The Reverend's Daughter (Book 2 after The Duke's Daughter)

Chapter Seventeen

"Marcus", Katherine breathed. Before she could rise to greet him, he placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping her there.

He squatted down next to her and kissed her cheek, just as close to her soft lips as he could. They looked deeply into one another's eyes for a moment, asking the silent questions. How have you faired? Do you still love me? And it was there in their eyes, both of them conveying to one another, as fine as I could be without you. They shared a bittersweet smile, feasting their eyes upon one another for a moment, before the outside world intruded.

"Marcus!" Chauncey rose and wanted to greet his friend.

Betsy tried to see this man, whom Violet had told her had been as a father to him, yet she could not see him through Katherine's head. And she had barely gotten a glimpse of him before he dropped down.

"Give me but a moment, stay here, and I shall return to you forthwith." Marcus spoke softly to the woman that he loved.

She nodded twice quickly, then watched him rise and turn to Chauncey.

Drat! Betsy thought, as he turned away and she still could not see his face. She turned to watch Violet making his way out in the water behind the pastor.

"Chauncey, old man, come along with me, I brought a gift for you." Marcus held Chauncey's arm gently, as Chauncey minced along beside him, grinning in anticipation. Marcus led Chauncey, heading to his steed that he had vaulted from moments before, which grazed on the grass that lined the top of the beach.

"A gift, for me? I jus' loves me a present!" Chauncey was very animated and joyous, he was being singled out, and Marcus always brought such good presents.

They approached Marcus' steed, Marcus opened his finely made leather saddlebag, a previous birthday gift from Katherine, withdrawing a small wooden box. He handed it to Chauncey and waited, smiling at the weathered seaman.

"Ach, well, 'tis a fine box Marcus, I has a use for it, aye, I do. I's kin keeps wee things I may be loosin' otherwise in it," Chauncey nodded, holding it up close to his face, to better appreciate the fine wood and workmanship.

"Open it Chauncey," Marcus laughed with pleasure, as he realised Chauncey thought the box was the gift. "You slide the top out, would you like me to show you?"

"I thinks ye better." Chauncey held it out a small ways, Marcus did not take it, but he put his hand around it and slid the top back a wee bit with his thumb.

Chauncey's eyes widened and he snatched it back to slide the top all the way open. He pulled a small piece of velvet out and there were a pair of spectacles laying on a bed of more of the soft material. He looked up at Marcus, his eyes wide, trying to focus, as Marcus was an arm's length away.

"Try them on Chaunce." Marcus encouraged him.

Chauncey took them reverently out of the bed of velvet, Marcus taking the box and the scraps of material, so Chauncey could try them on.

Chauncey placed them on his nose and wrapped the side pieces over his ears. He looked at Marcus and grinned. "Why Marcus, ye be better lookin' thans I thought ye be!"

Marcus laughed with pleasure as Chauncey started looking all around him, his eyes huge, and full of wonder at his restored sight.

Chauncey could see all, he could see Marcus and his horse clearly, he could see the boys running around on the beach. He could see Katherine and Miss Elizabeth, turned around on the shore, looking at him and Marcus, and he could actually see that they were smiling at him. He smiled back at them as happy tears came to his eyes. "Aye, Marcus, 'tis the best present I's ever received!" Chauncey was smiling, oh so widely, as tears coursed their way down his cheeks. This upset him a bit as it clouded his vision once more. He very carefully removed the specs, before wiping his face free of tears, rubbing his eyes with his fist, and wiping his nose on his sleeve.