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Alexandria’s brows were drawn as she searched his face.
    Elijah’s gaze came up to her green eyes. He was struck by what a beautiful contrast her dark hair, pale skin, and unusual eyes made.
    “I’m fine,” he cleared his throat and decided that a hasty retreat was his wisest course of action. “I’m fine; good night, Alexandria.” he turned and rushed from the room.
    “Good night,” Alexandria called after him.
    ***
     
    Alexandria rushed into the yard the next afternoon at the sight of her father and sister pulling into the yard in the family buggy. What was to have been another routine day had suddenly brightened. True enough that she and Elijah were getting along much better now, her days however were still rather routine.
    “Hi,” she beamed as her sister stepped down from the carriage with their father’s help.
    “Hello, Sweet Pea,” her father greeted her with a hug.
    “Hey, Lexie,” Anna took a turn hugging her sister.
    “What brings you here?” Alexandria asked as she led them into the hall of the house.
    “I can’t stay; I have some business in town but Anna begged me to drop her off.”
    “I’m so glad you did,” Alexandria enthused as she linked her arm with her sister’s. “Can I convince you to pause for cookies and coffee?” she tempted her father.
    “Perhaps on the return. You two enjoy visiting,” Clay leaned over to kiss each of his daughters on their cheeks.
    “We will; love you, Daddy,” Alexandria smiled at him.
    “Love you too, sweetheart.”
    Clay turned to leave and Alexandria led Anna into the kitchen where she had left Lilly drawing at the table. Millie had finished shaping the loaf of bread Alexandria had abandoned upon seeing her family.
    “How are you doing, Anna?” Alexandria asked as she prepared two cups of tea.
    “Bored without you, otherwise fine. What I really need is to find a husband so I can keep busy with a home of my own,” Anna predicted.
    “So which of your suitors are you considering?” Alexandria asked as she set a plate of cookies and their tea on the table. A glass of milk for Lilly and Alexandria was ready to sit down herself.
    “Join us, Millie,” Alexandria invited after the woman had placed the bread in the oven.
    “I have some mending to do in my room; thanks though,” the woman excused herself.
    “To answer your earlier question, I am not considering any of my current suitors,” Anna announced almost disdainfully.
    “Oh,” Alexandria could only smile at her sister’s pickiness.
    “I have my eyes on your new hand.”
    “Anna,” Alexandria set her cup of tea down and met her sister’s gaze; her own was serious. “Mr. Stewart was quite recently widowed and I have a feeling that he is not overly interested in remarrying at the moment.”
    “How would you know?” Anna asked irritably.
    “Elijah had him escort me to town a few days ago and it came up. He seems to still be in a great deal of pain. He will have to move past that before he can even consider remarrying; trust me on this,” Alexandria requested of her sister; she could only hope that Anna wouldn’t ask how she knew this.
    “I can understand that but is there anything wrong with getting to know him? I mean one day, once he’s had time to recover, he could come to realize that he wants more than friendship; right?” Anna’s smile said she already had all her plans made.
    “Why Mr. Stewart? What do you know about him, besides that he’s attractive, that makes him husband material?” Alexandria challenged.
    “I sense that he’s a nice man,” Anna responded crisply; her blue eyes were stormy at being questioned. Her demeanor changed and she smiled at her sister. “He was perfect gentleman when he escorted you to town was he not? And polite too, I’m sure.”
    Alexandria sighed at her sister’s persistence. “Of course he was but that does not tell you whether you two would suit as husband and wife. That is a lot harder to discern, trust me on this