Lily (Song of the River) (19 page)

At least the couple at LeGrand Shipping had not made her wait for their bad news. Lily kicked at a clod of dirt. She got back to the wagon ahead of Blake and climbed onto the bench to wait. Maybe she should give up. Had she been wrong to turn down Blake’s client?

“What a beautiful afternoon this has turned out to be.”

Lily blinked and looked down. “Jean Luc?”

“I stopped by your house a few days ago, but I was told you were away from home.” His dark eyes devoured her face. “I haven’t offended you, have I?”

“No, no, not at all.” She summoned a smile. “I have moved onto the boat I bought from your father.”

“You’re living on the
Hattie Belle
?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“What about the gambler? Did you send him off with a flea in his ear?”

Lily shook her head. “He’s still on the boat, too.”

“I see.” His mouth turned down.

A blush heated her cheeks. “I assure you everything is proper. My sisters and I have a chaperone.”

“I see.” He paused as though considering her explanation. “I was disappointed when you didn’t return to the mercantile the other day.”

“I am sorry for that. My sister encountered some trouble, and we had to go back to the boat straightaway. I’m sorry if our departure worried you.”

“I don’t know how to answer that … Lily.” He put his hand over hers where it rested on the side of the wagon. When she didn’t say anything, he continued. “If I say I was not worried, you will think I don’t care; if I say I was worried, you will claim I am being difficult.”

A giggle slipped out. She pulled her hand from under his.

“Please say you’ll have dinner with me this evening.”

“I don’t know—”

His pitiful look stopped her.

Why not? Perhaps he or even his father could put in a good word with the local shipping companies. “I am very flattered, Jean Luc.”

“I will come out to the boat around sunset to collect you.” He touched his cane to the brim of his hat and stepped back. “Until then.”

As she watched him walk away, the wagon rocked. She turned to greet Blake, but the words stopped when she saw his frown. Lily folded her lips together and stared straight ahead. It was going to be a long ride back to the boat.

L
ily had never been inside this dining establishment. The main entrance opened into a room large enough for a ball. Candles burned from the chandeliers, casting a golden glow over the dozen or so tables scattered about. “This is lovely.”

Jean Luc held a chair for her. “I’m glad you approve. The food is remarkable.”

She nodded. If the pleasing aromas were any indication, the same would be true this evening.

A waiter spoke briefly with Jean Luc while Lily stared at the other diners. Although she recognized one or two from the balls Aunt Dahlia had made her attend, no one acknowledged her. Starting to feel a little uncomfortable, she touched the loose hairs at the nape of her neck. Had Tamar’s arrangement come undone? No. Her gaze settled on the unrelieved black material of her gown. Was she being judged for dining with Mr. Champney while she was in mourning?

Jean Luc’s words interrupted her fretful thoughts. “Tell me about your sister.”

Lily let her hand drop to her lap. “Actually, I have two sisters. Camellia and Jasmine.”

“What interesting names.”

“All the women in my grandmother’s family are named for flowers. Her given name is Violet. She and Grandfather named their daughters Dahlia and Rose. Rose, my mother, continued the tradition.”

Jean Luc placed a linen napkin on his lap. “A lovely tradition.”

“Yes, Grandfather even named the plantation he built Les Fleurs, which as you know means ‘the flowers,’ to honor his new bride’s family.”

“Obviously he really loved your grandmother.” He leaned forward. “Now which sister came running into the mercantile, and what calamity overtook her?”

Where to begin? Jean Luc was a pleasant companion, but she doubted he would understand why she allowed David to remain aboard the
Hattie Belle.
“You will appreciate this story. It goes back to the party you and your family hosted on the
Hattie Belle
several weeks ago.”

“The first time I met you.” His voice was husky, intimate.

It brought a flush to her cheeks. “Yes, that’s right … but before we arrived at the party there was a boy. … He took my reticule.”

“I’m so sorry. Were you hurt?”

Lily shook her head. “Only my pride. I couldn’t believe I’d been so unaware. Anyway, he snatched my reticule and ran away.” She decided the chase and David’s subsequent dunking in the river were irrelevant. Besides, she didn’t care to describe her first meeting with Blake to Jean Luc. The two men didn’t have a very good relationship. She sipped from her glass of water as she considered what to say.

“What does this have to do with the mercantile?”

“My sister Jasmine is a curious little girl. She heard a noise coming from one of the alleys and went to investigate. She found a group of bullies beating a young boy. That’s when she came to get me. The older boys ran away, and we managed to get their victim to the carriage. I recognized him and thought we would take him to the doctor’s office, but Camellia insisted she wanted to nurse him.” She glanced up and waited for Jean Luc to get the point of her story.

He frowned for a moment before understanding dawned. “The pickpocket.”

Lily nodded, and Jean Luc laughed out loud. It was a nice moment, but her heart plodded steadily on as if she were making biscuits or dusting furniture. Why didn’t this debonair man make her heart trip? She took another sip of water.

“Where is he now?” Jean Luc chuckled again.

“Still aboard the
Hattie Belle.
”

His face grew serious. “You have taken him in? He may take advantage of your kindness while making plans to murder you in your sleep.”

Irritation filled her. “Why does every man in my life think he has the right to dictate my actions?”

Jean Luc leaned toward her. “Surely you can understand how dangerous it is to open your home to a criminal?”

Lily studied his face. He was debonair. Earnest, kind, and thoughtful. And he seemed truly interested in her welfare. So why did her heart remain so stubbornly calm? Why didn’t her cheeks flush with awareness and excitement? “I understand your concern, Jean Luc, but you must allow me to decide how to conduct my life.”

He reached for her hand. “Please forgive me if I’ve offended. I can’t help worrying about you.”

Her heart fluttered as he squeezed her hand. “Thank you, Jean Luc. It makes me happy to count you as a friend. If I’m going to support myself and my sisters, I will need all the friends I can muster.”

He raised her hand to his lips and pressed a warm kiss on it.

Lily should have enjoyed the sensation and the admiring glance in his eyes, but she felt uncomfortable. She pulled her hand away. “Please, Jean Luc. That may be acceptable behavior in Paris, but here in Mississippi, too much familiarity is frowned upon.”

His cheeks turned red, and a look of exasperation crossed his face.

Before he could respond, a familiar lady’s voice interrupted their conversation. “Hello, Miss Anderson.”

Lily turned. An older, attractively dressed couple stood beside her. It took her a moment to recognize the owners of LeGrand Shipping, whom she had met that afternoon. “Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Hughes.”

“I am so excited to find you here this evening.” Susannah Hughes turned to the man at her elbow. “I believe God’s hand is in this, Judah.”

He put a hand on her shoulder. “You make an excellent point, my dear.” He turned to Lily. “After you left this afternoon, we received an unexpected shipment that must be in New Orleans before week’s end. Our normal ships have already departed Natchez or have no room for additional cargo.”

Mrs. Hughes took up the conversation. “I know you said you are doing some work on your boat, so you may not be able to do this, but we wanted to give you the opportunity if you think you can be ready to sail tomorrow.”

Lily looked from one to the other, her excitement building with each word. She wanted to dance a jig or turn a somersault. Since those reactions were forbidden, she smiled widely. “Oh yes, we can be ready as soon as we get your cargo loaded.” She paused as her earlier conversation with Blake came to mind. “What type of goods would we be transporting?”

“A hundred hogshead of milled corn,” Mr. Hughes answered. “Our daughter and her husband run our New Orleans office. They moved there to take over after Monsieur LeGrand, the original owner, fell ill. I don’t have fond memories of that area—it’s where I lost my leg—but they love it. We’ll give you directions to their office when you’re getting your load stored away.”

“You will love our daughter, Charlotte. She is a bit older than you, but I have a feeling you will become close friends.” Mrs. Hughes had a twinkle in her eye.

Unable to remain in her chair a moment longer, Lily jumped up and hugged the older lady. “If she is half as charming as her mother, I’m sure we will. Thank you both so very much. I can hardly wait until tomorrow.”

“Is this your co-owner?” Mr. Hughes gestured to Jean Luc, whom Lily had almost forgotten in her excitement.

“No, please excuse my lack of manners. This is Jean Luc Champney, a dear friend who has gone out of his way to help me.” She could feel her cheeks burning. Grandmother and Aunt Dahlia would be horrified. “I thought you were acquainted since Mr. Champney’s family is also involved in the shipping business.”

Jean Luc stood and greeted the Hugheses with more reserve than she expected. Was he upset because their dinner had been interrupted? His behavior seemed out of character.

“We’ll leave you to your dinner, then.” Mr. Hughes bowed and took his wife’s arm.

Lily smiled at them. “You have made me so happy. Thank you.”

The handsome couple smiled before making their way to a table on the other side of the room.

After Jean Luc and Lily returned to their seats, he said, “I can hardly believe it’s true.”

Was there an edge to his voice? Lily could read nothing other than support in his dark gaze. She must be imaging things. “I can hardly believe it, either. Mrs. Hughes was right about God’s involvement. When I spoke to them this afternoon, they had nothing, and now they have a shipment and no ship to deliver it. What else could explain such a happy string of coincidences?”

“What indeed?”

Perhaps Jean Luc was put out because he felt ignored. Lily reached across the table for his hand. “And you must be His instrument, too, in bringing me to this place where we would run into each other.”

She thought his smile faltered, but before she could ask him what was wrong, he squeezed her fingers. “I am very excited for you.”

His smile was back in place. Perhaps she had imagined his irritation. He pulled his hand away and began eating again.

Lily picked up her fork but put it down without eating another bite. She was too excited to concentrate on anything as dull as food. She sipped at her lime soda and began to dream of the coming day. Her life on the river was about to begin.

L
ily was partly terrified, partly elated as she watched the bank sliding past. The trip from their quiet cove to the bustling port of Natchez had gone without a hitch so far.

Jasmine darted from side to side of the pilothouse, looking like a ruffled dragonfly. “When will we see Natchez Under-the-Hill?”

Captain Lars rolled his eyes. “The pilothouse is no place for young girls.”

Lily frowned at him. “Just because Monsieur Champney recommended you does not give you the right to dictate how
my
boat will be run.”

Jasmine turned away from the scenery, her violet eyes wide as she looked from Lily to the captain. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, dearest. We are all excited about our first voyage.” Lily pulled Jasmine close for a reassuring hug. Jasmine’s arms went around her waist. Lily basked in the moment. Was there anything sweeter than the love expressed by a child?