Spoils of Eden (9 page)

She waited, still wondering how to greet him after all this time. Their love for one another, she believed, was still unwavering, even though conflict had delayed their marriage. Noelani had said it was best to lay conflict to rest before marriage rather than be joined in a struggle once married. Eden wondered if any marriage, at any stage of life, was without its conflicts. “Conflict can be healthy and make us grow,” Ambrose often said. “The tree that’s buffeted by winds can develop stronger roots. What we need is to make certain our relational conflicts are dealt with according to the teachings of the Bible.”

Should she smile casually? Act grave and sophisticated? Businesslike?
I’ll wait and take the cue from him
, she thought.

He brought his horse alongside the buggy and looked down at her, his eyes smiling under dark lashes as he studied her with a faint smile.

“Can it be?” he jested lightly. “What fortune is this that shines upon my path, bringing such fairness to brighten my bleak heart.”
He removed his Panama hat and bowed his dark head with hand at chest. “Welcome to Hawaiiana—though we have a long way to go before it competes with Kea Lani.”

His lightheartedness brought a reprieve to her fears, and she was able to smile. “Hello, Rafe.”

Almost at once, aware of her vulnerability, she resumed her previous solemnity. Would it be wise to come straight out with the truth about Kip? Or would she appear insensitive? Kip had come to mean so much to him. His attachment to the baby boy over the past months surprised her. Not that she wasn’t attached herself, but somehow she hadn’t seen Rafe as the sort of young man to bond so quickly with a baby. There was much about Rafe she still didn’t understand, even though she’d known him since childhood.

Oh
, she groaned to herself,
this is going to be one of the worst moments of my life
. Worst, except for that tumultuous meeting they’d had when she’d taken off the engagement ring and he’d accepted it with devastating calmness.

“I hope you don’t mind my coming here like this,” she began awkwardly.

“Mind? Now, why should I?” came his suave tone, as though their hearts were as disengaged as east from west. “To what do I owe this privileged attention?”

So. He’d chosen to play down what to her was a breathless moment. To keep the affections they had for each other tied up, like a dog on a leash, she thought, offended over his casual indifference. Though considering the degree to which their emotions could reignite, perhaps he’d taken a safest approach after all. She ought to be grateful for the latitude it afforded her.

Then I, too, shall be casual and friendly, as though nothing in all the world has happened between us
.

“Dr. Bolton requested that I deliver Great-aunt Nora her new prescription. Then I happened to meet Zachary on the road. He had news about Grandfather Ainsworth. He’s returning from San Francisco this afternoon.”

“Ainsworth?” He frowned.

“Yes. Candace should be told, and I’m hoping to get her to come with me to Kea Lani before he arrives.”

“Is that what you wanted to see me about?”

“Well, there is more I need to speak about,” she said, unable to veil the note of concern in her voice.

Rafe sat on his horse looking down at her, toying with the leather reins, but beneath the casual manner she read an alertness.

“Then why don’t I bring you up to the house to see Candace? You can give Nora her medication as well. I imagine they’ve got Kip up by now, playing in the nursery.”

Eden tensed at the mention of Kip, struggling with the main reason for her visit to see Rafe. Conflict loomed like a shadow cast over the future, and her brightened spirits, enlivened by seeing Rafe, sagged. Their first meeting in months had been so pleasant, and now her dreadful announcement would surely separate them again in mind and heart.

He swung down from the horse and gave a swat to its hip. The horse trotted back toward the bungalow, and Eden inched sideways to make room for him on the seat beside her. As he stepped up she handed him the reins. He gave them a flip, and the horse started down the path.

Eden scanned the distant hills of green foliage contrasted with dark boulders, streaked with garnet and mauve.

“You know the difficulty Grandfather has with the idea of Candace and Keno getting married,” she said. “There’s going to be trouble because Oliver P. Hunnewell is returning with him. The engagement Ainsworth wants is no doubt at hand.”

“Candace’s bound to dig in her heels,” Rafe agreed. “Even so, she’s not been here the last few weeks just to spend time with Keno. She’s been teaching some of the wives and children of our workers who’ve recently become Christians. Keno and I are going to build a another bungalow to meet in and put a cross on top,” he said simply.

She stared at him, surprised that he’d been active in church
planting when she knew of the eighteen-hour days he’d been keeping to get the pineapple plantation established.

“Why—that’s wonderful, Rafe! Does Ambrose know? He didn’t mention it to me.”

“Keno was talking about it with Noelani, so she’ll pass it on to him. I’m trying to get Keno to become the lay pastor, but he’s got cold feet.”

“Then who’s been doing the teaching?”

“Candace,” he said. “She’s been teaching the women.”

She hadn’t known; she was learning some things.

“We also need a good interpreter. What do you know about Ling Li?”

“Strange you should mention him. I’ve seen him just this morning. Yes, he might be helpful, though his youngest boy is ill. I’m hoping to see him, and I may need to contact Dr. Bolton.”

He turned his head. “You’re taking too many risks, Eden.” His resonant voice was calm, but with a note of purpose.

“I’m a nurse. It’s my calling.”

Under his scrutiny she felt suddenly uncertain. Tension seemed to rise between them. After a moment he went on. “Your women’s class at the mission church has been successful.” He looked at her evenly. “Maybe you’d consider helping us here? Taking Candace’s place for a while? We meet on Thursday nights.”

Eden realized she must have been looking at him with her feelings written on her face. She turned her eyes away. “Yes, I think I could manage it. Thursday nights?”

“Yes, around seven.”

Eden looked toward Mauna Loa. A haze robed the mountain with mixed shades of charcoal, purple, blue, and green. The palms and ferns rustled alongside the road.

Grandfather Ainsworth’s return to the islands had apparently seized Rafe’s attention, for he returned to that topic as he drove the horse and buggy toward his plantation house. “So your Grandfather’s back in Honolulu,” Rafe said. “I’ll be interested to hear what’s
developed from his meetings in Washington D.C.”

“Don’t tell me what I’ve heard about you is true after all.”

He lifted a brow. “What have you heard?”

She toyed with her sun hat. “Oh, just that you’re beginning to be swayed toward annexation. That you’re a member of Loren Thurston’s Honolulu Rifles. That you attend their secret meetings.”

“If you know that much, it doesn’t speak well for their secrecy, does it?”

She glanced at him and saw a smile.

“Who’s been depicting me as this dark conspirator? Zach?”

She didn’t want to make trouble between the two men she cared most about, so she shrugged gracefully.

“You know the political situation. As you say, there are many hotheads. Seems everyone’s talking revolution.”

“And choosing sides like children in a game.”

“Surely you’re not saying there won’t be a revolution?”

“With the foolish standoff between Liliuokalani and the Legislature? I’d be the last one to suggest otherwise.” Unfortunately, I don’t think she understands the genuine convictions of men like Thurston. It’s too easy to underestimate their sober opinions. They won’t have their individual rights and property subject to the whims of absolute sovereignty, not after her brother’s faulty reign, giving too much power to a fraud like Gibson.”

Eden did not favor Gibson, but she was concerned over what Rafe believed. “You’ve always supported the Hawaiian monarchy,” she reminded him.

Three years ago, when Rafe had first planned to enter a life of journalism, he’d written well-researched articles for Great-aunt Nora’s
Gazette
, all of them fully supporting the Hawaiian monarchy.

“Unless Thurston’s group has managed to persuade you otherwise,” she wheedled.

His smile was indulgent. “You’d make a good spy. Are you sure you’re not working for the monarchists? Have you considered changing your profession?”

“Very amusing. I shall never give up medicine.”

“Never?”

She smoothed the ribbons under her chin, looking straight ahead.

“If I’m to be swayed toward annexation of the islands,” Rafe went on, “I’ll decide for my own conscience. I won’t need Thurston and Dole. As a matter of fact, though, you’re wrong about those two. They’re decent men, conservative in their politics, and they have the future of Hawaii in mind.”

“I don’t believe I’m wrong. Nora’s told me so much about them. Facts that she’s dug out of the cave, so to speak.”

“Sounds dangerous.”

Eden folded her arms and ignored his comment. “Thurston desires a revolution at any cost, even bloodshed.”

“Nora has convinced herself of that. Once she’s convinced, it’s easy to pound the drums to win others.”

“So, you do support annexation!” she said almost indignantly.

“Thurston’s not one of the hotheads pushing for annexation, but there are prominent men on both sides of the issue, by the way. Nora lacks some incontestable facts; what she does have is an over-supply of zeal for Liliuokalani.”

“I shall be sure to tell her that.”

“One thing is certain, you won’t find me out front leading the charge like a General Lee. I may support the birthright of Liliuokalani to the Hawaiian throne, but that doesn’t mean I’ll put my head on the chopping block for her royal cause again.”

Again
, because, as Eden well remembered, before he’d embarked on his voyage to French Guiana, he’d written on the right of Liliuokalani to reign after her brother, who was childless. While his article had upset Grandfather Ainsworth, her Uncle Townsend became enraged. To this day, Townsend believed that he’d frightened his rebellious stepson Rafe out of Hawaii. “If the need arises,” Townsend boasted, “I’ll do it again.” Eden knew her uncle was deceived. Rafe had planned his trading voyage on the
Minoa
almost
a year before leaving Honolulu with Keno and the others. He had chosen a rigorous captain, “a seasoned man of the sea,” as Rafe had called him, who had vowed to “indoctrinate” Rafe in the ways of a ship. The voyage from Honolulu took over two years, and when he and Keno returned, Rafe was the Minoa’s new captain, with a highly prized cargo—the new variety of pineapple slips.

“Nora’s urging me to resume my old journalistic position at the
Gazette
,” Rafe was saying with a faint smile. “In my spare time, that is.”

“Well, I hope you stay too busy with Hawaiiana,” she said candidly. “Zachary’s passionate about his work at the
Gazette
, as you know. Great-aunt Nora has all but promised him control of her newspaper if he’s successful. It means everything to him.”

“Zach doesn’t need to concern himself with me taking his place. As you so aptly put it, my hands are full at present, nurturing sweet, glorious pineapples
and
Kona coffee, I might also add, if I regain control of my father’s plantation on the Big Island.”

She knew Hanalei was Rafe’s supremely desired treasure. As yet, it still dangled like a pearl before his eyes.

“It’s Silas who has an eye for position as Nora’s editor-in-chief,” Rafe said.

The disclosure rendered her momentarily speechless. Had Silas worked in journalism before coming to Honolulu?

“I’m certain that will astound Zachary. He thinks of Silas as a gambler.”

Rafe looked thoughtful. “So Zach’s told me. The truth is, I’ve been so busy here at Hawaiiana that I haven’t spent more than a few minutes in conversation with Silas since he arrived in April.”

“Silas’s interest in running Nora’s newspaper won’t make things any easier between Zachary and Silas.”

“Zachary is insecure,” Rafe said quietly and uncritically. Eden recognized in Rafe the same protective attitude that he’d had for Zachary since boyhood. She thought of Zachary’s injured leg, and how Ambrose told her that Rafe came by the mission church that morning to ask whether he’d seen Zachary the night before. Had
Candace really seen Zachary on the lanai after midnight? If so, why had he chosen to flee? Candace certainly had a clear mind; was there some misunderstanding?

Hawaiiana Plantation House emerged, a handsome white structure in full sun surrounded by sage-green palms and a wide lanai. She had little time left alone with Rafe and knew she must grit her teeth and accomplish the task if it was to be done. She smoothed the edge of her nurses pinafore and gave him a glance.

“Rafe … ” she began, clearing her throat delicately. “I was on my way here to see you before Lana Stanhope gave me Great-aunt Nora’s prescription, and before I ran into Zachary on the road.”

He turned toward her.

“This is not going to be easy for me to tell you,” she began again, “or for you to receive.” She straightened her shoulders and stared ahead. “You see, I’ve been sent by Kalihi Hospital’s Board of Health. It’s about Kip.”

There
. She’d opened the dread door that would lead to
trouble
. A moment of stark silence followed and she let out a quiet breath. His tanned hands tightened their grip on the reins. Although Rafe was a solid Christian, she knew he was sometimes like a restrained volcano. Several years ago she’d watched in horror on the beach as his stepfather, Townsend, struck his face several times with fists while Rafe kept his arms loose at his sides. But she’d also seen him flatten Zachary—no easy task—when Zachary had tried to embrace and kiss her. Zachary hadn’t understood that she was his blood cousin.

Rafe turned to look at her. Though she stared straight ahead and refused to meet those dark, energetic eyes, she
could feel
his gaze.