epilogue

December 20, 1890

Samantha stood behind Annie as they waited for Rose’s signal to start down the staircase. It was hard to believe that this day had finally come. Ben had wanted to get married right away, but the school board had talked Samantha into working through the rest of the term. After she explained that she wanted to have a wedding dress made, along with a few other outfits, and she wanted a few things to bring to her new home, Ben had given in to the delay.

Ben had busied himself with sprucing up the house they would share. Samantha, Faith, and Rose had been out several times to take measurements of windows for new curtains, deliver and supervise the hanging of them, and discuss what new items Sam might want to add to the furnishings. Rose hadn’t had time to really furnish the home before her husband had passed away, and then she’d had no desire to live there alone. She seemed overjoyed that the house her husband had built was going to become a real home.

“Are you nervous?” Annie turned and asked.

“A little. But mostly I’m excited. I can’t wait to finally become Mrs. Ben Thompson.”

“Well I assure you, he thought this day was never going to get here,” Faith whispered from behind Samantha. She was too far along to be part of the wedding party, but Sam had insisted that she help her get dressed. Now she stood behind everyone, waiting for Rose to give the signal that all was ready downstairs. “When we heard you come downstairs this morning, it was all Gabe and Matt could do to get Ben out of the house before you reached the kitchen.”

Samantha giggled. She could picture Ben insisting on seeing her. She really wouldn’t have minded, but Rose and Faith had insisted that he couldn’t see her until she walked into the parlor.

“You look beautiful. And you’ll know you are when you look into Ben’s eyes.”

Samantha’s stomach fluttered in anticipation of seeing the man she was going to marry. Finally, at Rose’s nod, Samantha followed Annie down the stairs and into the parlor, where she passed the boarders, Mr. and Mrs. Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Connors, and Hope and Matt before she reached Ben and Gabe, who stood in front of the fireplace along with the preacher.

She barely recognized that the others were there because her eyes remained fixed on Ben from the moment she entered the room. The light in his eyes drew her nearer to him, and she couldn’t keep from smiling as Annie took her place on the other side of the minister just as Sam reached Ben’s side.

Faith had been right. The look in his eyes told her he thought she was beautiful, and Samantha thanked the Lord above for bringing him into her life.

As they said their vows, Samantha’s heart filled with so much love for Ben she was certain it overflowed to include everyone in the room.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride, Ben.”

Ben bent his head and tipped Samantha’s face to his. “I love you. I can’t wait to see the next sunrise with you,” he whispered, right before his lips claimed her as his wife.

Samantha couldn’t wait either. She had a feeling that, very soon, sunrise was going to become her favorite time of day.