Read Online Spoils of Eden by Linda Lee Chaikin - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Linda Lee Chaikin
Ads: Link
island women hang around my office making a nuisance of themselves, anxious to cook you little coconut cakes while you’re supposed to be working.”
“Alas, you pine for green eyes … and I for red hair. We both should take to sea again and forget our misery.”
“It’s wiser you stay in Honolulu this time, Keno. And seriously,” Rafe said, looking down at him, “Ambrose is right. You should become a lay pastor. The little group we’ve started here on Hawaiiana needs you. Later, when Ambrose retires, you could take his position at the mission church. You need to begin teaching our group at least once a month, though, just to get over your fear of speaking before people. Then if you want to go to seminary, I can arrange for it.”
Keno frowned. He ran his fingers through his dark hair. “I can’t do it. It makes me nervous.” He laid a hand against his stomach. “When I stand up to teach, I forget everything. It’s best if you helpme the way you said you would. A plantation of my own. Then, maybe, Makua Ainsworth would think me respectable enough for his granddaughter.”
“He already thinks you’re respectable. It’s your lack of money and blood ties that keeps him aloof. I’ve told you a dozen times, Keno. There’s no way he’ll bless a marriage between you and Candace. Look at all I went through before Ainsworth would agree to a marriage with his Eden.”
“Yeah, and you a big Easton, too. And even a big missionary heritage.”
“Big, nothing. Not enough for Ainsworth until Parker Judson decided my slips would produce pineapples of gold. Then he suddenly decided I might be good enough for his granddaughter after all.”
“At least you were finally able to bargain with them.”
Rafe gazed out the door thoughtfully. “There’s still something sinister about the way my father died. I haven’t forgotten, and I plan to get the truth one day, even if someone big gets hurt. His death wasn’t an accident.”
“I always thought you were right about that, but it might be wiser to leave the ugly matter to God and go on with your life. You have a good future. Eden is bound to come awake one of these happy mornings and realize what she truly wants. She’s too smart a woman not to, if you want my opinion.”
Rafe kept silent. Eden was indeed intelligent and beautiful in his view. That she was devoted to principles he honored and admired didn’t mean that she would join him in marriage. Her desire to bring the hope of Christ to hopeless lepers stirred his heart and made him love her all the more. Considering the tragedy that had struck her mother Rebecca, he could fully understand her dedication. She was convinced of her calling, and he was willing to see her continue her work at Kalihi, even though it presented a great risk. The last thing he wanted was to become the foolhardy man who tried to end God’s calling on her life. And he desired the will of God for his ownlife as well, even if it included a break in their engagement. “‘How can two walk together except they be agreed?’” he had quoted to her from the prophet Amos when he received his ring back.
He was also aware there was more on her mind than her work at Kalihi Hospital, and it was this more dangerous plan that worried him. Dr. Jerome had written her a poetic letter of his noble goal to open a research clinic at the Kalawao leper colony on Molokai, and he’d suggested she work with him, alongside his research assistant, Herald Hartley. Jerome had spoken of Herald in such glowing terms, it had become plain to Rafe that her father had plans to see Herald and Eden married. Such a union would fit perfectly into Jerome’s plans. Together, the three of them would find the cure for leprosy and rescue Rebecca from the dreaded final stages of the disease.
And Eden warmed to the letter like a fragile moth to a searing flame
.
Rafe respected Dr. Jerome’s dedication, but he had little confidence in his questionable research, most of it
“Alas, you pine for green eyes … and I for red hair. We both should take to sea again and forget our misery.”
“It’s wiser you stay in Honolulu this time, Keno. And seriously,” Rafe said, looking down at him, “Ambrose is right. You should become a lay pastor. The little group we’ve started here on Hawaiiana needs you. Later, when Ambrose retires, you could take his position at the mission church. You need to begin teaching our group at least once a month, though, just to get over your fear of speaking before people. Then if you want to go to seminary, I can arrange for it.”
Keno frowned. He ran his fingers through his dark hair. “I can’t do it. It makes me nervous.” He laid a hand against his stomach. “When I stand up to teach, I forget everything. It’s best if you helpme the way you said you would. A plantation of my own. Then, maybe, Makua Ainsworth would think me respectable enough for his granddaughter.”
“He already thinks you’re respectable. It’s your lack of money and blood ties that keeps him aloof. I’ve told you a dozen times, Keno. There’s no way he’ll bless a marriage between you and Candace. Look at all I went through before Ainsworth would agree to a marriage with his Eden.”
“Yeah, and you a big Easton, too. And even a big missionary heritage.”
“Big, nothing. Not enough for Ainsworth until Parker Judson decided my slips would produce pineapples of gold. Then he suddenly decided I might be good enough for his granddaughter after all.”
“At least you were finally able to bargain with them.”
Rafe gazed out the door thoughtfully. “There’s still something sinister about the way my father died. I haven’t forgotten, and I plan to get the truth one day, even if someone big gets hurt. His death wasn’t an accident.”
“I always thought you were right about that, but it might be wiser to leave the ugly matter to God and go on with your life. You have a good future. Eden is bound to come awake one of these happy mornings and realize what she truly wants. She’s too smart a woman not to, if you want my opinion.”
Rafe kept silent. Eden was indeed intelligent and beautiful in his view. That she was devoted to principles he honored and admired didn’t mean that she would join him in marriage. Her desire to bring the hope of Christ to hopeless lepers stirred his heart and made him love her all the more. Considering the tragedy that had struck her mother Rebecca, he could fully understand her dedication. She was convinced of her calling, and he was willing to see her continue her work at Kalihi, even though it presented a great risk. The last thing he wanted was to become the foolhardy man who tried to end God’s calling on her life. And he desired the will of God for his ownlife as well, even if it included a break in their engagement. “‘How can two walk together except they be agreed?’” he had quoted to her from the prophet Amos when he received his ring back.
He was also aware there was more on her mind than her work at Kalihi Hospital, and it was this more dangerous plan that worried him. Dr. Jerome had written her a poetic letter of his noble goal to open a research clinic at the Kalawao leper colony on Molokai, and he’d suggested she work with him, alongside his research assistant, Herald Hartley. Jerome had spoken of Herald in such glowing terms, it had become plain to Rafe that her father had plans to see Herald and Eden married. Such a union would fit perfectly into Jerome’s plans. Together, the three of them would find the cure for leprosy and rescue Rebecca from the dreaded final stages of the disease.
And Eden warmed to the letter like a fragile moth to a searing flame
.
Rafe respected Dr. Jerome’s dedication, but he had little confidence in his questionable research, most of it
Similar Books
