Under Her Brass Corset (21 page)

He anchored the
Illusion
as close to Ocracoke Island as he dared. Then he picked up Abigail while Adam took over dropping the boat into the water. The rain held off, but the winds became fierce. He rode the platform down and stepped into the boat Adam held steady below him. Once he sat, Adam rowed them to shore. There he took her straight to where he remembered the patch of wet sand.

He knelt, sitting Abigail on the ground and holding her propped in the cradle of his arm as he felt around. “It’s dry.”

“Use the Compass,” Adam suggested.

He took it from his pocket and spit on it. The light arced away from them, farther south of the island.

“We’ll never find a source in time.” Jasper dropped the Compass in the sand and hugged Abigail. “I’m sorry. If I had stayed out of your life, you’d be safe in England.”

“Jasper.” Abigail coughed and blood sputtered from her lips.

“Abby, me beauty. I’ve failed you.” He wiped her mouth with his hand. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” She touched his face. “I wouldn’t have changed anything about my life. You were always there, even when I didn’t know it. I remember times I felt so content, so happy, and it’s you I recall. I only wish you had made yourself known to me before I accepted an engagement to Randolph, before he and I—”

Jasper kissed her into silence. “The past is where it should be left, behind us.”

Abigail stretched out her arm toward the sand and picked up the Compass. “Keep me with you, Jasper. Make me immortal.”

“It’s too late. We’re too far from any water from a spring of Avalon.” His tears fell on the Compass.

Abigail watched the Compass come to life. A smile formed on her lips and that endearing sparkle of happiness appeared in her dying eyes. He didn’t want to lose her. Angry because he couldn’t save her, he took the globe and threw it away from them.

An unfurling mist traveling across the sea came ashore and began engulfing them. Then a figure materialized and stepped out of the dense haze.

“Morgan,” Jasper breathed the name with hope. “Can you heal her?”

“Is that what you want, Abigail?” Morgan played with the Compass, tossing it back and forth from one hand to the other.

“Yes. I want to know Jasper forever.”

“Are you sure?” Jasper asked.

“I love you, Jasper, and I want you to know love isn’t an illusion.”

“What did you say?”

“I love you,” she whispered.

“No, after that, about love being an illusion.”

“I read your poem. I felt the pain in your words. I don’t want you to ever suffer like that again.”

He kissed her on the forehead. “It wasn’t the loss of Isabel that stirred me to write that, Abby. It was you.”

“You don’t have to say that. I know you must have loved her very much.” She touched the ring in his ear.

“She was another life.” He took the ring off and threw it into the surf. “I didn’t think I’d ever have the chance to know your love. The thought of living an eternity without the joy of hearing your laugh or feeling your arms around me was depressing.” He looked up at Morgan. “She’s not strong enough to travel to a source of the water of Avalon. Isn’t there something you can do? You said the Crystal Compass was mine so that I might help someone dear to me. What good is it if I can’t do anything for the woman I love?”

“But the Compass has helped you, my dear friend. It has brought you two together.”

“That’s not enough. I need the magic that comes from the water from the spring of Avalon.”

“The magic, as you call it, has always been with you, Jasper. Love in itself is powerful. If it’s true and pure, then all you need is to look inside yourself.”

“What are you saying?”

“Abigail, kiss his tears away if you truly want to embrace immortality.” Morgan backed into the fading mist, still playing with the Compass as her voice floated out to him one last time. “And tell Merlin I’m still working on that little problem he has.”

“Well I’ll be damned,” Adam muttered. “If what she said is true, then—”

“I don’t understand.” Tears dripped from Jasper’s cheeks. “What is she talking about?”

“If you love me…” Abigail’s voice weakened. She reached up and pulled his face down close to hers. “Do you truly love me, Jasper?”

“I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you. Never,” he said hoarsely, choking on his emotions. “I’ve watched you your entire life, never knowing our fates were tied. Under the brass corset you love to wear is the beautiful spirit of a woman more dear to me than life. I’ll love you forever.”

He leaned farther, letting Abigail kiss over his eyes, across his cheeks and along his jaw, chasing the stream of tears rolling down his face. Then her wet lips pressed his. He felt strength in her kiss. The energy of rejuvenation radiated from her cold body, making her fingers warm and tingly where she touched his face.

“Abigail, you’re healing.” Jasper pulled her up and hugged her.

“Jasp, it’s your tears,” Adam explained. “What Morgan said in her riddling way is if your love is real, then your tears will work as a source of the water of Avalon.”

“Then why give me the Compass and not just tell me the secret?”

“I think the plan was for you two to meet,” Adam said. “And you did notice she took the Compass with her.”

“I suppose it isn’t the best idea to divulge an important secret of our existence,” Jasper agreed.

“Well, I sure wouldn’t want some scalawag torturing me until I cry just so he can get his fill of my tears. If we know what’s good for us, we won’t be telling anyone about our newfound ability.”

“I think the key ingredient for it to work is love, Mr. Sutterby.” Abigail hugged Jasper.

“Yes, and I don’t see Eric ever loving anyone, even an immortal. So we should be safe from that prospect.” Jasper heaved a relieved breath.

“Don’t underestimate love, Jasper. It’s possible even for Eric to find someone.” Abigail smiled.

“Enough about that cutthroat.” He kissed her tenderly, feeling her grow stronger as her wound finished healing.

Faintly he heard Adam mumbling something about leaving them alone.

“I thought I was going to lose you.” He smiled.

Abigail brushed at his cheek, wiping away the remnants of his tears. “Can we go home now?”

“To your house in England?” He scooped her off the sand and stood with her in his arms.

“Eventually.” She twirled strands of his hair around her fingers. “For now, take me to the
Illusion
and make love to me as if there’s no tomorrow.”

“Me beauty, there will be many tomorrows for us.” He swung her around, happy to hear her laughter. “And we’ll rename and rechristen the ship from every cabin to mark the start of our life together. I’ve wanted to call it the
Abigail
for a long time now.”

“I’m honored, but won’t that get confusing? How will I know when you’re talking about me? I don’t want to be worrying over comments like, ‘Abigail is getting old and worn-looking.’”

“That can’t happen now that you’re immortal, me beauty, and just to differentiate, I’ll always call you Abby. And should Merlin ever shake the spell on him and become human again—”

“Oh no, Merlin,” she gasped. “He really is a man?”

“A sorcerer trapped in a shape-shifter spell he and Morgan cooked up.”

“Oh, how could he!”

“What’s wrong?”

“That cat watched me bathe in your tub.”

“He what? I’ll kill him. I’ll toss Merlin overboard just as soon as I get ahold of his mangy hide.”

Abigail’s sudden burst of laughter stopped him from listing all the ways in which he’d skin the beast.

“What’s so funny?”

“I’m alive and immortal, and I have you. I don’t want to waste a second on being angry. Besides, think of all the things I could do to poor Merlin if he doesn’t know I’m immortal for, say, the next couple of decades.” She laughed again.

He kissed her, letting the sound of her laughter fade into a contented sigh against his.

“I love you so much, Jasper,” she murmured against his lips. “So very much.”

He vowed to tell her the same again, just as soon as she let him have a breath.

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