Adrella returned his smile. “And to you, Mr. Carson.”
“Your husband here was most anxious to get back to you,” he said, and Adrella turned Dathan’s way, her look one of surprise.
Dathan didn’t bother to comment. “Did everything go okay? Did you have a problem with the rain?”
The look that flashed through her eyes was quickly veiled, leaving him to wonder.
“No. No problems.”
“I noticed you lit the light early yesterday.”
She shrugged, glancing from Dathan to the inspector. “I didn’t have a timepiece and it was already getting dark. Was that okay?” she asked lamely.
Dathan frowned. He should have left her his pocket watch.
“Very okay,” Mr. Carson answered her. “You did a fine job, Mrs. Adams. But then I wouldn’t have expected otherwise. Anyone who can survive a hurricane the way you did obviously has plenty of grit.”
Dathan saw that Adrella was pleased with the compliment. He latched on to her hand and pulled her toward the waiting men.
“Let me introduce you to the men who will be helping me build our new home.”
Adrella hung back, glancing down at her disheveled appearance. The dress that he had bought her so recently now looked worn and bedraggled. He had to agree that she looked less than presentable, yet he didn’t care. He was just glad to see her.
“Come on.”
She allowed him to lead her forward and introduce her to the men.
Dathan watched carefully to see if any of them showed anything other than the proper respect, but they each reacted with various shades of shyness when presented to her. He allowed himself to relax.
The men from the other boat had already begun unloading the supplies. Dathan joined them.
“We need to put together the cart I brought with the supplies. We’ll use that to move the supplies up to the light. We’ll have to go by way of the beach, we’ll never make it through the woods.”
Adrella joined him and he smiled. “But first things first.”
Dathan took a crowbar and began prying open one of the smaller crates. Curious, Adrella came over, impatient to see what was inside. He pulled off the top slats of wood and set them aside. Reaching inside, he lifted out a black cloak complete with hood and lined with fur.
Shaking it out, he stepped over to Adrella and placed it around her shoulders.
“For you. The shawl is hardly warm enough with the temperatures dropping.”
A smile of delight crept over her face. “It’s beautiful, Dathan! I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.” She rubbed her hands down the soft wool. “And so warm.”
He gathered the ribbon ties at the neck and knotted them into a bow. Holding the collar, he lifted her chin with his thumbs until he could see her eyes.
“I’m glad you like it,” he told her huskily.
He caught his breath at the look she returned. “I love it. Thank you,” she assured him softly. His eyes fastened on her lips and, at her slight catch of breath, his pulse jumped sending blood through his veins like liquid fire.
“Cap’n, where you want we should put these?”
Startled, Dathan dropped his hands and stepped back. His dazed look turned to the man who had spoken.
“What?”
The other man glanced from him to Adrella and Dathan wanted to knock the smirk from his face. Dathan was glad the man was with the other crew or else he would have fired him on the spot.
“These barrels of flour. Where do you want them?”
Dathan gave the man a glare that had the effect of cowing him into silence.
“Just put everything on the beach and my men and I will handle it from there.”
“Aye, sir.” Recognizing the ire he had engendered, he glanced apologetically at Dathan before moving away.
Dathan shook himself from his angry mood and turned back to Adrella. She was studying him in bewilderment. Somehow he thought Mangus must have neglected her education when it came to men. He was going to have to rectify that as soon as possible.
He held out his hand and she placed hers in it and he tugged her over to the supplies.
“There’s more in the container. That entire crate is for you.”
Her look of astonishment brought a smile to his face. She pulled out a yellow taffeta dress with a blue lace overskirt. She shook it out and held it against her and he thought how magnificent she would look strolling in his parents’ garden in New York.
She carefully folded the garment and placed the dress back inside the crate, her face devoid of emotion.
“I’ll wait until we have a house before wearing these things.”
Her voice lacked animation and for the first time he couldn’t read what was in her face. He was surprised at the wave of disappointment he felt, even though it made perfect sense that she would want to wait to wear the garments. He wondered at her lack of enthusiasm. Did she not like the clothes?
“That’s a good idea,” he agreed carefully. He motioned to the men unloading the cargo.
“We’ll have a hungry horde to feed. Think you can do it?”
She watched the supplies being unloaded, enough to feed a small army. She smiled slightly.
“We’ll soon find out.”
Chapter 12
Adrella watched men scampering up the scaffolding that lined the side of her soon-to-be new home. Since most of the coast had suffered severe damage from the hurricane, the Lighthouse Board had commissioned men from other communities to help repair the damage done to the lighthouses along the gulf. Dathan had used his money to make certain that theirs was one of the first.
Her attention was caught by her husband’s form as he hoisted lumber to the men working on the roof. She studied his sun-bronzed figure, perspiration drenching his white cotton shirt, and sighed.
They had been married for two weeks now, yet she still didn’t feel like a wife. Dathan was courteous and respectful, all the things she had come to expect of him over the years, yet he held himself aloof. Distant.
He had declined to leave her behind when he returned to the island. Hearing some of the comments, and finally noticing some of the looks they were being given, she thought she understood. She wanted to protest that they had done nothing wrong, but she knew that would do little good. Once people had made up their minds about such things, there was usually no changing them.
She sat down next to the light tower, leaning her back against its smooth surface. The cold from the building crept through her clothing, adding to the already chill temperatures. November had proceeded with a devastating cold spell that left people shaking their heads over the strange weather. She pulled her cape close around her shoulders thankful for its warmth.
The garment was beautiful as well as useful, but far fancier than anything she would have ever considered for herself. As were the other dresses in the crate he had brought for her. She felt like Dathan was trying to change her into something she was not and never could be.
For a long time she watched the men as they went about their business. A nippy breeze lifted her heavy hair from her shoulders and she leaned her head back enjoying the feel of the cooling temperatures against her neck.
Although they had a tent for their use until the house was built, she had no desire to stay within its hot confines during the beautiful days. Several other tents that had been set up by the workers were scattered around the beach. They would remain there until the house was finished. Adrella could hardly wait for that day to come, not because she didn’t enjoy the company, but because she would finally have her own home.
She wanted so much to have time with Dathan, his attention not divided among the myriad jobs to be overseen. It became a fixed idea in her head that when they had time alone she could make him fall in love with her. She knew he
was attracted to her physically, but that wasn’t enough. She wanted them to be one in mind as well as body. To share souls.
Shaking herself from her melancholy mood, she tried to think of something she might do to occupy her time. She was feeling decidedly unproductive these days. There was really nothing that she could do to help, and she was growing irritable over her boredom.
Getting to her feet, she strolled down to the water, ambling along the shoreline. As she meandered by the water’s edge, she added shells to her fast-growing collection, fascinated by their colors and shapes. She kept a careful watch to make certain that she didn’t come into contact with any more jellyfish that might have washed up on the shore.
When she finally noticed the waning of the afternoon sun, she retraced her steps and returned to their camp. It was time to prepare the evening meal. That, at least, was one thing she could do well.
After she had served all the workers, she took her own plate and retired to a spot near the fire in front of her and Dathan’s tent. He joined her there moments later.
His eyes rested on her briefly before he focused his attention on his plate. He lifted a spoon of the stew, motioning in her direction.
“The men really appreciate your cooking for them. Otherwise they would probably make do with hardtack and a little meat.”
Adrella lifted her chin slightly. “It’s the least I can do. There’s not much else to occupy my time.”
He lifted his gaze, frowning. “Give us time, Drell. We’ll have you a home before long.”
She sighed, scraping her stew with a biscuit. “I’m sorry, Dathan. I’m not complaining, really.” She lifted her eyes to meet his. “I just feel so useless.”
She saw his lips tilt into a one sided smile. “Haven’t you ever heard that a woman’s job is just to look beautiful?”
Blowing out through her lips, Adrella rose to her feet. “Then I’m for certain useless.”
Dathan rose to his feet also, his eyes narrowed to slits. “Why do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Talk about yourself that way,” he reprimanded, taking her plate from her hand and adding it to his own.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s true.”
Setting the plates on a tree stump, Dathan stepped toward her, taking her by the shoulders. “I don’t know what you’re comparing yourself to, but you have a beauty all your own,” he said gruffly. He began to massage her shoulders with his thumbs, his gaze capturing hers. “Your eyes are so green, they put the Emerald Isle to shame.” His hands slid up to frame her face. “Your skin is so white, it reminds me of new fresh cream, rich and delicious.” His voice grew huskier by the minute, and Adrella swallowed hard. “Your dark red hair shimmers in the firelight with golden highlights, almost as though it had a life of its own,” he told her softly, one finger twisting around a curling lock. The pupils of his eyes were dilated until the only thing she could see was her own reflection. She thought he was going to kiss her; in fact she hoped that he would, but he released her suddenly. “If that’s not beauty, then I don’t know what is.”
Picking up the plates, he turned and left her staring after him, her mouth hanging open and her heart thundering in her chest.
* * *
Adrella turned for the hundredth time on her mat, pulling her quilt up to her chin. Sleep was elusive tonight.
She could hear Dathan’s soft breathing across from her, telling her that he was deeply asleep. Sighing, she tried to be still. How could the man calmly shatter her world, and then go to sleep as though nothing momentous had occurred?
Punching her pillow, she glared into the darkness. Perhaps his words had meant nothing to him, but to her they had meant everything. The timbre of his voice had sent her blood racing through her veins, her hopes soaring.
She tossed and turned until she could see faint sunlight filtering through the cracks in the tent, and still she had resolved nothing in her own mind.
She could hear Dathan stirring on his mat and knew that the day would soon begin. Getting to her feet, she went outside to prepare breakfast. Taking the time to wash her face first, she noticed how cold the water was in the bucket. If they didn’t hurry with the house, they would be spending their nights in some rather cold temperatures.
Dathan joined her a few moments later, watching as she stirred the batter for flapjacks. He glanced to the rising wood structure that would one day be their home.
“A few more days should do it.”
Adrella nodded, adding batter to the grease in the sizzling cast iron skillet. The wood burning stove seemed rather incongruous among all the tents and small fires, but Adrella was grateful for it nevertheless. Dathan had managed to scrounge up any number of supplies to keep them until the house was built. His resourcefulness was a constant amazement to her.
The men began wandering into their camp, a ragged bunch of hooligans. Adrella smiled to herself at the thought. They might look like a bunch of ruffians, but they had hearts of pure gold. Each man treated her as though she were some precious gem, and over the past few weeks she had become very fond of them.
One man, Smiley, sauntered up to Adrella now, his shaggy dark hair ruffled from sleep standing in spikes about his head. He grinned at Adrella. “Howdy, ma’am. Sure smells good.”
Adrella handed him a plate, returning his smile. “Thanks, Smiley. Help yourself to the molasses.”
After everyone had been served, Dathan excused himself to return to his duties at the light. After he finished that, he would join the men in working on the house. It was no surprise to Adrella that he practically fell into bed each night.
She took her dishes down to the water and rinsed them out. Having done that, she would have most of the day to spend by herself again. Wrinkling her nose, she wished that something would happen to change her monotony.
Only hours later she would regret that thought when one of the men almost severed his arm at the elbow.
His screams brought Adrella running. She forced her way through the crowd of men standing around and found Dathan kneeling beside the young man named Henry. The sight that met her eyes brought the bile rising to her throat.
“What happened?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Dathan took one look at her white face and told her to sit down.
“He was working the saw. His arm slipped,” he told her, his voice clipped as he tied a tourniquet above Henry’s elbow. “I need to sew it back together.”
“Can you do that?”
Adrella didn’t see how anyone could save the mangled piece of flesh that hung by a mere thread.
“I’ve got to try.” Adrella recognized the steel that threaded through his words. There really was no option. The nearest doctor was in Apalach, and after the hurricane’s destruction, he was no better equipped than they.
“I need boiling water and clean cloths. Help me get him into his tent. And bring me a light.”
The staccato orders sent everyone scampering to do his bidding.
“Adrella,” he turned to her. “In the lighthouse is my case of instruments. Get them. And for the love of heaven, hurry.”
She ran to do as told, praying all the way. Henry was such a good boy and his mother’s only source of income. She would be devastated if something couldn’t be done for him.
“Please, God. Let him live!”
When she returned to the tent, Dathan had already set up to do surgery. Adrella could see the dread in his face and swallowed hard.
“I want you out of here,” he told her roughly.
She fixed him with a glare. “I can help,” she argued.
“I have all the help I need. You’ll only be in the way. Please leave.”
He focused his look on Sean. “I don’t have any chloroform.”
Sean’s face went from shock t
o tight-lipped acceptance as he scrutinized young Henry writhing in agony.
Adrella recognized that messages were passing between the men’s eyes and she had no problem interpreting them. Henry would be awake through the surgery. Her stomach began to churn even faster.
“Adrella, I’ll need Keith. Find him and send him here, and then leave.” There was no gainsaying the command in his voice.
She understood then. Keith was second only to Sean in size and strength. They would be needed to hold Henry down.
Henry began to moan quietly. “Please don’t cut off my arm. Please!”
“Hurry, Adrella.”
Adrella didn’t have far to look. All the men were gathered outside the tent awaiting word.
“Keith, Dathan needs you.”
Startled, Keith hesitated but a second before quickly passing Adrella and vanishing inside the tent.
Adrella peered inside, intent on helping in some way. She saw Sean raise a beefy fist and slam it into Henry’s jaw. Henry’s body went slack. The bile she had been struggling with refused to be denied any longer. Ducking outside the tent, Adrella quickly hurried away and wretched, her stomach heaving.
She sank to her knees, the horror of this day bringing tears to her eyes. “Dear God,” she prayed. “Please let Dathan save Henry, if not his arm, then at least his life. Please! I’m begging you, in Jesus’s name.”
She stayed there for some time petitioning the Lord on the young man’s behalf. And then she added prayers for Dathan, realizing how this must be resurrecting the memories he had tried so hard to obliterate from his mind.
She finally joined the other men outside the tent to await any news. They threw her sympathetic looks, and she was fairly certain that more than one of them wished they could have joined her in losing their supper.
They knew the moment that Henry awoke from Sean’s imposed sedation, his screams filling the air.
* * *
Hours later Henry lay unconscious with his arm bandaged and in a sling. Dathan had been thankful when the boy had finally passed out and he had been able to finish the tedious job of putting his arm back together without his screams filling the tent.
There's Always Tomorrow Page 13