Caleb reached for the pillow and fluffed it behind her head. “Easy.”
“Alex, is she pretty?” Alanna asked.
Alex hooked his thumbs in his front pockets. “Jennifer. Yes, ma’am, she’s real pretty.”
“Does she know you like her?” Alanna said. She moved her jaw from side to side, working the stiffness from it.
Alex frowned. “No! And I don’t want her knowing that!”
“Why not?”
“Because. Then everything between us is going to change.”
Alanna lifted an eyebrow. “Why is that so bad?”
“If we was to start courting, she’d learn right quick that I don’t have much more than a nickel to my name. Seth Davis gave his girl a bright blue ribbon. I ain’t got the money for stuff like that.”
Caleb expelled a breath. “That’s why you signed on the Annabelle Lee.”
“Yes, sir.”
“If she likes you she won’t care about silly presents,” Debra said. “Thomas and I have lost everything, but our love is strong.”
Alanna nodded. “It’s not about presents. She just needs to know you will be there and that you will care for her always.”
Caleb rose and walked to the window.
The boy groaned. “You make it all sound so simple.”
“It is.” Her heart went out to Alex. She swung her legs over the side.
Debra nudged the two boys. “Let’s get out of here. Mrs. Pitt needs a moment to collect herself.”
Caleb waited for the bedroom door to close before he spoke. “Did you mean what you just said?” Caleb said.
Alanna’s head throbbed. “Of course, I meant it.”
His face tightened and then he strode out of the room.
As the sun rose, Caleb stood on the lighthouse crow’s nest staring out at the ocean. The rain and wind had stopped, and the air smelled clean and fresh. Soon the sun would heat the earth and breathe life back into the land.
To his surprise, the ship had endured the worst of the storm. She listed badly and would likely break up before week’s end but for now she was intact.
Soon a boat would come from the mainland to check on him and to see if there was news of the Annabelle Lee, which by now would have been reported overdue.
His life would return to what it had been. Quiet. Peaceful. Desolate.
Gripping the railing, he watched the sun rise and drip bits of light on the dark waters.
He no longer wanted to spend his days out here, alone, waiting for another storm and another wreck. Two years he’d lived in a purgatory of his own making and now he wanted it to end.
He wanted Alanna.
On the ashes of their past life, he wanted to rebuild. Together they could have a fine life here.
He’d seen more life in her these last few days than he had in the months they’d spent together in Richmond. This place had the power to breathe life, to heal and he knew she belonged here.
Of course, she didn’t know that.
She still believed her place was with Henry in a world of parties and endless social engagements—a world that would one day squeeze the life from her. She still believed Henry could make her happy.
Now it was his job to prove her wrong. To show her that this was her home; that he was her future.
The question now was how. In the past when he’d set out to woo her, he’d given her a gold bracelet. He remembered taking a good hour at the jeweler’s choosing the gold link bracelet, which had cost him more than he earned in a month now. But cost hadn’t mattered to him then.
He’d had the jeweler wrap the bracelet in simple white paper. The bow had been red. He’d been so proud of himself. This was the finest gift he’d ever given any woman.
Alanna’s eyes had sparkled when she opened the package and when she’d seen the bracelet she’d smiled and thanked him. He placed it around her wrist and kissed her.
But two days later she’d stopped wearing the bracelet. When he’d asked her about it, she promised to wear it again. But she hadn’t. It wasn’t that she hadn’t appreciated the gift, but he’d come to realize that the piece was just one of the many trinkets she possessed.
Caleb stared at the torn sails of the Annabelle Lee. What a waste. She was a fine vessel and it sickened him to see her end so tragically.
As he turned from the ocean, he stopped and swung his gaze back to the schooner. A smiled curved the edges of his mouth.
He had found his gift to Alanna.
Chapter Thirteen
Saving the Randalls’ goods was the perfect gift for Alanna. It would touch her heart better than any bauble or bit of silk.
Caleb found the boys and Thomas on the beach and told them of his plan to salvage the goods. Thomas had been thrilled and the boys had been more than happy to make up for the morning’s mishap.
Feeling proud of himself, he strode across the lawn and into the house. He moved down the hallway and found the women in the parlor. A fire crackled in the hearth. Alanna and Debra had pulled two upholstered chairs near the fire and set a small table between them. They were playing cards.
“Mrs. Randall,” Caleb said striding into the room. “I think I might be able to help you with your possessions.”
Alanna’s green gaze met his. They sparkled with hope and apprehension. He couldn’t have asked for a greater gift. “Do you know these scavengers in town? Can you bargain with them?”
“Better than that,” he said moving into the room. “The Annabelle Lee is still out on the sandbar where we left her last night. She’s listing badly but she has not sunk. By the looks of her, she might hold for a few more days before she goes down. I think if the lads, Thomas and I row out there this morning we might be able to retrieve some of your belongings.”
Debra beamed. “Are you sure? It was so dangerous out there yesterday.”
“The water’s smooth as glass,” Caleb said.
Alanna frowned. “Are you sure that it’s safe?”
Her concern pleased him. “With no wind and rain to fight, it’ll be easy for us.”
Alanna rose, her hands clasped in excitement. “Oh, Caleb, that is a wonderful idea! But is it legal for you to go on the ship?”
If he’d given her diamonds or gold he could not have asked for a better reaction. “Once a ship is scuttled like the Annabelle Lee, she’s fair game for anyone.”
Debra beamed. “God bless you, Captain Pitt.”
But it was only Alanna he saw. She stared at him with such happiness in her eyes. He felt tender warmth spread through his body. At this moment, he’d have done anything for her.
Caleb cleared his throat. “Mrs. Randall, I need for you to make a list of the items you need recovered. The boys have mapped out the ship.
“We are going to have to move quickly. The beach will be crawling with other scavengers soon enough.”
Alanna felt more alive than she had in years.
The gentle ocean breeze flapped the folds of her coat as she stood on the beach. Her palm to her forehead, she shaded her hand over her eyes and stared at the wreck of the Annabelle Lee. The ship’s mast was broken and her large white sails floated on the water. Though she listed badly toward shore, her hull was intact.
The sea was smooth, and the gulls had emerged from their nests and now circled above. Oddly, the wreck was little more than a hundred feet from shore. Last night, surrounded by the darkness and cold, the ship had seemed a million miles away.
Caleb and the other men had been working on the boat for over an hour, when as Caleb predicted the other scavengers had started to arrive. They came in rowboats, sailboats and fishing boats. Old and young men, women and children piloted the boats. A dozen in all, their boats dotted the waters around the Annabelle Lee like sharks waiting for the kill. All were eager to board the doomed vessel, but in deference to Caleb they waited.
Alanna watched as Caleb lowered a large chest tied to a rope to the surfboat. His thighs braced apart, his broad well-muscled shoulders bunched un
der his sweater as he eased the rope through his gloved hands.
She’d never felt such pride as she watched him. In the past she’d seen his confidence and arrogance as a weakness. Now, she realized both were essential if a man challenged the sea.
Already the Randalls’ belongings were strewn on the beach as they dried in the fading sun.
The surfboat laden with the last of the Randalls’ items rode a wave into shore. As it skimmed the sand Caleb and the other men hopped out into the ankle-deep water. Together, they pulled the boat far enough up the shore so that the waves could not pull it back to the ocean. Caleb and Thomas unloaded a large chest while the boys carried a wooden crate.
Excitement bubbled in Alanna as she watched Debra inspecting her belongings.
Caleb and Thomas set the chest on the beach. All the men’s breathing was labored, but it was Caleb who recovered first.
Caleb was drenched. The heavy cotton clung to his chest and narrow waist, and Alanna felt a familiar stirring inside of her. Again she wanted what she’d long ago given up rights to. Her heart tightened. She tried not to let her own sense of loss overshadow her friend’s happiness.
Debra ran up to Thomas, who labored up the beach. “This is wonderful!” She kissed her husband full on the lips, uncaring who was around.
Alanna lifted her gaze to Caleb. They’d kissed like that once. As if he read her thoughts, he stared back at her. Heat radiated through her limbs. Her mouth felt suddenly dry.
Unable to bear his scrutiny, she shifted her gaze to the water. Already the other boats had moored alongside the Annabelle Lee and people had boarded her and were carting off salvage. Thomas brushed the wet hair from his face and smiled. “I think we got most of it.”
Debra wrapped her arm around Thomas and together they walked down the beach.
Caleb approached Alanna. “I envy them.”
Hugging her arms around her chest, she faced him. His dark gaze pinned her and she found it difficult to speak. “They share a love that is rare,” he added.
“We had that once.”
He swallowed as if struggling with his own demons. “Aye.”
Before she thought, she heard herself say, “How did we let it all go?”
Caleb touched her chin with his callused finger. “Sometimes what comes too easily isn’t appreciated.”
“It did come easily for us at first.”
“As if we were meant to be together.”
“Those first weeks were magic.”
“Aye. Magic.”
Caleb wanted to pull her into his arms and recapture the passion they’d had. Yet he held back. These last few years had been filled with so many obstacles, so much loss that he’d learned patience. Like a swimmer pulled out to sea by the riptide, he’d learned that sometimes he had to swim farther out of his way to get back to where he wanted to be.
He didn’t fear what he couldn’t control any longer.
So it was with Alanna.
Caleb smiled as he stared up at the bright blue sky. “Well, at least your last day here will be a beauty.”
Her shoulders relaxed a fraction. She drew in a deep breath. “It is hard to believe this is the same place.”
Careful not to touch her he started out toward the water. The sun sparkled on the waves like diamonds. Gulls squawked and circled overhead. “It’s a fickle place. Savage and beautiful.” He let out a deep breath. “We’ve turned the corner with the weather. I’d say we are in for fair skies for a while.”
She glanced back up at the lighthouse. “Are you here alone all the time?”
“I’ve an assistant keeper. Likely you’ll meet him today. He was on the mainland visiting his family. He’d have returned two days ago if he’d not been stranded on the mainland by the storm.”
“He lives on the mainland?”
“When he’s not on duty.”
“Does he have a wife?”
“He’s to marry in July. A nice young woman from a family in the village. April’s her name.”
Caleb started to walk down the beach. She fell in step beside him. This moment felt so normal that he nearly laughed.
“Why are you smiling?”
He kept his gaze on the horizon. “No drama, no passion, no fighting—just two people walking and talking to one another. Did you ever think you’d see the day between us?”
The wind teased her curls framing her face. Her eyes sparkled. “It is rather amazing.”
Keeping his pace slow he pointed up ahead. “Up there where the beach curves you can find a good collection of shells.”
“Really? I love shells.”
“Remember the ones I brought you from the Caribbean?”
“Yes! So pink and delicate.”
“These won’t be as fancy, but they have their own beauty.”
“I’d love to see them.”
When they reached the point, as Caleb predicted, the beach was covered in shells. Laughing, Alanna hurried ahead and scanned the beach. She found a blue-black conch shell that filled the palm of her hand. “Look at this!”
Looking at her now, he’d never seen a more beautiful woman. Already the sun had added color to her pale skin and her rich blond curls, the color of sea oats, moved with the wind like thick blades of grass.
Caleb shoved his hands in his pockets for fear he’d touch her. “There’s a hole on the underside of the shell.”
Frowning, she turned it over and inspected the hole. “I thought it was perfect.”
“It’s usually the way with the shells this time of year. They don’t make it in to shore without some damage.”
Half expecting her to toss the shell aside, he watched her as she traced the hole with her long tapered finger. To his surprise she kept the shell.
She shrugged. “I like it better this way.”
He shook his head. “There was a time when you only wanted perfect things around you. You’ve changed, Alanna.”
She frowned. “Henry said the same thing a few weeks ago. He didn’t sound very happy about it.”
Henry was a fool. “My observation was meant as a compliment.”
She turned the shell over and over in her hand. “I was very silly and vain. What did you ever see in me?”
He shoved out a sigh, glad they were off the topic of Henry. “You were beautiful.”
She dipped her head, dropping her gaze to the sand. “Is that it?”
“You were brave and outspoken.” Behind her the waves crashed and water streamed up the beach to within a foot of where they were standing. Taking her arm, he guided her away from the surf.
“Was there anything else?”
“Sensuous. Just thinking about you kept me awake well into the night. Remember the night we dined at the Capital Club?”
A warm smile curved her lips. “We danced until midnight.”
He laughed. “If you can call it that. I must have stepped on your feet a half-dozen times.”
She blushed. “I didn’t notice. I was enjoying just being in your arms.”
For a long moment they were both silent. The gulls circled, the waves crashed, and the sun warmed their skin. “It wasn’t all bad, was it,” Caleb said.
“No, it wasn’t all bad.” She traced the shell’s spiral. “I should have come to you after the accident.”
The muscles in his back bunched. “It doesn’t matter.”
She looked up at him. “It does. I wish that I could tell you that my father kept me away from you or that I was too sick to travel. But the truth was after I recovered from my miscarriage, I was scared. I was scared of the scandal. I was scared of poverty. I was scared of losing the life that I knew.”
They stood inches apart from each other, but Caleb felt as if it were miles. He’d waited for this moment for years. Many times in his mind’s eye he’d pictured the scene: her begging for forgiveness, him lording over her the fact that she’d been wrong. Yet, for some reason all the righteous anger melted away. “You were young. And you had just lost our chi
ld.” He paused. “It will always tear at me that I’d not been there for you during that time.”
“None of that was your fault.”
If he’d chosen to wait until the storm passed and stayed with her, she might not have lost the baby. He’d never know for certain.
He laid his other hand on her shoulder and traced small circles on her collarbone with his thumb. “You said the early days were like magic.”
She stood very still, neither moving toward him or away.
“The magic’s still there, Alanna. Can you feel it?”
She went very still and for a moment she didn’t speak as she gazed up into eyes. He took her hand and pressed it close to his heart. And then she laid her hand over his.
“I never wanted you more than I want you right now,” he said hoarsely.
She moistened her lips. Then closing her eyes, she leaned into him, as if anticipating a kiss. He could feel her warmth curl around him.
Desire pounded in his veins. Electricity shot through his limbs. He’d not intended to kiss her yet, but the pull between them was stronger than a riptide. He lowered his head. She lifted her chin.
He wanted to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her against him. His body hardening, he wanted to feel her fingers curl into fists against his chest as she leaned into him and moaned softly.
But before their lips touched, he stopped.
Caleb fought the timeless urges that pounded in his body. He remembered too well what a passionate woman she was and how well their bodies were suited for each other. But as much as he desperately wanted to lose himself in her, he pulled back.
“We’d better get back,” he said, his voice gruff.
Her eyes fluttered open. “What?”
“The sun will set soon.”
Her cheeks reddening, she withdrew back. “Of course.”
They’d shared passion before but it had not been enough to hold them.
This time he’d wait.
This time it would be different.
Chapter Fourteen
Alanna spent the next couple of hours alone, preparing dinner. By the time the small clock in the parlor struck six, dinner was ready. And she was in a sour mood.
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