you. You have already done so much for me … for us.’
He wanted to tell her that he thought her father was the most unnatural creature imaginable, but he didn’t. There was no reason to upset her further. ‘I will be just fine, Juliana. You are not to worry about anyone save your new husband, and I think the poor man is becoming faint from hunger.’
‘I agree,’ Saint said. ‘You are to talk about me, my empty stomach, and not about the Baldwins’ garden.’
Jules took him at his word, and to his consternation, began to tell the Baldwins about his fine and selfless work in San Francisco.
‘I think that soon you will be as noble as your nickname, Saint,’ Dwight said with a crooked smile sometime later in the crowded Baldwin parlor. ‘You’ve got yourself a fine woman.’
‘Yes,’ Saint said, looking over to where Jules stood speaking to several local Hawaiian families. ‘I never thought this would happen, even two days ago.’ He shook his head. ‘Life is bloody strange.’
Dwight laughed. ‘I’m just glad you weren’t already married. Then we would have been in the stew!’
Saint said before thinking, ‘No, marriage
wasn’t for me. I . . . ‘ He broke off suddenly, a flush rising on his cheeks.
Dwight patted his arm. ‘You’ll think differently – quite soon, I would imagine. My, my, look who is here.’
Thomas DuPres, dressed in his Sunday black suit, stood uncomfortably in the doorway, his hands nervously picking at the rim of his hat.
Saint, without another word, strode to his new brother-in-law and extended his hand. ‘Thank you for coming, Thomas,’ he said.
Behind him he heard Jules’s soft voice. ‘Thomas!’ He stepped aside and watched brother and sister embrace, Thomas awkwardly patting Jules’s back.
Saint said quietly, ‘After everyone has left, Thomas, why don’t you stay awhile? We can talk. As for you, my dear,’ he continued to his new wife, ‘would you care for a glass of punch? I’m sure Thomas is also very thirsty.’
Before the evening was over, Saint was approached by two ships’ captains. Captain Richards of the Occidental said, ‘Wilkes has been a thorn in my side for years, Saint. David Gascony and I were talking. When we get to San Francisco, we’ve decided to look the bastard up and – ‘
‘And what?’ Saint asked, touched and amused by their concern. ‘There’s nothing
any of us can do, unfortunately. If you and John made a fuss in San Francisco, my wife’s reputation would be seriously damaged, and she would be hurt even more than she has been here.’
‘Damn,’ said David Gascony. ‘I hate to think the bastard will simply get away with it!’ ‘At least,’ Mark Richards said, stroking his
full whiskers, ‘you didn’t let her bastard of a father get away with his rotten words, blast him.’
Dwight Baldwin said, humor lacing his deep voice, ‘I agree completely, Mark. Would you believe it? Etienne called me to his house to take care of his jaw. I tell you honestly, I was sorely tempted to finish the job. I covered the entire side of his face with iodine, Saint, and told him in all seriousness not to talk for at least three days.’
The men laughed. Jules looked up at the sound of Michael’s rumbling laughter, and blinked. She thought it was the first time he had truly laughed since she’d seen him again. It was a wonderful sound. He’s my husband, she thought. My husband.
‘I’ll tell you something else, Saint,’ Dwight said a little while later. ‘Etienne knew I was going to marry the two of you. He just looked at me, didn’t say a single word, and I swear to you, I think he was delighted. In fact, it
occurred to me that he may have perhaps denounced his daughter to force your hand.’
‘Then he is indeed a despicable creature,’ Saint said, his lips thinning. ‘I tell you, Dwight, if heaven is populated with a congregation like him, I don’t think I want to get past Saint Peter.’
‘One saint telling another saint to remove himself? Impossible, my dear fellow!’
Dwight arranged with his friends the Markhams to lend a small house to the newlyweds. It was located near Makila Point, only a fifteen-minute carriage ride south of Lahaina. Saint didn’t want to be alone with Jules, but there was nothing he could do save accept the Markhams’ offer with good grace. He waited until Jules went upstairs with Mrs. Baldwin to pack her few things before speaking to Thomas. Dwight, a gentleman of great understanding, left them alone in the parlor.