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  Angeline was about to change her future.

  Sam was nervous. He didn’t need to be but that didn’t seem to matter. There were only about a dozen folks there for the wedding, including his father and Jessup, who were currently conversing quite avidly in the corner.

  He glanced at the pocket watch he’d borrowed from his father. It was two minutes after ten. Angeline would be downstairs any moment. He could hardly wait to see her.

  Lettie came down the stairs and walked over to one corner of the room, watching him with her steady gaze. It was a bit disconcerting. She didn’t appear angry or disapproving, yet she unnerved him with her unblinking stare. He knew he’d get used to her in time, since she was important to Angeline. That definitely made his embarrassing discomfort worthwhile.

  “Here she comes!” Jessup announced like a proud uncle.

  Sam stepped beside the preacher, Will Baker, a young man currently living as a boarder with an older couple in town. He had no permanent church, but with his friendly open face, light brown curly hair, and warm brown eyes, the young minister was already welcomed in town.

  Will smiled at him. “Are you ready, Mr. Carver?”

  “More than you know.” Sam watched the stairs as his heart thundered against his ribs. He saw a flash of ivory, and his stomach jumped. Suddenly, there Angeline was, his angel with the sun shining on her, outlining her with a halo of goodness.

  She got to the bottom of stairs on Pieter’s arm and turned into the room. In her hands she carried a bunch of wildflowers, their color bright against the creaminess of her gown. She smiled at him, a radiant expression of pure joy.

  It went straight through Sam’s heart, reminding him of just how much he loved her. He’d never felt such overwhelming happiness. Tears actually pricked his lids, and he had to blink rapidly to clear them. He didn’t want to miss a second of his wedding.

  Angeline seemed to float on air until she arrived beside him. Pieter kissed her cheek and put her hand on Sam’s arm.

  “Take good care of her.”

  Sam nodded, simply unable to speak as he turned to face Will with Angeline on his arm.

  “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join together Samuel Carver and Angeline Hunter in holy matrimony. Marriage is a holy union, blessed by God and sanctioned by man.” Will looked at both of them in return. “Are you both prepared to pledge yourselves to each other for the rest of your lives as husband and wife?”

  They both nodded as Sam squeezed her hand on his arm.

  “Do you, Samuel, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, ’til death do you part?”

  “I do.” Sam’s voice was hoarse with emotion.

  “Do you, Angeline, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, ’til death do you part?”

  “I do.” She laced her hand with Sam’s.

  “Do you have a ring?” Will asked Sam.

  He nodded and pulled a ring from his pocket. The gold winked in the morning sunshine.

  “Repeat after me… With this ring, I thee wed.”

  Sam repeated the words and slipped the ring on her finger. She stared down at it, rubbing it with her thumb, then met his gaze. He saw his future in the depths of her blue eyes.

  “I now pronounce you man and wife.” Will smiled widely. “You may kiss your bride.”

  A chorus of whoops filled the air as Sam leaned down and kissed Angeline. It was the absolute perfect moment. One he would remember and pull out to review again throughout the rest of his life. It was a treasure of utmost proportions.

  He pulled her close and breathed in her scent. “Happy?”

  “More than happy. I just married the man I love.”

  The celebration continued throughout the day with drink and food. Sam had never realized he could find such joy. He was more anxious to get his wife alone and start their marriage though. After an hour of eating strudel and other delicious delights, he went up behind his new wife and pulled her back against him.

  As he felt her soft bottom, his entire body came to life. He was sure she felt the movement in his trousers because he saw her smile widely in profile.

  “Are you ready to leave, Mrs. Carver?” he whispered into her ear.

  “Yes, I believe I am, Mr. Carver.” She giggled and leaned against him.

  Sam looked around and saw a few knowing glances, a couple of winks, and a dozen smiles. The one face he didn’t see was his father.

  Sam’s chest rose. “Where’s my father?”

  Angeline stiffened and pulled away from him, her brow furrowed in concern. “When was the last time you saw him?”

  “He went out back a while ago. Said the coffee was making him fart.” Jessup forked more strudel into his mouth.

  “How long is a while ago?” Sam’s voice took on an edge that made everyone stop and stare.

  “I dunno. Mebbe twenty minutes.” Jessup seemed to understand that Sam was worried. He set down the plate, although he looked at the strudel with longing. “I’ll go look for him.”

  “We’ll go, too.” Angeline took Sam’s hand.

  “I’ll head toward the north end of town.” Booth put on his hat and went out the door, followed by Jessup.

  Everyone else stared at Sam with questions in their gazes. It was time he confessed to them what was happening.

  “My father gets confused. He’s, ah, well, he doesn’t remember things like he used to, even what year it is or who I am. I’ve been watching him with Angeline’s help just about every hour of the day.” Sam squeezed his new wife’s hand. “I’m afraid he already disappeared one night into the woods by the lake—”

  Angeline gasped, her eyes wide. “The lake.”

  They ran out of the restaurant as fast as they could, heading south toward the lakeshore. Sam prayed to every god who was listening to save his father. There was no need to take a doddering old man yet. He still had grandchildren to spoil.

  Sam had felt fear before, but this kind made his mouth go completely dry and his heart thump so hard he could hardly catch his breath. Somehow, he knew they would find him, he just knew it. Perhaps his mother was guiding him, or perhaps he was imagining it.

  Either way, they arrived at the lake breathless and started calling his name. The leaves had grown in fully so it was harder to see through the trees. With each passing minute, Sam’s stomach grew tighter and tighter.

  Angeline stopped and yanked his arm. “In the water, Sam. In the water!”

  Sam howled “No!” as he ran toward the shore, toward the body floating face down in the sun-warmed water. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he fought against the weight of the lake. By the time he reached the body, he tasted the salty tears of grief.

  It was his father. Sam sobbed openly as he turned him over and searched for signs of life. It was too late. Too late.

  Michael Carver was dead.

  Angeline was numb as they walked back to the restaurant. She felt like a warrior returning alive from a battle. Her body, mind, and soul were bruised and battered. Sam was silent by her side, his sadness and grief as real as the tears on her face.

  She could sleep for hours as exhausted as she was, but she had duties to attend to first. That began with Lettie.

  The group of them had set the restaurant back to rights. Karen and Marta were cleaning up the dishes while Alice stood by the kitchen door her arms crossed. Rather than a mulish expression on her face, she looked a little lost. Lettie wasn’t even in the room.

  Marta met Angeline’s gaze. “Did you find him?”

  “He’s dead. Jessup and Pieter brought him over to the house.” Sam sounded so raw, Angeline’s heart hurt just to hear the pain in his voice.

  Marta pulled Sam into an embrace. “I’m so sorry, Samuel.”

  He closed his eyes briefly as he accepted the hug, but to Angeline’s surprise, he stepped away within moments. “Thank you. I’m going to see about a coffin, and
then I’ll find Will to get the burial done today.”

  Sam kissed Angeline’s forehead then took her hands in his. She was distressed to realize hers were shaking.

  “If you can prepare my father for the burial, I can get everything else done.”

  “Of course. I’d be honored to take care of Michael.” Angeline didn’t recognize her own voice either. They truly were different people than they had been an hour earlier.

  “Thank you, Angel.” With that, Sam left her at the restaurant.

  Marta met Angeline’s gaze with a worried one. “What happened?”

  Angeline shook her head. “He drowned in the lake. Perhaps he was trying to swim, or maybe he was just ready to join his wife in heaven. I don’t know. Where’s Lettie?”

  “In the kitchen pounding the bread dough so hard, it’ll likely rise to be a foot high.” Marta shook her head. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her like this.”

  “Thank you, Marta.” Angeline walked toward the kitchen. “I hope you’ll all be able to attend the funeral later.”

  She pushed open the kitchen door to find Lettie punching the bread dough on the butcher block island. Her hair was stuck every which way, and her face was a mask of dark emotions. When she spotted Angeline, she stopped moving.

  “Michael’s dead.” Angeline’s voice broke.

  Lettie pulled her into a hug. “I’m sorry, Angeline.”

  “Sam wants to bury him today, so I’m going over to the house to get the body ready. I won’t be able to work tonight.” She was simply doing what she had to, not really thinking about the fact she came in to tell Lettie she couldn’t work.

  “I wouldn’t expect you to. Now, go take care of your new family. I’ll be at the funeral.” Lettie went back to the bread, obviously still not ready to accept Angeline’s marriage regardless of what had happened to Michael.

  Angeline nodded and left the kitchen. It was time to say goodbye to the father-in-law she had just gained then lost.

  Chapter Ten

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  Jessup readily volunteered to dig the grave for Michael Carver. They’d become friends over the last few weeks, and he told everyone what a good man had been lost. The entire town wept over his senseless death.

  The wedding night would wait. They would bury him before dinner with Will Baker there to speak over the grave. Sam hadn’t wept since his father had died. He appeared to be shutting himself off from emotions, taking care of business and working with Jessup at the cemetery to ready the grave.

  That left Angeline to prepare the body, which she’d done before at home. Yet this time, it was someone she’d come to know and love. It was the man who would have been the only grandfather her children knew. Now, they would have none.

  Angeline scrubbed her hands clean then changed out of her wedding dress and into her old but serviceable navy blue one. She carried her bags over to her new home feeling grief rather than joy. She put a sheet on the new kitchen table, and then prepared the rags and a bucket. Sheriff Booth and Pieter laid out the body on the table.

  The tall lawman stayed in the kitchen with her, hat in hand. “Well, Miz Carver, I don’t know rightly what to say. Never had a wedding go so wrong before.” He watched as she brought the bucket to the table.

  Angeline undressed her father-in-law with care then covered his lower half for modesty. She tried not to cry, she really did, but she couldn’t help but feel responsible for what had happened.

  “It ain’t your fault.” The sheriff seemed to want company as much as she did. “I know’d it was hard to keep track of Michael. He was a wanderer. More than once I caught him leavin’ the jail with wanted posters in his hand.”

  Angeline ran the rag down Michael’s skin, wiping away the dirt that clung to his damp skin. As she worked, tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped them away on her shoulder, knowing Booth was right, but not wanting to let go of her guilt just yet.

  “Would you please go up to Michael’s room and get his Sunday best clothes? I’m sure he has something.”

  “Oh, of course, of course. I know just the clothes. I’ll be back in a jiffy.” The big lanky man left the room, leaving Angeline alone.

  She needed a few moments to grieve and find the strength to carry on with what should have been a joyous day. Angeline took Michael’s hand in hers.

  “I’m so sorry this happened. I never meant for you to leave us so soon. You were such a good man, a wonderful father to Sam.” Angeline got to her knees beside the table. “Dear God, please take good care of this man. He deserves every accolade you have, happiness and peace.”

  A whisper near her ear made Angeline shiver. It sounded as if the faint voice said “angel”, and it was a woman’s voice. She smelled something sweet, almost like vanilla. Angeline got to her feet and looked around the kitchen, but no one else was around.

  When she looked back at Michael, a single black and white feather lay on his chest. Angeline jumped back in surprise, crashing into the chair and landing on Booth’s hat. Her heart thumped against her ribs as she tried to reason why and how that feather had come to be there.

  Booth walked back in the kitchen with a black suit and a blue shirt. He frowned at Angeline, who was still perched on his hat.

  “Ah, Miz Angeline, can you get off my hat?”

  She rose to her feet, her gaze never leaving the body. Booth handed her the clothes and started reshaping his hat.

  “Good thing you ain’t a heavy girl or this’d be squashed flat for good.” He glanced at Michael’s body. “Oh good, you found a sparrow’s feather. He must’ve had some in the box on the mantle.”

  Angeline gaped at the sheriff. “A sparrow’s feather?”

  “Ayup. He used to say it was the way he paid tribute to his wife. Every year on her birthday, he would carry one next to his heart all day.”

  “Why?” Angeline’s voice was hoarse with barely controlled emotions bubbled through her.

  “Didn’t you know? Sam’s mother’s name was Sparrow.”

  Booth’s voice echoed through Angeline’s head, and then a buzzing began that turned into a wave, and then suddenly she was on her knees with her head on the floor. The cool wood felt good on her forehead. The sheriff fluttered above her, shouting something about women and the vapors.

  She wasn’t having a fit of the vapors though—it was much deeper than that. Sam’s mother had just shown Angeline she was watching over them. Not only had she whispered to her, but she had put her mark upon her husband. Angeline’s tears leaked from the corners of her eyes as she held them tightly closed. It was so much, too much.

  “Henry, what’s going on?” Sam’s voice cut through the cloud of grief.

  “I don’t know. I went up to get the suit, and when I come back, she was sitting on my hat then fell on the floor crying and sobbing.” Booth sounded exasperated. “This is why I ain’t never gonna get married.”

  Angeline felt Sam’s hand on her back.

  “Angel?”

  She sat up and fell into his arms, holding on to her new husband, her love, as she let the grief run its course. A shuffle of boots let her know the sheriff had stepped out of the room. Sam simply held her while she cried, never murmuring silly things or telling her to calm down. Angeline loved him even more for that.

  She felt the tears begin to subside and, finally, let Sam loose. A handkerchief appeared in his hand, and she gratefully took it. He helped her onto the chair and squatted beside her as she cleaned her face.

  He watched her with his dark eyes, patient and steady.

  She took a deep breath. “I was talking to the sheriff and getting your father’s body cleaned up when something happened.”

  Sam frowned. “What happened?”

  “I thought I heard someone whisper in my ear.”

  Instead of looking dubious, he nodded. “Go on.”

  “Then when I looked, there was a feather on his chest.” She pointed a shaky finger at the body.

  Sam rose and looked at his father, r
eaching out to presumably touch the feather. He looked back at her expectantly.

  “Booth told me it was a sparrow feather and about how your mother was Sparrow. And I realized she must be here in spirit, looking out for you, and for him.” Angeline smiled sadly. “It was a bad time to cry, but at that moment, I felt the purest love imaginable. It was overwhelming. You probably think I’m hearing things.”

  Sam took her hands and brought her to her feet. “No, actually, I think you just met my mother’s spirit. And I think she is telling you everything is going to be all right.”

  Angeline thought he would think her silly or discount her story. Yet he believed her, not only that, he reaffirmed her feelings. She knew she’d fallen in love with the right man, and it was a love blessed by the two people who loved him best.

  The wind picked up on the hill as the wagon rolled up to the cemetery with Michael’s coffin in back. Angeline walked beside the wagon with Sam. Cab pulled the wagon with even steps, seeming to understand the sadness around them. A trail of mourners trailed behind them.

  Jessup stood at the top of the hill, waiting for them. When the wagon rolled up, six men were there to carry the coffin, including Sam, Booth, Pieter, and Jessup. Angeline was pleased to note the old man had bathed for his friend’s funeral.

  The day that had started with so much excitement and happiness, ended with death and sadness. Angeline barely heard the words Will spoke as the wind whipped around them. Sam closed his eyes and looked toward the sky, his lips murmuring. She squeezed his hand and tried to give him all her strength.

  Too soon, Sam was taking a handful of dirt and throwing it into the grave. Then others did the same, each one saying goodbye to the man who had graced them all with his skill as a schoolmaster then as a newspaper publisher. He’d been well-loved and respected, and he would be sorely missed.

  Sam helped Jessup fill in the grave while Angeline said goodbye to each person who had come to the funeral. She felt a bit odd doing so since she had only been his daughter-in-law such a short time before Michael’s death. Yet no one made her feel awkward or out of place. In fact, their grief was as real as hers, and it made her feel better to know how much.