surreptitiously with a measure of longing, while others, ignorant of his recent marriage, tossed fetching smiles his way and, with well practiced coyness, flicked long lashes as they peered at him askance. It seemed part of the rote of enlightenment that, after being so completely taken with the man’s presence and engrossed in guilefully flirting with him, these maidens would then glance at Raelynn in curious wonder. After Jeff’s introductions, some seemed genuinely astounded, a few even stricken by the news that he was now wed, affirming Raelynn’s growing suspicion that Nell was but one of many comely young maidens who had held aspirations of first gaining Jeffrey’s regard and then, some time later, of becoming his wife.
Jeffrey had no pressing engagements or any particular destination in mind and was simply content to enjoy the balmy day and the presence of his young wife. With Raelynn’s arm tucked within his, he paused often to look at numerous displays in the shop windows they passed and to solicitously inquire if his bride was at all interested in taking a closer look at anything. At an import house, Raelynn momentarily scanned the bric-a-brac neatly exhibited behind the small, square panes of the window stretching across the front of the shop. Seeing nothing of real interest, she was about to turn aside when she caught sight of a brass-bound wooden coffer sitting atop a table inside the store. Unable to believe her possible good fortune, she leaned forward in rapt attention, oblivious to the fact that she pressed the brim of her flower and beribboned bonnet to the glass in her attempt to view the chest better. Similar pieces surrounded the piece, but the one upon which she had fixed her gaze was definitely the most notable of the lot. Even if she hadn’t recognized it as the coffer in which her father had once hidden a small cache of gold coins, Raelynn would have desired it for herself.
“Do you see that box over there on the table, Jeffrey?” she asked, pointing toward the item.
He leaned near to peer through the glass. “Aye, love. A handsome piece, it is. Would you like to have it?”
“At one time, that coffer belonged to my father. Shortly before his arrest, he bade my mother to guard it carefully until he had need of its contents, but he died before any of the gold coins it contained could be of benefit to him. During the sea voyage, my mother began to fear that the box would be stolen by some of the other passengers and asked Cooper Frye to safeguard it for us. She assumed she could trust her brother, but sad to say, that was the last we saw of it. When my mother asked him to return the coffer, he gave the excuse that someone had stolen it. Even so, he continued to live like some high and mighty lordling aboard ship while we did without. We had hoped the coins would see us through our first year here, but they were obviously used by that greedy crook to fill his own belly and appease his thirst for strong drink. Seeing the box here in a shop so close to the waterfront causes me to renew my suspicions about Cooper Frye. I think he had it within his possession all the time and, as soon as he left the ship, sold it at the first shop he came to. If he didn’t, then certainly someone else did.”
“There’s no reason why it can’t be yours again, my sweet,” Jeff assured her. “It may well be the only tangible memory you’ll have left of your father.”
She squeezed his arm affectionately. “I would be pleased to have it, Jeffrey, truly I would.”
“Then it shall be yours, my love.”
Barely had they stepped into the cool, pleasant interior than a portly gentleman with thick, silver hair hurried from the back. “A fair good morning to you both,” he greeted with a pleasantly reserved smile. “Can I be of service? Or would you perhaps prefer to browse for a while?”
“Actually we’re interested in that richly grained coffer you have on the table over there,” Jeff answered,
Jeffrey had no pressing engagements or any particular destination in mind and was simply content to enjoy the balmy day and the presence of his young wife. With Raelynn’s arm tucked within his, he paused often to look at numerous displays in the shop windows they passed and to solicitously inquire if his bride was at all interested in taking a closer look at anything. At an import house, Raelynn momentarily scanned the bric-a-brac neatly exhibited behind the small, square panes of the window stretching across the front of the shop. Seeing nothing of real interest, she was about to turn aside when she caught sight of a brass-bound wooden coffer sitting atop a table inside the store. Unable to believe her possible good fortune, she leaned forward in rapt attention, oblivious to the fact that she pressed the brim of her flower and beribboned bonnet to the glass in her attempt to view the chest better. Similar pieces surrounded the piece, but the one upon which she had fixed her gaze was definitely the most notable of the lot. Even if she hadn’t recognized it as the coffer in which her father had once hidden a small cache of gold coins, Raelynn would have desired it for herself.
“Do you see that box over there on the table, Jeffrey?” she asked, pointing toward the item.
He leaned near to peer through the glass. “Aye, love. A handsome piece, it is. Would you like to have it?”
“At one time, that coffer belonged to my father. Shortly before his arrest, he bade my mother to guard it carefully until he had need of its contents, but he died before any of the gold coins it contained could be of benefit to him. During the sea voyage, my mother began to fear that the box would be stolen by some of the other passengers and asked Cooper Frye to safeguard it for us. She assumed she could trust her brother, but sad to say, that was the last we saw of it. When my mother asked him to return the coffer, he gave the excuse that someone had stolen it. Even so, he continued to live like some high and mighty lordling aboard ship while we did without. We had hoped the coins would see us through our first year here, but they were obviously used by that greedy crook to fill his own belly and appease his thirst for strong drink. Seeing the box here in a shop so close to the waterfront causes me to renew my suspicions about Cooper Frye. I think he had it within his possession all the time and, as soon as he left the ship, sold it at the first shop he came to. If he didn’t, then certainly someone else did.”
“There’s no reason why it can’t be yours again, my sweet,” Jeff assured her. “It may well be the only tangible memory you’ll have left of your father.”
She squeezed his arm affectionately. “I would be pleased to have it, Jeffrey, truly I would.”
“Then it shall be yours, my love.”
Barely had they stepped into the cool, pleasant interior than a portly gentleman with thick, silver hair hurried from the back. “A fair good morning to you both,” he greeted with a pleasantly reserved smile. “Can I be of service? Or would you perhaps prefer to browse for a while?”
“Actually we’re interested in that richly grained coffer you have on the table over there,” Jeff answered,
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