“What will you do now, Emma?” Prudence asked.
“I’ll live in the hunting cottage back in the woods.”
“Oh, splendid.”
Logan added, “She hasn’t a family, so it was the least I could do for her. We’re still friends, though.”
Prudence waved her fork in the air as she spoke. “You know, I’ve always believed a couple should be friends before marriage. Hugh and I were friends in the schoolroom and then it turned to love.”
“How’s your marriage now?” Logan asked.
“It’s fine. There never was a problem. It was just the excuse I used to spy on you and Emma on my last visit.”
“Good to hear,” Logan said.
“I’ll be leaving in the morning. I have so much to do before fall.”
“It’s only July, Pru.”
“You know how time flies. In two weeks it will be August. I had hoped to get Billy into school, but the schoolmaster said he wasn’t ready. Billy’s bright, but he doesn’t like to talk much.”
Logan pushed his plate away and stood. “I promised Emma I’d take a walk with her after dinner. Will you join us, Pru?”
“No, I’ll check on Billy and then get a good night’s sleep in preparation for another two days of traveling.”
Emma and Logan embraced her and wished her a good night.
Once outside, Logan led Emma down the lane toward the main road. “I wanted a chance to tell you my news alone. Prudence stopped at the lawyers before coming here today. She signed everything back to me. She’s refusing the inheritance.”
“Really?” Emma could hardly believe it. “The money, too?”
“Yes…well, she sold the ranch back to me for a dollar. She had to do that to make it legal. She left the money in our account. We haven’t lost anything—except that dollar.”
“I never expected her to do that, did you?”
“No. I was ready to move out. The builders have already started my cottage, but I could offer it to Owen. He’s a widower, and it would not only give him a home close to his job, but he’d be close by, should you need him.”
“I haven’t seen Alan lately. Is he all right?”
“Yes, he’s helping his father build a barn.”
“I haven’t seen him since we returned from Tim and Rachel’s.”
“I met him one day for lunch. He’s fine. I told him what I planned to do with the inheritance and about our annulment, and he said he’d keep busy and give us some space. He thinks we need it to work things out.”
Emma felt she should comment, but she didn’t know what to say. Was there a way to work things out if she didn’t know her feelings?
That night after reading her Bible, Emma said her prayers. She asked God to help her realize her feelings before it was too late.
The cottage was ready for her to move in, but she procrastinated and pretended to still be sewing things for the house though she had enough doilies for three cottages. She didn’t know why, but she didn’t want to move out. She loved the house, and she spent a lot of time in the stables with the horses. She was reluctant to give it up to live alone in the woods. It was pleasant to have her meals prepared by Irma and to share them with Logan. Emma would be all alone once she'd moved out.
One warm morning at the beginning of August, she knew it was time to move. Logan came home from a trip to town and set some paperwork down on the table in front of her.
“It’s final. Our marriage is annulled.”
Emma felt a lump in her throat. Wasn’t that what she’d wanted? She looked up at Logan to see he wasn’t smiling either. His blue eyes looked dark as he stared into hers. She blinked to end the contact, took the papers, and scanned them. It was legal.
“It has my name listed here as Emmaline Jamison. I’m not Emma Sinclair anymore.” She sighed. “I guess it would be improper for me to continue living here. I’ll pack my things.” She started to stand, but Logan’s hand on her shoulder held her gently in her seat.
He spoke softly. “There’s no one here to care about propriety, and there’s no hurry.”
“I knew I’d have to move eventually…I even stocked the cottage with food the other day. I’m just…just a bit sad to leave. I love this house.”
“You’re welcome here anytime, you know that, don’t you? Friends do visit each other.”
Logan rubbed her shoulder. She yearned for a hug to give her the courage she needed to move to the cottage. She wished she could ask for one. She needed the comforting. She'd felt slightly insecure but she didn't know why.
“I’ll help you move whenever you’re ready.”
His voice was consoling, and it brought tears to her eyes. She tried blinking them away, but not before Logan had seen them.
He held out his arms. “Come here, Emma.”
She flew into his arms and rested her head on his strong chest.
His arms tightened, and she felt him kiss the top of her head. He loved her, and she couldn’t decide if she loved him or not. At that moment, she felt like she did love him.
“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” he whispered.
“I…I don’t know if what I feel is love, gratitude, or guilt, but I don’t want to leave you.” Emma threw her arms around his neck. “Just hold me.”
Logan squeezed her tighter. “If you ever decide that you love me, I’ll be here waiting for you.”
Emma felt the urge to tell him she loved him. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she hesitated. What if she was wrong?
