“I thought we’d just done that. Twice.”
“Nope. I figure we can stop and sleep at about dawn.”
She stared at him for a moment. “I think you will be on your own for the last few hours of that.” A grin tugged at her mouth when he laughed. “I actually could go to sleep now.”
“Satisfaction followed by food. Always makes one sleepy. But I will wake ye up, for a while.”
He did, and she was well satisfied with his efforts. Abbie could not stay awake any longer though and curled up beside him to go to sleep. They had years to play such games although she suspected they would enjoy them more now while still young and in good shape. She smiled as she slipped into sleep.
* * *
Matthew looked at Abbie asleep in his arms. He wrapped both arms around her and gave her a gentle hug. This was what he wanted, and he wondered why it had taken him so long to make up his mind. He had just feared the idea of marriage as he figured many men did.
No more overthinking it, he decided as he closed his eyes. This was where he wanted to be, who he wanted to be with. He already cared for the children she brought with her as well. It would be interesting to see what they produced together. He idly decided he should probably find out how she felt about having children but decided it could wait until he got a bit of rest.
* * *
After a few days they called their honeymoon, Abigail and Matthew started back. She was just about to say something when they both heard a horse coming up behind them. Matthew turned, shoving her behind him at the same time, but then he grinned.
“James! What are ye doing here?”
“You didn’t invite me to the wedding?” James attempted to look offended, but his obvious delight in finding Matthew spoiled it.
“Didnae ken where ye were.”
“Weel, we were helping them push their way through the South. It was brutal. Doc took a hit but he’ll be fine.”
“Heard that from Abbie’s brother.”
“Wondered if he got here. So, the major had the doctor sign these papers. We are all out of it. He isn’t sure we even need these but decided we should have something official in case someone demands it and thinks to pull us back in.”
“I heard it was all as good as over.”
“I think it is. But you can never be sure what some officer might get into his head, and suspect the penalties for desertion and other such things will be handed out for a while. We have been officially released. Got one for Boyd, and Dan got his. Ran right home, he did.”
“What are ye going to do?”
“No idea yet. Just meandering.”
“Weel, come meander up to my home.”
James dismounted, took his reins in hand, and walked beside Matthew. Abigail smiled faintly as the man fished for all the information he could on the area. The man might not recognize it but he was searching for a home. She recognized the signs for she had been doing the same. She had found hers.
Chapter Twenty
Abigail patted the dirt down carefully around the small rose bush she had planted. Maude had sent her two, called them beach roses, and swore they were hardy. Now she had one planted on each side of the front door. As she stood up and brushed the dirt off, she hoped the blooms would be the same color. She looked around trying to decide where to plant the lavender seeds Maude had also sent her.
She looked at the colorful red door on her home and smiled. It had taken two years but they finally had a home of their own a short walk down the road from the big MacEnroy house. In fact, they had put it in the spot where they had spent their wedding night. She always liked to pinch at Matthew by calling it the box. It was square and two stories high with a long front porch, a matching one running by the back door. It had none of the often elaborate decorative touches of the houses she had grown up seeing in Pennsylvania, but she loved it. With Robbie directing her when he could, she was even learning how to weave. She was no match for his artistic touch in the skill, but she had made a number of pretty carpets for her home and had even sold a few things, making enough so that they had the joy and comfort of indoor plumbing.
The sound of Matthew working on the fencing-in of the backyard made her think she should bestir herself to offer him a drink of either their brothers’ cider or some lemonade. She was just moving toward the back to speak to him when she spotted a wagon approaching. As it drew closer she saw that it was being driven by an older man. An older woman sat near him while a small boy sat securely between them. In the back of the wagon was a younger woman, three girls who had to be in their late teens, and another young boy. Then she saw the little package the woman held, recognized it as the one she had mailed out to Robert’s parents two years ago, and a chill went down her spine.
“Matthew!” she called as the wagon was pulling to a halt in front of the house and picked up Lily, her cat, because she knew the still-small Wags would follow Noah, who would follow Matthew when he answered her call. So would Jeremiah, she thought, and wished she had not called to her husband. She had the sudden strong urge to grab the boy and hide him away.
The older woman stepped down from the wagon seat and walked to the start of the path to the front door. “Mrs. MacEnroy?”
“Which one?” she asked, and cursed herself for a coward.
“Mrs. Abigail MacEnroy?”
