Hannah Grace

by MacLaren Sharlene

  He gently pulled her up with him and found her light as a feather. "Come on, darling girl."

  She gasped, her hazel eyes as round as pie shells. "What? Where are we going?"

  "Follow me," he shouted above the clatter and commotion of intermission mingling, snagging both their coats off the backs of the chairs and throwing them over his arm, then grasping hold of her hand to lead her through the masses.

  Bumping bodies, he muttered a few apologies as they meandered down the row and out to the aisle. Wall-to-wall people gathered in groups, most of whom he didn't know. A few familiar folks nodded and waved as they passed, but thankfully, Gabe managed to keep them moving through the crowd and toward the vestibule minus any snags in their progress.

  Away from the deafening throng, Gabe put his hands on Hannah's shoulders and turned her to face him. Someone heaved open the big doors, admitting a billow of bitter cold air. "I'm taking you home."

  "I'm fine," she insisted, even as she winced and heaved a little sigh, her shoulders drooping under the weight of his hands.

  He smiled. "Uh-uh." He held open her coat, and she slipped into it without a word of argument.

  They entered a house that was dead quiet, save for a few snapping embers coming from the fireplace and the gentle ticking of the antique wall clock. Had Grandmother anticipated their early return and instructed everyone to retreat to his or her quarters? But if that were the case, where was Jesse?

  The Christmas tree, bedecked in a variety of ornamentssome from England, some purchased during her childhood, and others handcrafted-stood like a splendid prince in the corner of the room, beckoning them inside. Pine bows and fresh-popped corn strung along the branches made for an aromatic mix.

  Gabe closed the door and helped her out of her coat, hanging it with his own on the rack in the hallway. In the adjacent room, the cozy fire smoldered, in need of another log; shadowy figures cast themselves across the fresh-polished floor, a single low-beam lamp in the living room giving off a dusky glow to the front half of the house.

  A note propped against an unlit oil lamp on the buffet table caught both their gazes at once. Hannah reached it first and read it aloud. "We've all gone next door to the Bartons' house for Christmas punch and cookies and a bit of caroling. You are both welcome to join us if you like when you get home. Papa."

  "Well, so that's where everyone is," Gabe said. "Do you want to go over?"

  Hannah looked into silvery blue eyes the color of new smoke and felt another ridiculous shiver run over her spine. Yes, weariness filled every bone in her body, and her side ached, calling her to sit down, but more than that, a river of pleasure from simply being alone with this man rippled through her veins. She gave him her answer by way of a shake of the head.

  Suddenly, he snatched her dangling hand and brought it to his chest. ON Lord, what is happening here? I feel his pounding heart. Is it possible... could it be we share common feelings for each other? Papa said You wouldn't lead me astray. I trust You to show me what to do about my own bursting heart.

  Her heart heard a whispered response: My daughter, breathe deep of My love and relax.

  Gabe pulled her into the living room and sat her on the sofa in front of the dwindling fire. When he dropped down beside her, their knees touched, setting off another round of nervous breaths from her quivering lungs.

  The seconds ticked away loudly on the mantel clock as they watched the smoldering flames, his hands clasped and set between his parted legs, hers in her lap.

  "I should put another log on the fire," he said.

  "I wouldn't bother. The embers are nice to watch."

  More seconds. "I hope you don't mind that we left the concert early. You looked so tired."

  "I was-am-but I'm fine now. Truly." Oh, why did she have to sound so vague and insecure? She could scarcely believe this was the same man she'd had an aversion to upon first meeting. In fact, she could barely recall the feeling.

  "I thought it might be good for you to get some fresh air, but I see now it was selfish on my part. I've really missed seeing you these past weeks. As a matter of fact, it's made me a little stir-crazy." A low chuckle rolled out of him. "When I heard about the concert, I thought it might be something you'd enjoy. I'm glad you accepted my invitation, even though it came to you through Abbie."

  All these admissions. She hardly knew what to say. She smoothed down a couple of tiny wrinkles. "I'm glad, too." Had he truly missed her? "The fresh air was purely wonderful. And I did enjoy the first half of the concert, but thank you for sparing me the second half. I'm not sure I could have endured sitting there for another hour."

  Gabe looked down at his boots, still wet from trudging through fresh-fallen snow. It prompted Hannah to look at her own, which poked out from beneath her flowing skirt. She ran fidgety fingers over Grandmother's pearls.

  He cleared his throat and tilted his blond head in her direction. "Does it still hurt-your side, I mean?"

  "It's a bit sore to touch yet, but I'm so much better thanwhen it first happened. My goodness, there's so much I don't even remember about that day." Except for that silly dream. She concentrated on a piece of lint in her lap.

  "I feel responsible, you know."

  Confused, she peered at him. "Responsible? For what?"

  "I never should have left Van in charge that day. He's not the most reliable guy when it comes to big jobs-he doesn't think on his toes. In retrospect, I should've had him fielding calls back at the office and put someone like Fred Van Dam or Randall Cling at the house. I keep thinking none of this would've happened if I'd used my head, you know? I just didn't anticipate the McCurdys actually coming here the day of the funeral, and that was careless on my part. I'm the lawman; I'm supposed to stay three steps ahead of the bad guys. I had my feelers out at the cemetery, not at the house."

  With everything in her, she wanted to reassure him. "Gabriel..."

  "I guess you don't need to ask how ridiculous I felt once I learned that Roy had actually watched me bring Jesse here. Blast if he didn't ride by Bill Elwood's house that day Bill fell off his rocker and look me straight in the eye! Now, that's embarrassing."

  She rested a hand on his upper arm and felt the tensing of muscle beneath the crisp material of his black evening suit. An urge flooded her to look him full in the face, so she gave in to it. Her heart tripped at the compelling blue of his eyes, his jaw thrust forward and clenched, his blond hair falling across his forehead in manly wisps.

  "You needn't worry that I, or anyone in the town, for that matter, blames you for anything that happened that day. Mercy, you organized a posse and stationed them at key locations. Between you and the South Bend force, I don't know what more you could have done to prepare yourselves for what happened. You're not mind readers. The whole town's just thankful you showed up when you did. I shudder to think what could've happened if you hadn't.

  "Maggie and Abbie both say the word about town is that you put an end to the matter very quickly when you jumped on Roy's back and wrangled that gun out of his hand, then pulled him back to his feet like he weighed little more than a turkey feather."

  Gabe chuckled and seemed to mull over her words in his mind. Then, he jabbed her gently on her arm with his shoulder, leaning dangerously close. "Well, you might say Helena's a mighty fine motivator."

  ow did my grandmother play into the picture?" Hannah asked.

  "She told me you'd been shot, and suddenly I had a singular mind: dealing with the McCurdys so I could get to you! 'Course, when I discovered Jesse with a gun in hand trying to defend Billy B against those hoodlums, saw Van knocked out cold, and saw Jesse's poor pooch struggling to stand, a good-sized cut on his head, why, that just got my blood to boiling all the harder."

  "Jesse had a gun?" Hannah covered her face with both hands and peered at Gabe through the spaces. Where'd he get a gun? How did he...

  "I'm afraid that in her haste to snag a weapon for herself, Helena left the cabinet door unlocked, so Jesse helped himself to
the biggest rifle he could find when he sneaked down the stairs against Helena's orders. I guess he figured it was his mission to protect Billy B and the women of the house."

  "Oh, gracious, that's sweet but-irrational. Imagine a little boy thinking he could take on those criminals. Things could have turned so ugly, Gabriel. Think of it-I am the only one who suffered any real harm, and I am healing fine. Praise the Lord for His bountiful blessings. I have been thanking the Lord every day, in fact. Jesse, Billy B, Van, and even good of Dusty have suffered no long-lasting effects, and, best of all, those awful men can't hurt anyone else, especially the worst of the bunch, Rufus, whose body is cooling nicely in one of South Bend's cemeteries."

  "Might be his body's cooling, but I'd guess his soul's not."

  Hannah brushed off his remark, her hazel eyes brightening. "And since I mentioned Jesse-look how far he's come from that traumatized little urchin we first met. Why, you'd never guess he came to us a mute, given the way he talks a steady stream now. I'm so happy to hear he's doing well in school."

  A grin tugged at his mouth. "Mr. Middleton says he sometimes talks too much in class,"

  Her jaw dropped. "No! That hardly seems possible."

  The more they talked, the more the tension lifted. He pressed a hand over hers, giving her long, narrow fingers a gentle squeeze. It pleased him mightily that she didn't pull away. "You've had a lot to do with that boy's recovery, you know, taking care of him during the day like you have. He sure thinks the world of you." And loves you almost as much as I do. The fire sizzled and popped, mesmerizing both of them.

  She flicked her free hand. "It was more you that made the difference than I. You came into his life at a most critical time. It scares me to think what might've happened if he hadn't jumped onto the back of your wagon that night."

  He rolled his head to look at her. "I wasn't sure what to do with him when I found him. The little rapscallion gave me a run for my money in those first weeks." He put his face close to her delicate ear and took in her lavish, feminine scent. Turning just so, he lifted a hand to finger a coil of her hair. "'Course, so did you, if I remember right."

  "Me?" A pink blotch, detected only by the fire's dim glow and the lone lamp, traversed up her cheek. "You weren't the most pleasant character yourself-calling me bristly and bullheaded." Eyes centered on the fire, she stuck out her pert chin. He gave her curl a playful tug, and her mouth twitched.

  Were they flirting with each other?

  "Did I really do that?" he asked in a gravelly whisper.

  "Absolutely. And worse, you failed to identify yourself as the new sheriff when we first met and had me believing you were a neglectful father." A miniature smile now danced on her lips. "That was quite deceptive, if I do say so, leading me on like that."

  He recalled that initial meeting in Kane's Whatnot and chortled. `And you were all set to report me to the authorities-only, I was..."

  "You were..."

  "...the authority!" Their simultaneous statements had them laughing at once.

  "Oh, my!" she said, holding herself.

  "If only you'd seen the look on your face when you discovered who I was," he said between laughing spurts. "You were madder than a wet cat,"

  "That was a nasty trick!"

  "Sorry, but you made it hard for me to resist."

  She jabbed him lightly in the arm, and their playful banter continued. When it finally settled and their breaths leveled off, Gabe released her hand and put his arm on the sofa back, slowly dropping it to her shoulder. Her quick intake of breath didn't deter him from tugging her up close to his side. "Hannah Grace, you are the berries."

  A nervous giggle spilled forth. "I suppose I am, whatever you mean by that."

  This produced another spurt of laughter, after which he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I mean the sweet kind, of course, not the tart."

  "Oh."

  After her cheek, he traversed upward, touching his lips to her temple. "I'm glad Ralston saw fit to end your relationship."

  She pushed back and quirked her pretty brow at him, tilting her face. "I-he, oh, never mind; it's not the least bit important. Yes, it's over and done with, thank the Lord."

  He smiled and kissed the top of her head, just above the shimmery comb. He'd have liked to pull the contraption loose, along with all the pins holding her bun in place, and watch her fiery curls fall helter-skelter, but common sense overruled-that, and a God-given dose of self-control.

  She'd started turning the white button on his shirtfront; indeed, flirting with him. His heart thumped hard against his chest. Lord, I didn't know I could love someone this much. "Of course, you know what that means," he said.

  "Hmm?" she murmured, tilting her head up until their gazes met.

  "It means you're free to accept another marriage proposal."

  "Oh, is that right?" She tried to look flippant, but he knew better. Quickly, her gaze went back to her button-turning task. Much more and the thing would pop right off and poke her in the eye.

  "Yes, and, in fact, I have a full confession to make," She stilled, and he took the opportunity to lift her chin with his index finger. Eyes neither green nor blue stared back at him, glistening in the corners like diamonds. Her hands dropped to her lap. "Are you ready for it?"

  She gave a simple nod and he ran a gentle knuckle across her quivering lips. Leaning forward, he whispered, "I've fallen madly, unreservedly, irreversibly, head over heels in love,"

  "Really? With anybody I know?"

  The little imp. Two could play this game. "You might. I'll give you some hints," Now his lips brushed her forehead. "She's prettier than a lily, lovelier than a sunset, sweeter than a gumdrop, and as precious as gold."

  She shook her head. "Doesn't help-unless you're referring to one of my sisters,"

  He repositioned himself so they faced one another, then folded her hands in his and looked directly at her. "I'm referring to the prettiest of the three, which, simply put, would be you. Not that I'd want you telling them I said so, mind you."

  He watched a little red spot on her cheek blossom like a rosebud. "Hannah, I love you. What do you say to that? I want to be with you, sweetheart. I want us to be a familyyou, Jesse, and me," He lifted one of her curls and twirled it around his finger. It had become one of his favorite things to do, lately.

  "I want to sit with you and Jesse in that Kane family pew. I want us to worship Christ together as a family, keeping God as the focal point of our lives and the decisions we make. I want to spend Sunday afternoons with you-when I'm not on duty, that is-and take long walks with you, and find out everything there is to know about you, learn your thoughts and feelings about things, have endless conversations with you-like that day the three of us climbed the dunes and shared a picnic lunch.

  "But I don't want Jesse with us every minute," he hastened to add. "I'm just selfish enough to want you to myself, now and then,"

  She smiled, so he took that moment to catch a breath and gauge his next move.

  "You might say you love me back," he urged. "Better yet, tell me you'd consider marrying me and being a mother to Jesse. Will you?"

  He loves me, he loves me, he loves me! Hannah's heart sang the words while a blanket of awe smothered her ability to speak. Gracious, he'd even called her the prettiest of the Kane sisters. What a blessed little secret to hold close to her heart! And hadn't Papa said she most resembled Mama in mannerisms and generosity? Why, he'd even said he thought of Mama whenever she, Hannah, entered a room. What higher compliment could anyone pay her? Suddenly, it mattered little that she was tallest, skinniest, and pastiest of them all; that she had thick, spirally hair the color of a red, setting sun; or even that her blushing cheeks often revealed emotions she'd rather keep hidden. The sheriff loved her-considered her beautiful. On top of that, God loved her even more and had a beautiful plan in store for her!

  She put a flat palm to the side of Gabe's cheek and he turned into it. The beginnings of beard growth prickled like the finest g
rade of sandpaper, and a curious swooping tugged at her heart.

  "So I wasn't dreaming that day in Ralston's office?"

  A hint of confusion shone in his eyes. "Dreaming?"

  "I heard you all talking that day. Jesse was there, and you and Papa..." She gave her head a quick shake and a large tuft of hair fell over her cheek.

  Gabe smiled, lifted a hand, and gently tucked the thick strand behind her ear. "I don't know what you remember about that day, sweetheart, but what's important is that you know God preserved your life for a reason. I believe that reason involves Jesse and me. He knew how much we would need you. Do you know I stopped by nearly every day to see how you were doing? Every day was the same, though-you were holed up in your room, healing from your wound, and I was growing as impatient as a baby bird to see you."

  She giggled lightly. "Grandmother told me you kept stopping by, but I thought you were just doing your job."

  He leaned close and smiled wider. "I'm not the parson, Hannah; I'm the sheriff, and I happen to love you." He started rubbing the upper part of her hand with his thumb, his eyes piercing to her soul. "So, what do you say? Will you be my wife?"

  It's simple, Papa had said. Trust and obey.

  Ralston saw her faith as mere religiosity, not something personal and tangible. No wonder she hadn't determined God's will for her life earlier. Simply put, her unequally yoked relationship with Ralston had kept her from knowing it completely! Papa's words came back afresh. If you desire it deeply, daughter, and have a yielded heart, the Lord will reveal His will to you in His good time.