A Noble Groom (Michigan Brides #2)(100)

He didn’t give her the chance to argue with him. Instead he handed Gretchen back to her. The little girl could barely hold her head up.



As much as Annalisa dreaded the thought of Carl heading out into the inferno, she had to agree. Gretchen needed clean air.

Carl started to climb toward the blackened boards.

Annalisa was surprised that she could see him, that the light slanting through the cracks in the opening was strong enough to illuminate the sweat-slickened muscles in his bare arms as he pulled himself hand over hand up the rope. His dark hair was wet and stuck to his forehead, and his lips were set in grim determination.

“Cover yourself and the girls,” he said.

Holding the children tightly, she used her body to protect them just as Carl swung his feet up and kicked one of the boards free. A crumbling piece fell inward.

“Watch out!” he called.

She drew back against the stone wall. The falling board glowed red and sizzled when it hit the water.

Carl kicked the other boards and more pieces fell. Within seconds he’d cleared a large enough opening for the light and air to penetrate the well. In fact, through the haze of smoke she could see the light of day had returned.

And she could almost believe their dark nightmare had passed.

He managed to crawl out of the well and out of her line of sight.

Ashes floated down the well, swirling in the smoky air. She gulped a deep breath into her burning lungs. Gretchen roused and drew in several quick breaths as well.

Annalisa uttered another prayer for Carl’s safety and for the rest of her family. She could only pray that Uri had made it to the river and that Vater had found a way to keep the rest of them safe.

She had no doubt that her entire farm had been completely destroyed by the ravaging flames. The thought of seeing the devastation made her nauseous—the months and years of hard work all gone in a matter of one afternoon.

But at the same time a prayer of gratitude swelled in her chest. Carl had returned. He’d kept them safe. And so far they’d all lived through the horror. What more could she ask for?

Besides, she’d already lost the farm to Ward. What did it matter if it all burned to the ground? She’d have to be out in two days anyway.

“Mama . . .” Gretchen lifted her head weakly. Tears streaked her soot-blackened cheeks. “I didn’t want Snowdrop to die.”

Annalisa stroked the girl’s matted hair. “Ach, liebchen.”

“Do you think he went to heaven?” Gretchen’s lips trembled.

Annalisa nodded. “Ja. And now he’ll keep Oma company. She’ll like having him there.”

Gretchen wiped a hand across her eyes and smeared the soot even more.

Over the past weeks, Annalisa had tried not to think of her mutter too much or she’d awaken the sadness and the disappointment that they hadn’t had more time together, that she hadn’t tried harder to bridge the gap between them.

Annalisa couldn’t keep from thinking that if she’d made more of an effort, she could have had a closer relationship with her mutter, the kind she hoped to have with her daughters, something that moved beyond the parent-child relationship to a friendship.

But even as the whispers of regret breathed through her, Annalisa let them pass. Her mutter had done the best she could to give her a better life. She’d left behind everything and had sacrificed to come to America—so that she could give her children more than she’d ever had.

And now Annalisa was carrying on that same hope. The hope that she could now give her daughters a better life too.



Carl’s face appeared over the edge of the well. “There are several small fires still burning, but I think it’s safe to come out now.”

She pushed away from the wall, relief and gratitude giving her new strength.

He lifted Gretchen out first.

And then slowly he helped her up. His undervest was gray with grime and strained against his chest. “You won’t believe what survived the inferno.” His eyes sparked, and the weary lines in his face curved into a smile.

“What?” Her hands were wrinkled and raw from being in the water for so long, and the rope burned into her flesh.

“You’ll have to wait and see.” His grin teased her, just the way she adored.

When she was within his reach, he grabbed her and hoisted her the rest of the way up and set her next to Gretchen on the scorched grass.

Directly in front of her, the blackened forest was leveled to the ground with only charred trunks standing in a barren, smoking wasteland.

At the sight of the devastation, a cry of despair caught in her throat and her knees sagged.

Carl’s arm slid around her and prevented her from dropping to the smoldering earth.

She leaned into him and peered at her fields. A few black cornstalks still stood, fluttering, the only remnants of the crop she’d hoped would pay off her loan. She pressed fingers to her mouth to keep from crying out.

She’d known she would lose everything, but seeing the blackened land made it real.

This was it.

She’d fought as hard as she could. But she’d lost the battle against the elements and against Ward.



She then looked toward the cabin and her vegetable garden. There was nothing left but a pile of smoking ashes and the few stones from the hearth. A soft cry slipped from her lips.