The Ocean's Daughter (Sequel to Sirene)

I am so sorry for being so late with the updates. The beginning of the month is always overloaded for me work-wise and with NaNoWriMo and my studies, I just didn't have time to do everything I promised. I am planning to make up for the skipped chapter and will most likely post two chapters next Monday :) I hope you enjoy this one :)

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Chapter 19

Oceana looked strangely at Miss Patterson as the lady fussed about the arrangement of the tea things of the table.

“Miss Patterson, are we expecting company today?” She asked.

“Anything is possible, my dear,” Miss Patterson replied.

“Is Mrs. Alberna coming over?” Oceana persisted.

“No, though she did say she would like to call on us tomorrow. You wouldn’t mind seeing Mrs. Alberna would you?”

“Perhaps,” Oceana politely said, while inwardly trying to come up with a good excuse as to why she shouldn’t be at home tomorrow when Mrs. Alberna called.

Miss Patterson didn’t notice Oceana’s less than enthusiastic response, she was busy trying make sure everything looked just perfect. Call it instinct, or a woman’s intuition, but Miss Patterson knew without a doubt that Lt. Chesterton would call on them today.

Sure enough, only half an hour later, a ring was heard at the door and presently the butler, Philip, handed Miss Patterson a card and said that Lt. Chesterton was at the door. Oceana’s eyes widened in surprise at this unexpected news.

“Of course, of course, show him in.” Miss Patterson exclaimed.

“Did you invite him?” Oceana asked in a puzzled voice.

“No, but after the wedding I was sure he would make a call. Good manners would not have permitted him to come yesterday, but today it is perfectly fine,” Miss Patterson replied, taking a seat on the little sofa next to Oceana. “You just relax and act calm and composed.”

“I am calm and composed,” Oceana said, casting Miss Patterson a slightly annoyed glance.

“Lt. Chesterton to see you, ma’am,” Philip announced as he let the young navy officer in.

“Lt. Chesterton, how kind of you to call,” Miss Patterson rose from her seat and offered Wesley her hand. Wesley took her and kissed it.

“Ah, now that is Admiral Chesterton’s upbringing, without a doubt,” Miss Patterson said in a satisfied voice. “He’s a remnant of the times when it was easier to find a gentleman in society. These days we get nothing but an endless stream of scoundrels. Lt. Chesterton, do have a seat.” Miss Patterson motioned Wesley to a chair then rang the bell and called in the tea. “You are aware that I am acquainted with the Admiral?”

“Yes, ma’am, he mentioned to me that the two of you were once very good friends. He hasn’t been able to find his way here to renew the old acquaintance, and I felt I should do it for him. Miss Oceana, I trust I find you in good health,” Wesley turned to Oceana.

“My health has never been better, thank you,” Oceana replied in a rather reserved voice. She wasn’t exactly sure how best to behave around Wesley with Miss Patterson in the room.

“And you are well, Miss Patterson. I believe I am only a little acquainted with you. I met you at a party Miss Warren, or should I saw Mrs. Blackwood was hosting.”

“I am doing very well, thank you. I do remember a little of you, Captain Morrely introduced you, did he not?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Do you serve on his ship?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“How do you like being in the navy?”

“Well, enough, Miss Patterson. I enjoy being out at sea.”

“You will find a friend in Oceana there. I cannot understand it myself, but this young lady is just fascinated with anything that has to do with the water.”

“I’m guessing that is because she is half mermaid,” Wesley couldn’t help from saying this.

“Good grief, Oceana, you actually told him that wild story?” Miss Patterson looked at Oceana with a horrified look in her eyes.

“It sort of came out by accident,” Oceana shrugged her shoulders.

“I see.” Miss Patterson determined to stay as far away from the silly mermaid claim as possible and kept the conversation strictly confined to the weather and summer fashions.

After about an hour, Wesley said he needed to be off and Miss Patterson offered to see him to the door. Oceana sat quietly in the drawing room, trying to make sense of everything that had just happened. The conversation had been boring, almost awkward it seemed, and nothing of consequence had been said. This had to be the most useless hour in Oceana’s life. When Miss Patterson returned to the drawing room, Oceana looked at her with a puzzled expression.

“And what was the point of this whole visit?”

“I think he likes, you, Oceana,” Miss Patterson stated in a satisfied voice. “And he is such a nice young gentleman. He looks very handsome, wouldn’t you say? He doesn't resemble the Admiral though. Ah, I forgot to ask about the details of the Admiral’s marriage and family. I never thought a man like William Chesterton would get married…to anyone but me that is,” Miss Patterson chuckled at these words.

“I still don’t understand why he came over. It is not like anything interesting happened.”

“Oh Oceana, my poor village girl, you really don’t know the proper way to go about things, do you? He likes you, that is more than obvious, but before he decides whether he wants to court you or not, he has got to get to know you a little better. So he will probably be calling on us now, until he makes up his mind. However, he can’t appear too interested, or that might give you false hope, so he must keep it all very formal. He will use the excuse of the old friendship Admiral Chesterton and myself had until he is ready to admit that all this time it was really you he was coming to see.”

“Goodness me, it sounds very complicated.”

“It isn’t actually, you just haven’t been schooled in the proper way to go about a courtship. But don’t worry, you are going to be with me for an entire month, and I will help you with all you don’t know.”

Oceana didn’t know if she should be very comforted with this information, but the idea of seeing Wesley was appealing to her and she figured she would go along with the flow for now and see where it took her.

***

Oceana had successfully run away from Mrs. Alberna’s visit and decided to drop by Stephanie and the children. Her plans took a bit of a change as she walked through the park noticed Wesley Chesterton.

“Ahoy, Lt. Chesterton,” she called, walking up to him. “Fate seems determined to make sure we meet. It was kind of you to call on us yesterday, though I hope you will not think me very rude in saying that I found the conversation very boring.”

“I’m afraid that is the way those sort of visits go,” Wesley replied with a chuckle.

“Don’t you find it rather annoying?”

“I do indeed, but such things are not easily changed. Where you on your way somewhere?”

“Mrs. Alberna decided to call on Miss Patterson and I am not very fond of that woman’s company, so I took the liberty of going for a walk. I was going to visit Stephanie Wilkens, since I didn’t have anything better to do with my time. What about you?”

“I am not going anywhere in particular, if you wish, I can walk you to Mrs. Wilkens house.”

“Thank you, I would enjoy that.” Oceana smiled. “Perhaps you could tell me about your voyage to India. What was it like there?”

“Hot,” Wesley laughed. “Very, very, very hot. The sun beats down quite mercilessly over there.”

“Is that all you are going to tell me?” Oceana lifted her right eyebrow.

“Ummm….” Wesley thought for a moment. “There is an exotic feeling to the air, the deep smell of spices and incense mixes with the ancient sensation of a unique civilization. The Indians hold their own culture and way of life, and they are fiercely proud of it. They have a great and ancient civilization, their cities and temples boasting of many legends and tales that almost seem to come alive. It is mystery and danger and delight all mixed together.”

Oceana’s face was filled with wonder and amazement and Wesley’s passionate speech. “Lt. Chesterton, you have a way with words, I am impressed. You certainly gave the land of India a mysterious feel.”

“It is actually not quite that romantic, but I remembered you prefer magical mystery to honest fact.”

Oceana laughed at this. “You do have a point there, Lt. Chesterton.”

“Now that I have told you where I have been and what it was like, perhaps you can tell me where you were these past two years. When I returned and asked about you, Mrs. Morreley said you left London very suddenly and no one knew where it was you went too. What have you been doing these past two years?”

“Sitting on the rocks and luring men to their deaths,” Oceana flippantly replied, “what else could I be doing?”

Wesley raised his eyebrows and looked at Oceana in surprise mixed together with amusement. “Very funny, Miss Oceana.”

“I’m glad you find it amusing, Lt. Chesterton, most people find it very cruel and evil.”

This sentence brought out a burst of laugher from Wesley. “I don’t know how you do it, Miss Oceana, but you can make even something so serious suddenly become so funny. Forgive me if my reaction is quite the wrong one, but I can’t help myself.”

“Shall think differently when it is you I have caught in my net,” Oceana cautioned.

“I’m afraid, Miss Oceana,” Wesley lowered his voice a little, “I’m already caught.”

Oceana felt her face going red and she turned to look straight ahead of her.

“But I find there is still so much to you that I don’t know,” Wesley continued. “You only show little pieces of yourself.”

“I just feel safer that way,” Oceana softly explained, still keeping her attention on the road ahead.

“You could at least tell me where you are really from,” Wesley prodded.

“That is a very hard question, Lt. Chesterton, and I don’t think my answer is going to make you understand me any better.”

“Try me.”

“The only answer I can honestly give is that I am from the ocean.”

“From the ocean?” Wesley was thoughtful for a couple of moments before looking up at Oceana with wide eyes. “Good God.” He spoke the two words slowly, pausing after each word. “You…you…you are the Ocean’s Daughter!”

Now it was Oceana’s turn to be surprised. “How did you know? I never told you that story.”

“You’re the Ocean’s Daughter,” Wesley didn’t heed Oceana’s questions. “Of course, why didn’t I realize it sooner? Eyes the color of seaweed, hair the color of wet sand, sitting on the rocks and singing to the sun, everything McDuff said was pointing to you.”

“How do you know McDuff?” Oceana was very perplexed.

“He’s the main village story teller, is he not? I met him while visiting your village and he told me the story of the Ocean’s Daughter. How she sits on the rocks and sings to the sun as it rises and sets. And then remember, about five years back I happened to catch you on the shore as you were singing? Why didn’t I figure it all out sooner?”

Oceana bit her lip, this was getting rather interesting.

"I have to say, Miss Oceana, you get more mysterious by the moment. What made McDuff come with that story?"

"You'll have to ask him."

"And which am I to believe, that you are half mermaid or the daughter of the ocean? Do you sit on the rocks to sinks ships or to sing to the sun to make it rise and set?"

"You are free to believe whichever story you want, Lt. Chesterton," Oceana kindly replied.

Wesley grew silent and thoughtful at this, wondering just what it would take to make Oceana tell him the full truth about herself. Their walk became suddenly very wet when the sky opened up and rain began pouring down on them.

“Of course I would forget my umbrella,” Wesley grumbled as he sought for somewhere to find shelter. Oceana, on the other hand, lifted her face to the sky and welcomed the pouring rain.

“We had better seek shelter in that gazebo,” Wesley pointed to a little gazebo standing in the park. There were already several people standing there, hiding from the rain.

“Shelter, you want to seek shelter?” Oceana shook her head. “Honestly, Lt. Chesterton, where is your sense of adventure?”

“I'm afraid I can hardly call walking in the London rain an adventure,” Wesley argued. “I would say it is more like a sure way of getting double pneumonia.”

“Well, to die will be a great adventure,” Oceana replied.

“Ah, I see someone has seen the play Peter Pan,” Wesley smiled as he gently guided Oceana to the gazebo.

“I haven’t seen it,” Oceana said. “I only read it.”

“Should you like to see it?”

“I don’t think it will be proper for you to take me to the theater, Lt. Chesterton.”

“Who said anything about me taking you?” Wesley smiled mischeviously. “All I wished to know is if you would like to see the play.”

“Considering the only time I was in a theater was when Chandler smuggled me in to watch the Opera Carmen, I think I should like to see it. I do love the story. But once again, I don’t think Miss Patterson would be very impressed if you decided to take me to the theater, Lt. Chesterton.”

“Don’t worry, I never said I was going to take you. It would be considered very improper.”

Yet there was something in Wesley’s smile that made Oceana very suspicious. He was obviously planning something in his head, but what exactly? There was no way of knowing an Oceana resigned herself that she would just have to watch and wait.

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Painting to your right >> (or above^^) is by impressionist painter Gustave Caillebotte. (I'm not sure of the name of the painting though :) )