Chapter 8

“I have a surprise for you.”

Eva looked over her shoulder as she continued to wash the dishes. Her husband stood in the doorway. The sunlight framed his tall figure like a halo. “Do you, Luc?”

He smiled, his brown eyes bright. “I do. Would you like to see it?”

“Of course I do. Let me finish washing these few plates.”

“Nee, Eva. Kom hier nu.” He walked over to where she stood over the bucket and drew her hands out of the soapy water. As always, his touch made her stomach flutter although she’d become accustomed to showing no outward sign. “Really, Luc.”

“Komen, mijn vrouw. I want you to see what I have for you.”

“For me?”

He nodded, taking a dry rag and hurriedly blotting the moisture from her hands. “It came today.”

Three weeks had passed since their wedding night. Eva’s face still flushed at the way she responded to his kisses and caresses. They had drugged her like she supposed opium would. Luc’s tentative, but masterful touch had ignited a flame that refused to die away.

Tossing the damp rag away, he took her hand and drew her toward the door. “Close your eyes and I’ll lead you.”

“Luc!” She giggled and did as he instructed.

Carefully with his guidance, she made her way outside. The fresh-scented breeze felt good on her skin. The warmth of the sun, the chirping of the birds, and the rush of the creek created a blissful moment. Gingerly she stepped as Luc clasped her hand and led her. Her eyelids fluttered, but she did her best to keep them closed.

They stopped a few moments later. “You can open your eyes now.”

Eva’s damp hands slapped against her cheeks. “Oh Luc!”

A cast iron tub lay on the side of the house, a wooden screen around it. She dashed over to it, smoothing her hands over the metal. “I can’t believe it!”

“You like it.”

It sounded like a statement, but he squinted at her, studying her face with an intent gaze. Had he really done all this for her? “I love it. Dank u.”

His shoulders relaxed. “I’m glad to hear it.”

“How did you—”

“Does it matter?” he asked gently. “I wanted you to have this as soon as possible.”

Her cheeks warmed. It was a wonderful gift Luc had given her. The tepid sponge baths she’d learned to live with didn’t do justice. The Dutch were a fastidious race, rather obsessed with cleanliness, whether of themselves or their surroundings.

“I’m so glad. It will be wonderful to take a bath.”

“How about this evening?”

“You don’t mean it?”

He lifted his brow. “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it, Eva. You’ll have a bath tonight.”

Eva averted her gaze from his. In these few weeks, she come to appreciate a side of her husband she hadn’t known existed. He’d been the inscrutable, unapproachable businessman for much of their acquaintance. Here in the cabin, he shed that part of his life like a coat. He spent an inordinate amount of time chopping wood. They had so much of it, it would probably see them through two winters should they still be living here.

Thinking back to three weeks ago, they had talked the day after the wedding night.

“Do you want to annul this marriage, Eva?” Luc had asked.

“You need an heir. I am not willing to give you one. Our only recourse is to annul the marriage.”

But how was she going to spend the rest of her life with the memory of his kisses? How could she go back to her home, not only in humiliation but with her womanhood awakened? She’d known a man’s caress and felt his passion—for her!—and to never feel it again...

“What if I were to tell you that I do not want an annulment?”

Her eyebrows had arched into her head. “I don’t understand.”

“I do not want another woman to bear my child. I want you.”

If she hadn’t been sitting already, she would have fallen to the floor. “Why?”

“I’ve my reasons.” He eyed her. “It’s no secret that I wish to possess you, Eva. That hasn’t changed from last night.”

Eva felt the heat travel from the bottom of her neck and up to her hair. “Luc.”

“I will never force you but, perhaps, you may consider changing your mind?”

“Why would I do that?”

“I don’t know. I would like to see if in the next six weeks, if maybe you change your mind. If not, then we will annul our marriage.”

Unable to speak, she nodded. Would six weeks alone with the man change her mind? Would it make her want to be the mother of his child? She didn’t know. Having raised seven of her siblings, she knew of the rigors of motherhood. Did she willfully want to enter that state again?

Maybe this time together would give her the answer.

He hadn’t kissed her again, but there were times she caught him staring at her mouth. A hungry expression within their depths. It lit her own inner fires, but she banked them down. At least she tried to. Once, she saw him carry in a load of chopped wood. His shirt sleeves had been pulled back, revealing the sun baked skin and the muscular arms

During these few weeks, at the oddest moments, she’d remembered that ecstasy. The heat that enveloped her. The masculine scent that enthralled her. The passion that thrilled her. It would have been so easy to give herself up to Luc’s possession.

If only Aunt Nethanja hadn’t lied.

No wonder the woman kept trying to push her to make this marriage real. She had performed the services for Luc under false pretenses.

“Are you going to take some sort of legal action against my tante?” She asked one time when they were enjoying the fire at the end of the day.

“I’d like to,” he told her honestly, “But she is family. I will not do that.”

Eva had sent a scathing letter to the woman about her backhanded tactics, but since Luc would take no legal action against her, it really amounted to nothing.

Yet, she felt better having written it.

After that day, they spent their days occupied and getting to know more about each other. She loved listening to his stories about his travels. It wasn’t an understatement to say he’d traveled all over the world. From the Fatherland, to England, to the East and West Indies. To Africa and the Orient. He told her of his most recent trip to the East Indies, spinning a tale of an exotic land filled with intrigue. “It’s not as if the Javanese don’t have a right to do what they want with their land. But we do have interests there.”

“How could you want to settle down in a place like Evansgrove after seeing all those places?”

She listened as he told her about the fathers’ wills and what they entailed. “We each have a job to perform. However, when I first arrived here, I despised this place. Then, the other day, when we were fishing, I realized that this trading post can be what we make it to be. We can either let it be a fish that is undisturbed, or we can turn it into a lure.”

“Do you have any idea why the Hive obtained it?”

He’d shaken his head. “Nee. But they had a reason. The vaders never did anything without a reason.”

“I can tell you what you need right away—a fully stocked mercantile. And an inn or boarding house.”

They discussed improvements. Eva found that Luc listened to her suggestions attentively. Nothing she said was dismissed. He was truly nothing like her father.

“What would you like to do today?”

Luc’s voice brought her back to the present. “I’d like to have a picnic. It’s warm enough today.”

“Then a picnic we shall have, mijn vrouw.”

It took her about a half hour to gather the food stuffs for their gathering. How nice to spend a leisurely day with her husband! As she put the last of the food in the basket, she couldn’t help thinking of Aunt Nethanja’s admonition that she needed to lead her own life.

If she were back home, she’d be busy with the family, doing whatever they needed to keep them happy. But today, she’d work on her own happiness.

And that was to spend time with Luc.

When they had walked a mile or so away from the cabin, they found a nice meadow with a sprawling tree whose branches provided adequate shade. The brisk walk had invigorated their appetites and they dug into the meal. When they finished, they lay replete on the gingham blanket and enjoyed the restful company of each other.