At the Captain's Command

by Louise M. Gouge

  Walking across the grassy back lawn, she glanced toward the house. Through a window, she could see Frederick at his desk and, as she moved farther, Thomas. Her heart leaped and her loneliness vanished, if for no other reason than that she knew he desired her company, even if no one else did. Indeed, at that moment he chanced to look out and see her, and his entire countenance brightened. He rose and moved out of her sight.

  Her heart hammering against her ribs, Dinah waited and was soon rewarded when he emerged through the small, enclosed back porch. He wore his uniform, as always, but there was a smudge on the front of his blue coat. Several strands of hair had escaped from his queue and draped down his cheek. She had never before seen a single flaw in his grooming and found it charming…and disarming.

  “Miss Templeton.”

  He hurried toward her with long strides, stopping just two feet away, towering over her with all his military magnificence. At that moment, if he had embraced her or even kissed her, she would not have objected, despite their unsecured relationship. Was it possible for a heart to burst with happiness?

  “Good morning, Captain Moberly.” Her words came out in a breathy rush and she pulled up her fan to wave away the heat in her cheeks.

  He looked at the fan, and his smile broadened. “Will you walk with me?” His voice also sounded a bit breathless.

  Dinah glanced at the house and saw Frederick standing in the window wearing a wide grin. More heat rushed into her face. “I would enjoy that.” She looped her arm around the captain’s and let him lead her wherever he would. He chose the path to the spring house.

  “A fine day,” he said.

  “A very fine day.”

  “’Twill be hot soon.”

  “A veritable furnace.” She could barely hold in a laugh at this silly conversation.

  “Oh, bother.” He brushed his free hand down the front of his coat, removing only some of the caked gray mud. “I meant to change my coat before I…”

  She gazed up at him, and her heart performed another wild leap. Could a man’s eyes be any bluer? As blue as the summer sky above them now.

  He looked away. “Ah, see all the cranes near the boat slips?”

  “Before you what?”

  “Hmm? Oh, before I…” He ran a hand through his hair, dislodging more black strands. He stopped walking and blew out a quick breath. “Double bother. I should return to the house at once and have Hinton put me back together.”

  Dinah longed to reach up and make the repairs herself, but that would defy propriety. Still, she was not going to let him out of her sight until she knew his purpose. If it was what she expected, what she hoped—

  “Never mind, Captain, no one here will find fault with your appearance.” She tugged on his arm.

  Grimacing, he raked his hair over his ear and began to walk again. Soon they came to the arbor near the spring house. The red roses covering the woven oak branches filled the air with a rich perfume.

  “Will you sit?” He nodded toward the wrought iron bench inside the half-enclosed space.

  “Certainly.” Her pulse had slowed during their walk, but it resumed its rapid pace, especially when he sat down not a foot away from her. She removed her hat and laid it beside her, then looked at him expectantly.

  “Miss Templeton, have you…” He cleared his throat. “Have you ever held your fan up to the sunlight?”

  A swell of happiness washed over her. So she had not imagined it. “Yes.” She spread the fan and lifted it before them. Enough sunlight filtered through the oak and pine branches to show a scene she had come to treasure.

  He inched closer on the bench and peered at the object. “What do you see?” His soft, deep voice sent a pleasant shiver over her shoulders.

  “When you first gave it to me,” she whispered, “all I could see was a lonely lady on one side and a lonely gentleman on the other, each standing in their separate gardens and reaching out for what seemed unattainable.”

  “But now?”

  “With the light shining through, I see a lady and a man holding hands.” Sweet agony filled her soul. For weeks she had longed for this moment, but feared it would never happen.

  He bent his head near hers and took her free hand. “Miss Templeton, I should like to hold hands with you…for the rest of my life.” He cleared his throat. “A clumsy way of saying…asking if you will marry me.”

  She leaned against his shoulder, swallowing hard to quiet her happy tears. “I will.”

  He bent closer and brushed his lips across hers. Such a simple gesture, but the feelings sweeping through Dinah in response were at once riotous and serene, passionate and tender.

  “I do believe—” his voice rumbled low beside her ear, sending another pleasant shiver over her “—I fell in love with you the moment I saw you.”

  “Thomas—”

  He pulled her to her feet and into his arms, stopping her words with another kiss, a firm, eager kiss that made her knees weak. Just as she began to respond, he broke contact, stepped back and walked out of the arbor. As she began to wonder what she had done amiss, he returned and resettled the both of them on the bench. He leaned away from her and rested against the woven arbor wall, while a sweet, gentle smile graced his firm lips, a smile that beamed clear up to his eyes. “My dear Miss Templeton, you leave me breathless.”

  She fanned herself furiously and stared out into the forest. “I must return the compliment, Captain Moberly.” Gracious, how could she contain these warm feelings of love and affection?

  “I want you to know that I spoke to Freddy and Marianne, and they both approve of our match.”

  She stopped fanning and eyed him. “Would you have proposed without their approval?”

  His forehead creased briefly. “Perhaps. But not without your brother’s, or at least your uncle’s. Freddy has assured me these gentlemen will have no objections.”

  She laughed softly. “They’ve all been planning our marriage for several years.”

  “I suppose so. Jamie sang your praises more than once when we last met. Now I understand why. But I find myself thinking someone else had a hand in the plan, too.”

  Dinah questioned him with one raised eyebrow.

  “Who else but the Almighty…our heavenly Father…could have arranged our ‘accidental’ meeting?” He ran a finger down her cheek. “Your beauty attracted me from that first moment at the hospital. Your kind deeds to the sick deeply moved me, because I saw your generosity and goodness. But the thing that won my heart—” he gave her a little smirk “—was your delicious wit and good humor.”

  She laughed in earnest now. “I do love that best about you, too, Thomas. Oh! May I call you that?” Had he noticed her slip of the tongue just moments ago?

  He bent forward and touched his forehead to hers, an endearing gesture that made her heart race once again. “Only if I may call you Dinah.”

  “Indeed you may.” She thought he might kiss her again, but he moved back. She could not help the tiniest pout of disappointment.

  He patted her hand, then squeezed it. “There will be time enough for many kisses, my beloved. My lady fair—” He stopped and bit his lip, and she wondered why. “If I could but put the feelings of my heart into words…but alas, I am no poet.” His countenance fell, and he appeared truly disappointed.

  She tilted her head and lifted her open fan. “If you continue to bring me such charming gifts as this, we may altogether forgo the dubious pleasures of poetry, for all I care.”

  “You do not care for poetry?” His eyes widened, as if he were mildly alarmed.

  “Very little, I’m afraid.” She searched his face. “Why?”

  “Oh, nothing.” He coughed lightly into his fist. “Good old Freddy,” he muttered.

  “What?”

  Another smirk, or perhaps more of a playful grin. “Isn’t this a delightful arbor? Did you know Freddy built it for the very purpose of proposing to Rachel?”

  “Yes, I do. What romantic gentlemen the Moberl
y brothers are.” Gladness filled Dinah’s heart. Had the captain, her Thomas, reconciled with his good brother? “Handsome, charming, heroic. My, what other of your attributes may I praise?”

  Thomas stiffened, but she could see it was a pretense for annoyance. “I cannot disagree with your assessment, except for ‘heroic.’ When has my little brother ever fought for king and country?” He lifted his chin and frowned, but his cross expression quickly dissolved into wryness. “I do not mean to be unkind.”

  Understanding swept through Dinah’s mind. “So you did not know that Frederick was wounded fighting with Browne’s Rangers against the rebels.”

  “Ah!” Thomas looked as if he’d been struck, and he gripped the hilt of his sword. “He did not tell me. No one told me.” He exhaled a long breath. “All this time, I thought—” He shook his head. “God forgive me, I have judged him harshly. Now we both have much to discuss. Much to forgive.”

  “You will find him a most forgiving man.” Dinah grasped Thomas’s hand. “Let’s return to the house. By now everyone is up and about. You’ll want to see our new niece.” She debated whether or not to tell him the baby’s name, but decided to leave that to Marianne. “And we have our own good news to share.”

  She stood and tugged him to his feet, but before she could lead him to the pathway, he pulled her into his arms and claimed another lingering kiss.

  “My beloved,” he whispered, “you have brought me only joy. Stay well. Stay safe while I am gone away from you.”

  She rested her head against his broad chest. “You must sail out on patrol again, I suppose.” She toyed with a brass button on his coat and brushed away some of the remaining mud. “I don’t suppose you could simply keep your ship safely in the harbor.”

  She could hear his chuckle rumbling in his chest. “My dear, a ship may indeed be safe in its harbor, but that is not why ships are built.”

  Fear swept in and tried to steal her contentment, but she gazed up at Thomas, willing away her despair. “Then I shall repeat your orders back to you, Captain Moberly. Stay well. Stay safe while you are gone away from me.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Thomas had learned early in his naval career that a captain must be able to manage any number of crises at the same time. The path to success began with prioritizing. At this moment, walking with his beloved lady along the pathway beneath the oak and magnolia trees, he must first ensure her peace of mind in regard to their coming separation. But even as they chatted about future matters—where they would live, the procuring of servants—his mind reeled from Dinah’s revelation about Freddy.

  Why had his brother refused to explain his wound when Thomas asked about it? He should have been proud to describe the battle in which he had participated. Defending the borders of East Florida was key to keeping the rebellion from spreading here.

  Thomas thought back to his arrival and the cold way they had greeted each other. In less than two days, they had moved a short distance beyond childhood rivalries, prayed together for the safe delivery of Marianne’s child and chatted about several important matters, not the least of which was how Thomas should court Dinah. Had Thomas blustered on with his ill-conceived poetry, she might have discovered a flaw she could not overlook. Now he realized what folly his attempts had been. Yet rather than feeling humiliated, he felt grateful for and humbled by Freddy’s honesty in helping him. His brother’s amusement at Thomas’s ineptitude only added to the richness of the incident.

  “Before you leave, you must meet Reverend Johnson, the vicar at St. Andrew’s Church in St. Johns Towne.” Dinah drew Thomas’s attention back to their betrothal. “He has officiated at two of our families’ marriages.” She gazed up at him with a sweet smile that earned her a quick kiss. The warmth of her response reminded him that he must temper his ardor, for she appeared to have no idea how she affected him. Her innocence made his heart swell with admiration and protectiveness.

  “Ahem—” She fanned herself, and he congratulated himself once again on giving her such an ideal gift that had communicated his feelings so perfectly. “As I was saying, perhaps we might consider asking him to perform our wedding ceremony, too.”

  “Why, certainly. Reverend Kennedy seems the obvious choice.”

  Dinah released his arm and stopped. “We’ve not been betrothed for fifteen minutes, and you have already ceased listening to me.”

  The merry glint in her eye made it clear she was not upset, yet Thomas chided himself. Perhaps his skill at handling multiple problems was confined to commanding his ship. These personal matters almost had his head spinning.

  “Forgive me.” He bent forward in an elaborate bow. “Your acceptance of my proposal has sent me into transports of unrelenting joy. I hear only the birds singing their congratulations above us.”

  She snickered. “So you are a poet, after all?”

  He shuddered comically. “You have my permission to break off with me should I try to claim that talent.” Again.

  “Never. You are mine, and I shall not let you go.” She took his arm again, and they continued their stroll. “Where would you like to be married? And by whom?”

  “Hmm. I admire Reverend Kennedy, but if you prefer Reverend Johnson, I will not protest.” Another thought along those lines came to his mind. “My dearest Dinah, let this be the rule for our lives together. In matters such as this, when neither of us has a strong opinion, you may choose what you will. I desire only your happiness.”

  She laid her head against his arm and sighed, apparently satisfied with his response. Deep contentment filled him, and he placed an arm around her waist. With this woman by his side, he could face any trial. He would gladly give her whatever she asked for, but she seemed to want so little.

  Ah, but he knew one thing she desired: her brother’s safety. Once again, Thomas vowed to see Nighthawk apprehended and hanged so that Jamie Templeton could sail to and from St. Augustine without fear of being accosted by the pirate. This Thomas would do not only for Dinah but for Marianne and her children.

  And now he had a new weapon in his arsenal to ensure his success. He would not come before the Almighty as to a distant, angry father whom he could never please. Or appease. Although he did not yet grasp the entire idea, he would try instead to pray to a Father whose love moved Him to give His children bread, not a stone. Just as Thomas would gladly give Dinah anything she asked for and would never harm her, he would now come to God expecting acceptance, not judgment.

  Father in heaven, grant me victory over this pirate. Help me to deliver Dinah’s brother—Marianne’s beloved husband—safely home to those who love him.

  Dinah could not decide whether she would prefer to dash back to the house to announce their betrothal or to stroll back at this pleasant, leisurely pace to have more time alone with Thomas. Her emotions teetered between giddy happiness and sublime ecstasy. Somehow, from the first moment they’d met, she’d known deep inside they would come to this. Despite of her former doubts and fears, she knew now that he loved her. And oh, how she did love him.

  Mrs. Thomas Moberly. Or was that Mrs. Captain Moberly? She must learn. And what else must a captain’s wife know to keep from embarrassing her husband? During her occasional visits to the plantation over these past few years, she had observed Marianne’s gracious manners and tried to emulate them. Even Rachel had polished her practical Nantucket ways to become a more accomplished plantation manager’s wife. If snobbish Governor Tonyn should ever deign to visit Bennington Plantation, he would find nothing lacking in his hostess.

  “Are you pleased with this Nancy who has been your lady’s maid?” Thomas applied a light pressure to her waist.

  In response, she moved closer to him. How interesting to find their nearness did not prevent a steady walking pace. She had never walked in such closeness with anyone, much less the man she would marry. “In truth, I don’t know what to expect, so whatever she does pleases me.” Would he find her lacking in this?

  “Ah. Well, my man Hin
ton has much experience as a personal servant, and he can teach her, should you decide you like her.”

  Another giddy swell rose inside Dinah at the thought. “I thank you. That’s very considerate. I will keep her here and decide by the time we return to St. Augustine.”

  “Very good.”

  Through the trees, she saw the white clapboard plantation house, and a mixture of happiness and regret filled her. Soon everyone would know of their betrothal. Soon Thomas must return to duty.

  As they neared the back lawn, Dinah saw the children at play, with Caddy in attendance. Poor Caddy, a sweet slave girl who was devoted to Frederick and Rachel. But the job seemed a bit much for her. Dinah guessed the twelve-year-old was too young to manage such active children. Perhaps, being a slave, she feared to discipline the master’s offspring, feared being sent to the fields. But that would be too cruel.

  As always, Dinah could not reconcile her cousins’ ownership of slaves with their Christian faith. But then, Frederick did not truly own the slaves. As manager of the plantation, he had the responsibility to supervise everything and everyone, while the real owner was Lord Bennington. She knew Frederick to be a kind man and had never seen him mistreat a slave or anyone under his authority as magistrate. Rachel often said he ruled with the wisdom of Solomon. Dinah must leave it at that, just as she must leave Thomas to his duty.

  By the time the two of them had entered the yard, the noise of the children had reached a riotous volume. There on the ground, little Jamie rolled about with smaller Davy, each hitting and kicking the other, both crying, while Kezia tried to jump into the fray. Caddy managed to hold the back of Kezia’s linen dress, but Dinah thought she heard the fabric begin to tear. The ever-present puppies yipped and yapped and bounced about as though encouraging the fight.

  “Nooo,” Davy screeched with all the passion of an indignant two-year-old. “Mine, mine.”