way into them, fighting the nagging ache in his head.

He opened the door to his room and gazed into the living area. A small smile crept across his face. Meg was bending before the hearth, humming.

He thought he could enjoy waking to the sight of her every morning for the rest of his life. The pain in his head increased. He needed to talk to her about that. He has reasons why he couldn't marry her, but he couldn't remember what they were.

Turning, she saw him. A beautiful smile eased onto her face. None of the reasons he had could have been strong enough to fight the lure of that smile.

She crossed the room, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him tenderly.

"How are you feeling this morning?" she asked.

"My head hurts a little."

"You should sit down." Taking his hand, she led him to the table and pulled out a chair.

He eased down. "Something smells good."

"Mr. Tucker from the general store brought over a box of supplies this morning. He said when you feel up to it, to come see him, and he'll extend you credit."

The pain in his head increased as he furrowed his brow. "Why'd he do that?"

She sat in a chair and folded her hands around his. "Maybe because you saved his granddaughter's life yesterday."

"His granddaughter?"

"The little girl you threw yourself over yesterday was Helen's daughter, his granddaughter."

"I didn't know Helen had a daughter."

"I imagine there's a lot about these people you don't know, and some of them are anxious to change thai."

Clay rubbed his brow. "What's that infernal pounding? I thought it was in my head-"

Laughing, Meg rose from the chair and pulled him to his feet. "Come outside and I'll show you."

They stepped onto the porch, and Clay stared at a sight he'd never expected to see again. People were milling about on his land.

His old bam had been torn down. A new frame had already been put up. He recognized Sam Johnson,

Tom Graham, and John Wright as they pounded boards into place.

He saw Robert Warner. And then he heard Kirk's father issuing orders, and he felt a lump form in his throat.

Women were setting food on a table beneath the shade of a tree. Children were laughing, playing, and

carrying water to the men who were working.

He wondered briefly if they thought he had died and had come to celebrate. "Why are they here?" he asked.

'To welcome you home. Mr. Lang brought some lumber from the mill this morning, and they came to help

put up a new bam," she said.

"I can't pay for the lumber."

"Mr. Lang said not to worry about it Your credit is good with him. Besides, he figures it won't be much longer until you're family anyway."

He snapped his head around and glared at her. His head rebelled at the movement. "What does he mean

by that?"

She smiled, and the pain in his head eased. "He gave Lucian his blessing to marry Taffy."

Clay pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead. "Meg, what happened yesterday? Or have I been

sleeping longer than that?"

Her smile increased. "Nope. Just one day."

Dr. Martin ambled over and held two fingers in front of Clay's face. "How many fingers do you see?"

'Two. Doc, what's going on?"

Dr. Martin shoved his hands into his pocket and looked toward the barn. "Amazing, ain't it? Meg said

some things yesterday that got these good people to thinking. You putting that little girl before yourself got them to understanding." Dr. Martin laid his hand on Clay's shoulder. "Between you and me, Clay, you weren't the only one who could have gotten to her in time, but you were the only one who tried." He dropped his head. "Reckon I'd best go look for Pru. Seems she

found out how the fire in Johnson's field got started, and that wild boy of hers was behind it. She's decided she needs me after all. Hope I can adjust to married life."

Clay watched him walk away. Everything had happened too quickly to be true. He couldn't believe- He heard tiny footsteps patter across the porch. He looked down to find a small girl wrapping her tiny

hands around his large one. She looked up at him and smiled. "You're my hero."

Clay shook his head. "I'm not a hero."

"You saved Melissa's life," Helen said quietly as she came up behind her daughter. "That makes you a

hero."

"I'm shellin' pecans so Miz Meg can make you a pie," Melissa said.

"No, she ain't," Josh said. "She's eatin* 'em. Me and Joe are shelling 'em."

"I don't mind if she eats the ones I shell," Joe said. "I think she's got the prettiest eyes I ever did see." He

took her hand. "Come on, Melissa. You can finish helpin' me with the pecans."

"Will you be my hero, too?" she asked as she followed Joe.

"Yes, ma'am, if you want."

Clay looked toward the bam and studied all the activity. "Is your father here, Meg?"

"No, but it doesn't matter."

"It does matter."

"Not to me. You're all that matters to me now."

Holding Taffy's hand, Lucian walked over to the porch. Clay didn't know his brother could produce a smile that big.

"Ain't this something?" Lucian said as he brought Taffy against his side.

"Who raised the shutters on the shed?" Clay asked.

Lucian turned red. "Kirk's father asked if he could raise the shutters so people could see the monument Meg said it would be all right"

Meg slipped her arms around Clay's waist. "You might as well get used to it. People are going to be looking at your monument for a long time."

"It was never meant to be mine, Meg. Yours, theirs, but not mine."

"God damn it!" Lucian growled. "I can't believe he had the nerve to show up here!"

Clay followed the direction of Lucian's heated gaze. Daniel drew his horse to a halt beside the barn. Meg tightened her hold on Clay's waist.

Daniel walked toward the barn. All the working men stopped pounding their hammers and walked to the other side of the bam, leaving him standing alone, facing a partially completed wall.

Meg sighed. "I guess it is true. You reap what you sow."

"I could tie a rope around him and drag him off," Lucian said.

"Why would you do that?" Clay asked.

Lucian released his hold on Taffy and jerked his hat off his head. "He nearly killed you yesterday. He tore down your wall of the barn at the Wrights'. Hell, he was probably here the night they attacked you."

"Is that true?" Josh asked as he sidled up to Clay. "'Cuz if it is, me and Joe got a plan."

"What's your plan?" Lucian asked.

"We wait until he's built his side of the bam, then we tear it down."

Clay eased Meg's arms away from his waist. "Nope," Clay said. "That won't do."

"How come?" Joe asked.

"Because this matter needs to be dealt with right now."

"What are you going to do?" Meg asked.