Etta slipped in the back door off the old service porch of their big Antebellum home at Hilton Head, hoping to clean up from her swim at the beach before her mother spotted her. She’d just slipped out of her flip-flops, propped her surfboard against the wall, and was toweling her hair, when she heard the door to the house open.

“Hi, Mother,” she called out.

Her mother crossed her arms, obviously angry. “I hope you realize Ettarae Catherine Baynard that we’ve been looking for you for the last several hours. This was no time to head down to the beach for a swim when you know we are heading to Charleston to your Grandmother Baynard’s for the weekend. In case you have forgotten, you have a Debutante Ball to attend tonight.”

“It’s not even noon and the waves were high this morning after that big storm last night.” Etta hung her towel on a peg on the wall. “You said we weren’t leaving until after lunch.”

“But look at you, covered in salt and sand, your hair a mess.” She shook her head. “I’m still upset at you, too, for chopping off your hair, knowing this ball was scheduled. My hairdresser had to trim and shape your hair to make it look decent for the ball tonight. She said she could pull it back. style it in a small bun and tuck a pearl comb in it to make it look stylish. As you might have forgotten, you are due there shortly for her to do exactly that.”

Etta made a face. “Teresa will make my hair look pretty, Mother. Don’t worry, and you know the requisite long white dress, elbow length gloves, and shoes are all laid out and ready to go. I mean, it’s just a fancy dance party.”

“You know it’s much more than that. It is a coveted honor to attend the St. Ceceilia Society Ball at the Hibernian Hall in Charleston. It is an exclusive debutante event to introduce young women into society, and I am deeply disappointed you don’t see it as the honor it is to be invited. Your Grandmother Baynard has worked hard to see that you were invited and she is sponsoring you. It would deeply distress her and your father if you don’t conduct yourself there as you should.”

“I will mother. I’ve gone to all the preliminary classes in Charleston to prepare. I’ve been coached in how to walk in correctly on my father’s arm to be presented, how to curtsey property, how to sit down and stand up, how to act and dance at every point as a proper St. Cecelia debutante should.” She lifted her chin. “I won’t embarrass you, but let’s not pretend we don’t all know this ball is about introducing me to wealthy, suitable young men from equally wealthy, suitable backgrounds for an appropriate marriage. I feel like a piece of prime cattle being auctioned off.”

Her mother gasped. “Ettarae, the ball is to introduce you into polite society not to auction you off for marriage.”

Etta put aa hand on her hip. “You’ve certainly been passing off enough hints about the suitability of James Daniels who is my escort for the ball, quoting all sorts of facts about his family’s background, his opportunities in his family’s business.”

“He’s a very nice-looking and well-mannered young man. Your father and I have been very impressed with him the times he came by to visit. Jeoffrey Hogue, who lives here on Hilton Head will be at the ball, too, escorting your cousin Rachel Sue. We all like Jeoffrey, too, and I can tell he is interested in you as well. I wish you wouldn’t put him off so often.”

“I’m enjoying my college studies in Beaufort at the University branch there. I’ve only been out of high school a little over a year. Schooling is important, too, don’t you think?”

“It is.” She sighed. “Let’s not argue more. You need to go get a shower, and eat a little lunch so we can head to your grandmother’s. Your father will be here soon. He’s taking off from work to go with us to your grandmother’s, presenting you tonight, too. Please try to be sweet and kind to everyone and to act in a way to bring honor to your grandmother and to us, Etta. And please try to think of this as a lovely occasion and a beautiful honor. I think one day you will look back and see it as that.”

Impulsively Etta hugged her mother. “I’ll behave beautifully, Mother. I love Grandmother Baynard, too. I wouldn’t want to embarrass her with all her friends. And I know this means a lot to her.”

“Thank you, Ettarae.” Her mother stood back and surveyed her. “You’re a very beautiful young woman, despite all your tomboy ways and unconventional ideas. But you are very smart, a gifted girl. I want you to know we are proud of you. You’re our only daughter and our only girl. After having your brothers, Vincent and Chandler, I was very delighted to have a little girl at last when you were born.”

“Well, let me go and get dressed.” Etta smiled at her mother.

As she headed upstairs, she thought of the many ways she knew her mother had been a little disappointed she wasn’t more of a girly girl over the years, but more a tomboy, chasing around after her two older brothers, surfing, kayaking, and swimming at the beach near their home at Hilton Head, South Carolina, excelling in sports and the debate team at school. Despite all their talk to the contrary, she knew, too, her family was husband-hunting for her, just as they’d wife-hunted for her brothers, and she felt those expectations heavy on her heart.

Later in the evening, in a long white dress, elbow-length white gloves, and white shoes, her dark hair streaked with sun neatly arranged behind her neck, she walked in to the Hiberian Hall’s assembly room on the arm of her father to be presented to Charleston society. Her father and all the men were dressed in formal tuxedos, the women dressed to the nines in rich formal evening gowns. Twelve girls were being presented at the St. Cecelia Ball tonight, presented either by their mothers or grandmothers, most being escorted in on the arm of their own father.

After being presented, Eleanor was passed off onto the arm of her escort for the evening to parade around the room in a proper way, with all the guests watching and probably inwardly judging her. Eleanor kept her social smile in place and, at the end of her parade around the room, offered another curtsy before taking her place in a designated line to see the other girls make their way around the room. The name of the promenade around the room was called “the figure” and most of the girls here tonight were about eighteen years old in age.

Her escort James Daniels was a congenial young man, if a little stuffy. He seemed to enjoy all this heraldry and actually, she had noticed in their presentation classes that he was attracted to her cousin Rachel Sue Harrington. They both lived in Charleston, and she felt sure James would find a way to have a dance with Rachel Sue after their lavish formal dinner and probably call on her later, too. Joeffrey Hogue was here, too. He had family in Charleston, like she did, and he had been asked to escort her cousin Rachel Sue.

At dinner, she was seated with Joeffrey to one side of her, another escort on the other side. Etta had noticed him when he came in. He felt different from the other boys in many ways, looked older, confident and sure of himself in a way not the norm for the younger boys. As his arm brushed against hers, she felt a little shiver of awareness, too.

Catching her eye, he smiled at her then. “I thought I should introduce myself,” he said. “I’m Lloyd Deveaux.”

“I’m Ettarae Baynard,” she replied, not recognizing his name from the list of escorts of the evening and searching her memory for any Deveauxs she knew.

Seeming to sense her thoughts, he said, “I’m a substitute escort tonight. A Naval friend of mine scheduled to be an escort, Alden Tyree, slipped on a rainy sidewalk yesterday and broke his leg.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I liked Alden at our presentation classes. He had a sense of humor and made our classes more fun and less stuffy.”

“That sounds like Alden, and if you’re trying to place my family, you might say we’re on the outskirts of good society. The Deveauxs link back through marriage to the Townsends and other families who were early land-owners on Edisto Island.”

She smiled. “I seem to recall the Townsends owned several plantations and owned all the land where Seabrook Plantation is now and used it for hunting grounds.”

He grinned. “You know your history.”

“I love history. It’s my major at college.”

Etta answered his questions about her studies for a moment, and then asked, “You said Alden was a Naval friend. Were you in the Navy also?”

“I was. A Citadel graduate like Alden and I just came off active duty as an officer.” He smiled. “I’m probably a little older than most of the young men here tonight acting as escorts.”

Etta tallied up the years in her mind, realizing Lloyd Deveaux at least ten years her senior. No wonder he seemed so much older and more confident with himself.

As polite social behavior required, she shifted her attention to talk to her own escort on her right and to those across from her for a few moments, while eating her dinner in-between. She noticed Lloyd doing the same, hearing his warm laughter bubble out at one time. When she could, without drawing attention to herself, she turned to him again.

“What are you doing now that you’ve retired from the Navy, Lloyd?”

He chuckled and then leaned closer to her. “I am a Lighthouse Keeper, not the sort of answer that draws ooohs and aaahs here, but the Deveaux family have kept the light at the Deveaux Lighthouse since the 1800s and now the family also run the Deveaux Inn that welcomes visitors from all over the United States and abroad. It is a somewhat unconventional life but one I love. The sea is in my blood and working in and near it is richly satisfying. Our family is proud we’ve kept our land and continue to keep the light and to welcome tourists to our island home to visit and learn about the history of our past and of the lighthouse.”

Etta leaned toward him, putting a hand to her chest. “I kept thinking your name sounded familiar. I know that lighthouse and island. My brothers and I have boated there in past, took the tour of the lighthouse. It was fascinating. The entire light station the lighthouse is situated on is large, too, if I recall.”

“The island is 500 acres, and I’m glad you enjoyed your trip there.”

As their dinner ended and everyone began to move toward the ballroom where the dancing would be held, Lloyd Deveaux leaned toward her, a little too close actually, to say, “I hope I can have a dance or two with you Miss Ettarae Baynard. You have been by far the most captivating woman I have met this evening. I’m aware it is unsuitable of me to say that, so you must feel free to snub me if the feelings are not returned.”

Etta’s eyes flew wide and she felt her heart skip a beat as he gave a little bow over her hand, as if they were only exchanging the normal polite greetings expected.

With a little boldness, she said softly, “I shall look forward to that of all things Mr. Deveaux.”

“I will seek you out for the second dance then. Keep your dance card open,” he teased, and then he turned away to head toward the hall where the dancing would soon begin.

“Who was that man you were talking with so much?” her mother asked, moving to walk with her to the ladies room before they went on to the dance hall.

“Just one of the escorts.” She shrugged, not wanting her mother to censure any of the following moments she might have with Lloyd Deveaux.

Of course, he danced like a dream, smooth, confident, and the little feelings that had tickled her consciousness at dinner swept through her even more deeply as they danced the second dance and two others he could arrange without overly drawing notice to his attentions. Every moment with him was a thrill she found it impossible to deny. Etta, tomboyish and independent all these years, felt overwhelmed with feelings quite new to her. Was this the romance she’d read about in books but never experienced?

As everyone moved to the foyer for coffee and some final polite conversation and goodbyes before leaving, Lloyd came to bow to her. With no one nearby, he said softly, taking her gloved hand, “You have been the delight of my evening. If you would wish to further our acquaintance, I will take you to dinner this week after your classes at the college this Tuesday evening. You mentioned the class ended at about four-thirty. Come down to the waterfront on Front Street after and we will eat at Clawson’s Restaurant, a favorite of mine there. I’ll meet you at one of the benches across the street from the restaurant on the waterfront.” He paused. “Do you know that spot?”

She nodded a yes. Seeing others moving their way, Lloyd tucked a slip of paper into her glove. Later, when she could peek at it privately she found a phone number scribbled on it.

Of course, Etta didn’t have to go to meet Lloyd Deveaux but she did. Not once but many times and their relationship grew quickly into a delightful one. They talked and walked together along the waterfront, went to movies at the Breeze Theatre, ate at Clawson’s or other spots Lloyd knew about. He usually boated in and parked his boat at the marina nearby. But they had her car if they wanted to venture further away.

As they grew serious, Lloyd took her to the island to meet his family at the Lighthouse Inn where they lived. Lloyd came to meet her family at Hilton Head, too. Things did not go well at either visit.

“How long have you been seeing that man?” her mother asked immediately after he left. My friend Marguerite said she saw you with a man one evening in Beaufort at the Clawson Restaurant. I didn’t pry but was that Lloyd?”

“Yes.” Etta saw no point in denying it. “I ran into Lloyd on the waterfront after class one evening, and we went to dinner together. I’d enjoyed his company at the ball. I admit we began to see each other more after that.”

A week later, both her parents cornered her after dinner. Her father said, “Etta, your mother and I feel you should not see Lloyd Deveaux any more. Your mother says you’re attracted to him, but Etta, he is not of our world. He works with his parents running an inn and lighthouse on an island at the north end of Edisto Island. An island, Etta. When they want to go anywhere they have to get in a boat. They welcome people of all sorts to their inn. Mrs. Deveaux cooks and cleans and intermingles with all these people. Mr. Deveaux and Lloyd, too, now that he is home from the Navy, do menial work on that island. They give tours to the general public. All sorts of riff raff come there and the family interacts with them. They entertain them. Etta, this is not your world.”

Her mother jumped in then. “You’ve been raised in a different life. What part could you play with a family like that if you allowed yourself to get more serious about this man? You’ve never even held a part-time job.”

“Not for not asking to do so,” Etta countered. “I got offers but you would never let me take any of them.”

“Our point of discussion is not about that, Etta,” her father interrupted. “We don’t like to interfere in your life. But we don’t want you continuing a relationship with Lloyd Deveaux. You may find Lloyd appealing, but I don’t think you understand what would be expected of you if you considered marrying into his family.  They are not people of our social class.”

“You’re being snobby in how you talk.” Etta stomped her foot. “The Deveaux family are well-educated people of an excellent background; they are not poor. They own a 500-acre island, run a major business with a historic lighthouse, a beautiful, prestigious inn with its own marina, lodge, rental cottages, walking and biking trails, and a lovely beach front. They have staff for much of the work at their business operations. They are good, honorable people.”

Etta’s mother sat up straighter in her chair. “You’re being stubborn about this Etta, but your father and I are in agreement that this relationship not be continued.”

“You don’t even know the Deveaux family,” she began to argue again.

“Actually, we do know them,” her father said. “We went to see them when we learned you and Lloyd had started an attraction. It might not please you to hear this but Mr. and Mrs. Deveaux are not pleased with the attraction between you and Lloyd either. He is their only son, and they feel Lloyd needs to align with a strong woman who can work side by side with Lloyd to run the inn and lighthouse.”

Her mother continued. “Mrs. Deveaux admitted it is a lot of work keeping everything running smoothly, managing the inn and the staff. She and Mr. Deveaux are getting older. The lighthouse and inn have been in the family for generations. They are thrilled that Lloyd has retired and come home to take his place with their business and legacy. They do not feel you are a suitable wife for him, not used to a working lifestyle and raised to fulfill a different role.”

Etta, shocked, started to cry. “You went to see them without even asking me? That was wrong of you.”

“No,” her father stated. “The Deveauxs were equally concerned. The alliance is not one they feel is right for Lloyd. Both families agree that your friendship shouldn’t proceed any further. As Mr. Deveaux also noted, Lloyd is also over ten years older than you.”

Her mother said, “The Deveauxs are speaking to Lloyd about this, too.”

Etta, hurt, wanted to scream. How could they all try to decide what was right for Lloyd and her?

Her father cleared his throat. “I know you have plans to see Lloyd this week. So talk to him. Make it clear that you need to step away from the relationship.”

Her mother patted her arm. “I imagine his family have similarly advised him. I know you’ve grown fond of each other but some things are not meant to be.”

Etta sat crying, not even knowing what to say.

As her father left the room, her mother leaned forward. “That handsome Joeffrey Hogue came by this week to supposedly deliver some club literature from his mother but I know it was on pretext to see you. Joeffrey is in line to proceed his father in their business, and you know they own property all over Hilton Head. They’re in our social set, too. His mother Loretta hinted to me earlier this week that Joeffrey has been thinking it’s time to settle down, too.”

Etta couldn’t believe her mother thought relationships were just something you tried on and took off like shoes. Did she not see, too, that Joeffrey was narrow in his interests, boring in conversation, and borderline narcissistic? And obviously they could not see all that was good and fine in Lloyd and who knew what Lloyd or his family felt after her parents went to see them. How totally humiliating.

Tuesday, after classes, Etta wondered if Lloyd would even come to meet with her again. But she spotted him soon, sitting on a bench by the waterfront, looking out toward the boats on the Beaufort River.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d come,” she said, walking over to sit beside him. He wore cargo shorts today and an old khaki green shirt.

He smiled at her. “I wasn’t sure if you’d come either.” He glanced over her jeans and at the long-sleeved gray shirt she wore.

“I was too depressed to get dressed up and I cut class this afternoon.”

He stood, reaching out to take her hand. “Let’s go for a ride in my boat, find a quiet place where we can talk. Clear our heads on the way.”

They walked down to the marina, climbed into Lloyd’s Sea Ray and soon headed down the Beaufort River, pulling his boat up to a little deserted beach near The Sands below Port Royal.

“Let’s take a walk,” he said, taking her hand to help her out of the boat.

They walked quietly along the beach by the shoreline for a time, the wind blowing in from the water, the waves washing in and out on the sand.

Finally, he turned to her and took her hands. “I know our parents have had a lot to say about our lives and have decided we wouldn’t suit.”

Etta bit her lip trying not to cry.

“However, they’ve overlooked one important fact. I love you Ettarae Catherine Baynard. I don’t care if you’re a President’s daughter or a poor carpenter’s kid. I knew somehow the moment I saw you at that Debutante Ball that you were the one for me. I haven’t loved a lot of women but I know I love you.”

“But your parents think …” she began.

“My parents don’t know you like I do,” he interrupted. “I think you could learn anything you wanted to learn, do anything you wanted to do, that you are tougher and stronger and smarter than most people know. Helping me to run a lighthouse and inn would be a piece of cake for you, regardless of what anyone says. I’m not a high society man, Etta. I don’t care much for that more flamboyant life although our family has the money to live it if we wanted. But we’re cut out of a different cloth. We like to work, to make a difference in the world. We love our home, the lighthouse, caring for it and for the people who come to see and enjoy it.”

He paused, turning to take both her hands. “If you can see your heart aligned with a life like that and a man like me, I would count it an honor and a blessing if you would marry me and live your life with me.”

“Wouldn’t your family be upset to have me come to live with you all?”

“What do they know?” He grinned at her again. “You can just prove them wrong about any preconceptions they have. They’ll soon see that you’ll make a great Lighthouse Keeper’s wife and they’ll come to love you like I do.”

“Do you really think so?” she asked, wanting to believe him. “They said I was used to society, coming from so much glitter.” She sighed. “But they don’t know I’ve always hated all that pompousness, those boring society parties, the gossip, the overemphasis on clothes and material possessions and who you know. I escaped to the outdoors whenever possible, was a tomboy my parents despaired of for years. I’ve always wanted a life of meaning and purpose, something real and solid.”

“I’ve seen that side of you and I love you for that and for all that you are, Etta.” He squeezed her hands. “I think, in life—when we only get one life—we should all decide on our own way and pursue it with all our hearts.”

She studied him, thinking.

“If you need time to think about this, you can. But I want us to get married soon, whether we run off together to do it or go see the rector at our church at Edisto to marry us.”

She giggled then. “I could avoid the big society wedding I’ve been dreading that way.”

“We’ll make sure that doesn’t happen, Etta.”

She took a deep breath. “Then I say yes, Lloyd. I say yes. And I’ll count on you to help me learn how to be a good Lighthouse Keeper’s wife.”

He picked her up and whirled her around. “We’re going to have a great life, Etta. And if we have girls, I hope they are all as beautiful, smart, and spunky as you.”

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Follow-Up: To learn if Lloyd Deveaux and Etta did have daughters like that, you may enjoy reading the four novels in The Lighthouse Sisters Series you see pictured below….LIGHT THE WAY, LIGHTEN MY HEART, LIGHT IN THE DARK, and THE LIGHT CONTINUES.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: All photos my own, from royalty free sites, or used only as a part of my author repurposed storyboards shown only for educational and illustrative purposes, acc to the Fair Use Copyright law, Section 107 of the Copyright Act.