A Noble Groom (Michigan Brides #2)(77)

Frau Pastor greeted each of the men with one of her blossoming smiles. But her face beamed when Herr Pastor straggled to the makeshift serving table with Carl after most of the others had been served.

“I need a piece of Annalisa’s pie.” Herr Pastor rubbed the leftover crumbs from his supper out of his wiry beard.

“Of course you do, dear-heart.” But when Frau Pastor glanced at the empty pie pans, she gasped and her eyes filled with dismay.

“Oh no, don’t tell me I’m too late for Annalisa’s pie?” Herr Pastor turned to Carl. “She makes the best pie in these parts.”

Carl shifted Sophie in his arms and nodded. “I agree.” But he avoided looking at Annalisa and instead examined the remains of the raisin cake as if he’d never seen a cake before.

“I can’t bear to think of you going home without a piece of Annalisa’s pie.” Frau Pastor fumbled under the table and retrieved the piece of blackberry pie Annalisa had cut for her. “You take mine.”

She handed her husband the plate.

He took it and his eyes softened. “You’re a wonderful wife.”

She giggled and waved her hand as if to dismiss his comment.

But when he leaned in and puckered his lips, she didn’t hesitate to close the distance and give him a loud, wet smooch.

Annalisa couldn’t keep from staring with both fascination and admiration. Was it possible to have a loving marriage? Of course, she longed for Carl. But if she couldn’t have him—if he wouldn’t stay—then could she stand strong and wait until she found another man, one who would treat her with respect and kindness? Did she have to settle for a stranger or any man Vater chose for her? Didn’t she have some say in the matter?

Sophie chirped with the beginning of a hungry cry, one that forced Annalisa’s attention to the chubby face of her baby. From there it was all too easy to lift her gaze to Carl’s face and to find him watching her, as if he’d been studying her reaction to Frau Pastor’s display with her husband.



There was something in his eyes that seemed to ask her if she remembered their kiss.

Ja, she did remember. How could she ever forget it?

“Ah,” Frau Pastor said, wagging her finger at Carl and smiling. “I can see you want to give Annalisa a kiss.”

Carl grinned sheepishly. “You’re much too observant.”

“Well, young man”—Frau Pastor reached for his cheeks and pinched them—“you really must do something about the situation. Anytime I’m around the two of you, it’s a little bit like walking into a firestorm. The air practically sizzles with your attraction for each other.” Heat swarmed over Annalisa’s face. “You just need to marry the girl and put an end to both of your misery.”

“Now, now, wife,” Herr Pastor scolded gently.

“Oh, it’s true, dear-heart, and don’t you deny it. Those two love each other and need to get married.”

Annalisa fidgeted with the serving fork in front of her and wished she could climb under the table and hide.

“We could have a wedding tonight,” Herr Pastor said, taking a bite of his pie. “You just say the word.”

Carl didn’t say anything.

Was he considering Herr Pastor’s offer? Annalisa was tempted to lift her gaze again and look into his eyes to find his answer. But instead she fixed her attention on Sophie’s tiny kicking feet.

Hadn’t he already given her his answer? He’d made it clear when they’d kissed that he couldn’t return her love.

“Come now, young man.” Frau Pastor took a swipe at a glob of filling left in one of the pie pans. “What do you say? You know you want to marry Annalisa and stay here with us.”

“As a matter of fact,” said Herr Pastor with his mouth full, “some of us were recently talking about how we need to build a school next. Then during the winter months you could bless this community with your teaching skills.”

Annalisa’s pulse pattered too fast. Would the prospect of being a teacher lure Carl to stay? She imagined he’d probably taught much finer students—children of wealthier families. How else could he account for his fluency in English and his obvious intelligence in scientific matters?

Would he ever be content to stay in their little community and teach poor farm children?

Sophie gave another hungry cry, this one louder than the last.

“I must go now. Sophie’s ready for her next meal.” She reached for the baby, and Carl gave her up without a word. She didn’t dare look into his eyes and chance seeing his protest to Herr Pastor’s offer.

She wouldn’t be able to bear another rejection from him.

Instead she drew Sophie into the comfort of her embrace and turned away from the table, eager to retreat into the quiet of the cabin.



Carl couldn’t keep from staring across the span of the new barn to Annalisa, where she leaned against the wall and conversed with the other women.

The soft gleam from the oil lamps he’d hung from several beams seemed to shine down on her, spotlighting her, making her too hard to resist. She was pretty enough when he’d first met her in the spring, but after the long days in the sun over the summer, she’d lost the thin pallor and was now rounded and sun-browned.

Pastor Loehe elbowed him with a grin. “You need to go over there and ask her to dance.”