A Time to Embrace (Heartsong Presents #396)
By Lynn A. Coleman
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A Time To Embrace
By
Lynn A. Coleman
Key West, Florida, 1865
Bea scanned the approaching coastline. "Dear Lord," she exclaimed, her thoughts a jumble of fear and curiosity, "this is like heaven on earth." The crystal blue sea, the lush green palm trees, flowers bright and full of color in November—could ... wthis really be possible? So unlike the waters and shoreline of the New York harbor she had left a week earlier.
Yet she wanted to cling to Richard.
As her arm encircled the four-year-old boy’s shoulder, the thought of parting with him tore at her heart. Poor, sweet, Richard. Now that both of his parents were dead, it was her entrusted duty to bring him to Key West to live with his uncle. She grasped the ship's rail tighter. Ellis Southard had to be the most self-centered, uncaring man she had ever known. Not that she really knew him at all, but since he had received word of his brother's death, he had done nothing but upset her and Richard's world.
"Nanna, look!" Richard tugged at her skirt. "What are those birds?"
Bea turned to look in the direction that the child pointed. A huge bird, larger than any goose she had ever seen, bobbed up and down on the waves. Its long bill stretched down from its head and nestled in its chest. "I'm not certain, Richie. Perhaps we can ask your Uncle Ellis when we see him."
If she could recognize his Uncle Ellis. No pictures of Ellis were to be found in the Southard's home. From what she could recall from her conversations with Elizabeth, Ellis had left home to seek his fortune when he was a mere teenaged boy. Still, she hoped he would have some family resemblance, despite the fact that he was several years younger than his brother, Richard Southard II.
Bea donned her fingerless mitts, all the rage of new fashion, then nervously tapped at the ship’s railing as she surveyed the crowd now gathering to meet the ship. The long dock reached far into the harbor. Effortlessly, the captain maneuvered the vessel up to the massive wooden structure. The seamen tossed heavy lines, and the pilings creaked under the strain of capturing the great vessel and bringing it to a standstill. As the boat lunged to a halt, Bea lost her footing and mentally chided herself for not remembering to use an onboard stance--feet slightly apart--to maintain her balance.
"Nanna, where's Uncle Ellis?"
"I'm certain he is here, Richard. Calm down, child, and let us wait for the captain's orders."
"Yes, ma'am."
Bea smiled and tousled the boy’s golden blond locks. He looked like the mirror image of his mother--her dear friend. They had been neighbors, Elizabeth older by two years. But as teens, the age difference hadn't mattered. Nearly every day they spent some time together, even after Elizabeth married Richard.
He had been the man next door. Richard was twelve years older than Elizabeth, and thus never the boy next door.
Almost sensing her weakened condition would not improve, Elizabeth pleaded with Bea to come and live with her, to help care for the baby. So many years ago. So many changes.
"I love you, Richie."
"I love you, Nanna.” He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her to the gangplank. "Come, let's find Uncle Ellis."
Bea's heart tightened. How could she ever give this child up? He was as much a part of her as life itself. Her father thought it time for her to marry and produce her own children. But Elizabeth had counted on her to nurture this child.
Young Richard, straining on her right hand, led her off the ship and down the dock, casting imploring looks at strangers, yet too afraid to ask.
"Let's wait on the dock, Richie. Perhaps your uncle has been detained." A stunningly handsome man with reddish-brown hair and a trim beard nodded as he passed.
Perhaps father was right, she thought fleetingly. Perhaps I should consider a husband and marriage. Oh, she had some offers back home However, with her responsibilities to young Richard, she never accepted any suitors. How could she possibly fall in love and simply toss the child aside? No, she couldn't do that.
Even the boy’s mother, Elizabeth, had known she was asking a lot from Bea to give up her life, her own chance at the happiness of raising her own child. But they both agreed it was best for the baby. When it became clear that Elizabeth would lose her fight to stay alive, she assured Bea that, if Richard Sr. were to ever fall in love with her, she would smile down from heaven and give their marriage her full blessing.
Bea smiled, remembering the day. Richard passed as a fairly handsome man, and perhaps she would have married him for the sake of little Richard, but she didn't fancy herself falling in love with him. He seemed too concerned with work, and he had little time for Elizabeth, though he did adore her in his own way. Bea couldn't imagine him having any time for her.
All that didn't matter. He was gone now, joined with his love in heaven, leaving Bea here with their child. Richard Jr. was now her responsibility. And his uncle obviously cared little for his welfare, or else he would have been here waiting for the ship. They had arrived on time. Perhaps she should just march back on the ship and leave, leave with Richard, and raise him herself. Her mind made up, Bea turned Richard toward the ship, marched briskly back down the weathered dock, and up the gangplank.
Ellis visually scoured the decks of the Justice, unable to spot his nephew or the nanny. One thing he disliked most in people was lack of punctuality. He wondered if she had arrived at the New York harbor in time. He'd given her two weeks to pack and make her way to the city. "She certainly should have had enough time," he grumbled. He had noticed only one woman with her child on the docks. The child looked as if he could have been the right age, but his coloring seemed all wrong for a Southard. All Southards had various shades of brown hair, and only he had been blessed with blue-gray eyes. The rest of the family had brown eyes. Always had, always would, he reckoned.
Spying Captain Brighton by the cargo hold, he decided to inquire about two things. One, if he would be returning to New York or traveling to Cuba before returning. Two, if his nephew had actually made it on board.
"Good Morning, Jed."
Jed returned a hearty handshake. "Morning, Ellis. How's the sponge business?"
"Doing well. Are you heading back to New York?"
"After a trip to Cuba. Have some cargo?"
"Yes, but if you're returning from Cuba before going back to New York, I'll have more."
Jed rubbed his beard. "Wasn't planning on it; let me think a spell. I'll be picking up a healthy load of sugar cane."
"I'll take any available space you can give me."
"That's the thing about sponges, they take up room but not too much weight."
"Did my nephew make it onboard?"
"Handsome lad. Sure did. I saw him and his nanny on deck a few moments ago. They can't be too far."
"Looks as though I’ve missed them."
"They could have gone back to their cabin to get some of their bags."
"Must be it. "
"This will be my last voyage for a while. The war's over. I'm tired. Planning on settling down."
"Ah, a woman?" Ellis inquired.
"Hardly! The war took a toll on me. Privateering carries no honor, now that the war is over. During the war it was necessary. Now, well... now, folks just take you for a common thief."
"Sorry to hear such news. I know you, Jed, you're an honorable man. Besides, I hate losing one of the fastest vessels to deliver my cargo."
"Aye, but perhaps a woman wouldn't be so bad either.
"Here comes your nephew and the prettiest nanny I've ever seen."
Ellis turned. The woman and fair-haired child. How...?
She was stunning--with lily-white complexion and hazel eyes. Worried eyes. Young eyes. Weren't nannies old and gray? Shouldn't they be?
"Pardon me, Captain Brighton, but we seem to have a problem."
The captain stood with the handsome stranger she had noticed earlier. Perhaps she shouldn't interrupt, but she did want another glimpse at the gentleman with such strong shoulders and distinguished face. What’s wrong with noticing a striking man? she rationalized.
"Miss Smith, may I introduce you to Mr. Ellis Southard."
Ellis Southard? She examined him closely. He had brown hair, but redder than she expected. Perhaps the tropical sun had painted it. His eyes, oh my, they were so like little Richard's eyes--the same blue-gray, same shape, though older, more mature. More passionate. Bea swallowed.
"Forgive me, Miss Smith, I assumed you were the child's mother." Ellis bent down on one knee before the boy. "You must be Richard?"
"Yes, sir. Are you my Uncle Ellis?"
"That I am, son, that I am."
Richard stepped out farther from behind Bea's skirt, but still clung to it. For all the child's excitement at meeting his uncle, he remained naturally afraid of a stranger. Why wouldn't he be? The poor child already had so much loss in his short life, and was now about to lose the only mother he'd known. Bea had hoped to stay on for a while to transition the child into a relationship with his uncle, but now uncertainty loomed. The man was too dangerously appealing.
Ellis extended a hand. Richard took it. "Tell me, son, what do you think of this tropical isle?"
Richard's other hand trembled with fear on her skirt. Bea placed her hand on his back. "Richard, perhaps your Uncle Ellis knows what kind of bird that is." She pointed to the one having caught his attention earlier.
Ellis Southard followed her lead. "It's a pelican. Did you know those particular birds can swallow fish whole?"
"Pelican?" Richard answered.
"Yes, pelican. Their beaks have a floppy pouch they fill with fish and water. When the bird closes its beak, it spits out the water and swallows the fish."
Richard's eyes bulged as he strained to watch the interesting new bird.
"I've been unable to find a nanny for the child," Ellis said, standing again and meeting Bea's eyes. "Would you be willing to stay on for a week or so, Miss Smith?"
What an answer to prayer! On the other hand, her attraction to this man scared her. "It would be my privilege, Mr. Southard."
"Excellent. If you would excuse me, I need to take care of a bit of business. Then I'll bring you and the child to my home."
The child! He can't even call Richard by his name? Bea fumed. Oh Lord, this man can't possibly be meant to care for Richie. He has the compassion of a gnat!
Rather than speak her mind, she stepped back and led Richie to the railing of the ship where he kept a vigil on the exotic bird. She could see his mind working. She knew he hoped the bird would get hungry so he could watch it eat.
"Nanna, why can't you stay with me?"
"Because I live in New York." Of course, the idea of moving back into her family home after she'd been a nanny for four years bothered her tremendously. She loved her folks, but having tasted independence she didn't want to go back to the waiting season of balls and having men call on her. Well, perhaps gentlemen callers wouldn't be so bad but... She wanted to do things on her own. Her folks talked about having another coming-out party on her behalf since she had been kept from social events for years.
"But why?" Richard interrupted her reverie with his insistent questioning.
Bea knelt down beside Richard and pulled him into her arms. "I will visit as often as I can, Richie. I love you as if you were my own. Your Uncle Ellis is family, he will take good care of you."
She prayed she wasn't lying to him. She had serious questions about the man’s parenting abilities, despite his brief attempts at friendliness toward Richie. Besides, what would a single man do with a child?
Perhaps he had married. She hadn't heard news from him prior to his letter concerning the house, the lands, and arrangements for her to bring Richard to him. She supposed it amounted, in part, to what bothered her the most about him. He hadn't come to New York to take care of family business himself. Instead he barked out his orders and dictated from Key West.
His brother had been no different, telling his ailing wife he was going off to war. Then he arranged for people to run the farm and left. Well, he had spent several private days with his wife before going. And he had come back as often as possible to oversee the house, look in on his son, and do whatever he could with his few days leave. But those times had been rare. Of course, he had come as soon as he had received word of Elizabeth's passing. Bea had even seen him weeping at her grave. He truly did love her, Bea believed. He just didn't see marriage as a partnership.
Bea's parents, on the other hand, worked hand-in-hand. True, mother took care of most of the social activities. Nevertheless, Bea had often heard her parents discussing matters of investments together. She knew her father was a rare man. Not many took stock in a woman's opinion when it came to business. But her mother had a head for numbers. “God's special blessing,” her father always said.
She kissed Richard's cheek. "Shh, my love, everything will be all right. God is watching over you and He loves you far more than I."
Richie hugged her hard and returned her kiss. Bea held back the tears burning the edge of her lids.
"Miss Smith, if you are through coddling the child, it is time to be on our way."
Bea stood up straight and eased the child down to the deck. Oh Lord, please tell me this isn't a mistake. This man is insufferable.