by Harmon, AJ
Confusion consumed her as she returned to the house. Picking up her empty lemonade glass, she glanced around one last time hoping to see someone, but nothing. She entered the house, her mind in a state of bewilderment. But as she entered through the front door, a cold chill ran up her spine, and the hairs on her arms stood on end.
Completely unnerved, she called out. “Hello? Is anybody there?”
There was no response.
“Ethan? Is that you?”
Nothing.
Cautiously, Bess walked into the family room and locked the door behind her. “Well now we’re locked in here together,” she frowned as she walked through the house to the foyer. She peered through the windows but saw nothing. There were no people outside the house, nor were there any cars. “Strange,” she muttered. As she turned back she looked at the staircase. She still hadn’t ventured up to the second floor – she hadn’t felt strong enough to tackle more than a couple of steps, but under the current circumstances, she felt compelled to head up.
Taking it slowly, one step at a time, she made it to the landing without any problem and then continued on. By the time she reached the top, she was a little out of breath, her heart pumping, but it was more the anxiety she felt rather than the physical strain on her body.
The sun had set, the house filled with shadows, and Bess searched for light switches to chase away the darkness. She’d never exactly been afraid of the dark, but it wasn’t necessarily her friend either. So with the hallway lit, she took a few steps down the hall, peering in each room to see if anyone was there.
The first rooms were empty, but the third bedroom she came to held pieces of furniture that looked very old. Bess knew nothing about antiques, but she would bet that these would be considered collectibles. Most were in excellent condition and had beautiful, intricate carvings on the drawers or trim, making them stunning pieces anyone would love to have in their possession. Bess walked through the room, gliding her finger across the old, sanded wood, and wondering how much time it would have taken to create such a piece of art. For a brief moment, she’d forgotten all about the reason she’d come upstairs, until…
The chill caused the hairs on her arms to stand upright and her body to shiver uncontrollably. The sheer curtains that covered the closed window rustled as the cold air moved through the room. Bess, rooted firmly in place, turned her head to see who was in the room with her. She saw no one, but felt a presence… she knew there was someone there with her.
“Hello?” she called out meekly. “Who’s there?”
There came no response, but the air stilled and Bess’s heart calmed as she hurriedly made her way back downstairs.
*****
Ethan James stood next to the front door of his home, although he still thought of it as his grandparents’ house, his hand on the handle, feeling the most indecisive he’d ever felt. He wanted to see Bess, but he didn’t want to intrude. So there he stood for several minutes, a raging internal battle leaving him almost paralyzed. It wasn’t like him at all.
The knock on the door made him all but jump out of his skin.
“Hi,” Bess said as the door opened. “I hope you don’t mind but I had a few questions.” She walked right in, not bothering to wait for an invitation.
“Uh, sure,” Ethan replied, closing the door behind her and following Bess into his living room.
“Do you know anything about the owners of the house, before you, that is?”
“Not really,” Ethan shook his head. “All I know is what I’ve already told you, that the original house was built in the 17th century and that it’s been added on and remodeled and renovated multiple times throughout the years.”
“Hmmm,” Bess frowned.
“Why?” Ethan asked.
Bess decided it would sound too ridiculous to tell him about what she’d experienced. She wasn’t even sure what it was and she didn’t know Ethan well enough to share anything. Besides, she’d told herself repeatedly as she’d walked to his house, it may have been nothing at all.
“I saw the bedroom with all the antiques and was curious,” she explained.
“Oh, yeah!” Ethan nodded. “Some of those pieces are really old. Most of them were already in the house when I bought it so I have no information on them. At some point, I need to have a professional come and appraise them and tell me more about them.”
Bess was much calmer and feeling slightly silly at her fearful response to a little draft. She felt her body relax as she fell into the recliner.
“I was just thinking that I should probably grab some dinner. Have you eaten?” Ethan jumped at the opportunity presented to him.
Bess shook her head.
“With the exception of your doctor’s appointments, have you been out of the house?”
Again, Bess shook her head.
“Well, let’s fix that,” Ethan smiled eagerly. “How about I take you to dinner?”
At that exact moment, Bess’s stomach growled, making them both laugh.
“Sure,” she agreed. “Just as long as it isn’t the diner.”
Ethan chuckled. “I can assure you that we won’t be going to a diner.”
“Good!” Bess grinned. “I don’t think I want to eat there ever again.”
“We have plenty of other options here in the bustling city of Port Lincoln. I believe we have as many as five other choices.”
Bess laughed, the unnerving experience of just a few minutes earlier long gone. Going to Ethan’s house had done just as she’d hoped – set her mind at ease.
As they drove down the highway a few short miles, Bess’s mind drifted back to when she was in the hospital and the calming influence Dr. James had on her even when she didn’t know him. He had a calm and trusting voice… a voice that soothed her soul as its rich melodic rhythms washed over her. Even now, every time he spoke, a feeling of tranquility soothed her.
If only things were different, she thought as she gazed out the window at the dunes and rocks, and the tall grasses that were swaying gently in the cool evening breeze. If she didn’t come with so much baggage, maybe…
Ethan pulled into a parking lot and turned off the car. There was no more time to daydream, and there was certainly no point anyway.
*****
Struggling to find sleep, Ethan finally gave up and threw the blanket off him. He wrapped himself in his bathrobe and slipped his feet into slippers, then wandered downstairs and made himself a cup of tea.
He’d enjoyed himself at dinner. Actually, he’d enjoyed having dinner with Bess. She was the reason he’d had such a good time. The food had been edible – nothing like they’d get if they drove to Boston or Providence. But it wasn’t the food that had made the evening so enjoyable. No, it was her.
It had been a long time since he’d felt any kind of interest in a woman. He’d been focused on his career and becoming the best physician he could in order to help his patients. It was his true calling to be a healer of the weak and ill. He’d had no time to date and no interest anyway.
But, Bess. Elizabeth Williams had captured his attention from the moment he saw her in the Emergency Department. Yes, it was a physical attraction initially. After all, she was young and beautiful, more beautiful than he’d ever seen. There was also a vulnerability that he recognized and his protective instinct kicked into overdrive. Then, the more he learned about her and the life she’d had, the more he wanted to care for her and use all of his ability to heal her… all of her. It was a strange feeling to be so mesmerized by a woman he really didn’t know at all. Yet here he was – completely smitten.
As Ethan stared out of the large window at the dark ocean, he heard the waves crashing against the jagged rocks below the cliff. So used to the sound, he barely heard it anymore - always there in the background… the soundtrack to his existence. He listened intently as the gulls cawed overhead and the crickets chirped in the tall grass. And then he wondered if Bess was listening to those same sounds and the idea that they were sharing a
moment calmed him enough that he padded back upstairs and back to bed.
*****
The porch swing rocked gently as Bess huddled under a blanket with her feet curled under her leaning on the wooden arm. It was difficult, almost painful, the way her emotions were bouncing around almost making her dizzy. She’d felt so completely hopeless and yet now, as she recalled dinner with Ethan, a smile lit up her face. He’d been such a gentleman and she’d loved the ease with which they chatted all through dinner, never straining to make conversation, never an uncomfortable moment of silence. And then as he’d pulled her into a warm embrace and said goodnight when he’d walked her to her door, she felt a burning desire to be held by another human being… to feel the connection to another soul. She’d been alone for so long, and lonely for even longer, the contact was so welcomed she’d had to hide the tears that were forming, afraid of becoming too emotional and scaring poor Ethan into running away as fast as his feet could carry him.
He was warm and solid and his arms around her had made her feel alive after just surviving for so long. And now, sitting in his porch swing, outside his house that he’d allowed her to live in, listening to the waves crash below her and the crickets chirping their night song, there was a hope that she desperately tried to bury deep within her, afraid to allow herself to feel it so as to not be hurt again. But it was there nonetheless.
5.
Captain Andrew Wentworth stood on the bow of his ship, The Mighty Elizabeth, and peered through his naval telescope, hoping to see land even though he knew America was at least another day’s sailing. He was desperate to see his fiancée and marry her before her father had cause to delay… again.
It had been three years – three long years – since he’d seen his Elizabeth, and they’d already been engaged for three years when her father took her across the ocean to the city of Boston in America. For six incredibly lengthy years Andrew had waited to make Elizabeth his wife. He’d loved her since they were children and had always known that she would one day be his wife, and that day was finally within reach.
Her father, Governor William Sherton, had not approved of the match. After all, his daughter was a well-bred gentleman’s daughter. And Andrew? Well, he was nothing more than an insignificant member of His Majesty’s Royal Navy. For all he knew, Andrew did nothing more than scrub the decks while at sea. No. His daughter could, and would, do better.
But Andrew had not given up and had promised his beloved’s father that he would prove himself worthy of the fair Elizabeth. They had secretly become engaged and Elizabeth had given him her purity the night before he’d set sail for far-off lands. They were determined to be together. And finally it was time. Captain Wentworth had indeed made his fortune and now commanded his own ship, which he had christened The Mighty Elizabeth, in honor of his love, and in just hours he would be with her again.
He tossed and turned in the comfort of his large bed in the captain’s quarters. He was too excited to sleep… too anxious to demand the hand of his beloved from her father, knowing full-well that he was not a preferred suitor. Finally, in the early hours of the morning, sleep came and he dreamed of being with his love and carrying her onto his ship where they would return to England and the estate he had purchased for them to raise their family and live a quiet and happy life together.
The wind howled and the waves washed over the deck of The Mighty Elizabeth. Deck hands scrambled to keep the sails high and taut, while other members of the crew double and triple checked the ropes securing cargo and cannons. Captain Wentworth searched for land through his spy glass, unable to make out anything in the darkness. The storm continued without any indication of easing as the sun began to rise behind them. Andrew had already lost two men to the angry ocean and had instructed the crew to tie ropes around their waists, hoping that if they were washed overboard, a rescue would be imminent.
But the wind was unkind on that early October morning, forcing the ship off course and unable to steer. It would take the Elizabeth wherever it wanted, and into the protection of the bay was impossible with the gusts forcing them further and further north until there was no option but to abandon ship before the rocks smashed the ship to pieces.
Andrew refused to leave his post, standing squarely at the bow, hoping and praying he would make it to his love… hoping and praying they would be reunited.
6.
“Everything looks good,” Dr. Ryder surmised as he reviewed Bess’s latest test results. “I am really very pleased with your recovery.”
The incisions had healed and her nausea finally gone for good. Bess was relieved and grateful for the care that she had received from Ethan and Dr. Ryder. If she believed in fate, she might just have thought that her arriving in Port Lincoln was destined. But Bess didn’t believe in such frivolity. If life had taught her anything, it was that bad stuff happened to good people and there was not a damn thing anyone could do about it. Fate, destiny… it was all a load of shit in her opinion. However, she was glad that if she was going to faint, she’d done it in Port Lincoln.
“Your restrictions have been officially lifted,” Dr. Ryder smiled. “You are free to carry on with life as normal, although I don’t think weight lifting or skiing should be in the near future,” he chuckled. “But grocery shopping, light housework, short workouts should be just fine.”
“So I can look for a job then?”
“Yes. But once again, no heavy lifting, okay?”
Bess nodded and was eager to find some work to replenish her meager savings. Miraculously, she still had a few dollars left, only because Regina showed up regularly with prepared meals, and Ethan arrived with a trunk full of groceries every few days. She’d told him to stop, that she couldn’t eat that much, but he insisted he was just taking care of his patient.
She hadn’t driven her car since Ethan had brought it to the house. If she did leave the house, she went with Ethan in his car. Bess liked the way he opened the door for her and offered his hand to assist her getting out of the car when they arrived at their destination. A real gentleman.
Dr. Ryder handed her another bottle of pills – a month’s supply – and then she’d be back for another appointment, hopefully with more good news.
Ethan rose to his feet as Bess entered the waiting room of the doctor’s office. “How’d it go?” he asked.
“Good,” Bess smiled. “He said everything looks good.”
“Well that’s fabulous news. We should celebrate tonight. Dinner?”
Her heart fluttered and she felt her cheeks warm. How she wished he didn’t have this kind of effect on her. How she wished she was the sort of girl that could fall in love with a handsome doctor… and that he’d fall in love with her. But Bess knew better, despite her heart begging her to take a chance. Men like Ethan James didn’t fall for girls like Elizabeth Williams. She was considered white trash. She’d heard it before, many, many times.
“I have to start looking for a job today. My activity restrictions have been lifted, so it’s time to make some money so I can pay you rent.”
“Bess,” he stepped forward as he spoke her name. “There is no need for you to worry about that. I told you that you are doing me a big favor by living there.”
“It’s not right that I should mooch off you,” Bess frowned.
“You are not mooching. But I do understand if you’d like to fill your day with something productive. Idle hands and all,” he winked. “But you can still have dinner with me, right?”
“Sure,” she replied, attempting to stifle that feeling of longing for love deep in her core.
*****
Patient after patient was shuffled through the ER as Dr. James worked quickly. He didn’t want anything to delay his date with Bess later that evening. Fortunately, there was nothing more serious than a broken arm and two seniors from the local retirement home with an STD. At precisely 6pm he left the ER in the capable hands of Dr. Weller and Ethan headed home to quickly shower and dress before he went to get Bess
at seven.
As he stood in the bathroom, a damp towel wrapped around his hips, the foggy mirror in front of him, Ethan knew he was in deep. As he saw his big goofy grin appear before him, he shook his head in surrender. He was falling for Bess and he didn’t mind one bit. In fact, the idea made him feel happy and hopeful for the future. There had been days when he’d wondered if he’d ever find someone in the sleepy old town of Port Lincoln. He might not have to wonder much longer.
Seeing Bess when she opened the front door after he’d knocked didn’t help either. She was dressed in a denim skirt that stopped just above her knees, a pale yellow t-shirt, and a colorful cardigan. She looked adorable.
“Love the sweater,” he said as she stepped onto the porch.
“Thanks,” she smiled. “I found it a couple of years ago at a little second-hand store. I fell in love with it and it was cheap, so a win-win.”
“The blue matches your eyes.”
Bess lowered her lashes and her cheeks pinked. Ethan had noticed that she didn’t take compliments well. He wondered if there was anything to it. He didn’t know much about her history – she didn’t like to talk about her past – other than what Regina had told him. He vowed to continue telling her how beautiful she was, both on the outside and the inside. He knew enough to know she was indeed a kind and decent woman… one he wanted to know much better.
“Where are we going?” Bess asked, pulling him from his thoughts.
“I thought we’d go try this Indian place I’ve heard about. It’s about twenty minutes down the highway.”
“I’ve never had Indian food,” Bess looked up at Ethan with hesitation.
“Me either. Wanna try something new together?” His grin was encouraging.
“Why not?” Bess shrugged. “It’ll be an adventure.”