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Throughout the ceremony, Evelina kept glancing back at the doors whenever they opened, hopeful that it would be Ryan. However, each time it wasn’t, her heart broke a little piece at a time. Had he not promised he’d come? She scolded herself for feeling so heartbroken. There was no future with Ryan. No church wedding for her. No happy ever after. With Ryan Colby or any other man.
The organ started up and she glanced back to watch a beaming Victoria walk down the aisle on the arm of their father. Love spewed from her eyes as her gaze locked with her future husband waiting at the altar. For the umpteenth time, she felt a wave of jealousy for one of her siblings. They seemed to have it all. Beauty, personality, and poise. Evelina, on the other hand, was robbed of her confidence and instead was forced to live a life in the shadows. Rather than celebrating a wedding of her own someday, she could look forward to a lifetime of loneliness.
* * *
A week later. Evelina took a stroll down to the harbor. Her family’s home was closest to the northern point of the waterfront and where the Lady Evelina sat docked. It was also where the pier sat at the low end of an embankment. She bypassed a small flight of wooden steps and followed the embankment down a slope until it became parallel to the docks. There she stepped onto the boardwalk and strolled down the wooden planks observing all the boats floating in port.
It had been years since she had been able to do this. Never in a million years did she ever think she would come down to the docks alone again. Or ever for that matter. It had been far easier for her to hide away in her parents’ home away from disparaging glances or harsh tongues. The outside world was a dangerous place and Evelina felt a false sense of security hiding away from the universe. She didn’t have the strength or willpower to fight against such a cruel and unrelenting force.
However, after having met Ryan, she felt a growing confidence in her that she could only attribute to him. He did not look at her as if she was a monster or a mutant. Though she conceded he did not know the real Evelina, he did see something promising in her that was hard to resist. If anything, it gave her the nerve to try to crawl out of her shell.
With a start, she discovered her musings had caused her to wander further down the boardwalk then she intended. She came to a halt when she found herself standing before the Lady Evelina as it sat neglected at her dock. The sight of the deserted schooner brought her downcast spirits even lower. Already feeling wretched at Ryan’s no-show, the small schooner was only another reminder he was never coming back. The fact that it sat tied up and abandoned at her docking post mirrored how Evelina felt after Ryan’s desertion. Never before had her emotions felt so raw.
Unexpectedly, someone emerged from the cabin below to stand at the stern of the boat causing Evelina to falter. Then catch her breath. It was Ryan.
At first, she didn’t think it was him. That she was seeing things, letting her mind develop hallucinations like a mirage. But it was him.
Joy filled her insides, overwhelmed by the sight of Ryan after so long. Then just as swiftly, anger flared in her belly smothering that feeling of elation. What was he doing here? And more importantly, what was he doing on the Lady Evelina?
“I should have known you wouldn’t have given up Pappa’s boat so easily.”
His chin snapped up, startled at seeing her and from the words that followed, seeing her down at the docks in general. “What are you doing here?”
“Taking a walk.”
His gaze lifted over her head and scanned the boardwalk. “Who are you with?”
She ignored his question. ?
??I could ask you the same question. What are you doing here? You weren’t on the Francesca.”
He paused and met her eyes.
“I came on horseback.”
“Well, you’re too late. You missed Victoria’s wedding.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I hurried as fast as I could.”
“You promised you’d come.”
“I said I would try.” He corrected. “And I had every intention of being there.”
“Something more important came up?”
“Yes, actually. Erika and Jay had a baby.”
“Oh.” Feeling contrite, she asked, “I’m sorry, I had no idea.”
“Neither did I.”
“I trust all went well?”
“Yes, mother and baby are doing well. Dad’s over the moon. They delivered a great big boy. Takes after his dad but has his mother’s coloring.”
“That’s wonderful. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
