House On Windridge (15 page)

“Being laid up like that made me realize just how much I still wanted to accomplish. It made me realize how important some things were and how unimportant other things were.”

“How so, Devon?” Kate asked, ladling him a large portion of the beef stew he'd specifically requested for supper.

“I realized it doesn't much matter what direction we go with Windridge so long as we're happy and doing what God would have us do. What does matter is that we honor God and care for one another. Everything else is just icing on the cake.”

“Cake. Wyan want cake!”

Devon laughed and rubbed the boy's head. “I do believe this boy grew some hair while I was gone.” Ryan squealed and clapped his hands as if acknowledging his own accomplishments.

Jessica thought about what Devon had said long after the supper meal was over and Ryan had been put to bed. She had thought to just stay in her room, but at the sound of the bell ringing downstairs, she figured Kate had forgotten something and was using the signal to keep from having to trudge up a flight of steps to get her answer.

With a sigh, Jessica went down the back stairs to the kitchen and found Devon leaning casually against the wall at the bottom of the stairs—bell in hand, grin on his face.

“I wondered if this would really work. Kate said it would, but I just did
n't believe her.”

Jessica began to tremble. She froze on the step and waited to see what he would do or say next. His smile broadened as he set the bell aside. “I thought maybe you'd take a walk with me. Kate says she'll listen for Ryan, so why don't you grab up your coat and come out to the ridge with me?”

Jessica felt her mouth go dry. “I don't know if that's such a good idea.”

Devon laughed and reached up to pull her down the last few steps. “Well, I do. The country air seems to have a remarkable effect on you.”

Jessica's face grew hot. Was he implying what she thought he was? She didn't get a chance to ask because he moved her toward the back door with such speed that she had no time to protest.

He pulled her work coat from the peg and helped her on with it. Then he took up his own coat, which he'd draped haphazardly atop the butter churn. “Come on.”

He half dragged her up the hill, not saying a word as they made their way to the top. Jessica felt the warmth of his fingers intertwined with her own. It felt wonderful to have him so near. But how could she ever explain her actions from earlier in the day? No doubt he wanted to discuss her boldness, and he probably wanted to upbraid her for it, given the fact that he was taking her away from the house and other listening ears.

She bit at her lower lip and tried to think of how she would justify herself. She'd simply tell him she was overcome with joy. Which was true. Then, she'd make it clear the kiss meant nothing. Which was not true.

Devon slowed down as they neared the top and nearly swung her in a circle as they came to stand atop the ridge. “Now,” he said without wasting any time. “I'd like an explanation.”

“An explanation?” Jessica questioned, barely able to look him in the eye. “For what?”

The full moon overhead revealed the amusement in his expression. “All the
time you've been here at Windridge, Jessica Albright, you've either been putting me in my place, arguing with me about how things would be, or calling me the hired help. You've berated me for my interference with Ryan, refusing to let him get too close for fear I might steal him away from you, and you've hidden yourself away anytime things got too uncomfortable.”

Jessica said nothing. Everything he'd related was true. It hardly seemed productive to deny it.

“Then,” he said, his voice lowering, “I return home from an experience that nearly sent me to my maker, and you greet me like I'm your long lost husband. And that, my dear Jessica, is what I want an explanation for.”

Jessica took a deep breath. Her moment of truth had come. But she couldn't tell him the truth, not given the way he'd reacted to her. Or could she? Maybe if she was honest, he'd realize the merit in accepting her love. Maybe he'd even come to love her the way Kate presumed he already did.

The air had grown chilly, and Jessica shivered. She refused to give in to her fears. Her entire life had been a pattern of running away from painful situations, and while she'd not instigated the first time when her father had sent her from Windridge, she had certainly allowed many of the other situations.

“Well?” Devon prodded.

His expression was unreadable. Where earlier Devon had smiled with amusement and seemed quite entertained by her nervousness, Jessica could find nothing in his face to reveal how he really felt. She would have to swallow her pride and admit her feelings or lie to him.

“I suppose you do deserve an explanation,” she began slowly. “I can best explain by telling you some of the things that happened to me while you were gone. First, Gertrude Jenkins showed up.”

“Yes, I remember passing her on the way down the drive.”

“Well, she came and we were introduced, and your name came up.” She paused and looked away. Why couldn't this just be simple?
Because you're making it harder than it has to be
, Jessica's heart told her.

She held up her hand. “None of that is important. The truth is, I love you.” She turned to see what his reaction might be. “It terrifies me in a way I can't even begin to explain, but that's the truth, and I thought from something Kate had told me that you might be given to feeling the same way. Then when I saw you coming home, I just forgot myself and let my heart take over. I'm sorry.”

“Truly?”

She shook her head in confusion. “Truly what?”

“You're truly sorry? Sorry you let your heart guide you? Sorry you threw yourself into my arms and kissed me?” He stepped closer and reached his hand up to touch her cheek.

Jessica felt her breath quicken. “No.”

“No?” he questioned, the tiniest grin causing his mustache to rise.

Jessica lifted her chin ever so slightly. “No, I'm not sorry. I'm powerfully embarrassed, but I'm not sorry.”

“Why are you embarrassed?”

“Because I made a fool of myself,” Jessica replied. “Some
thing I seem to do quite a bit when you're around.”

This made Devon laugh. “If this is you being a fool, then I like it, and I wouldn't have you change a single thing. But I don't think this is foolish.”

“No?” It was Jessica's turn to question.

He moved his face closer to hers, and she knew without a doubt he would kiss her. Could it be, her mind reeled, that he did return her feelings? Was it possible he loved her?

“You never gave me much of a chance to speak to you on the matter,” he whispered, his breath warm on her face. “I don't think being in love is foolish. Especially when both people feel the same way.”

She felt her eyes grow wide. “Truly?” She found herself repeating the very word he'd used earlier. “You love me?”

“I do,” he murmured. “And I'd like to respond to your earlier greeting.”

His lips closed upon hers, and his arms pulled her tightly into his embrace. Jessica's knees grew weak. She embraced the overwhelming joy that flooded her heart and soul. It seemed impossible that Devon was standing there, saying the things he was saying, kissing her as he was kissing her, but it also seemed so right. Jessica thought it felt perfect, as if they were meant for each other.

Devon kissed her lips, then let his kisses trail up her cheek to her eyebrow and then to her forehead. Jessica sighed and put her head against his shoulder.

“You know, you seem to make a habit of kissing men you aren't engaged to,” he whispered.

Jessica laughed and pulled away. “Then maybe you'd better rectify the
situation.”

He smiled. “I'd be happy to.” He pulled out a ring from his pocket. “This belonged to my grandmother. It's the same one I gave to Jane and the same one she brought back to me. But it's special to me, and I hope you'll overlook her involvement with it. This ring was worn by my grandmother for some fifty-seven years of marriage. She adored my grandfather, and he adored her. I want that kind of marriage, Jess. I want that for us. Will you accept this ring and my proposal of marriage?”

Tears coursed down Jessica's face. She took the ring and slipped it on her finger. It fit perfectly, the little carved gold band glittering in the moonlight. “The past is gone, but this ring will be a reminder to us both of what true love can endure and accomplish. I've prayed for this, asked God to send me the kind of man who could be a father to my son, as well as a husband to me.” She looked up from the ring to meet Devon's passionate gaze. “Yes, I'll marry you.”

Epilogue

June 1892

R
yan danced circles around his parents. Devon and Jessica Carter laughed to see the spectacle the small boy was creating.
“People comin' to see me,” he said happily. “Dey comin' now.”

“Yes, Son,” Devon said, scooping the boy up into his arms. “Buck is bringing us a whole bunch of people.” He rubbed the thick dark curls that covered Ryan's head.

“I hope we aren't making a mistake,” Jessica said, nervously twisting her hands. She'd been married less than two months to Devon, and now they were opening Windridge as a resort ranch. “I mean, maybe you were right. Maybe we should never have let this thing get this far.”

Devon eyed her with a raised brow and laughed. “Now you're willing to listen to me?”

Jessica shook her head. “Oh, Devon, did we make the wrong decision?” She could see the stage approaching and knew that within a few minutes, total strangers would descend on their steps.

“Remember why you thought to do this in the first place?”

Jessica nodded. “I thought it would make a quiet respite.”

“Not only that, but you saw it as the perfect opportunity to share God with other folks.”

“But what if they don't like it here?”

Devon shrugged. “What if they don't? We have the partnership intact with the Rocking W, and it'll only be another year or so before we're completely solvent.”

“Maybe we shouldn't have taken on all those cattle,” Jessica said. “I mean you had to hire all those hands, and now we've got these people coming and—”

Devon put his finger to her lips, and Ryan leaned over to follow suit by placing his pudgy hand against her mouth. “Mama, peoples comin' to see me.”

Jessica pulled back and smiled. “All right. I get your point. We can't do anything about it now. The guests are already here.”

“Exactly. Let's give it a try. We've got a full summer ahead of us with plenty of folks who want to see what a dude ranch is all about. Let's just wait and see what happens. We might both be so happy to be done with it by the end of summer that we'll never even want to consider doing this another year.”

“I suppose you're right,” Jessica replied.

“I've no doubt people will find this place a blessing,” Devon said. “I know I have.”

Jessica sighed. “So have I.”

Buck approached with the stage-styled carriage and brought the horses to a stop not ten feet from the front walk.

“Well, they're here,” Devon said, shifting Ryan in his arms.

“Peoples here, Mama!” Ryan called and clapped his hands.

Jessica laughed at his enthusiasm. Through the open windows of the carriage, Jessica could hear animated conversation between the passengers. She couldn't make out the words, but knew that soon enough she'd probably hear plenty from her guests. Just then, Buck scrambled down from the driver's seat and positioned the stepping platform for the passengers. The door opened, and to Jessica's surprise the passengers poured out arguing—bickering over something that Jessica couldn't quite make out.

“Well, here are your people,” Devon said, leaning close to whisper. “Looks like they could use a good dose of peace and quiet.”

She nodded. “I suppose we'd better welcome them before they kill each other.”

She stepped forward and rang a triangular bell that hung at the edge of the porch. The metallic ring caused everyone to fall into silence and give her their full attention.

Jessica gave them what she hoped was her friendliest smile. “Good afternoon. I'm Jessica Carter, and this is my husband, Devon, and son, Ryan. We'd like to welcome you to the house on Windridge.”

About the Author

Tracie Peterson, bestselling, award-winning author of over ninety fiction titles and three non-fiction books, lives and writes in Belgrade, Montana. As a Christian, wife, mother, writer, editor and speaker (in that order), Tracie finds her slate quite full.

Voted favorite author for 1995, 1996, and 1997 by the Heartsong Presents' readership, and awarded Affaire de Coeur's Inspirational Romance of the Year 1994, Romantic Times 2007 Career Achievement, American Christian Fiction Writers Lifetime Achievement 2011 and other awards, Tracie enjoys the pleasure of spinning stories for readers and thanks God for the imagination He's given. She desires that the books would Entertain, Educate, and Encourage—Tracie's three E's.

Tracie was the managing editor of Heartsong Presents for Barbour Publishing for over three years and helped with acquisitions prior to that. She co-founded the American Christian Fiction Writer's organization in 2000 and continues to work with new authors, teaching at a variety of conferences, giving workshops on inspirational romance, historical research, and anything else that offers assistance to fellow writers. She often speaks at women's retreats and church functions. Her website is www.traciepeterson.com