Eden

by Bobbi Smith

  "I am a man and I am responsible for what happened. I will not let you suffer the consequences of our actions alone. I want to make things right."

  "But how do we convince everybody that we've fallen madly in love in such a short period of time?" she challenged. Some part of her hoped that he would respond by saying it was the truth-that he had fallen madly in love with her. If he did say that, she was ready to profess her love for him, too. If only he did love her as she loved him, everything would be wonderful between them.

  "Only you and I will ever know the truth behind the reason for our wedding. We'll just pretend when we're in public together," he answered.

  Pretend!

  The idea of it screamed in her mind. She would not be pretending to love him. She did love him!

  "And no one will ever have to find out differently," he went on, "unless Connie accidentally reveals what she saw last night. If that does ever happen, we'll worry about how to handle it then."

  All her life, Eden had dreamed of making a love match when she married. But it wasn't going to happen. She might love him, but he didn't love her. Logan was only marrying her out of a sense of duty. That knowledge broke Eden's heart.

  Yet, as sad as Eden was about the state of things between them, a slow, angry determination began to grow within her. This was Logan: the man she admired; the man to whom she had given her innocence; the man she truly loved. Somehow she was going to find a way to make him fall in love with her so he would never regret having been forced to marry her.

  "Eden, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Logan proposed.

  She lifted her gaze to his and answered simply, "Yes, Logan. I'll marry you."

  Logan sensed a strange undercurrent of emotion in her. "You won't regret it, Eden."

  Silently she prayed that she wouldn't.

  "You want me to marry you? Now? Tonight?" Reverend Miget repeated to Eden and Logan.

  They had sought him out at his residence in hopes that he would perform the ceremony that very evening. They were seated in his study now after broaching the subject with him.

  "Yes, if you would," Logan replied. "It was love at first sight for us, and we don't want to wait any longer to be together as man and wife."

  "You're sure about this?" he pressed, looking to Eden.

  "Oh, yes," Eden said, her gaze fixed adoringly on Logan.

  "Would you like to send for your mother and sister so they can witness the ceremony?"

  "You'll do it? You'll marry us?" she asked, surprised and delighted.

  "As long as you're both confident this is the right thing for you to do."

  "Ours has been a whirlwind courtship," Logan put in, wanting to reassure the minister. "But I've never met anyone like Eden before. I've been very blessed to find her."

  "And your mother and sister?" the reverend repeated, looking back to Eden.

  "We'll visit them right after the ceremony and surprise them with our good news," Eden assured him.

  "Did you tell the children of your plans before you left the Haven?"

  "No. We're going to surprise them, too," Eden answered.

  "I'm sure they'll be pleased. I could tell they're quite fond of you, Reverend Matthews."

  "I'm most fond of them, too."

  "Well, give me a moment to get my wife Carla and my son Josh to be our witnesses, and then I'll perform the ceremony for you."

  "Thank you."

  The reverend left them alone in his study, and they waited in silence for his return. Logan re alized then that he didn't have a ring for her, but he made a promise to himself to take Eden out the very next day to purchase one.

  In only a few minutes, the reverend returned with his son.

  "Carla will be along shortly," he told them after introducing Josh.

  When his wife did join them a few moments later, she was carrying a small bouquet of fresh flowers she'd just cut from her garden.

  "I am so happy for you, Eden. I wanted you to have these. No bride should be without a bouquet on her wedding day," Carla told her, giving her the flowers. She had known Eden for several years now through the church.

  "Thank you."

  Reverend Miget was ready to begin.

  "Dearly beloved," he intoned.

  Eden and Logan fell silent. Their mood turned serious as they prepared themselves to take their vows-sacred vows that would bind them as husband and wife forever. They listened intently as the minister performed the ceremony.

  "Do you, Eden LeGrand, take this man, Logan Matthews, to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, until death do you part?"

  "I do," she said softly.

  "Do you, Logan Matthews, take this woman, Eden LeGrand..." He went on to repeat the vow.

  "I do," Logan answered firmly.

  "Do you have a ring for your bride?"

  "No."

  The reverend wasn't deterred. He concluded the wedding. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. What God has joined together, let no man put asunder." He smiled at them, genuinely pleased with their union. "You may kiss your bride."

  Logan turned to Eden and took her in his arms. His kiss was sweet and respectful.

  "Congratulations!" Carla told them in delight after watching them embrace. "You are going to be so happy! You've got yourself a wonderful woman, Reverend Matthews."

  "I know," he responded warmly as he slipped an arm around Eden's shoulders to keep her by his side.

  "Thank you so much for helping us," Eden said.

  "It's so romantic!" Carla said with a sigh.

  "I love weddings," the minister admitted. "It's a real joy to bring together two people who truly love each other and who are committed to each other's happiness."

  His words caused Eden pain, but her smile never faltered. It was good that the minister believed they really were in love. They had managed to fool him, and she hoped they could fool everyone else as easily.

  Logan paid the minister for his services, and they prepared to leave.

  "God bless you, Reverend and Mrs. Matthews," Reverend Miget told them as he, Carla, and Josh saw them from the house.

  Mrs. Matthews. It sounded so strange to Eden, and yet somehow it felt so right.

  "Did you want to go to see your mother and sister now?" Logan asked as they returned to the buggy.

  Logan took Eden's arm and helped her into the conveyance, then climbed up beside her and took up the reins.

  "Yes, it's best if we tell them our news first. Mother would be devastated if she found out about our marriage from someone else," Eden answered, feeling the heat of his touch all the way to the depths of her soul.

  As they sat close together on the carriage seat, every fiber of Eden's being was aware of Logan beside her. Her hip was against his, her thigh was pressed tightly to his thigh. That contact was arousing, and Eden struggled to ignore it, wedding day or not.

  Camille had been sitting in the parlor sulking. She was bored with her life and devastated by the lack of success she was having with Logan. She wanted him for herself desperately. She had flirted with him shamelessly, but nothing she'd tried had worked to win his heart or even his interest. Logan seemed completely oblivious to her.

  Camille knew she was pretty. She knew she was charming. Certainly her figure was full enough to attract the attention of any redblooded man. So she couldn't figure out why Logan seemed so indifferent. Oh, he was polite and gentlemanly when he was with her, but she didn't care about that. She wanted a passionate man.

  At the sound of a carriage drawing up out front, Camille rose from the sofa to go look out the parlor window. She was surprised to see Eden arriving with Logan. Camille was delighted to see the reverend, but wished her sister had stayed back at the Haven. She wanted to have Logan all to herself.

  "Mother!" Camille called as she hurried into the front hall. "Mother! Eden's home, and she's brought Logan with her!"

  Responding to her daugh
ter's call, Francene came out of the back of the house to greet Eden and her guest.

  "To what honor do we owe this visit?" Francene asked with a welcoming smile as she and Camille met them at the door. "I hadn't thought we'd get to see you tonight."

  "Logan and I had some exciting news we wanted to share with you, and we just couldn't wait," Eden began.

  "Exciting news?" Francene was instantly delighted.

  "What happened?" Camille asked. It wasn't often that anyone had exciting, good news these days.

  Eden and Logan exchanged looks.

  "You go ahead," Eden demurred to her husband.

  Logan looked to her mother and sister as he slipped an arm about Eden's waist and drew her to his side. "Eden has done me the honor of becoming my wife."

  "What?" Francene was shocked. She looked from one to the other in disbelief.

  "You two are married?" Camille was devastated by the announcement.

  "Yes. We just came from Reverend Miget's home. He performed the ceremony there, and we wanted you to be the first to know," Logan told them.

  Francene was completely stunned. She'd had no idea that Eden had any romantic interest in the minister, but looking at her now, she could see how happy her daughter appeared. Eden had never been an impulsive child, so Francene knew that if Eden loved Logan enough to elope with him, she must truly care for the man. "This is so sudden. Why didn't you wait, and we could have planned a big wedding for you?"

  Eden looked up at Logan, her eyes shining with happiness. "We didn't want to wait. We love each other, and we wanted to be together."

  Francene smiled at them both. "This is wonderful, darling. Logan, welcome to the family." She went to him and kissed him on the cheek. She then hugged Eden as tears of happiness burned in her eyes.

  Tears were burning in Camille's eyes, too, but they weren't tears of happiness. Her eyes were wet with tears of rage. She was furious, but she struggled to control that wild emotion as she pressed a cold kiss to Logan's cheek and then looked at her sister.

  "I hope you're very happy." In her heart, though, Camille was livid. She had wanted Logan for herself, but now he would never be hers. Her sister had married him! Camille was certain that she was destined to become a wrinkled-up old maid, while her sister was married to the handsomest man she'd seen in New Orleans since the start of the war.

  "Do you have time to join us for dinner tonight and celebrate?" Francene invited. "We were almost ready to eat."

  "I would love to, but I promised Jenny I'd get back to the Haven as soon as I could. I don't like leaving her alone too long with all the children. You never know when something might happen.

  "Jenny doesn't know about your elopement?"

  "No. We didn't say a word."

  "Jenny's going to be so happy for you," Francene told them. "Why don't you plan to come to dinner tomorrow night? We can celebrate properly."

  "That would be wonderful."

  Francene kissed Eden and hugged her close. "Are you happy, darling?"

  "Yes, Mother. I am."

  "Good. That's all I've ever wanted for youyour happiness." Francene turned to speak with Logan. "I'm entrusting you with the care of my daughter, Logan. Nothing means more to me in life than my children. Please honor her and love her."

  "Yes, ma'am. I will do everything in my power to ensure her happiness," he promised.

  "I'll be holding you to that," Francene answered.

  "I'm going to get a few things from my room, then we'll have to go," Eden told her mother.

  "I'll help you," Camille said quickly, wanting a few minutes alone with her sister.

  Camille didn't say a thing until they were upstairs in Eden's room; then she turned on her, her fury evident in her expression.

  "How could you!" Camille demanded hatefully.

  "How could I what?" Eden asked, surprised by her sister's anger.

  "I wanted Logan! You knew that! Yet you went and married him! How could you do that to me?"

  Eden wanted to calm her, but she could tell that her sister was too furious to understand reason. "I didn't do anything to you, Camille. Logan and I love each other."

  "You couldn't love Logan! You hardly know him!" she argued.

  "I know enough about him to know that he's the one man who can make me happy." Eden tried to explain their relationship. "We're in love."

  Camille wanted to shriek at her sister that she didn't know what love was, but she managed to control the urge. She'd already made a big enough fool of herself. She retreated sullenly into the hallway to try to compose herself while Eden finished gathering her things. They went back downstairs to rejoin Logan and their mother. Francene and Camille walked the newlyweds from the house and stood together watching as they drove off back to the Haven.

  When Francene turned to go back inside, she saw that Camille's expression had changed and tears were streaking down her cheeks.

  "What's wrong?"

  "You don't know?" Camille challenged.

  "No, dear. What is it? What's wrong?" She was worried about her.

  "I'll tell you what's wrong! I thought I was going to be the one to marry Logan! I wanted him!" she pouted, stomping inside.

  Francene knew how desperate Camille was to find a husband. "You should be happy for your sister."

  "Happy for Eden?" Camille gave a sharp laugh. "How can I be happy for her when she's stolen what was mine?"

  "Eden didn't steal Logan from you, Camille," her mother advised. "I'm sure there's a man out there for you somewhere. You just haven't met him yet."

  "I don't think I'm ever going to get to meet him! This war is horrible! I'm going to end up an old maid!" she cried as she charged up the steps to her room.

  Her mother watched Camille go, and while she felt sorry for her, she was also delighted that Eden had found the man of her dreams. There had been a time when she'd worried that neither Eden nor Camille would ever be happy, but all that had changed now. Eden had married Reverend Logan. He was a good man, an honest, brave man, and she was certain everything would turn out all right for them. They made a handsome couple, and judging from the way they'd been looking at each other, she was sure they loved one another. True, it had all happened very quickly, but there was a war raging, and they had to grab whatever happiness they could when an opportunity presented itself.

  Francene said a quiet prayer that Eden and Logan were happy and had a long and prosperous life together. She only wished her husband and son had been there to share the good news.

  "Children! I have something wonderful to tell you!" Jenny announced as she came into the dining room where they were all seated enjoying their dinner. Eden and Logan followed after her.

  "What?" the children called out, eager to hear what Miss Jenny was so excited about.

  "Miss Eden and Reverend Logan were married this afternoon. Isn't that wonderful?"

  "You got married?" several children repeated, looking from Eden to Logan in astonishment.

  "That's right," Logan answered. "I proposed to Miss Eden, and she accepted. We couldn't see any reason to wait."

  "Did you marry yourself, Reverend Logan?" one of the precocious boys called out.

  Logan laughed at his question. "No. Reverend Miget married us today."

  The children all cheered their happiness.

  "Does this mean you'll be staying with us forever just like Miss Eden?" little Connie asked, looking up at Logan, her love for him showing in her expression.

  "I'll be here for as long as you need me," Logan promised. Even as he said it, though, he knew it was a lie. He felt the sting of his conscience, but ignored it. He cared about the children, true, but he was there to try to rescue Braden.

  Eden was thrilled by Logan's promise. She hadn't worried about where they'd be living before, but now as she realized she was his wife, it suddenly occurred to her that she would have to follow him wherever his ministry took him. The thought of having to leave the children worried her. She loved them and couldn't bear the tho
ught of being separated from them.

  They visited with the children for a little longer, then went into the hall. Though it was their wedding night, they had accepted that it would be best if they spent it apart. Eden was needed there at the Haven to help Jenny, so Logan planned to return to his hotel alone.

  "What do you mean, you're spending the night here?" Jenny demanded of Eden as she came out of the dining room and overheard a bit of their private conversation.

  "I need to be here with you and the children," Eden answered simply.

  "That's ridiculous. You can't stay here tonight!" Jenny knew that Eden was dedicated, but there were some things in life that were more important. "This is your wedding night! You pack what you need and go with your new husband right now. We will be just fine without you.

  "Are you sure?"

  "I'm positive," she insisted. "Go on, and congratulations, you two. This is wonderful!"

  Jenny gave Eden an impulsive hug and then couldn't resist hugging Logan, too. "I am so happy for you."

  Eden hurried off to pack a few belongings. It didn't take her long. She started to leave her room, then paused, suddenly a little nervous about the night to come.

  She was Mrs. Logan Matthews.

  She was a married woman.

  She was going off to spend her wedding night with her new husband.

  Eden's heartbeat quickened as she remembered Logan's heated kisses and caresses from the night before. Making love to him had been ecstasy for her, and now they would have the whole night together just the two of them with no threat of interruption and no fear of discovery.

  It weighed heavily on Eden that Logan had only married her to save her honor and not because he loved her. Even so, she was his wife and this was their wedding night. A smile curved her lips at the thought of the long, dark, pleasurable hours to come.

  As Eden stepped out into the hallway, her gaze fell upon Logan where he was standing, engaged in conversation with Jenny. He hadn't noticed that she'd returned, so she took the opportunity to study him for a moment. There was no doubt about it. Logan was a very _ttracttive man. From his dark good looks to his broad, powerful shoulders and lean, muscular physique, she found him compelling. Everything about him spoke of strength and resolve, of intelligence and determination. He was a force to be reckoned with-and he was her husband.