Spoils of Eden

by Linda Lee Chaikin

  Eden rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming.

  “Remember the night at Hawaiiana when Candace said someone was prowling around Hanalei on the lanai?” he asked abruptly.

  She came alert. “Yes, all of us remember it quite well. Even Ambrose was brought into it.” She felt cross about all of the problems piling up around her, like faggots waiting for the flame. “Why didn’t you just come out and admit it was you on the lanai whom Candace saw? She did see you, Zachary.”

  He drew back, offended. “Me! It was not me she saw loitering outside Nora’s guest room! It was Silas. He came sneaking over from Kea Lani that night, and I followed him.”

  She looked at him, puzzled. “Are you sure?”

  He made an impatient sound. “Absolutely sure.”

  “Now, Zachary. Candace saw you. You leaped from the lanai, and injured your knee in the process.”

  He frowned and was silent a moment. “Well, I did leap over the lanai—but so did he.”

  “Laweoki just told me you were not only at Hawaiiana that night, but he also brought you here to Tamarind. He believes you injured your knee here and blames it on bad fortune from the old kahunas.”

  “I know. He talks too much nonsense.”

  She did not think it was nonsense this time.

  “Evidently it just took a while before my knee swelled and was sore,” he said. “You know how an injury can be. Sometimes you don’t even know you hurt yourself till the next day.”

  She turned her mouth ruefully.

  “Now, wait a minute,” he protested. “I admit I was on the lanai at Hawaiiana, but it was Silas who was doing the prowling, and it was Silas Candace saw up to no good.”

  “She did see you. Stop fibbing.”

  “Fibbing! Are you calling me a liar?”

  “You were at Hawaiiana that night in June. You injured yourself in your haste to escape when Candace saw you. Then, for some reason, you’re saying it was really Silas. Afterward, you came here to Tamarind on Laweoki’s boat and went up to the house, knowing full well that Great-aunt Nora wasn’t here, but back at Rafe’s. If you insist on telling me this is all fabricated, I’ll say you’re fibbing.” She folded her arms. “Tell me the truth, Zachary. I want to know what’s going on.”

  He looked at her with a sullen face and jerked his shoulder. “Well, I did admit to being there, didn’t I? I told you, I followed Silas from Kea Lani to Rafe’s. It was nearing midnight, so I knew he was up to something that was smelling rotten.”

  She closed her eyes. “So. You admit it was you Candace saw. That’s a beginning, at least.”

  “I don’t admit it was me she saw.” He leaned his face toward hers. “Because there was someone else on the lanai sneaking around. It was your little cousin Silas. I think he was spying on Great-aunt Nora.”

  “Why think the worst? I mean, even if he walked from Kea Lani to Rafe’s and went onto the lanai near Nora’s guest room door, so what? Nora is his great-aunt, same as ours.”

  “Silas goes to see an elderly lady at midnight?”

  “Well, you were there at midnight.”

  “That’s different. I followed him.”

  “Why follow him?”

  “I don’t trust him. Somehow he’s involved in something. I think it’s a gambling and opium cartel that’s supporting Liliuokalani.”

  “If you have proof of that, go to Rafe. He’s on the Legislature now. I don’t believe it, Zachary. As for Great-aunt, midnight, and the rest of it, what could Silas possibly be looking for?”

  The corner of Zachary’s mouth dipped down. “He likes her money and her newspaper. At least he did—until Grandfather got the big idea of suggesting in front of the whole dinner table that Silas might become his main male heir.”

  “Grandfather did that to keep Silas from writing against the annexationist movement in the Gazette, though I thought it horrid when he said it all in front of you.” She thought of what Grandfather was doing to force Candace to marry Oliver Hunnewell. “Grandfather is not living with Christian principles governing his decisions, and it will all come back one day to plague the Derringtons.”

  “Well, maybe so. But Silas took Grandfather’s golden bait and purred like a fat cat with a sardine.”

  “First something rotten, now sardines. I’m feeling woozy. And this rolling boat isn’t helping …”

  “Silas will do anything to please Grandfather now.”

  Money. How people fretted and fought over it! How family members “bickered” over who “deserved” more of it. For love of money people murdered, destroyed reputations, lied, and stole.

  Eden could have reminded Zachary that at one time he, too, had been willing to use Great-aunt Nora for the same reasons he was now accusing Silas of. Zachary had become a Christian since those days, though he wasn’t behaving with much grace toward his brother now.

  “Silas was there at Hawaiiana all right,” he insisted. “And he knew that Nora wasn’t at Tamarind House. That’s why he came here to Koko Head. I followed him. That’s where Laweoki came in. He brought me.”

  “And Silas?”

  “On another, smaller boat, of course. Laweoki always knows these things.”

  “Are you certain it was Silas?”

  “Almost certain.”

  “Almost. But you could be wrong?”

  He said nothing and finished his coffee, looking adamant in his conclusion.

  “Well, even if he came here to Tamarind House, why should it matter?”

  “I think you know why.”

  “Why not ask him?”

  “Because he doesn’t want anyone to know he was snooping on the lanai at Rafe’s and then coming here to Tamarind in the dead of night, that’s why. He came here to Nora’s to find something.”

  “How could you know that?”

  He tossed his napkin down on the table. “I can see whose side you’re on. It was a mistake to even talk to you about it.”

  “Zachary!”

  He sighed. “All right. I’m sorry.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Because I entered through the front door the same as he did. He left it unlocked. He had a key.”

  He had a key!

  “When I was inside, I heard footsteps on the second floor.” He looked at her a little sheepishly. “At first I thought it was my mind playing tricks. I’m no coward, as you know. But there is this ‘thing’ about Tamarind that gets to me. Anyway, the wind begin to blow, I remembered the past, and,” he stopped. “Well, you know how it goes. Maybe I’m going crazy.”

  “Everyone is afraid of something. You’re troubled by fears from your childhood. But you need to keep telling yourself that God has taken care of the past, just as Hell take care of the future. We can trust Him with both.”

  “Well, I guess I need to work at that,” he said wearily.

  Her doubts grew. Had he actually seen Silas? Had he heard someone upstairs, or had it been the wind? Since Zachary didn’t trust Silas, his own heart may have encouraged him to think that Silas was the unwanted intruder. Was Zachary suffering from some sort of complex? He seemed to think the family was “out to get him.”

  She watched him, keeping her suspicions from showing. He’d grow worse if he thought she was doubting his story. I’ve got to see Rafe about all this. He’s always been understanding toward Zachary. He’ll know what to do. He can talk to him and settle his fears about Silas scheming against him.

  He looked at her. “Today, did Great-aunt Nora hint anything about seeing Silas around Tamarind these last two weeks?”

  The boat creaked and groaned as it surged through the water toward the Big Island of Hawaii. Eden gathered her thoughts. She wanted to be careful about what she said, otherwise she might strengthen his suspicions. She gestured indifferently. “No, she didn’t mention Silas.”

  He looked at her evenly. “You’re not on his side, are you?”

  “Be reasonable. I’m not on anyone’s side. I want to be for both of you. Silas is my cousin too, even
if it was his misfortune to be born out of wedlock. Really, it’s not his sin but his parents’. Why hold Silas responsible?”

  “That isn’t what’s troubling me, Eden. It’s Silas himself. He wants to replace me. My own father has plans to replace me. And if Silas convinces Grandfather I’m not well—he will replace me.”

  “Is Silas hoping to convince Grandfather of that?”

  Zachary shrugged. “It’s just a suspicion of mine.”

  It may be that he has one too many suspicions. “Grandfather would never disinherit you altogether. Especially if you needed medical treatment.”

  “Medical treatment!” he repeated, frustrated.

  “Anyway, you’re a child of God now,” she hurried on. “No one, not even your blood father, can rob you of your position in God’s family.” She smiled encouragingly. “Zachary, there’s really nothing to be afraid of.”

  “Dear Eden, how little you know!”

  She sighed, searching his eyes. “Tell me, did you actually see Silas walking around inside Tamarind House or, for that matter, even on the lanai at Hawaiiana?”

  “So, now you think I’m imagining things—seeing ghosts.”

  “I didn’t say that. I want to make certain, that’s all. Have you mentioned this incident to anyone else? Nora? Candace?”

  “No, I’ve talked to no one. You’re the one person I thought would take me seriously.” His gaze accused her.

  “And I have. I’m very concerned.”

  “About my ‘medical condition,’ or what I’ve told you?” he asked unpleasantly.

  “You haven’t told me very much,” she soothed.

  Zachary banged his cup down.

  “Maybe it was a servant you saw instead of Silas,” she suggested. “Maybe even the new gardener.”

  “Oh, come on, Eden. The gardener? Coming out of Nora’s room? It was Silas.”

  Out of Nora’s room! Now that information did surprise her. “Did whoever it was, see you?”

  Zachary’s eyes were on her again, bright and pensive. “No.”

  “You still haven’t explained yourself, Zachary. What did you actually see?”

  His glance flickered to her face and then away. “I saw someone. At Tamarind the sound was coming from Nora’s bedroom, so I went upstairs. There was lamplight shining from beneath the closed door. I didn’t imagine it.”

  Then there had been some light to see who it was …

  “The hall floor creaked under my footstep and alerted him. When I opened the door, he rushed past me like a storm, knocking me over. I couldn’t see his face in the hall shadows. But I’m almost certain it was Silas.”

  Almost. Almost certain.

  “Did Laweoki see him?” she asked quietly.

  “Of course not. He was back here at the boat. Anyway, he believes in spirits tramping about. So he’d just say it was a ghost or something dumb like that. I tell you Silas knocked me down to the floor. He ran down the stairs and out the front door. I started after him. But by then my knee was really acting up from when I jumped from the lanai at Hawaiiana earlier in the night. Anyway, I got over the hedge. But he got away.” A rather ugly look crept over Zachary’s face. “So I can’t prove a thing. But,” he said coldly, “I know.”

  Zachary admitted, finally, that he hadn’t seen Silas’s face. However, Candace had seen the man on the lanai. And she claimed it was Zachary.

  Eden’s tone was gentle, “What reason would Silas have for snooping about Nora’s room?”

  “He was searching for something, of course.”

  “The question is, what?”

  “I wasn’t able to check her room later because of my knee,” he said as if reading her thoughts. “I don’t know if anything is missing. We’ll need to wait for Nora to miss something.”

  “The only thing Nora has missed is part of her manuscript—” she stopped.

  His eyes flashed. “The manuscript. The family manuscript she’s working on. Of course! What a dolt I’ve been. There must be something written Silas doesn’t want revealed—”

  “Or someone else doesn’t want revealed. I think Rafe should know about this. Are you willing to discuss your suspicions with him?” She faced him with a challenge.

  “That’s the reason I’m going to Hanalei. Even with our early start, we’re bucking a headwind today. It’s a good hour to Hanalei from the bay.”

  “When we get there, I want to talk to Rafe first,” she urged.

  “You want to prepare him?”

  “I think it best, yes.”

  He nodded reluctantly.

  “I don’t think we should say anything about this yet to Nora or anyone else.”

  “I don’t intend to upset her. I’ll wait. In a few weeks, I’ll have all the facts I need to nail Silas’s coffin.”

  “Zachary! Please don’t say things like that.”

  “Oh, I know what you think, Eden. That I’m jealous of Silas and want to ruin him. That’s not it. What if I’m right, then what?”

  He expected no answer, for he went up the steps.

  Eden looked after him. Her heart weighed heavily and the creaking boat and rush of the swells added to her sense of uncertainty. Yes, then what?

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Hanalei Kona Plantation

  That evening the Lily of the Stars anchored at Kealakekua Bay on the west coast of the Big Island, or “Orchid Island,” as it was sometimes called. The hour being too late for the long drive out to Hanalei coffee plantation on the slopes of Mauna Loa, Eden arranged a room at the small Orchid Hotel, and Zachary arranged to sleep on Laweoki’s boat.

  Early the next morning Zachary rented a two-seater buggy. By the time he met up with Eden, it was a warm, lush day, with just the right amount of breeze to ripple the sea and sway the palms along the Kona Coast. She boarded the buggy, and Zachary drove along the shore road toward the Easton coffee plantation.

  From the bay they passed through Kealakekua village and Captain Cook, where the British explorer was killed on the beach by Hawaiian natives in 1779. From there they headed for lovely little Kainaliu.

  Eden had mixed feelings about visiting Hanalei and seeing Rafe again. She had every intention of keeping her emotions restrained, but could she? There was no use denying the strong passion she felt in her heart for Rafe Easton. And recently, with all the burdens she had been carrying, the diamond ring that still graced her hand was feeling more and more at home.

  I’ll marry him one day. He feels the same way about me. I’m the only woman he ever wanted enough to marry. He wouldn’t be able to forget me that fast. I’ll make him see that working with my father on Molokai is something I must do for now. But our own chance for a life of our own, perhaps right here on Hanalei if not Hawaiiana, awaits us on the sunny horizon. After all, are not Lana and Dr. Bolton going to get married soon?

  Eden resisted the small voice of Noelani that arose to oppose her confidence. You’ll lose him if you convince him you’re playing a game. You cannot keep him on a fishing line forever.

  As she looked toward the glittering sea, she saw clouds gathering—just a few at first, and then more as the morning wore on.

  “Looks like a rainstorm,” Zachary said, gesturing. “It’s a good thing were arriving at Hanalei early.”

  Eden lapsed into silence and tried to enjoy the beauty of the island. From what Rafe had told her through the years, the entire Kona Coast had produced coffee continuously since the early 1800s, and she glanced around at the dark volcanic slopes of Mauna Loa, somewhat confused as to what to expect. She had never been to Hanalei before.

  “Where is Hanalei?” she asked.

  Zachary smiled. “You’re looking at it.” He gestured. “Welcome to Kona land.”

  Her brows lifted. “You mean the coffee grows on the volcanic slopes of Mauna Loa?” She had expected to see flat or rolling sugarcane-type land, like Kea Lani.

  “And behind us, on the slopes of Hualalai. As Rafe will tell you, it’s the best soil and altitude for
growing coffee. I keep forgetting you’ve never seen the Easton place. I’ve been there a few times with Townsend.”

  Rafe had talked to her about Hanalei since they were very young, but shed been so involved in trying to learn about her mother and find her own identity in the family that shed only paid moderate attention to his descriptions. She said rather defensively, “He didn’t think he had the right to bring me here. Until just recently, not even Matt’s son and heir was welcome on Hanalei.”

  Did Zachary forget how Townsend had wanted to run Rafe out of the Islands altogether? Uncle Townsend would never have stood for Rafe taking up residence on Hanalei. “Townsend still isn’t happy about Rafe getting back Hanalei,” she said.

  “You’ll soon see why, when you get your first glimpse of what your future husband owns,” Zachary said with a wry tone.

  Zachary flicked the reins. The horse quickened its jaunty trot down the shore road from Kealakekua toward Captain Cook, Keei, and Honaunau.

  The shore road had very old coconut trees lining its route and their tops were swaying in the wind. Eden glimpsed large houses, here and there, set back among the palms, some with ornate gates and long driveways. Always, there were flowers, frangipani, pink, orange, and yellow plumeria, pink and cream hibiscus, and heady gardenia.

  Toward the sea, the morning brightness lingered above the horizon as heavy clouds gathered like gigantic billowing dragons above the sea, their cheeks puffed and rimmed with silvery gray. The humid wind blew against Eden’s face, shook her dark hair, and ruffled her white cotton dress that she’d changed into at the hotel before starting out.

  Soon the road climbed higher. From Eden’s mental deductions they were somewhere on the western backside slope of Mauna Loa volcanic range, with the sea behind them like a placid, blue jewel amid a setting of lavish green.

  Ahead, the robust color of the mountain announced: “Kona coffee country.”

  The air was tepid, the sunlight shining through a rainbow-like mist, making sparkles of predominantly amethyst and ruby. She felt the misty rain on her face but enjoyed it. She laughed at Zachary, who hunched his shoulders and lowered his hat. Somehow the intoxicating tropical atmosphere made her wish she was sharing it with Rafe.