Eden

by Bobbi Smith

  THE HALF-BREED (SECRET FIRES)

  "Witty, tender, strong characters and plenty of action, as well as superb storytelling, make this a keeper."

  BRIDES OF DURANGO: JENNY

  "Bobbi Smith has another winner. This third installment is warm and tender as only Ms. Smith can do.... Ms. Smith's fans will not be disappointed."

  BRIDES OF DURANGO: TESSA

  "Another wonderful read by consummate storyteller Bobbi Smith.... Filled with adventure and romance, more than one couple winds up happily-ever-after in this gem."

  BRIDES OF DURANGO: ELISE

  "There's plenty of action, danger and heated romance as the pages fly by in Ms. Smith's exciting first book in this new series. This is exactly what fans expect from Bobbi Smith."

  WESTON'S LADY

  "Bobbi Smith has penned another winner."

  HALF-BREED'S LADY

  "A fast-paced frying-pan-into-the-fire adventure that runs the gamut of emotions, from laughter to tears. A must-read for Ms. Smith's fans, and a definite keeper."

  OUTLAW'S LADY

  "Bobbi Smith is an author of many talents; one of them being able to weave more than one story.... Ms. Smith creates characters that one will remember for some time to come."

  THE LADY & THE TEXAN

  "An action-packed read with roller-coaster adventures that keep you turning the pages. The Lady & the Texan is just plain enjoyable."

  RENEGADE'S LADY

  "A wonderfully delicious `Perils of Pauline' style romance. With dashes of humor, passion, adventure and romance, Ms. Smith creates another winner that only she could write!"

  Eden heard Logan's quiet call and looked up. Her eyes widened at the riveting vision he made as he came toward her in the night, so tall and broad-shouldered, moving with an easy grace, his expression darkly intense. Her heartbeat quickened, and a surge of sensual awareness shot through her as he drew near.

  Logan stopped beside her.

  "This really is the Garden of Eden, you know," he said, his voice deep and husky.

  She smiled up at him. "I try to make it as heavenly as I can. I want it to be a place where I can come and pretend the real world doesn't exist-at least for a little while."

  Time seemed to stand still as their gazes met. They were alone under a canopy of stars.

  Eden was breathless as Logan closed the distance between them. He stood over her, staring down at her, the flame of desire burning in his eyes.

  As if in slow motion, Logan lifted one hand to cup her cheek, then bent to claim her lips, whispering, "Ah, but there was temptation in the garden-" His mouth took hers in a tender-soft exchange.

  Eden went still at the touch of his hand, and when his lips moved over hers, she gave a small blissful sigh.

  This truly was paradise-

  Other books by Bobbi Smith:

  SWEET SILKEN BONDAGE

  THE HALF-BREED (SECRET FIRES)

  WESTON'S LADY

  HALF-BREED'S LADY

  OUTLAW'S LADY

  FORBIDDEN FIRES

  RAPTURE'S RAGE

  THE LADY & THE TEXAN

  RENEGADE'S LADY

  THE LADY'S HAND

  LADY DECEPTION

  The Brides ofDurango series by Bobbi Smith:

  ELISE

  TESSA

  JENNY

  BOBBI SMITH

  To John Backe, with thanks and appreciation, and to everybody at Dorchester Publishing. We did it! We made The New York Times! Wow.!

  This title was previously published by Dorchester Publishing; this version has been reproduced from the Dorchester book archive files.

  I'd like to thank all my friends at Standard Drug on Hwy. 94 for their support and for keeping me supplied with bubble gum when I'm on deadline. Pat O'Connor, Theresa Gage, Steve Fine, Jim Brown, Cathie Day and Jenny O'Day.

  Thanks, too, to Diana Tucker, Ruth Fell and Lucy Lockley of St. Charles County Library who always come to my rescue when I need help with research and to Jeanette Grider at KTRS Radio, the Big SSO, in St. Louis.

  A special thanks, too, to Kathy Baker and her terrific husband/emergency chauffeur, Bobby. I appreciate your kindness and hospitality.

  New Orleans, 1863

  "Miss Eden! Wait!"

  The sound of the young boy's call stopped Eden LeGrand as she prepared to leave the Homeless Haven Orphans' Asylum. She turned to see ten-year-old Paul Kalsbeek running toward her down the main hall, ignoring the calls of Miss Jenny, his teacher, to get back in line.

  "Miss Eden-don't leave!" Paul pleaded desperately as he stopped before her. She was the one person at the home he'd allowed himself to become attached to, and he'd heard from the others this morning that she was leaving them today.

  "I'm just going on a short trip, Paul. I'll be back soon. I promise." Eden opened her arms, wanting to hug and reassure him.

  The boy stood back, refusing her offer of comfort, his expression almost angry. "That's what my pa said before he left."

  His words were accusing. His father had been killed in the early months of the war and his mother had died shortly thereafter of the fever, leaving him alone in the world. During his months at the orphanage, he'd come to trust Miss Eden because she was so much like his mother-kind and beautiful with her dark hair and dark eyes. But now she was going away, and sheer terror ate at him. He would have cried, but he told himself he was too old to cry now. He was almost a man. As soon as he could, he was going to get a gun and go fight the damned Yankees and avenge his father's death!

  "I know, Paul." Eden felt the sting of his words and reached out to touch his cheek. She could see the torment in the depths of his blue eyes. "But I have to travel upriver with my mother to visit a sick relative." The lie ate at her, but there was no way she could tell the boy-or anyone else-what she was really about to do. "You be good and help Miss Jenny all you can with the younger boys, and I'll be back before you know it."

  Paul wanted to throw himself into her arms. He wanted to cling to her and beg her not to go, but he couldn't show any weakness. Instead, without another word, he turned and ran back to join the other children.

  Eden understood Paul's unspoken rejection. She understood his fear and his need. He was young, and life had been hard on him-too hard.

  Her gaze was warm and loving upon the orphans. Paul and the others were the reason she was going on this trip. She was going to try to make things better for them. No innocent child should have to live through what these children were living through. She would do everything she could to help the Cause and see this war ended as quickly as possible. She wanted all the hatred and carnage to stop.

  Eden was saddened that she'd hurt Paul, but she had to be on her way. She turned to go and caught sight of Adrian Forrester, the director of the orphanage, standing in the door of his office watching her. Adrian had been grievously wounded early in the war and had lost his right leg. He'd been fitted with a wooden replacement but was unable to fight anymore. Adrian had returned to New Orleans, wanting to help in some way. He worked to successfully establish the Haven for the orphaned children of Confederate soldiers in a large, three-story home that had been donated to him for that purpose.

  "Trouble with young Kalsbeek there?" Adrian asked as he made his way to stand with her.

  "No. No trouble. Paul just wanted to tell me good-bye before I left."

  "So you're leaving now?" Adrian asked, his expression carefully guarded.

  "Yes. I'm scheduled to meet my mother on the riverfront in half an hour."

  "Be careful."

  Their gazes met and locked in complete understanding.

  "I will," she promised.

  As she left the building, Eden didn't see Paul watching her from the upstairs window.

  Steamboats were lined up endlessly along the riverfront, and
the levee was bustling with activity as Eden's carriage made its way to the place where the Bayou Belle was tied up. For a moment, seeing how busy everything was, Eden allowed herself to believe things were as they used to be, but then the sight of Yankee soldiers jarred her from her fantasy.

  Vicksburg had fallen.

  Nothing would ever be the same again.

  Eden saw her mother, Francene, waiting for her, and she directed the driver to stop there and unload.

  "You made it." Her mother greeted her with a warm hug. "How did everything go at the Haven?"

  "Just fine. I'm going to miss the children, but we should be back soon-I hope."

  Eden's driver got a steward to carry their trunk for them and then left them to board. Eden and Francene followed the steward onto the Bayou Belle, each woman carrying her own hat box. Eden was nervous, but she didn't let it show as they climbed the steps to the upper deck and entered their stateroom. The steward placed the trunk in the space provided and then excused himself, closing the cabin door behind him as he left.

  "We did it." The relief in Eden's voice was obvious, and she managed a tight smile as she placed the hat box she'd been carrying on one of the beds.

  "Your father would be proud of you," her mother said as she gingerly set her hat box down beside Eden's.

  "He'd be proud of us," Eden said, appreciating her mother's support, "but it's not over yet." She lowered her voice for fear that someone might overhear them. They couldn't be too careful. There was too much at stake.

  True, their boarding of the Bayou Belle had proven uneventful. To all outward appearances they were simply a mother and daughter traveling upriver to visit relatives. No one had any idea that they had guns and ammunition hidden in their trunk and hat boxes.

  "What are we supposed to do now?" her mother asked.

  "We just act like normal passengers. We can even take a walk around the deck, if you want."

  "I'd like that. I'm afraid if I stay here in the cabin, I'll get too nervous worrying."

  Eden had an ulterior motive in suggesting they stroll the deck. They would play the role of genteel Southern ladies, and while they were walk ing about, she would take careful note of the number of Union soldiers posted to guard the arms shipment that was being transported on this steamer. She planned to do everything she could to make sure their mission was successful.

  "How long do we have?" her mother asked.

  "I don't know for sure, but nothing is going to happen until we're well away from New Orleans."

  They left their room and walked casually about the deck as the steamboat backed into mid-stream and then started north against the current.

  Eden was glad the Bayou Belle was one of the smaller vessels plying the river. When the time finally came for their plan to be put into action, things were going to get dangerous. The fewer crew members they had to worry about, the better.

  After making a round of the ship, Eden and her mother found two chairs in the shade on deck and settled there to pass some time. It was late afternoon when they finally returned to their cabin to get ready for dinner. They had only been back a few moments when a knock sounded at the door. Eden opened it to find a workman standing there, a toolbox in his hand.

  "I'm here to make the needed repairs, ma'am," he said.

  Eden recognized Steve Rednauer immediately. She'd met the tall, fair-haired man in Adrian's office some weeks before. Standing aside, she let him in and quickly closed the door behind him.

  "Is everything going all right, Steve?"

  "Yes. Everyone made it safely on board. We'll make our move after midnight when we're sure it's going to be quiet. Do you have the guns?"

  "Right here." Eden opened the trunk and hat boxes for him.

  Steve opened his toolbox and quickly stowed the guns and ammunition there.

  "Mother and I took a walk around deck, and from what I could see, there were only two Union soldiers on board."

  "We've been checking, too. If everything goes as we hope, there will be little chance for resistance and no one will get hurt."

  "It'll work. It has to," she told him firmly.

  "Thank you." Steve glanced down at the guns one last time before he closed the toolbox. His expression was determined.

  "Be careful, and Godspeed," Francene bade, looking at the young man and seeing in him her son, Robert, who was off fighting with her husband, James, somewhere back East.

  "Yes, ma'am." He left the stateroom, looking once again the workman.

  Eden and her mother shared a knowing look, then continued to get ready to go to dinner.

  The meal that was served was delicious, but Eden didn't notice as she ate. She was only going through the motions, making small talk with the others seated at their table and wishing that the night to come was already over. When at last they retired for the evening, the tension within Eden grew almost unbearable. She had helped Adrian and his men before with their schemes, but only in small ways. This was the first time she'd been so deeply involved in one of their plans to aid the Confederacy. She was proud to do it, but it was also very nerve-wracking. She silently prayed that everything would go off as they'd planned.

  "Good night, dear," her mother told her as they lay in the darkness.

  "I hope it is a good night," Eden said.

  "It will be. Steve and the others will be careful. Everything is going to be fine."

  "I hope you're right."

  It was in the wee hours of the morning that the sound of shots being fired jarred Eden and Francene from their uneasy slumber.

  "It's happening!" Eden breathed as she all but threw herself from the bed.

  "What should we do?"

  "Act like frightened passengers," she answered, grabbing a blanket to wrap around herself.

  "I don't have to act," Francene told her, trembling at the sound of the chaos that was rocking the boat. She was excited by the prospect that they had helped the South, but still fearful that something might go wrong. If their plan failed and any of their men were hurt or taken captive, their role in the plot might be revealed and they might be sent off to prison. The possibility terrified her.

  Eden opened their stateroom door to see a steward racing by. Pretending ignorance of the situation, she called out, "What's happening? I heard shots! Are we under attack?"

  "Stay inside your cabin, ma'am!" he shouted without stopping, and he disappeared on down the deck.

  "We'd better get dressed so we can be ready for whatever happens," Eden said as she shut the door and turned back to her mother.

  Though it was the middle of the night, both women hurried to don their daygowns.

  It seemed an eternity, but it was really only a short time later when a deep-voiced man came pounding on all the stateroom doors. He was demanding that all passengers leave their cabins and take only the barest of necessities with them. Eden and Francene hurried to comply. Once they'd emerged from the safety of their room, they saw one of the Rebel agents, gun in hand, hustling the unarmed and defenseless passengers down the steps to the lower deck.

  The passengers were truly frightened by what was transpiring. Some women and children were crying as they rushed to obey the man's harshly issued orders. Some of the male passengers were daring to question the man, demanding to know what was wrong, but he refused to answer, only waving his weapon at them in a threatening manner and telling them to keep moving down to the deck below. It wasn't until Eden and Francene had been herded together with all the other passengers on the main deck that they saw some of the crew members and the two Yankee soldiers who'd been guarding the shipment sitting on the deck together, their wrists bound behind them. Armed men stood over them, watching and waiting for any kind of trouble.

  At the sight, several of the women started screaming, fearing for their lives. They were quickly silenced by orders from the guards.

  Eden and Francene cowered convincingly as they watched all that transpired, but inwardly they were satisfied that all had gone well. No bloo
d had been shed, and the Yankees would not be getting any of the guns on this ship to use against Southern soldiers.

  The Bayou Belle slowed as she neared the western riverbank, and the men who'd commandeered her made short order of tying her up. A gangplank was quickly lowered.

  "Listen up! Everybody off the boat!" Steve shouted, taking charge.

  The plan was simple, yet devastating. They would unload all the passengers and some of the nonessential crew here, where eventually another steamer would find them sometime the following day and transport them to safety. Once the passengers had left the Bayou Belle, they would push off again and steam farther upstream to the prearranged meeting place to unload the arms shipment and ultimately bum the steamer.

  In response to Steve's command, cries of protest came from the passengers, but their cries were ignored as they were hustled down the gangplank, off the Bayou Belle and onto the shore.

  Lieutenant Braden Matthews was furious as he sat on the deck, his hands bound, nursing a vicious headache. He realized now that he should never have allowed himself to relax once the ship had set sail. He should never have let down his guard. He'd been in charge of the arms shipment, and he'd failed miserably. Disguised as workmen, the Rebs had outsmarted him. They had sneaked up on him from behind and knocked him unconscious before he'd realized what they were about. It was a terrible lesson to learn, and one he would never forget.

  "Lieutenant-" Corporal Danner whispered to him as the Reb who was guarding them momentarily moved off to help with the passengers. "What are we going to do?"

  "Nothing-right now," Braden answered, carefully working at the ropes that bound him without drawing attention to himself.

  Braden watched the armed Rebs herding the people from the ship and noticed that there were a number of able-bodied men among the passengers. If he could get free, he could attack one of the guards, and hopefully then some of the male passengers who were Northern sympathizers would help him overpower their captors. As far as he'd been able to tell, there weren't that many raiders-maybe twenty at the most. Braden didn't know what the Rebs planned to do next. The way things were going, he might end up dead anyway, so he silently vowed to do everything in his power to stop them from getting away with the guns.