13

Jeremiah sat with Meredith as the carol service got underway. Her hand was firmly in his, where it had been most of the day. She completed him. His fear that he’d lose her, that he wouldn’t be in time to save her, had turned to worry that she’d think he’d hidden too much from her for her ever to be able to trust him.

The fact she was here with him now gave him hope. He glanced at her.

She squeezed his hand. She leaned in, keeping her voice to a whisper. “How’s your arm?”

“Sore, but the pain meds are helping,” he replied honestly. “It’s what the doc called a bullet burn—a near miss. Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yeah.” Meredith glanced down at the violin in the open case beside her. “I have to start somewhere and church is as good a place as any.”

The pastor introduced the carol. An old English one dating back to the Renaissance period.

Meredith took her place at the front of the chapel and began to play.

“Down in yon forest there stands a hall: the bells of Paradise I heard them ring.”

Once she’d returned to her seat, Jeremiah kissed her cheek. “Beautiful.” He grinned as color touched her cheeks. “I mean it.”

“Thank you.”

“Is there any love left for me?”

“That’s kind of presumptuous, Mr. Mantle. And no talking in church.” She winked at him, turning her attention back to the front.

Jeremiah grinned and followed her example. But he wouldn’t let the subject go. As soon as the service was over, he shifted in his seat towards her and grasped both her hands in his. “So what say you? We finish this conversation someplace else?”

Meredith held his gaze. “I’d like that.” She yawned. “Sorry, it’s been a really long day.”

He tucked her hair behind her ears. “It has. Let’s get you back to Maggie’s place and we’ll talk tomorrow.”

****

Christmas Eve

Meredith finished hanging the last ornament on the new tree and looked over at Grannie. “OK, hit it.”

Annabelle creased up with laughter as Grannie promptly hit the switch under the tree. “She didn’t mean literally.”

Grannie looked at her. “How do you know?”

Peter got down on the floor. In the few days since he’d once again come off the meds, he’d made great progress and the doctors had allowed him home. “You do it like this. See?” He pressed the switch and the lights on the tree shone brightly. He tilted his head. “It’s kind of old fashioned.”

Grannie smiled. “It’s the original set from when your mum was a little girl. Your grandfather never let me have a tree after she died. Now I know why. He was overcome with guilt.”

Meredith looked at her. “Did he really kill Dad?”

“He said he did. And even if it was an accident, he covered it up.” Grannie sighed. “But I don’t want to be gloomy today. Is Jeremiah coming back? I haven’t seen him since he dropped off the tree this morning. He went to great pains to find one with roots that we could plant outside once Christmas is over.”

Meredith glanced towards the window. “He’d better be. I’ve hardly seen him since Sunday. He’s been really busy clearing the forest of broken trees from that storm.”

“Did someone order pizza?” Jeremiah’s voice came right on cue.

“In here.” Meredith moved swiftly to the door and hugged him.

He chuckled and hugged her one handed. “Let me put these down first.”

Grannie took the boxes from him. “I’ll put these in the kitchen.”

Jeremiah moved to one side to allow her to leave the room. “How’s she doing?”

“She’s putting a brave face on it,” she said quietly. “This is the first time they’ve been apart in almost fifty-four years. How did it go in court?”

“He pleaded guilty on all charges.” Jeremiah tucked Meredith’s hair behind her ears. “That way he avoids a trial and no one has to relieve it all again. The judge remanded him in custody until sentencing in the new year.” He smiled at Peter. “How are you doing?”

“Good,” Peter said. “First Christmas with everyone since we were kids.”

“That reminds me,” Annabelle said. “Now Jeremiah is here, you can have this.” She handed Peter a parcel. “It’s an early present from the three of us.”

Peter opened it, ripping into the paper with undisguised pleasure. “A wolf.”

Meredith grinned. “Yup, a stuffed one you don’t have to feed or take for walks.”

“Thank you.”

Grannie came back in. “Supper’s ready.”

****

After supper, Jeremiah stood. He had to talk to her now before he chickened out again. “I’ll do the dishes, but first I need to talk to Meredith.”

Annabelle grinned. “So talk to her.”

Jeremiah chuckled. “I think it’s best we talk outside.”

Meredith followed him out of the room. She took her cloak from him. “Outside? Are you serious? It’s freezing.”

“Not freezing. I happen to know that it’s a good five degrees above, actually.”

She hit him playfully, following him outside into the still night air. “Well?”

He took both her hands. “I was thinking about that hymn you played on Sunday. The one you keep singing that ends with, I love my Lord Jesus above anything.”

“What about it?”

“Is there any love left in your heart for me?”

She pulled a hand free and showed him a tiny gap between her thumb and forefinger. “This much.”

“That little?” he asked, his heart pounding within his chest and threatening to break free. Was there hope?

She grinned. “But, it will be this much tomorrow.” The space widened slightly. “If you’ll have me. Although, they do say relationships forged out of stressful situations never last the distance.”

He caught his breath, the droplet of hope evaporating. “True.”

She leaned in and whispered, “But we could prove them wrong. If you want to.”

Jeremiah hugged her. “I do.” It felt so right to have her in his arms. “I don’t know what God has planned for us,” he said. “Whether we stay in the forest or where we end up, but with you at my side, I know we can do anything.”

Meredith leaned into him. “Together,” she whispered. “I like the sound of that. And there’s nothing scary about living in a forest, not with my God, my ranger, and his dog to protect me.”

He pulled a box from his pocket and opened it. “Marry me?”

She looked up at him. Her eyes sparkled in the porch light. “Yes,” she breathed. “Yes, a thousand times yes.”

He wrapped his arms around her, lifting and swinging her in the same moment. Then as his lips covered hers, the strains of a violin filled the air.

“Down in yon forest there stands a hall: the bells of Paradise I heard them ring: It's covered all over with purple and pall and I love my Lord Jesus above anything.”