Destiny's Captive by Beverly Jenkins Read Free Book Online Page A

to see the admiral in charge of the navy and ports, there was no news. Realizing the date for his mother’s wedding was fast approaching, he finally gave up. He and his men caught a ferry to Florida. After parting ways with them, he boarded a train for the coast. Due to the rising trend of segregated seating, it was not his preferred mode of travel, but booking passage on a westbound ship that would get him to the States in a timely manner hadn’t panned out, so a train had to do. Before boarding he sent Kingston a wire to let him know the Alanza had been stolen, and promised to wire him again once he reached home. He brooded over the disturbing turn of events for the entire cross-country journey. What would happen to his company now that they had no way of reaching the people and vendors who relied on them to transport their goods? Would he and King be able to find another ship, and if so at what cost? Would their contacts wait for Yates and Howard to get up and running again or would they move their business elsewhere? Presently, he had no answers and that was frustrating for a man who didn’t care for turmoil or chaos. Since leaving Captain Simmons, he’d plotted each and every turn in his life so he would be the person in control. The Alanza was his livelihood and without her everything he and King had built for the past ten years was now in jeopardy, all because of a short, masked woman with a rapier.
    He arrived at Rancho Destino three days before his mother was due to walk down the aisle.
    â€œNoah!” she exclaimed excitedly as he entered the house and set his valise by the door. She ran to him and he caught her up and held her tightly.
    â€œHello, Mama,” he said, smiling for what felt like the first time in weeks.
    â€œSo glad you’re here. How are you?”
    Not wanting to cause her worry, he lied, “I’m well. How about you? Haven’t changed your mind about marrying Max, have you?”
    â€œOf course not.” She slipped a motherly arm around his waist. “Come outside and sit with me. Your aunts, uncles, and cousins will be arriving tomorrow so this might be my only chance to enjoy you without being interrupted.”
    â€œWhere are my brothers?”
    â€œIn town but they’ll be joining us for dinner.”
    He looked forward to seeing them. “Did Drew really get married?”
    â€œYes and he has a sixteen-month-old son.”
    Apparently the confusion on his face was plain, because she laughed lightly. “You go sit. I’ll explain in a minute. Are you hungry?”
    â€œFamished.”
    â€œThen let me talk with Bonnie and I’ll come out and join you.”
    She disappeared into the kitchen and he continued out onto the grand stone patio and took a seat at the large table. Sitting there in the silence he felt the tension of the past week slide away. He was home. Surveying the familiar orchards and the mounted ranch hands going about their duties brought back pleasant memories: the riding, the fishing, the games with his brothers, the fights they’d had over everything and nothing, the love of their mother who’d worked herself until her fingers bled to give them a home. The young boy he’d been back then always came alive for a time when he returned home but as always slipped back beneath the darkness that ruled him. He looked up to find his mother watching him silently, concern in her eyes. He’d never revealed any of the ugly details about his shanghai experiences to anyone in his family, but they all, especially Alanza, knew something dire had occurred, because he was not the same person he’d been before. “Yes, Mama?” he asked quietly.
    She came forward carrying a tray with glasses of lemonade and a sandwich. “Nothing. I’m just glad to have my youngest near.”
    â€œYour youngest is glad to be near,” he echoed rising to take the tray from her hands.
    While he ate she sat