It was that stout man from the ship. The one with the very bad English. He was looking rather sheepish. Hannah could tell that he did not want to have to talk to her or make her do something that she did not want to do.
Again, he spoke, "Señora, por favor, please I tie ya a han and blin folde ya gain."
He repeated the exact words, just as before.
Hannah responded, "No point in asking any questions you will just plead ignorant and be non-responsive."
"No anglish Señora."
"Yeah, yeah." Hannah sighed. Her only hope was that the man at that dusty, smokey office promised no harm would come to her. She had to believe that to be true.
He tied her up and blindfolded her and gagged her once again. Hannah felt nervous. What were they going to do with her and who were 'they'?
She could feel that she was in a carriage. The horses neighed and snorted as they cantered down the cobblestones. Hannah heard lots of sounds of life, street vendors calling out about their wares. People shopping. Negotiating prices. Bartering and haggling. Shouting back and forth to each other trying to get the best price and profit at the same time. Then she heard nothing but hooves beating on the ground beneath her. They were moving quickly. The cobbles turned into dirt. The driver pushing the horses faster and faster. It felt like they were on some sort of deadline?
Slowing and finally stopping she heard voices. All in Spanish unfortunately. They were muttering to each other in low tones. Someone took her by the arm. Fear gripped her again. Her face contorted in anguish of the fate that was before her. She could hear the sea. The waves crashing against rock. That sound was distinguishable. Unmistakable. She heard it so often for so long. Someone lifted her up and put her in something that creaked and squeaked. Then that distinct feeling of lifting off the ground. Then silence. Gliding through the air. Not a sound. The sun was warm on her. They travelled, what seemed to her, a great distance. All of a sudden someone was removing wrist restraints. Then her gag and finally her blind fold. She looked around her realizing she was in the basket of a hot air balloon for the second time in her life.
There standing right in front of her was Henry! Henry her butler? What was he doing there?
"What in heaven and earth are you doing here?" Hannah shouted. "You have arranged to kidnap me?" Her mind was racing. After all the time together and how good they had been to Henry he was kidnapping her? This was impossible.
Henry smiled broadly, for all would be revealed in due course. Very shortly as a matter of fact.
"Mrs. Talbot, please forgive all this covertness. You will understand all in a few more minutes."
Before Hannah could speak he directed her with his hand on her back and his other hand directing her line of vision.
She turned still astonished that she had Henry beside her all this time without knowing it. She saw the very rock mass that the ship had attached itself to and they were quickly arriving at the cove. Why was she back here again? Why did they bring her here? Her brow deeply furrowed.
The pilot opened the vents in the top of the balloon and they began their descent. As they rounded the curve of the rock mass to expose the cove and for the second time in her life she arrived safely there.
Her eyes widened to their fullest - for there stood the most beautiful house Hannah had ever seen.
It was made of timbers with a veranda with rocking chairs on it. All painted in white with a tiled roof. Beautiful etched glass windows. Even in the front doors. Beautiful columns to enhance the front veranda. It was magnificent. How did it get there? Hannah felt that she had to rub her eyes. Everything was the same as they left it but now there stood a house. She blinked several times and she was at this point smiling.
As they drew closer, there, in front of the house, in all his glory and splendor stood -
Talbot
He wore white linen pants and a gauze shirt loose, with only the lower bottom fastened. His chest exposed. The breeze blowing open the upper part of his shirt. He was tanned and healthy looking. Standing there with his hands in his pockets. Smiling a shy and impish smile like a boy who had been caught at something naughty.
Hannah could not believe her eyes. Tears sprang forth and were flowing freely now. How could all of this be happening? Henry was beaming. He had his arm around her shoulder to steady her from the shock of it all. Her missing husband standing in "their" cove, in front of a house that a few moments ago did not exist for Hannah. Questions were shooting through her mind. They all needed to be answered.
The balloon descended right onto the beach where the first rescuers had landed before to take them back to civilization. Hannah felt melancholy. All the memories of their time on the island and her deep devotion and love for Talbot came flooding back to her.
When the basket touched ground Talbot was there lifting her out of the basket like a child. Immediately spinning her around and around as he kissed her face and her lips.
By the time he put her on her feet she turned around and they were alone. Just the two of them again on this beach, in this cove, in the middle of the sea. But this time it seemed that their being there, and being together, was by choice. No choice on her part for the most part. But choice on his part.
"Oh my love. It does my heart good to see you and hold you again." He started. Saying the words between kisses. "Please forgive me for all the sub rosa on my part. I had no other choice. You are far too intelligent for me to have planned and worked all of this while we were together. Please forgive me for disappearing as I did."
"What has happened?" Hannah was smiling. She could not be upset about anything now that she was once again in his arms.
"I will explain everything. First I want to present you with your wedding gift from me. This is your house, our house. I had this house built for us. Us alone."
"Oh, Talbot, its beautiful." Hannah's hands flew up to cover her mouth, she was overwhelmed. It was all so much to take in all of a sudden, but still kissed him with gratitude. "How did you do it?"
"I used as much as I could from the island. Look I used all the goods in the trunks and the trunks themselves as part of the house in honor and respect to those who were lost that fateful night."
"Oh my! That is lovely!" He knew that would touch her. Her head still spinning.
"It took me all these months to surprise you. I did not know any other way to do it. So I swore Henry to secrecy to help me to accomplish this for you and surprise you with it. I hope you can forgive me."
"What's to forgive?" Hannah was beaming. With her hands covering her mouth, she was shaking her head in disbelief over all of it. Everything that he was saying was unbelievable.
Talbot so excited about it all that he could hardly breathe explaining it all to Hannah. "I was there. In your bedroom. Taking you in the night. I took your clothes and made them put them in the hotel room so that you had your own clothing to wear to be more comfortable. I left a letter for Henry explaining everything. He knew that you were safe and he worked at his end to make arrangements there. It was I that carried you to the boat that brought you to Cuba. I made sure that you were well taken care of and made as comfortable as possible. Then I was in the office behind the wall watching you to make sure that you were not too distressed. When they put you in the hotel I came back here to prepare everything for you."
"What an elaborate plan!" Hannah exclaimed. "I can't believe what I am seeing and hearing." Then, "You did all this for me?"
"The man that you spoke to Señor Sombra, sent me the telegram the day after our wedding and informed me that he would accept my offer to build the house on the island but I had to come right away or lose the chance. His men constructed the house for us."
Talbot was still holding her. He looked down at her and smiled.
She pulled his lips down to hers and kissed him with gratitude for this most stupendous gift. The gift of gifts.
"I want this to be our private retreat. To come here whenever we wish, by choice and have a beautiful house to stay in. I even pumped fresh water to the house for you to bathe in and to drink and cook with. Well, me to cook with." They laughed remembering that Hannah didn't cook.
"It seems you thought of everything." Hannah was in awe of him. He was so capable. So strong. So willing and eager to please her. She was drunk in his aura. Her head was spinning. She was feeling regretful for all the bad thoughts that she had of him when he left. All these feelings were flooding over her. Back where they started, together again, new house, everything turning out for the best, her dream coming true. It was overwhelming for her.
He was behaving like a little boy that just built a treehouse.
He led her to the veranda and sat her down on one of the rocking chairs, that he himself created. She ran her hands up and down the arms, several times, with amazement on her face and started rocking with a smile. Of course the front of the house faced out to the cove and the sea beyond. What a beautiful view.