“It’s Flora, which is why I just go by Flick.” He grinned. “No circus or fair wanted to hire a strongman called Mr. Flora.”
Miranda returned the grin. “I think Miranda Flora has a nice ring to it.”
As Miranda and Flick immediately began looking at each other as if they were about to resume their kissing, even though Louisa had told them to knock that business off around Norma Jean, Ottilie returned her attention to Seth.
“While I’m more than anxious to hear all the details surrounding your sister’s adventure, and yours as well, of course, tell me this first—Are you still inventing?”
“Indeed, although truth be told, I’m rather surprised you know who I am as I don’t believe we’ve ever formally met before, although I recognized you straightaway as you’re, ah...”
“The peculiar lady who bought a supposed haunted castle that I’ve filled up with mummies and the like?”
Seth’s eyes twinkled. “I did hear about the mummies since one of them fell out of its sarcophagus when it was being delivered to your house and scared the delivery man half to death.”
“I had a difficult time finding anyone willing to deliver my goods after that, but to address your earlier statement.” Ottilie smiled. “You have quite the reputation in Chicago as well, Mr. McCormick, which is exactly why I know who you are.”
“I do?”
“Indeed. You’ve always been the object of feminine fascination on account of what ladies refer to as your dreaminess, that fascination never diminishing even though, given your preoccupation with your various inventions, everyone knew it was always going to take a very special lady to capture and hold your attention.”
Ottilie glanced to Annaliese, then back to Seth. “I may be a little biased, dear, since Annaliese is my niece, but I have a feeling she might just be that lady to actually capture and hold that attention of yours.”
Annaliese was suddenly thankful for the stiff breeze that was rolling in off the Gulf as her cheeks turned decidedly heated.
“She wastes less time than Mother,” Norma Jean muttered, earning a grin from Seth before he looked at Annaliese and his eyes went distant for the briefest of seconds. He then blinked, blinked again, and inclined his head in Ottilie’s direction.
“I’m sure you’ll actually be unsurprised to learn that Annaliese captured my attention from the moment we met.”
“Unsurprised indeed as Annaliese is an extraordinarily beautiful woman.”
“She certainly is that,” Seth agreed, which sent the heat in Annaliese’s cheeks intensifying. “However, after she was involved with a few unexpected hiccups when it came to some of my inventions—one being a boat that caught on fire, and another being a flame thrower that blew up—and she didn’t suffer so much as a hint of the vapors, I eventually came to the realization that there was something incredibly special about your niece, and something that didn’t revolve around her symmetrical face.” He turned a warm gaze on Annaliese. “In allhonesty, she’s been holding my attention for months, as well as my affections.”
The sand underneath Annaliese’s soggy button-up shoes seemed to shift, and she found herself feeling quite as if she were going to melt into a gooey, affection-soaked mess right on that particular spot—until Louisa rolled her eyes.
“Did I not tell you that you had to choose these moments carefully, dear?”
Seth’s brows drew together. “You haven’t mentioned anything about moments being chosen carefully, although I think you might have told Annaliese something about using care when deciding to share a first kiss, which seems to be a specific moment, not one of a more general nature.”
Louisa pressed a finger to her temple. “I fear all this attempted matchmaking is becoming confusing, but where are my manners?” She stepped forward and dipped into a curtsy. “I’m Mrs. McCormick, and we’ve never formally met, but you must simply call me Louisa, as I have a feeling we may soon be related.”
Ottilie smiled and dipped her head. “And you must call me Ottilie, but know that even though we haven’t met, I’ve always thought the two of us would get along swimmingly since you’re the only lady I know who checked out every book on pirates in the library, something that suggests we may very well be kindred spirits.” She turned to Norma Jean. “And you would be the youngest McCormick—Norma Jean, I presume?”
Norma Jean dipped into a curtsy. “It’s a great pleasure to meet you, Miss Merriweather. I am, indeed, Norma Jean, Seth’s little sister.”
“I have a feeling you’re not simply someone’s little sister, dear, as you have a look about you I always sported in my younger years—one that precipitates a life filled with adventures, and here you are, already on an adventure.”
“I was hoping we’d find a few pirates stranded here,” Norma Jean admitted.
“I’m afraid the pirates are long gone. It’s just me and Captain Thurgood Harvey, who was a smuggler, not a pirate, and know that he gets cranky if you confuse the two.” Ottilie smiled. “But since it seems as if all of you have met the captain, allow me to properly introduce him to Annaliese, and then I’ll have him take you to see what treasures we’ve unearthed thus far because Annaliese and I have much left to discuss.”
After Ottilie introduced Annaliese to Captain Harvey, who proclaimed right off the bat to her that, no, he’d never been a pirate, and yes, he’d show her where a lot of tarantulas could be found in the near future, Annaliese watched as everyone headed off with the captain to investigate the treasures they’d uncovered.
Ottilie turned to her after everyone disappeared from sight. “Care for a glass of wine?” she asked as she took Annaliese’s arm and pulled her into motion.
“You have wine?”
“As I believe I mentioned, that less-than-scrupulous crew has been keeping us supplied with essentials.” Ottilie shook her head. “Poor Captain Harvey was completely taken aback when his crew turned on us. But after the second mate told us about the underworld boss in Chicago, the captain didn’t view the mutiny quite as personally. He’s since decided that his former crew’s decision to maroon us instead of kill us suggests they’re not completely horrible, although they’re certainly not going to win any former employee-of-the-month awards anytime soon.”
“I’m sure, if they have yet to unbury any real treasure, they’re going to regret marooning you on an island that actually has some.”
