by C. T. Worth
The nod gave him an answer before the words, “That’s right,” were spoken.
“Then sail back to port. I will compensate you and your staff for the additional labor resulting from this man’s foolish actions.”
“That is most generous of you,” the captain said stroking his beard.
“I am nothing if not kindhearted,” Levin said before turning and walking toward the cabin. Behind him, he could hear the captain calling to his crew, informing them of the change in plans.
***
“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but I’d hoped you would be a little bit happier about the prospect of coming back and staying with me and Leland.”
Hunter and Lilian sat at a table positioned along the back wall of the room. The location provided some protection against the draft that accompanied every opening of the door that led into the small sitting room. Despite being wet, his cheeks had grown warm and he no longer shivered.
“I am very happy about returning. It is just that Levin won’t take the news well.” Lilian worried her hands. “He has a great deal of power and influence over our town and my family. I fear he will take his anger out on them.”
Hunter reached over and placed her soft delicate hand into his palm. “What could he do?”
“Well, my father’s wealth comes from his business, and Levin could make sure that is destroyed. My mother has a small inheritance. It's enough for them to live comfortably, but losing the business would still be devastating emotionally — not to mention humiliating.”
She pulled her hand out from under his, tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and took a sip of tea.
He adjusted the blanket draped over his shoulders and gave her a smile before asking, “Will Your family be angry at you?”
“Before I left, my father was urging me to marry Levin, but at that time I had no other prospects. Father wasn’t just concerned about himself. He was worried that Levin would make sure I never married if I wouldn’t accept him. He thought I would grow to regret not having children and that a marriage to Levin would be better than life as a spinster. Now that the situation has changed, I think he would support my decision to stay.”
Hunter nodded. He hated seeing her so nervous. He would do anything to protect her. “Can Levin be reasoned with?”
“No.”
The door opened and they both turned to see who had entered. It was a face Hunter did not initially recognize, but he knew by the possessive expression in the man’s features that it had to be Levin Sanford’s.
He pushed back his chair to stand.
“No need to get up,” Levin said as he reached the table. “Lilian, why don't you introduce me to your friend?” He took a seat, sliding it closer to hers.
“Levin, this is Hunter Winfield. He was kind enough to help me when I first arrived at Spruce Hill.”
Hunter studied Levin’s features. They were so familiar, but he didn’t know why. He had certainly read about the man in the papers. He knew his policies and positions. But those papers had never included a sketch of the politician. He tried to remember if there could be any other occasion when they might have met.
“Ah, I must thank you, Mr. Winfield, for assisting my fiancée during her travels. You will be happy to know I have spoken to the captain and have arranged for you to be brought back home.”
Hunter didn't respond. He was too busy trying to recount when it was that they had met. Yes, the man had approached him on the deck a few minutes earlier, but it wasn't that. This memory was old. It was as though they had known each other for a very long time.
Lilian lifted her head. “I will be getting off the ship as well. I am going to stay at Spruce Hill with Hunter.”
Something sinister flickered in Levin’s eyes. “I know it has been an eventful morning for you, my dear, so I understand you might not be thinking clearly…”
“For the first time in months, I am thinking clearly.” She shifted in her chair so she was leaning away from Levin. “I love Hunter, and I am happy here.”
Levin’s face grew red and his features transformed. That sinister flicker that had briefly shown itself in his eyes took hold of all his features. The result was a man who appeared downright evil. That was when Hunter knew exactly where he had seen that face.
Levin opened his mouth to speak but Hunter cut him off. “Mr. Sanford, I believe you have met my wife.”
The words had obviously taken Levin by surprise. “You’re married?”
“I was. Unfortunately, God called her away from me.” Hunter was surprised. The words did not cause the same type of pain he’d become so accustomed to. “Before she died — during the war actually — she had a terrifying encounter once with a Union soldier. The man attacked her. He tried to do things to her that I can’t mention in front of a lady, but fortunately, another soldier found them and pulled the attacker off my wife.”
Levin’s face paled. “Why are you telling me this? What has this got to do with me?”
“That depends,” Hunter drawled. He drummed his fingers on the table, allowing his audience’s anxiety to grow. “If you leave Lilian and her family alone, then it has nothing to do with you. But if you want to travel on the road of revenge, I will be right there, traveling alongside you.”
Levin gasped. “Y-you can't be suggesting that I attacked your wife,” he stammered.
Hunter narrowed his eyes. “I’m not suggesting. I’m stating.”
“You have no proof of that. Your wife isn't even alive any longer to testify against her assailant. That is if you could ever discover who her real attacker is.”
“That is true. I guess it is fortunate she was such a talented artist. For years she would have nightmares of the scoundrel who tried to harm her. She drew so many pictures of him. Said it helped her. I wanted to burn all of them, but death has a funny way of making you cherish things you're loved ones leave behind. Even if those things are reminders of less pleasant times.”
“You can’t believe a bunch of pictures would be sufficient to get a conviction for something that happened years ago. The statute of limitations has probably expired, and the supposed victim is dead. And you’re just speculating.”
Hunter nodded. “You’re right there. But I think I could find a few newspapermen who might be interested in writing some articles about the experiences of a wartime bride struggling to get by, especially if those stories shed some light on a man hoping to lead our nation.”
Levin crossed his arms. “Are you threatening my political career because you believe I resemble your wife’s attacker? I’ll have you know, it’s not so unusual to find two people who are completely unrelated who look similar. Why take Lilian for example. She looks just like…”
He trailed off, and Hunter knew with certainty that Levin Sanford was indeed one of the men responsible for making Mildred suffer. Hunter wanted to strike him, but his life had already been filled with too much violence. For now, he would settle for getting Sanford out of his and Lilian’s life forever.
The door again opened, and the captain walked toward Hunter and announced, “We are docked. You can go home now.”
Hunter stood up and took Lilian’s hand. “Let’s hurry. Leland made us breakfast.” Together they left the ship, and Levin did nothing to stop them.
As Hunter predicted, Levin Sanford never again attempted to interfere in their lives.
Chapter 18
The perfectly manicured green lawn that spread out in front of Lookout Rock Lighthouse had been carefully prepared. Eight neatly placed rows of seats lined both sides of a long strip of carpet. This tapestry had been tacked to the ground creating an aisle. Baskets holding elaborate flower arrangements were strategically placed beside a podium that was placed in front of Reverend Kearn. A string quartet sat off to one side playing gentle music as the guests waited. But it was the ocean that made the scene truly spectacular.
The setting was nearly perfect. Even the weather was playing nice. Although the ground was still a bit soggy
from the prior day’s shower, today the sky was the shade of blue that promised a reprieve from the rain. The November wind had made feeble attempts to disrupt the setting but discovered he was no match for Miss Fletcher who had so completely attached every element to the ground, it would have taken all of the Anemoi to unsettle the place.
Troy Spencer stood beside the Reverend looking one part nervous and two parts elated, while he and his guests patiently waited for the bride to appear. Lilian and Hunter sat in the back row.
Hunter, who had promised himself that today he would ask Lilian to be his wife, made the groom appear positively calm. This experience was so different from his courtship with Mildred. With his first wife, things had happened so slowly, he hadn’t even noticed that he was in love until it surrounded him. Asking her to marry him had been a formality. It was a foregone conclusion that they were meant to be together. In fact, he hadn’t even reached puberty by the time half the county assumed they would wed. But this time, falling in love was like a flash flood. It had been sudden and swift. He knew they were right for each other, but the concept of asking a woman to marry him after such a short courtship was foreign. Still, his heart demanded he finalize things and his conscience declared that it no longer felt right to have her living under the same roof unless they were married.
He leaned over and whispered, “Who is that sitting next to Miss Fletcher?”
“That is Mr. Bascall. He is Miss Fletcher’s uncle. He lives outside of town.”
Jane turned around and waved at Lilian. Lilian smiled back.
“Jane might go to live with him, now that she is leaving Mr. Forester’s service. If she does, you had better plan on visiting them at least once a week.”
He smiled. He liked the way she was planning his life. She was already acting as though it was jointly owned. “Are you telling me that I need to expand my social circle?”
“No. But Jane has said that he need to expand his. And you know she has become one of my dearest friends here. We aren't about to let her fade into the forest.”
“No, we couldn't have that. Besides, I might need her services someday.” He examined one of the flower arrangements that he had seen Jane finishing yesterday. She had a talent for such things.
Lilian glared at him. “You have a housekeeper,” she snapped.
“That I do, but I have no house.” The Spencers were taking a short holiday following their nuptials. This gave Hunter another week to make other housing arrangements. “I think we will need to rectify that one soon. If only I had someone to help me pick out a home.”
Lilian tilted her head and her forehead crinkled like it did when she was deep in thought. “Leland is very mature for his age. You really should have him join you when you are deciding.”
Hunter sighed. This was not going as easily as he’d hoped. “Yep. Leland’s opinion certainly matters,” he said as he put his elbows on his knees, leaned forward, and allowed his shoulders to sag. He would try something more specific. “You know, with Bethany working so hard at the mill, I have a feeling Miss Fletcher had more of a hand in setting up this event than you’d think. Can you imagine being able to pull off an outdoor wedding… in November? If you’d told me someone would try such a thing, I would have laughed in your face. Miss Fletcher is certainly someone who I’d like to hire to help plan a wedding.”
“I agree with you. It does seem like an unusual venue, but they really wanted to get married here. I don’t know why, but this spot has some special meaning for the couple.”
He dropped his head into his hands. Why was this so difficult? He needed to resolve this. He had thought of little else for days, and he wanted his mind back.
“Did I tell you I had the opportunity to see Bethany’s dress?” Lilian asked, drawing him from his thoughts. “She was having it altered. She must have gotten it from a secondhand store or something. It was probably at least twenty years old, but the fabric was beautiful. I’ve gone through every bolt at the tailor’s and every swatch they carry to show the fabrics they can acquire from Astoria. The one Bethany used for her dress is so much nicer than any of those.”
He sat up and turned toward her. “I didn't know you were so interested in fabrics. Are you considering having a new dress made?” Maybe their minds were more aligned than he had thought.
She colored. “I wasn’t, no. But Levin was very insistent that I start looking. I told him that going back to Ohio did not mean I’d marry him, but he didn't seem to care.”
“Did you find something you liked?” he pressed, not wanting to see this topic go to waste.
She shook her head. “Now, why would I need a new dress?”
“Lilian, I adore you, but sometimes you can be so oblivious.” He took her hands in his. She bristled and opened her mouth to protest, but he lifted a finger and said, “Will you keep quiet for a minute, and let me say what I need to say?”
She shut her mouth and pouted. It was adorable.
“We can bring Leland along, but I want you to help me find a new house. It will be a cold day in hell before I let Levin buy you a wedding dress, but if I have any say in it, you will be getting one soon. When I said I might need Miss Fletcher’s services, I wasn't talking about keeping my house. I meant to help plan a wedding. I have been trying for the past half hour to ask you to marry me, but you aren't making it easy.”
“Well, why don’t you just lead with that?”
His brow wrinkled in concentration as he tried to understand her words. “With what?” he finally asked.
“Just ask me to marry you.” Her expression did nothing to suggest she’d said something unusual. She could have just as easily suggested he make a change to the schedule at the mill.
His brow furrowed. “Don't I need to ease into it? I mean, if I just ask something like that out of the blue, would you agree?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, why don’t you ask and find out?”
He took a deep breath and scanned his surroundings. People were all around them, but it seemed no one was paying attention to their conversation. “Alright, Lilian would you do me….”
“Yes!” she squealed. She covered her mouth with her hand, and tears began streaming down her face.
Hunter was stunned. “What?”
“YES!” she shouted. The crowds turned toward them just as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Though his eyes were closed, he registered the collective “Ahh” from the audience.
The string quartet suddenly stopped playing, only to begin the Wagner’s Bridal Chorus. Hunter opened his eyes and saw Bethany standing just outside the lighthouse holding onto the arm of her father.
He wanted to sing, to pick up Lilian and swing her around, to shout to the heavens that she was going to be his, but this was Troy and Bethany’s moment. He would need to calm his racing heart and enjoy the wedding festivities. He would have his own day. But today he wouldn't steal the spotlight. With an enormous grin, he watched as the bride made her way to the podium. Troy’s eyes were filled with love — something Hunter could very much relate to. The ceremony was lovely. He reached over and laced Lilian’s fingers with his own. Soon, his heart screamed. Soon.
Other Works by C.T. Worth
The Pathways to Romance Series:
To Marry A Morgan, Book 1
The Duke and The Damsel, Book 2
The Charming Rogue, Book 3
Once Upon a Romance:
A Man Once Called Rumpelstiltskin (coming soon)
Author’s Notes
Thank you, dear reader, for joining the folks in Spruce Hill as they welcomed a new family to their town and watched on as Hunter and Lilian discovered love.
If you enjoyed it, I hope you’ll join the series reader’s group on Facebook, where you’ll have the opportunity to interact with the authors, learn of new releases, enter giveaways, and more.
The story continues in The Widow’s Secret, book four of the Keepers of the Light series:
Amelia Florence leaves
the orphanage she’d been held prisoner in for sixteen years, determined to make her way to Spruce Hill on the Oregon Coast. Her heart tells her that is where she’ll find her grandparents. But she has a secret that she can’t tell anyone. As a widow with a daughter, she travels to her destination, preparing to make a new life for them. Along the way, she meets a drifter, Chet Logan. It doesn’t take long before her heart tells her to trust him. Unfortunately, he has secrets, too. Is there anyone she can trust to help her get to the lighthouse where her family lives?
Available now on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
About the Author
C.T. Worth (also known as Cinnamon) is a San Diego native who is also the youngest of ten children. Growing up, she would listen to her siblings’ tales of shenanigans and escapades. Although she did not share her older siblings daring quest for adventure, she did find her imagination offered her all the excitement she craved from the safety of her room.
She discovered a love of reading at a young age and firmly believed that a good book should strive to make the reader feel uplifted. She was later shocked to find that nearly every English teacher she would study under disagreed with this philosophy. After countless hours reading assigned novels that included tragedies, melodramas, and modernism, Cinnamon was eventually convinced to admit that a good book does not require a happy ending. She does, however, strongly advocate for one.
In college, Cinnamon met her Prince Charming and then promptly left him to pursue an opportunity to study abroad in the beautiful English countryside. Fortunately, her Prince was a patient man who waited for her return, and he has since spent more than 25 years teaching her the meaning of love, showing her the World, helping her to raise two wonderful children, and encouraging her to pursue her dreams.
Cinnamon enjoyed a long career in public sector finance, but she was delighted to leave the corporate world behind in 2014 to focus her efforts on being a homemaker. This shift gave her more time to explore new interests and hobbies which include traveling, cake decorating, crafting, and home renovations. Much to her surprise, she discovered, almost by chance, that she also loved to write.