A Noble Groom (Michigan Brides #2)(103)

“Besides,” Vater added, “I have given my word to Dirk that he could wed you.”

A new determination filled her. She’d already told Vater she wouldn’t marry Dirk. She realized now he wouldn’t understand—and maybe never would. But she would pray that someday he would come to accept it.

“Dirk will find another woman.” She turned her back on Vater and faced Carl. “But I will never find another man I love as much as I love Carl.”

She crossed the barren ground to him and held out her hand.

Carl nodded hesitantly, as if to ask if she was certain she wanted to be with him, even against Vater’s wishes.

She glanced over her shoulder at Vater. Could she really disappoint him?

A scream like that of an injured animal came from the wasteland where the forest had once been. A shiver raced up Annalisa’s backbone. Like the others, she turned to discover the source of the anguished cry.

A charred form emerged from among the blackened stumps and smoking ashes. The form moved toward them but then soon collapsed to the ground into a sprawl of arms and legs.



“Uri?” She broke free of Carl and started forward.

At the sound of her voice, the boy lifted his head.

His face was burned and bleeding, with open blisters over his cheeks and forehead. His clothes were partially burned from his body, revealing more raw and blistered skin.

Annalisa cried out and fell to her knees, retching.

In an instant Carl was at her side, holding her, burying her face against his chest. He held her and the children close, preventing them from looking at the boy again.

“Shhh,” he murmured.

Annalisa’s breath came in heaving gulps.

Vater’s wails rose into the air and mingled with Uri’s tortured calls of agony.

A sob welled deep within her and she fought against Carl. “We must help him. . . .”

But he held her tighter. “No, Annalisa. I’ll help him. You stay here with Gretchen and Sophie.”

At last she stopped struggling and sagged against Carl. The image of Uri’s burned body had been seared into her mind. But Carl was right—she should stay with the children and protect them from that image.

“Take Uri to the barn!” Carl shouted to her father. “We can treat his wounds there.”

Her father hurried over and scooped the boy into his arms. Uri screamed and then immediately lost consciousness. But instead of heading to the barn, Vater stumbled down the path, away from them. He carried Uri like a baby, his shoulders heaving with sobs.

“Stop, Peter,” Carl shouted. “Please. Let us help.”

But when Vater made no move to stop, Carl let him go, frustration creasing his forehead.

With each step Vater took, Annalisa’s body tightened with anguish at the thought of not only Uri’s pain but the heartache she’d caused Vater. For the first time in her life, she’d felt his love. And for the first time in her life, she’d defied him.

Had she done the right thing?

A soft whimper caught her attention and brought her and Gretchen’s heads around.

Gretchen gasped. “Snowdrop?”

Crouched in the barnyard, his tail between his legs, Snowdrop whimpered again.

Gretchen jumped up, and excitement danced to life on her face. “Snowdrop!”

The dog stared at them blindly, then lifted his nose to the air and sniffed as if making sure he was safe before limping toward Gretchen.

She raced to the dog, fell to her knees and threw her arms around him. “Oh, Snowdrop, Snowdrop . . .” She stroked him, tears running down her cheeks and falling onto the dog’s singed fur.

Snowdrop licked her cheeks and gave a happy yip.

Annalisa swiped away the tears on her cheek and smiled. Even if the smoke had blinded the dog and the heat had damaged his paws, she was grateful Gretchen didn’t have to experience another loss.

Carl’s hand found hers, and their fingers intertwined.

Sophie gave a sleepy gurgle. Carl bent to the sling and kissed the baby’s forehead gently. When he lifted his face, he was only a breath away from Annalisa. His eyes locked with hers.

“I meant what I said to your father. I’ll love you for the rest of my life.”

His whispered declaration was like something from the pages of a fairy tale, and it melted her heart.

“And I love your daughters like they’re my own.” His gaze flickered to Sophie again. “I’d be honored and privileged if you’d give me the chance to be their father. I want to marry you. Desperately. But I don’t want you to have to choose between me and your family.”

She didn’t know what the future would bring. She didn’t know where she would live or how she would survive the coming winter now that almost everything she owned had been destroyed. And although she could pray that her family would eventually come to forgive and accept Carl, she had no guarantees.

But one thing was certain. She loved Carl. And she didn’t want to go another day without him by her side. Together they could forge a new life.

She lifted her fingers to his cheek and then closed the distance between them. Boldly she let her lips touch his, first lightly, then stronger with all the affection for him that filled her.

When he responded—meeting her, embracing her—she knew he understood her answer.

And also her gratefulness for helping renew her belief in true love.