He kept one hand at her back and moved the other to lift his fingers up to her lips. “Don’t answer now. Wait until you’re certain. But know my heart and mind won’t change. I’m yours, now and for always.”
A laugh burst from her, then she sniffed as she shook her head, her smile growing even wider, if that were possible. “I know my answer. I was only trying to think of words as eloquent as yours to respond.” She turned her hand in his to weave their fingers together, palm to palm. “Yes. Of course, yes. It would be my honor to marry you. You’re the man God has planned for me; He’s shown me that clearly. Not only that but you hold my heart too.”
The relief that washed through him quickly shifted into joy so thick he could barely catch his breath.Yes? Of course, yes?How in the world could she be so certain of him? But he had promised God Himself and her that he would stop questioning his worth in her eyes or in the Lord’s.
To seal the commitment they were making, he loweredhis mouth to hers and brushed her lips. Her sisters would come in at any moment, so he couldn’t give her the kiss he longed for.
The sound of a throat clearing behind him brought his head up. Too late. They’d been caught after all.
Lorelei grinned up at him, her smile showing not a bit of embarrassment. Then she leaned around him and sent the same look to those entering the barn. “Juniper, Faith, Riley. Come in. Isn’t it wonderful?”
For a heartbeat, he thought she spoke of their new understanding. His mind had barely caught up with the news himself, and a prickle of disappointment pressed at sharing their announcement so soon.
But she pointed into the stall and motioned for the others to come and look inside. “I think it’s a little boy.”
The foal. Yes, that made more sense.
He and Lorelei stepped back from the enclosure to allow the others to line the fence. That gave him the opportunity to slip his arm around Lorelei again. She snuggled into his side, clasping her hands around his waist.
With this woman at his side and the God he’d recently given his life to leading them on their journey, he couldn’t wait to see what adventures they would discover along the way.
Epilogue
I’m sure it’s somewhere through here.” Tanner studied the rocky cliffside above them.
This looked exactly like the spot he’d seen as he rode tied behind Purcey’s mount. If only he’d realized at the time the dark spot he saw on the slope above him was a cave, he and White Horse could have returned here when they’d come back to bury Purcey’s body.
The lay of this land, the way a narrow stream ran through the valley below with the camping spot perched on its bank, the way mountain peaks rose on both sides—this could have been the place Adams described. The animal trail they were climbing now could be the one the man had spoken of. After all, this place was only one mountain range over from where they’d searched before.
“Is that it?” Rosemary pointed at a place above and to the right of them.
A bush grew on the slope. Not an uncommon sight at all.
But as Tanner studied the spot, the shadow behind it became clear. Rosemary was already clamoring up the incline at a run. White Horse likely could’ve passed her, buthe stayed just behind, maybe in case she fell or perhaps letting her be the first to reach the place since she’d been the one to spot it.
“Come on.” Lorelei started after her sister, and Tanner followed.
By the time they reached the bush, Rosemary and White Horse had already stepped into the opening of a low cave. His heart thudded as he and Lorelei peered in behind them. Had they finally found White Horse’s mother?
Inside the cave was only blackness. Dark so thick he couldn’t see how far back the cavern went.
“We need a light.” Rosemary turned and scanned the landscape around them, as though a glowing lantern might be hanging from one of the shrubby trees or perched on a rock.
Tanner reached for the pocket sewn into his trousers. “I have a tinderbox.” He dropped to his knees and pulled out the flint and steel, then prepared the tinder to catch the spark. “See if you can find a stick dry enough to light.”
“This might work.” Lorelei knelt beside him with a dead branch from the bush.
Within less than a minute, they had the tiny twigs on the branch lit. He eased up to his feet slowly so the wind didn’t snuff out the fire. The small flames on Tanner’s stick illuminated the darkness, revealing the cave wasn’t much deeper than a small room and only as wide as the span of a man’s arms.
And it was empty.
White Horse and Rosemary paced the length of the area, examining the floor and walls and even the ceiling.
Rosemary glanced from the crevice she was studying toWhite Horse. “Someone stayed here, but can we tell for certain it was Steps Right?”
He squatted down beside the left wall and examined the floor. “She kept medicines here.”
Rosemary moved to his side and stooped to scrutinize the spot. Tanner stepped closer to them to give them more light, and Lorelei wandered to the far end of the cave.
