Daniel grabbed her to him and brought his lips to hers with such force, she winced. He groaned. She broke free and slapped his face with the palm of her hand.
“I will be retiring to my cottage now, and I will not be here when you return after discovering you are on a fool’s mission.” Gwen turned and ran from the house, out the front door, and across the path separating the two buildings. She pulled open the door, slammed it shut firmly behind her, and securely bolted it.
Surely, she was a bigger fool than Daniel. In her room, Gwen cried herself to sleep.
It was dark when she awoke. She fumbled with the kerosene lamp, and when she had lit it, made her way to the privy. Crickets and night creatures sang their nocturnal tunes from outside the window. Her face felt stiff with dried tears, and when she returned to the kitchen, she poured warm water from the reservoir into a basin for washing. This led to a need for food.
Gwen was ravenous. She laughed at herself as she sat on the front rocker, staring at the stars while munching on cheese and bread. She finished off with a bowl of applesauce.
She continued to sit and watch the low light flicker in the chalet next door. It eventually went out, and she was alone in her small part of the world. For hours, she recited scripture she’d memorized by heart and talked to the Creator of the Stars as if He were sitting in the chair beside her. He felt so close that when she whispered His name, His breath of renewal seemed to tingle on her face. By the time she’d crawled back under the covers, she’d made peace with her situation, and it all boiled down to trusting God with her future—one day at a time.
There was no movement in Daniel’s cottage when she left for the row houses to pick up Jake. Mrs. McAlister was expecting to visit with her grandson, and Gwen would do all she could to help the two get to know one another. She should have checked on her patient, but she did not want to jeopardize the benefits she’d gained from her time with the Lord the night before. Peace was a fragile thing, and she knew that seeing Daniel would spark feelings she needed to forget.
The child squealed and threw his arms around Gwen. His display of affection made her heart skip a beat. When had caring for the toddler turned to love? Their mutual excitement had grown as if Jake were her own son and she, his mother. It was not a helpful thought in light of his birth mother’s being brought back onto the stage.
Why did Daniel have to be so stubborn?
Her head told her to forget her growing feelings for the man, but her heart refused.
A couple of hours later, Arthur returned the items they’d taken from her cottage to mind the boy. Gwen settled Jake’s small bed into the spare room and covered the mattress with clean blankets. He kept pulling them off playfully and running, making her chase him, and they ended in a tumble on the floor, laughing hysterically.
Gwen did not notice Daniel standing by the door. When she did, she scrambled to her feet and felt her face glow red with embarrassment.
“Forgive my interruption,” he said. “I just wanted to tell you that I did my exercise regime today and convinced Father to allow Arthur to take over the construction project while I’m gone. Surprisingly, he seemed interested in my venture, not so much updating the row houses, but the idea of including forestry in the McAlister empire.”
“I am pleased to hear that,” Gwen said. “Your future is looking up.” She picked up the toddler and buried her face in his hair. “Jake will be here, waiting for his parents to return. I’ll prepare him for the transition.”
“You’ve grown close to the boy,” Daniel said, his tone softening.
“He is easy to love.”
“Easier than his father?”
“You are speaking inappropriately for a man about to embark on a mission to bring another woman home. I will leave the moment you return.”
She saw his face cloud over. “I’m confused, Gwen. My emotions do not empathize with my duty.”
“We all make choices, Mr. McAlister,” Gwen said. “Yours have apparently been made, and we will not discuss it again. I will pray for your safety while traveling.” She turned and headed for the adjoining room. “Jake and I are putting his things away. Goodbye.”
Gwen did not see Daniel ride out, and her mood remained subdued. She tried to stay chipper for the child’s sake, but when she laid him down for his nap, she escaped to her room and cried useless tears of heartbroken agony. She had never wanted to find love, but it had found and deserted her all in the same tragic afternoon.
Still, she had succeeded in her job, and for that, she was grateful. Her patient was whole again in mind and body and moving forward with his role as the son of a Kentucky Plantation owner. Gwen would soon be free to move on to another assignment.
She sat upright and wiped away her tears. Gwen needed to focus and prepare for Mrs. McAlister’s visit. Encouraging love to flourish between her and Jake became Gwen’s primary goal.
Promptly at two, a knock came at the door. At first sight, the woman appeared agitated and unhappy to be there. Gwen was disappointed, but played the hopeful hostess.
“Mrs. McAlister—we have been looking forward to your visit. Please, come in.”
Inside the kitchen, she directed her guest to sit across from Jake’s highchair. She could not run the risk of
