A Noble Groom (Michigan Brides #2)(78)

“I’m too tired for dancing tonight.” Carl pretended to watch the other couples already swirling and clapping and stomping to Herr Mueller’s lively accordion music in the Sternpolka.

The grittiness of sawdust lingered in the air, along with the freshness of the new boards. Carl took a deep breath, catching the coolness of the late August evening. It was the perfect night, or would have been if he had the chance to stand closer to Annalisa and win one of her smiles, which had been nonexistent over the past week.

The knot in his gut told him he was the cause of her discomfort, that he’d hurt her when he walked away from her the day in the rain after he’d kissed her.

“Peter.” Pastor Loehe leaned closer to Annalisa’s father.

Peter was perched against the rail of Old Red’s new stall, his hair damp with sweat, and the usual dark splotches under his arms. He was arguing with several other farmers about how severe the coming winter was going to be following the hot, dry summer.

“Peter!” Pastor Loehe shouted this time.

The burly man stopped mid-sentence and gave the pastor his attention.

“Tell Carl he needs to go ask your daughter to dance.”

Carl just shook his head.

“He can’t keep his eyes off Annalisa,” Pastor Loehe explained.

Peter laughed. “That’s not unusual, Herr Pastor. He is a man and my daughter is comely. What do you expect?”

“At the very least, don’t you think it would be wise for the two of them to get married? After the summer, it’s quite clear they are a good match.”

Peter shrugged. “I gave my word to Carl that he could marry Annalisa in the spring.”

“I don’t think we should make them wait that long.”

Peter’s grin disappeared, and he leveled a scowl upon Carl.





“Why? Are you fornicating with my daughter?” His words boomed through the barn, rising above the accordion and causing heads to turn.

Carl squirmed with uneasiness. He wanted to slink through the back door, run the four miles to town, and board the first steamer that was leaving in the morning.

How could he defend himself, especially after he’d almost lost control with Annalisa? He was ashamed to admit how close he’d come to giving in to his desires, and he’d berated himself plenty of times during the past week. And now the shame came roaring back, reminding him of how much he wanted to protect and cherish her, and how he wouldn’t be doing that if he used her for his own needs.

“After I’ve trusted you all summer to honor her, are you now taking advantage of her?” Peter bunched his fists and took a step toward Carl.

“I won’t deny that I’ve been tempted.” Carl braced himself. He deserved Peter’s fist in his face and would stand and take his punishment for kissing her. “But please know I don’t want to do anything that might hurt Annalisa.”

Peter stared at him, his fists still rounded.

Pastor Loehe patted the big farmer on the back. “Carl’s a decent man. It’s plain to everyone how much he cares for Annalisa and her children.”

Carl couldn’t protest. He did care about Annalisa. But did he love her? Frau Loehe had claimed that he and Annalisa loved each other. But how could he know for sure that what he felt was love and not just obligation or affection or physical attraction?

“I told Carl earlier in the evening,” Pastor Loehe continued, “that he should just marry Annalisa tonight.”

Carl shook his head. “You know I’m planning to leave in a couple of weeks, that I’m moving on to Chicago.” He stuck his hand in his pocket, to the crumpled slip of paper there. It seared his fingers and sent a burning trail to his stomach, like it had every time he thought about the note since he’d received it.

Yesterday, when he’d been in town picking up the barn supplies, one of Ward’s workers had slipped him the note. All it said was, “I know who you are.”

But it was enough for Carl to realize his identity was no longer a secret. Somehow Ward had figured out who he was. And now that Ward knew, he was bound to try to blackmail him.

“I thought you were staying until spring.” Peter’s frown deepened.

“I said I’d stay until after harvest. But that’s all—”

“I thought we had a deal.”

“No. I never agreed to stay—”

“Then I’ll let you marry her tonight.” Peter raised his hands as if conceding defeat. “I have to agree with everyone else—that if Dirk hasn’t come by now, he won’t be here in the spring either.”

Several other men nodded.

“The poor man is probably in the belly of a great fish just like Jonah,” Peter said, “only he isn’t going to be quite as lucky as good old Jonah and get spit out on the shore.”

Carl pulled at the collar of his shirt. Suddenly the air around him had become stifling.

“So what do you say?” Peter’s grin crept back. “If you want my daughter for your wife tonight, I give my consent.”

Pastor Loehe and the other men turned to Carl.

Panic rumbled through him like a brigade charging toward battle. “What about Annalisa? Shouldn’t we take into consideration what she wants?”



“Annalisa’s an obedient daughter. She’ll do as I tell her.”