CHAPTER 68
Daria opened the door to the carpenter shop and Mr. Wilson was inside, standing at the counter and reading something—something relatively small, just larger than his hands, but she did not recognize it.
He looked up and his face instantly lit up upon seeing her. “Daria! What on earth are you doing here?” He smiled at her deviously, his green eyes twinkling. “Don’t tell me you’ve become so enthralled you left the lighthouse just for me.”
It was so obviously a joke, from his tone to his expression, that she couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, yes, you know how I’ve always dreamed of getting out of the lighthouse.”
He shook his head fondly and gestured to a stool on the side of the table opposite him. “Care to sit?”
She sat, placing her package on the counter and saying, “I brought you this,” just as he asked, “Would you like some tea?”
They both laughed again, and she couldn’t help but notice how natural it felt, how easy it might have been if she had never come to meet Kallias. There was none of the spark she had with Kallias, none of the desire, but the friendship was warm and calming, like lemon tea on a sunny day.
“That would be lovely, thank you.”
The room was both his shop and the first floor of his house, and the stove was behind him, off in the right corner.
“It’s probably still a bit warm,” he said, opening the fire hatch and putting in a small log.
Closing it, he slid the kettle to the burner.
“So why are you here, Miss Daria?” His voice was still all tease and he leaned against the table beside the stove, hands on its top like he was ready to leap into action at any second. “And what did you bring me?”
She pushed it toward him a bit and he came closer to stand across the counter from her. He nodded to it. “May I?”
She nodded back. “Of course. It’s for you.” And he started unwrapping it. “I asked the bakery for your favorite….” Her words died off as she watched his face. This was clearly not his favorite. That absolute bitch. “Oh, no, Mr. Wilson, I’m so sorry. She said it was. I can go back.”
“Oh, no, no, of course that’s not necessary. Pumpernickel is fine.”
It was clearly more than a distaste; he was staring at it with that wary suspicion she had had when Kallias had once brought her back some sort of amorphous, gooey, squishy-looking thing and told her it was a fish.
It was that mix of absolute disgust warring with the thoughts that it really couldn’t be so bad and that for the sake of the gift giver, one bite couldn’t hurt.
“Don’t force yourself. I’ll get another,” she said, standing. And give that bitch a piece of my mind. Though she wouldn’t say that out loud.
“No, no, Daria,” Mr. Wilson said, urging her to sit back down.
“No, it is the thought that counts. And I thank you immensely for it. I actually do have some of my favorite here.” He turned and grabbed something from the cupboard.
“Plain bread is what I actually buy. I’m afraid I’m actually quite boring in this regard.
Would you like to try?” He started slicing some before she even answered.
“Butter?” he asked and she shook her head.
And then the kettle was singing and he was pouring the tea.
He placed out the two cups and plates with bread before settling into the stool across from her, cup in hand.
“So to what do I owe the honor of this visit? Don’t tell me you broke your boat again,” he joked.
“Although honestly, if you did this soon, it probably would be a manufacturer’s error.
” His smile fell. “Oh Lord, but there was a storm just yesterday, wasn’t there? Oh, tell me you didn’t have to go out.”
He looked so concerned for her despite her so clearly sitting here fine. It was sweet.
“As you can see, I’m fine, Mr. Wilson. But yes, I did have to go out yesterday.”
“Any survivors?”
“Yes, all of them.”
“Good work.”
“Well,” she laughed. “I only had to save one. The ship didn’t sink, but the dinghy had snapped off with him in it. He was wounded so I had to tend to him.”
“Wounded how?”
“The mast had exploded when lightning struck. Lord knows why he was out on deck.” She seriously doubted he was one of the ones throwing their backs into saving the ship. But hey, maybe she was wrong and he had been telling the truth that she hadn’t seen the real him.
“That could have been quite the injury.”
“It was. Luckily it was just in his arm or perhaps he might have bled out before I reached him.”
“Well, you managed to save him clearly, and now you’ve managed to bring him back.” He looked to her for confirmation and she nodded. “So you must not have sunk your boat, unless you used his.”
“No, I did not sink my boat.” She smiled. “One might almost think that’s all you care about.”
“Oh Daria, if you knew how long I labored on that boat, how many nights by candlelight I had so I could get it to you promptly, you would not be smiling like that.”
“Was it really so difficult?”
“It was. In fact, I’ve already started your next one so it will not be so intensive.”
“You have not!” she laughed.
“No, perhaps not. But I have just added it to my mental to-do list now. I can work on it in my spare time so I never have to push quite like that again.”
“I don’t intend to keep sinking boats. I’m not sure how many times I can survive that.” Even if she did have a magical helper in the water.
“Yes, please let it never happen again.”
There was a pause and then he said, “I’m afraid that doesn’t explain why you’re here. In town, yes. But not here. Because as much as it pains me, I doubt you’re here just to see me.”
His smile was so sad, but she supposed yes, it was true.
She had never come to visit him without a question or purpose.
Even if she did visit him on her every trip to town, she usually came with a purpose other than just coming to chat.
There was always something to ask when one was stuck away for so long, and he knew so much.
“What a terrible friend I am,” she muttered.
“No, perhaps you’re all the better. There are never any games, never any pretending.”
Was that really true when she was hiding a mermaid? But she supposed she had been honest from the beginning with both these human men that she had no interest in suitors.
“So what is it, Miss Daria?”
She frowned. It felt shameful to even admit it but…she sighed. “I do not trust the man I saved.”
Mr. Wilson jumped to his feet. “What in heaven’s name do you mean? Did he try something on you?”
She had found the way he charged toward her with that look quite intimidating, but that probably sounded ridiculous.
“No, not like that. But well, he was very adamant that I go to the city with him, that I didn’t belong in the lighthouse—for more than one reason—and when I said no, he threatened to have me fired to force my hand. ”
“What?” he exploded.
She could not look at him for her request, and in her heart, she wished that it was Kallias who could stand beside her.
“He says he wishes to thank me and will come to the lighthouse Tuesday. I was hoping…well, if you are not too busy, though I imagine you might be if you’re assisting with their ship’s mast—they must have asked for your assistance, no? ”
“Daria.” He took both her hands in both of his, cupping them. “This is about your safety. I could never be too busy for that.”
“Thank you, Mr. Wilson.” Thank you for not holding anything against me, she almost said. But instead she said, “I am so blessed to have a friend like you.”