The Faeries In Central Park ~ 5

Installment Five:

Back in the cabin, Ma was out of bed and feeling well enough to tidy up a bit.  “Where have you two been off to? You’ve been gone all morning. Your Da was ready to send the others out to look for you.  That’s if he could find them, mind you.  They’ve disappeared as well, everyone is off exploring I reckon.”

“We went on deck, Ma, and then Anna got lost and I met Captain Smith.  He  gave us sandwiches and said we are invited to come back and have tea in his cabin this evening.”  Nell continued describing her morning adventure, inadvertently distracting Ma, while Anna secretly smuggled Daphne back into her mossy compartment in Anna’s case.

“My, Anna, you’ve had quite a busy morning, then?”  Ma smiled at her a little.  She was feeling better, but still too weak to be very upset, and she knew that Anna kept a very close watch over Nell, difficult as that often was.

Da came through the cabin door.  Nell repeated her morning tale to him, again emphasizing the fact that it was Anna who’d been lost and not herself. Now it seems that Nell had been the one looking for Anna who'd wandered off.

Da was also more amused than upset by Nell’s story and quite chuffed at the opportunity to join Captain Smith in his quarters that evening.

“Elizabeth, would you hang my jacket?  I don’t want to look all bedraggled when I meet the good Captain.”  he said, taking her arm.  “Let’s go up on deck for a bit and have these lovely sandwiches.  The sun is shining and it’s almost warm.  James and Michael have found a nice spot for us to sit for a while.”

With that, the four of them made their way to the sunny deck, while Daphne napped back in the peace and quiet of the cabin.

Later that evening, Captain Smith served the family a light supper, nice whiskey and a selection Petit Four which Nell proclaimed were the most beautiful cakes ever and she would like them every day when they arrived in America. Da and the boys enjoyed their conversation and tour of the bridge with Captain Smith. Afterward, Anna, Nell and some of their siblings decided to go for a walk on the deck.  Ma was feeling better, but still tired easily so she and Da returned to the cabin to lie down.  The four siblings walked along the railing, watching the black sea for signs of white-tipped icebergs.  James was convinced he saw one, but none of the others could make it out.  The stars were bright and clear, but the night was growing very cold and before too long they decided to retreat back inside to the warmth of their beds.

Coming up the stairway, as they were going back down, they passed a man and woman walking arm-in-arm like young lovers.  Except they weren’t young, they looked to be about the same age as Ma and Da.  Something about them seemed very familiar to Anna. She felt as if she’d met them before but couldn’t quite place exactly where.

The feeling that she recognized the people on the stairs remained with Anna most of the trip until finally, late one night, she remembered. They looked like the people in the locket Simone had given her back at the farm.  She was almost sure of it but wouldn't be able to locate the locket in her case, in the dark, without waking everyone including Daphne, who would most likely be even more unhappy than Ma about being disturbed. Confinement and seasickness made Daphne more than a little cross. Hopefully, she could find the locket in the morning and get it and Daphne out into the fresh air without arousing Ma’s suspicion.  She was too excited to sleep and tossed and turned, waiting for morning.

Da, again up at dawn, brought tea and bread for breakfast.  As they’d done in the days before, Anna and Nell were allowed to take theirs up on deck.  “Don’t find yourself lost today, Anna.”  This had become her father’s teasing remark for the length of the trip.

Tucked into their space behind the lifeboat, Daphne was feeling a little better. Rest, combined with the morning air and a bit of bread and tea, agreed with her.

Anna removed the silver oval from her pocket, opened it and inspected the photographs. Sure enough, the faces looking back at her did belong to the couple she’d seen the night before, only younger.

“Daphne, do you know where Simone got this?  She gave it to me one night.  Anna held out the locket for Daphne to have a closer look.

“Oh, yes.  I remember.  She traded a wish for it.  It was a very long time ago.” Daphne stretched her tiny legs to catch a ray of sun. She’d definitely regained some of her healthy color.

“She traded a wish?  I didn’t know you could do that.”  Anna asked, intrigued.

“We can’t.  Well, we can, but we’re not supposed to. Her punishment for trading a wish was to work in your aunt’s house for one-hundred years. The council also decided to reward your aunt’s friendship by assigning Simone to help her. They knew your aunt would treat her fairly and be kind.”

“One hundred years?” exclaimed Nell, who was now interested in the conversation about wishes.  She was secretly hoping Daphne would grant her one, but also didn't want to get her into any trouble.

“Well, one-hundred faery years.  May seem shorter, or longer to you. I don’t know.”  Daphne now stretched her wings in the warm sunshine.  They shimmered in the golden light.  She continued, “The woman wanted a baby and was unable to have one, so she traded Simone the only thing she had of any value, which was the locket.  Simone arranged for a foundling to be dropped at the couple’s doorstep one winter evening.  It was very cold and snowing that night and the baby fell ill with fever from being left outside and died a few days later.  The silly woman didn’t realize you can’t trade silver or gold for the love of a human, and it broke her heart. Now, years later they hope to ease their pain by leaving Ireland and moving to America.  It’s very sad.  I hope they can.”

Anna was struck by Daphne’s display.This was the first time she’d ever seen Daphne react with anything close to human emotion.  She decided then she would return the locket to its rightful owner.  Somehow, Simone must have known the couple would be on the ship. It was the right thing to do.

Anna carried the locket with her everywhere for the next few days, watching for the couple.  On the evening before they arrived in America, Anna saw them strolling, again with their arms linked, watching the moon rise over the dark sea. Gathering all of her courage, she approached them and appeared as though she wasn’t watching where she was going.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!”  Anna exclaimed as she nearly tumbled into them, sidestepping to avoid stomping the man’s foot.  “I wasn’t watching, my fault, please, excuse me.”

“No harm done” answered the man, his arm now wrapped protectively around his wife who Anna saw, was very pale and delicate. “We’re all a bit out of sorts, I think.  Too many days at sea, I need to feel my feet on dry land soon, how about you?”

“Oh yes” Anna answered while trying to think of how to bring up the locket.  “I was very excited about making this trip, but now I sometimes wish we’d never have left Wexford.”

“We’re from Wexford” the woman spoke “from near Gorey.  I’m Kathleen Byrne and this is my husband, Patrick.” She offered Anna her thin, white hand.

“I’m Anna Darlington, from Dublin but my Da’s family are from Wexford.”  Anna shook Kathleen’s hand gingerly, surprised at how warm it felt.

“Oh yes, we know your uncle Nathaniel, then.” Patrick took Anna’s hand for a moment. “And Grace.  They are fine people.”

“Thank you.”  Anna hesitated for a moment, then let the words come spilling out.  “Can I show you something, please?  I think this may belong to you.”  She handed the silver locket to Kathleen.

Kathleen stared at it for a moment, then drew a sharp breath.  “Where did you find this?” she asked Anna.  “I haven’t seen it in years.”

Patrick hugged Kathleen a little tighter to steady her, then took the locket and opened it.  “My, what a handsome young couple they are.”  He smiled at Anna.

“I found it on the side of the road, while going to Inch a few weeks ago.  I thought it strange then, something like this just lying there, but now I think maybe I was supposed to find it because I’d be meeting you.” Anna paused, trying to decide whether or not to add any more to her white lie, or let it be, then added “My Aunt says things happen for a reason.  I suppose that's the reason I found your locket. I was meant to return it to you.”

“Oh yes, I know about your Aunt Grace.  You’re a smart girl to listen to her.  I can’t thank you enough for returning my locket.  It's only a small thing, but Patrick gave this to me just before we married. I’ve missed it so very much.” Kathleen’s voice sounded raspy and breathless.

Patrick adjusted his arm around his wife’s waist “I think we’d better get you inside” he said, moving her toward the door.  “Anna, we hope to see you again.  We’ll be working at my family’s bakery on the upper east side in New York.  Thank you again and please, come look us up if you can.”

“That would be nice, I will try.”  Anna called after them as they went inside. She felt on top of the world, having returned the sentimental treasure to its rightful owners. And tomorrow… they would all arrive in America.

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