“Aye,” he answered in an equally low voice. “One thing most soldiers ache for while away is home. Ye have yours now.” He kissed her cheek.
“I do, don’t I?” She glanced toward the children’s table. “Noah! That puppy does not belong on the table.”
“I was just showing them how he can dance,” Noah answered and put the puppy down on the floor.
“I am sure they can see that just as well out on the back porch.”
“Okay.”
She looked at Matthew who was battling to hide a grin. “My family.”
“Aye, one with a dancing puppy. Cannae beat that.”
She laughed and shook her head. As they shared some freshly baked pie, she joined in on the planning for her wedding. It was still a bit difficult for her to believe, and she found herself doing more agreeing to someone else’s idea than making any of her own. By the time she sought her bed she was tired and, for reasons she did not understand, nervous and a little afraid. Abigail was in her nightgown and ready to crawl into bed when Emily knocked.
“I just wanted to talk alone for a moment,” she said as she stepped in. “Doubt Matthew will allow much more than that although I told Iain to keep him busy for a while. Are you sure about marrying Matthew?”
“Why would I not be?”
“I am married to one of these fellows, remember, and it can be a heady thing. And when one becomes intimate with a fellow it can make it even harder to know one’s own mind. I just wondered because you said so little when we talked about the wedding.”
“I didn’t really have any ideas. It is not something I have done and I have attended very few of them as well.”
“Neither had I, and I also rather let them run with it. Mrs. O’Neal is very good. I am not quite sure why I am wondering if you want this but there was something that troubled me.”
“It was a bit of a surprise to me. Perhaps that is what you sensed.”
“Ah. Shock.”
Abigail laughed. “Something like that. I had not expected it. He was talking about where we could all live then said he had a condition. I had to marry him.”
“Oh, and save his reputation. Poor boy.”
“So for some reason I decided to take a gamble and, believe me, I never do. I said I had a policy too, to never marry a man who did not love me.”
“And he said it?”
“He did and he claimed he already had, a few times. Naturally I scoffed.”
“I should hope so. As if any woman would miss that or not recall it.”
“I know. Told him he must have said it while I was still asleep. Then he looked a bit embarrassed because that was exactly when he said it. He even demonstrated how he mumbled it. So I made him say it clearly while I was wide-awake and he did. I am glad he doesn’t have the reputation of a tomcat but I got what I needed. I just never expected it and I think I keep worrying that somehow it will disappear.”
Emily hugged her. “I know just how you feel. Once done it passes.”
“Are you certain?”
“Oh yes. Because it is done. You are tied. It is forever, starting that day.”
“I guess that is it. Do you think they feel the same or is it just women who overthink the whole thing?”
“Well, don’t know if they feel the same thing. Some might. Some might just want to get the ceremony over. Men can be odd creatures.”
“Matthew might have a good reason to be nervous. He marries me and he becomes a father to Noah and Jeremiah. No idea what Jeremiah will be like, but we all have had a good peek at Noah and what he might be.”
“Noah is lovely. He will keep everything lively. An adorable boy.”
There was a knock on the bedroom door and a moment later Matthew entered. “Had your chat, Emily?” Matthew asked her.
