MOBPg1

The young woman's eyes were the most extraordinary emerald green, and as they passed each other at the
doorway that brisk October morning, her stare seemed to penetrate to Kevin's very soul.

Tortoiseshell combs secured her long auburn hair, but wisps of long strands fell free and curled along the sides
of her oval face. Her dress of rich satin, velvet and lace and its burgundy bodice lay in stark contrast against
her porcelain white skin. When he tipped his hat to her, she smiled the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen.

He arrived in the ship-building town of Marietta Ohio only a few weeks ago to work for his uncle in the
shipyards. The town seemed dull when compared to New York City where Kevin lived for years before heading
south due to a scandalous affair with a married socialite. His flamboyant playboy reputation angered his father
and he fled New York in a hurry to minimize the damage to the distinguished family name.

He looked away for only a moment to pay for his purchase, but by the time he received his change, she was
gone.

"Did you see that woman?" he asked Percy, the clerk.

"I see many women," Percy said.

"The young one. . . Standing by the entrance," Kevin said.

"Aye, my lad, I am sorry but the old eyes are fading a bit," Percy laughed. "I can't tell old widow Kincaid from the
young Miss O'Malley these days."

"That's a pity," Kevin said and rushed outside to see which way she had gone.

The fog from the river spilled out along the mud laden streets and hindered his search for the mysterious
beautiful girl. Kevin eyed the entrances to all the other shops that lined the bustling marketplace but saw no
sign of her anywhere. Frustrated, he pulled his overcoat up to protect his face from the cold and strolled to the
shipyard, as though he were walking through the park on Sunday and not fifteen minutes late as his timepiece
indicated.

"You're late," Uncle Oliver said.

"I stopped for your tobacco," Kevin said and tossed a small parcel on the table.

"The others are starting to talk about your habitual tardiness and your lack of work ethic," Uncle Oliver scoffed
as he stuffed the tobacco into his pipe.

"I saw the most beautiful girl today, Uncle," Kevin said. "She had dark hair and green eyes. She was dressed as
though she came from money. Do you know of her?"

"This town's full of girls with dark hair and green eyes. Many of them from well-to-do families," Uncle Oliver
said. "And I don't want you going near any of them. I'll not have a scandal such as you caused in New York. I
don't know how I let my brother talk me into allowing you to come here."

Kevin sat down at his desk and stared at the stack of slips he needed to enter into the ledger. Menial work such
as this was beneath someone with his education and social status, but he knew his father would disown him if
he protested. His hand clasped his pen, dipped the tip into the inkwell and scripted the ledger, but his mind
wandered to the girl, her emerald eyes and her haunting smile.

"Don't even think about leaving early today," Uncle Oliver warned as he adorned his coat and hat. "I'll be out and
about most of the day on business. You will close the office tonight. The keys are in the desk drawer."

* * *

Kevin leaned back in his chair and checked the time. It was past eight o'clock and he was the only one still in the
office. Everyone else had left hours ago and only a few of them bothered to say goodnight. He topped his
inkwell and stacked his ledgers on the corner of his desk. His eyes burned from the smoke of the oil lamp and
he hadn't eaten since this morning. He pulled on his overcoat, grabbed the keys from the desk drawer, and
locked the door behind him.

The brisk evening air mixed with the warm river water, blanketing the street with thick fog past the rooftops.
Kevin hurried past the dark storefronts towards his Uncle's townhouse, two blocks past the center of town.
Perhaps he could relax with a little brandy before his uncle returned.

He saw shadows up head which at first resembled a cat. This town was full of strays. As he drew closer, he saw
rats scurry away from a pile of rubbish left abandoned on the corner. He stopped and looked back, and it
appeared as though the mist had swallowed up the street behind him. He felt a little disoriented but refused to
admit he didn't know where he was. He obviously had missed his street somewhere along the way and mentally
retraced his steps to figure out where he had taken a wrong turn.

A soft Irish melody flowed through the air so subtle that if there were any passing carriages, he might not have
heard it at all. Kevin followed the music and it gradually became louder. He turned another corner and found
himself standing beneath the old faded sign of The Lands Meade Pub. He tapped his foot to the beat and the
soothing glow from the lights inside relieved him a bit. He felt as though he was the only man left in the whole
city. Sounds of laughter and gaiety beckoned him to the window for a peek. He'd never seen this place before
but then again, he was lost. Perhaps he could grab a bite to eat.

His heart stopped when he spotted her standing at the edge of the bar, talking with an elderly gentleman and
laughing with a drink in her hand. A bell atop the door announced his arrival and he walked straight to the bar
and ordered a pint.