“Hello, Uncle Alex,” Gretchen greeted him politely, and Alex studied the traces of Marcail he saw in her face. He greeted her and gave her his warmest smile.
“And this,” Rigg went on, “is Donovan. Donovan, this is your Uncle Alex. Can you say hello?”
Donovan’s answer was to shove his thumb a little further into his mouth, but Alex could see the beginnings of a smile. In fact, Donovan must have liked what he saw, because he abandoned his thumb long enough to hold out his arms, inviting Alex to take him. Alex didn’t hesitate, and the youngest member of the Riggs family gave his father a cheeky grin as he settled on his new uncle’s arm.
Rolling his eyes in amusement, Rigg attempted to draw his other daughter out to be introduced. Gretchen had been a picture of manners and grace. Molly, on the other hand, was not quite so amenable.
“Come on, Molly,” Rigg coaxed gently as she hid behind his left leg.
Alex watched as she wrapped her little arms around her father’s pant leg and peeked out, ever so carefully, to see him. A huge smile broke over Alex’s face; it was like looking at a tiny version of his wife.
Rigg, knowing how Molly was going to appear to Alex, watched the younger man carefully. As he then called Katie over to be introduced, he found himself thinking that although their marriage might have started out as a convenience, without a doubt this man had fallen in love with his wife.
An hour later, Marcail and Alex stood across from each other in Marcail’s room. Marcail told herself that she was not going to blush, but she had to tell Alex there was an alternative to sharing the bed. She watched as his eyes took in the one bed, the large dresser with mirror, the dressing screen in the corner, and the oak chest at the foot of the bed.
After he’d looked his fill, Alex’s eyes settled on his wife. They were not hesitant or questioning, but steady, waiting for her to make the next move. She did not disappoint him.
“My sister is the soul of discretion, Alex, and if you want, I could ask her for a cot. Or,” Marcail went on quietly, “we could share the bed like we did in Fort Bragg.”
Alex knew this was not an invitation for intimacy, but that was fine with him at this point; he felt the place for such things was in their own home. He also understood that Marcail had no inkling of how tiring it had been for him in Fort Bragg.
“I have no problem sleeping beside you while we’re here, Marcail.” Alex stated this carefully, so his wife would know he had not missed her meaning. “However, I rose early and came to bed late in Fort Bragg so you would have privacy. I’d like to get a little more rest while I’m here, and that will probably mean less privacy for you. So you see, the choice is really yours.”
Marcail nodded after just a moment’s hesitation. “I don’t think that will be a problem.”
Alex, who’d been holding his bag, then placed it beside the bed. He slipped out of his coat and placed it over a chair. Marcail took her cue from him, and reached for her own bag. She put a few things in the top dresser drawer and then went to the closet in the corner.
A moment later she disappeared behind the dressing screen. Alex, more than a little curious about what she was up to, lounged back on the bed and waited. Less than five minutes passed, and Marcail appeared in a lovely white dress with a round neckline and puffy sleeves. Her hair was down, pulled back at her neck with a white ribbon.
Alex thought she looked like a breath of spring air. She also looked a little flustered over the way he stared, so she explained in halting tones why she had changed.
“It’s warm here, and my other dresses are heavy, and well, I—”
“Don’t explain, Marcail,” Alex said smoothly. “I quite approve. It is hot here, and I hope your family won’t mind my shirtsleeves.”
Marcail shook her head. “I think you’ll find we’re pretty relaxed.”
They continued to talk until they heard a commotion outside the door. It sounded as if Molly was squealing and Rigg was trying to quiet her. Alex’s brows rose in question, but Marcail, as much in the dark as he, could only shrug.
Alex swung off the bed and opened the door so Marcail could precede him out of the room. They walked past the stairs and into the living room. When she saw Molly sitting on her brother’s shoulders, Marcail halted abruptly. Alex nearly ran into her.
“Sean!” Marcail whispered, her mouth dropping open in a most unfeminine way.
Sean’s smile was boyish as he caught sight of his sister. He swung Molly onto the sofa and crossed the room to hug her. Alex, quietly watching this reunion, had only one thought, she had never planned on marrying anyone even as tall as I am, but all the men in her life are huge. I’ve never considered myself short, but Rigg and Sean dwarf me.
“This is Alex,” Alex heard Marcail say before Sean’s hand took his own.
“Alex, this is my brother, Sean.”
“It’s good to meet you,” Alex began. “I take it that Marcail knew nothing of this?”
“Right. We meant to be at the train station but didn’t get away on time. Charlie?” Sean suddenly called over his shoulder. Alex watched as an adorable redhead approached.
“It’s short for Charlotte,” she said to her surprised brother-in-law.
Introductions were made all around. Alex met Ricky, who was a picture of Sean, and Callie, whose hair was the exact shade of her mother’s. The entire family was gathered in the living room, and things were just settling down when Charlie announced that she was expecting once again. There was another round of mayhem as hugs and congratulations were shared. When the room was finally calm, Alex found himself next to Katie. His voice was very quiet and gentle when he spoke privately to her.
“Unless I miss my guess, you have an announcement of your own to make.”
Katie could only stare at him for the space of several heartbeats. “How did you know?” Her voice as soft as his own.
“I’m not sure how I know; I’ve just always had this knack for sighting such things.”
“I haven’t even had a chance to tell Rigg.”
Alex chuckled at her dry tone. “Then this is decidedly not a good time to reveal your news.”
“Is it because you’re a doctor?” Katie was still captivated by his perception.
“No, I don’t think so. My father and brother are both doctors, but they’ve never been able to do it. I can’t do it unless the woman herself knows, so you must give off some type of signal.”
Katie nodded, looking deep in thought.
“I didn’t want to intrude,” Alex continued, still for Katie’s ears alone. “But since you haven’t decided whether or not you like me, I’d hoped to do or say something that would put your mind at ease concerning Marcail.”
Again Katie could only stare. Had she not been so surprised, she would have blushed to the roots of her hair over being read so easily.
“It must be rather difficult to live with someone who can read your mind,” Kaitlin spoke at last. “Poor Marcail, she’s never been able to keep a single emotion from her face.”
Alex frowned at Katie a moment as he thought of Marcail’s reserve in the last weeks.
“You’d be surprised,” was all he finally said.
Kaitlin, having had no idea what a sensitive subject this was, was a little taken aback at the look that had passed over Alex’s face.
The subject was changed then, but Alex couldn’t get his sister-in-law’s words out of his head. He wondered if he knew his wife at all.
fifty-one
The next day was Sunday, and Alex began seeing a Marcail he’d never met before. She was not the normally quiet and thoughtful person she seemed to be at home. She talked almost nonstop and laughed with an abandon he didn’t know she possessed.
He continued to pray about their relationship, turning his emotions over to God. He was starting to feel desperate to know which Marcail was really his wife. Unfortunately the events of the morning church service would only cause that desperate feeling to intensify.
Alex met
all of Rigg’s family, and that was no small group. They were a cheerful, warm bunch, and Alex was grateful for their welcome. He also met many of Marcail’s church family. Marcail had told him that Pastor Keller was an excellent Bible teacher, and Alex found himself looking forward to the sermon.
But before it began, Marcail, Kaitlin, and Sean all rose from their seats and moved to the front. Alex saw in an instant that they were going to sing. He knew Marcail had a nice voice, but he also knew how soft it was and wondered if they would even hear her at the back of the church.
They started with a Hawaiian hymn. It was beautiful, and the room was utterly still when Sean soloed. He was a perfect tenor, and Alex couldn’t decide which he liked more, Sean’s solo or the three voices blended together in perfect harmony. But this was before their second song, an English hymn, during which Alex heard his wife’s true solo voice for the first time.
She soloed for two of the verses, and he discovered she had one of the purest, highest soprano voices he’d ever heard. The pews on which the congregation sat literally vibrated with her high notes. Alex was still taking it all in when Marcail returned to sit beside him.
In his confusion, Alex didn’t enjoy the sermon nearly as much as he’d anticipated, or the lunch with the family at Rigg’s parents’ farm afterward. In fact, Alex spent the day under a painful cloud, which he tried to hide by smiling until his face hurt.
Marcail, who was having the time of her life now that she was home, didn’t notice that the smile didn’t reach Alex’s eyes. Not until they returned to the house in the late afternoon and Alex told everyone he was going to take a walk did Marcail stop to think about how quiet he had been all day.
Rigg usually put the kids to bed, but tonight he and Marcail were alone in the kitchen. Katie felt it was best to leave them. Sensing the need for privacy as well, Sean and Charlie put the children to bed with their cousins and stayed in the living room with Katie.
The talk beyond the kitchen door began very lightly, but Rigg’s heart was so burdened by what he’d seen on Alex’s face during the morning service that he had determined to have a serious talk with his young sister-in-law.
“Was it good to have the school year end?” Rigg asked some minutes into the conversation.
“Yes and no. I’m ready for a break, but I can’t think what I’ll do to keep busy for the rest of the summer.”
Rigg’s brow lowered on Marcail’s words. She noticed and had the good grace to looked ashamed.
“Tell me something, Marc,” Rigg began again, “did Alex know you were going to sing this morning?”
Marcail gave a small, apologetic shrug. “I guess I didn’t bother to mention it.”
Again Rigg frowned. Things were worse than he first believed.
“Would you be mad at Katie if she hadn’t told you?” Marcail asked, seeing his disapproval.
“Not mad, just hurt.”
Marcail was not comfortable with that and tried to change the subject, but Rigg would not be swayed. Even though she was growing angry, he kept at her.
“Tell me something, Marcail, did you really get married?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Only that nothing has changed. You still act like the single woman who left here over a year ago.”
These words made Marcail furious, but Rigg believed someone had to tell her. “Has he ever seen your anger, Marc? Do you open your heart to him at all?”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Rigg,” Marcail said to him, but knew it was a lie. Rigg had guessed perfectly how closed Marcail was to her husband.
“I do know what I’m talking about,” Rigg stated emphatically. “Alex Montgomery is a man, with feelings and needs, not some toy for you to play with when your family isn’t around.”
Marcail jumped to her feet in one angry move.
“Sit down, Marcail!” Rigg commanded.
“Don’t you order me around, Rigg. I’m a grown woman!”
“Then act like one.” Rigg’s voice turned so gentle on those words that it was almost Marcail’s undoing. “I realize a person can’t force feelings that aren’t there, but I’ve been watching Alex. Marcail, he’s in love with you.”
Marcail slowly sat back in her chair and stared across the table. “You don’t understand, Rigg. I’ve done something, and I don’t know how to undo it.”
“Talk to Alex about it,” Rigg told her.
“I don’t know how.”
“Then I’ll pray that you’ll know, because you’re selling him short, honey. I was impressed when I met him last year, and then when your father came back from Willits, he told us he thought Alex was as fine as they came, a real man of God. Give him a chance, Marc; in fact, give him your heart. I can see he would treasure it all the years of your life.”
Marcail didn’t know what to say, but then she didn’t have to. Alex chose that moment to come in the back door.
“Am I interrupting anything?” He glanced at Rigg, but his eyes turned to his wife’s strained features.
“Have a seat, Alex,” Rigg invited.
It took a few moments for Rigg to bring Alex out, but they eventually began to talk about where Alex had been on his walk. This time it was Marcail who was quiet.
fifty-two
Alex, still half asleep, reached to wipe the hair from his face. It took a moment for it to register that it was not his own. Marcail’s back was to him, but she must have just been asleep on his shoulder since his arm ached and her hair was spread across his face and chest like a fan.
Alex stretched, in no hurry to leave the warmth of the bed. It had taken only a few days for Alex to learn that Santa Rosa nights and mornings were cool. The heavy quilts on the bed made it a hard place to leave. That, and knowing that little Donovan was going to join them any minute.
Alex reached for his Bible. He was reading through the New Testament and just finishing the book of Mark. Not many minutes after he’d begun reading he heard the now-familiar thumping on the stairs outside the room. He knew what would come next as the bedroom door crashed back against the wall.
Donovan appeared beside the bed and grinned as soon as he saw Alex’s face. Alex reached for him and put him on his chest. His big, dark eyes went to his Aunt Marcail’s sleeping form and then back to Alex.
“Shhh,” he said, one pudgy finger held carefully to his lips. Alex nodded in approval. Donovan had felt it was his job to wake Marcail the first two mornings they were there, but Alex had taught him that they must be quiet.
Katie came down the stairs and peeked around the corner to check on her small charge. When she left, Alex knew she would head to the kitchen and start breakfast.
Alex let Donovan sit on his chest and chatter softly to him until the smell of fresh coffee floated through the air. Alex rose, pulled on enough clothes to be decent, and went to the kitchen with his nephew.
No one was around, so Alex helped himself to the coffee. He kept an eye on Donovan to see that he didn’t get hurt, but at 18 months old, the boy was bent on destruction. He had emptied two cupboards and was started on a third while Alex sipped his coffee.
Alex had just put everything back in the first two when Katie came out of the bedroom right off the kitchen. An experienced mother, she tapped two of the blocks together that sat on the floor near the table. Donovan took the bait. After he’d plopped down on his well-padded seat, Katie helped Alex right the kitchen.
“I used to sleep as well as Marcail, but that was before children,” Katie began conversationally.
“She scared me before I knew how hard she slept,” Alex replied. “I checked her repeatedly, thinking she’d stopped breathing.”
Katie laughed. “Before Rigg and I were married, he carried me from his parents’ living room all the way upstairs. I didn’t know about it for some time, but being such a sound sleeper can be very embarrassing.”
“Marcail tells me that Sean held her upside down one time and she never woke.”
; Katie laughed again. “You know, I’d forgotten about that. Older siblings can be pretty awful.”
“I never was,” Rigg said as he came from the bedroom.
“Of course you weren’t.” Katie’s voice was patronizing. “Tell us Rigg,” she continued sweetly, “was it Jeff or Gilbert whom you lowered from the hayloft by the ankles and threatened to drop?”
“Oh that.” Rigg was as calm as if it were an everyday occurrence. “It was Jeff, and he asked for it. If you don’t believe me,” Rigg said to Alex, “ask Bobbie—she has to live with him.”
Alex grinned at the light banter. They were really a delightful couple. Alex had never had a marriage like they shared. Linette had been so serious and unhappy, and Marcail kept a carefully erected wall between them at all times. Alex had watched Rigg kiss his wife, hug her, tickle her, and even give her backside a playful smack when she walked by. None of this was offensive to him; it just caused him to yearn for the type of love they shared in his own marriage.
As he sat contemplating the mistakes he’d made in the past weeks, along with the indeterminable future before him, he was forced to ask himself whether Marcail was worth his efforts. Before the question could fully form in his mind, he knew the answer. As the Riggs’ kitchen began to fill with people, Alex only half listened to what was going on around him: His heart was silently deciding to court his wife once again.
Marcail noticed the change in Alex even before breakfast was over. She was a little unsure of how to take this new Alex, with his attentive manner and gentle touch. He was acting as he had when they’d first wed, but Marcail, still a little bruised from the weeks of silence, was not sure how to respond.
She was sure of one thing, though. She did want to respond. Rigg had been correct about the way she hid her emotions, and Marcail knew that if she kept it up, it was going to be at her own expense. Right now she was looking forward to a time of new beginnings with her spouse.
Alex was spending the day at the mercantile with Rigg, and Marcail took advantage of the time to pray and ask God to help her love her husband unreservedly. Why she’d never prayed for this in the past was a mystery, but Marcail knew the time for waiting was over. She knew her feelings were not going to change overnight, but at least she was on the road and headed in the right direction.