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Chapter 28
Bringing Paulette to the safety of the Caldwell plantation was not as easy as Stephen hoped. Since he worked his horse as much as he dared and she still did not regained consciousness, he settled her in front of one of the other men on her own horse and then later on with another whose horse suffered the stress of their journey favorably and was still strong enough to carry them both in the intense heat of the day. It was shortly after this last transition that she awoke and went into a frightful screaming fit. This caused the horse to rear and for her to fall off.
As if her disorientation was not bad enough, Paulette landed on her arm and it snapped like a dry twig. Stephen seized a flask containing their emergency brandy and took a long drink to steady his nerves. The stress and challenges he endured over the last few months was building within him to such a height he was certain his frustrations would cause him to burst from the inside out.
It took the considerable
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Love Misunderstood Chapter 29
Elizabeth and Arthur’s gay conversation could be heard long before Stephen reached the doorway of the atrium. He stopped and listened, uncertain whether he should enter or simply return to his room.He took much longer than even the doctor expected him to take to recover from his intense state of exhaustion. Herald sat in the room near the window watching him and then watching the world out the window for the majority of the days he lay abed. He was joined by Elizabeth for whatever time her greedy fiancé would allow her away from him.Elizabeth expressed her concern about Arthur’s monopolizing her time during one of her long conversations with her brother. She was torn over who she should be spending her time with. He was awake and alert and requesting her company, but Stephen was weak and still in need of constant watch; not to mention the fact that it was Stephen who had her heart. There were times when her visits with Arthur proved tortuous as she
Love Misunderstood Chapter 30
Margaret Moore stepped out of the carriage in front of the Caldwell plantation house and gaped in awe at its magnificent beauty. She heard whispers of the wealth the Caldwells possessed through conversations at one of the many social parties she attended, but she had not pictured it to be as such. She was told that Sir Caldwell’s wealth was surpassed by few. He was even able to work free darkies on his plantation; something that was rare indeed amongst the plantation owners of Georgia who petitioned fervently to have slavery reinstated during its temporary abolishment because their plantations would not survive without it. Sir Caldwell was one of the very few in political societies who did not support such reinstatement.She heard their mansion was equal to that of a king, sporting thirteen guest rooms and marble flooring adorned with plush carpet with unique designs woven into it. Both were ordered from India. The marble lion’s heads on either side of the grand s
Love Misunderstood Chapter 31
Feeling the need for some fresh air, Stephen excused himself and started toward the rear exit. Thinking better of it, he turned and asked Elizabeth to join him. Smiling timidly, she accepted his arm and allowed him to guide her down the cool, dimly lit corridor toward the back of the house.“I much prefer this part of the house,” Stephen said quietly.“Might I ask why?” Elizabeth responded, hoping her nervousness did not show in her voice.“‘Tis quiet and unpretentious,” Stephen replied.“You find the main part of the house pretentious?” Elizabeth asked with mild surprise.“Nay, not at all, I just prefer this. I fear I am a simple man who lives amongst splendor,” Stephen said.He cursed himself for his fumbling words. Why was it that he became such a bumbling oaf whenever he was in her company?Elizabeth smiled sweetly and moved closer as he guided her through the doorw
Love Misunderstood Chapter 32
The church bells echoed across the plantation grounds as they announced the happy reunion of Elizabeth and Stephen. Elizabeth somehow found it in her heart to spend time with Paulette and form some semblance of a friendship with the much changed socialite. This was something that pleased both Stephen and Arthur greatly.Paulette recovered from her injuries enough to attend the wedding. Although still sore and subdued, she managed to carry herself as efficiently as any lady of Savannah society might in her condition while she held Arthur’s arm on her left and her mother’s arm on her right.Arthur and Margaret managed to work out a truce as well as an arrangement for her funds to continue to be sent to her trust from his new plantation in Jamaica. She had no desire to visit such a barbaric island, which suited him just fine.Now that his sister was settled in her rightful place at her husband’s side, Herald was ready to brave the formidable
Love Misunderstood Chapter 1
March 1799 She made her way down the darkened alley between buildings that were constructed in such a way that the brilliant moon beams did not stand a chance of illuminating it. Her face laden with oversized spectacles distorting her vision and suffering from a mild case of night blindness, she did her best to steer clear of the multitude of hazardous obstacles cluttering the taxing and never ending journey to her destination.Elizabeth wished she dared remove the cumbersome wire rimmed spectacles assaulting the bridge of her delicate nose and prominent cheekbones. Finding her way through the poorly lit streets in the dark haze of predawn London was difficult enough without being encumbered by blurred vision. They were not even her glasses. Her vision was perfect. She secretly snatched them from the estate overseer’s desk just before departing to help with her disguise. Since the spindly old man kept a variety of vi
Love Misunderstood Chapter 2
Stephen leaned against the ship’s weathered rail and made a mental note of its need for maintenance while he watched the English shore transform into a tiny, thin line that looked about to fall off the edge of the ocean’s waters. It was good to be back on the open sea, even if it was under such unhappy circumstances. Sailing always made him feel free and alive. It was a feeling he especially craved after the heartache and trauma the last few months provided.The stuffiness of London society was in stark contrast to the freedom of his life in the raw and newly formed United States. Even if he had not learned of his bride’s voyage to the new world, he would have returned to it eventually. His bride’s outrageous antics provided him with the excuse to do so earlier, and with his father’s blessings.Upon summons of his ailing father Stephen returned to England immediately, although reluctantly. The affairs of his family’s estate wer
Love Misunderstood Chapter 3
Elizabeth leaned against the rail on the deck of the intolerably crowded ship and tugged the oversized hood of her fur lined, thick red lamb’s wool cloak closer around her face. Its softness provided a touch of comfort to her poor suffering head that felt like it had been struck by a massive blunt object. Her stomach fared no better. It was so incredibly twisted from the incessant tossing of the unkind sea it was impossible to hold anything in it. In fact, she emptied it to such an extent she feared the actual stomach lining was next to rise. At times, when she leaned against the rail and silently begged the waters for mercy, she was certain she heard the waters laughing wickedly at her misery.Not wanting to raise eyebrows or suspicion, the doctor purchased tickets for their passage as uncle and niece. Realizing she would be required to walk out of her home without luggage, he commissioned a new wardrobe and toiletries to be made ready in time for their voyage. Althoug
Love Misunderstood Chapter 4
Rain pelted against Stephen’s hunched back as he paced the deck, oblivious to its bitter cold. The ship’s captain, Jackson Sims, had just forged his way through the wet fury to advise him it was unwise to remain topside. The waves raged like giant mountains of bluish white foam around them, roaring thunderously while they tossed the sparsely manned frigate to and fro.Stephen grudgingly thought it his right to do as he chose on his own ship while he nodded to the captain as a means of appeasement. His mood was as angry as the waters. They suited each other.Stephen’s choice to stay topside was soon changed when he was almost seized by a wave determined to make him a prisoner of the water’s depths. Saved by his good footing and quick reflexes, he decided to heed his captain’s advice and go below.His cabin was a fraction of the size one might expect the ship’s owner to occupy. He spared the more spacious quarters for Jackson Si
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