Together on Ecarte Island

Reunited

     The next day marked a week before school began again,  and Gilbert prepared with a vast source of material.  Violet's former quarters were converted into a study where all the books were shelved along with a table complete with an extra typewriter brought from the Baugainvillea mansion. 
     Most afternoons were now devoted to syllabus preparation, after the morning work at the vineyard.  Dietfried was correct in predicting the advantage two arms had over just one. 
     "You are still building the needed strength in your arm, please take care and not overdo."  Violet warned him daily.
    Gilbert was careful to perform the recommended stretching of both arms every morning, as well as every evening. 
     Violet gathered her sealed letters, one to Cattleya and Claudia, and one to Iris, with an inserted note for her to pass to Benedict, thanking him yet again for bringing her the stuffed toy dog. 
      It had now found a new home on the windowsill looking out over the village, as if guarding them with its staring glass bead eyes.  Gilbert took to calling it Oliver, or Ollie, for short, named after the spaniel lap dog his mother enjoyed when Gilbert was a boy.
    Violet never left the house without stroking his cloth head, reminding him to be a good watchdog while the master was away.  So far Ollie had proven his worth on Ecarte , as he always had in Leiden, even at her lowest points of being alone and in despair.
    If Ollie had only been as actual dog, he would have surely barked excitedly, for Violet opened the door to none other than Casper Bridges, his hand poised to knock. 
     Violet gasped, staring at him.  Casper, lowered his hand and stared back in astonishment.  Then the same handsome smile spread across his mouth, his cheeks ruddy from the walk in the wind.
     "Miss Violet!" he exclaimed with a short bow. "I was expecting Mr. Jilbert.  Does he no longer reside here?"
     Before she could answer, Gilbert called behind her, "Casper!"
    Casper's eyes lingered for a second longer on her face then shifted to Gilbert. "Hello, Mr. Jilbert!"
     Violet stepped aside, so that the boy and the man could come together and shake hands. 
     "Casper, this is my wife, Violet."
     "Wife?"  Casper said in such a way Violet could not read.
     "Very recently." Gilbert explained.
     "Ah. . ." said Casper, "We met just briefly when I first arrived. She was trying to close shop, but was gracious enough to let me send off a telegram anyway."
     Violet bowed her own head. "Good to see you again, Mr. Bridges."
    "No, it's Casper. Please!"
     "Very well, Casper." Violet returned politely, then to both of them said, "If you will excuse me, Mr. Thaddeus is waiting for me at the office."
    Gilbert embraced her, but Violet turned her face so that he kissed her cheek and not her mouth.  Gilbert understood her want for modesty in front of a stranger and did not keep her in his arms as was usual. 
     "I'll see you this afternoon, my darling."  he said lowly, releasing her.
     As she walked down the steps away from the house, Violet turned to see Casper marveling at Gilbert's new right arm.  Violet looked at her own hands and wrists, securely concealed with gloves and sleeves.  A wave of apprehension swept through her, the secret telegram in her boot silently beckoning throughout the entire journey to the lighthouse.
That afternoon, Jenna was back at her vegetable cart.
"Violet!" Jenna shouted, coming to her and taking her gloved hands into her own. "You're home! Grandfather said he had seen you just yesterday!"
"Hello, Jenna," said Violet, genuinely elated to see her friend.
"You MUST start your lessons with the sewing machine."
Violet nodded. "Yes, I would like that very much."
"Please come tomorrow!"
The next day was to be a day off from the post office, for no mail ran, although telegrams did. It was Clayton's task now to receive telegrams as part of learning the telegram code, something Gilbert had taught Violet along with reading as an advanced military skill.
"Only if you have no prior engagements."
Jenna's cheeks flushed. "Well, I will be seeing Casper later on this evening. He's come home on holiday, you see." Then her delicate brows furrowed, "Although I was hoping he had come sooner, like he had planned. . .Now he only has a few days before leaving again."
Jenna then laughed prettily. "No doubt Mr. Jilbert will see more of him than I."
Violet could not argue a point that was most likely true.
Upon returning home, Violet did not find Gilbert in his usual spot, pouring tea, but in the study. He seemed engrossed in drawing out a design on paper, his drafting tools of straight edges, a compass, a whole case of pencils and pieces of correction rubber, were strewn over the table.
    Gilbert looked up at her as she entered through the door from the outside.  "Oh! Is it as late as all that?" he asked, consulting a pocket watch, "Well, yes, it is! And I've no tea prepared for you!"
     "I put a kettle on." said Violet, "Keep working."  She approached the table. "May I see?"
    "Of course," Gilbert beckoned with a finger for her to see, "I had been stumped for the longest time for a more manageable irrigation system for the vineyard.  Casper solved the problem I was having and I believe it could actually work now!"
     He tapped on the design and began explaining the complex system that Violet could only follow minimally. 
     "That boy is no doubt gifted."  Gilbert praised. "And he passed his exams for the year, which means more scholarship funding!"
     Violet merely smiled, happy that he was happy.  "The kettle is bound to be ready." she said turning to leave.
     Violet brought with her a cup of tea for each of them and sat at the table. "Gilbert," she began. 
     Gilbert looked up at her from his design. "Yes?"
     "Since we've returned, I have not told anyone that we are married now.  I am quite certain everyone already assumed we were.  So, there's been no real need to say otherwise.  Therefore, I've not verbalized our last name. Have you?"
     Gilbert laid down his pencil and took up the teacup.  "Actually, no.  It's just awkward to correct someone just when they are just greeting you."
     Violet nodded with understanding.  "You'll always be Mr. Jilbert to your students, past and present, but your brother was right in retiring the alias before all of it becomes too awkward, or when a baby comes."
Gilbert gazed at her lovingly and agreed. "Perhaps I'll come clean about it to Casper before he leaves again. He deserves to know first."
Violet lowered her eyes to her teacup, wishing there was a delicate way to remind her husband to carry his pistol from now on, just as she carried her concealed dagger.