Cassie brought Linette food. She ate it because Cassie wouldn’t leave until she did. As soon as Cassie left she knelt by the bed, clutching Eddie’s hand and praying.
She squeezed his hand tight.
His fingers curled against hers.
Had he moved or had she imagined it?
She jerked back to look at him. His eyes were open. They were clouded with confusion and perhaps pain. He struggled to keep his eyelids open, but he was awake. She cupped his face in her hands. “Eddie. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He closed his eyes.
“Eddie?”
But he didn’t respond.
She dashed away tears she hadn’t known she shed. Was it a sign he was returning or—she groaned from deep in her soul—was it goodbye? She clung to the belief he would recover. But at least he’d heard her words of love.
He opened his eyes again before dinnertime and smiled at her before he drifted off again. Her heart overflowed with gratitude, which grew and multiplied as he wakened several more times throughout the evening.
She didn’t want to leave him when darkness fell, but Slim insisted. She lay on the bed unable to sleep despite fatigue that numbed her bones. Thank You, God. Thank You. She couldn’t stop saying the words.
The next day he wakened for longer periods and was able to take a bit of nourishing broth provided by Cookie.
The following day he tried to sit up, groaned and grabbed his head.
She eased him back to his pillow. “Lie still. Give your head a chance to heal.”
“Right.” He breathed hard then grabbed her hand. “I dreamed I was in a dark tunnel and you called me. I followed your voice back.” He fell asleep without releasing her hand.
She gladly sat at his side, their hands together on his chest. A bit later he stirred again.
“I dreamed you said...” He didn’t finish.
She realized how desperately he needed to hear her words, how he feared to believe he’d heard them. “It wasn’t a dream. I should have told you before, but I was stuck in my fear and pride.” She cupped her palms over his cheeks and leaned closer, drinking in the hunger in his eyes, the strength of his features. “Eddie Gardiner, I love you.” She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, fearing she would hurt him. He smiled beneath her kiss and pulled her to his chest.
Slowly in the following days, he gained strength and stayed awake for longer periods. But the letters on the table haunted her.”You have letters. Margaret and your father wrote.”
He groaned. “Read them to me.”
“I don’t know if I should.”
“I don’t intend to have secrets from you. Read Margaret’s first.”
She nodded. Her fingers trembled as she opened the letter and unfolded the one page.
Did Linette not make it clear that I am not interested in leaving the comforts of London? I thought you would have married her by now. She is by far more suited to that life than I. I wish you both the best.
Linette smiled at Eddie. “I tried to tell you as much.”
“So you did, but I had to make sure Margaret hadn’t changed her mind.” He sounded weary.
She considered delaying the news in the next letter until he was stronger.
“Read Father’s letter. I won’t rest easy until I know what he’s said.”
She couldn’t refuse after that and she quickly opened the envelope and read the words aloud.
Eddie.
No “Dear Eddie.” Not a good beginning.
I forbid you to marry that woman.
Your duty is to obey me.
And a bold signature. Randolph Gardiner.
The trembling had spread to her stomach and she wished she hadn’t eaten.
“Linette, would you get pen and paper?”
With leaden feet she did as he asked and held the items to him.
“Would you mind writing as I dictate? I fear I am not up to doing it myself.”
“Of course.” She could think of nothing she wanted less to do.
“Dear Father, I received your letter today. All my life I have done my best to honor you, not only because I wanted to be a good son but because God has instructed us to honor our parents. However, I fear I must disobey you in this matter.”
Linette ducked her head over the paper. Could he mean he would choose her over his father?
Eddie continued and she wrote again.
“It is my honor and privilege to have met Linette Edwards and I can assure you she is more than worthy of marrying any man...even a Gardiner. I intend to make her my wife as soon as preparations can be made. New paragraph, if you please. I realize you might want to make other arrangements for the ranch, but I invite you to examine the records, ask others in the area about the operation and you will discover that I have done an excellent job. If you find my work satisfactory I am willing to stay on but not as a foreman or supervisor. I will stay on in one condition—you make me a full partner. Awaiting your pleasure in this matter.”
“Eddie, you can’t mean it. Where will you go? What will you do?”
“Don’t you mean where will we go?”
“Of course.”
“We’ll manage fine. We could start a small place like Ward has. Now hold the paper for me to sign.”
She did so then sealed the letter in an envelope.
“Get one of the boys to take it to town today.”
She found Slim and gave him the letter then returned to Eddie’s side.
She perched on the edge of the bed. “Are you sure about this?”
“All this—” he waved his arm to indicate the house, the ranch “—means nothing without you to share it with.”
A smile threatened to split her face. “Is it any wonder I love you?”
He caught her hand and pulled her close to kiss her. “I will never grow tired of hearing those words. Now, when can we get married?”
She laughed. “Don’t you want to wait until you can stand?”
Everyone from OK Ranch had come. At Eddie’s request a minister had come from Fort Calgary for the occasion.
Linette wondered aloud if Eddie was ready. It had taken him ten days from the accident before he could stand without dizziness and another ten days before he could ride a horse. But he insisted he was back to normal. They’d had so many sweet times as he recovered.
She told him how she’d wakened, as if shaken by an unseen hand, in the middle of the night, and knelt at his bedside calling to him. He insisted it was her voice calling his name that enabled him to fight his way from the darkness of unconsciousness.
They talked about what they would do if Eddie’s father asked them to leave the ranch. She’d tried to share Eddie’s optimism but couldn’t deny a bit of sadness. She had come to love the place, the residents and the house. But the fact that he would give it all up for her filled her heart with sweetness.
Eddie had invited others from around the area to the wedding.
Linette laughed in surprise as the stagecoach she’d arrived on rattled into the yard and men jumped off the top and climbed from the coach. “You seem to have the regard of everyone in the area.” She hugged Eddie’s arm.
She and Eddie stood on the bridge, facing the visiting minister and the gathered crowd. The trees were dressed in spring finery and the water rushing under the bridge filled the air with gurgling music. Cassie and Roper stood at their sides. Roper barraged Cassie with longing glances. Linette smiled. Roper had a tough journey ahead of him, but if she could change Eddie’s mind, if Eddie could teach her to love, then Roper could win Cassie’s heart.
The minister spoke and drew her attention to the dear man at her side. They exchanged vows and sealed them with a kiss full of promise and trust.
Cookie insisted she would provide a meal to rival the Christmas feast at the other ranch and she did them proud.
During the meal, the stagecoach driver sidled up to Eddie and Linette. “All winter I wondered if Eddie here would come to his senses and see what a prize you are. Glad to see he came round.”
Eddie pulled her close and pressed his cheek to her hair. “Not half as glad as I am.”
She wrapped her arms about Eddie’s waist. “Nor half as glad as I.”
The driver sauntered away, his eyes on the cinnamon buns Cookie put out.
Grady considered Linette with a worried look. She pulled him to her side. “What is it, little man?”
“I stay with you?” He addressed Linette, but darted a quick glance toward Eddie.
She’d assured him over and over that he had a home with them, but he needed to hear it again.
Eddie drew the boy closer. “You will stay with us.”
Grady nodded. “You be my new papa?”
Eddie hugged the boy. His eyes glistened as he met Linette’s gaze over Grady’s head. “I would be honored to.”
“I love you,” Grady said.
“I love you back,” Eddie replied and opened his arms to pull Linette into a three-cornered hug. “I love you both.”
“Me, too,” she whispered. “Me, too.”
Grady edged free to grin at the assembled people.
Linette turned her face up to Eddie. “I suppose this is a good time to admit I was more than a little in love with you even before I came.”
His eyes flickered amusement and heart-stopping love. “You don’t say? How is that possible?”
“From the letters you wrote to Margaret I kept thinking, there’s a man worth loving.”
He cupped her chin. “It took your faith in me for me to see I deserved more than my father’s name.”
They still hadn’t heard from Eddie’s father, but she refused to let the concern about what he’d said mar her day.
“Our future is in God’s loving hands,” Eddie said.
It didn’t surprise Linette that he’d read her thoughts. “I am so happy.”
“Me, too.” He kissed her, a sweet, promising kiss.
Whatever the future held, she could gladly, eagerly face with Eddie’s love and God’s care to guide her.