Season of Enchantment by Emily Mims

Author:Emily Mims
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: danger and desperation, ex green beret takes mission for a price, hope motivates her to undertake a treacherous journey, new historical romantic suspense, passion and peril, powerful sensuality, rescue an innocent from imprisonment, returning to vietnam to save a friend, saving a man from himself, undeniable attraction
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group

CHAPTER NINE

Debbie stared across the sparkling blue waters of the Perfume River. “It’s so beautiful,” she said as she gazed at the foliage-covered banks. She turned to Ben, a wide smile on her face. “This whole land is simply enchanting,” she said. “In spite of the war and the Communists, it’s gorgeous.”

Ben put his arm around Debbie and squeezed her shoulders. “I’ve always thought it very special,” he said. “That’s why it nearly killed me when the Communists took over. So, are you ready to go across?”

Debbie nodded. “I sure wish I could see Hue,” she said as she glanced in the direction of the ancient walled city where the Imperial Palace was found.

Ben stared at her in astonishment. “You have to be kidding! I thought you just wanted to get in, get Li, and get out.”

“Well, I don’t have any desire to hike to Saigon, but it’s a shame to get this close and then not get to see any of the sights.”

“You’re right,” Ben said as he took her hand and pointed back up to the road. “Let’s go play tourist. Just for a bit.”

Debbie’s face lit up in a smile. “You mean, we’re really going to do it? We’re really going to see Hue?”

“We might as well,” Ben said. “It’s only about an hour away on foot. We can see the city today, camp on the other side of the river, and make it to Phu Bai sometime tomorrow. Just keep your mouth shut once we get inside the walls.”

Debbie nodded, and just to be on the safe side they put on several Communist soldier uniforms Ben had stolen the morning after being detained. Cursing himself for not thinking of it earlier, he hiked down to the second hut and slipped inside for a moment, and he and Debbie substituted their peasant clothing for the unisex, khaki uniforms. Now they traveled boldly down the roads, Debbie waving papers and saying something vague about a message from Ho Chi Minh City any time they had to go through a roadblock. They made faster time in the uniforms, but in order to avoid suspicion they would change back and travel every so often as peasants.

They were waved through the entrance to the ancient walled city without hesitation. For the next two hours, Ben walked Debbie through the narrow streets of the old city, and Debbie marveled at the beauty and grace of the ancient Vietnamese architecture. Both she and Ben were grateful that the ancient shrines had not been destroyed, and Debbie was enchanted by the Imperial Palace and the spacious grounds that surrounded it. She had to hide her amusement at Highway 1, the only paved highway in Vietnam. It ran the entire length of the long, narrow country, and consisted of two narrow lanes clogged with bicycles, funny little English cars, and the occasional American jeep left over from the war years.

When Debbie had seen her fill of Hue they were waved back out the exit, and they crossed the Perfume River and managed to hike to within ten miles of Phu Bai before nightfall.

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