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brand new start on the tiny American territory. A
little research and Beau had learned he and
Georgie could marry there. No one thought to
outlaw miscegenation on the tropical islands.
Beau had agreed to train pilots for the Navy and
the Army. Both had bases there.
It seemed that although most of the
country was against it, the powers that be in
Washington knew that war with Germany and
their allies was inevitable. The government
wanted to be prepared. Beau would not be an
official member of the Armed Services, he was
merely acting as a contractor of sorts. He had
flown against the Germans. So, he had more than a
little knowledge about how they operated.
Searching the face of the woman who he
loved more than life, he knew he had made the
right decision. They could have gone to Canada,
but this way he could serve his country in some
small way while being able to marry the woman
he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
At first, the Pentagon had wanted to
send him to Mississippi, but there was no way in
hell he was going to subject Georgie to the
attitudes of the people there. It would be just like
Blakely, only thousands of times worse. Nothing
was more important to him than making things
right with Georgie, absolutely nothing. He had
been immoveable when the brass had tried to
pressure him, claiming he owed it to the nation to
help prepare young pilots for the coming battles.
Maybe he did; he had after all flown to help
another country fight. He had a certain
responsibility to his own country.
It was nothing compared to the
It was nothing compared to the
responsibility sitting around the kitchen table. He
owed each one of them much more than he owed
anything else. He would personally cheerfully
walk on hot coals to diminish the sadness in
Georgie s eyes. He would give all he owned to be
a real father to his son, to have that son carry his
name. It would happen. He d move heaven and
earth to make it so.
As Ida shuffled out of the kitchen, he
mentally made a list of the final things he needed
to accomplish before they could leave. First, he
had to find an appropriate home, one with lots of
space for more children should Georgie find it in
her heart to give him another chance. He had to
make sure he transferred plenty of assets into
Georgie s name. He had almost died once without
making sure she would be well taken care of. That
could not ever happen again.
Yes? Ida asked quietly as they sat on
the rockers on the porch.
Her voice sounded so tired and
deflated. He wished there was something he could
say to make it better, but he knew there was
nothing that would. As much as he missed his
father, he knew Ida missed him more. He wouldn t
be able to survive without Georgie; he considered
it a minor miracle Ida was able to breathe.
We are moving, he told her quietly.
He didn t want Georgie to know just yet. I am
taking Georgie and Little Beau to Hawaii. I want
you to come with us.
A single tear escaped the weary eyes as
she sadly shook her head.
You don t have to do that, she
insisted. My life is right here. I can t leave.
He knew she would say that. He also
knew he could not leave her here.
Please, Ida, he implored. We need
you. Georgie will need you. Then there is Little
Beau.
It was low to use the baby to twist her
arm, but he would do and say whatever he had to.
Ida sighed heavily, looking out over the
fields. He had her. He knew he did.
Does Georgie know what you re
planning? Ida finally sighed after several
minutes.
minutes.
I was hoping you could help me
convince her, he teased.
It was true, he would need her help.
There was no doubt he would have to resort to
using the baby as an argument to get her to agree,
just like he had with Ida. He wasn t above it. The
most important thing was getting her there. Then
maybe, hopefully, they could become a true
family.
Beau Cantwell Dupuis, you are a little
devil.
There was the Ida he knew and loved.
Her smile might be sad, but light had come back
into her eyes.
I can t deny it, he agreed. Now here
is what we are going to do.
Chapter Thirteen
Georgie chewed on her bottom lip, her
hands knotting a handkerchief in her hands. Ida
held Little Beau tightly as the private DC-3
descended back to earth. All in all, her first plane
ride hadn t been so bad. She had been scared as all
get out when she had boarded, but Beau had held
her hand throughout the long flight, talking to her
in low, soothing tones. She had no idea what he
had said, she suspected he wasn t saying anything
much at all, but his presence had soothed her.
Beau had changed since the death of his
father. There was something much more
determined, almost ruthless about him. She had
no idea what had happened in the big house after
the funeral, but when he had came back to the
house they had formerly shared as lovers, he
seemed to have banished the black cloud that had
surrounded him since his return from Europe.
And he watched her, watched her with an intensity
that secretly thrilled her as much as it frightened
that secretly thrilled her as much as it frightened
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