Ah, she understood. Many of the townspeople did not appear rich.
“Daria, are you not lonely after your father’s passing? I do worry about you.”
“There’s nothing to worry about. I like it here.”
“Still…”
She put down her drink. “What you might not realize is Father stayed up all night. When I was very little, I would stay up to be with him, but as I got older, I liked the sun too much, and even when he was awake, he had a million things to tend to. Our time together each day was short, if nonexistent most days, so silence and being alone are truly what I know.”
He had a sad expression, but she couldn’t tell if it was because he didn’t believe her or because he found itto be such a sad upbringing.
“Truly, I tell you I’m fi—” The word “fine” dropped faster than her heart at the sight of her white-haired mermaid, and she knew her shock was not subtle for Mr. Wilson leapt to his feet, crying, “Miss Daria! What’s wrong?”
CHAPTER 47
“My God! You’ve gone so pale. What is it? Are you ill? Is it the wine? I—” His hands hovered over her this way and that—yet without actually touching her—as if he couldn’t figure out what to do.
“No, no, Mr. Wilson, I swear I’m fine. I just thought I saw something in the water.”
She regretted it as soon as she heard the words aloud. Idiot! She should be directing his attentionawayfrom the water, not towards it. If anything, she should have pretendedtofaint.
But she didn’t want to do that. If she pretended to be helpless—and worse, if people started believing it—she might not be able to run the lighthouse. A frail, sickly girl with fainting spells could hardly stay alone on an island after all, and she sure as hell wasn’t capable enough to save men from sea.
“What was it?”
She tried to think of some reason—anything—that could explain such a reaction, but even a boat wouldn’t unless it was sinking and it would be way too hard to think you imagined a whole ship. “It was just a trick of the light I’m sure.” She gestured to the open sea, a bit to the left of where he had been. “As you can see,” she said, loudly in case idiotic mermaids were loitering, “nothing’s there.”
His eyes followed her hand and he seemed to guess it had to be a man for such a reaction from someone who rescued others for a living. “Well, it could always be a log,” he started, and her body relaxed only to quickly tense again as he leaned close, hand cupping toward her over his mouth as if he were sharing a secret. “But I’ve heard mermaids swim these waters.”
CHAPTER 48
She laughed a bit too loudly. It was the only thing that told her her heart hadn’t fully stopped. “Mermaids?” she repeated, a bit too incredulously. There was no way he could be serious.
But he nodded, as serious as could be. “Yes, mermaids.”
“Aren’t they just a myth?”Surely, no grown man could believe in such a thing, right?her heart begged. But would it really be so unbelievable since they were, in fact,real?
Oh Lord, it was suddenly so hot and it felt difficult to breathe, like something was crushing her chest. But she fought it off as she scanned the water.
She didn’t see Kalliasnow, but she was sure she hadn’t imagined it. He probably couldn’t stand the idea of her with another man and so he thought he would spy. But what ifMr. Wilsonhad been the one to see him and not her? What then, Kallias?
“I’m not sure,” Mr. Wilson said, and she was so flustered she forgot what she had even asked. “My mother certainly didn’t think they were a myth. She was obsessed with them. She swore she’d seen them.” Then as if realizing what he’d said, he quickly started stammering, “She was a smart woman, of totally sound mind, I promise you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t consider it. But she grew up on the coast and she swore she’d seen them. Creatures of intense beauty and strength, like angels come to life.”
Well, that sounded a lot like Kallias all right.
“And what were they like?” If the woman reallyhadseen them, well, it certainly didn’t hurt to learn more. What if they were succubi and incubi and she had merely fallen into a trap?
“She said she had heard one sing once. A beautiful sound thatwas hard to describe, like waves and heaven all in one.” He looked sheepish. “Her words, not mine. And she said they were smart. She’d leave out puzzles she’d make with food in them to see if they could solve them. Apparently, they always did.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Goodness, Daria, I don’t know what’s come over me. I thought I’d take these memories to the grave, crazy as they sound.”
“It’s okay,” she said. She dare not say they weren’t crazy—though she wanted to—because that would then leave the question of why any sane person would say so. He’d press her; he’d assume with her living on the coast like his mother that she had seen them too.
“And did she ever get near one? Animals steal food all the time.”
He shrugged. “I know. Squirrels can get through seemingly everything I throw at them. And the mice! Bah!”
She laughed at that. Yes, thank God they’d always managed to kill any rodents as soon as they got them on the island. She did not want to be living with mice.
“She swore she’d seen some. She said women mostly, with beauty to rival Aphrodite herself.” He paused. “Daria, forgive me. I know you’re kind, but I also know how ridiculous this sounds. That’s why I’ve never shared it with a living soul before. But you’re taking it so well. Have you…have you seen them too?”
