Free Aloha Love by Yvonne Lehman Page B

around, even if she did belong to someone else.
    Nevermore pecked at his brain like Edgar Allan Poe’s raven. And although he had his land legs, he felt a stir of accustomed nausea.

Fifteen
    Jane loved the house. She learned that the ranch and house had been left to Mak by his father, wanting to make sure Rose would be taken care of. It was about half the size of her daddy’s plantation house, and Rose’s comment confirmed that when she said, “There are four bedrooms upstairs and a sitting room which doubles as a playroom and a schoolroom for Leia.”
    “Could Miss Jane see it?” Leia said. “I want her to know how much I’ve learned since she might be my teacher.”
    Jane didn’t intend to be a schoolteacher and wasn’t sure what to say so she remained silent, but she smiled at Leia. Her uncle Russell came to her rescue. “Leia, we don’t know yet who will be teaching the classes. Your dad is doing a wonderful job.”
    Mak lifted his hands as if to ward off such a thought. He emitted a short laugh. “I’m a rancher, Russ, not a teacher. Anytime one of these ladies wants the job, I’m fine with it.”
    “I do want to discuss that.” He put his arm around Matilda. “Even if she is my sister, I can truthfully say this fine lady would work her fingers to the bone to help somebody else.”
    Matilda’s scoff of distress made him lean away from her, but the affectionate look in his eyes was evident. “But I know, too, she’d like to explore this island from the white sands to the black sands as soon as I can assure her I’m all right without her telling me what to do.”
    Matilda scoffed. “I took a five-month-long trip for this? That’s a brother for you. Wait till I tell you how he used to treat me.”
    “Now, Tildy,” he said. “You were the more spirited of us children. You don’t want me telling stories on you, do you?”
    She gave him a warning stare. “Let’s change the subject right now.”
    Rose spoke up. “Russell, you didn’t mention the green sand beaches.”
    “Green sand?” Matilda’s mouth remained open until she found words again. “Are you serious?”
    Before Rose could answer, Leia was nodding. “It’s really green sand. Grandmother and her friend took me there.”
    Mak said, “If we’re ever going to have our dinner, maybe we’d better get this tour over with.”
    “I believe our next room is the dining room,” Rose said. They followed her down the hallway, past the kitchen on the right, and entered the spacious dining room. Over the table hung a crystal chandelier, holding many candles.
    When Jane glanced down she noticed Mak looking at her. Did he suspect, or know, that Texas had electricity already?
    Along two walls, the sunlight shone through wide windows that offered a view of green lawn and lush foliage, a lovely contrast to the elegant dining room.
    Mak had her uncle Russell sit at one end of the long table while he sat at the other.
    “Sit across from me,” Rose said to Matilda, and they took their places at each side of Mak. Jane sat beside Matilda and Pilar next to Jane. Leia sat across from them, beside Rose.
    After her uncle asked the blessing on the food, a heavyset, gray-haired woman who looked to be maybe in her sixties, entered the room with a huge silver platter. “This is Coco,” Rose said. “She and her husband had a restaurant in Hilo for many years. Now, we’re fortunate to have her with us. She’s the best cook in all of Hawaii.”
    Coco seemed stiff and unfriendly. “Aloha,” she said in a monotone voice. “I’ve prepared a special dish for you. Broiled crocodile eyes on a bed of Ki leaves, smothered in coconut juice.”
    Jane didn’t know what the others were doing, but she opted to look at Leia, hoping a child’s expression might tell her this could not be dinner. Leia’s lips were pressed together and her little eyebrows lifted slightly and her widened eyes simply moved from one side to the other as if this were an everyday dinner