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Julianne, I kept remembering my mother’s death.”
    “I worried that you would.” He took hold of her hand and held it close. “I feared for you, as well.”
    “All we can do is put our trust in the Lord. Death and sickness are a part of life; we cannot escape from it. I pray God will give us long years with our daughter and any other children He blesses us with, but if not, I know He’s already made provision.”
    Her words were like a balm on Hank’s soul. “I know you’re right.” He glanced at the clock and let go of her hand. “I have to get the store opened. I’ll be back to see you at lunch. Send someone if you need me sooner.” He kissed her forehead, then gently touched his fingers to the baby’s head. “I love you.”
    “I love you, too, my darling.”
    Hank crossed the room and turned at the door. He was so very blessed to have Gwen in his life. A niggling doubt crossed his mind, however. He should be the one to comfort her with words of faith—not the other way around.
    Will I ever be the godly man she needs me to be?
    It was still snowing when Lacy awoke. She stood at the window of her bedroom for a long time and contemplated how to handle the day. She would have to face Dave, after all that had happened the night before, and it made her feel very uncomfortable. How could she possibly look him in the eye after having responded to him in such a wanton fashion?
    She leaned her cheek against the icy windowpane. “What’s wrong with me?”
    The silent room offered no answer. Lacy straightened and looked to her clothes. She knew she would have to dress and face the day, but the thought of it was almost terrifying.
    What must he think of me? What will he expect? Should I apologize immediately or pretend that nothing happened?
    Lacy considered these things even as she pulled on her skirt. She didn’t understand her feelings. There was something about Dave Shepard that seemed to draw out all of her emotions at once. She could find herself so angry with him—frustrated because he treated her like a child. Then she could turn around and kiss him with more passion than she knew she possessed.
    The buttons on her blouse were tiny and troubled her shaking fingers. None of this made sense. Every time Dave touched her—goodness, every time she thought of him touching her, Lacy felt her knees go weak.
    “Do I love him?”
    How could a person even be sure about such things? She’d listened to her sisters talk about their feelings for Hank and Nick, but she couldn’t honestly say she’d ever explored the depths of her own heart when it came to Dave.
    “I’ve not even considered getting married,” she murmured. Why, even when Cubby declared his desire to court her, Lacy hadn’t taken the matter seriously. She’d not given it a second thought.
    She sat down to comb out her hair and thought about the situation until her head throbbed. Lacy finally determined that falling in love wasn’t something she could allow herself. It would steal her focus away from getting justice for her father.
    But just as quickly as she settled on that thought, Lacy reminded herself that her very trip to the Shepard ranch had come about because of her discomfort when Beth announced her pregnancy. Lacy wanted a husband and family of her own; there was no denying that. It was as if there were two warring parties inside Lacy’s body—the logical reasoning of her brain and the emotions of her heart.
    With her hair finally braided into a single plait, Lacy knew she couldn’t put off the inevitable. She smoothed her brown wool skirt, drew a deep breath, and opened the bedroom door.
    She could hear someone in the kitchen humming. No doubt Dave probably wondered why she wasn’t up yet. Then again, maybe he was just as glad she wasn’t. Lacy could smell the undeniable aroma of coffee and bacon and felt her stomach clench in hunger. With her failure to show up, Dave had apparently started the morning meal.
    Dave stood at the