Candles on the Beach — Cyn Hadyn

Edwina Webb is a 19th century New England woman with 21st century aspirations. She wants a career in shipping. Her father left her the business lock, stock and barrel and she's determined to defy all social mores and make a go of it. To do so, she ruthlessly tricks a clipper ship captain and owner into signing a contract with her as a full partner to engage in a reciprocal trade between the United States and Brazil. Alexandre Joao Marshall, captain and owner of the clipper ship, Scoundrel, has a few challenges of his own. He is of mixed race, Portuguese-Brazilian and Japanese, and he has his entire worldly possessions sunk into this reciprocal trade venture with Webb Shipping and Warehousing. Having a woman for a financial partner seems a very unlucky beginning as it will seriously hinder business in the male-dominated Brazilian shipping industry. After fighting racial prejudice, a bout of malaria and a duel with a cousin determined to destroy his business, Alex throws in his cards and washes his hands of his female partner and his dreams.



Mortally embarrassed that her single-minded pursuit of a career has ended Alex's, Edwina realizes she's failed not only in business but in life as well. Her hasty solution is to fake her own death to escape Alex's condemnation and start a more modest life where the Scoundrel's captain can't find her. When the ashes of their careers settle, Alex and Edwina realize they didn't want success in business as much as they wanted love and acceptance. In self-imposed exile, Edwina struggles to deny her love for Alex by concentrating on her new life while Alex follows the dictates of his Japanese ancestry and attempts seppuku to rectify his loss of face. Fortunately, the sea goddess Lemanja listens to the pleas of Edwina and Alex's loyal friends, who have lighted numerous candles on the beach in petition of her intercession, and grants the star-crossed couple one last chance to work out their differences face-to-face.