MacGowan's Ghost (34 page)

“Kait,” she hollered over the wind, continuing to row toward Jake, “you have to let go! I know it wasn't your fault! Please, let Gabe and Jake live in peace—”

Allie drew a deep breath. “You didn't kill yourself on purpose, did you, Kait?” she yelled. “Trust me! I can help you!”

“I won't go away!” shouted Allie. “I love them both, too! If you love Jake, you'll let him live! You don't want him to die in the water like you did, do you? It's cold here, and awful!”

Only the wind whipping overhead made any noise. Allie stared into the ghastly face of Gabe's dead wife. “I know you must have felt so much despair, Kait. It was a bad time in your life, wasn't it?” Allie waited, still keeping an eye on Jake, who simply sat in the rowboat, watching. “We all make mistakes, Kait—”

Allie knew Kait meant Gabe. The amount of pain and anguish she sensed in Kait's dispirited soul nearly choked her. No wonder she'd become so vicious and malevolent. “Gabe didn't mean it, Kait. No one wanted you to die!” she shouted over the wind. So close to Jake now . . .

Then Kait glanced with her one good eye toward Jake, and her voice changed a little; the wind died somewhat.
I miss my son so verra much . . .

“I know you do,” Allie said. “But leave him here—”

And just that fast, Kait's mood changed.

And in the next breath, Kait shifted from Allie's presence to Jake's, and Allie watched in horror as the wind changed directions, surrounding the little boy who stood up in the boat, then jumped into the loch.

“No!” Allie cried out, and without thinking of anything else, she dived into the icy water. With her arms and legs pumping, she swam toward where Jake had jumped in, and when he went under, so did she. Blindly, Allie felt for him. The water was dark—so dark that she couldn't see anything except the moonlit surface above. In her mind, she cried for Gabe to hurry, and she screamed and pleaded for Kait to listen.

Kait! Please, I beg you, let your son go. He loves you and he loves his dad and family here. You can make things right now, by letting him go! All of the mistakes can be forgotten! You can rest your soul!
Allie screamed to Kait in her mind.
Your dying was an accident, wasn't it?

Just then, Allie felt an arm, and she grabbed on to it and started kicking toward the surface. They weren't under far, but Kait had indeed lured them beneath the sea's surface and had a grip on Allie so forceful she nearly couldn't swim at all. Her lungs burned and her muscles screamed, but she kicked and kicked.
Let us go!
she screamed to Kait once more.
With your soul healed, Jake's memory of you will be healed, as well! He loves you, Kait, and he keeps your picture by his bedside . . .

Kait suddenly let go.

Allie didn't ponder why. She broke the surface of the water, little Jake in her arms, both of their teeth clacking from the cold, and Allie began to swim. The shore of the island lay a mere twenty feet or so, but it felt like twenty miles. When she found her footing, she shoved toward the pebbles and sand, dragging Jake behind her. Gripping him around his waist, she heaved one last time and pushed him up onto the beach. Dauber was there, pacing and wringing his hands.

“Alll-lie,” Jake said, his voice quivering from the cold. “Tell my mum I do love her, and I didna m-mean to say I hated h-her in private. I didna mean it!”

Allie, her own lips quaking, gave Jake what she hoped looked like a comforting smile. “I will, sweet-heart. Your dad's on his way—”

“Allie!” cried Jake.

Just as Allie was suddenly pulled back toward the water and swept back under.

Allie struggled, but Kait's soul was too strong. Jake's little voice drifted away as Allie dropped farther under the surface of the loch.

 

Gabe sped to the little island, the boat's small spotlight adding a beam to the surface of the already lit-up water. Never had he felt so scared in his entire life as he did now.

“Just there,” Justin said. “To that small isle.”

The boat's beam picked up a small figure at the shore. “Jake!” Gabe yelled. “Jake!” His heart leapt with relief.

“Da!” his son hollered back. The boy jumped up and down. “Hurry!”

Gabe killed the engine and ran the boat up onto the pebbled shore. Before it stopped he jumped out, grabbed his son, and pulled him into a fierce hug.

“Da, let me go!” Jake cried, wiggling and pushing away.

Gabe let go and held his son's shoulders steady. “What's wrong with you, boy?”

“Allie's in the water, Da!” he cried, pointing and running to the water's edge. “She went below!”

“Stay with him,” Gabe told Justin and Dauber, and then ran to the boat, reached into the supply box below the bow, and grabbed an underwater lantern, then turned and dived into the freezing November water.

Gabe swam out several feet, then plunged below the surface of the water. Kicking, he swept the beam of light frantically as he searched for Allie. It was dark as night; he saw very little other than floating bits of sea life.

He turned to the right, to the left, sweeping the lantern beam in every direction. He kicked to the surface, drew in a lungful of air, then went below again. The salt water stung his eyes but he ignored it. He had to find Allie.
Now
.

Then a thought crossed his mind.

Kait! Please, let her go!
he thought.
'Tisna her fault, Kait. She only wants to help!

Suddenly before him was Kait's form. Sea-sodden and deathly, she hovered close, inspecting, weighing. Waiting.

Out of air, Gabe kicked to the surface and drew another breath. Below, Kait waited on him, floating, staring, saying nothing.

Please give her back to me,
Gabe said.
Jesus, please give her back. She can help you. You've got to forgive yourself, Kait, and I beg you, please forgive me . . .

Kait met his gaze, then lowered her head and drifted away, out of the beam of Gabe's lantern. He swept the beam through the water, and just when he thought his lungs would burst, he saw her.

Christ Almighty, she looked dead.

She'd saved his son's life.

Kicking hard toward her, Gabe grabbed Allie by the waist and pushed toward the water's surface. As soon as they broke free, he kicked harder, swimming for the shoreline. Finally, he found footing and dragged her to the beach. He tossed the lantern and laid her on her back.

She didna move. Didna breathe.

Jake, Dauber, and Justin, now accompanied by the friar, Lords Ramsey and Killigrew, along with Mademoiselle Bedeau, stood around him, silent.

“Allie!” Gabe shouted, and grabbed her by the shoulders and shook. Still, she didn't move. “Allie, please! Come back to me, love!” He shook her some more. “Allie!”

All at once, she sputtered, and Gabe turned her onto her side as she spewed seawater, choking and coughing and sucking in large gulps of air. Before her eyes found his, she grabbed his hand and pushed something into it.

“It's Kait's,” she said, her voice quivering from the cold. “She led me to it. It's for Jake.”

Gabe lifted Allie onto his lap and pulled her into a fierce, although wet, embrace. With his free hand he pulled his son close, too. Over Jake's shoulder, he opened his hand and peered at the object Allie had given him.

'Twas a small heart on a chain. A locket. He'd open it later, for inside he knew he'd find a small picture of Kait on one side, and an infant Jake on the other. Kait had worn it constantly, despite her misery for life.

And she'd been wearing it the day she died.

Over Jake's shoulder a slip of mist appeared. No complete form, just a simple wisp of mist. A sensation of peace settled over Gabe, and Jake turned his head. Allie snuggled close.

“Thank you,” Gabe whispered, knowing the form was Kait, that she was no longer malevolent, and that her hideous form had disappeared.

Jake stuck out a hand and as the form began to fade, he waved. “Bye, Mum.”

And the mist sifted into the night.

“Let's get you three home and in front of a fire, aye?” said Justin, who'd knelt beside Allie. “All of your lips are blue and I swear I cannot steer that bloody vessel of yours, MacGowan.”

Gabe stood, pulling his two beloveds with him. He held them both so close he could feel their hearts beating. He pressed his lips to Allie's temple and kissed her. “Are you okay?” he asked softly. “You're freezing.”

“I'm fine now,” she said, her arm resting against his chest. “Much better now.”

“I'll never let you go again, Allie Morgan,” he said. “Christ, I'll never let you go.”

Gabe loaded his son and woman into the boat, pulled out the only thing to wrap around them—a tarp—and headed toward Sealladh na Mara's wharf.

He and Jake—and Kait's soul—were finally free.

And Kait's soul had been mended by a selfless, loving soul who simply wouldna give up.
His
Allie. She'd no' turned her back on Kait, even in her darkest moment. She'd made Kait realize she'd no' meant to die on purpose, and that her son still loved her. It made Gabe love Allie even more.

The Odin's Thumb lot disappeared, along with Dauber.

And Gabe, Allie, and Jake headed home.

 

The rest of the night settled down to a slow pace. After they'd all had hot showers and gotten warm clothes, Wee Mary and Laina seated them all before large bowls of steaming porridge and tea. Once their tummies were full, they all gathered in the lobby before a roaring peat fire. With the Odin's lot, plus Dauber, gathered around, they warmed up, talked, and once Jake fell asleep between Allie and Gabe, Laina took him up and put him to bed. When she returned, Allie told them what she'd learned from Kait.

“She was a very sad soul, and the guilt for neglecting little Jake when he was born ate at her in life and in death.” She shook her head and looked into Gabe's eyes. “She didn't kill herself. She just simply wanted to escape the misery for a while and thought she could handle the boat. When she lost an oar, and stood up to reach for it, she capsized and went into the water. With her drinking, her senses had become slow and dull.” Allie held Gabe's hand, their fingers laced. “She fought, but she drowned. And that misery and guilt is what made her so despondent.”

“I think you reached her,” Gabe said, putting his arm around her and pulling her close. “She seemed at peace, finally.”

“Do you think we'll ever see the poor lass again?” asked Wee Mary.

Allie shrugged. “It's hard to say. We might not see her, but she may very well show herself to Jake.” She glanced at Justin, Dauber, and the others. “But I felt her guilt ease, and it wouldn't surprise me a bit to one day come across a very different soul of Kait MacGowan.”

After a little more chatting, Wee Mary and Laina rose. “Well, lads and lassies, we best be off,” said Mary. “Sister, shall you stay at my house tonight?”

“Oh, goody, a sleepover,” Laina said. “Aye, sounds fine to me.”

“Lads, an escort?” said Mary.

Lords Ramsey and Killigrew both jumped up. “Aye, our pleasure,” they both said.

“We'll have a nice hand of cards awaitin' you,” said Justin, making his way to the corner alcove—a favorite card-playing spot, so it seemed. “Ladies, good night.”

Gabe rose and walked his mother and auntie to the door. With a kiss and hug from each, he saw them out the door, their ghostly escorts in tow.

When he returned, Gabe sank down onto the sofa beside Allie and pulled her close, her head resting on his chest. She could hear his breath moving through his lungs with each intake and exhale of air, and his heart beating against her ear made her own beat faster.

He slipped his arms around her waist and rested them against her stomach. “I want to do something tomorrow, and I'd like you to be included.”

“What's that?” she said.

“Kait had a small burial in Sealladh na Mara's cemetery after her death, but I'd like to have a ceremony at sea.” He kissed her head. “You're an amazin' woman, Allie Morgan. You've given my son a reason no' to hate his mum, even after everything he saw. He understands she loved him—just no' herself. You're the most unselfish person I've ever known.” He turned her then, grasped her chin, and looked at her. “There's something else I want to do.”

Allie wiggled her brows. “Do tell, before the friar overhears and separates us.”

Gabe chuckled, the deep sound rumbling in his chest. “ 'Tis a surprise, lass. We'll go tomorrow afternoon. Aye?”

Allie smiled. “That's most definitely an aye.”

Gabe's eyes sparkled mischief.

He didn't say anything else.

Chapter 31

T
he next morning, nearly the entire town had turned out for Kait's burial at sea. Before they'd left, Allie had called home, had spoken to her mother and Boe, and this time Emma, as well, and let them in on everything going on at Sealladh na Mara. Frightened at first because of the terrifying experiences with Kait, and then thrilled to hear of her relationship with Gabe and Jake, Sara Morgan had cried on the phone for her eldest daughter. Tears of fear and joy at the same time. Allie had promised to call them later, once she returned to shore.