Abandoned Memories (30 page)

“I know.” Glistening white teeth shone against his tawny complexion. “And now I am not. It is your God.”

Moisture clouded Sarah’s eyes as she clung to the Brazilian’s arm.

From across the beach, Angeline approached and eased beside James. “What’s happen—” Her eyes latched upon Thiago. “You’re well again!”

“Sim, Miss. Mr. James pray and God heal me.”

An adorable line formed between her eyebrows. “Indeed? Healed?” She blinked and exchanged a shocked look with James. A gust of wind blasted over them, cooling the sweat on his brow.

“God healed many people in the Bible.” Hayden shrugged and snapped hair from his face. “Why can’t He heal now?”

James stared at the sand by his feet. “I’m ashamed I didn’t have faith that He would. I just prayed and went away without hope.”

“None of us truly believed.” Eliza gazed up at the sun, now high in the sky, as if she could spot the Almighty Himself, smiling down at them. Perhaps He was.

“God is bigger than our weaknesses.” Magnolia’s smile spoke of an intimate knowledge of that fact.

“Aaaa-men!” Moses proclaimed.

“There must be another explanation,” Mr. Scott grumbled. “God no longer heals or does miracles. Those were only stories in the Bible.”

“The evidence is to the contrary, sir.” Blake jerked his head toward Thiago.

“Come along, Mrs. Scott.” The elder man dragged his wife away, but her eyes were on Thiago, and her smile said she believed.

“This God,” Thiago began, his voice weak but the light in his eyes strong, “He loves me. Just like you say, Doc. In your sermons. He loves everyone?”

“Yes, He does.” James smiled.

“Indeed.” Eliza gave Thiago a hug.

Magnolia wiped a tear from her eye.

“You need your rest.” James placed a hand on the man’s back. “Have Sarah take you to lie down, and Eliza and I will be there in a minute to examine your wound.”

“And someone get the man something to eat!” Hayden shouted, causing them all to chuckle.

Angeline couldn’t sleep. Whether it was the thrill of accepting James’s courtship, the haunting visions of her clients, or the excitement of Thiago’s healing that kept her awake, she couldn’t say. But finally, growing bored listening to the blissful slumber of the other ladies, she crawled off the leaf-strewn bamboo that served as their bed and stepped out from under the palm frond roof. The shelter the men erected didn’t afford much privacy, but at least it would keep them dry should it rain. Speaking of…She drew in a deep breath and was sure she smelled the sweet scent of rain on the wind. Her legs began to quake. She used to love the rain, but after the flood, even the slightest hint of it made her nervous. Yet there were no clouds on the horizon. Just a full moon that hovered like a pearl atop black glass, sending ribbons of milk onto water and sand. So peaceful. Peaceful except for the snoring from the men sleeping on the beach and one pirate belting out a ditty from the ship.

She wondered which of the shadowy mounds was James but thought it best not to seek him out. A flicker caught her eye from a lantern at the clinic and she headed that way, hoping for some company. Anything was better than being alone with her thoughts. Or worse, being alone should any of her former patrons return to haunt her.

Sarah smiled up at her as Angeline ducked beneath the roof.

“How is he?” She gestured toward Thiago, who lay fast asleep on one of the homemade pallets while Sarah kept vigil beside him.

“He finally fell asleep.” She gazed at him adoringly before snapping her eyes back to Angeline. “Lydia is all right?”

“Yes, yes.” Angeline cast a quick glance at Dodd’s shadowy form at the other end of the clinic before she sat beside Sarah and adjusted her skirts. “She’s sleeping peacefully beside Eliza. I think Eliza is practicing for when her own baby comes.”

Sarah smiled and pressed a hand atop Angeline’s. “And you? Why are you not able to sleep?”

“Too much on my mind, I suppose.”

A breeze swept in and flickered the lantern sitting on a stump beside them.

“Like pirates and evil beasts?” Sarah raised one brow at Angeline. “Or is it the good doctor who invades your thoughts?”

Heat creeping onto her cheeks, Angeline lowered her chin. “Am I that obvious?”

“That you both care deeply for each other is quite obvious.” Sarah squeezed her hand.

“He is such a wonderful man. I fear I don’t deserve him.”

“Don’t be silly.” Sarah’s face scrunched. “Of course you do.”

“No.” Angeline pulled her hand from Sarah’s and began toying with her hair. “You don’t know me. Not really.”

“I know you are kind and thoughtful and intelligent and strong. Any man would be fortunate to gain your affections.”

Angeline gave a tiny smile. “Perhaps I am some of those things now. But…” How much should she disclose to her friend? Lantern light glimmered on the cross Sarah always wore around her neck, reminding Angeline that this pious woman had probably never done a single vile thing in all her life, nor even thought a single vile thought. “My past—”

“Oh, pish posh, who cares about your past?” Sarah dipped a rag in a bucket of water and rang it out.

“I’ve done terrible things, Sarah. Things that if James knew about them, he’d never speak to me again.”

Sarah’s gaze snapped to hers. “I doubt that very much. He’s a man of God, and God is in the business of forgiveness.”

Angeline couldn’t help the snort that emerged from her lips. “There are some things I’m sure even God does not forgive.”

Wind whipped through the makeshift clinic, sputtering the lantern and stirring the sand.

Setting the rag atop a pile, Sarah slipped a strand of hair behind her ear. “There is nothing God doesn’t forgive except rejecting the sacrifice of His Son.” Brown eyes as warm and soft as a doe’s assessed her.

Angeline studied those eyes now, searching for some hint of doubt, some hint of insincerity, but all she found was concern. Swallowing a burst of emotion, she concentrated on the rhythmic lap of waves onshore.

Sarah leaned toward her. “Do you want to know a secret? A deep, dark secret that I’ve never told anyone?”

Angeline could not imagine this woman having any secrets, especially nefarious ones.

“Lydia is not my husband’s child,” Sarah said.

Angeline lifted her gaze to Sarah’s, sure she hadn’t heard the woman correctly. “What do you mean?”

Frowning, Sarah glanced down at Thiago. “You see, I didn’t love my husband. Not the way a wife should. I know that now.” She fingered the ripped fringe at the edge of her sleeve. “After he went off to war, I got terribly lonely. There was a man who helped out on our farm. He was strong and protective and kind. I don’t know how it happened, but…”

Angeline squeezed her hand. “No need to go on. I understand.” And she truly did understand. She understood too well how one moment—one weak moment—and one foolish decision could have dire consequences for the rest of your life.

Distant thunder rumbled as the
tap, tap
of raindrops danced over the roof.

Sarah folded her hands in her lap, refusing to meet Angeline’s gaze. “Do you think differently of me now?”

“No.” Angeline touched her arm. “I think of you as human.” Her eyes moistened. “I always thought you were so perfect, Sarah.”

Sarah chuckled and wiped a tear from her cheek. “Oh my, how we do make assumptions of others.” She smiled. “Thank you, Angeline. You are a true friend.” She squeezed Angeline’s hand. “Now, I’ve told you my secret. Yours cannot be half as bad.”

Withdrawing her hand, Angeline grew somber. “Far worse, I’m afraid.” Minutes passed. Lantern light flashed over Thiago’s sleeping form as the pattering of rain tapped all around. “I don’t think I can speak it out loud.”

“Then you don’t have to,” Sarah said. “But you must know that God forgave me, Angeline. I knew what I’d done was wrong. I dismissed the man and repented. Truly repented. And I’ve never felt such love and peace.” She touched Angeline’s chin, bringing her gaze up to meet her own. “Whatever you’ve done, it doesn’t matter. If you repent and change your ways, God promises to forgive and remember your sins no more.”

If only that were true. Angeline desperately wanted it to be true. She glanced at the man sleeping so peacefully beside them. “If you marry Thiago, will you tell him about Lydia?”

“Marry?” Sarah’s brows lifted, but a sparkle took residence in her eyes. “Where did you get that fool idea?”

Angeline squared her shoulders and raised her chin. “That you both care deeply for each other is quite obvious,” she repeated in a voice much like Sarah’s, which caused them both to laugh.

When they ceased, Sarah took Thiago’s hand in hers. “I do care for him. And now that he’s truly following God…well, who knows what will happen? But to answer your question, yes, I must tell him. You cannot base a marriage on a lie.”

HAPTER
27

T
he smell of fire-roasted fish made James’s mouth water as he led Blake toward the edge of the jungle to speak to him in private. But no sooner had they stopped when just a few feet away, leaves parted and Patrick made an entrance onto the beach with his usual aplomb, feigning an exhaustion James was sure was not caused by hard work. Separating from Patrick, Captain Ricu and his band of pirates sped toward their end of the beach, no doubt anxious to drown themselves in rum, while five colonists glared at Patrick as they passed and nodded toward Blake and James. Patrick waved at two single women from his original colony who’d been awaiting his arrival like giggling toadies. They came running with a bucket of fresh water and towels in hand.

“Why, of course the excavation is going well!” Patrick answered Blake’s question as he drew cupped hands of water to his face and neck. “It’s this fiendish dust that disturbs me. Not to mention being forced to live in such squalor like an ignorant native, sleeping in the sand and eating food only fit for a monkey.” He took the towel a young lady handed him and dried his face. “The things I do for gold, Colonel.”

Blake rubbed his sore leg, annoyance written on his features.

“How close did they get today to unearthing the fourth alcove?” James crossed his arms over his chest.

Patrick dried his face and handed the towel back to the woman, whose look of silly adoration threatened to ruin James’s appetite. How the man managed to garner such devotion, he could not fathom.

“Thank you, my dear.” Patrick’s sickly sweet smile caused the lady’s face to redden. “Now if you ladies wouldn’t mind getting me a drink while I talk to these men, I’d be so appreciative.”

After casting him flirtatious smiles, they both flounced away. His eyes followed them. “Such lovely creatures, don’t you agree, gentlemen?”

“I have a wife, sir”—Blake gave a sigh of frustration—“and she is all the lovely I need.”

“Oh, quite. I forgot how prudish you religious sorts could be.” Patrick planted hands at his waist and stared over the sea that was transforming from turquoise to gray in the setting sun. “The alcove. Ah, yes. Surely you don’t still believe it is the tomb of this fourth invisible beast? Come now, gentlemen. I’m surprised men of your intelligence have succumbed to such balderdash.” Winking, he elbowed James. “I’ve got some prime farmland in the swamps of Louisiana for sale, if you’re interested.” He laughed at his own joke but then sobered when neither of them joined in.

How could this buffoon be Hayden’s father? The physical resemblance was uncanny, but inside they were as different as the Rebs were from the Yanks.

In the distance, James spotted Hayden heading their way.

“All right. All right. Lost your sense of humor in the war, I see. Now, let me think.” Patrick tapped his chin. “The alcove. Indeed, we are almost upon it. Another few yards of rock to be cleared. I’d say a week or two at the most and then”—he rubbed his hands together—“we’ll find the gold. Enough gold to rule the world.”

Hayden halted before his father, his jaw tight. “But you won’t see any of it, Patrick. So why the excitement? Why do you volunteer to help every day?”

“To benefit us all, of course! Do you think I do this for myself?” Patrick placed a hand over his heart as if wounded. “The sooner these vile pirates find the gold, the sooner they are gone. And the sooner we are all free.”

“Wonderful performance. Bravo, bravo.” Hayden clapped. “But you forget who your audience is.”

Patrick frowned and brushed sand from his shirt.

“You’re up to something,” Hayden added. “I just can’t figure out what it is yet.”

James agreed. He hadn’t known the man very long, but he’d discovered two undeniable traits. One, Patrick only thought of himself, and two, he was only in Brazil for the gold.

Patrick gave a feigned look of guilt like a little boy caught with his finger in a pie. “I suppose I do have a plan to get some of the gold for myself.” He shrugged. “But what does it matter whether I take it or the pirates take it, either way you and your pathetic little colony will be left alone.” He grinned as one of the women returned with a mug of water. “Why you’re sweeter than a peach pie, Miss Belinda.”

James groaned inwardly. How could he get across to this greedy blaggard the danger he faced—the danger they all faced—should the fourth beast be freed? “All I’m asking, sir, is that you consider what you are doing. There are forces at work which we cannot see in the natural.”