Riverbreeze: Part 3 Read Online Free PDF Page B

length of violet taffeta, which was very beautiful, by the way.
    “What do you want to talk to me about?” Elizabeth asked as if she didn’t know. She had wondered when Evelyn was going to approach her about Robert’s earlier performance, and her own, to be truthful!
    “I wanted to ask you if you are alright.”
    “Of course I’m alright!” Elizabeth declared, but of course, Evelyn knew she was lying.
    “Be truthful, Bess.”
    “You’re right.” Elizabeth sighed, picking up a length of peach satin and stroking it idly. “I’m not alright.” Exasperated, she looked back up at her sister and in a loud whisper, burst out, “He is so unpredictable! And he says I surprise him!”
    “You surprised me when you sashayed up to him and taunted him that way! Why did you do that?”
    Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. “I was curious how he would react.”
    “Well, you certainly found out, as we all did! Are you happy now?” She asked, a distinct tone of disapproval in her voice. She stared at Elizabeth, the fabric forgotten in her hands.
    Elizabeth sighed again. “No, I’m not. I’m sorry you had to hear that; I didn’t want you to, but there is still something in me that wants to test him, to see what he’ll do if I act too spoiled.”
    “Well, please do it when you’re alone.” Evelyn said quietly.
    “I will.” Elizabeth said with a little smile.
    Evelyn smiled too, an impish smile. “Then let me know!”
    “Evelyn!”
    Evelyn’s face turned pink. “I’m sorry. This is between you and Robert.”
    “Thank you.” Elizabeth said pointedly.
    At that point they heard the Captain yelling at the first mate through the hatch. “Groot, the Bassett brothers are waiting for their wives! Where are they?”
    “They are looking at more fabric!” Groot yelled back.
    “Enough! They’ve gotten enough!”
    Elizabeth gasped and looked at Evelyn with wide eyes. That was Robert yelling. “We’re coming.” She said quickly, dropping the fabric like it was on fire and heading towards the ladder. Evelyn followed without hesitation.
    On the main deck, two couples were waiting to descend, the Kinsales and the Ellisons. The women chatted excitedly for a few minutes while the men groaned to themselves. Robert and Jamie had the same defeated look when the sailors carried everything up to the main deck, including the five extra ells of cambric for Abigail. The captain chuckled delightedly.
    At that point Elizabeth hated Van Dijk for laughing in Robert’s and Jamie’s faces and she tried to return the Delftware serving bowl she had chosen. She would have liked to return everything and teach that devil a lesson, but there was no denying that she and Evelyn did need new clothes.
    Surprisingly Robert wasn’t offended by the captain’s behavior, or he didn’t show it, and despite his earlier outburst, he wouldn’t let her return the bowl. Elizabeth tried to protest but Robert wouldn’t hear it. So in the end, Elizabeth left with enough material for a new skirt, a new bodice, three new chemises and three pairs of drawers, and a beautiful blue and white bowl, hand-painted with flowers and birds and curlicues.
    How could she remain angry at him?
    She couldn’t, but she still hadn’t forgotten those words that stuck in her brain: Later, my spoiled one.
    * * *
     
    For the rest of the afternoon, Elizabeth didn’t have much time to think about being spoiled or what Robert thought about spoiled women. There were men to watch and women to talk to and children and dogs to tend.
    They returned to shore to find the entire place swarming with people. While they had been on the ship many more colonists had arrived. The tent had been fully erected—it was a good size, big enough for twenty or so men—and a large fire had been built in front of the doorflap. Two big black pots had been set over the fire and the smell of venison stew, heavy on the onions, filled the air. A single shabbily-dressed black man tended to the pots while