Dawn of the fourth found Jane awake and busy cooking in the tiny kitchen of the cottage. Rossini's "Theiving Magpie" filled both the room and Jane with it's infectious, lively mood. She hummed along with the music as she put the finishing touches to a Strawberry torte Cake, she was making for her dinner with Brian.
Once done with the cake, she grabbed her windbreaker jacket and opened the door. Pete, went from laying peacefully by the fireplace, to racing top speed out the door in a split second. Jane went about getting out the hose and sprinklers as Pete raced around the property making his rounds. The day was going to be bright, warm and cloud free. As Jane watered all the gardens and made sure everything was in top shape, gulls cried overhead and waves filled the air with a gentle rythym in the background. By 9am Jane had all the beds watered and the equipment stored away.
As much as Jane enjoyed giving the tours, the day seemed to drag. She held 4 tours that afternoon and was amazed at the number of people who showed up on a holiday. The guestbook grew by 2 full pages, with signitures from over 10 different states. Just as she was closing the book after the last tour of the day, Jane noticed several local visitors had been there today as well. In a way that was very flattering, that her efforts could make the locals come back to see the changes that she had made.
Pete was fed, the gates closed and the tower locked by 6:30 and Jane was in her trusty old ford truck on the road towards town a few moments later. Bass Harbor was decorated like something out of a Frank Capra movie. Huge Red, White and Blue banners hung across the main corner of town. Flags fluttered lazily in the evening breeze from every bulding and home. The town park was filled with a small carnival and the kids of all ages such things attract. The Firehall parking lot was filled with several brightly colored floats and numerous groups of people milling around. School bands, Service men, and clowns, all getting ready for the evening parade that would end down on the warf at dusk, just in time for the fireworks. The air was filled with the smell of roasting chicken from the methodist Church grounds next to the firehall. Jane took all this in as she drove slowly towards the docks. She half expected to see George Bailey run across the road on some bit of town buisness. It was like she had slipped back in time to her own childhood in a similar small town setting. One that was rapidly disppearing from the American landscape.
She guided the
truck into a tight parking spot on the
lawn of the Ameican Legion, where a
baseball game was in progress on the
diamond out back. Jane locked the truck
and walked down the street towards the
warf with the Cake in a cloth tote. The
lake sparkled in the late afternoon sun,
and boats filled the harbor. Off of the
main warf, wooden docks provided mooring
for over 100 boats. Jane stood at the
edge of the docks, looking for the
"Albitross". She spotted the old cargo
boat on the end of the third gangway.
She passed by several fishing charter
boats, a nice cabin crusier, a beautiful
sailboat, and two small ski boats,
before she was in front of Brian's
boat.
"Hello?" she called out
seeing no signs of life on the
boat.
"Hey! Jane!! You're a bit
early." , Brian called out from several
spots up the gangway.
Jane turned
and saw Brian, complete with dinner
Jacket and bottle of wine, leaning over
the rail of the sleek sailboat she had
passed. "Wow, Nice boat, Rob a bank???"
Jane said lightly.
Brian grinned
and said, "Naw, just called in a favor
for the night. I thought this had far
more atmosphere, than my old
hulk."
"Well it certainly does.
Permission to come aboard , Captain."
Jane said as she did a comical attempt
at a salute, while clicking her heels in
military fashion.
"Ayee, Matie
welcome aboard.", Brian said as he
walked over to lend her a hand coming on
board. "Oh this looks lovely." Jane
said looking around the back deck of the
schooner. Brian casualy clasped her hand
and led her towards the front of the
boat. A table was set up on the deck,
there was fine china set for 2, flowers
in a vase and candles flickered in 2
hurricane globes. A Bucket of ice was
set by the table on a cart that held
several domed dishes. Brian pulled out
a chair and said, "Madame, the Captain
would love the honor of your attendence
at his table tonight."
Jane
cracked up and sat down laughing. "You
go all out on first dates I take it.
This is so wonderful and such a
surprise"
Brian smiled and said
with a crooked grin, "Well considering
how many dates I have had in the last
few years, I thought a special effort
might be in order."
Jane handed
the cloth tote to Brian and said,
"Here's the finish to this wonderful
meal."
"Thanks, I won't peek,
that way I'll be surprised at dessert
time." Brian said as he set it on the
cart next to the table. He took the
cover off a bowl of ceasar salad and set
it on the table. Handing a bowl to Jane
he grabbed a pair of tongs and set them
in the salad bowl. Reaching across the
cart he pushed the play button on a CD
player he had set up. The opening
strains on Beethovan's Pastorial
symphony floated on the air as he sat
down.
"Nice choice of dinner
music Brian. Beethovan is one of my
favorites. The salad was crisp and
enjoyable with finely grated parmesean
cheese and garlic croutons. They sat
and chatted over the salad, and a glass
of white wine that had just enough red
grapes in it to give it a gentle blush
and a touch of sweetness. The
conversation flowed as easily as it did
the first time they dined together at
the lighthouse the night her supplies
arrived. Soon the salad was finished
and the sun was starting to make the
last part of it's days journey, turning
the horizon a deep scarlet orange.
Brian cleared the bowls and said to
Jane, "The first course was scheduled
for in the harbor, but I thought we
would set sail and finish the evening
out on the open water. So you make
yourself comfortable and I will get us
under way."
Jane sat back and
listened to the final movement of the
6th symphony as the gracefull schooner
slipped past the breakwater and out into
Lake Michigan. Brian was skilled at
sailing, she could tell by his mannerism
while working the ropes and sails. Self
assurance was a very sexy thing, and
Brian certainly had his share. The Cd
ended and Brian called out for her to
make the next choice. Jane opened the
small CD case and was amazed at the
collection of fine classics it held.
Without hesitation she chose Handle's
supurb "Water Music". They had made it
past the harbor's entrance and were now
gliding across the water in a straight
line towards Eagles Point. They were
moving very slowly as, he curled most of
the sails and came back and joined her.
Brian poured another glass of
wine for each of them and brought 2
covered dishes to the table. He sat
down and uncovered both dishes. One was
a tempting mixture of marinated
vegetables, full of mushrooms,
cauliflower and broccoli. The other
dish contained a sumptous lobster salad
made from diced lobster tails with a
delicate dill dressing and dusted with
lemon pepper.
Jane marveled at
the lobster salad, and remarked "I
thought you said you were all thumbs in
the kitchen?" This lobster salad is so
delicious, and just right for a warm
summer's evening."
"Well in
truth I do know how to cook, but find
very little time. I had the day off,
and would'nt like to admit how long I
spent preparing this."
"You did a
wonderful job. The evening has been
perfect so far, the right music, great
wine, fantastic food and engaging
company." Jane replied.
Over the
course of dinner Jane told Brian of her
special visitors the other day and of
the up coming visit by the coast guard
and state officials.
"See I told
you, that you had made quite a stir. In
fact, I'd say you stired up a nest of
hornets, and walked away without a
sting. Those state officials don't
normally move so quickly, and when they
do, it's usually bad news for common
folks. You should be proud Jane, you've
made a lasting difference here in a very
short time." Brain said as he cleared
the table.
The sun had started
to drip into the lake on the western
horizon and the glow lit up the sky. To
the East, darkness edged in, preparing
to overcome the brilliant sunset. Brian
excused himself and curled the rest of
the sails and dropped the anchor. The
schooner was in the perfect spot to see
the fireworks over the harbor, without
fear of being hit by an errant rocket.
Off to the East, on the closest point, a
single beam of light became more visible
as the light faded. The beam swept
across the water and then disappeared
momentairly before coming back into
view.
Brian came back to the
table and Jane had served up two slices
of the cake. From her seat Jane had a
great view of sky as it turned a
brilliant orange as the sun slipped
below the horizon.
"Oh Brian
what a view! This sunset is
georgous."Jane said softly.
Brian
grined and said, "Turn around, there's
something I think you will like even
more."
Jane let out an audible
gasp , "Oh wow! It's the Lighthouse."
Jane had never even considered what the
light might look like from out on the
water. It was the first time she had
ever seen any lighthouse from a mariners
point of view. Jane leaned across the
table and gave Brian a gentle kiss on
the cheek. "Thank you, you have made
this evening everything I could have
hope for."
Brian smiled widely
and said "And you have given me more tan
I could have hoped for as
well!"
"What with a simple peck
on the cheek?" Jane said
laughing.
"No! Strawberry cake.
Do you have any idea how much I like
fresh strawberries?" Brian said
grinning.
"Men! Well don't be
shy about asking for seconds." Jane
said.
"of cake or kisses?" Brian
said with a gleem in his
eye.
"Either one ." Jane said
softly.
They finished their cake
and cleared the table as the sounds of
the parade drifted across the water from
the warf. Brian clasped Janes's hand
and they walked towards the aft deck of
the boat. The rear deck had a glorious
view of the harbor and there was a
doublewide chaise lounge with a
overstuffed blue cushion. They got
comfortable, and Brian grabed a new
bottle of wine from the ice bucket next
to the lounge. He poured 2 glasses and
he handed one to Jane. Jane sipped the
wine and felt a warmth creep through
her.
The sky was suddenly
shattered by a brilliant burst of yellow
as the fireworks began. With almost an
hour's worth of pyrotechnics, it was
without a doubt one of the best displays
Jane had seen in years. Curled up close
to each other, they watched the
brilliant colors explode overhead, as
the oohs and ahhhs of the crowd on shore
drifted on the evening
breeze.
The thunderous grand
finale signaled the end of the evening
for those on shore. Out on the water,
as the darkness closed in and the soft
rhythm of the waves against boat played
in the background, Jane and Brian took
the first tenative steps towards
becoming lovers. On the rocky point, a
lone figure in a old torn dress looked
out over the water and the sailboat
anchored in the
moonlight........
To Be Continued
March 15th
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On To Part 20
