“Married?” he repeated, again with that slow, drawn-out nod as if he could not even begin to understand.
“I mean, not in church, but still before God. I’m not just saying that. But it’s not like I could bring a mermaid to a church and I really didn’t want people finding out about him and—”
His two hands on her upper arms stopped her. “I think we should get you to the priest. You can’t marry someone you just met, and perhaps more importantly, he’s not human. I don’t say this to discredit you, but if mermaids are real, as they apparently are, then we must consider the stories, and sirens bewitch people to their deaths. It makes sense that he bewitched you since you’re always out here alone. In fact, perhaps Mr. Runington is not as crazy as I thought—though he is still an ass—but maybe the ‘ghost’ he said he saw is in fact that creature. Either way, the priest will know what to do, and we’ll get someone to hunt that thing down. He’ll regret touching you.” Again, he brushed his finger against her cheek.
She took his hand with vengeance, realizing too late that how frantic the move was would not help her credibility here, so she just as quickly let it go. “Mr. Wilson, I’m not under some spell, I assure you. I…” It was so hard to say for it meant she had beenlyingto him for quite some time now.
She sighed. “Kallias…Kallias is the one who saved me the night of the storm. He had been trying to save the captain, but the man was already drowned, so when I fell in, he took me to shore.”
The man looked shocked at her coherence, but at least he seemed to be listening.
“The next day I thought I saw something in the water. I thought it might be a body, so I went back out and there he was. I was so startled I fell out of the boat, but he put me back in. He couldn’t speak English at first, so I acted out stories and he’s been hanging around ever since.”
Shock had turned to some kind of dumbfounded horror, but he still said nothing, so she once again continued. “I…I really am sorry I lied to you when you shared about your mother and mermaids. I felt awful for doing it, but I was so worried about anyone finding out about him and hurting him.”
“Hurtinghim?”he asked immediately. “What of your own reputation?”
“Until last night, it would have taken no damage.” She frowned. “Well, perhaps that’s not true. I suppose alone with a man is bad enough, isn’t it?” she said with a rueful huff. “But then, just you and I did that.”
“Indeed we did,” he said, looking now only sad. “Is he why you rejected me from the start?”
“He is. I’m so sorry. But if you got to know him, you would see how kind and wonderful he is. He’s so sweet and so curious and so attentive and caring.”
“He is nothuman.” His voice was soft but desperate. “Surely he must be one of those cursed creatures, cursed to move on their bellies all their lives.” He was referring to the curse on the snake in the Garden of Eden, wasn’t he? How dare he compare her darling to the devil?
“Is it your own hurt fueling those words, Mr. Wilson?” she asked. “For I do not see you cursing dolphins and they are not much different.”
“You have not married a dolphin.”
“No,” she agreed. “And that would bequite strange.”
“It’s hardly any different! He isn’t human! He merelylookslike a man!”
“And speaks like a man and cries like a man and smiles like a man and cares and hurts like a man. Why should I treat him any differently for missing legs when his heart is the same?”
“My God, Daria,” he said, rubbing his face. “How can I tell if you are possessed or in love?”
“It would be a hard task indeed. If not for the fact that I’ve loved him all along. That’s why I told you not to come. But you came anyway. You said we would be friends. Do friends not congratulate each other on their weddings?”
“Friends would likely be invited.” It was a low blow and he immediately apologized. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he said, now rubbing the back of his neck. “Will you at least see the priest with me?”
“I’ll see him, but you mustn’t say a word about Kallias. You must swear to that.”
He looked so torn.
“Mr. Wilson, a real priest would be able to tell I’m not under a spell without hearing about Kallias. But assume Kallias is just a mermaid I’ve fallen in love with. Can you imagine what the Mr. Runington’s of the world would do to him? They treat people like possessions for nothing but a difference in skin or gender. They ruin whole lives for nothing but an appearance. Can you imagine what they’d do to him? Please, Mr. Wilson, I beg you to swear to silence and to never speak of this in all your days.Please, please. I will bathe in holy water if it makes you feel better, but you mustn’t tell a soul why.”
His smile grew even sadder. “I doubt you would be willing or coherent if you were possessed,” he said. “And forgive me for being so reluctant to say it.” He pulled out a small cross necklace from behind his shirt and pressing it to his lips, asked, “May I?”
She nodded and he took if off and put it against her forehead. “Do you love him?” he asked.
“I do. Very much.”
“And you’re not possessed?”
His heart sounded like it was breaking, and she felt awful for the truth. “I am not.”
He dropped the necklace from her head and took as many steps back as the boat would allow him. “Then Miss Wains, do forgive me for interrupting such a private moment this morning.”
