg said as he handed his ‘award' notice to Carolyn.
As she quickly scanned the page, the Captain walked
over and poured Carolyn a glass of water from the
pitcher on the table. When she finished reading, he
handed her the glass then sat down in the chair
next to hers.
"Remember a few days ago when I went away and I
said that I needed to do something?"
"Is that when you returned to the past?"
"Yes. I thought it best not to tell you what I was
attempting to do in case it did not work out the way I
planned. I met with Mr. Colebrook…this Colebrook's
great-great grandfather. He helped me with all the
details."
"I see…Now that I understand the ‘how', I want to
know the ‘why'."
"Why? Isn't it obvious why I did it? Blast it all,
Madam, … must I spell it out for you?"
"Yes…I want to hear… I NEED to hear it, Captain. I
need to know how you truly feel…" she bowed her head
and unable to look into his eyes without shedding more
tears.
The Captain clasped his hands behind his back and
began to pace the room. He finally stopped and looked
at Carolyn, his heart in his eyes.
"Look at me, M'Dear," he softly commanded.
She obeyed and he was struck by the longing in her
eyes.
"Surely you must know I would move heaven and earth
to find a way to have you by my side always," he
confessed.
"You must know, Captain… there is no where else I
would rather be than by your side… always."
"M'Dear, I have felt that each and every day, each
and every moment we have spent together has been a
precious gift. I could not bear the thought of
jeopardizing all we have. I could not endure an
existence without you."
Carolyn's smile was pure radiance. When the
Captain realized how intense the moment had become, he
decided it was best to break the mood. He looked down
and began to straighten his jacket and resumed
his usual proud stance.
"Now… with that ninny out of the way and the extra
money available for the needed repairs to the house,
you have no excuse to leave me."
Carolyn had to laugh at his arrogance.
"When you decided to go through with this, what
made you so sure that "I" would want to stay?"
He could see by the twinkle in her eye that she was
teasing.
"Because, Madam…it's a "marvelous house"."
"With a "marvelous ghost"," Carolyn chimed in.
They both laughed, recalling their exchange that
first night in Gull Cottage.
"Well, we best be off. Time for us to head back to
the ship," he announced.
"Captain, Gull Cottage is a house, not a ship," she
reminded him for the hundredth time.
"Need I remind you, Madam that I am a man of the
sea and Gull Cottage is my vessel?"
"Need I remind you, Captain that Gull Cottage in on
land… actually it's on MY land. Therefore, *I* say it
is a house!" she boasted.
Captain Gregg looked affronted by her statement
then burst into laughter when he realized she was
merely toying with him.
"Captain, let's just go HOME!"
"Yes, M'Dear, home is where we belong."