To Parts Unknown
Page 31
“Gregory, I can’t do that,” she said softly. “You’re a wonderful person and a sweet man, attractive and strong. There are many women who would do anything to share your life.”
He looked at her sadly and nodded. “And as you’ve already told me, you’re not one of them.”
“Not as a lover but as an eternal friend,” she said. “You’ll always have a piece of my heart, Gregory. And you know that.”
“What do I tell your father?”
“Tell him I’ll be home someday,” she said. “But for now, I’ll go where the wind takes me.”
She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Take care, Gregory. You’re a good man.”
He nodded his goodbyes, then turned and walked away, the heels of his shoes thumping loudly on the wooden dock. We watched as he slowly disappeared.
I felt sorry for him. He had spent his whole life loving her, but he had actually been losing her. Day by day, week by week, year by year she had drifted away, slipping farther from his grasp. Now she was gone.
Thomas turned to me. "Will you come with us?"
I flirted with the idea. But unlike Lady Jane, I hadn't inherited wealth, and unlike Thomas, I didn't steal it. I had to earn it. It would break my heart, anyway, watching her with Thomas, seeing her smile and live and love. It was already too painful.
“No, I can't," I replied. "I have my writing and..."
"To hell with your writing, George," Thomas said. "Come with us. I’ll teach you how to be a spy.”
I smiled. “And a smuggler and a bank robber.”
“It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “Come on. We'll explore the Southern seas."
"Yes, George, please come with us," Lady Jane said. Their offer was enticing. It would be interesting, traveling to parts unknown. But my own future was even more exciting. I had changed from the heartbroken, emotional wreck that tiptoed into Singapore, hiding from Maggie, having no idea what waited. I was stronger, more confident, and more mature. Conquering disasters make you grow as a person, and I had certainly endured my share. The world offered unlimited opportunities. I wanted to enjoy them. And I could. Maggie’s shadow was still with me, but it no longer consumed me.
"As much as I'd like to, I must decline," I told him. "There are territories I want to explore, also. But they lie in a different direction. I want to go back to London."
I looked at them, standing side by side, studying me curiously. I owed them both. They had rescued me. They had picked up the pieces and made a man.
"Then good luck to you," Thomas said. He grasped my hand and shook it firmly.
"I'll never forget you," I said.
He smiled confidently. "We'll meet again. The world is smaller than it seems."
“Perhaps you’re right,” I admitted, even though I knew it was unlikely.
"Goodbye, George," Lady Jane said. She leaned over the side of the ship and kissed me on the lips.
"I’ll miss you," I said, my heart broken.
"I know," she said softly.
I stared at her for a moment. I wanted to capture her image, the upturned nose and the smile that lit the globe, all framed by the golden mane blowing in the breeze.
"Take care of yourself," she added.
I loved her, and she knew it. But I couldn't hold on to something I’d never really had. I let her go.
And so I turned and walked down the weathered dock, tracing the empty, hollow footsteps of Sir Gregory Millburne. I knew just how he felt. But he had known there was little hope. I hadn’t. The kiss and lingering embrace on the island had meant so much to me. It meant stepping from the past and into the future and tearing down the wall that Maggie had built. But it hadn’t meant anything to Lady Jane.
I had walked about a hundred feet when I heard footsteps, someone running down the wharf. I turned to find Lady Jane standing behind me, out of breath. She was carrying her bag.
I stared at her, dumbfounded and confused.
“Will I ever get used to London after living in India?” she asked.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “What about Thomas?”
“Thomas? Oh, George, you are so silly. Thomas is my friend. And he always will be. It’s nothing more than that.”
“But I thought you wanted to be with him,” I said. “And that he wanted to be with you.”
She smiled, shaking her head. “George, all Thomas ever did was continuously tell me that you were the perfect man for me.”
I was shocked. I thought he was my adversary, battling for her affection. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. I looked to the end of the dock. The boat was starting to pull away. Thomas stood on the stern, watching. When he saw me looking, he waved.
I waved back, smiling. What if I never saw him again? There were so many things I had left unsaid, words he needed to hear. My eyes started to mist, but then I realized that I was easy to find. He could contact me at theLondon Times, and I was sure he would.
I watched as the boat sped away and he slowly vanished from sight. I knew I would never meet another man like him: spy, killer, smuggler, thief, and the best friend I could ever ask for. It was quite a combination.
I turned and started walking down the dock. Lady Jane put her arm through mine and snuggled up against me, kissing me lightly on the cheek. I looked at the dawn, the sun rising in the sky, splashing colors of the rainbow across the horizon, and for a brief instant I saw Maggie, shimmering in the clouds as her image washed across the heavens. She was waving goodbye.
The End
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