“People may get the wrong idea.”
“People will understand that we are courting. Isn’t that what ye had proposed?”
“No. I proposed people should be made aware that we had decided. Against.”
“Now they will see us decide.”
“I do not like it.”
He nodded. “Ye were right, we cannot claim old friendship or even to know each other, since so much time has passed.”
He was not wrong. She was stuck here for twelve days. It wasn’t possible to avoid him the entire time. And her parents were more likely to believe her judgment of the unsuitability of the match if they thought she’d given it a valiant effort.
“It’s the grain ye’ve got to see before ye decide what to do with the wood, girl.” Grandpa’s voice whispered.
She wanted to stamp her foot in protest. “I accept.”
“What shall we do first?”
“I fear I’ve missed my carving time. I must tend to my gifts.” She’d all but finished the doll for her mother. She still had to finish the Noah figure for the Ark set for the Brent twins.
“Might I accompany ye to barn?”
No, I’d really like to have two minutes alone to contemplate what I’ve done. She rounded on him and stopped the terrific set-down before it slipped out of her mouth. “If ye like.”
“After ye.” He waved her forward. “We always give our presents on the seventh day.”
“New Year’s Day. We do, too.”
~*~
“We always give our presents on the seventh day.” It wasn’t much, but it was conversation. And he wasn’t ready to let her disappear into the barn, leaving him to participate in whatever events his mother and sister had planned for their guests.
“I have a couple of things to give tomorrow that I must finish,” she said.
“We can sit together for services this morning.”
She nodded her agreement.
“There ye are!” Griff beamed at Ann. After a short pause he glanced at Reed. “Yer mama sent me with a warning. She and whoever else, is leaving for services.”
Ann flew a hand to her hair to check its state.
Griff bowed.
At least if she were in the barn carving she would be away from Griffen.
“There ye are.” His mother accosted Reed at the foot of the stairs. “We leave for church in fifteen minutes.”
Reed shrugged. Ann grinned and his heart lifted.
Guests travelled in family groups to the church. From his rear-facing seat Reed lost track of Ann.
“And here I thought ye’d be at a loss over Betsy’s marriage to the vicar.” Ruby teased.
“Betsy?” Reed pulled himself into the present.
“Were ye not set to marry Betsy in the spring right before ye were forced to leave?”
“Nothing was ever set,” his mother intervened. She cast an eye to Reed, and he understood that he was not the only one to be relieved at the change in the circumstances that led him away from Betsy Carson.
The small brick church still stood where he’d last seen it. The doors open. Neighbors milled about the lawn. A yearning in his heart pulled him toward the sanctuary. How had he missed Him all those years? Reed breathed deep. It didn’t matter anymore. He was home.
He felt her come along his right side before she spoke. “Reed, I think we should talk.”
Reed kept his focus on the door. “Ye are a married woman, Betsy.”
“Precisely why I think we should talk.”
Ruby took his left elbow. To his relief, Betsy peeled off to take the Vicar’s arm.
“It hasn’t changed a bit since ye left, has it big brother?”
“Ye have no idea.”
His surroundings hadn’t changed, he had. And the sooner the people filling his world understood that, the more comfortable they’d all be.
A smiling Griff greeted him at the family pew. Ann peered at him from the other side of his cousin before turning toward the altar. Griff slid closer to Ann to make room for Reed. Reed glared at his cousin. Griff grinned. It was neither the time nor the place. Reed forced his gaze toward the pulpit, but he couldn’t force his ears.
