Love's Rescue by Christine Johnson

Author:Christine Johnson [Johnson, Christine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical, Romance, Family life—Fiction, Ship Captains, Family Secrets, Christian Romance, Fiction, Inspirational, South, Southern Belle, Key West, unrequited love
ISBN: 9781441246172
Google: QZcQBgAAQBAJ
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 23411608
Publisher: Revell
Published: 2015-05-26T04:00:00+00:00

13

Rourke must secure Elizabeth’s promise to wait if he hoped to have a chance at her hand in a year. That night in the chapel he had wanted to kiss her. Instead he’d deliberately shattered her heart. Under such circumstances, few women would agree to see him, least of all wait a full year for his return. He must offer her hope, and that could only be accomplished in person. Somehow he must wiggle past the imposing figure of her great-aunt and her watchdog of a father.

After ensuring Charles Benjamin was in his office, Rourke left the harbor in search of Elizabeth. According to Anabelle, the day’s marketing took place between ten and eleven in the morning. Occasionally Aunt Virginia joined the family’s cook. He hoped that was the case today.

He angled past the grocer on Duval and spotted the Benjamins’ cook but not Elizabeth’s aunt. That would make his task more difficult, but he hadn’t time to waste. With the salvage libel dropped, Rourke stood to collect a handsome amount if the cargo sold for a good price at auction this afternoon. Once that was over and the amount due paid to him, Charles Benjamin would expect the Windsprite to set sail. Though Rourke had claimed to need two weeks, the chandlers would readily reveal that he was fully supplied and crewed. That was all Benjamin needed to press him to leave. Rourke must see Elizabeth now.

“I wondered when you would show.” Poppinclerk stepped from the shadows beside a grogshop.

Rourke skirted around him. “I’m busy.”

“So it seems.” Though far shorter, Poppinclerk managed to match his stride. “I see the Windsprite is fitting out for a long voyage.”

“Every wrecker prepares for weeks at sea,” Rourke snapped. After reading the incompetent pilot’s lies in his deposition, he wanted nothing to do with the man.

“Of course he does. I did so myself in times past.”

Rourke growled at the man’s reference to his wrecking career, as if it had lasted two years instead of two months. At the first opportunity and doubtless after a great deal of money changed hands, Poppinclerk took up piloting the vessels of unsuspecting masters.

Poppinclerk either did not hear Rourke’s irritation or chose to ignore it. “In your case, I hear you have a different destination in mind.”

“My destination is none of your concern.”

“Forgive me if I’m wrong, but I heard that you were sailing for Harbour Island. It must have been a rumor. You know how quickly rumors race along the wharves. Why, I once heard that I’d perished at sea—and the man divulging this bit of information was standing right beside me.”

“In the grogshop?”

Poppinclerk brushed the reference to his drinking habits away as easily as the gnat that landed on his coat sleeve. “You seem to think I’m your enemy.”

“You lied in your statement to the court.”

“Now, now. That’s such a harsh word for a simple difference of perspective.”

Rourke halted. “Difference of perspective? You said I led you onto the reef, when in fact your incompetence drove it aground.

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