The Light Keeper's Daughter

The Light Keeper's Daughter - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The first few nights of Daniel’s apprenticeship went smoothly. He had already spent time at the lighthouse during the day and night while Camila showed him around. Needless to say, Camila was shocked by the news that Daniel would be taking over for her father. She also felt relieved that he would not be running off to chase down his mother’s killer.

Edward had already taken a liking to Daniel and their fondness grew as they began working side by side. Watching his daughter and Daniel’s affections grow concerned Edward, until one morning when he spoke with Camila in private.

It was difficult to find Daniel and Camila apart, with the exception of when they returned to their rooms to sleep, so Edward sent Daniel on an errand to the storage shed to get some more oil. He knew this would take the young boy several moments in which he could talk to his daughter in private.

“Princess, can I have a word with you?” Edward had walked out onto the catwalk where Camila was cleaning the windows. He loved his daughter more than anything and did not want to see her hurt. He also knew the relationship that had been assumed by everyone, especially his wife, for Franklin. More than anything, he wanted his daughter happy.

“Yes Father,” Camila continued in her task expecting what her father needed to say would not cause difficulty with her work. She knew that was not true when he placed a hand on her shoulder and took the rag from her hand. She turned around and saw the concern in his eyes. Somehow he looked several years older in just a matter of moments. “Is everything okay?”

Seeing the worry in his daughter’s eyes, Edward took her hand to ease her thoughts, “Yes. Everything’s fine. I hope. I’m concerned about you.”

Camila’s eyes grew in size as she questioned, “Me? Why are you worried about me?”

“I don’t want to see you get hurt.” Edward took a deep breath and turned to look out to the sea, “I’ve watched as you and Daniel have grown close, he is a good friend to you. But, I wonder...”

“Yes Father?”

“I wonder what this will do with your relationship with Franklin? He has asked for your hand.” Edward closed his eyes halfway and shook his head, “I just worry about you.”

“Father, I don’t know. I mean, I tried to explain things to Franklin, and he told me he would wait. Even though he knows that I am drawn to Daniel, like he’s my missing heartbeat.” A smile crossed Edward’s face as he remembered their conversation about true love and the missing heartbeat. “Franklin said that he would be there to pick up the pieces when my heart is broken, that he wants my happiness above all else. I can’t explain it Father. I love Franklin, like my best friend and my brother. But when Daniel looks at me, I don’t know I get all weak kneed and fluttery in my stomach. He’s the last person I think about before going to sleep and the first person I want to see when I wake up.”

Edward nodded, “Then you do love him.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement of fact.

Camila shook her head and looked out to sea, “I don’t know. But, I’ve never felt this way before.” Taking a deep breath she added, “I think he feels the same way, but I’m not sure.”

A ship passed on the horizon and a blast of a horn was heard coming across the ocean waters warning other ships that it was coming through the pass. The sea breeze played with Camila’s hair, pulling a few loose curls out from her braid. A seagull crossed overhead and was picked up by a gust of wind raising the bird higher and higher in the air. Daniel stepped out of the shed with the large can of oil and took Camila’s breath away.

“You love him child. I can see it in your eyes.” Edward squeezed his daughter’s hand that was gripping the railing and added softly, “I only want you happy. Nothing else in this world matters to me.”

Camila turned into her father’s embrace and hugged him for a very long time.


******

On his third night of duty, Daniel sat on the catwalk looking out to sea. He was watching for the ships going by, trying to identify them and keep them in the log book. Camila had spent the afternoon going over the various ships with him. Seeing them in a book or even sailing by in the daylight was a lot easier than recognizing them at night.

He watched as Camila left the house below and walked towards the lighthouse, and a few moments later she sat down next to him with two cups of hot coffee. He was showing her his records for the night when he spotted a ship.

“Okay,” Camila said looking out at the sea with a spyglass just as Daniel spotted it bringing up his own spyglass. “What’s the classification?”

“Cargo.”

A small grin turned up one corner of Camila’s lips, but Daniel had not taken his eyes off the ship to notice. “Very good, what is the propulsion?”

“Steam. And it appears to be a sleek vessel but weighed down by cargo. So my guess is they will be coming into port soon.”

“See! That was wonderful! You’ll make a fine Light Keeper!”

Her pride in him made his heart swell. He was starting to care for Camila. Even though his mind kept telling him it may be dangerous to fall in love right now, his heart couldn’t stop the falling process. It felt as if his heart had already taken a leap off the cliffs and was now soaring. He blinked into the spyglass, unwilling to look at her, knowing if he did he would lose the little control he had left and take her in his arms. Shaking himself out of his thoughts of everything he would like to do to Camila, the first being to kiss her senseless, Daniel was about to put down his spyglass to document his findings when something caught his eye. “Did you see that?”

Camila quickly took the glass and looked towards the ship. “It’s a ship signal. They are sending a message to other ships or something nearby.”

Daniel scanned the waters, “Cammie,” he had begun calling her that after he heard Franklin do it the other day, it suited her free spirit well. “I don’t see any other ships.” Camila nodded her head in agreement, passing back the spyglass, and she caught sight of a small boat coming from the direction of the caves and cliffs to the north. She was about to point it out to Daniel who held the spyglass again to his eye when he said, “They dropped cargo.”

“What?” Camila’s looked towards the ship they had been watching as she watched in amazement, the ship dropped another box. They were closer to the shore than many boats dared, possibly so the little boat would be able to retrieve the cargo easier.

“The ship dropped three large boxes of cargo into the water. Look, there’s a fourth.”

They watched in shock as the small boat sailed to the spot where the crates were dropped and picked up the floating containers before they sank. “What in the world?” She knew of smugglers, there were stories her father told about catching some years ago when his father was the Light Keeper, they had been trying to use the caves by the beach for storage. But Camila had not heard of smuggling ever in her lifetime. She and Franklin knew the caves like the seas themselves. They knew when the tides would come and fill the caverns, and which caves had secret hiding places that would stay dry. She knew within a half a day’s search she and Franklin would be able to find the cave the small boat now sailed back towards.

The silence was halted when Daniel spoke, “I wonder what is in those crates?”

“I don’t know. But I want to go and see Franklin in the morning.” Camila was looking out at sea and did not notice the hurt in Daniel’s eyes. Daniel may like Franklin as a man, but he knew Franklin was wrong for Camila. He knew in his heart that Franklin would do right by Camila and treat her with love and respect, but she deserved to know what true love and passion felt like. Franklin might be able to give her anything and everything, but he knew Franklin could not give her the passion she deserved!

“Why? Have you decided to accept his proposal?” Daniel glanced over at Camila and then replaced the spyglass to his eye. He wanted to find out where the small ship was going.

“No. I have already given him my answer. He was just unwilling to accept it at the time.” Camila scanned the waters watching the two ships sail in opposite directions.

“So? You refused?” Daniel risked another glance towards Camila. He watched as the wind pulled at her the wisps of curls on the nape of her neck. Her hair was braided and the thick braid was tossed over her shoulder on the opposite side, hanging carelessly over her breast. He wanted to reach over and undo it’s confines, wondering what it would be like loose and hanging on her shoulders, trailing down her back. Her shirtwaist was white and clean, smelling of the lilac soap Bonnie favored for Camila’s clothes. He watched as a slight curl lifted one side of her lips. Lips that look soft and supple. Kissable lips he thought.

Without looking at him and keeping her gaze on the sea, Camila nodded. “Yes, I refused. I told him I wanted to love my husband like a wife should.”

“Then,” Daniel asked, he could hear the strain in his own voice and hoped that she could not, but for the life of him he could not figure out where Franklin played into this, “why do you need to see him?”

Camila took her sights off the vast ocean, which was now empty of ships sailing past the lighthouse, “Because, no matter what,” she raised an eyebrow making sure her voice held the conviction it deserved, “no matter who may come into my life, Franklin and I will always be friends. Plus,” she added with a shrug of her shoulder, “we know these caves better than anyone. He will help us figure out what’s going on. Besides, what if this was his boat that lost cargo?”

Daniel had not thought of that. Franklin might be valuable in this investigation. Yes. A trip to town with Camila was worth the few hours sleep he’d lose. Not only could he learn more about Franklin, and the shipping business, he would spend time with Camila and keep her from doing anything dangerous. He would protect her and maybe, just maybe he might solve this small mystery. Perhaps he was good at something after all. A mystery sounded very intriguing.


******

As soon as Daniel was finished in the lighthouse, he headed towards the house and could smell Bonnie’s biscuits and bacon before he even made it to the porch. His stomach growled. Camila had asked him not to tell her father about what they saw, only until they had more information. She said she didn’t needlessly want to worry him over something that he could do nothing about. When they knew more, they would tell him.

They had documented both the cargo ship and the small boat and continued to watch for other ships that might pass by, however, no other ship dropped cargo or sent a message.

During the time that they watched the ocean, Camila tried to help Daniel remember things. Through her questioning they found out that he was from New York city, and his mother played bridge every Thursday with the mayor’s wife and several other influential ladies. Therefore, his mother must be from the upper class. The thought hit Camila to check the newspaper archives at the library. They could look at the postings from last winter to see about a woman who was killed by a carriage. So, this trip to town was not only to see Franklin, but a fact finding mission for Daniel as well.

Camilla was waiting by the front door with a basket in hand and the carriage already out front. “Can’t wait to see Franklin?” Daniel asked, half joking and half serious. He knew Franklin would be able to help them in the mystery, but if Daniel was being honest, he didn’t want Franklin getting the wrong idea thinking that Camila might have changed her feelings. Even more, he didn’t want Camila or Franklin thinking that she needed him.

“Yes. I have a feeling he will be just as intrigued as we are. I know he will help us solve this mystery.” Camila handed him the basket and took his offered hand to climb up into the seat of her father’s carriage.

Whispering Daniel muttered, “Maybe we don’t need his help.” Camila either ignored his comment or did not hear him, which he was pleased about.

Once settled behind the horses, Daniel realized that Camila had the carriage ready because she didn’t want him to recall his mother’s death when the horses came towards him again. A part of him thought it was very sweet, but then another part wondered if she realized she could not stop other horses and carriages on the road? He knew his memory was in place and he would no longer have a reaction like his first memory. So he considered her way of making him comfortable as the nice gesture it was, and smiled. But then, possibly she was too excited to see Franklin and she just wanted to get on the road, so maybe it wasn’t nice after all. His face quickly became neutral.

Camila smiled at him unaware of the internal conflict of her actions, and handed him something wrapped in a napkin, “Here, eat this and maybe you won’t scowl at me any longer.” Unwrapping it he found two biscuits with bacon and jam inside. He quickly devoured them and accepted the container of coffee she offered.

Sighing he said, “Thank you.” He didn’t know where his suddenly foul mood was coming from. Maybe because he didn’t want to see Franklin and Camila together again. He tried to regain his composure. He really didn’t want anything between his friendship with Camila. Honestly, he already knew he wanted more than friendship with her, yet he knew that could never happen. Not until he had his memory back and could offer her more than a washed up amnesiac.

Camila smiled up at him as the carriage bumped along the road, “Better now?” Daniel nodded.

“Sorry. And I wasn’t scowling at you.” He pushed his fingers through his hair trying to ease his frustrations. “I don’t know. I just feel a bit nervous about all this.”

Camila couldn’t help it, she giggled. Daniel looked over at her and even though he was trying not to scowl, he did. “I’m sorry,” she offered, “I have only known you for a little over a week, but I have never seen you nervous. You seem to take everything in stride.”

He took a deep breath in hopes that would help. It didn’t. He told her the only truth that he could at the moment, “I don’t like the idea that you might walk into something dangerous.”

Her mouth gaped open a bit and he reached over, his hands had been itching to touch her since last night on the catwalk, and lifted her chin in order to close her mouth. “In case you don’t know this, I do care about you. I don’t want you to get hurt. Maybe Franklin and I should handle this... without you.” Her skin felt smooth and soft, just as he had imagined and he felt his fingers tingling as they crept slowly up her jaw.

His eyes had been drawn to her lips, but suddenly they went to her golden brown eyes and Daniel could see the anger in them before she said a word. She was upset and although Camila tried to school her emotions and reaction, she could not. It bubbled out of her like lava from a volcano. “I am a grown woman! I am sick and tired of men who think they need to one,” she pointed her finger up in the air marking what she was saying with vigor “tell me what I should and shouldn’t do! And two,” adding a second finger and waving it in the air, “telling me what I want to do is dangerous and not suited for a woman!”

If she had her way, although she was glad Daniel was going to apprentice under her father, she would take on the job. There was nothing she loved more than the lighthouse and the sea. She could do it too if men weren’t making the rules! “Men!” She muttered under her breath. She didn’t notice the slight grin to Daniel’s lips.

He had done everything he could to bring his emotions into check and it did not work. Yet, one little explosion from Camila had him smiling on the inside. She wasn’t the sweet proper lady he had thought when he first woke up. Sure she was sweet and innocent and proper, but on the inside, she was a firecracker ready to explode. She knew what was expected of her and she complied, but she wanted, no she desired more. Like the lighthouse. No proper woman would be caught dead inside. In the two weeks since awaking, Daniel had never seen Mrs. Underwood go near the structure. Camila was a different story, he thought she would move her bed in there if she could. Daniel also noticed that Mrs. Underwood frowned on the fact that Camila would stand on the beach in the sun without her bonnet. There were other signs of her defiance to society. The largest was the fact that she had turned down Franklin.

Camila was not someone who stood on the society rules for young ladies. She was the one who stood out in a crowd and dared to be different. And that was only one of the things Daniel loved about her.

“I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to get hurt.” Daniel looked over at Camila and he could see her shoulders relax and could tell she was no longer angry. “Cammie, I do care about you. You do know that don’t you?”

She shrugged her shoulder. Of course she knew that he cared, but it was nice to hear it. Fact of the matter, she didn’t want him walking into a dangerous situation anymore than he wanted her to. But, she felt that she needed to let him know up front that she was determined to live her life by her rules and not anyone elses, “Daniel, I’m not the type of woman who stitches patterns in tapestries or stays inside so my skin stays creamy white or someone who does not like to get their hands dirty. I am who I am and no one can change that. You can’t stop me from investigating this, just like I won’t be able to stop you.”

Nodding his head, Daniel understood completely, “I don’t want you to change. But, I don’t want you hurt either. I will do everything I can to protect you, this may...” Daniel shook his head, “no, I feel without a doubt, that this will be dangerous. I watched my mother die and I don’t want to watch someone else I... care about die ever again.”

Of course Camila understood his concerns, “But your mother did not see that happening, she walked into that situation unaware of the danger. But, I will be going in with eyes wide open, I will be looking out for dangerous situations and I will have you and Franklin watching out for me. For us, we will look out for each other.”

Under his breath, Daniel thought, “I wouldn’t assume that.” Then he realized he said it out loud and Camila heard him.  

“What does that mean? Assume what?”

“Just that I’m sure Franklin does not like the fact that I literally washed up into your life. And I’m also sure that he wouldn’t mind if something happened to help me to leave.”

“But, he also wants me happy. He would never do anything to harm anyone! Especially someone I care about.”

Daniel turned in the bench seat and looked at her, “You care about me?”

“Of course.” Camila said as her cheeks turned a beautiful shade of pink. Then she added, “I don’t want to see anyone hurt. You. Franklin. My parents. Bonnie. I want all of us to stay safe, but I also think we need to find out what happened with that boat and the shipments. And a part of me thinks your mother’s death and your memory might have something to do with this too.”

“I have that same feeling. That is why I want you to be extra careful!”

“Agreed. We all need to be careful.”