“08 December, 1814.” She turned to the next page and the next and the one after that. All were blank. “Do you think today is December eighth?”
“No, I think today is the ninth, or later. I had planned to prepare for Grainne’s visit yesterday. I even dismissed the crew so we could be alone. Then the two of us sailed away for a day or two coming back on 11 December.
“The day before you were cursed.”
“Precisely,” he agreed. “If I’m right, you won’t see folk in modern clothing when we dock, and we’ll have a visit from my brother on 12 December.
“Luc, I need to know.” Worry lines formed on Grace’s brow. “What happened to Grainne after you returned from sailing with her?”
He did not want to say, and he could not meet Grace’s gaze.
She grasped his chin and forced him to look at her. “Whatever it is, I’ll understand. When you were with Grainne, you and I had not met.”
He sucked in a deep breath. “Right. I had proposed to her before we docked. After we tied up, she went to New Orleans to get the things she’d left at her hotel and promised to return within three days.”
“Did she?” Grace asked her tone gentle and solemn.
“You know she did. You dreamed about that night when Mawu found us in bed together.”
“Yes, that’s what I dreamt. It’s also what you wrote about in the logbook.”
“What if Grainne is still in New Orleans?” Given the vanishing valise, the conflicts and paradoxes of that chilled him to the bone.
“I don’t think she is,” Grace said.
“Why not?”
“Because she would be here with you aboard theOnly Love, not me.”
He put his arms around his beloved. “Then what happened to her?”
Grace leaned against him. “You are kind to wonder, but then I intend to marry a kind man.”
“Not the type of man who might be relieved that a woman he once love vanished from existence.” He hugged her close.
“Definitely not. We will have to wait for more information to find out what happened to Grainne.” Grace said.
“If she lives, I don’t want to hurt her in any way.”
“Nor do I, Luc my love, but we may not be able to influence how she feels when she learns about us. If she lives, that is.”
“Agreed. One thing remains that I don’t understand,” Luc said.
“What is that?”
“Let’s go back on deck to talk. I want to watch the wind to be certain the sails are set properly.
“Okay.” She preceded him up the ladder then waited while he examined the set of the sails.
He joined her at the rail. The islands were closer now, he could actually tell they were green and the sea channels between them were more visible.
“You were about to tell me the one thing you don’t understand,” Grace prompted.
“The curse seems to be broken, but I don’t think the conditions were met.”
“You mean you didn’t earn the love of a heartless woman?”
“I earned your love, but you are far from heartless.”
