The Ocean's Daughter (Sequel to Sirene)

unfamiliar words are marked with a star (*) and the meaning can be found at the end of the chapter :)

Dedicating this chapter to NatalieHunter7. Thank you so much for your votes. I truly appreciate your support on my story :)

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Chapter 11

“Elizabeth Marie Warren, what was the point of us coming to Edinburgh if you want to remain in a hotel room?” Oceana asked her friend in frustration. The two girls had arrived in the city the afternoon before and it had taken them the entire evening to settle in. The next day found them in disagreement. Oceana was itching to go sightseeing while Beth insisted they could remain indoors.

“Why don’t we see if the hotel has a library?” She suggested.

“Beth!” Oceana burst out in exasperation. “We came here to see the city, not to hide behind closed doors. You can lock yourself up in the library when you return London.While you are with me I am determiend to keep you out in the fresh air.”

“Oceana, it’s cold outside and…”

“And nothing! Bundle up and lets’ go. There is so much to see. I’m dying to visit Edinburgh Castle and walk through Old Town and climb Calton Hill. Come along, we’ve had  our breakfast so put on your coat and boots and let us be off.”

Beth grumbled as Oceana pulled her out of her seat and pushed her towards the closet with her dresses.

“It’s cold outside.” Beth tried to protest again.

“Put on a wool dress.” Oceana retorted. Beth understood that arguing was futile and slowly began searching for something to wear. Oceana could be quite merciless at times, and now was one of those times.

***

“You really want to walk up that hill…are you sure we can?” Beth was a little hesitant.

“Of course we can climb it.” Oceana confidently replied. “Come along, dearest Beth, we’ll just follow the road. I mean, if I could climb the wall of the orphan asylum, who is to stop us walking up the Calton Hill?”

Beth giggled as she remembered that summer night when Oceana had run away from the orphanage. How long ago it all seemed now. “You caused such a stir. Poor Miss Grey was sure you had evaporated straight into thin air and Miss Emily said something about you floating through the ceiling. It was the biggest commotion ever. You know, it is such a pity we did not go to the asylum while you were in London. What a shock we would have given Miss Morgan.”

“I don't think it would have been such a shock. Miss Patterson still visits the asylum, does she not? Surely they discuss me with Miss Morgan and Miss Grey and anyone else who remembers.”

“Of course Miss Patterson visits and every now and then the discussion will turn to you, but still, Miss Morgan does not expect to see you there in person.”

“I don’t know if she would appreciate seeing me, but perhaps it could be fun.” Oceana mused. The girls were so busy in their conversation they failed to notice the patch of ice on the road. All at once Beth slipped and fell to the ground, dragging Oceana with her. Oceana quickly disentagled herself from Beth and srambled to her feet. Beth was not so fast in following.

“My ankle,” she moaned. “It hurts dreadfully.”

“Uh oh.” Oceana frowned and kneeling back down, took to feeling Beth’s boot.

“I hope it’s not broken, it hurts an awful lot.” Beth whined. The ground was cold and wet and she was in great discomfort.

“I don’t think it’s broken.” Oceana tried to reassure. “But it’s hard to tell with your boot on.”

“Would ye lassies be needin’ some help?” A strong voice above them asked.

Oceana and Beth both looked up and saw a young gentleman bending over them. His piercing blue eyes looked at them with pity and concern.

“Thank you very much, but it is nothing…” Beth began but was cut off by Oceana.

“We had a misfortune and my friend seems to have hurt her ankle. I am of the opinion that it is sprained, but I am no specialist.”

“Ye are very lucky then, lass, fur I am. If ye will permit me?” He asked Beth, who only looked at him with wide eyes. The man kneeled down and removed his gloves. “I *hiner ye *wulnae *min', but I *main remove th' *bit.”

Beth blinked at him, not quite understanding what he had just told her. Oceana motioned for him to go ahead and before Beth knew it the man had unfastened the buckle and taken the boot off her foot. With skilled hands he felt her ankle then gently placed the boot back on. He looked at her with a bright smile

“It *isnae broken, only sprained, an' very lightly at that. If ye make cold compress and rest it today, tomorrow ye should able to move aroond, thocht ye might be needin' a cane as ye dinnae want to *pit *tay much pressure on it.”

Embarrassment mixed with perplexion on Beth’s face, but Oceana was very impressed.

“Thank you very much, sir. May we know the name of our savior?”

“Dr. Robert Blackwood at your service.” He stated with a smile. “An' may I *ken th' names *ay *mah damsels in distress?”

“I’m…” Oceana began but Beth grabbed her arm and dragged her down.

“Oceana, this is terribly improper. We have no one to properly introduce us.”

“Beth,” Oceana rolled her eyes. “This is not high London society, we can easily introduce oursleves.” She turned to Dr. Blackwood, who was still kneeling on the ground looking at them expectantly. “The damsel with the sprained ankle is Miss Elizabeth Warren and I am her distressed friend Miss Oceana…”

“McNeil.” Beth finished for her. She was determined not to repeat the mistakes that happened in London.

“Glad to *meit ye, ladies. Now, I would be thinkin' that Miss Warren is quite uncomfortable sittin' on th' cold *grin.”

“Oh yes, I’m sorry, the shock of the fall quite made me forget I am sitting in the snow.” Beth stammered. “Oceana, I think sightseeing is over for us today, we must return to the hotel.”

“Beth, you can’t walk back.” Oceana softly pointed out.

“Of course I can.” Beth argued and grasped Oceana’s arm.

“If th' lassie will be willin' I could help ye *gie *haem.” Dr. Blackwood offered, standing up and brushing the snow from his knees

Beth refusal was blocked by Oceana’s earnest voice.

“We would be very grateful, Dr. Blackwood. We are staying that the hotel nearby and I can’t quite see us getting there without difficultly.”

How Beth wanted to protest but Dr. Blackwood had already stooped down and lifted her into hs arms. “Gently now.” He softly said, smiling at Beth.

“Dr. Blackwood, sir, I wish you wouldn’t.” Beth spoke in a small voice. “I am rather heavy and it is a long walk.

Dr. Blackwood chuckled. “Ye *arenae heavy lass, and the hotel is nearby.” With those words he confidently began making his way down the hill. Oceana picked up the doctor’s gloves that he had left on the road and followed them.

Beth was self-conscious the entire journey back. This had to be the most horrid experience that ever happened to her. The last time she had ever been held by a man was when her father had been alive. The way Dr. Blackwood had cradled her in his arms made her feel like a child all over again. Despite herself, Beth had to admit that his arms were strong and he walked with a firm step not withstanding her weight. She could feel his slightly uneven breathing on her head and the one time she dared to lift her gaze she had found herself staring into his sea blue eyes. The heat had risen to her cheeks and Beth kept her eyes glued to her hands the rest of the way.

At last they got to the hotel and Dr. Blackwood placed her in the care of one of the attendants.

“A cold compress,” he reminded. “Gie th' ankle complete rest the-day, no pressure, no walkin' an' tomorrow it will be a lot better.”

“Thank you very much.” Beth managed to stammer, still looking at her hands.

“Dr. Blackwood.” Oceana handed him back his gloves. “We really are in your debt, I don’t know how to thank you enough.”

“No thanks necessary, Miss. I was happy to help.” He tipped his hat to her and went on his way. Oceana turned her attention to directing the hotel attendants on making a cold compress and getting poor Beth to their room.

“This has been the most horrid, awkward, embarrassing thing that could ever happen to me.” Beth whined to Oceana. “I cannot, I simply cannot believe you allowed him to do it.”

“Beth, you have got to learn to accept help when you need it.” Oceana retorted. “We would have had a very hard time without him. You should be thankful God sent us help.”

“It was horribly improper.”

“If it would have been any other gentleman, Beth, it may have been improper. But allow me to remind you the man is a doctor and this is what he does for a living. I have to say,” Oceana giggled. “I seem to have a thing with finding doctors. Remember how I met Dr. Wilkens in the streets and he helped me get into Newgate? And now I chanced on one again when we needed help.”

“Only you weren’t the one with the sprained ankle.” Beth pointed out. “You could stand there and keep you cool while I had to have my boot removed and my foot handled by a complete and total stranger!”

“And then he lifted you in his arms and carried you home. Oh my, how romantic, how cliché.” Oceana crooned. Beth felt her face going hot as the whole incident replayed in her mind.

“Oceana, for the love of mercy, don’t tease me like this. It was not romantic, it was horrible.”

“Of course it was romantic! It’s not every day a handsome young doctor carries you in his arms. Those three don't often come in one person. He couldn’t have been older than thirty, younger I’m thinking. Beth, this has been a once in a life time experience.”

“Thank goodness.” Beth sighed with relief. “At least you comforted me with that knowledge. And to think you just gave him our names like that.”

“I don’t know why you have such a problem with it. Beth, remember this is not London and we are not in London society. Nobody knows us and if we should decide to befriend a kind stranger who is to think the worse of us?”

“Who said he was a kind stranger? Maybe he is a scoundrel…”

“Beth.” Oceana rolled her eyes. “He was well dressed and carried himself with the air of a gentleman. I think he is a good man and I am very glad he came to our rescue. You should be thankful too. If it weren’t for him we would be hobbling out there in the wind and wet snow.”

Beth didn’t say anything and tried to focus on the needlework in her hands, while her mind insisted on wandering back to how blue Dr. Blackwood’s eyes had been.

***

“Robert. Robert. Robert!”

Robert Blackwood shook himself and looked up. “Were ye talkin’ to me, Aunt Mae?”

“I was trying tay. I called yer nam several times but got no reaction frae you.”

“I’m sorry, I was jist lost in thoought. Whit was it ye were tryin’ to tell me?”

“I was merely gonnae say that yer coosin should be here within th’ hour to show us his new automobile. Can ye believe it, Donald my love?” Mae turned to her husband who was sitting by the fire. “Our ain son is now riding around in those contraptions that dinnae need horses to pull them.”

“Aye, Mae my hen, I can believe it. He’s bin savign fur so lang.”

“Are ye lookin’ forward to seein’ it, Robert? Robert. Robert!”

“Lae him be, Mae, its obvioos our Bobby is off in lala lain.” Donald chuckled. “Are ye thinking of a bonnie face you saw today, my lad?”

“Whit makes ye think that?” Robert asked, looking at his uncle.

“Can tell frae the look in yer eyes. James would gie the same look when he was thinkin’ of Katy.”

Robert chuckled at this statement and turned his eyes back towards the newspaper in his hands, though in all this time he hadn’t read one word of it. “It was a bonnie face.” he thought to himself. “One I should like to see again.”

“Robert. Robert! Robert Blackwood,do ye hear me? James and Katy are here!” His Aunt’s voice now drifted from the front door.

“Right, right, I’m comin;.” Robert rose from his seat and lazily made his way down the stairs. “I still cannae *kin whit all the fuss is abit. We’ve gathered th’ entire family together to look at a motorcar. Frae th’ commotion we’re creatin’ yoo’d hae thought James bought Edinburgh Castle or somethin’.” Laughing at the ways of his family Robert went outside to admire the shiny new car, but his mind was far away, thinking of shy eyes and blushing cheeks. Yes, he would certainly contrive a plan to see those eyes and that bonnie face again…tomorrow if possible

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I'll admit, I just loved writing this chapter. I was giggling and blushing all the way through it. I bet you know which bonnie face Dr. Robert Blackwood is thinking about ;)

There were probably a lot of strange words, the list below is what they mean :)

abit: about,  ain: own,  arenea: are not,  ay: of,  bit: boot,  gie: get,  grin: ground,  haem: home,

hiner: hope,  isnea: is not,  ken: know,  kin: understand,  lae: leave,  lain: land,  lang: long,  mah: my,

main: mind,   main: must,   meit: meet,  pit: put,   tay: too,   wulnae: will not

 Picture on the right (or up above if you are using the mobile version) is Edinburgh Castle in the winter :) >> ^^ >> (picture does not belong to me, I found it on the internet)