by Bobbi Smith
Eden and Adrian stayed in the office. Once he was sure that Logan had gone outdoors, Adrian closed the office door so he could speak to Eden privately.
"The fact that you're now married changes everything," he said sternly as he sat back down at the desk.
"It does? How?"
"You won't be helping us anymore."
"Why not?" Eden was truly surprised by his dictate.
"What would you tell your husband? Especially on those occasions when we have to make a move at night?"
"I've already told him that I-"
"You've already told him what?" Adrian demanded sharply, wondering suddenly if there was a connection between Logan's arrival there and his being detained coming off the steamer. "How much does he know?"
"Logan's a minister, for heaven's sake!" Eden protested. "He would never do anything to cause trouble. He came down to New Orleans to help us.
"Or so he says," Adrian countered. "What did you tell him? It's important. I need to know."
"Nothing, really," she hurried to assure him. "I just told Logan that I'm involved in trying to help the Cause. I didn't mention any names or details."
"You've told him too much already. He's your husband, and I'm glad you're happy, but that doesn't mean I want him involved in our plans. You're out."
Eden was growing angry because Adrian didn't trust her judgment where Logan was concerned. "You really don't want my help anymore?"
"There is no way you can be effective now that you're married. I'm sure you love him or you wouldn't have married him. But I don't know your husband, and it takes me more than five minutes to trust someone enough to involve them in a life-or-death situation."
She felt the sting of his words. She'd always trusted Adrian's judgment, but she knew he had to be wrong not to trust Logan. Logan was wonderful.
Adrian saw the change in Eden's expression. He hadn't set out to hurt her feelings, but he didn't have the luxury of being able to trust her instincts. Lives were at stake, and the circumstances surrounding the arrival of her "husband" struck Adrian as just a little too convenient not to be suspicious. If this Logan was so supportive of the Haven, he could have just sent the money. He didn't have to come in person. It all seemed a little too coincidental for Adrian.
"It's too dangerous right now," he continued. "Look at how I was stopped and searched coming off the steamer. The authorities may be on to us, so we have to be more careful than ever. After this shipment, there's only one last thing I have to do before we can quit and lay low for a while."
"Isn't there some way I can still help?"
"No. Our secrecy is everything. From now on, as far as you're concerned, we don't exist."
Eden returned to her work with the children, saddened. She realized Adrian was just being honest with her, but it bothered her that he didn't trust Logan. Logan had been nothing but a blessing to everyone at the Haven-and to her. He would never do anything to cause them harm. She was certain of that.
Eden argued with herself about whether to tell Logan that she would no longer be involved with spying. She knew he would rejoice at the news, for he had been insistent that she stop. Still, she held out hope that she might find some way to convince Adrian to let her work with him, even if only in small ways. Anything she could do to aid the Cause, she would.
Logan worked quickly to finish his job outside. His thoughts were on the shipment, and he was anxious to do what he could around the orphanage to help find it. If he couldn't locate it, though, he would have to leave it for Jim and Sam to do tonight. This was his and Eden's first night together in their new home, and there was no way he could come up with an excuse good enough to explain his absence from their marriage bed.
When his repair job was finished, Logan got cleaned up. He sought Eden out to let her know that he would be leaving the Haven for a while to run an errand and would meet her back there before it was time to quit for the day.
Logan made the trip to the bank.
"Well, Reverend Matthews, what can I do for you today?" Jim asked in a professional manner, playing his role to perfection.
"I wanted to speak with you about setting up an account."
"Fine, tell me what it is you need, and I'll do everything in my power to get it for you."
They pretended to be filling out paperwork as Logan told him what had transpired at the Haven.
"There's a shipment passing through town even as we speak. Adrian was searched on the riverfront as he disembarked, but nothing was found on him or in his possessions. I'll see what I can do at the Haven, but I won't have access to his quarters."
"What about tonight? Can you get away?"
"Not without some kind of emergency, and if that happened, Eden would want to go along, too."
Jim nodded. "All right, well take it from here."
"What about your boss? Have you found out anything there?"
"He returned to town this afternoon, too."
They shared a knowing look.
"Good luck," Logan told him.
"Thank you for your business, Reverend Matthews."
"It's been a pleasure."
Logan was deep in thought as he headed back to the Haven. He was trying to figure out how Forrester was going to move the shipment. The trip passed quickly. He arrived at the Haven to find the children filing into the dining room, but there was no sign of Eden.
"Paul-Mark-have you seen Miss Eden?" he asked the boys.
"I saw her outside with Mr. Adrian a while ago," Paul told him.
"Thanks."
Logan went back out, looking for Eden. He circled the house and heard the sound of two voices coming from the flower garden, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. As he drew near, he heard Eden laughing, and he watched as she threw her arms around Adrian and hugged him.
A shaft of some foreign emotion stabbed at Logan at the sight of her in the other man's arms.
Eden was his wife!
Eden and Adrian were not aware of his presence as he looked on. Eden ended the embrace quickly and moved away from Adrian, still laughing at something he'd said. There had been nothing lewd or romantic about the hug, but the feeling that had rocked Logan was powerful. He remained where he was for a moment, coming to grips with his reaction.
Was he jealous?
The thought startled him, and he had to admit that it was true. He scowled, troubled by the dangers he faced where Eden was concerned. She was the enemy-yet he had fallen in love with her. The realization tormented him.
Only when he was certain he could play Reverend Logan Matthews convincingly did he venture forth to speak with them.
Adrian was glad when Eden and Logan left for the night. He had a lot of work to do, and he didn't want to risk being interrupted. He watched and waited until the cook was busy serving the children their dinner; then he retrieved the empty milk bottles in a small wooden carton outside the back door and took them to his office with him. No one would ever miss them. He had planned this perfectly. Adrian locked the door behind him and drew the drapes.
His trunk had been stowed in his bedroom off the office, and Adrian went there now to get the precious shipment. With utmost care, he opened the trunk and took out the dolls. There were eight of them, one for each girl at the Haven. Adrian smiled. Each girl would have her own new doll, but not until he was finished with them.
Taking the dolls back to his desk, Adrian set to work. He gently pried the china head from a doll and carefully took out the small package that was hidden inside the doll's hollow body. His smile broadened. The Yankees had been so close to catching him, but he'd outwitted them. No one would have suspected that they would be smuggling morphine in children's toys. The idea was brilliant-and it had worked.
Adrian continued to work, carefully removing the stowed medicine from inside the dolls. He was glad that none of the pouches had torn. When he had emptied all the dolls, he stuffed the packets into the milk bottles and then put the heads back on the dolls so no one would susp
ect.
Adrian set the small case of milk bottles outside the back door again, making sure that no one saw him. When the milkman came by that evening, he would be able to find them easily, and just in case some Union soldiers were watching the house, nothing would be suspicious about the routine. A milkman did come to the Haven every night. Tonight, though, it was going to be a different milkman. No one would know that except Adrian.
Returning to his office, he got the dolls for the girls and the balls for the boys and made his way to the dining room to present them to the children. They were thrilled with the unexpected gifts, and they all hugged him with loving devotion.
Little Connie had never had her very own doll before. She clutched it to her lovingly as she gazed up at Adrian.
"Thank you, Mr. Forrester," she told him, her eyes filled with joy.
Adrian knelt down beside her and gave her a hug. "You're welcome, Connie. I hope you like her."
"Oh, I more than like her," she said solemnly. "I love her."
Adrian stood and, satisfied that everything was fine at the Haven that night, he went into the kitchen to get his dinner. While he was eating at the table, he saw the milkman coming up the back walk. Their gazes met through the open kitchen window, but neither man spoke. The milkman simply did his job. He took the carton of empty bottles and got in his vehicle and disappeared.
No Yankees came out of hiding to try to stop him. All was quiet.
Adrian was relieved and delighted. He passed a very pleasant evening indeed.
Their apartment was small, but it didn't matter to Eden and Logan. They took great delight in their privacy.
Eden prepared dinner for them, and they sat together at the table enjoying the meal and each other's company.
"You're a good cook," Logan complimented her.
"You can thank my mother for that. She insisted Camille and I learn when we were very young.
"I'll be sure to do that. She did a fine job. I think I'll thank Adrian, too."
"For what?"
"For finally getting back in town, so I can have you all to myself tonight. I didn't: like all the competition I was having for your affections."
"Paul and Mark?" she asked with a laugh.
"To name only two."
"Ah, but I'm jealous of you, too," she said with a knowing smile. "I know for certain that there's another woman who really owns your heart, Reverend."
"You never have to worry about me being unfaithful," he protested with a grin. But even as he was promising to be true to her, his conscience troubled him. Everything Eden believed about him was a lie.
"Oh?" Eden countered, enjoying the exchange. "This young lady is blond and beautiful, and I know she loves you, for she told me so herself."
Logan's smile broadened. "It's good to know that whoever she is, I won her over with my considerable charms."
"That you did, and Connie is not easily won over. But she's not the only one you've charmed," Eden said in a soft, alluring voice.
"There's someone else?" he asked, his gaze darkening as he looked at her across the table. Eden was so beautiful. She was wearing her hair up tonight, and he longed to pull the pins from it and free the heavy, silken mane to his caress. The memory of her in Adrian's arms in the garden that afternoon returned, and again he felt the strong sting of jealousy.
She gave a throaty laugh as she teased, "Yes. My mother and my sister."
"They are two lovely ladies who are obviously very astute judges of character."
Eden grew serious as she realized how little she really knew about Logan. "Tell me about your family. You know about mine, but you've never said much about yours."
"There's not much to tell you, really. My parents are dead."
"Don't you have any brothers or sisters?" She was truly interested.
"I have one younger brother."
"What's his name?"
"Braden."
"Where is he now?"
"He's in the army somewhere in Louisiana, the last I heard from him, but it's been a while."
"I hope he's all right," she said innocently.
"So do I."
"I'll be glad when the war is over and everyone gets to come home to their families. I know my mother hasn't heard from my father or my brother for weeks and weeks. It's so hard for her, and for us, never knowing where they are-if they're safe-or even if they're still alive."
"I understand," Logan said, and he did, more than she would ever know. His concern for Braden was always with him, haunting him. He silently hoped that he was getting closer to finding a way to rescue him.
They were quiet for a moment.
"You never have told me how you came to be a minister," Eden said. "I think it's so wonderful that you have a calling to bring God to people. When did you know you wanted to preach?"
Logan had always known that this moment would come. He hated lying to Eden, but he supposed he was as prepared as he would ever be to elaborate on the deception already in place. "I wasn't as young as some ministers are when I realized my calling."
"But how did you know?"
"It suddenly seemed the most important thing in the world that I try to help others." My brother, he thought.
"But you could have taken any number of jobs if you just wanted to help people. I mean, you could have been a doctor or a lawyer-"
"It was more than that. I wanted to bring people the good news of freedom and salvation." Logan was certain Braden would have been thrilled with his freedom right then.
"That is so special. You're very blessed, you know."
Logan looked up at Eden. "I know."
Across the table, their gazes met. It was a quiet moment of revelation.
"I know I'm blessed to have you," he finished.
Her heart sang at his words. "You are?"
Logan rose and moved to stand by her. He reached down and drew her up to him. "I am."
His lips captured hers in a gentle, yet hungry kiss. His whole life with Eden was a lie. Everything she believed about him was untrue, and yet Logan knew one thing: he loved her. In this short amount of time, she had come to mean so much to him.
A vague and distant memory of the sermon he'd given tormented him.
And the truth shall set you free!
Logan knew the truth would completely destroy the happiness and joy they had found together. He pushed the thought away and deepened the kiss. He wanted to erase all the torment and worry from his soul for at least a little while as he lost himself in Eden's loving.
Eden gave a soft moan as he kissed her with a sudden, hungry desperation. The fierceness of his embrace surprised her even as it excited her. Any thoughts of Adrian's doubts about him vanished as she clung to him, looping her arms around his neck and offering herself to him fully.
This was Logan-her guardian angel.
He was her husband.
She loved him.
Caught up in the power of his need, Logan crushed her to him and held her to his heart. He broke off the kiss and told her in a husky voice, "I love you, Eden."
She gasped as she looked up at him. It was the first time he'd professed his love. She caressed his cheek and stood on tiptoe to press her lips to his in sweet surrender. "And I love you."
Logan gave a low growl as he swept her up in his arms and carried her to their bed.
They fell upon its softness together, their hands racing to help strip away the clothing that kept them apart. They wanted each otherneeded each other.
As if in slow motion they began the mating dance. Kissing, touching, arousing. His hands traced patterns of fire upon her willing flesh, and his lips followed the trail he'd blazed. Eden arched against him in pure ecstasy, reveling in the excitement he stirred within her.
With eager caresses, they came together, man and woman, joining to become one. They moved wildly in love's age-old rhythm as the power of their passion drove them on. Pure rapture burst upon them, and they clung to one another, cherishing the thrill of their union.
Sated, they lay together, wrapped in each other's arms.
Eden was resting with her head on his chest, and she could hear the powerful, steady beat of his heart. Logan loved her! The knowledge filled her with joy.
"You're beautiful, you know that?" she told Logan, running a bold hand across the hardmuscled width of his chest. She caressed him possessively and then moved her hand teasingly lower, deliberately wanting to excite him.
"Men aren't beautiful," he protested, completely enjoying her daring. She had never been so forward with him before, and he wanted to encourage her to keep it up.
"Well, I think you are," she insisted. She rose up to press herself fully against him.
"I'm glad," Logan said before completely losing control of his desire.
They made love in furious delight, eagerly seeking to arouse and satisfy one another until ecstasy claimed them, and they collapsed together.
Logan savored the moment as he held Eden in his arms. He knew he would never have a love more perfect than what he shared with her right then. At the thought, all that he'd been trying to deny came back to him with a vengeance. He hadn't meant to fall in love with her. He realized that caring for her this way was his heaven right now, but it would soon become his hell-and there was no way for him to escape that ultimate fate.
Logan saw that Eden had fallen asleep, so he slipped out of bed and went to stand at the window and stare out into the night. Somewhere out there, Jim and Sam were trying to locate and stop Adrian's smuggled shipment. He hoped they were successful, so he could give up this charade and go find Braden.
Turning away from the view of the city, Logan came to the bed and to his wife. Eden was beauty and honesty and gentleness. She was strong and determined and fierce in her devotions. Logan knew that when the truth finally came out she would despise him forever. He wished with all his heart that there was some other way to accomplish what he needed to do, but there wasn't. Everything was set in motion. It was only a matter of time.
Logan drew her to him. She stirred but didn't awaken, and he was glad. He wanted to treasure the serenity of the moment as she nestled against him. He wanted to cherish this memory and keep it in his heart, for he did not know where the future would lead him.
