Through the Darkness: Of Love and Loss Series Book One

19

"Excuse me," he said with a rueful shake of his head, "I believe we've met before... but your name escapes me at the moment."

"Daphne," She replied with a cheery smile, descending five of the steps. "We met during your stay at Walter Reed."

He grinned, relieved, and took a step closer. "Ah, yes, Daphne." Hoping she'd be able to sort out the matter, he held out the creased envelope. "Am I in the right place? I'm looking for Pegleg."

The smile suddenly slipped from her face, and her eyes widened in alarm. "Pegleg?"

He straightened and frowned. "Yes."

Daphne swallowed convulsively and covered her mouth, then she folded both arms under her bosom. "Oh, dear."

Muttering a curse that had him biting back a smile, Daphne took a deep breath and tapped a finger against her chin. Suddenly, her eyes narrowed with a shrewd light, and she met his gaze.

A moment later, she sighed. "I do apologize; I'm glad to see you again," She licked her lips and squared her shoulders, "but might I enquire why you're here?"

His mouth opened and closed several times without making a sound. The answer should have been obvious, shouldn't it?

Everett stepped closer and stated, "To... see Pegleg-er, Elyria."

"Yes, I gathered that much," she said with a look of exasperation, "but I don't believe you understand what I'm asking. Why are you here?"

Was he speaking in tongues? "Why?"

Daphne let out a long-suffering sigh, motioned for him to follow her, turned, and went back up the steps. "Come inside. We need to talk."

He took a step forward, then stopped. There was something she wasn't telling him, something in her tone that put him on guard. "Why?"

She froze, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "You're beginning to sound like a three-year-old. I know you have more words in your vocabulary other than 'why,' Captain. Please use them."

This had not gone according to plan at all. Had he misunderstood or perhaps read too much into Elyria's letters?

His feet refused to budge, and his heart sank at a sudden realization. But somehow, he managed to force the words out and braced himself for what he would hear in reply when he asked, "Did Pegleg send you out here because she doesn't want to see me?"

Turning to scowl at him, Daphne said in disapproval, "What on earth gave you that impression?"

He lifted his shoulders in a helpless shrug. "You won't give me a straight answer."

"Perhaps you'll recall a moment, mere seconds ago, when I asked you to come inside so we may talk?"

Everett frowned. "Why won't you tell me if Elyria's here?"

"This is going nowhere." Daphne turned, folding her arms across her chest, and leveled a pointed stare his way. "Very well. Tell me something, Captain."

He held her gaze and waited.

"Why did you put the ad in the paper looking for her?"

"The ad?"

Daphne let out a long-suffering sigh. "All this repetition, I'm beginning to believe you're half parrot."

"Because," he answered slowly, "I wanted to thank her for her care."

Daphne studied him, her gaze narrowed as though weighing his answer and determining if it rang true. "And after her first reply... I seem to recall you expressing your gratitude. Why not end the correspondence there? After all, you'd done what you'd set out to do."

Everett shook his head and stared down at his booted feet. "What are you really asking, hmmm?" When she didn't answer, he met her gaze and leveled a heated glare her way. "Why this interrogation?"

Her lips curled in a smirk, "First things first, Captain Rattlesnake. I had an older brother... every bit as intimidating as you at your worst. So you do not scare me."

That much was obvious, he grumbled to himself. "Your point, madame, if you please. "

She lowered her arms, linking her fingers at her waist, and asked, "Are you aware Elyria's blind?"

"Yes," he stated without blinking an eye. "Nurse Winters mentioned it."

Her eyebrows lifted in surprise, but her tone only hardened, and she took a more protective stance on the stoop. "And this fact doesn't alter your... fondness for her?"

"No," he growled, beyond irritated that she would even ask such a question. "Why should it?"

"Because to some people, especially men, it is an unforgivable flaw, which somehow makes her less than worthy of their affection."

He braced his feet wide and folded his arms across his chest, grinding out through clenched teeth. "I'm not one of them."

"Good," She murmured after studying him for a quiet moment. "What are your intentions?"

His eyes narrowed. "Are you asking as her friend or family?"

"I suppose," she admitted with a small smile curling her lips, "I'm asking as both."

"Very well, then." He curtly nodded and declared, "I intend to marry her if she'll have me." He met her gaze, daring her to deny him.

"I see... may I ask why?"

"You mean, is it out of some warped sense of obligation because of how we met... as you intimated earlier?"

"Perhaps," Daphne shrugged, a delicate blush staining her neck and face. "Is it?"

Everett bent his head and tried to gather his thoughts and emotions. He'd attempted several times over the past year to put his feelings for Elyria into words, hoping he might gain a better understanding of them himself. But he'd never found any that genuinely encompassed the depth of what he felt. Until now.

Meeting Daphne's expectant gaze, he said softly, "Have you ever been lost in a pitch-black room where the darkness surrounding you becomes oppressive—growing into a living, breathing thing, and despite all that you do, you can't find a way out?"

Daphne shook her head but remained silent.

"As time passes, you lose hope someone will hear your screams. So you accept the cold reality that you'll die there, alone and forgotten." He paused and swallowed a lump of emotion, suddenly making speaking difficult. "Elyria not only heard my screams but also showed me my way through the darkness. And in doing so, won my heart—battered and bruised though it might be." Tears stung his eyes as he hoarsely admitted, "I love her from the very core of my soul; I believe I have since the moment I met her."

Daphne held silent for a minute, wiping tears from her cheeks and sniffling as a watery smile creased her face. "You have my blessing, Captain."

His muscles relaxed on a sigh, and he cleared his throat before saying, "Thank you. Now, may I go inside and see her?"

"I'm afraid not."

He stared at her, "Why?"

"Because she isn't here. Elyria left two days ago to see you in Idaho."

His stomach dropped to his toes, and his heart kicked like a mule against his ribs. "She's gone to see me?"

She rolled her eyes and laughed, "Yes."

"In Idaho?"

Daphne let out a dramatic sigh and repeated, "Yes."

"But I came to see her."

"Indeed, Captain... I believe that much has been blatantly obvious from the start."