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  There were at least thirty people in the entrance to the house. More than half were people dressed in black and white uniforms—Angeline assumed they were the servants lined up to the left. In front of them were men, women, and children of various ages, sizes, shapes, and hair colors.

  Angeline didn’t know who to speak with first so she looked to Mr. Bennington for help. He seemed to understand what he was doing because he bowed to the crowd.

  “Everyone, may I present Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Carver.”

  A few titters sounded from the center of the crowd, someone else gasped, more than a few murmurs also echoed in the enormous entryway. No one, however, came forward to greet them. Sam’s hand tightened around hers, and she knew he felt as awkward as she did.

  “Where is Mrs. Archer?” Bennington had apparently had enough of the silence.

  A servant on the left answered. “The Archers have not yet come downstairs.”

  “Ah, then I will begin introductions.” The lawyer seemed to have a knack for names because he rattled off the names of the dozen or so people in front of them from the smallest to the tallest. It seemed there wasn’t one Carver in the bunch.

  None of them offered to shake hands, and none of them said hello. Angeline had a feeling they’d made an enormous mistake coming to Denver. If this was the way they would be treated, she would not be a part of it. It was hard enough to be without her sister every day; she could not endure being shunned and ridiculed again.

  “Darlings, there you are.” A striking woman with silver hair and a slender build came down the stairs. She wore a dazzling green gown with gold ruching topped by a glittering necklace and earrings. She made a beeline for Angeline.

  Up close, the woman was just as beautiful as any young lady, with the deepest green eyes Angeline had ever seen. “You must be Angeline.” The woman kissed both of Angeline’s cheeks. “I have heard countless wonderful things about you from dear Mr. Bennington. His description of your ethereal beauty does not do you justice.”

  The woman turned to Sam. “Oh my. He is devastatingly handsome, isn’t he? That dark hair is like a midnight waterfall, so like his mother’s, as are those lovely eyes.” She kissed his cheeks, too. “I hope you don’t think me too forward, darlings, but I must talk to you in private.” She leveled a gaze at the various people waiting like a class of school children. “As for the rest of you, go home. You don’t need to gape at them any longer.”

  The littlest one, Meredith, if Angeline remembered correctly, tugged at Angeline’s coat. “Are you really an angel? And is he a devil?”

  Angeline bent toward her. “No, sweetheart, neither of us is an angel or a devil. We’re just people.”

  The little girl nodded sagely then was hauled off by a rather severe woman with a large nose and a face full of freckles.

  “Please, come into the study. We can speak in private.” The older woman sashayed ahead in her sparkly green dress.

  “Meet your Aunt Jane.” Ty raised both his brows.

  “Who were all those people?” Sam whispered.

  “Neighbors, distant cousins, and some of the grounds keeping staff.”

  “Bennington, be a dear and make sure they come to the study.” Jane’s voice echoed from down the hallway.

  “I think she wants to talk to you.” He smiled and ushered them down a very long hallway into another room filled with ornate furniture, amazing rugs, and a collection of beautiful books lining the walls.

  Angeline tried not to gape, she did, but she’d never seen so many books before.

  “Do you like to read, Angeline dear?” Jane sat on a settee with cream-colored fabric and claw feet.

  “I love to read. It’s my favorite thing to do.” She ran her finger along the spines, noting not a speck of dust. The books were simply gorgeous.

  “Sit down, please. I’ll get a crick in my neck trying to look at Samuel. He’s tall like Michael was.” Jane’s gaze grew melancholy as she watched the two of them sit across from her on a loveseat of blue damask. “You’ve journeyed here to speak to me and to Dominic. I thought it prudent if we spoke alone first. Of course, I’d like to hear Samuel speak at least once tonight.”

  “I didn’t have anything to say. Besides, you didn’t leave much room for anyone else’s words to fit in.” Sam’s impudent answer made Angeline pinch his hand.

  Jane, however, laughed. “You’re absolutely right of course. I plan it that way.” Her expression turned serious. “Mr. Bennington has told me there is a great deal of information your parents did not share with you. I’m sorry for that. Michael was a stubborn man, full of pride, but more so, full of love for Sparrow. My father could not abide an Indian in his house. He was unmovable on the subject.”

  Sam gazed at his aunt. “Since I didn’t know what I missed out on, I don’t know what I didn’t have. Maybe my parents did the right thing and kept us together as a family of three.” His voice was low, thoughtful. “It wasn’t until my father died that I realized how important family is. Mr. Bennington handed me a treasure at the same time he cast shadows over my entire life.”

  “Eloquently put. We do make many choices in our lives that define not only who we are but the paths we take. I think Michael deliberately chose the path that would bring him the most peace and love.” Jane smiled sadly. “I respected him for that, but I’ve missed him, and to know he’s gone is difficult.” Her eyes grew suspiciously moist, and she jumped off the settee. “Let’s have some coffee and get to know each other.”

  With a twist of her hand, suddenly, there were servants in the room with a tray of piping hot coffee in a shiny pot with the most delicate cups Angeline had used before. They poured the coffee and left the study as abruptly as they’d entered.

  She stared at the cup and felt a bit dizzy. The travel, the stress, and the emotional strain were wearing on her. The room began to spin, and all she saw was Jane frowning at her.

  “I do believe your wife is about to faint, Samuel.”

  Everything went black.

  Sam’s panic jumped on his back and kicked him in the head. He carried Angeline up the stairs right on his aunt’s heels. If he was any kind of husband, he would have noticed Angeline wasn’t feeling well. Now, she was unconscious, and he had no idea what was wrong.

  Jane led him to a huge bedroom down the hallway to the right at the top of the stairs. The carpet was so soft his shoes practically sank into it. He laid her on the bed, which was as high as his waist, and starting removing her coat and shoes.

  “Was she ill during your trip?” Jane watched with a worried gaze.

  “Not at all. She was fine all day. I don’t know what happened.” Sam told himself she was just tired and hungry, nothing more.

  “Is she with child?”

  Jane’s question knocked him breathless. He’d hoped of course but hadn’t expected it within a month of their marriage.

  “I don’t know. It’s possible.” He looked at Angeline, searching for signs she might be pregnant, but if anything, she looked thinner and less healthy. Weren’t pregnant women supposed to glow?

  “It might be early on if she is indeed with child. I wouldn’t take any chances. Let’s get her into bed, bundled up warmly. If she wakes up, we should give her broth and tea with honey.” Jane bustled off to the door. “I’ll return momentarily.”

  Sam took Angeline’s cold hand and pressed it to his cheek. “Wake up, Angel. Please, wake up.”

  Her eyelids fluttered, and then slowly opened. Her gaze was unfocused. “Sam?”

  “Yes, honey, it’s me. Thank God.” He kissed her forehead, annoyed at himself for shaking like a leaf in a storm. Couldn’t he handle one fainting spell? What if she was pregnant? Was he going to start fainting, too?

  “What happened?” She pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. “I feel woozy.”

  “You fainted in the study. Jane asked me, well, she wondered if you might be pregnant.” The words came out in a rush, tumbling on top of each other.


  Her gaze widened. “She wondered what?”

  “Well, you fainted, and people know we’ve only been married a month.” He shrugged although he felt anything but casual. “It’s possible.”

  Angeline licked her lips and stared at him. “A baby?”

  “I wouldn’t get my hopes up yet. It might just be exhaustion. I figured I should ask.” He managed a small smile.

  “Oh, Sam, you are the first person, or rather, the second person after me, who would know.” She touched his cheek. “I love you.”

  “You two are the most amazing couple. You remind me so much of Michael and Sparrow.” Jane appeared at the foot of the bed with a hearty-looking mug of steaming liquid. “I’m glad to see you’re awake, Angeline. I brought you some tea.”

  Angeline sat up slowly, and then took the mug from Jane. As she sipped, Sam kept sneaking glances at her to see if she was all right. He’d been worried about her before, but nothing like this.

  “Carver Industries is run by my husband. I could have taken over the reins when Mother died, but Dominic had been by her side for thirty years. She never really liked him though.” Jane leaned against the bedpost. “The lawyers would have him step down.”

  “What do you think?” Sam watched his aunt carefully.

  “He can be abrasive and overbearing when he believes in something. Dominic is the head of the business right now. He wouldn’t know what to do with himself if someone else took over.” Jane smiled at them. “We can talk more tomorrow. You need your rest. I can have a bath drawn for you.” She pointed in the corner toward another doorway. “The bathing room is in there. All you need to do is ring the bell cord near the door, and the maid will come upstairs to assist you.”

  Sam felt a bit dizzy himself. Aunt Jane talked more than any person he’d ever met.

  She stepped forward and kissed them both on the cheeks again. “Goodnight, darlings.”

  With that, and a big whiff of her perfume, she left them alone. Sam shook his head. “She’s something.”

  “She sure is. I like her.” Angeline sipped at the tea. “She puts lots of honey in the tea too, just the way I like it.”

  Sam smiled at his wife. “Finish that tea, and we’ll get ready for bed.” He yawned widely. “I think we both need a good night’s sleep.”

  Angeline nodded and dutifully sipped at her tea. Sam looked around the room and wondered how he’d arrived at this station in his life. This place was not his home; he didn’t feel even a smidge comfortable here. He was thirty years old, much too old to be starting a completely different lifestyle.

  Even as Jane welcomed him, he didn’t feel comfortable. Bennington had already warned him about the rest of the family, some of whom resented him even without having met him. No, he didn’t want to stay.

  In the morning, he’d tell Angeline they would meet his family, and then they’d go back to Wyoming, leaving everything the way they’d found it. Sam wanted to go home.

  Chapter Thirteen

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  Breakfast at the Carver mansion consisted of copious amounts of food. Sam gaped at the heaping piles of eggs, toast, some kind of dark meat, and all kinds of other food he didn’t recognize. The servants even opened their napkins and put them on their laps. He and Angeline seemed to have arrived downstairs first, just past seven.

  Sam knew he’d made the right decision to leave. All of this didn’t feel right to him. No wonder his father had left. Sparrow would have suffocated in such a huge place.

  As they were finishing their breakfast, a tall man with graying hair, brown eyes, and an impeccable blue suit walked into the dining room. “I’m Dominic Archer. You must be Samuel and Angeline.”

  “We are. Pleased to meet you.” Angeline was always polite.

  Dominic helped himself to food then sat down to face them with a piercing gaze. “I must ask the most obvious question, why did you come to Denver?”

  Sam wasn’t surprised by the older man’s directness. He would do the same. “I wanted to meet the family that threw my father out.”

  The older man’s brows rose. “Your father chose to leave rather than fight.” He shrugged. “It was his choice.”

  “I won’t discuss my father’s choices with you.” Sam didn’t want to fight over things that happened thirty years earlier. “I had no idea what he’d left behind until I met Mr. Bennington.”

  “You’re a carpenter, correct?” Dominic sipped his coffee. “Do you expect to take over the business?”

  Sam wasn’t sure if his uncle was friend or enemy. The man was direct and was asking logical questions. That didn’t mean Sam had to like him.

  “I have no idea what I intend, Mr. Archer except to get a tour of the house.” He squeezed Angeline’s hand and they got to their feet.

  “I heard there were people in here eating breakfast already.” Jane walked in wearing a blue morning gown and her hair in a braid. She acted as if she’d just woken up, but Sam suspected the maid had a hand in his aunt’s appearance. “I’m glad you get to meet my Dom before he goes to work. Perhaps Samuel would like to accompany you, darling?”

  “You do, hm?” Dominic grunted.

  “Not today.” Sam took his wife’s hand and they left the room. “I’d like to get to know the house first. Enjoy your meal.”

  Sam took a deep breath as soon as they left the dining room. “Let’s get some fresh air.”

  Two hours later, they had walked the entire length of the grounds. Angeline was enchanted with the design of the garden and wished it was in full bloom. It would be spectacular.

  “Lovely.” She had slept well and woken with an eagerness to explore the Carver house. The cool encounter with Dominic had put a damper on her good mood.

  “It is. By my count there are at least three people out here taking care of the grounds. Can you imagine?” Sam shook his head.

  “It is a different world.” Angeline barely stopped gaping at everything.

  “We don’t belong here.” Sam sat heavily onto a stone bench. “I don’t want to spend my days making mistakes and getting lost in a house bigger than Forestville.”

  Angeline nodded. “Change is hard. When I first left Tolson, I had to adjust to the world around me. You don’t want to give it a chance and stay a few days?”

  He sighed. “If you like, we can stay a few days.”

  She sat beside him and took his hand. “Aunt Jane is sweet and staying here will give us an opportunity to get to know her better. I’m as out of place as you but I’d like to give it a chance.”

  Sam nodded and she smiled at him. He leaned over to kiss her when someone shouted “Ho!”.

  “There you are!” A man about the same age as Sam walked toward them. His appearance was as sharp as Dominic’s. “I’m your cousin Vincent.” He shook Sam’s hand.

  “Pleasure to meet you. This is my wife—”

  “Angeline.” Vincent took her hand. “I’ve heard tales of your great beauty. Are you sure you want to stay with the poor relation?”

  She pulled her hand away. “My life is richer than money can ever buy.”

  “My mother asked me to give you a tour of the house.” Vincent’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. It surprised her how people could be disingenuous. It was apparent no one wanted them here. “If you’re done exploring the ah, grass, we can begin inside.”

  Angeline didn’t trust him for a minute. This was what Ty had warned them about. The Carvers weren’t all welcoming and happy to see the heir returned. That was for certain.

  “Thank you for the offer.” Sam stood and held his hand out for Angeline. “We would like a tour.”

  Angeline was proud of her husband. He was giving things a chance even if his cousin was as unhappy to see him as his father appeared to be.

  “Let’s start with the first floor, shall we?” Vincent led them through the halls of the house. It was a confusing collection of endless corridors, room after room, servants, and more fireplaces than she could count.

  Sam grew more
quiet with each room they explored. His lips were in a tight line and his gaze had narrowed. After the thirtieth, or perhaps thirty-first room, she decided they were done with the tour and Vincent’s unending chatter.

  “I’m afraid I am going to need a rest.” She pulled Sam to a halt. “If you can lead us to the room we’re staying it, I would appreciate it.”

  “Are you all right, Angel?” Sam’s expression softened.

  “Just need a rest.” She found the words to be true. The last twenty-four hours had been draining.

  Vincent nodded and led them wordlessly back down one floor and through another series of turns. By the time they arrived at their room, she could barely keep her eyes open. Sleep tugged at her.

  “Thank you for the tour, Vincent.” Angeline managed to murmur.

  The men shook hands and the door blessedly closed. Angeline hardly remembered lying down before she fell asleep.

  Sam watched Angeline sleep. She had lavender circles beneath her eyes. He was worried about her health and what the strain of being here had on both of them. The tour of the house solidified his decision to stay in Forestville. He might be a Carver but this wasn’t his home. Hell, he’d need a map to find his way to the dining room.

  However, he’d had a glimmer of a memory when they walked into the parlor. The windows were east facing and the morning sun created rainbows on the floor. He remembered lying in them as a little boy.

  Sam had been in the Carver house.

  His father had his reasons for staying away and Sam respected his decision. Love for Sparrow had given Michael the strength to start over in a new place. He’d taught a generation of children in Forestville and changed their futures for the better. He’d also changed Sam’s.

  Sam glanced at his sleeping wife and decided enough was enough. It was time to go home – he didn’t need a few days. A soft knock at the door brought him to his feet. He cracked it open to find his aunt, worry furrowing her brow.

  “Is everything all right?” Her voice was low.

  Sam stepped out into the hallway and closed the door. “She’s exhausted.”