All Roads Lead Home. Christine Johnson

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СКАЧАТЬ brought Luke here. You’re the one who showered him with love. He wouldn’t be the wonderful little boy he is today without you. I’m so glad you decided to visit.”

       Mariah felt sick. What if she failed? What if Frank Gillard took Luke away from this safe and loving home into a life of terror? She couldn’t live with herself.

       “Mariah?” Felicity looked concerned. “Are you all right? You look pale.”

       “I’m fine,” Mariah assured her. “Just a bit tired after the drive. I think I’ll go outside and get some fresh air.”

       She hurried onto the porch and tried to shut the door on the tangle of her emotions. Tears wouldn’t help Luke. Neither would worry. She needed to act, and quickly, but Gabe was right. She needed someone to go with her to Montana. It just couldn’t be Hendrick Simmons.

      Lord, send courage. And a good mechanic.

       After the awkwardness with Hendrick at the church, Mariah should have realized that dinner would be no better. Normally, she had nerves of steel, but tonight her stomach tumbled and rolled. She tried not to look at him, but that could hardly be avoided since Felicity had placed him directly across the table from her. His sister Anna’s presence did little to alleviate the tension. Their mother had declined the invitation, which removed only one matchmaker from the mix. Gabe and Felicity kept the conversation centered on Hendrick.

       “I understand you’ve developed a new aeroplane motor for Jack Hunter,” Felicity said pleasantly. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

       Though her remark was directed toward Hendrick, her smile was meant for Mariah. No doubt she intended to call attention to Hendrick’s good points, but Mariah was already all too aware of them. How handsome he looked in his suit and freshly pressed shirt! His damp hair still smelled of soap, and the little curls at his temple sprang loose from his neatly combed locks. He sat pallbearer stiff, so uncomfortable that she could have giggled if she wasn’t worried that she’d inadvertently say something that would alert Felicity to her Montana mission.

       Speaking of her sister-in-law, she was staring at Mariah as if she expected her to say something. What had Felicity been talking about? Mariah combed her memory. Oh, yes, something about engines.

       “A new motor?” Mariah hazarded.

       Hendrick shifted in his chair and ran a finger underneath his collar. “Yep…uh, yes,” he corrected, “two motors, actually.” His eyes darted ever so quickly toward Mariah and just as quickly away. “For their North Pole flight.”

       Mariah heard the displeasure in his voice. In this case, she happened to agree with him. The risk had to be outweighed by gain. “I can’t imagine what they hope to accomplish.”

       Anna perked up. “They’re going to be the first to fly across the Pole. Won’t it be grand? I wish I was going along.”

       “You’re not going to go anywhere near the North Pole,” Hendrick stated emphatically.

       Mariah smothered a smile. His grammar might have improved since the last time she’d seen him, but he was just as protective.

       “You’re no fun at all,” Anna whined. “You’re worse than Ma.” She tossed her mousy brown hair, which was mercifully no longer pulled into tight braids. “I want to do things, like Mariah.”

       “Me?” Mariah was startled by Anna’s observation. She’d never considered herself particularly adventurous.

       “Yes, you drive anywhere you want, whenever you want.” Anna’s eyes shone.

       “That’s not quite true,” Mariah cautioned. “I only drive when I have a purpose.”

       “But you drove here,” Anna insisted, “and that’s just for a visit.”

       Mariah bit her tongue when she realized how close she’d come to giving away the secret. She tried to recover. “True, but visiting my brother and sister-in-law is a wonderful purpose.”

       “I agree.” Felicity lifted her water glass. “To safe travels.”

       Gabe quickly seconded his wife’s toast, clinked her glass with his and followed that with a kiss. “My wife is uncommonly beautiful tonight.”

       Felicity blushed. “Now, is that any way for a pastor to talk at the dinner table?”

       Gabe didn’t back down. “It is when he loves her as much as I love you.”

       Mariah smiled to herself as they kissed again. Two years had not dimmed their love. As she turned again to her dinner plate, she noticed Hendrick watching her, an odd expression on his face, but the minute he realized she’d seen him he looked away.

       Gabe looked only at Felicity. “And I love you even more for giving me a baby.”

       Luke, who hadn’t followed most of the adult conversation, suddenly picked up that one word. “Where is it?” He wiggled around in his chair as if expecting to see a baby behind him. “At the pow-wow?”

       Mariah stifled a laugh. “A pow-wow is a gathering of family and friends. No baby.”

       “Oh.” Luke turned back around. “Is that all?” He picked up his fork and resumed mashing his peas before turning his questions on her. “Do you have a baby, Aunt Mariah?”

       She started. “No, I don’t. I’m not married.”

       “Luke,” Felicity scolded, “it’s not polite to ask personal questions. Remember our rules for the dining room table.”

       He hung his head. “Yes, Mom.”

       “I’m sorry, dear,” Felicity said, her expression so concerned that it was almost as if Gabe had told her Mariah couldn’t have children. But she knew she could trust her brother to keep her secret.

       “That’s all right,” Mariah said, though she couldn’t suppress the waves of embarrassment. “Children can’t help being curious.”

       Felicity heaved a sigh. “I suppose you’re right. Children can be a challenge. Pets, too. What do you think, Gabe?” She looked to her husband, who gave his blessing. “Mariah, dear, we wanted to talk to you about the home I’m starting.”

       Mariah blinked. “Home?”

       “An animal haven for abandoned and unwanted pets,” Felicity explained. “I wanted to have it here in the parsonage, but the church trustees put their foot down.” She sighed. “I think Daddy had a lot to do with that. He and Mother are not much for pets.” She looked at Gabe, who smiled his agreement.

       The simple gesture raised an uncontrollable envy deep in Mariah’s heart. Mom and Dad were like that, so closely allied in their minds and hearts that they could communicate with just a gesture, and now Gabe and Felicity appeared to be the same. Her older brothers had married happily as well. Only she walked alone.

       Felicity bubbled on, “Remember my idea to start a home for orphans? I’d like to combine that with the animal haven, but we’d need a large house. The Elder house, behind the church, just came on the market. It would make the perfect parsonage, and then this house could be the orphanage.”

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