Jewel of the Pacific (31 page)

Inside Iolani Palace, the gentlemen waited in the reception hall to be received by Queen Liliuokalani. A few minutes later they were shown into the Blue Room where the Hawaiian queen sat with her skirts spread around her feet.

“Your Majesty,” Rafe said and lowered his head with respect.

Liliuokalani appeared pleased with him; her dark eyes softened perceptibly.

Rafe ignored the impatience in Hunnewell’s gaze. If Hunnewell expected him to be rude, he must reconsider. Liliuokalani was, after all, the queen of Hawaii. At one time Rafe had supported the monarchy as vigorously as he was now anxious for the Islands to become annexed by the United States. He did not trust men. He could see how in future generations the people and culture would go astray as mankind always did and the strategic location of the harbor becoming a greedy morsel for military usage. The change that Rafe went through from monarchist to annexation had been gradual. First he was overwhelmed with the unfairness of being unable to adopt Kip. If the babies and children born on Molokai were free of leprosy, they should be free citizens of the Islands—not kept behind fences as unadoptable. There was also the problem of having one person on the throne who ruled over all. This was the reason his family had left England in the early 1700s to sail to the American colonies.
Freedom!

“I remember stories of your great-grandfather, Daniel Easton,” she said to him pleasantly. “We learned about the early missionaries at royal school. He was one of the first, I believe, from—” She bounced her fingers on the arms of the chair thoughtfully. “New York. Long Island. That was it, wasn’t it?”

“I’m flattered you remember, Your Highness.”

“Most early missionaries came from Boston or Connecticut, so your great-grandfather stood out to me as unusual. He was a physician, was he not?”

“He was. He’s buried here, in fact, behind
Kawaiaha’o,”
he said of the historical church down the street from Iolani, where most of the kings and royal families attended worship.

Thaddeus cleared his throat. “Madame,” he interrupted, “we received your summons to meet with you.”

She turned a somewhat cold stare upon him, obviously not pleased by his too bold interruption.

“Be seated, gentlemen,” she stated. “I have a luncheon appointment this noon and unfortunately I am wanting time.”

“Just so,” Hunnewell said, clearing his voice again. “This shouldn’t take much time, Madame.”

Rafe did not sit, but believed he should leave the main discussion to the older men, despite his knowledge or ability or zeal for annexation. He stood to one side near a window that faced the street.

Liliuokalani was accompanied by several men who were her friends and personal advisors. These included Paul Neumann, attorney and a former cabinet member, and Samuel Nowlein, captain of the queen’s Royal Guard, and Joseph O. Carter, of Bishop and Co. Bank.

“Madame,” Hunnewell began, “I have a list of names the loyal Reform Party has circulated to the Legislature. Several would be beneficial to you as you choose qualified men to serve you and the Islands in your new cabinet.” He looked at Rafe, who opened his leather binder and removed the list he had created the night before in his hotel room.

Hunnewell handed her the folder including the list.

At first she did not accept the folder. Rafe glanced at her lap where her hand clenched under a partial fold of her sedate black dress. She was partially lame in one foot and wore dresses that covered the sight.

Trouble
, Rafe thought.
Hunnewell is making things worse with his arrogance. Hunnewell has no clue of how to work with her
.

Hunnewell kept holding the papers toward her, his mouth tightening.

Rafe’s eyes met those of Ainsworth Derrington, and could tell he was thinking the same thing. Always the most intellectual and dignified of the Annexation Club, he politely intervened. He behaved as though Liliuokalani could not reach the folder. So he slipped it from Hunnewell’s rigid hand and with a light bow passed the folder not to the queen but to her ally, the attorney, Neumann.

Neumann accepted the folder, exchanging a brief smile with Ainsworth. Ainsworth knew most of Liliuokalani’s allies and he had wealth to shine his self-placed halo.

“Madame,” said Ainsworth with quiet dignity, “we of the Reform Party would indeed beseech you to appoint at least one man from our party to your cabinet. When you have time to look at this list of some of the most qualified gentlemen in the Islands—all of them, Madame, second- and even third-generation Hawaiians, and proud to be so—you will find the names of men absolutely trustworthy when it comes to the good of the Islands.”

Liliuokalani’s round face and solemn dark eyes remained cool.

“Thank you, Mr. Derrington; however the men I will appoint as my cabinet officers will all be sworn to uphold the good of my people and of the Islands of our long and fortunate ancestry.”

Rafe saw Hunnewell’s broad shoulders stiffen.

“Unfortunately,” Liliuokalani continued, “I cannot think the same for all of those in the Legislature who plot to steal away my rightful throne in order to annex the Hawaiian Islands to a foreign government. Nor do I believe the American president and Congress will safeguard the scheme to do so.”

Hunnewell turned white. Rafe saw his hands go behind his back and knot tightly.

“Madame,” he said coldly, “if there is discontent among members of the Reform Party and among the haole Hawaiians it is due to the scheme of another making! I speak of the royal intention to overthrow the legal Constitution of 1887 and replace it with a new Constitution that undermines the freedom and security of families that helped build Hawaii into the country it is today!”

Liliuokalani leaned forward in her chair, hands on the armrests. Rafe expected the grand show of her dignified standing and walking out on them, but she did not. From behind them he heard the steady voice of Charles B. Wilson, the head of her security.

“Take it easy, boys,” he said. Rafe had seen him enter by a side door a minute earlier. He now stood gazing at Thaddeus P. Hunnewell. Hunnewell turned toward him matching scowl for scowl.

Ainsworth moved swiftly to tone down Hunnewell’s frustrated rhetoric.

“Madame, in all due respect, may I say that Mr. Hunnewell is correct in voicing his concerns? Certain individuals among us have heard that you intend to usher in a new Constitution to replace the 1887 laws—laws the High Court of the Islands have upheld since your brother, King Kalakaua signed the document.”

Liliuokalani’s expression remained inexorable, but Rafe sensed her rage. The pulse slammed at the side of her wide throat. Her fingers curled around the arms of her royal seat. Obviously she saw them as arrogant men trying to steal what was hers by birthright.

“Do you speak of the so-called Bayonet Constitution? In which my brother was all but held at rifle point while Mr. Thurston, Mr. Dole, and others held him hostage?”

“Madame! That dreadful story has been so exaggerated that it’s become little more than a fable to rile up the people!”

“I was there, Thaddeus,” Neumann spoke up. “The king had no choice but to agree to the demands of Thurston and Dole.”

“I was there also,” Ainsworth said, with steely gray eyes. “And I say there were no guns and no bullets. Just common sense. It was imperative for Hawaii’s good that we stop from sinking the Island into bankruptcy through the mismanagement of Walter Murray Gibson.”

Hunnewell turned on Ainsworth. “Better speak the true facts as they are, Ainsworth. You know them as well as I do. Recklessness, that’s what it was. Plain recklessness made possible by the king himself, and by that conniving thief he allowed to run his government—Gibson!” Hunnewell pulled a handkerchief from his front pocket, wiping his brow.

Well, Hunnewell’s done it
, Rafe thought.
He’s turned any possibility of working with her into hash by riling a proud woman. The man we need here is Ambrose
.

Nothing is ahead except conflict
, Rafe thought as he left Iolani Palace. The meeting with Liliuokalani was over. Little if anything had been accomplished except stirring up indignation in royalists and annexationists alike.

Ainsworth had left with Hunnewell, and Rafe walked across the street with Parker. They paused in front of Aliiolani Hale where the Judson family coach was due to arrive for Parker. Bernice had ridden in with her uncle and had the coachman take her to visit friends.

Rafe was returning to the Legislature for some business he wished to clear up, and later was to meet Ambrose at his bungalow, where Noelani wanted him to come for dinner.

“Well,” Parker Judson said, “I think Hunnewell crashed our boat into the rocks today.”

“Hawaii and the throne mean much to her. I don’t think she’ll yield her principles. Men with Hunnewell’s temperament only make matters worse. She left angry.”

“As did we.”

Just then, a horse and buggy came along King Street, slowing at a little building that bore the name, “The
Gazette
.”

Eden was the young woman driving the buggy. Wearing a pretty hat and a green dress with puffed sleeves she drew the buggy to a halt and climbed down.

Seeing her again turned up the flame of Rafe’s resentment, though he fought against his anger. So! Here again was the little darling tripping about Honolulu as free as a bird. Here was the woman who’d promised him she would always be devoted no matter what.

He narrowed his gaze. No matter what—unless a man is believed to be blind. Then she was quite willing to toss him away. She looked across the street and saw him. He could tell because she stared and then abruptly turned her head away.

Here was the young woman who had refused to give him new information on Kip because he wasn’t
spiritually mature
enough to handle the truth! Rafe’s heart thudded. He had half a mind to walk over and shake her. The misery and sleepless nights she had caused him in San Francisco—the
heartbreak!
Oh no, he wasn’t about to walk back into that relationship again. He told himself firmly
that
Rafe Easton was through with Miss Green Eyes. She could save all her waltzes for Oliver—

Until
, Rafe thought coolly,
I get Oliver booted out of Honolulu for working with enemies of any true Hawaiian. She won’t get Oliver. I’ll see to that
.

The Judson carriage was coming toward them. Rafe glanced at Eden, then at the carriage holding Miss Judson.

Rafe felt a surge of satisfaction. He decided to drag out his farewell a few minutes longer and use Bernice to hurt Eden. Too bad he couldn’t have taken Bernice to the queen’s dinner the night before. Then again, after gaining Eden’s cooperation to confirm who the secret visitor was to see the queen, maybe it was wiser that he hadn’t brought Bernice.

Eden saw a coach race down King Street and draw near to where Rafe and Parker Judson were standing.

The uniformed driver opened the coach door and Eden saw a woman’s lovely pale skirt. A trace of feminine lace showed above a stylish pair of dressy shoes that emerged from the coach to the stepping platform. Out in full view came Miss Bernice Judson, or “Bunny face,” as Eden when frustrated, thought of her. But there was nothing in Bernice’s appearance to mock, except her obvious conceit.

Bernice Judson stood in the sunlight like a princess who could wave the wand over Rafe’s shattered dreams and heal them. She was clothed as stylishly and expensively as though she were arriving on Nob Hill for a gala, socialite ball.

Rafe walked to the carriage talking to her and smiling, while Kip clasped her hand.

As if she’s his mother
, Eden thought. At least Kip looked as healthy and robust as ever.

Why, he’s deliberately showing more attention to Bernice than necessary. He’s goading me. Scoundrel!

His behavior only provoked her to act indifferently toward him, although indifference was the last emotion she felt churning within.

Rafe met her gaze evenly and then turned his fullest charm on Bernice.

Eden’s anger simmered.
Have it your way, Mr. Easton. If you can live without me—I can live without you. And Rebecca’s journal and the information on Kip will remain with me
.