Box Set: The ArringtonTrilogy (46 page)

“Come, Lillian; you need to get out of the
rain,” Daddy said, guiding me towards the house. I turned to look
back at Heath. He continued to sit, his head in his hands, as the
cold rain saturated him. I tried to call out for him to come with
us, but he couldn’t hear me over the thunder. Daddy hurried me
along until I was inside, and left me to change into dry bed
clothes.

“I have to go back up to the tower and
relieve Momma,” he said from outside my door.

I listened as his footsteps moved down the
hall, then the stairs. I wanted to go back out to Heath. I threw on
my shawl and went to where he had been left behind. Heath was
drenched; his hair was wet and pressed flat to his head. His
clothes were soaked. He didn’t see me approach and was startled
when I put my shawl around him. I nervously waited for him to thank
me; instead, he threw it off and yelled, “Go away! Leave me
be.”

I didn’t know what to say, but I picked up
the shawl and did all I could to hold back my tears.

“Leave me alone,” he hollered over the wind
and rain. I dropped the shawl and ran all the way back to my room.
I flew to my bed and sobbed until I hadn’t a tear left to shed,
until my body ached and the trembling stopped. Then sleep gradually
won out, and I drifted into my dreams.

Ayden was sick in bed for days after the
incident. He developed pneumonia. Opal stayed by his side all day
and night. I wasn’t allowed to see him. His bedroom window was on
the first floor, and each day I would peek in when no one was
watching. Opal had a chair pulled up next to the bed. She kept cool
cloths pressed to Ayden’s feverish head.

Then there was a day that Opal stepped out of
the room. I took the opportunity to hurry in and see Ayden before
she returned. I quietly crept in and stood over him. He looked pale
and gaunt, and I was taken aback. I had never seen anyone so sick,
not even Momma on her worst days. I wanted to say something to him,
but I didn’t want him to wake. Instead, I placed his warm hand in
mine, closed my eyes, and said a prayer for him. When I opened my
eyes, I saw him looking up at me. Before he could yell at me to go
away, just as Heath had done days before, I gently dropped his hand
and hurried out of the room, back outside. I feared I was going to
be in trouble, so I decided to stay away.

Although the island wasn’t the size of a
village, it was large enough to get away from everyone. I went to
the other side and found a spot to rest under a cluster of trees
near the edge of a small cliff. I hadn’t ventured out that far
before, but I was glad I did. It was the perfect spot to be alone,
and it had a beautiful view of the harbor in the distance. I sat
against the tree and thought about how I wanted to be someplace
else. I wasn’t happy anymore. Ayden hated me; Heath thought I was
nothing more than a troublesome little girl. Daddy and Momma had
each other. There seemed to be no use for me anywhere. I imagined
myself taking the boat to the mainland and running away. For sure,
no one would miss me for long. Maybe Daddy and Momma would for a
short time.

As I began to plan my disappearance, I
recalled the sailor from the tavern and remembered the warnings
Daddy had given me about strange men. Could I be all alone out
there in the world? Would I be free from harm? I believed I could
take a chance, and would that very night. I thought about what I
would put in the letter I planned to leave behind. I would tell
Momma and Daddy that I loved them. I would write that I hoped Ayden
soon recovered. I would thank Edward and Opal Dalton for their warm
welcome when we first arrived on Jasper Island. Then I would say I
was sorry to Heath for making him so angry at me.

I remained quiet at supper and didn’t eat
much of anything. Momma noticed and asked if I was ill.

“No, Momma. I’m fine,” I said, and asked to
be excused. She stood and came over to feel the top of my head.

“Is she with fever?” Opal asked.

Daddy stopped eating and looked at me with
concern.

“I’m fine, really,” I insisted. “I’m just a
little tired.”

Heath had arrived late for supper. He had
been reading to Ayden. As soon as he sat, Opal went to care for
Ayden.

“You can go,” Daddy said, and I left the
table without looking at Heath.

It didn’t take me long to pack a small
leather bag I found in Daddy’s room. I would bring only one dress,
an extra pair of stockings, and my favorite book—the one Heath gave
me.

As nightfall approached, I began my letter,
and when I finished, I waited until Daddy was up in the tower and
Momma had fallen asleep. It was around midnight when I quietly
stole away. The night was especially cold, and I no longer had my
shawl. It must have washed away the night I left it on the shore,
the night Heath told me to go away. I shivered, my bag in hand, as
I made my way past the houses. I would take the smaller of the two
boats and row out to the mainland. I had a note in the boat,
explaining who it belonged to, and asking whoever found it that it
be returned at their earliest convenience. I had only rowed a few
times, when Daddy would sit me on his lap and allow me to use the
oars.

On this night, the waters were rather calm
and the moon was three-quarters, with just enough moonlight to
allow me to make my way off the island. When the rowboat was in
sight, I stopped to gaze back at the house one last time, then
sighed and turned to walk. Just then, someone grabbed my arm. As I
went to scream, my mouth was covered, and panic filled my entire
body, then Heath whispered his name.

“It’s only me, Heath” he said, then took his
hand off my mouth. It took me a moment to calm down then anger took
over.

“Why did you frighten me, Heath Dalton?”

He stood before me with his coat and hat on
and my shawl draped over his arm. “Here, you might need this for
your trip,” he said, extending the shawl to me. How had he known I
was running away?

“I won’t need my shawl. I will be just fine
without it,” I said defiantly.

Heath rested the shawl on a large rock then
said, “Can I go with you?”

I didn’t understand. “No, I want to go
alone.”

“I see,” he said, and proceeded down to the
boat. “Can I at least load your bag for you?”

I crossed my arms over my chest just as Ayden
did occasionally, and scowled at him.

“Please don’t look at me with eyes so full of
anger,” he pleaded. “I would like to offer an apology, Lillian. I’m
sorry about the other day. I shouldn’t have spoken to you in that
manner.” He slowly came back over to me and took hold of my hand.
“You are my best friend, Lillian. You’re a special young lady. I
wouldn’t know what to do if you were gone.”

“You have Ayden; you have your books and
telescope. You don’t need me,” I said, choking back my tears.

“You think that’s all I need? I need a
friend. Where am I ever going to find another friend like you?”
Heath said sincerely.

“But the other night—” I began, no longer
fighting back my tears.

“The other night I was wrong to yell at you.
It wasn’t your fault. I was so very disappointed with myself. I was
supposed to take care of Ayden; I should never have let him fall
into the sea. I hadn’t gotten him home safely. I was beside myself.
I know you can understand. I realize I hurt you, and I am terribly
sorry. Will you please forgive me?” he begged.

I brushed the tears from my cheeks and smiled
up at him. “Of course, I forgive you,” I cried.

Heath smiled with great relief. “Will you
stay? Will you no longer run away?”

He really wanted me to stay. Heath said he
needed me; he said I was his best friend. Of course I would
stay.

“Come, then; let’s get some sleep. I don’t
know about you, but I’m exhausted,” he said, and looked to see if I
was in agreement.

“I guess I’m tired.”

Heath and I walked together, side by side.
Only as I got to my door did I ask him about the old man who rowed
him and Ayden to safety.

“What old man?” Heath asked when we
stopped.

“The old man in the boat the night Ayden
almost drowned?”

Heath looked puzzled then said, “There was no
old man in the boat, Lillian.”

Confused and bewildered he never saw the
ghost, I bid Heath a goodnight, but just as I turned to go, he
leaned into me and placed a quick kiss on my cheek.

“Thanks for staying,” he said in a whisper,
then waited until I got inside. My heart was beating fast, and I
wasn’t sure if it was from the ghost that haunted the island or
from Heath’s innocent kiss—my first kiss ever from a boy.

The very next morning, I was up with the
roosters. I couldn’t wait to see Heath again. Everything had
changed for me.. I was once again happy to be on Jasper Island and
thrilled to be a lighthouse keeper’s daughter; most of all, I was
elated to be Heath’s best friend. As soon as I was dressed I
wandered downstairs, and that’s when I heard their voices. Heath
was in our kitchen talking to Daddy. Instantly curious, I stopped
at the bottom of the stairs to listen to their conversation.

“It was no problem, sir. I was happy to
help,” Heath said quietly.

“I know how fond my daughter is of you.
You’re a fine young man, Heath.”

My stomach turned into a giant knot, and I
listened closely to their parting words.

“If ever you need my help with Lillian,
please come to me. I know she is sensitive, and I realize how young
she is.”

“I am grateful you convinced her to stay. I
was pleased not to have to step in and stop her.”

I covered my mouth so they wouldn’t hear my
gasp, but it was too late. Before they had a chance to say
anything, I was outside and running past Momma and Opal. I ran past
Ayden, who was sitting outside for the first time since the
incident that nearly took his life. I ran as fast as I could, the
same way Ayden did when he was humiliated. I ran and ran until my
legs gave out just as I reached my spot at the end of the island. I
fell hard and cried into the ground. I was just as immature as they
said; I was the little girl they were talking about. Heath only
came to me because Daddy found the letter and had him go after me.
Heath lied; Heath betrayed me. I wasn’t his best friend, and he
wasn’t sorry for yelling at me. I never wanted to talk to him ever
again.

Heath tried to get me to talk to him when I
had no choice but to return at the end of the day. I didn’t want to
spend any more nights outside alone, not with the ghost of Victor
roaming the island. I ignored him at supper, even when he pleaded
with his eyes for me to give in. Daddy noticed my appalling
behavior and sent me to my room. I threw down my napkin and stormed
off, then sat in my room on my bed until he came up just before his
night watch. He wouldn’t even let Momma come up and see me until he
had words with me.

Daddy stood tall and unyielding and insisted
I explain my unacceptable behavior. I refused to admit fault. I had
never once defied Daddy, and deep inside feared his disenchantment
with me, but I couldn’t help myself. I was so distraught over
Heath’s betrayal and that Daddy had asked Heath to do it.

“Look at me when I speak to you, Lillian,”
Daddy insisted. I lifted my gaze and shot him a look of hurt and
pain. He came to me then and brought me into his loving arms.

“Do you know how much you mean to me, my
darling daughter?” he said softly. I cried into his strong chest as
he soothed me, stroking my long hair. “Heath did as I asked,
Lillian. I wanted him to bring you back because I knew you would
listen to him. I see how much you admire him. I just wanted you to
be safe. Do you understand?”

“But I admire you more, Daddy,” I sobbed.

“Then I should have gone after you. I am
truly sorry for that. I know this life isn’t easy for a young girl
like you. You have no other girls your age to play with. Please
believe me when I say this,” he said, kissing my wet cheeks.

“I do, Daddy.”

“Good. Now no more tears.”

I knew when Daddy said no more tears, he
meant it. Of course I did as he said and stopped crying. Then the
next day, I asked Heath for forgiveness.

Heath was unsure what to say. I could see my
anger towards him had hurt his feelings. This time, it was I who
had to win him over.

“I still want to be best friends, if it’s
okay with you.”

He didn’t answer at first. I waited while he
sat on the rock with his fishing pole and began to bait the hook.
The sun was high and I could see all of the golden highlights in
his hair, and when he finally looked up at me, I could almost see
through his blue eyes.

Finally he spoke, and when he did, I was
relieved that he was no longer upset with me. “Come; sit and fish
with me.”

I joined him on the rock, and we sat side by
side.

“The circus is coming to town tomorrow,”
Heath informed me. “And the doctor said Ayden is well enough to
go.”

We looked to one another and smiled.
Everything was finally back to the way it had been, and unbeknownst
to me, even better days were to come.

_______________

Momma worried when she discovered the boys
and me down at the shore, climbing into the boat to go over to the
mainland for the first day of the circus.

“Lillian,” she said, hurrying to us. “I’m not
comfortable with this.”

“But Momma, Daddy said I could go with Heath
and Ayden,” I cried, fearing she would make me stay on the island
and the boys would go to the circus without me.

“I will look after Lillian, Mrs. Arrington,”
Heath said. Ayden was about to push off.

Momma contemplated what to do. If Daddy had
told me I could go, she was not going to challenge his authority.
Momma knew Daddy was wise and wouldn’t let anything happen to me. I
was sure Momma was thinking of the night of the storm, the night
Ayden was lying on the beach, just about dead. I saw the trouble in
her eyes, but I wanted to go more than I wanted her to be
content.