“Would you all sit down?” Hank grumbled lifting a fork in one beefy hand and a knife in the other. “My pancakes are getting cold.”
Fiona slapped the man playfully with the dishrag in her hand but gestured for everyone to take their places as the back door burst open and Katie arrived, Will close on her heels.
“I’m gonna starve to death at my own table,” Hank growled shooting a wink at Grace and William as everyone hugged.
Blake took Darcy’s hand and led her to the table, helping her back into her chair as the family finally settled. Hank and Fiona had moved back to the big ranch house years ago when Joshua, the original cattleman, had been ailing and had left their own home by the stream to their son Eric. Now, they hosted the family meals, and this one was shaping up to be a dozy.
“Let’s pray,” Hank said a little too loudly and everyone bowed their heads, but Blake shot Darcy a grin. “Lord thank you for this food and the hands that prepared it. Thank you for bringing our family safely home, and for your mercy and love. Amen.”
“Amen,” Darcy echoed automatically then blushed as all eyes turned to her.
“Darcy?” Blake queried as the rest of the family started to eat. In a moment the world seemed to shrink to only the two of them and his heart longed to understand everything about the woman.
“So how you been Turnip,” Darcy teased pouring warm syrup over her pancakes. “You look good.”
“So do you. But how did you get here? How do you know Mary and Bar?”
Darcy shot a glance at the couple across the table, now deep in conversation with the oldest of the cattleman’s daughters. “I wrote to the mission asking for work,” Darcy admitted. “I figured that there weren’t a lot of places I could go, and that with my past, I might have trouble getting work. Besides,” she hesitated a moment then pressed on, “I thought I could kind of pay my debt to society working in a mission.”
“Darcy,” Blake sighed. Had she learned nothing?
Darcy placed her fork on the table and turned to meet Blake’s disappointed gaze. “I worked hard,” she continued. “I listened and I helped, but no matter how much I did I still didn’t feel good enough. Finally, one day a special speaker came, and his words hit me right here.” Darcy tapped her heart and smiled sadly. “I can’t explain it, but I heard the truth. All those words you had thrown at me seemed to finally hit their mark and something changed. I gave up trying, I gave up the work and accepted the gift that set me free.”
Blake’s eyes roved over Darcy’s face trying to accept what she said even as a barb of pure sorrow pricked his soul. “Why didn’t you let me know?”
Darcy twisted her hands in her lap. “I’m not the kind of woman a man like you needs.”
Blake placed his hands on either side of Darcy’s face leaning in to peer into the windows of her soul. “Don’t you know that doesn’t matter? You have my heart, and now that you know the truth, you can have the rest of me.”
Darcy closed her eyes as the words washed over here and she released her straining heart as Blake’s lips brushed hers in a tender kiss.
“Ew, Mama, Blake’s kissin’ Darcy!” Gracie’s voice made the couple jump apart as the table erupted in laughter.
“It’s about time too,” Meg grumbled winking at her niece and nephew.
Darcy’s heart had wings as she sat next to Blake who blushed every time someone looked at him.
“I have other news too,” Darcy whispered reaching under the table to take Blake’s hand. “Jim’s at the mission and he’s turned his life over to God as well.”
“You’re kidding?”
“Nope, now he works helping out around the place and keeping the peace when anyone gets fractious.”
“Will wonders never cease?”
“Not as long as we have a little faith,” Darcy grinned.
Chapter 30
Never in his memory had Christmas been so wonderful to Blake, it was as if every present he had ever wished for had come wrapped in a ribbon in the perfect package that was Darcy.
He didn’t want to let her out of his sight for a minute and quickly moved her things up to his parent’s home. They spent every waking hour together and sat up late into the night getting reacquainted as they poured out their hearts in honest conversation.
Blake had waited all this time, hoping and praying that one day God would bring Darcy back to him, and now here she was.
“Pa, can I take the small sleigh out today?” Blake asked as he quickly ran through his chores in the barn. “I’d like to take Darcy for a ride and ask her something important.”
Clay slapped his son on the back with a grin. “I’ll have it hitched and waiting for you. Run on up to the house and let that girl of yours know.”
“Thanks,” Blake grinned, walking out into the snow with his now familiar limp.
“God it sure isn’t what I would have done in your shoes, but I reckon you know what’s best. I pray you’ll bless those two. Oh and give Meg patience. She’s been planning a wedding for years now.”
***
“I’ve never ridden in a sleigh,” Darcy bounced with delight when Blake led her outside bundled in a plain brown wool coat. “It looks like fun.”
“It is,” Blake said. “I’ll even drive safely,” he added with a grin.
A moment later they were dashing over the fresh snow onto the prairie over well traveled trails. Darcy grabbed at Blake’s arm as he drove quickly over the frozen stream and along toward the saw mill.
The land was so fresh and the air sharp, but it was fun to be out in the open with the man she loved. Darcy still had moments when she was sure she wasn’t good enough for him, but she couldn’t deny
