"Yes, thank you." His hand was nearly big enough to grasp the entire bowl, but he delicately plucked a few slices from it.
Agatha opened her mouth to ask another question, but just then, Madi sat up as a quick movement caught the corner of her eye: her father, standing at the dune in front of their cottage, waving. She tapped Celian on the shoulder. "Father wants us to come home," she said.
Agatha's smile dimmed slightly, but returned again as Celian bounded gracefully to his feet and immediately offered his hand to her.
"Madam," he said.
"Oh, thank you!" Agatha gushed. Once she was standing, all three worked together to pack up the lunch again. Agatha reclaimed the basket and set to straightening what the wind had disheveled. Celian and Madi whispered rapidly.
"Well, I must say," said Agatha, "this has been rather pleasant, and I am glad to have met you, Celian."
A small prompting from Madeline, and Celian stepped forward, his narrow cheeks reddening ever so slightly.
"Miss Dalton—"
"Please," she laughed, "call me Agatha."
"Miss Agatha," Celian began again, obediently. "Would you do me the honor of... of having lunch with me again tomorrow?"
Agatha smiled. "Of course!" She said. "Shall we try other accommodations? Perhaps we might go into town and visit one of—"
"No," Celian responded quickly, finally meeting her gaze. He saw her flinch, and he balked. "That is to say," he stammered, "I was rather thinking that this beach is as good a spot as any." He decided not to mention that his preference stemmed from the fact that the proximity to the water allowed him to keep what wits he had about him.
Agatha nodded agreeably. "Very well then; I shall see you tomorrow, Celian."
"Good day, Miss Agatha."
She took the path back to town, while Celian went with Madi back toward their cottage. Suddenly, tomorrow was all he could think about. A sudden pressure on his body drew him from his musings.
Madi had thrown her arms around him again, though she only came as high as his waist.
"I'm glad you're back," she said tilting her cheery face up to him.
Celian placed one hand against her back. "Me too, Madi," he whispered, his mind full of another cheery face.
Chapter 10
The cliffs of Afton-By-The-Sea stood solid, even after centuries of fierce winds and waves. Nature carved strange designs into the surface of the rock, shaping and molding them into intricate designs of impossible stability. The flowing tide left countless wonderful shells picked clean by birds and crabs, studding the sand with their gleaming shapes.
In a season of such high winds, very few residents ventured out of doors unless they had very good reason to. For Celian, that reason was Agatha Dalton.
Madi Grove and her father sat in the hotel lobby in town. Madi quietly read a book while her father conversed with his secretary about the state of his office and clientele during his absence.
As thrilling as the book was, Madi found her current situation in the real world far more enticing. She kept glancing up as guests staggered through the doorway, until at last, the lean, impossibly-tall form swept into the lobby.
Grove finished his conversation, hung up the telephone receiver, and nodded to Celian.
"How did it go today?" He asked.
The tall man dropped into the nearest chair with a contented sigh. His knees nearly reached the chair set across from him, requiring him to lean his legs awkwardly as he rested his feet on their sides, but the dreamy, elated smile on his face gave no indication of discomfort.
Madi set aside her book and awaited Celian's response.
"She is well," Celian said, folding his long hands in his lap.
Madi let out a long, exasperated sigh and crossed her arms, kicking her heels to vent her displeasure.
Celian caught her glare and laughed. "Miss Agatha and I enjoyed our walk today. She told me more about her life in the city."
"And you?" Dr. Grove was no less eager than his daughter, but hid it with more patience. "What have you told her about yourself?"
Here Celian faltered, shrugging his narrow shoulders. "There is not much that I can tell, Doctor. She believes I am from America, and I am content to allow her to continue to believe that."
"Still?" Madeline frowned. "It's been a week; I'm sure she can be trusted with the truth by now!"
Celian turned his multicolored gaze on Madeline. "It is not a question of trust, Madi," he said quietly. "I cannot tell her because once she leaves and it is over, I will return to the sea and probably never see her in this form again. I would rather she think of me often and remember me as I am now, than be repulsed by the fact that she allowed her fancies to be entertained by a fraud."
Madi opened her mouth to protest again, but Dr. Grove cut in and stopped her. "Speaking of leaving," he said slowly, "Madi, we ought to be thinking of any final things we want to do." He glanced briefly at Celian with just his eyes. "It's getting near the end of our holiday, and Miss Finchley says that the number of cases she cannot refer to other doctors is growing by the day."
"But Dad!" Madi complained, "Must we leave so soon?" She smiled shyly at the tall man across from her. "What about Agatha and Celian?"
Grove wagged his head. "What do you mean? Their lives are none of our business."
Madi's face lengthened, and she gave her father the most pitiful frown she could manage.
"It's all right, Madeline," Celian reassured her in his deep, warm voice. "You don't need to feel compelled to overstay because of me." He leaned forward and grabbed her hand. "You've already given me more than I ever thought possible. Whatever will be between Agatha and I, it will be because you were brave
