In a low voice he said, "If it's all right, Miss Arlington, I will call upon you again tomorrow."

TWENTY-NINE.

Morgan parked his automobile at the sidewalk near Gwen's front gate and whispered a quick prayer for G.o.d's blessing. The last time he'd asked a woman to marry him, it had been a bad decision. Even now, the memory left a nasty taste in his mouth. But Gwen was nothing like Yvette. For that matter, he was a much different man than he'd been before.

Now if only she loved him too. If only she said yes when he asked her. Last night he'd felt as if something had changed between them. Changed in her.

Please, G.o.d G.o.d, let me not be mistaken. let me not be mistaken.

He opened the pa.s.senger door and stepped onto the sidewalk. His lungs felt starved for air, and he took a moment to draw a deep breath before opening the gate and striding toward the house. The front door was open, and he could see through to the kitchen where Gwen sat at the table, holding a cup between two hands.

If I've ever wanted anything, Lord Lord, it's her. it's her.

He rapped on the doorjamb. Gwen started, as if surprised by the sound, then turned toward the door. Did she look glad or sorry to see him? He couldn't be sure. Her face was hidden in shadows.

"Good morning." He removed his hat. "I hope I haven't come too early in the day."

"No." She rose and came toward him. "It isn't too early."

What if he'd misread her last night? What if she wasn't ready to hear what he had to say? He could destroy any chance he had with her if he spoke too soon.

"Does Owen have a lesson today?" he asked.

"Not today. He's working for the Humphreys at the mercantile for the summer." She pushed open the screen door. "We'll resume his lessons in the fall when school starts up again."

"No summer off for me?" He stepped inside.

She shook her head, voice grave. "Owen is one of my advanced advanced students. He can take the summer off without losing ground. You need your lessons." students. He can take the summer off without losing ground. You need your lessons."

Morgan couldn't keep from chuckling, loving her all the more for her sense of humor. A slow smile curved her mouth, and the room felt the brighter for it.

Now. Now was the time. Now, while she was smiling at him, teasing him.

"Miss Arlington, I never want to miss another lesson with you. Not any lesson, piano or otherwise, that you want to give me."

Their smiles faded in unison.

"And now, Gwen" - he gently clasped her upper arms with his hands - "I'm going to kiss you."

Gwen found it difficult to breathe and impossible to speak. All she could do was watch as he lowered his mouth toward hers. It was sweet torture, his kiss, his arms now embracing her. Loving Morgan must have been G.o.d's purpose for her all along, for surely nothing in her life had felt so right as this.

At long last, he drew back, far enough that she could look into his eyes and see her own swirling emotions mirrored in them.

"I love you, Gwen."

And I love you.

"Marry me."

"Marry you?" she whispered.

"Yes, marry me."

She hadn't wanted marriage. She had turned her back on it years ago. But now she couldn't remember why. Looking into his dark eyes, she couldn't think of a single reason why she wouldn't want to be his wife.

"Marry me." Another smile began to curve the corners of his mouth, and he nodded, as if to show her how to respond.

Marry him.

Love him.

Cherish him.

Laugh with him.

Grow old with him.

Holding her breath, she nodded in return.

His smile widened a second before he kissed her again, long and warm and sweet. She didn't care if he never stopped. She was willing to stay right there forever, wrapped in his arms, his lips upon hers, their hearts beating in unison.

When he drew back a second time, he surprised her by sweeping her feet off the floor and cradling her in his arms. "You've made me the happiest man in the world, Gwen Arlington. Shall we go tell my sister? Then we can drive out to the ranch to tell your father and Cleo." As if he antic.i.p.ated what she would say, he continued, "I don't want to wait until tomorrow. I want to tell them now."

She laughed, her joy matching his. "Yes. Let's go tell them. Let's tell everyone. Let's tell the entire world."

As Morgan's automobile approached the ranch house, a cloud of dust whirling up behind it, Gwen saw Cleo dismount and tie her horse to the corral fence. A moment later, their father appeared from inside the barn. Cleo waved at the pa.s.sengers in the automobile, then the two of them strode toward the house to await their arrival.

Excitement and nerves erupted in Gwen's stomach. She knew Cleo and their father liked Morgan, but maybe they would think Gwen was rushing things. Maybe they would think she hadn't thought things through. And if they didn't approve? What then?

The touring car rolled to a stop, and Morgan helped Gwen and Daphne out of the automobile.

"Dad, Cleo," Gwen said as the three of them stepped forward, "I'd like you to meet Morgan's sister, Daphne McKinley. Daphne, this is my father, Griff Arlington, and my sister, Cleo."

"How do you do?" Daphne offered her hand to Cleo's father first, then to Cleo. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."

After the group exchanged a few pleasantries, Gwen's father said, "Let's go up on the porch out of the sun."

The five of them trouped up the steps. While the others sat on chairs, Cleo leaned her backside against the porch rail and crossed one booted foot over the other while crossing her arms over her chest. Gwen wondered if her sister had already guessed the reason for their visit. Something about her shrewd expression said she had.

Her father asked Daphne a number of questions about her trip to Idaho and how long she meant to stay and if she'd ever been on a cattle ranch before. Gwen wished he would stop before she exploded with the news of her engagement.

At long last, Morgan cleared his throat and leaned forward on his chair. "Mr. Arlington, I wonder if I might have a word alone with you."

Before their father could answer, Cleo said, "Say no, Dad. I think I'd like to hear this too." She pinned Morgan with a fierce gaze. "I reckon Gwennie and your sister already know what's on your mind, so why should I be left out? Go on. Speak your piece here and now."

Gwen couldn't recall a time she'd seen Morgan when he looked less than confident, but that's how he looked now. He glanced at her, a question in his eyes, and she gave a slight shrug in answer.

"All right." He cleared his throat again. "Mr. Arlington, I've proposed marriage to your daughter, and she has done me the honor of saying yes. So we've come to ask for your blessing."

Cleo let out a whoop as she pushed off the rail. "I knew it!" She grabbed Gwen's hand, pulled her up from her chair, and wrapped her in a tight embrace. With her mouth close to Gwen's ear, Cleo whispered, "I'm so glad you came to your senses, Gwennie. I'm so happy for you and Morgan."

"Morgan," their father said, laughter in his voice, "I believe Cleo has answered for the both of us. You and Gwen have our blessing with our whole hearts."

THIRTY.

Although Gwen asked and Morgan agreed that their engagement would be kept a secret until one of them was sworn in as mayor, it didn't escape people's notice that the two candidates spent a great deal of time in each other's company in those days leading up to the Tuesday of the election. Edna Updike, Gwen's next-door neighbor, reportedly said that if Gwen was elected, at least the townsfolk would know she had a competent man behind her, telling her what she needed to know and what she needed to do.

When that comment reached Gwen's ears - pa.s.sed along on election day by Cleo, who had gone to the munic.i.p.al building to check on the voting - it nearly sent her through the roof. "As if I need Morgan to tell me what to do for Bethlehem Springs. Doesn't Mrs. Updike know I formed my campaign platform on my own? I didn't even know Morgan when I decided to run for office."

Cleo shook her head. "Edna Updike doesn't think a woman should have an opinion apart from a man's say so. You know that, Gwennie. Don't pay her no mind."

"I don't want anyone thinking I'm a puppet, that's all. You don't suppose Morgan thinks that's what I'll be?" More nervous than she'd expected she'd be on Election Day, Gwen paced the parlor.

Her sister made a sound that was half laugh, half snort. "n.o.body who knows you will think that. Especially not Morgan."

Footsteps on the front porch caused Gwen to turn around just as her father and Morgan opened the screen door. "Any more news?" she asked them.

Morgan shook his head. "We were told they'll have the results about nine o'clock. We can go to the munic.i.p.al building to await the announcement or they can send someone to us with the final tally."

Gwen glanced at the clock. Not yet seven. She might go crazy before the next two hours were up.

"Where's Daphne?" Cleo asked Morgan. "I thought she was coming over with you."

"She said she had some writing to do and wondered if it was okay for her to stay at home. I imagine her correspondence is more important to her than our local politics." He shrugged. "Especially when I told her Gwen was certain to win."

"I wish you would quit saying that."

He put his arm around her shoulders and drew her close. "Stop fussing. The election is yours."

"None of us can know that for sure."

"Sweetheart, I've talked to as many people as I could since the night of the debate. Everyone knows by now that I voted for you today. Maybe I should have pulled my name off the ballot, but - "

"No," she interrupted. "I wouldn't have wanted to win that way."

He gave her an encouraging smile.

Perhaps the election shouldn't mean as much to her now. She and Morgan were engaged and had settled on a date in mid-August for the wedding. After they married, she would move from her little house on Wallula to Morgan's larger home on Sky view. Other women would be content to live the simple life, overseeing their husbands' homes. Why wasn't she like that? Why did she want more?

Gwen swallowed a groan as she drew away from Morgan and walked into the kitchen. She paused briefly, looked around, wondering why she'd come in there, then moved on through and out the back door. She hurried toward the stable that housed Shakespeare. The gelding greeted her with a soft nicker as he thrust his head over the stall door.

"h.e.l.lo, fella." She stroked his head. "I'm a nervous wreck. Can you feel it?"

Shakespeare bobbed his head.

She pressed her forehead against his neck. "I should be planning my wedding, not hoping to be elected. Why can't I be like other women?"

"Interesting question," Morgan said from behind her. "But I rather like you the way you are."

She sucked in a breath as she turned around. "I didn't know you followed me outside."

"Do you want me to go back to the house? I will if you'd rather be alone."

She nodded, shook her head, nodded again.

He gave her a look that showed great patience as well as tender regard.

She sighed. "You needn't go. I don't want to be alone. I think the waiting is driving me a trifle mad, that's all. Don't you feel the least bit nervous, waiting for the results?"

"No. What will be, will be. We've done all we can. Now it's in G.o.d's hands."

"You won't mind, even a little, if I win?" As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she shook her head and said, "Don't answer that. We've talked about it before."

"What do you say about taking a drive? Just you and me. We'll head down the road and not come back until it's time for the results to be announced."

Was it any wonder she loved him? "No, we'd best stay here with Dad and Cleo. They've been so supportive. I wouldn't want them to feel unwelcome. Is that all right?"

"Of course. Whatever you want, Gwen."

She slipped into his arms and pressed the side of her face against his chest. His heart drummed beneath her ear. Ba-b.u.mp. Ba-b.u.mp. Ba-b.u.mp. Ba-b.u.mp. Ba-b.u.mp. Ba-b.u.mp. The sound soothed her. Listening to the steady beat made her feel less frazzled, more grounded. The sound soothed her. Listening to the steady beat made her feel less frazzled, more grounded.

Morgan was right. What would be, would be. She needed to relax, to trust, to leave it in G.o.d's hands.

"Let's go inside." She tipped her head back and looked up at him. Then she smiled to let him know her world had begun to right itself again.

When Morgan and Gwen reentered the house, they found Cleo and Griff seated at the kitchen table with a deck of cards. Cleo held up the dark red box, Going to Market Going to Market clearly printed on its front. "We thought a game or two might help pa.s.s the time. We need at least three players." clearly printed on its front. "We thought a game or two might help pa.s.s the time. We need at least three players."

Gwen pulled out a chair between her father and sister. "It might help the time go by faster."

Morgan took the seat opposite her.

"It's the latest thing." Cleo said. "Have you played it yet?"

"No."

"It's pretty simple." She showed him a card with the number four in the upper left corner and a drawing in the center with the name of a cereal beneath it. "I'm going to deal all the cards, and the goal is to get all four cards that belong to any set and as many sets as you can. There are thirteen sets in all. So if you got this card that says Postum, you'd want to get the Post Porridge, Grape-nuts, and Post Toasties cards to finish the set."