Eden

by Bobbi Smith

  "What can you do for me-and for the others?"

  "That depends on what kind of information you give me," Logan stated flatly.

  Nathaniel went silent for a moment, considering his options. He was furious that they'd been trapped and taken prisoner. Adrian had assured him that everything had been set. He'd believed that they would be able to pull off the raid on the warehouse as smoothly as they'd handled the Bayou Belle. But it was over now, and the failure was just as much his own fault as it was Adrian's. He had never suspected that Jim was there at the bank to spy on him. The future looked very bleak for him and for the others who'd been involved.

  "What do you want to know?" Nathaniel felt safe enough asking, for he didn't believe he had information that could harm anyone else.

  "The raid on the Bayou Belle," Logan began.

  Nathaniel made certain to keep his expression unreadable as he listened.

  "I want to know what happened to the two Union soldiers who were guarding the shipment. One of them was wounded during the encounter, and they were both taken prisoner. Where are they? Where did you take them?"

  "What's it worth to you?" Talbott countered shrewdly.

  "No, the question is, what is it worth to you?" Logan smiled thinly at him. There was no trace of warmth in his gaze. He felt no sympathy for this man or for any of the men working with him. "This is war, Talbott. Spies can be hanged for their offenses."

  Nathaniel regarded Logan coldly. As much as he despised the man, he respected his intelligence. He hoped that if he revealed the location of the prison camp, Logan would find some way to help him and the others.

  "There's a prison camp...It's small..." He went on to give Logan the location of the camp where, the last he'd heard, the two Union guards were being held.

  Logan nodded, satisfied. "If what you've told me is true, when I get back, I'll do what I can for you."

  Nathaniel wanted to protest, to argue that he needed some kind of payback or assurance now, but he had no power. There would be no negotiating. He said nothing as Logan went to open the door.

  "Captain, I've finished with the prisoner," Logan called to Captain Valint.

  Logan stood aside as Talbott was led away. Their gazes met, but neither man said anything more. When Talbott had gone, Logan went into the main office and looked at Jim and Sam.

  "Did he know?" Jim asked.

  "Yes."

  They all shared a smile.

  "And I'm leaving right away," Logan went on. "It's been too long already."

  "I'm going with you," Sam spoke up. He looked at Jim. "Send word to Cotlar that I'm going to be off-duty for a while."

  "Good idea," Jim agreed.

  Logan couldn't believe that Sam wanted to help. He was grateful for his offer. "Thanks. I can certainly use your help."

  Sam smiled at him. "I was wondering how you thought you were going to do it alone."

  Jim spoke up. "I'll take care of everything here while you two are gone. Be careful. It won't be easy. And, Logan-"

  Logan looked at him questioningly.

  "I hope your brother's all right."

  "So do I," he said, his tone serious. "Let's go, Sam. We've got a lot to do before we can head upriver.

  "Logan-what about your wife?" Jim asked. "Don't you want to go-"

  "No." Logan glanced at him, his expression carefully blank. "I left her a note. There's no point in going back tonight after all that's happened. I'll see her when we return."

  "Do you want me to take her any kind of message?"

  "No. She'll learn the truth soon enough." Lo gap's thoughts were bitter as he spoke, for he could well imagine what her reaction was going to be.

  Jim said no more as Logan walked out. Sam followed after him.

  Logan and Sam hurried to get the guns, clothes, and supplies they needed for their trip; then they were ready to head out.

  When Eden reached the Haven, it worried her to find the building dark. If it was quiet, that meant Logan wasn't there. And if he wasn't at the Haven with the children, where had he gone? Her doubts and fears about him threatened to overwhelm her, so she pushed them aside.

  Silently, Eden climbed down from her buggy and tied it up out front, then hurried inside. She had to go to Adrian and tell him that her husband had disappeared, and warn him about the deceptive Bible Logan had been carrying with him all this time. Shutting the door behind her, she went into the office and closed that door, too, for she did not want to disturb the children.

  Eden knocked quietly on the door to Adrian's private quarters. She waited anxiously for him to respond, but she heard nothing from inside his room. She knocked again, this time calling his name in a low voice. Still, there was no answer. Desperate and worried, she tried to turn the doorknob and found that the door was unlocked. Brazenly she pushed it ajar.

  "Adrian-it's Eden. I need to speak with you. It's important!"

  Again there was no answer, so Eden boldly stepped into the bedroom ready to rouse him from his sleep. If someone found her there, she no longer cared. This was not the time for social sensitivities. This was an emergency. Walking into the darkened room, Eden went straight to the bedside where Adrian appeared to be asleep.

  "Adrian-"

  When he still didn't awaken, Eden reached out to touch his shoulder. She gasped at the discovery that all that lay under the covers were more covers, piled up to look like a sleeping man.

  Adrian was gone! He was missing! Just like Logan!

  Behind her, Eden heard what sounded like the office door opening and closing. She hurried from the bedroom, believing it was Adrian returning.

  "Adrian-I was-" Eden began as she entered the office, but she stopped and stood staring across the darkened office in shock at the tall male figure staggering toward her. Even in the shadows she recognized Darrell immediately. "Darrell!"

  "Eden-" He said in a weak, hoarse voice.

  She rushed to his side and realized he'd been wounded. "Let's get you in here."

  Eden put an arm around his waist and helped to support some of his weight as she guided him into Adrian's room. Darrell sat down heavily on the side of the bed with her help.

  "What happened? How were you hurt?"

  "They knew about us! They knew everything. They were waiting for us-"

  "Who was waiting for you? Where? What was going on?" she demanded as she went to the bureau to light a lamp and then hurried back to see to his wound.

  "Tonight-we were going to blow up the munitions in the warehouse, but the Yankees were already there." He grimaced as he leaned back to allow her to tend to the wound. "I was standing guard, and so was Adrian-"

  "Where is Adrian?"

  "I don't know. He was shot, too. I managed to get away and hide. They were looking for me, but they couldn't find me."

  "Who were `they'?"

  Darrell looked up at her. Adrian had told the others working for the Cause all about how Eden had married the minister so quickly while he'd been away on his trip, and how he'd forbidden her to work with them anymore because of the minister. Darrell knew how terrible the truth was, yet he had to be the one to tell her. "It was your husband, Eden. It was the minister. He was one of them."

  "Oh, God-no." She began to tremble as her worst fears became reality. "It can't be. Not Logan-

  "He was there. I saw him myself."

  Fury raged through Eden as she realized what she'd done. By accepting Logan completely and without question, she had betrayed her friends. Logan had been such a wonderful actor, he'd fooled everyone-and she had proven to be the biggest fool of all! She had fallen in love with him!

  Guilt followed her anger.

  Adrian had been right. Everything he'd suspected about Logan had been true. And yet, Eden couldn't deny that the feelings she had for Logan were real.

  Again Eden realized what a fool she'd been.

  Logan had used her.

  Their marriage was a sham.

  Then Eden remembered the note Logan had left her.
>
  Just know that, no matter what, I truly do love you.

  Bitterness rose like bile in her throat, and she shoved all thoughts of her husband aside. There was only one thing that mattered right then. It was too late for her to save Adrian, but she could do everything in her power to see that Darrell made it to safety.

  "Do you think you can travel anymore?" Eden asked as she continued to press the cloth against his wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

  "Yes, if I have to," he answered with grim determination.

  "Good. We have to get you out of here. If the Yankees are searching for you, this will be one of the first places they'll come, since they know about Adrian's involvement. Keep this on your wound, and I'll try to help you walk."

  Slowly and unsteadily, Darrell got to his feet. Eden slipped an arm around his waist and together they moved carefully and silently out of Adrian's room, through the office, and out to the buggy. It wasn't easy, but Darrell managed to pull himself up into the vehicle. Eden rushed back to straighten everything up and then locked the Haven as she left. That done, she climbed in beside Darrell, and they rode away into the night.

  Eden knew where she had to take Darrell. There was nowhere safer than her mother's home to hide him. Darrell had helped her in her hour of need; she could do no less for him.

  "Where are we going?" he asked weakly.

  "To my mother's house. You can stay there with my mother and sister."

  "But I'll be putting them in danger," he protested, not wanting Eden or her family at risk because of him.

  "Don't worry. It'll be fine, and you'll be safe. Save your strength. You're going to need it once we get to the house."

  He fell silent as Eden drove them on. When at last they reached her home, she drove around to the back entrance, where there would be less chance of being seen. After tying up the horse, Eden went to help Darrell down. Supporting as much of his weight as she could, she guided him inside and helped him to sit down at the kitchen table. She lit a lamp, then started from the room to wake her mother and tell her what had happened.

  "Wait here. I'll get help."

  Darrell nodded and half smiled in spite of his pain. She didn't have to worry; there was no danger of him going anywhere.

  Eden rushed upstairs to her mother. She slipped into her bedroom as quietly as she could, for she didn't want to wake Camille. The fewer people who knew Darrell was there, the better.

  "Mother," she whispered going to stand by the bed.

  Francene awoke instantly and sat up.

  "Eden?" Seeing her daughter there, she immediately feared the worst. "What is it? What's wrong?"

  Eden quickly told her everything she'd learned.

  Francene got out of bed and took Eden in her arms to hold her for a moment. Until that second, Eden had not allowed herself to cry, but her tears fell unheeded as she clung to her mother for strength.

  "It's all my fault. I loved Logan and I trusted him-"

  Francene could offer no words of consolation. She just held her daughter close. She understood the power of Eden's pain. She, too, was heartbroken over the revelation, for she had thought the world of Logan and had truly believed he was a minister. The news of Adrian being injured and arrested with the rest of his men devastated her, too. These were terrible, terrible times.

  Eden drew away after allowing herself the moment of weakness. "I have to take care of Darrell."

  "I'll help you."

  "Can we hide him here until he's healthy?"

  "Of course." Francene was firm in her commitment to offer any aid she could. "Is he strong enough to reach the attic? He can stay there. No one will ever know."

  "I think so, if we help him."

  Francene donned her robe and followed her daughter from the bedroom.

  Camille had heard the sound of a carriage drawing up outside her bedroom window and had looked out to see that it was Eden's. She'd wondered what her sister was doing there at that ungodly hour and realized it had to be important.

  After putting on her wrapper and lighting a lamp to take with her, Camille had hurried out of her room. Her mother's bedroom door was closed, so she went downstairs. As she reached the front hall, she could see light coming from the kitchen. Camille assumed it was Eden, so she left her lamp on the hall table and hurried on to the kitchen.

  "Eden? What are you doing here? It's so late-" Camille began as she entered the room.

  Darrell had heard someone coming and instinctively reached for his gun. At first he'd thought it was probably Eden returning, but then he heard another woman's voice calling Eden's name, and he knew he was about to be found out. He still had enough energy to get up and try to hide. Pain wracked him. He managed to take a few steps toward the back door, but the woman appeared in the kitchen doorway before he could make his escape.

  Camille stopped, startled by the sight of the tall stranger standing with his back to her, alone in the kitchen.

  "Who are you?" Camille asked in a whisper. She was intrigued by his presence, for he had come in Eden's buggy, yet there was an edge of fear to her intrigue, for she could see no sign of her sister anywhere.

  Darrell realized he was caught. There would be no running or hiding. He slowly turned back to answer the woman. It was then that he saw Camille for the first time. Darrell thought he must be dreaming or hallucinating, for before him stood the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen-and she was wearing only her nightgown and wrapper, and her body was silhouetted by the lamplight behind her.

  "I'm-" Darrell began.

  "Oh, my God!" The words were torn from Camille as she saw his blood-soaked shirt. Without another thought, she ran to his side. "Let me help you."

  Camille didn't worry about the blood. She could see the pain etched in his face, and she only wanted to help him. Putting her arm around him, she supported him as they made their way back to the chair at the table.

  "Did Eden bring you here?"

  "Yes."

  At that moment, Eden and Francene appeared in the doorway to find her hovering over the wounded man.

  "Camille!" They were surprised by her presence. They'd thought she was still asleep.

  "Mother, he's been shot!" she said, aghast. She looked at her sister. "What happened to him?"

  "Darrell was trying to help some men blow up a Yankee warehouse tonight."

  Camille gasped, shocked at the news. "How do you know about it?"

  "That doesn't matter. Right now, all that's important is that we hide him and keep him safe from the authorities. We have to get him upstairs to the attic. Will you help us, Camille?" Eden asked, looking her sister straight in the eye. She and her mother had deliberately never involved her in any of their plans before, but there could be no more protecting her now.

  Camille looked down at the wounded man, his features gray and grim, blood staining his clothing. She saw, for the first time up close, the true horror of the war, and she was deeply moved.

  "Yes," Camille answered. "I'll help you. Let's move him."

  Dawn would be coming soon, and Camille and Francene were worried as they waited nervously in the kitchen for word of Darrell's condition. After they'd hidden him upstairs, Eden had rushed to the home of Dr. Craig Unger, a close friend of Adrian's who could be trusted completely. She'd convinced the physician to come to the house and treat Darrell. He'd returned with her, and they were upstairs with the young man now.

  Once Camille and Francene had turned his care over to the good doctor, they'd returned to their own rooms to get dressed for the day. They'd been waiting impatiently in the kitchen ever since, hoping and praying that the news would be good and Darrell would make a full recovery. Francene had confided all that had happened that night on the riverfront, and the truth about Logan's cruel deception. Camille had been shocked and horrified, for she had believed in Logan, too.

  They heard footsteps in the hall, and Camille hurried out to find Eden coming toward her.

  "Is Darrell going to be all right?" she asked, her co
ncern for him real.

  "Dr. Unger got the bullet out," Eden told her as they walked into the kitchen to join their mother.

  "That's wonderful," Francene said, having overheard their conversation.

  "Is the doctor going to be much longer?" Camille cast a glance back toward the hallway. While the bullet might be out, that still didn't mean Darrell was going to be fine.

  "I don't think so. He was putting the bandage on him when I came down."

  "How serious is Darrell's condition?"

  As Eden was about to answer, Dr. Unger appeared in the kitchen doorway. He had his bag with him and looked tired but satisfied as he went to the sink to wash up.

  "Your young man's lost some blood and is weak, but if he stays quiet, rests for a few days, and gives himself time to heal, he should make a full recovery," the doctor explained.

  "Thank heaven," Eden said, relieved and delighted with the news. Now all she had to do was keep Darrell safely hidden from the Yankees until it was time to sneak him out of town.

  "And thank you, Dr. Unger," Camille added with heartfelt sincerity. She didn't know why Darrell had affected her so deeply, but she found she really was very worried about the man.

  "How much do we owe you, Dr. Unger?" Francene asked. She didn't have a lot of money, but she would find a way to pay him whatever he asked.

  "I expect no payment for my services tonight, ladies. You put yourselves at risk by bringing him into your home and nursing him. The least I can do is offer my help to you and to a fine, brave young man. I wish him well. If you find you need me for anything-if his condition worsens or he develops a fever, let me know immediately," Dr. Unger said.

  "We will, Doctor," Francene promised. "And thank you again."

  "I'm ready to go, if you can take me home now, Eden. It's going to be a long day for all of us," he said. "One of you ladies should stay with Darrell for the next twenty-four hours or so, just to make sure he doesn't think he's well enough to get up too soon. He needs all the bed rest he can get."

  "We'll keep watch over him," Camille promised.

  Eden left with the doctor, wanting to get him home before daylight, leaving Francene and Camille alone. They were glad that Sarah, their servant, had slept through everything in her quarters over the carriage house. They would tell her what had happened later, for they knew they could trust her implicitly.