“You’re right, Jess; I’m sorry. We should’ve told you—but we knew how you’d react.” His lips tilted up into a wry grin. “Though I could never have foreseen this.”
He grew serious. “Now, will you please reconsider this mad scheme—for me? We can go to Wolf together and tell him the truth. There’s still time to convince him that you should go with us. If he refuses, you can come out with the Smiths like I arranged. We won’t be separated long. A few months at the most.”
Jessie shook her head sadly. “Oh, James, how can you promise that? Can you swear on our parents’ graves that nothing will happen to you or the others?”
James sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Listen, Jess, even if you go with us, there’s no guarantee that nothing will happen to one of us.”
“But I’d know,” Jessie replied simply. “Don’t you see? It’s the not knowing I couldn’t live with. Remember Fritz and Else Fabricus?”
James sighed, his shoulders slumped in defeat. Fritz, their nearest neighbor, had left three years ago with his two eldest sons. He’d planned to return for Else and their three daughters after he’d built their dream house. That was three years ago. No one knew what had happened to him.They stared at one another for long moments. Jessie ran her hands down the front of her torn and dirty jeans. “You can’t promise that, James. No one can. Rook was right when he said I’d know if I was meant to go. This is meant to be.” An impish grin tugged at the corner of her lips. “Besides, we did try to tell him the truth.”
James ducked his head, but not before Jessie saw his lips twitch, and in that moment she knew he’d forgiven her. “It’ll work, James. I know it will.”
“I sure wish you’d never met that old man,” James grumbled.
Then he lifted his worried gaze to her. “I hate to think what will happen when Wolf finds out. And Jess, he will find out that you’re my sister and that we’ve lied to him.” He sighed and pulled Jessie into his arms. “But I guess we’ll face the consequences together.”
Jessie wrapped her arms around his neck and clutched him tightly.
He stepped back and cuffed her gently. “You’re forgiven, brat,” he said gruffly.
Poking her hands into the back pockets of her pants, Jessie smiled, happy that he wasn’t mad anymore. “Thanks, James. I promise I’ll work real hard.”
The sound of ripping paper filled the air as James unwrapped his gift. The brown paper fell away to reveal a brand-new pair of leather work gloves. “Do you like them, James? I bought them with the money I earned selling Mr. Baker eggs and extra jars of preserves.”
“They’re great, Jessie. Sure needed a new pair. These will come in right handy during the trip.” He reached out to ruffle her hair. “Off with you,” he ordered, his voice low and gruff. “We’ve got to be at the Bakers’ by suppertime.”
Orvil Baker glanced at the young couple heading up the stairs to the living quarters above the store. Jordan and Coralie had just returned from a stroll around town. He knew his daughter was showing off her new husband. It was hard for him to believe his little girl was a married woman of two days. How he wished her mother had been alive to see this day.
“Father, are you going to join us for tea?”
Glancing from Coralie’s beaming features to Jordan’s handsome sternness, he prayed that the two kids would be happy. He knew he spoiled his only daughter, but if anyone could handle her, it was Jordan. In answer to Coralie’s question, Orvil shook his graying head. “No, dear, I need to gather the supplies you and Elliot will need.” He winked. “Good thing I own the store! Now, be sure to come down after tea so I can fit your feet to a pair of boots. Just got in a nice shipment. Your fine kid-leather slippers and spool-heeled ladies’ shoes aren’t suited for the trail.”
Coralie’s lower lip jutted out. “Father, I wouldn’t be
He grew serious. “Now, will you please reconsider this mad scheme—for me? We can go to Wolf together and tell him the truth. There’s still time to convince him that you should go with us. If he refuses, you can come out with the Smiths like I arranged. We won’t be separated long. A few months at the most.”
Jessie shook her head sadly. “Oh, James, how can you promise that? Can you swear on our parents’ graves that nothing will happen to you or the others?”
James sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Listen, Jess, even if you go with us, there’s no guarantee that nothing will happen to one of us.”
“But I’d know,” Jessie replied simply. “Don’t you see? It’s the not knowing I couldn’t live with. Remember Fritz and Else Fabricus?”
James sighed, his shoulders slumped in defeat. Fritz, their nearest neighbor, had left three years ago with his two eldest sons. He’d planned to return for Else and their three daughters after he’d built their dream house. That was three years ago. No one knew what had happened to him.They stared at one another for long moments. Jessie ran her hands down the front of her torn and dirty jeans. “You can’t promise that, James. No one can. Rook was right when he said I’d know if I was meant to go. This is meant to be.” An impish grin tugged at the corner of her lips. “Besides, we did try to tell him the truth.”
James ducked his head, but not before Jessie saw his lips twitch, and in that moment she knew he’d forgiven her. “It’ll work, James. I know it will.”
“I sure wish you’d never met that old man,” James grumbled.
Then he lifted his worried gaze to her. “I hate to think what will happen when Wolf finds out. And Jess, he will find out that you’re my sister and that we’ve lied to him.” He sighed and pulled Jessie into his arms. “But I guess we’ll face the consequences together.”
Jessie wrapped her arms around his neck and clutched him tightly.
He stepped back and cuffed her gently. “You’re forgiven, brat,” he said gruffly.
Poking her hands into the back pockets of her pants, Jessie smiled, happy that he wasn’t mad anymore. “Thanks, James. I promise I’ll work real hard.”
The sound of ripping paper filled the air as James unwrapped his gift. The brown paper fell away to reveal a brand-new pair of leather work gloves. “Do you like them, James? I bought them with the money I earned selling Mr. Baker eggs and extra jars of preserves.”
“They’re great, Jessie. Sure needed a new pair. These will come in right handy during the trip.” He reached out to ruffle her hair. “Off with you,” he ordered, his voice low and gruff. “We’ve got to be at the Bakers’ by suppertime.”
Orvil Baker glanced at the young couple heading up the stairs to the living quarters above the store. Jordan and Coralie had just returned from a stroll around town. He knew his daughter was showing off her new husband. It was hard for him to believe his little girl was a married woman of two days. How he wished her mother had been alive to see this day.
“Father, are you going to join us for tea?”
Glancing from Coralie’s beaming features to Jordan’s handsome sternness, he prayed that the two kids would be happy. He knew he spoiled his only daughter, but if anyone could handle her, it was Jordan. In answer to Coralie’s question, Orvil shook his graying head. “No, dear, I need to gather the supplies you and Elliot will need.” He winked. “Good thing I own the store! Now, be sure to come down after tea so I can fit your feet to a pair of boots. Just got in a nice shipment. Your fine kid-leather slippers and spool-heeled ladies’ shoes aren’t suited for the trail.”
Coralie’s lower lip jutted out. “Father, I wouldn’t be
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