His heart paused. Sunlight paled. He remained while she exited the room.
“Reed?” His mother’s light touch woke him to anger.
“What is it, Mama?” he snapped.
She took a step back.
Anger deflated at her recoil. “I will not hurt ye, Mama. Not ever.”
“I know that.” She brought nervous fingers clutching a kerchief to her heart and continued. “I came to ask ye what ye got up to last night.” She swiped with the handkerchief. “Ye might as well tell me the whole thing—including who was hurt. We will have to take care of any damage, of course—” Her assertiveness drifted as her hand dropped. “Clementine said—”
Anger surged. “Oh? Just what did Aunt Clementine say?”
She retreated nearer to the doorway.
“Mama.” He swung away from her. Lord, his spirit called before he could form the words. Would it ever be over? Would he have to leave his hearth and home? Resolution eased into his soul, and he knew what he had to do. “Please sit down. May I get ye some tea?”
Trembling she took the edge of a chair near the door.
“I meant what I said.” He placed a cup before her. “I will never lay a finger on ye or Ruby in anger.”
Wide-eyed and pale she took him in.
“I cannot help being angry at this moment, but it is not at ye.”
“Clementine—” she began.
He raised a hand to silence her. “Whatever Aunt Clementine said was surely brought on by my own conduct in times past. Yes, I was angry about that for a moment, but what could she have said about me that wasn’t true?”
Tears filled his mother’s eyes.
“Don’t cry, Mama. Aunt Clementine and I will be fine. And what ye heard last night was fireworks in an empty field. Nothing more.”
The tears left. “Nothing more?”
“Nothing. No one was hurt. Except for the disturbance of sleep. They were loud.”
“Oh, Reed.” Her eyes cleared and so did her understanding. “That was Ann I saw leaving?”
Reed nodded. Hopelessness pulled on his spirit. He’d lost her, but he did not have to lose everything.
His mother smiled at him. “Don’t give up on her yet. She’s spunky. The kind of woman who’s not afraid of ye.”
How did his mother know?
“Ye must tell her the truth.”
“First she’d have to speak to me.”
~*~
Ann sat next to Mattie in the parlor. Jacob stood behind Mattie. Ruby and her mother sat on opposite sides of the hearth. Griff took a spot next to the mantel behind Ruby. All remaining guests perched on settees and chairs around the room. Irritation scratched through muted whispers. Her parents seemed the most cross. Murmurs silenced when Reed appeared.
He strode across the room without his usual confidence. Rather an inner strength emanated from his stance. This was no longer an errant boy. He’d returned a man, and he’d come to face the music.
Ann slid to the edge of her seat and repressed the need to take his hand so he would know he was not alone.
“Friends,” he began, gaze focused on the floor. He clasped his hands in front of him, raised his head, and caught her gaze before he scanned the room. “Friends. At university I used to meet with a group whose aim was to seek our Lord in all of life.”
Murmurs filled the parlor. Scratchy irritation was soothed by genuine interest.
“I made a life changing decision in those days, and since that day I have endeavored to live my life subject to Him who saved my soul.”
The murmurs ceased.
Mrs. Archer dabbed a handkerchief to her eyes.
“I have no doubt that the events of last evening caused many of you to lose sleep among other things.”
“What other things?” Uncle William called out.
Aunt Clementine put a hand on his arm with a look of solidarity for Ann.
Reed ignored him. “Last night, after we found the tavern overfull, an old friend invited me to see some fireworks in an abandoned field. That is what you heard. The explosion was loud, but no one was harmed.” He looked directly at Ann.
So he was not in his cups. A twinge of remorse stabbed her. She should have given him a chance to explain himself before assuming the worst. Ann once again itched to leave the room, but this time she wished she could leave it with Reed. However, first she would have to speak with her father. One glance at the beloved face confirmed that she would need to do more than a little convincing.
“I hope you will accept my sincere apology for the disturbance. I promise you, I have not come home to lead a marauding band of ne’er-do-wells in the neighborhood.”
