Spoils of Eden by Linda Lee Chaikin Read Free Book Online Page B

capable. Ambrose once had held high hopes that Noelani’s nephew, Keno, would become a minister, but Keno had never felt it was his spiritual gift or calling to serve as pastor.
    “Is that why you’re here, Eden? To discuss Candace?”
    She walked around the room. Now that she was here with the unpleasant news about Kip, she wondered if she shouldn’t have left the matter to Aunt Lana after all. Then, squelching her inner doubts, she faced it head-on. “No. It’s not about Candace. I only learned about Grandfather’s arrival a short while ago. It’s Rafe that brings me here, and baby Kip.”
    His gaze searched her face. “Rafe and Kip?”
    She sighed and walked up to the desk. “I’ve been sent here by the Board of Health to bring Kip back to Kalihi for quarantine. The Board learned about Kip being born on Molokai to lepers. You know the law. It’s forbidden to keep Kip until the Board certifies that he doesn’t have leprosy. And even then—” her voice trailed off.
    “Even then, it’s not at all certain a baby from Molokai can be adopted.”
    “Yes,” she breathed and sank into the chair. “There’s a ruling that may require Kip to be placed in a hospital-run home for children born on Molokai. Oh, Ambrose! This will be difficult to explain to Rafe. Even so, I’ve arranged with Dr. Bolton to be authorized to examine Kip.”
    Ambrose stared at her, his own concern bringing furrowed lines to his tanned forehead. “This is ill news for Rafe, no doubt about that. Are you sure it’s wise for you to be the one to inform him and claim control of Kip? It won’t go over well, Eden.”
    She rubbed the back of her neck, her head aching. “You’re voicing the same concerns as Lana. All I can say is what I told her. I feel responsible for this tragedy. And I do see it as such. Kip is not a leper. I’m sure of that. I examined him myself after his arrival last year. And Noelani knows what to look for. She agrees he’s clean and has been all along. But I feel I must be the one to explain the situation to Rafe because I—I’m connected with Kalihi Hospital. If someone else brings him the news I fear he’ll think I don’t care. And I do! Oh I do, Ambrose!”
    “Of course you do,” he said gently. “I’m sure Rafe will see it that way in time.”
    “In time?”
    “He’s very attached to Kip.”
    “I know that. But so am I!”
    “Yes, but Kip is even more special to Rafe now that you and he have ended your engagement. Kip is all he has.”
    She jumped to her feet and turned away. “Oh, Ambrose, don’tsay it that way. It makes me feel as though I’ve done him dreadful harm.” She turned quickly and faced him. “It so happens Rafe was quite willing to end things for the present. He took the ring back quickly enough.”
    “I’m sure he had his reasons, but I don’t believe that was the resolution he wanted.”
    “You said yourself he’s been difficult to get along with. Well,” she said, suddenly defensive, “he was that way even before I told him I had a calling to work at Kalihi and Molokai. He hasn’t been happy in months.”
    “I doubt it had to do with you, my dear Eden. He thinks highly of you and your strong motivations. He always has. I believe he’s frustrated over needing to surrender his plans for the pineapple plantation to Parker Judson. As we both know, he’s indebted to Judson for a good deal of money. Until he’s made Hawaiiana successful, he’ll not have paid his debt. It’s Hanalei on the Big Island he’s working to get control of from Judson. Hanalei has always been his home, and the plantation he grew up on. Matt established it,” he said affectionately of his deceased younger brother. “And it’s a precious thing to Rafe. It was tragic when Celestine made the error of turning its management over to Townsend.”
    Eden calmed herself and walked over to the window to look out. “Yes,” she said quietly, “I know. I’ve discussed it all many times with Rafe.”