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[Henk]

David did not sleep well.
Only in the early morning-hours, the constant noise of people walking, giggling, yelling and laughing calmed down.
He unwrapped the painting and looked at it for a long time.

 
 

"I cannot throw it away , neither can I bring it myself. Too much of a strange story it is ".
He slept another hour.
When he woke up, he knew the solution.
"I will put it at the gate of the manor. I know where she is. They must find it, after that it is their decision to do with it what they want ".
He still could not understand why it was hanging in a place like this.
Soon enough he would.
The smell of fried bacon and eggs was coming upstairs.
It was already after 9 o' clock.
He washed and dressed quick,before going downstairs to have a breakfast.
Outside it was raining.
"Another night, Sir ?", the barkeeper asked.
"No, thanks", David answered polite.

He started with the breakfast, looking at the empty wall, where the painting had been hanging.
"At least, you are saved from this".

Suddenly a hand grabbed his shoulder from behind.
He reacted fast, grabbed the arm, removed it from his shoulder, and looked in the face of an unshaven, smelling and angry man.

[Henk]

( A part of the previous part is edited, due to a mistake while posting it )

"So, you are the one who bought my painting, he ?"
"I paid the barkeeper for it yes ".
"What is your interest in my painting, and my lassie ?"
"The painting I bought, and is mine. If the lady in the picture is yours, I don't know, you know better " .
This answer made Bryan more angry.
"Listen, mate, what is your interest in this painting, he ? "
David decided to avoid anything that might Bryan thinking he really knew Emmeline.
"I am working for one of the major museums in Paris, I am here to collect paintings from Irish painters ".
Bryan looked at him, he came a little bit closer to David.
He had a drink already in his hand.
The smell of Bryan disgusted Bryan, and he did not hide that for Bryan
"I wish you would make a step backwards, mate, Your smelling like the fish-bins at the port, where the rotten fish goes.
"Playing smart with me ?  I don't believe you at all, I think you are after my lassie ".
"That is your problem" , David answered.
He wanted to finish the task he had promised to do.
He took the painting, greeted the barman and walked to the door.
Bryan came after him. but when David turned around, putting everything on the floor and preparing for a fight, Bryan stopped.
Something in David's eyes warned him.
He took a sip of his drink, and started to throw more abuse at David.
"Goodbye to you all", David greeted again and opened the door.
He was only half way, when David threw the beer at him, meanwhile giving him a push.
David almost fell, bumping against an old lady who was just passing by.
He could grab her just in time.
Bryan watched it, yelled  few more words, stepped inside and closed the door.
The old lady looked at David with disgust.
David tried to excuse himself, but she was really angry.
"You drunks, how dare you ? Drinking that early ? You smell after beer. Go away and leave me alone !"
David realized his situation.
Not any excuse would be accepted.
"Sorry, Ma'm", he said, grabbed his belongings and walked away .

Emmeline was really angry.
"Katherine sees him as a gentleman, but I know better now. I knew already. All those fake people saying they are an artist. Bah ! ", she thought.
"They are all the same, drinking and fooling around !"

Her first walk in disguise was a success in the inn, where her return was welcomed by the regulars.
The rest of this day was spoiled.
She walked back to the inn, to change her clothes for a civil dress.
Katherine and Morgan would pick her up in an hour, to have a dinner in one of the restaurants.

[Henk]

Katherine, Emmeline and Morgan decided to have a high tea instead of a large meal.
That way they could return home earlier.

"Where do you ladies want to sit, outside ?", Morgan asked.
The weather was like Irish weather is supposed to be.
It had not rained for a while, but in the sky were some high thick clouds building up.
" I think, we better go inside", Katherine said, watching the sun disappear,

Inside they went.
Morgan looked around, noticing he was one of the few men in the tearoom.



He did not mind, he was with his two ladies, nothing else mattered.
Emmeline told about the welcome she had in her old inn.
"They recognized me at once in my disguise, they had seen it before."
She did not mention David being a regular in the Black Swan, and how he left there, this morning.
"Katherine has an too high opinion of him. Some day she will see, the Truth will always be known in the end."

The tea, cakes, sandwiches and all the other delicious treats were finished.

Katherine and Emmeline exchanged some more little news, while Morgan had a look in The Times



"Let's call it a day, will we ?", he asked when the last cup of tea was finished.
It was still day-light, Morgan did not want to drive in sunset or darkness.
A short run to the car could not avoid some rain falling on them.
"Isn't Ireland great ?" , Katherine asked Emmeline.
"Yes, it is ", Emmeline answered.
Katherine noticed the plain sound in her voice.

The gate was closed .
After opening it with the keys,  Morgan could steer the car directly into the driveway to the manor.
Emmeline noticed a parcel standing against the wall next to the gate, on the inside.
She did not say anything, but when they were all inside, she became very curious.
Taking an umbrella, she walked back to the gate.



"Emmeline, you are getting wet, will I get it for you ?", Morgan asked.
"No Dad, it is no problem, don't worry ! "
When she came back, Katherine and Morgan were also anxious to know what was in the parcel.
It was packed in a piece of rainproof cotton, like the ships use for sails.
She opened it, and had a most unpleasant surprise.

The painting that Bryan once made was laying there, in front of them, on the table.
"Emmeline, what is that ?", Morgan asked, also very surprised.
"That..is me", she answered.
"Bryan made that picture of me. I don't understand why he is returning that picture to me ?"

The original idea was to spend the evening in the library together, reading and maybe some music on the piano.
"I am sorry, Katherine and Dad. I am going to bed, I am very tired"
She kissed them goodnight, and went to her room.
Only after a few hours she fell asleep, but the question what Bryan meant with this came back several times in her sleep.

[Henk]

David walked all the way back to the city.
In nicer weather, it would have been a nice walk.
Many walks David made in the hills had seen some rain falling.
It never lasted very long, soon the Sunshine would come back, making beautiful and picturesque images.

"I will never be able to paint like that Painter does", David thought sometimes.









This evening was not like that.
The rainfall  was very persistent.
It was already past dinner-time, he was getting hungry.
There was not a single dry spot left on his clothes, making him regretting not having brought his sailor-rain-clothes with him.

"Even the weather is against me now it seems. Young and old ladies, the weather, clouds, drunks.
I think my previous stay in Ireland started under a better sky ".
Passing the ruins of an old monastry, he decided to take shelter for a few monents.



"A good place for me, deserted as well" .
David's circumstances had been much better often, compared with the situation he was in now.
But hopeless he was not at all, in fact he was in a rather good mood .

He remembered a saying of Merlin that went like "If the Wind blows, you have to flow with the Wind, it is not possible to change the direction to where the Wind blows you".
He grinned, thinking "It is probably an ill Wind that is blowing now ".

He looked at the dark clouds above him, thinking of Queen Mab, like he had seen her in the personification of Emmeline.

A teasing mood came over him.
" With evil all around me, I can do nothing but evil to survive. ", you said once, Queen Mab. Have you chosen me to exercise your powers on ?" .

Above the clouds is always the Sun.
A lady we have seen more in this story was just checking her appearance at that moment, right above David's head.
Her little friend on her left started to talk to her.
"You are going to need me down there, is it ?  You look a bit annoyed, why is that ?" .
"It is raining a lot , but I am afraid we have to go  there right now ".
"Oh, dear ! Why ? "
"That man down there is starting to call names now. He better be carefull with that !"



From their high position, it was easy to discover a drier spot in the area, that is where they went.
She floated slowly to a wind rose.
"I am always bad with the compass. I have to be sure about the directions" .
Balancing on the arrow, she put her nose in the wind.
"Yes, it is an ill wind that blows, but I feel there is a change coming "

[Henk]

David looked around at his temporary shelter.
Deciding the inhabitants here would not be of any help to his situation on this side of the soil, he was ready to stand up and continue on his way to Dublin.
It was not dark yet, there were more pauses between the rainshowers.
Wet he was anyway.
A few sneezes foreboded the coming of a coldness.

He heard the sound of horses coming nearer on the road, and people talking.
Quickly he hided behind one of the stones on the graveyard.
"Just passing by, it wont be long ", he whispered, excusing for his intruding.

"No, I am absolutely sure, Bryan . It is only the maid, and those three Canadians at the moment. One man and three women, it is a piece of cake for us" .
David felt another sneeze coming up.
He did not recognize the first voice, the answering voice he remembered well.
"I hope you are right, Jim. If I cannot have it one way, I will have it the other way. Silly girl she is !".
David did not know the name of the drunk in the Black Swan till now.
"We will go down the path along the cliff, ride further on the beach, and go up on the path near the manor.
There is a path there, that passes the manor on the backside"
"Yes, I know", the voice named Jim answered.
"Micheal has found the door in the wall, and has prepared it for our visit. We can walk in very easy ".



Bryan's voice sounded again.
"Listen, I know there is nobody listening here, and if they would, they could not tell anything further.
I don't like this place at all" .
A third voice joined the conversation.
"It must be cold here, laying here in weather like this".
"Stupid Micheal", Bryan said, with an angry voice.
"Did you ever hear a ghost sneeze, because he has a cold ?"
Micheal probably wanted to say something, but at that moment David could not keep his sneeze.
It was very quiet now, David feared one of the men would soon look behind the stones, to look where this sneeze came from.
Braver men would have done that, but not this group.
David did not even know how many there were.

"Ehhh...let's go now, please !", another man spoke with a shivering voice.
David heard the horses go through the graveyard, behind the old ruin.
"There must be a path there" , he thought.
He waited till they were far enough, and followed.
The cliff was less high on this point.
The horses would have to go down very carefully on the steep path, like himself.
"A robbery, how can I stop that ?".
The four men and horses were a little bit ahead on the beach.



"My changes are small, even if I catch up with them. I am not afraid, but there must be a better way" .
On the beach was a boat laying, on the sand because of the low tide.



David ran to the boat, and searched it.
He found what he looked for. There were a few emergency flares in a dry part of the boat.
Modern ones, that could be shot like a gun.
He ran back on beach, pointing the gun far above the horses.
He pulled the trigger, a few moments later the group was very well enlightened by the flare.
David did not take time to watch it.
He loaded the remaining two flares and shoot them a little bit lower.
The horses were alread very restless after the first flare. It was coming down from the sky very slow, in front of the horses.
The third was enough.
All four horses started galloping back, away from the blinding light, throwing off their riders.



One horse hesitated when it ran into the water near David.



David waked slowly to it, talking to it with a soothing voice.
He climbed the horse.
"Come on, old boy, get going ! "
The horse followed David's commands, running into the direction of the city.



"What happened ?", Jim asked, when they were standing up, all wet.
"I don't know ", Bryan said.
"But that sneeze on the graveyard..."

[Henk]

The horse brought David in no time to where he wanted to go.
The nearest policestation of Dublin.
David jumped off the horse, banged on the door till an annoyed officer opened it.



"What is up, mate ?  And make it short, will you ?", he said, looking at David's dirty and wet clothes.
David told what he had heard.
"The Connell Manor ? Are you serious ? That comes to no surprise to me ! We have our sources tellling us about that gang around Bryan" .
The officer did not hesitate, and alarmed all the agents on duty.
"Get all the cars out ! You take the high road and I take the low road !", he screamed.
"And I 'll be in Scotland before you !", David could not resist to add.
"What ?"
"Never mind !"
The cars drove away, to catch the horse-riders with no horse, if possible.

Two officers stayed on duty.
It was late in the evening now.
"My guesthouse is closed, they will not let me in at this hour", David said.
David could give his papers, told why he was in Ireland.
It satisfied the officers.
"We are no hotel, but you have done a good job.
You can stay in one of the cells, if you like for the night "
"I go for that", David said.
He could sleep anywhere now.
"I am very dirty now, but I will go straight to the guesthouse tomorrow, to change clothes"
"OK, mate. Have some bread as you wish, and have a good sleep !".
David went down on one of the mattresses, to fall asleep in a few minutes.
It was in his deepest sleep when he was waken up by one of the policemen.
"We got them ! They had all kinds of tools with them, and a floor-plan of the manor.
Unfortunate, that is not enough to keep them in our cells . That Jim has been working there as helping hand, he says he needed all that for his work. He knew about the Canadians coming this week ".
"Mmm", David said.
"They are still free ?"
"Yes, they are, sorry !"
"Nothing we can do about that now, too bad", David sighed .
"Anyway, we will inform the Canadians about the plans of these bandits, and put some of our men on guard  there" .
"Please do !", David said.

There were a few more hours left to sleep for David.
This was not the relaxed sleep he had been hoping for.
The thought of that gang still walking free was worrying him.

He wanted to start early in the morning.
The officer on duty did not wake him up.
"No criminals in this part of the city today. He can have his rest" .
Half way through the morning, he woke up.
He ate a few pieces of bread, drunk a cup of tea, thanked the policemen, and left.

It was only a few streets to the guesthouse. Nobody knew him here, he thought.
If it was his lucky day, or his bad day he could not tell at the moment.
He could tell some months later, but not now.
Fate plays  games, without telling and explaining the rules.
As a sailor, David was used to react on the changing of the winds, changing situations.
This was different.
The moment he stepped out of the door of the  police-station, he was standing looking in the eyes of the one person he would always want to see very badly, except at this very moment.

Emmeline wanted to have the use of a bicycle in Dublin.
She had bought a second-hand bicycle from one of the regulars in the inn.
"Promise you will be back here soon, Emmy ! We miss you !"
"I will", she had promised. "I miss all of you too !" .

Morgan had brought her to the city early.
He had some business in Dublin.
The alarming reports of the night did not reach him before he left.
Emmeline had been quiet lately, which was worrying him.
Was she sort of jealous about Katherine being in their life's now ?
Katherine and he did not think that was the reason.
Katherine and Emmeline had opened their hearts for each other.
There should be another reason, Morgan thought.

The rain of the night was far away .
Emmeline loved driving the streets of Dublin.
She drove all the streets she knew, till she was tired.
Her Fate seemed to run together with David's Fate.
Because, when she stopped for a moment, it was exact at the door of the police-station.
The door opened, Emmeline stepped back to let the people coming out through .

Her surprise was as great as was David's.
David's embarrassment was bigger, realizing his looks and the fact he came out of a police-station.
But it did not take long for him.
He looked into the eyes of Emmeline and knew.
No ocean could ever be as deep as her eyes.
He knew he was drowning without any chance of rescue.
He did not bother about that.
"I was already lost on Helene's wedding", he would say, later.



Emmeline' s reaction seemed different.
The man in front of her had given her a feeling of repulse on the first sight in Paris.
He had bumped on her coming from a pub, smelling after beer.
Now he came out of a police-station in the morning, very dirty and not looking good.
"David, how bad is it with you ?", she asked.
This time she did not feel the same repulse as she had felt before.
David wanted to say something cheerful.
At that moment, he looked at the amulet that Emmeline was wearing.
It was the amulet he had given to Katherine when they parted in Ansterdam.
Katherine had given her the amulet in the morning, in an impulse.
He paused, very confused.
"How bad is it with you, David ?", she asked again.
"Very bad, really very bad...", he said.
He wanted to say more, but Emmeline did not wait.
" I am sorry for that, David. Bye !" .
She drove further, as confused as David was.
"How can Katherine have been mistaken so much by him ? This  is too weird for words "

[Henk]

David had to pass through the streetmarket on his way to the guesthouse .
The weather had improved a lot, only a few white clouds against a blue sky were left.
David's did catch a cold on the night before, which made him caugh and sneeze once in a while.
He was till wearing the same clothes, all he wanted was to have a warm bath and dress in clean clothes.
Some of his clothes needed to be renewed to be ready for Fall and Winter.

He walked slowly to see the price-tags in the market-stands, selling clothes.





He looked and laughed when he passed a stand selling small compasses.
"How much ?", he asked the man in the stand.
"If you have to ask, you cannot afford it ", the man answered laughing.
" This is an original Rosewood compass ! You pay five times the price in London for it. A real bargain !"



David took it in his hand, turned it around and watched the state of the glass.
It was not damaged and looked genuine to David.
He held the compass in an angle to see the small pointer moving to the North every time he turned it.
He saw his own unshaven face in the glass, and the people behind him.
"Yes, a warm bath would do !".
He looked again, and saw the same men he had seen a few moments earlier in the reflecting glass.
At the same time he felt a sneeze coming up. He put the compass down, and sneezed twice.

"That sneeze !", he heard a whisper somewhere behind him.
He realized what it meant.
These were the men he had followed on the beach.
"This market is too busy, they will do nothing here . But they will follow me and wait till I am in a quiet spot, away from the market .That is where trouble is waiting for me ".

He felt in the purse which  he kept on his chest. There was money in it.
He took some money out of it, while looking around him.
There was a stand with women's clothes.
He made a few fast moves between the stands to be out of sight for a few moments.
He dived under a stand, put money in the hand of the woman working in the stand and took a dress.
It was enough money, but the woman was very surprised by his swift action.
There were wigs as well, he put one of them on his head, after paying for it ".
She would tell her story in the evening about those "weird Englishmen".

He changed immediately into it.



On one of the corners was one of the police-officers standing from the station where he had slept.
In a glimpse he saw Bryan and his friends searching after him.
They walked passed him without recognizing.
David walked to the police-man.
"Good morning, madame ! ", he greeted David.
"Shh, I am David, the man who slept in your cell last night".
The officer wanted to say something, surprised as he was.
David interupted him.
"Please call one of your colleagues, and follow me without anybody seeing you doing it ! They are after me.
I will make them follow me to a quiet spot. That is our change to grab them, they will try to take me there ! "

The officer understood what he wanted. He walked to  a colleague nearby.
David walked to where the men were at that moment.
He looked in another direction, into the Sun.
It worked.
Three sneezes came up, David did not try to make them silent.

Bryan heard the sneezes, looked around and saw the woman who was sneezing.
He looked again, and saw something strange.
"Dirty muddy shoes, and sneezing.  I recognize that sneeze ! That is our man !"
David walked away, noticing the men following him.
He looked a few times  behind them, if the policemen were following him.
They were.
David came to the streets were the marked ended.
He looked for a dead-end quiet alley .
There was one, he entered the alley, acting like looking for an address.
He came to the end. When he turned around he was looking into the faces of four angry men.
"So, that is you, is it ?", Bryan said walking nearer.
David saw shadows on the pavement on the main road.
""I am what ?", he asked.
Bryan grabbed his wig, looking surprised first , after that more angry.
"You, you again ? What is your business with Emmeline, tell me ?"
"You were going to rob them last night ", David said, raising his voice.
"Yes, we were. There is a lot of money there, Jim knows where it it. But what business is that to you ? Never mind, you will not be able to tell anybody after we are ready with you !", Bryan screamed.
"Boys, get him ! "

For a moment, David was afraid the policemen were too late, but when he heard the whistles of the police he knew he was safe.
They took the man, put handcuffs on and took them away.
"That is enough, we heard enough".
The officer thanked him.
"Please come to our office tomorrow to make our reports.
This is a good case, we were after them for a long time. Thanks again !"
David shook hand, promising he would be there the next day.
"I must go and get myself ready and clean, you must excuse me now !"

Ofcourse there had been people standing there, hearing all the noise.
They all walked away when the men were taken away by the police.
The alley was empty again.
David knew his strange appearance, but knowing the guesthouse nearby, he decided to go straight to the guesthouse without changing his clothes again.
He came out of the alley.
Without wig, but still in his lady's dress.

Emmeline noticed many people walking away from the alley.
She was curious why, and approached the entrance, at the very moment David walked out of it.
"David !"
"Emmeline ! Please listen to me, I can .."
"David, I don't know why I have to run into you every time here in Dublin.
The city is large enough to avoid each other, isn't it ?
If we meet again,  please act as if I don't know you ", she said as cold as possible.

David wanted to say something, but Emmeline turned around and walked away.
"This is the last straw. I have to tell Katherine what I have seen these days . What a disaster, poor Katherine ".

[Henk]

Emmeline brought the bicycle to the inn, where she was going to use it once she was going to live there.
Morgan picked her up at the appointed hour.
He was quieter than normal.
"What is the matter, Dad ?"
"Well, some guys from the laboratory wanted us to test a telephone without cables ".
"Really ?", Emmeline asked.

With her fantasy, she could easily imagine carrying a telephone on her back, that would allow her to stay in contact with her friends and colleagues.
"I would call Mrs. Anne first ", she said.
"I would climb in a cherry-tree, and call her to tell where I am, to let her dream away ".
Morgan laughed.
"Anne does not need a telephone to dream away . But handy it would be. Anyway, these guys made us walk around with a heavy load on our shoulders. We tried to speak through the machine, but we had to speak very loud. The people in the other room could hear us through the walls, not through the horn of the telephone ".



"I think it will take many years before we will be able to walk around with  a telephone without cables ".

They did not talk a lot, after leaving the city behind.
Enjoying the scenery around them.
"I want to learn to drive a car too, Dad!".
"That is a good idea, it gives you a lot of freedom ".



There were a few police cars standing at the manor, when they arrived.
One officer was standing in the door.
"Oh, what is the matter here ? ", Morgan and Emmeline spoke together, while running inside.
Katherine and the housemaid were sitting in the library, speaking with  a few police-men.
"Katherine, you are alright ! Thanks for that !".
He kissed Katherine, greeted the maid and listened to Katherine.
"Morgan ,we had a close escape from being robbed last night. There was a gang coming to our house, but they were interupted. The police caught them today on the street-market" .
The officer confirmed Katherine's words.
"We are not ready with out research, Mr. Harris. Until we are ready, I can not give you any details yet.
But we will tell you all, as soon as we know more ".

Morgan was silent.
"If I had known, I would not have left you alone here, Katherine. How stupid of me ".
"Don't worry, Morgan. You could not know, neither could we".
The officer spoke again.
"We will put two guards on the property, around the clock, till we are sure no more crooks are involved with this "

Emmeline felt very cold and tired, when she heard all this.
And hopeless.
"It seems David is involved in this. He knew we are here. I have met him several times under very suspicious circumstances. The women-clothes, was he wearing them to hide for the police , to get away ?
He said himself he was very bad ".

Katherine did not seem very shocked. Ofcourse she was, but after a long career at Kingsport as teacher on a girls-school,  she was a little bit hardened.

The house-maid was going to prepare a high tea.
"Not for me, thank you Ma'm. We have a lot to do ", the officer greeted, shaking hands and bowing for the ladies.
Katherine noticed Emmeline being quiet.
"Don't be afraid, Emmeline . I am sure they have them all ! "
Emmeline hesitated.
"I am not sure about that", she wanted to say, but she did not.
Katherine looked outside.
"What worries me is, that I have not heard from David for a while. He should be in Ireland too, he was supposed to leave one day after us . Nothing for David not to call or at least send us a letter or a note ".

"He knows I agree with your friendship ?", Morgan asked.
"Yes , he was very pleased with that. We knew our lives would go a different way at some point, but not that soon. "
Emmeline was getting more confused.
"If he is involved, he has a good reason not to come here now. I have to tell the police and Katherine and Dad"
There was no other explanation for his behavior.
"But it will wreck Katherine's heart, if I tell her. She has a sharp eye for people, how can she be deceived that long ?"
The idea of breaking Katherine's heart made her pause for a few moments.
But she could not remain silent.
Justice had to be done.

"Katherine and Dad, I have something to tell you !"
"What my Dear, please tell ", Morgan asked, seeing on her face it had to be serious.
"Katherine ..."
"Yes ?"
"Eh...I like your dress  !"
Morgan and Katherine were very puzzled by this.
"Emmeline, what is the matter ?", asked Morgan
Never had Emmeline felt so hopeless before, not even in the days when she was teased by the Pringles.
She could not tell, seeing Katherine's.
But there was another reason.
She kept seeing David's eyes too.
How much she felt she did not like him,  she could not put his eyes out of her mind.

"The eyes of a Selkie ", she thought.
"It is almost impossible. There must be a reason.
"I give him one more day. I am going to try to sort out some things tomorrow", she decided.
"I am sorry Dad, and Katherine. I guess I am just very tired and nervous about my role, I am going to bed early, I need a long sleep ".
"You better do, Emmeline. This has been shocking for all of us", Katherine said.

Emmeline went to her bed.
Sleeping she did not for a few hours, trying to explain all the events from the last days.
And, willing or not, everytime David was looking at her in her fantasy,with his Selkie eyes.
"It is like he sees a Secret in me. A Secret I don't know myself. He makes me shiver..." .
She fell asleep after midnight.

[Henk]

Emmeline was brought to the city again the next day.
With a trunk full of clothes for the coming winter-season.

As soon as she saw the car turning the corner, she went to her room.
Quick she changed into the clothes of the old lady one more time.
She did her make up, put the wig on her head, checked it in the mirror and left.
She thought she knew mot exact, where the guest house was, where David was residing.
The first three could not help her, the fourth was his guesthouse.
"Is he in ?", she asked at the reception. " I have an urgent letter from him from Paris. I am his great -aunt" .
"No, Sorry, Granny. He said he wanted to go to the Phoenix-park today, he wanted to do some painting and walking "
"Thank you, I wil try later "

There were carriages nearby for hire.
"Can you bring me to the Phoenix-park, please ?"
The driver looked surprised at the old woman .
"Can you pay ?"
Emmeline expected that question.
She put enough money in his hand for the ride.
"Just drive, good man. You will get a good tip if you keep your mouth and don't ask questions ".
"Hmm. Suffragette-granny ?  OK, I will bring you ".



Once in Phoenix Park, she walked around, looking for David.
There were no painters. Only a few people riding a horse and gardeners, working in the park.
In a shadowed part of the park, she saw park-benches grouped together.
There were a few people.
Reading, talking or only looking around.
One man was sitting alone.



Not showing she looked at him, she walked towards the bench.
It was a good looking man, dressed in fashionable clothes, she saw in a glimpse.
From here she did not know what to do.
"Will I pass, or will I address him ?"

Slowly she came nearer.
The man turned his head up, looking at her.
She hoped she did her make-up good, hiding her blush.
"Granny !", the man said.
It was David.

"Actress Emmeline, here you go !", she thought.
"What is up, are you going to jump at old ladies again ?"
"I owe you an apology for that, Granny. Please accept that from me, will you ?"
Emmeline wanted to play the angry old lady, but could not.
"Why did you do that ?", she asked.
David did not say anything, looking at the ground.

"Apples, fresh apples !".
A woman passed with a basket full of juicy apples.
Emmeline wanted to grab some money,  remembering in time she was supposed to be a poor old woman.
David saw her looking at the apples.
"Give us an apple, please, madam ", he asked the woman
He paid the apples, cleaned them, and gave one to Emmeline.
"Thanks for that !", she said.
"You are welcome, Granny ".
"I have to make up for my behavior, don't I  ?".
Emmeline smiled, still a little bit confused.
"Is this man living a double life, or what ?"

"What happened ?", she asked him.
"Madam, I got involved in a long string of events, which you would not believe if I told you. Let's say I was involved in an ordinary pub-fight."
"Why ?"
David looked at this old woman next to him, hesitating with his answer.
" I had to defend the honor of the woman I love ".
Emmeline felt shocked, without knowing why.
"There was no woman with you", she said.
"There was", David answered.
"Where was she ?"
Again, David hesitated.
"Madam. My life has been a dream for years. I have done my work well, and made very good friends.
Meandering, without aim it was too" ,
Emmeline remained silent.
" One of my best friends, a lady, was married a few weeks ago in Paris" .
"Your beloved woman ", Emmeline asked.
"As friend yes, and there is another befriended lady here in Dublin "
"You do have some lady-friends, do you ?"
"I love them all", he said.
"But something happened on that wedding "
"What happened ?"

"I looked in the eyes of a woman. I drowned in them. I know she is the woman of my life. I have never felt like this before ".
Emmeline felt getting excited.
"She was in the pub ?". she asked.
"Yes. she was !", David replied.
This answer puzzled Emmeline again.
"She loves you too ?"
"No. The one Woman in my life I love, next to my late sister, hates me ".
"Why did she go with you to that pub ?". Emmeline was losing her view on things.
"She was not there herself. Her painting was hanging there, the men in the pub were talking about her in a way I  could not allow. I only slept one night there. I bought the painting. The one who made  the painting wanted to start a fight with me ".

Never had Emmeline thought about the painting anymore.
He had defended her honor ?

"What happened with the painting ?", she asked, knowing the answer.
David looked at his watch.
"Oh, I am sorry, Madam. I do have a very important appointment in one hour. It was very nice to talk to you. Are we friends now ?"
He stood up.
"Yes, we are friends now, Sir", but..."
"Madam, if we meet again, I will buy you a meal, but I have to run now, excuses !"
David greeted Emmeline and walked away. There was a carriage waiting near the exit.
He stepped in it, waved to Emmeline and was out of Emmeline's sight.

[Henk]

A carriage drove Emmeline back to the city.
The driver was in a cheerful mood, and wanted to start a conversation with this strange old woman.
He stopped trying, when all he received as answer was a little murmuring, or nothing at all.

Emmeline did not know what to think.
It was David who had delivered the painting at the manor.
Why did he not bring it to the door ?
She realized how rejecting she had been towards him.
Why ?
What was the reason why she wanted to stay out of his presence as far as possible at Helene's wedding ?

Back in the inn, she packed all her belongings in the cupboards, cleaned and dusted the room and lay down on her bed.
Waiting for an answer from her self.

Morgan picked her up on time again, to be home for dinner
They drove back in silence.
Morgan knew he and Emmeline would part very soon.
She would live in Dublin the rest of the year, and he would travel with Katherine to India.
After that, Emmeline would tour with her theater-group again, he would be back in Boston with Katherine.
Emmeline tried to get her thoughts in good order, but she did not manage to do that.

The one man she despised at first sight had declared his love to her, without knowing it.
She remembered Bryan's words in the beginning, how these words had warmed her for a while.
And how painful it was when all those words were empty after all.
Never would she be hurt again by somebody using these words.

But David did not say these words to her, but to an old lady he did not know at all.
She remembered why she had kept quiet the day before, against Katherine and Morgan.
It was not only the fear of breaking Katherine's heart.
The eyes of David in her memory looked at her.

One policecar was still standing at the manor, when they arrived.

Katherine and the police-officer were in the library again
"Hello, Mr. Harris, how are you ?
We have enough evidence now to keep those man in jail for some years to come.
We asked the right questions, we heard the wrong answers . There are no other people involved, it were these four men ".
"That is good to hear", Morgan said.
"If you want to come to the office tomorrow, we can tell you all the details, and how we caught them.
Miss. Brooke wants to tell you first, she said. I will leave you all together and hope to see you tomorrow, Mr. Harris ".
Morgan promised to be there.
He noticed a very sad look on Katherine's face.
"What is the matter, Dear ?"

Katherine looked at Morgan and David, tears were coming out of her eyes.
"It is David. First I have to tell you how he saved us from being robbed that night ".
Katherine told all she had heard till now.
Emmeline felt becoming angry, at her self.
"You might say, he has risked his life twice for us ", Katherine finished.
"That is great, but why do you look sad with that ?.
"David send me this letter, just before you came . It has nothing to do with the robbery ".

Katherine gave the letter to Morgan.
Morgan and Katherine were surprised how anxious Emmeline was to read the letter too.
She could not wait, and read along looking over her father' s shoulder.

"Dear Katherine.
I have decided to go and live my Dream where my Dream is: At Sea.
You know I have been living on the land for long, with my Dream always with me.
I did not always know it was a Dream, I thought I was living a real life.
I was not. My Dream is broken, it has fallen into pieces.
When I finally, after all these years, found the Star I want to navigate on, the Star told me not to do that.
There is nothing left for me to stay on the land.
I am bound to sail the Seven Seas forever, till I am re-united with Brigitte one day .
I missed my chance this time, like Captain Decker, to find the Woman who loves me.
I am sure I will see you and Morgan again one day.
I will leave tomorrow for Liverpool, from there I will board the ship I am booked for.
Your's forever,
David "

"One more friend stepping out of my life.
I have no idea  what he means with the Star. "

Emmeline stood up, walked slowly to the door, opened it and walked outside.
Katherine and Morgan looked at each other, very surprised.
Katherine followed her.
"Emmeline ?"

It was almost dark, but Emmeline walked further.
Katherine heard her crying.
"Emmeline ?"
Emmeline stopped, and sunk on the ground.
"Katherine, I have been so stupid ! I was afraid to be hurt again, if I opened my heart. Only fear it was, no hate ".



Picture Olaf Erla "Sadness"

She told Katherine all, from Helene's wedding till this day, when she met him as the old lady.
"Katherine ?"
"Yes ?"
" I love David ".

Katherine, with wet eyes, but practical as ever, lay her hand on a shoulder.
"Emmeline ?"
"Yes ?"
"He is still in Ireland.
He is still here ".

[muppets123]

Nicely done Henk-- Bravo   You last chapters  have mystery, intrigue, realization of unrequited love and a touch of classic comedy too boot.  The sneeze in the graveyard and David in Drag to " catch a thief" is  worthy of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, the Keystone Cops and Abbott and Costello.

David's driving quest for Emmeline is much like Don Quixote's pursuit of the ideal in Dulcinea. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dulcinea

Keep the dream going, my friend
Scott Bakula's La Mancha

Now, I wonder what goodies you have cooked up for Mlle Katherine, eh ?

[Henk]

Thanks Muppets
You know I was really scared for this one.
I was almost that far to ask a "ghostwriter"  to do this part

[muppets123]

With David in Drag and heading back to sea reminds me of this great song, Although it would be most likely Bryan that would end up in this predictament


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKJI9QkKvqE


Patrick Street

You sailor lads, come lend an ear, and listen to me song
it's of a trick 'twas played on me, and won't detain you long:
I came home from see the other day and a girl I chanced to meet
and she's asked me up along with her to dance in Patrick Street.
Well says I "me pretty fair maid, I cannot dance too well,
besides I'm bound for Newry town where my parents they do dwell.
I've been at sea these last few years and I've saved up fifty pounds,
and me parents are expecting me, tonight in Newry town."

"Well since you cannot dance too well then you shall have a treat:
You can have a glass of brandy, and something nice to eat.
At nine o'clock this evening I'll lead you to your train,
but don't forget to call on me when you come back again."

Well she seemed to be so friendly, I went and hired a car.
We both went down to Patrick Street and on arrival there,
some people on the other side, I thought I heard them say
"He'll sure be in need of a jaunting car, before he gets away."

We had not been long in the room when whiskey it came in,
and when everyone had had their fill, the dancing did begin.
Me and me love we danced around all to a merry tune,
while the other couples did the double-shuffle 'round the room.

And when dancin' it was over, for bed we did prepare -
and after that, I fell asleep - the Truth I do declare,
me darling and me fifty pounds - me gold'n'all had fled!
And there was I meself alone stark naked lying in bed!

In gazing all around me nothing could I spy
but a woman's skirt and jumper at the foot of the bed did lie.
I wrung me hands and tore me hair cryin' "Oh what will I do?
Oh fare the well sweet Newry town, I'm sure I'll ne'er see you!"

When night-time it had come again and daylight was away
I put on the skirt and jumper and I set off for the quay,
and when I got on board the ship the sailors all did say
"Oh Jack has grown much prettier since last she went away!

And is this the new spring fashion that you went to buy on shore?
And where's the shop that sells them, d'you think they may have more?"
The captain says "Now Jack, I thought you were for Newry town;
you might have bought a better suit than that for fifty pounds!"

"Well I might have bought a better suit if I had had the chance.
I met a girl in High Street and she's asked me to a dance.
I danced me own destruction and I've done it so complete,
that I swear I'll never go back again to dance in Patrick Street."

Come all of you young sailor lads, a warning take by me,
and always keep good company when you go on a spree.
Be sure'n stay clear of Patrick Street or else you'll rue the day
In a woman's skirt and jumper they will ship you back to sea!

[Henk]

Katherine walked back to the manor with Emmeline, with an arm around her shoulders.
"It will all work out, Emmeline, believe me ", she tried to sooth her.
"I have been so mean to him, while I was only fooling myself ".
"You were not fooling, Emmeline. You were  afraid to lose your heart, and have it broken again.
Your's is a precious heart, you have the right to be careful with it ".
Emmeline shivered all over her body.
Morgan understood Katherine's wink, and said nothing when they entered the room.

Emmeline was brought to bed by Katherine.
Morgan had no idea why his daughter had become very upset after having read David's letter.
"She has only met him a few times, she hardly knows him ".
He had understood she did not have an high opinion about David.
Katherine came back into the room.

"What is the matter, Katherine ?"
Katherine smiled.
"It is alright, Morgan. The Unicorn is coming to the Maiden".



Morgan looked at Katherine, seeing her eyes sparkling.
"She is deeply in love, it only took some time for her to discover it. Real love does not come running, does it ?"
Katherine said, looking with an teasing eye at Morgan.
"It did with me", he said.
"It was there in an instant ".
Katherine blushed.
She felt happy, for Emmeline, for David and for the housemaid, who came to ask if they wanted a drink before going to bed.
And for Morgan and her.
"But the Unicorn is not there yet, Morgan. We have to get up early tomorrow ".
Katherine told Morgan all she had heard from Emmeline.

-------------------------------------

David went to bed with mixed feelings.
He was in time for his appointment after leaving the old lady. All arrangements had been made for his contract with one of the companies sailing from Liverpool to India.
He was enlisted as working science-officer.
"You will always be near me, Brigitte, where ever I go as long as I will be at Sea" .
All his painting-tools were packed. His botanical reports and other belongings not needed at Sea were shipped to his Aunt in France.
He was ready.
"Goodbye, Ireland. I will be back one day, but now I have to go on to another Dream ".

Dreams always come unexpected and without a program .
Brigitte appeared to him stronger as she had done in a long time.



It puzzled him a lot, when he woke up.
"Brigitte, you did not leave this time, instead  you came my way, you came back. There was another girl with you..".
He went to the harbor early.
"I have found the woman I love. It can not be her. She hates me and I will leave this country in a few hours.
Is there another woman waiting for me, beyond the horizon ? That cannot be ".

The harbor was busy. as always.
Everyday families were leaving for Liverpool, to board one of the ocean-liners to go to the New World.


Heartbreaking scenes, where people staying behind would wave till the ships were behind the horizon.



"Nobody to wave at me", he thought. "It is better that way ".
He felt sorry for not having been able to say farewell to Katherine in a better way.
"We knew this moment was coming from the beginning. Our ways go in a different direction now ".
Two hours to wait, before the ferry to Liverpool was open for boarding.

He walked away from the harbor, to look at the Sea from a higher point.



That is how Emmeline saw him, when she left the guesthouse near where he was waiting.
Katherine and Morgan had brought her there, before going to another inn in the neighbourhood.
"I have to be sure, Katherine and Dad. And after all, I am an actress. One more time I will go in my future appearance".

She walked up towards David, halting a few steps away from him.
"Are you still going to buy a meal for a poor old lady, now you see me again, sailor ?".

David looked over his shoulder, hearing a familiar voice.
"Granny !".
He grasped her hands, and kissed them.
"What brings you here ? "
"Coincdence, sailor. Or call it Fate", Granny smiled.
David imagined a sparkle in her eye, which confused him.
"Yes, I will buy you a meal, ofcourse ! Under one condition !"
"What is that ?"
"Promise you will wave at me, when my ship leaves. At least one good friend will wave at me, when I leave Ireland, if you do ".
"I am afraid  I cannot do that", Granny said, looking at David with a serious face.
"Why are you leaving ?"

David hesitated before he told her in short, why is Irish Dream had ended.
"Why don't you ask her again ?" , Granny asked.
"I tried a few times. I can not force myself on her. She was very clear to me" .
"To you, but not to herself", Granny answered.
David looked very surprised.
"What do you mean with that ?"
"Would you ask her, if she was sitting in that guesthouse over there ?".
"Ofcourse, I would !", David said, becoming more confused.
"But...."
"Give me five minutes, sailor. I will go inside, after that you come in and see if you can do what you just said "
"But..."
"Just do it. trust me !".

All kinds of thoughts were running through his head.
This was impossible, how did she know and...
He opened the door of the guesthouse not one second later than the five minutes she had asked.

There were a few people sitting at the tables, but not Granny.
The landlord waved to him, to come closer.
"There is a Granny sitting in the backroom. It is reserved for her and you ", he winked at David.
He walked through the door, and there was not any Granny sitting there.
It was Emmeline.
The most beautiful smile ever was given to him by her, on that moment.
"Going to buy me that meal, sailor ?"
"Emmeline !!! "
For a moment they looked at each other, Emmeline saw tears welling up in his eyes.
"Come here, sailor ", she asked reaching our her hands.
David could not speak properly, while he kneeled down at her.
"And Granny ?", he asked.
"Granny is gone forever, David."
She embraced him, followed by a long kiss.
"I am so sorry, David. But I know where I am now, here and with you ".
"I knew, Emmeline, from the first moment I saw you. I knew you were not a Dream ".

"No, I am not a Dream. I am Emmeline of flesh and blood "
"You were Queen Mab ", David said, laughing.
"What did you do with the painting ?".
"Neither am I Queen Mab. I threw the painting in the fire ".

"Brigitte was right again, she came to me with another woman  last night, I did not know who..."
Emmeline put a finger on David's lips.
"We are going to bring Brigitte to her Eternal Rest, David. She deserves it after looking that long after you ".
They looked into each others eyes for a long time.
"We will, Emmeline. Neither am I  Captain Van der Decken ".
They kissed and talked a lot.
"But you did say you were bad, really bad, when you came out of the alley !"
"Yes", murmured David. "Badly in love with you I was going to say ".

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Katherine and Morgan were waiting all that time in the inn nearby.
Emmeline and David's coming-together did not take that long, but after an hour, Katherine noticed Morgan was studying the distilled Scottish drinks above the bar with growing interest.
"Let' s have a look at the harbor, Morgan", she suggested.
"I would like some fresh air ".

That is what they did, just in time to see Emmeline and David doing the same.

[Henk]

"I am so happy for all of us, Morgan ", Katherine said to Morgan, when they were seated at the breakfast-table.
The housemaid had done her best to make a breakfast that would have impressed the folks on Balmoral
"We have made our plans already. If Emmeline and David work out something similar, that would mean I will become stepmother of Emmeline, and David will be my son-in-law ",
"You like that ?", Morgan asked.
"Like it ? I love it !  Let's not look to far in the future, but if they stick together, they will probably  be out of our sight soon. But we will stay connected and see each other once in a while for sure ".

Emmeline and David came downstairs a little bit later, not able to keep their eyes from each other.
They greeted Katherine and David, shaking hands and kissing.

"Just pretend we are not here, Morgan. We don't exist for these two rascals ", Katherine laughed.
Emmeline blushed.
"I am sorry, Katherine !".
Katherine gave her a wink that made her blush harder.

"Will we go for a stroll, Emmeline ?", Katherine asked.
"I would love to, Katherine. The weather is fine this morning ".
The path down the cliff was nearby, it did not take long before they were down.



"Emmeline, I am afraid, so much happiness is coming our way at the moment ".
"Me too, Katherine. but enjoy it while it lasts. It will bolster us for the times when life is hard and cold ".
"Hard it maybe, Emmeline, but cold it will never be anymore ".

Morgan and David talked about the naval industry for a long time.
When Katherine and Emmeline came back, both men were smoking a pipe outside, in the great outdoors.
The housemaid came outside too.
"It is for you, Miss Katherine".
She gave her an envelope with a telegram.
"Oh, no bad news, I hope !", Katherine gasped, opening the envelope with trembling fingers.
"Oh, this is so nice !", she said, first looking at Emmeline.
"What is it ?", Emmeline asked excited.
"It is from Anne and Gilbert. They are coming to Europe soon ! They are going to make their second honeymoon" .

The rest of this day was spend all together.
The following days, Katherine and Morgan separated from them in a very discrete manner.
Like Katherine predicted, they hardly noticed...

 

Sometimes they drove into the woods.



Most of the time they would be where they both wanted to be most.
On the water.

 

Or near the water.

[Henk]

The two happy couples in Ireland sometimes felt like taking a ride in a merry-go-round.
One day they would drive around with the car, the other day they would go for a horse-ride.



David made a nice small painting from Katherine and Emmeline, to send to Anne and Gilbert.
"I hope it arrives on time !", Emmeline said, when they posted it.
It did .



"I am so glad to see them back, Gilbert. Who could ever imagine these two wonderful friends would meet happiness this way, and together ?"
Gilbert smiled.
"If one person could imagine that, it must have been you, Anne !".
Anne looked at Gilbert, again seeing the grey in his hair .
"We may grow older, lose some color in our hair and a few dreams. But some things I will never lose, Gilbert".
"What might that be ?"
"My imagination ", Anne said.
"That is all ?"
"And my love for you ", she whispered. giving him a kiss.

Gilbert had been looking forward to this journey together with Anne.
How much he loved his work and his patients, he was feeling very tired lately.
But the fresh breeze on the decks of the ocean-liner had already blown some of the dust away in his mind.

Very surprised he was to hear Anne's voice, only minutes after she had gone out, on the deck.
She was talking to him through the porthole.

"Are you coming, Gilbert ? it is lovely weather ! ".

Together they strolled over the decks.
"Three more days, Gilbert. Are you not getting bored, missing your work ?"
"Bored ? With you ? Never !"

Gilbert had sworn the Oath of Hippocrates as doctor, but he had promised to Anne not to interfere with the colleagues on board of the ship, who were keeping an eye on the passengers.
"We are on our Honeymoon-trip. Unless something happens where I am at that moment.
"it must be very boring to work as a doctor on a ship ", Anne said.
"I don't think they will have time to  get bored ", Gilbert said.
Looking at one of the passengers who made the best of her days, by engaging one of the doctors with her complaints ranging from head till toe.



Together they played deck-games.


And alone, when Gilbert joined a round of bag-hopping.



"I miss a partner like Diana, to compete with you men, Gil ".

Gilbert laughed again, knowing that Diana had gained a little bit more weight during the years, compared with Anne.

[Henk]

The Connells were back home.
Mr. Connell had arrived in the morning coming back his stay in England.
Mrs. Connell arrived in the afternoon, with their daughter, Julia.
"Next week she will be back in college, only at home with Christmas ", Mrs. Connell sighed.
Emmeline and Julia went on well together.
"You could be my older sister", Julia said, when they were sitting together after dinner.
Julia had been traveling a lot in her life, like Emmeline.
But in Julia's life there had always been Sunshine and Love, the things that Emmeline missed till Anne  came in her life to show her and her Dad what they missed.

"Is David your beau ?", Julia asked.
"Haha, I think he is my beau, yes" .
"My beau is at Sea, like your's. He is officer on board of one of the Cunard-ships, sailing to Boston and back from Liverpool."
Emmeline remembered her Dad knew Mr. Connell because if his connections with Cunard.
"He left a week ago, he should be back next week. I always wave him out when he has to sail again" .



The housemaid came out of her kitchen, to see where all the guests were.
A few more people had been invited for this dinner.
Morgan and David were outside talking with a few other men about cars, ships, cigars and astronomy.
 
"I will give them a signal to let them know dinner is ready", Julia offered.
She took the horn with her.



Although Morgan's first opinion about David was good from the beginning, he was glad David knew what he was talking about in connection with sailing  on board of a ship.
His table-manners and his convesation with the other guest confirmed him even more.



Julia was sitting near Emmeline.
Almost whispering, but loud enough for Katherine and Morgan to hear, she asked Emmeline :" Emmeline, will David and you go to Skellig Micheal like all engaged couples, who are planning to marry, do ?"

Emmeline blushed, looking at David, who smiled at her.
She knew about the Skelligs.
Morgan looked at Katherine, who looked back, and at David and Emmeline.
All their  eyes met for a moment, an appointment was made without using speech.

[Henk]

The Sea to the Shore by Lucy Maud Montgomery

" Lo, I have loved thee long, long have I yearned and entreated!
Tell me how I may win thee, tell me how I must woo.
Shall I creep to thy white feet, in guise of a humble lover ?
Shall I croon in mild petition, murmuring vows anew ?

Shall I stretch my arms unto thee, biding thy maiden coyness,
Under the silver of morning, under the purple of night ?
Taming my ancient rudeness, checking my heady clamor­
Thus, is it thus I must woo thee, oh, my delight?

Nay, 'tis no way of the sea thus to be meekly suitor­
I shall storm thee away with laughter wrapped in my beard of snow,
With the wildest of billows for chords I shall harp thee a song for thy bridal,
A mighty lyric of love that feared not nor would forego!

With a red-gold wedding ring, mined from the caves of sunset,
Fast shall I bind thy faith to my faith evermore,
And the stars will wait on our pleasure, the great north wind will trumpet
A thunderous marriage march for the nuptials of sea and shore. "

The Sea Spirit by Lucy Maud Montgomery


" I smile o'er the wrinkled blue­
Lo! the sea is fair,
Smooth as the flow of a maiden's hair;
And the welkin's light shines through
Into mid-sea caverns of beryl hue,
And the little waves laugh and the mermaids sing,
And the sea is a beautiful, sinuous thing!

I scowl in sullen guise­
The sea grows dark and dun,
The swift clouds hide the sun
But not the bale-light in my eyes,
And the frightened wind as it flies
Ruffles the billows with stormy wing,
And the sea is a terrible, treacherous thing!

When moonlight glimmers dim
I pass in the path of the mist,
Like a pale spirit by spirits kissed.
At dawn I chant my own weird hymn,
And I dabble my hair in the sunset's rim,
And I call to the dwellers along the shore
With a voice of gramarye evermore.

And if one for love of me
Gives to my call an ear,
I will woo him and hold him dear,
And teach him the way of the sea,
And my glamor shall ever over him be;
Though he wander afar in the cities of men
He will come at last to my arms again. "

[Henk]

The beautiful pictures from Madeleine Weber and the two Sea Poems by LMM I did not want to embed in the story.

The pictures by Madeleine I found with Google.

Madeleine Weber is a professional photographer.
There are lot's of beautiful pictures to see on her site.
Also 360 " photos'.

LMM would have loved to read her homepage , I think.

I asked, and was granted, permission to use three of her pictures.

Skellig Micheal, mentioned in the story before, is a small rocky island near the Irish coast of County Kerry.
The small beehive-shaped stone huts there are build by monks around the 7th century, and inhabited till the 12th century, when the monks moved to the mainland.

It is believed, that a lot of wisdom and knowledge dating back from the Greeks was preserved here and in some remote areas in Scotland.
It was given back  when the monks started to travel over Europe.

A center of pilgrimage it was during the centuries after.
In the 19th century it became a popular "pilgrimage" for engaged couples.
To protect the island, the numbers of tourist-visitors is limited now.

http://calaido.zenfolio.com

[Henk]

Again, Anne, with her lust to feel and smell the ocean-breeze, was first outside on the decks.
"Are you coming, old man? ", she teased him through the porthole.



Gilbert laughed at her.
"Watch out ya ! I will come after you and show you !".
It did not take long before Gilbert joined Anne.
Anne was glad to see Gilbert finding his rest, and becoming more lively.

"Here we are Gilbert, you and me together sweeping out in the very heart of a storm ".
There was no storm forecasted, but Gilbert remembered Anne's words.

"I understand now why some men must go to sea," said Anne. "That desire which comes to us all at times--`to sail beyond the bourne of sunset'--must be very imperious when it is born in you. I don't wonder Captain Jim ran away because of it. I never see a ship sailing out of the channel, or a gull soaring over the sand-bar, without wishing I were on board the ship or had wings, not like a dove `to fly away and be at rest,' but like a gull, to sweep out into the very heart of a storm."
(AHOD)

"Yes, Anne. We needed it. You and I, we really do ".
Anne looked at the waters, in the direction to where the ship was sailing.

"I wonder what Katherine and Emmeline are doing now. And Morgan ofcourse.
Emmeline seems to be very much in love with David. Maybe they are looking at the same waters we are looking at ".

Anne was right.
Two woman and two men had gone to this little rock in the Atlantic Ocean called Skellig Micheal for a few days.
The captain who brought them there recognized David from his previous journey.
"Watch out, laddy! A bond that is made on the Skelligs is a bond forever. But it can  turn the other way too. You will find out soon enough ".
David did not fear for being alone with Emmeline. Neither did Emmeline, Morgan and Katherine.

They spend hours alone and hours together.
Long talks about the past, and long talks about the future.
On the third day, all that mattered was the present.
To catch a fish and prepare it, get washed and listen to the birds flying around the island.

"This is Ireland", Emmeline said on the last evening.

"But for the magic that takes you out, far out of this time and this world, there is Skellig Michael, ten miles off the Kerry  Coast, shooting straight up 700 feet out of the Atlantic. Whoever has not stood in the graveyards at the summit of that cliff, among the beehive dwellings and their beehive oratory, does not know Ireland through and through, It is the beauty of Ireland that has made us what we are." she  quoted George Bernhard Shaw.

The captain was on time with his vessel to pick them up and bring them back to the mainland.
He saw four satisfied people, who had come to rest.

[Henk]

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  Intermezzo >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

For some reasons, I was planning to end this story before October.

I was kind of rushing to finish the story by half of September.
October I will not have access to internet  all the time, I think.

But Katherine is not the type of person to put on a train or a boat and say "that is it, see you !" .
Therefor, I am slowing down now.
Not meaning to stop.
I will throw in some bits and pieces when I feel like.
The main story-line was set out with Muppets last winter already.
I will follow that line.

Muppets pushed this story a long way, in the right direction.
And then she jumps out of the train, yelling "It is your baby now ! "

A way to go , he ?
----------------------------------------

Coming soon: The Arrival Of Anne and Gilbert in Cork.

[Henk]

While all the clothes used on the Skelligs were being washed, Katherine was busy with preparing for the drive to Cork, to welcome Anne and Gilbert.

David, Emmeline and Morgan were sitting outside, enjoying the mild Sun.
Emmeline tried to take part in the conversation, but her thoughts were somewhere else.



( Howard Pyle, "A sailors sweetheart"  )

Tomorrow she would see Anne again.
She did not really know about Anne's plans, but there were obviously some bends coming in the road soon.
That always happened when Anne was coming into somebody's life.
Emmeline hoped to be with Anne for a long part of that journey.

For Anne and Gilbert, it was clear they were approaching land, after seeing only the Ocean around them for a few days.
Sometimes they would see fisher-ship, seagulls in the distance and other large ocean-liners.



"They are greeting us, Gilbert, look !"
Gilbert looked where Anne was pointing.



"That is a nice welcome indeed !"

[Fire Djinn]

Good job Henk, bravo!

[Henk]

Thanks, Fire.
"Just, with a little help of my friends"

[Henk]

"It was a great journey, it really was !".

Tears were running from the faces from Anne, Katherine and Emmeline, while hugging each other.
Their ways had separated years ago, none of them knew if and when they would ever see each other again.
"You look fabulous, Anne", Katherine complimented Anne.
"Thanks, Katherine, I think my hair has turned more auburn, like Rachel predicted. But you look very good yourself too! "
"Thanks, Anne. But I do think I have spotted the first wrinkles around my eyes lately"
Anne looked close at Katherine's face.
"They are wrinkles caused by laughing, Katherine ", she smiled.
"I have", Katherine admitted.
"I have laughed more this last year then I have  in the last twenty years , Although I must confess some memories still make me laugh sometimes, even when I could not laugh about it, when it happened".
"And that is ?"
"Well, seeing you and all those girls running out of the classroom, because of the firecrackers exploding was a shock at the moment ".
"Yes, that is one thing Dad remembers well too, don't you, Dad ?", Emmeline said.
"That was sure a performance you made, Miss Brooke" .
They told David about the events, when Anne was a teacher.

David was introduced to  Anne and Gilbert after the first emotions ebbed away.
Anne had heard about David through the letters from Katherine, and was curious to see him now.
"He is like a mix of our Jem and Walter ", she would later tell Gilbert.
"I am sure he is a Kindred Spirit ".

The train-journey to Dublin went fast.
There was too much to tell to each other.
Mr. Connell insisted the whole company would stay with him at the Manor.
"Soon, you will all be gone, and I have to put up again with all the gossip my dear Maggie comes up with", he said, while Maggie, the housemaid came in.
"Haha, teasing me again !", she laughed while putting the scones on the table.

After putting the luggage away and refreshing , they all came together downstairs.
The men walked outside.
They had to share a lot too, in the field of naval business, science and cars.
"Anne is a great driver, David !", Morgan recalled her driving half a year ago.

The women grouped together in the sitting-room to share all the news from France, Canada and Ireland.
There was a short silence.
"Katherine, I have other great news for you ", Emmeline said.
"You do ? Please do tell !"
"It means introducing a person to Mrs. Anne you know well ".
Katherine was sitting on the edge of her chair now.
"Helene and husband are coming to Ireland next week !"
"They are ? ", Katherine gasped.
"Yes, they are coming. David and I invited her to be here ".

Both Anne and Katherine were silent, knowing something coming.
"I don't know Helene that well, but you and David do. And David wants to have his two best friends with us, when we will give our vow to each other, next week "
"You are getting married !", Katherine almost shouted.
"Yes, we are. David asked me a few weeks ago. I wanted to wait till I knew Mrs. Anne would be here too" .
The men outside came in, noticing something special was announced.
Emmeline and David were congratulated.

Katherine would never lose her practical way of organizing, she started right away.
Impressed she was however, how much Emmeline and David had done already.

"They are like two swans, floating in a pond", Gilbert said later, to Anne.
"Indeed they are. Or like two seagulls, ready  to sweep out into the very heart of a storm, together ".
Anne said, with a serious face.
"They will stay together, always able to create a Pond of Quietness around them where they can float like two swans, even when surrounded by thousands of people ".
Anne paused.
"And a thunderstorm above their heads".
Gilbert saw a look in Anne's eyes.
"How do you mean ?"
"I don't know, but I feel there is one approaching", Anne whispered.

[Henk]

Emmeline and Katherine were looking at Anne and each other.
Without saying anything.
Emmeline remembered David's words, after he was introduced to Anne and Gilbert.
"The river Shannon will imagine itself  flowing over the hills , raise it's waves and welcome the Ocean in the morning. All, when Anne is near. Few people have that effect. Anne has ".

Anne was lost in making flower-arrangements for Emmeline and David's Wedding Day.



Julia was getting a little shy at first, with all the newcomers in her house.
Anne smiled a few times at her, when she walked around.
It did not take long before Julia approached Anne to show her her doll-friends.



Helene and husband arrived a few days after Anne and Gilbert.
On special request of David and Katherine, they had taken Colette with them.
Julia and Colette were soon playing together.
Anne listened to the talks between Gilbert, Morgan, David and Mr. Batiment about serious matters.
At the same time she listened to the little  girls talking and playing with each other.
Praising Katherine's teaching English to Colette.
Julia was even imitating Colette's accent sometimes, without noticing it.

The girls listened to Anne telling  stories.



How her own children would now be hunting butterflies.



Or resting in the fields, after running around for hours.



Katherine remembered the Irish proverb, which  Morgan had spoken to her.

Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and just be my friend.
-------------------------------

( Please see "properties" to see names of the painters.)

[Henk]

David trembled , when he saw Emmeline coming down the stairs, with Colette as brides-maid.
From the first time he saw Emmeline, he knew its was her he had seen in a flash, coming down the stairs on Skellig Micheal.



"Why is Colette bridesmaid, and not me ?", Julia had asked Katherine, who she knew so well now.
"Now it is Colette's turn, Julia. But maybe there will be another wedding soon, that will be your turn to be brides-maid ".
Julia was satisfied with that answer.

After all, she had never seen a brides-maid before, and did not know what bridesmaids were doing.
Now she could watch Colette, who was a little bit older, doing it.
"Will there be brides-boys too ?", she asked.
"No, my dear ", Katherine answered laughing.
"Only brides-maids ! "



Anne heard a cuckoo before they entered the church.
She saw Emmeline looking at it too, in a glimpse.
"The old Irish belief, that hearing or seeing a cuckoo before the wedding is a good omen, Gilbert !", she whispered.

Emmeline and David had a surprise, after the claddagh-rings were changed from their right hands to the left hands , with the hearts pointing inwards.

]

They had decided to recite an Oscar Wilde's poem together, in turns.

Emmeline started.

We Are Made One with What We Touch and See

We are resolved into the supreme air,
We are made one with what we touch and see,
With our heart's blood each crimson sun is fair,
With our young lives each springimpassioned tree
Flames into green, the wildest beasts that range
The moor our kinsmen are, all life is one, and all is change.

With beat of systole and of diastole
One grand great life throbs through earth's giant heart,
And mighty waves of single Being roll
From nerveless germ to man, for we are part
Of every rock and bird and beast and hill,
One with the things that prey on us, and one with what we kill


One sacrament are consecrate, the earth
Not we alone hath passions hymeneal,
The yellow buttercups that shake for mirth
At daybreak know a pleasure not less real
Than we do, when in some freshblossoming wood
We draw the spring into our hearts, and feel that life is good


Is the light vanished from our golden sun,
Or is this daedalfashioned earth less fair,
That we are nature's heritors, and one
With every pulse of life that beats the air?
Rather new suns across the sky shall pass,
New splendour come unto the flower, new glory to the grass.


And we two lovers shall not sit afar,
Critics of nature, but the joyous sea
Shall be our raiment, and the bearded star
Shoot arrows at our pleasure! We shall be
Part of the mighty universal whole,
And through all Aeons mix and mingle with the Kosmic Soul!.


We shall be notes in that great Symphony
Whose cadence circles through the rhythmic spheres,
And all the live World's throbbing heart shall be
One with our heart, the stealthy creeping years
Have lost their terrors now, we shall not die,
The Universe itself shall be our Immortality!.

[muppets123]

Nice job, gorgeous wedding  gown.  Nice touch with the claddagh and the oscar wilde peom.    Concrats David, Emmeline and  all involved   BTW where did she get such a  beautiful dress?

[Henk]

"Congratulations , Emmy !", "Hooray for Emmeline and David !" sounded through the air, while the happy couple from the chapel to the carriages.



"We will see you all in the inn on Friday ", Emmeline promised.

For this occasion, the Connell Manor was transformed into the place to celebrate Emmeline's and David's wedding.
Katherine, Anne , Colette, Julia and the maid had worked very hard till late in the evening before.



Julia and Colette both loved Anne, but Colette's affection for Anne's stories and fantasies made Anne feel she had found another kindred spirit.
Colette stepped easy into Anne's world, adding her own  images to it.
Together they walked to the pond behind the manor.
"I love swans, Mrs. Anne. They always look so proud an wise. And happy together "
"Yes", Anne answered. "And they don't mind sharing it with us ".



When they were back  inside, Colette was invited by David  to play the piano for the guests.
Colette looked at David and Emmeline, hesitated for a moment, and started to play Debussy's  "The Girl With The Flaxen Hair" .
Emmeline felt David squeezing her hand .
She squeezed too.
For a moment, David was far away.

When Colette was finished, applauded by the guests, she walked slowlyy to David.
"Uncle David, will you and Emmeline walk with me to the swans, please ?"
"Ofcourse, I will, Colette", David replied.
Again, the swans came near.
"They have come to greet and congratulate  you two, Uncle David", Colette said, avoiding to look at Emmeline.
David looked without saying anything.
"Thanks !", he sighed after a few moments.

"Thank you very much too, Colette ", Emmeline whispered, when they walked inside again.

Mr. Connell was in the cellar, fetching a few bottles of genuine Irish meade.
"This should take them through the month !", he thought.



"Can I have your attention, please ?", he asked the guests.

"You know the fairies are around us. Fairies love beautiful things, specially beautiful brides like Emmeline.
They will try to steal her from David, when he is asleep. To protect them from doing that, I will ask Emmeline and David to toast on each other with this real honeymade Irish Meade.
And do so for a month, each day !"
"I remember reading that", Gilbert whispered to Anne.
"That is why it is called Honeymoon" .

Emmeline and David brought the toast on each other.
"This tastes good !", David said.
"It does", answered Emmeline, "it really does !"

[Henk]

Emmeline and David enjoyed their daily glass of Irish Meade, to keep away the fairies.

To keep away too nosy loved ones and curious readers, they left this story for a short while, to enjoy their first days together...



Marcus Stone :"The Honeymoon "

    Give me a kiss, and to that kiss a score;
    Then to that twenty, add a hundred more:
    A thousand to that hundred: so kiss on,
    To make that thousand up a million.
    Treble that million, and when that is done,
    Let's kiss afresh, as when we first begun.

Robert Herrick (1591–1674)

[Henk]

Katherine, Anne, Gilbert and Morgan were sitting outside.

Silence had come back, now most of the guests had departed.
Julia already missed her friend from France.
The day before, Anne, Katherine and Helene had taken the girls to the beach, where the children played with a small boat for a long time.

"Tomorrow, I am going with a very large boat over the Ocean !", Colette kept telling Julia.


(Edmund Tarbell )

"Sometimes I wish, the Atlantic Ocean was as small as the English Channel", Katherine spoke, softly.
"Homesick, Katherine ?", Anne asked.
"No, not really. With Morgan, you and Gilbert around me, how could I ?  But I have been away for a long time now.
The trees will soon  change colors in Canada , that is a thing I will miss ".
"I will miss that too", Anne sighed.
"But we will be traveling in continental Europe soon, they say the Fall lasts a bit longer there. There is a lot of
forest in some countries ".

The two couples had agreed to spend some time together, before Katherine and Morgan would leave for India.
Emmeline's theater-season started in two weeks, she and David would occupy a cottage near the beach.
Morgan looked into the distance.
"I feel very fine, now Emmeline and David are together. We all feel they belong together, in good and in bad times".



"The Unicorn is gone ?". Gilbert asked, looking at Anne.
"The Unicorn is still here, and will stay a long time here, and in France, and in Canada on a small beautiful island in the Atlantic Ocean ", Anne answered, watching Julia playing.



"I know", Gilbert smiled.
------------------
The last two pictures courtesy of Pauline Marshall.
Thanks, Pauline

The Fairie Grotto-link

[Henk]

"You have to tell me all, Emmeline !", Anne greeted Emmeline while kissing her.
"Me too !", Katherine said, also welcoming Emmeline back with the same warmth as Anne had shown.
David had greeted  Morgan and Gilbert  with a firm handshake, Anne and Katherine with a kiss.
The men were standing in the open door of the library, looking over the hills.

Emmeline could not help blushing.
"All ?" , she asked almost whispering, out of reach for the man.
"Not all !", Anne said with a smile.
"No, not all ", Katherine giggled.
"The situation becomes complicated, Emmeline ".
" While I am to be your mother-in-law, and older then you are, you are ahead of me now as married woman ".
Emmeline laughed.
"Your time being engaged with Morgan has been long, Katherine. And neither do you have to tell us all about that. Queen Victoria does not like that !".
"What is the matter ?", Morgan asked, hearing the women laugh in the distance.
"Nothing serious, Morgan !", Katherine answered.

Emmeline started to tell about their honeymoon.
"After our first week, we went to France, to David's aunt in Normandy".
"An impressing woman that is, indeed ", Katherine added.
"She really is ", Emmeline agreed.
"And David has come to a rest now, after seeing her ".
Anne and Katherine remained silent.
"At a certain point, David mentioned Brigitte. He said she had become quiet lately .
"She has finally gone to the Island of the Dead", he said."



"No ", said his aunt.
"She is still in your and my memory. As long as she is remembered, she is alive and loved.
She has gone to the Island of the Living ".



"That is impressing", Anne sighed.
"David is the kind of man, that will fare best, when the woman who loves him is near him, not too far away in distance of space or time. Emmeline has taken over from Brigitte, who has found her Eternal Rest now", she would later say to Katherine.

The house-maid came out to tell diner was ready.
As usual, she lit a few candles on the table.
Katherine arranged a few extra in the room.
She saw some surprised faces.

"Happy Deepavali ", she adressed her friends.
"Today is Deepavali, when the victory of Light is celebrated over Darkness by many all over the world .
"And old debts are settled and arguments finished . "
"Time to open a new book ", Anne added, remembering Captain Jim telling about it.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: Two Island-paintings by Arnold Bocklin.
The Island of Dead inspired Rachmaninoff to compose a piece of music with the same name.

On the date of writing this, it is Deepavali.
Celebrated worldwide.
The meaning of Deepavali is too wide to explain here.
Please use Google, like I do

Happy Deepavali !

[Henk]

Mr. Connell had offered Emmeline and David the rent of one of his houses, just out of town.
They accepted it, glad to have their own house for the time they would be in Ireland.
Eventually Emmeline would take up her career again, back in the States.
Probably the year after.
David was able to make his own income, regardless of where he lived.
With writing, drawing, painting and scientific research .
"I always go where my country-girl goes ", he would say, when asked about his plans.

For now, all they needed was a house they could call their own.
"It is a real cozy place, Mrs. Emmeline !", the housemaid whispered in Emmeline's ears.
"How does it look like ?", she asked.
"I don't know, I have never been there", the housemaid said.
Emmeline was surprised by that answer.


Mr. Connell drove them to their new homestead.
Katherine and Anne and their husbands did not go, they promised to have a light dinner ready.
The housemaid had her afternoon off, to visit nearby family.
"You may need to do a few things, to make it your house, but it will not be too small for you two, I think "
A severe thunderstorm above their heads ensured them summer was over.

""That is it", Mr. Connell said, when they turned a corner.



Neither Emmeline or David knew what to say, when they saw the house.
"Don't you like it ?", Mr. Connell asked after a few moments.
"You have to see it in daylight ! "
"Ofcourse", Emmeline sighed.
David did not speak a word.
They were shown around the house.
It was clean, the bedrooms were ready for use, and when some lights were lit, it looked rather cozy, like the housemaid had said.
The dining-room seemed to be ready for use too.



Emmeline and David looked at each other.
"We have to take it", Emmeline said.
"OK", David agreed.

The weather did not improve when they drove home.
Glad they were to be back home again in Mr. Connell's manor.
"We decided to have a light dinner, we have some Welsh Rarebits and some drinks to toast on your new house".
Katherine welcomed them.

Emmeline and David both loved Welsh Rarebit, they often had some at the old inn, where Emmeline lived before.
Katherine and Anne knew that.
But they never ate the quantities they ate this time.
The evening went on in good atmosphere.
The women enjoyed a little sip of the wine Mr. Connell had given to the party as present.
Morgan, Gilbert and David enjoyed some of it too, and kept doing that till Katherine noticed some of the male conversation went a little bit off track.
Anne noticed it too.
She finished her last rarebit, signaled Emmeline and Katherine, and started to clean up the table.
It made the men depart on a mission to try to sing he old song The Parting Glass together.
In vain...

Going upstairs to the bedrooms took a little bit longer than usual, but after an hour, it was quiet and dark in the house.
"No !" was the first word Anne said the next morning, when asked how she slept.
"I had such a weird dream ! I dreamed of my dear Jem. You know he is rather adventurous. I had a weird dream about him going to the Moon !".



"I never dream like that, my fantasy when I am awake is as vivid as when I dream. My dreams have no need to compete with that", she said, making the others laugh.
Except Emmeline.
She waited till everybody was quiet again.
"I dreamed a real weird dream too. I dreamed we were in our new house. There was somebody in the attic .
It was a woman, a bride "
"You ?", Katherine asked.
"No, ", Emmeline answered.
"It was another woman, but she kept coming down, and many nasty things were happening to her."
Emmeline told the other women what happened to the bride in her dreams.
"And it happened over and over again". she shivered.



"Did you have any weird dreams ?", Katherine asked Morgan.
"I cannot remember ", Morgan answered.
"But I know I have a terrible head-ache ".
"Me too", Gilbert and David answered at the same time.

"One thing I know for sure"", Emmeline said firmly.
Ï am not going to live in that house ".

----------------------------------------------------------------

note: The boy going to the moon is Little Nemo.
Beautiful drawn comics, made  by Winsor_McCay.
Published between 1905-1915 in several American newspapers.
Little Nemo is always having very strange adventures after eating too much Welsh Rarebit.
Too much cheese seems to stimulate weird dreams and nightmares.

The "bride" and the "diningroom" pictures are borrowed from Disneyland's Haunted Mansion.

[muppets123]

perfect timingg for All Hallows  Eve.... and "The Parting Glass" is  cool.   BTW  there are some good Irish/ English legends  and songs re the banshee which would also fit in w/ the season.

[Henk]

Morgan was quiet, but Katherine saw on his face he was bound to say something.
"Did you have a strange dream too, Morgan ?", she asked him.
"Yes, I had one too !"
"Please do tell us !", Anne asked.

Morgan hesitated.
"Hmm, I am not sure if that is a good idea really".
"Why not ? Please tell , you make us curious !"
"Well, if I have to...OK.  I dreamed you ladies were cooking together "
"Is that a nightmare to you ?", Katherine asked half laughing, half surprised.
"It should not, indeed. But you were not in your usual dress, and it was not in the kitchen..."
"What were we cooking ?", Emmeline asked.
"You were making a large bowl of stew, and were ready to put in the main ingredient".
"That was ?"
Morgan hesitated again before he answered.
"I had to go in it ".

They all had a good laugh about that, and Morgan knew he would be teased in the future with this.

[Henk]

This time, Emmeline and David had more luck with finding lodgings for the time they would be in Ireland.
Mr. Connell knew the owner of a  cottage just out of town.



One part was still empty after the family who lived in it had left to join with family in America.
The other part was inhabited by Peter.
Emmeline loved the cottage at the first minute she saw it.
And Peter too, as soon as they were introduced to him.
Anne and Gilbert smiled, remembering their friendship with Captain Jim.
"Peter will be too happy to supply you with daily fresh eggs", Mr. Connell assured them.
"A splendid view on the mountain !", David said.
" Croagh Patrick", Peter explained ." From Stone Age till today, people  have come to this holy  mountain.
Saint Patrick fasted there on 441 AD.".

Croagh Patrick

Both Emmeline and David did not carry many goods with them, besides their clothes and some personal belongings.
Within a day, all they had was moved to the cottage.

With a little help of Anne and Katherine, the livingroom was turned into a cozy retreat for the young couple.



"I am so happy, David", Emmeline sighed when they were finally alone.
"Will you please follow me outside ?", David asked Emmeline.
Surprised she followed.
"Our first house, now I can carry you inside as my bride in our new home ".
He picked her up and carried her inside again.
Peter collected some extra eggs.
"They probably need a good breakfast  tomorrow", he grinned.
-----
" I am getting restless, Gilbert".
"So do I, Anne. As beautiful as Ireland is, I think you know all the fairies and dryads by name now. Time to go and see some more of Britain and the rest  Europe."

"First London ?", Anne asked him.
"If you want, ofcourse !".
"And Italy, and France ?"
"All you like, Anne !".

There were some travel-magazines in the manor, that inspired Anne and Gilbert to see some more.
"It all looks so nice, Gilbert !", Anne said.
"It does !", Gilbert agreed warm hearted.







------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Painting  of Peter's house courtesy of Siobhan Knox, who kindly gave me permission to use it.
Peter is not a fantasy-person

Peter's cottage and Siobhan Knox

I really wanted to use this painting.
In real, the Croagh Mountain and the cottage are 287 klm from Dublin.
Please don't tell Emmeline and David
The pelgrimage to the mountain still goes on, attracting about 25000 people each year from all over the world.

[Henk]

Anne and Gilbert had left for England.
From there they wanted to travel further to the Continent.
York was the first destination after arriving in Liverpool.
"York is a rather spooky town, Gilbert.  It is the time of the year to visit such a town, don't you think ?"
"That is fine to me ", Gilbert agreed. "As long as you can handle all those witches there, and keep them away from me !"
"Mmm", Anne groaned. "Maybe I let them have their  fun with a country doctor from Prince Edward Island".
"They won't dare too", Gilbert laughed.
"Why not ?"
"I have my own super-witch with me, to protect me !".
Anne wanted to say something to that, but she did not.
And she did not need to.
Gilbert looked in her half-teasing eyes, and knew no witch could do any harm to both of them.

Mr. Connell and Morgan were off to England as well, for a meeting at the Royal Academy.

It was Katherine and the housemaid alone in the manor.
The latter being busy, Katherine had time to think it all over by her self.

"Almost a year away from what I called "Home". And it is no more. "Home" is where I am with Morgan.
Here or there or anywhere".

She looked at the picture she had found in one of the books in the library.
She laughed.
"Nothing will scare me or make me afraid anymore "


 

[Henk]

Katherine was glad a letter from Anne and Gilbert arrived.
Morgan was due to come back in two days to complete his project in Dublin.
After that they would leave for London  to meet Anne and Gilbert there.
Together with Anne and Gilbert, they would travel further to Paris.

The last few days had been boring.
Emmeline and David did not have a lot of time left to visit Katherine.
Writing for the Paris magazines was the only thing that kept her occupied for a part of the day.

"Dear Katherine.
We have seen a lot of the west part of Europe now.
First we went to York.
You know I am not supersitious, and I am glad about that.
Because there is something about this city, that makes my imagination go beyond the lines I had drawn long time ago, after my walk in the Haunted Forest.
We had a walk through one of the oldest streets in Europe, so they say : The Shambles.


Can you imagine ?
It was there long before our ancestors sailed to Canada and America fro the first time.too

After that we went to Paris, Rome, Munich,Vienna and that small country in the North, Holland.
Charming, but it rained a lot.
We will take the ferry from Holland to Harwich, and hope to meet you in London on the appointed date.
We ate well. Gilbert bought a box of slimming-pills for me when we started.



How dare he ?
I did not gain an ounce, while Gilbert had to see a tailor twice, to make his pants fit again.
I will get my revenge, I will buy a very comfortable chair for him, to use at home in his practice ! "



( Exercise-chair )

Katherine smiled.
She wanted to see Anne again.

Again she studied the timetable of the Orient Express.



All those exotic places, they would pass through.
New Delhi was the final destination, but a few of the places before that she wanted to visit too.
Specially Istanbul and Constantinople.
"Hotel Pera Palace, I must see that hotel", she decided, picking up the book about the hotel.





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Personal note:
My old train-company I worked for was  " Compagnie Internationale dés Wagons et des Grands Express Européens " or in short: "Wagons Lits ", or really short: WL.
WL had hotels and trains from Scandinavia till Egypt.

Both the Orient Express and Pera Palace hotel were "WL."
The hotel dates from 1882.
4-star hotel Pera Palace is closed a few years for renovation till april 2010.

It has seen many royals and celebrities passing through.

Agatha Christie was a regular. It was on stay in this hotel, that she has been missing for 11 days in 1926.
She has never given a reason for this,it is still a riddle till today.

[Henk]

Katherine was not feeling happy.
Morgan and Mr. Connell had been delayed, they were due to arrive two days later.
She had her walks around the manor, and an  occasional visit to the city.

Emmeline had visited her once now.
She was doing well with her career, and the little cottage was a warm home for her and David.
The afternoon Tea with the housemaid was a thing Katherine looked forward too everyday.
The housemaid told her stories from the manor, and the neighbours.
But for the rest did Katherine not see many people.

She studied the train-timetables over and over.
She missed Helene, the Bonceurs, Anne and Gilbert, Colette, her students in Paris.
And above all Morgan.

He had send her an affiche from the London Underground, after he went to a concert.



Meaning to please her, but it did not.
It reminded her of Dahlia.
Was she in London again, was it her on the affiche ?
The lady on the affiche played a violin not the pianoforte, but Katherine knew Dahllia had many talents considering music-instruments.
And beyond...

She put the poster aside, giving her mind way to dark thoughts.
Was he only with Mr. Connell, or did he go alone ?
Or not alone at all ?



She tried to organize all Morgan's and her belongings, to prepare it for their long journey.
The organizing went well, but somewhere while packing the trunks, she had lost the idea of how much luggage they would need to carry.

"This is..this is.. too much" ,she sighed.



She sat down on a chair, lay her head down on her arms, feeling like the Fallen Angel she had seen in Rome.

[Henk]

How Katherine's life had changed...
Used as she was to be alone all those years, she had tasted enough of the warm friendship of the people around her.
And Morgan's love.

"Thanks, Morgan", Katherine said, kissing Morgan after accepting the flowers he had given to her.



Morgan was back.
That was all that mattered now.
After he had asked her to tell all about her little adventures, he told Katherine all about his.
"We have succeeded, and we were able to establish the contacts we need to continue on our way to sell our products and systems in Europe".

Katherine was glad to hear that. She would be glad with anything he would tell.
Fallen from sky she felt the day before, but now she was back on top of the world, or better, far above it.



Morgan laughed when he saw the pile of trunks.
"Haha, we will not need all that ! We will ship everything we don't need on our journey back to Boston before we leave".

Besides a few handbags, all that was left after re-organizing was one large trunk.



"And I have another small present for you !" Morgan said.

Katherine was surprised when she saw the stuffed bear he gave her.
She knew they were already becoming very  popular in America and Canada.
"How cute, thank you very much, Morgan !"



"This one will not be shipped to Boston, Morgan. He is going to stay with us, where ever we go ".
"Promised !", Morgan agreed.