She picked up a lilac silk nightgown and held it to her cheek for a wistful moment. Not exactly camping attire. But what the heck. This was her honeymoon. She stuffed it in.
It was easy to see why Luc was so successful. In barely an hour, he had secured bags of food, all sorts of camping gear, two coolers and transportation. They found parking near the dock and unloaded. Hattie was stunned to see Luc walk toward a stylish, powerful speedboat.
He held out a hand. "Come aboard, my lady."
The vessel must have been wickedly expensive, even as a rental. Everything about it gleamed, from the hardwood deck to the shiny chrome trim. Luc stowed their supplies and tossed Hattie a yellow life jacket.
She wrinkled her nose. "Do I have to?"
He slid his arms into a navy one. "Captain's orders."
"How far are we going?"
"About seventy miles."
Her apprehension must have shown on her face, because he sobered. "It's perfectly safe, Hattie. Leo and I learned to pilot boats before we could drive cars. Grandfather's villa is on the shores of Lake Como, and as teenage boys, we spent all the time we could in and on the water. I'll take care of you, I promise."
He was as good as his word, and in his competent hands, the sleek craft ate up the miles effortlessly. Hattie had donned her baseball cap back at the dock, and she was glad, because the wind whipped and slapped them in joyous abandon.
At times, dolphins leaped beside the boat, gamboling playfully, their beautiful skin glistening in the sun. Hattie laughed in delight and sat back finally, her eyes closed, her face tilted toward the sun. If she and Luc could keep going forever into the next sunset, life would be perfect.
Or almost. She couldn't bear the thought of giving up her niece. Deedee wasn't a burden. The baby was a joy.
Hattie shook off reality with a deliberate toss of her head. She took advantage of Luc's concentration to watch him unobserved. He controlled the boat with a relaxed stance that gave testament to his comfort being on the water. When several dark shapes began growing ahead of them, she scooted up beside him. "Is that it?"
He gave her a sideways grin. "Yep. We're in Dry Tortugas National Park."
"Never heard of it."
"Well it's only been a national park since 1992, so that's not so surprising."
"Why the name?"
"Tortugas because they look like a group of turtles, and Dry because there's no fresh water on any of them."
As they neared their destination, she stared, incredulous. She and Luc were miles from civilization, literally in the middle of nowhere. Yet perched on a handkerchief-size piece of land sat a sturdy brick fort, its hexagonal walls enclosing a large grassy area, and its perimeter surrounded by a water-filled moat. Even at a distance, the evidence of crumbling decay was visible.
Luc waved a hand as he throttled back the engine. "Fort Jefferson."
Hattie leaned her hands on the railing and absorbed it all. "I can't believe this."
"You know the expression 'Your name is mud'?"
She nodded as Luc tied up to the dock. "Of course."
"Some people attribute that remark to Dr. Samuel Mudd who was incarcerated here in the 1860s."
"What did he do that was so terrible?"
"He had the misfortune to set the broken leg of John Wilkes Booth after Booth assassinated President Lincoln."
"Wow."
"Exactly. Mudd was convicted of treason and sent here to serve a life sentence."
Hattie shuddered. Knowing there was no possibility of escape must have been mentally anguishing. "How dreadful."
"The story does have a bit of a happy ending," Luc said. "As you can imagine, disease was rampant in the fort. Dysentery, malaria, smallpox … and, at one time, a terrible outbreak of yellow fever. It was so bad, the entire medical staff died."
"And that's where Dr. Mudd comes to the rescue?"
"Right. Even knowing as he did that the disease was a killer, he stepped in and began caring for the soldiers, saving dozens of lives. For his heroism, he ultimately received a full pardon and was allowed to return home."
Hattie pondered the sad story. She wasn't a superstitious person, but the island, beautiful though it was, carried an aura of past suffering. Dr. Mudd had earned a second chance. Would Hattie and Luc be as lucky?
Luc had arranged for one of the park ranger's sons to unload all their supplies and set up camp. Luc lent a hand, but even so, it took several loads to carry everything to the designated camping area, a small sandy strip of land lightly dotted with grass and shrubs. At the far end, a young family with two kids had already erected a red-and-white tent.
Luc handled the minimal paperwork with the ranger on duty and then turned to Hattie. "You ready for a swim?"
Disappointment colored her words. "I thought we were going to explore the fort."
He held up his hands and laughed. "Okay. Fine. Maybe it will be a little cooler in there."
They grabbed cameras and water bottles and headed out. The empty silent rooms in the fort almost reeked of despair. The thick walls blocked out some of the afternoon heat, but at the same time contributed to the oppressive dungeonlike atmosphere. There were no furnishings. The stark, barren chambers seemed to echo with the voices of long-ago inmates.
After wandering through several sections of the fort, Luc pointed out the entrance to Dr. Mudd's cell. Hattie read aloud the inscription over the arch. "Whoso entereth here leaveth all hopes behind." She shuddered. "Gruesome. But it sounds familiar."
Luc nodded. "It's from Dante's Inferno."
"I need to see the sky," she muttered. She stepped back out into the sunshine, noting again the way the bricks were slowly disintegrating as time took its toll. "Can we climb the lighthouse?"
Luc took her arm. "It's about a thousand degrees today. The lighthouse is inactive. And I need a swim."
"Wimp," she teased. But she allowed herself to be persuaded. Back at the tent, there was an awkward moment.
Luc avoided her gaze. "Not much room in there," he said gruffly. "You go first."
It didn't take her long. Later, while she waited for Luc to change, she shaded her eyes and watched the numerous boats anchored offshore. Divers were taking advantage of the opportunity to explore the reef and other items of interest on the ocean floor.
When Luc emerged from the tent, she swallowed. He was wearing black nylon racing trunks that left little to the imagination. She smiled weakly, her temples perspiring, as he tossed her a towel.
Luc slung an arm around her shoulders, his own towel around his neck. "Let's go."
The water felt blissfully cool. Hattie paddled happily in the shallow water near the fort, finding it a lot easier than her first experience, since she could occasionally stand up. Some of the boaters were snorkeling as well, but they stayed mostly to the back of the fort.
She noticed that the family with the two children was also taking advantage of an afternoon swim. It suddenly occurred to her to wonder how far sound carried on the night air. Her breathing hitched, and she shivered despite the blazing sun. Anticipation and anxiety mingled in her stomach, making her feel slightly faint. If she got in over her head tonight, she'd have no one to blame but herself.
Luc had been swimming in deeper water, but he reappeared suddenly by her side, tugging off his mask and running a hand through his hair, flinging drops of water everywhere.
He smiled lazily. "Having fun?"
She nodded. "It's amazing."
He glanced at his high tech waterproof watch. "I thought I'd go on back and set up the grill, get the fire started. Will you be okay?"
She motioned him away. "By all means. I'm working up an appetite."
Without warning, he lifted her against his wet chest, her feet dangling in the water. His head lowered. "So am I, Hattie. So am I."
His mouth found hers, and the raw sensuality of his kiss made her dizzy. She closed her eyes, her other senses intensifying. He tasted salty, with a hint of coconut from the sunscreen he'd used. She pulled his lower lip between her teeth and bit gently.
His entire body quaked. He released her slowly, allowing her to slide the length of his virtually nude form. By the time her feet touched the sandy bottom once again, she could barely stand.