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  “I didn’t lie, but I did. Because I didn’t tell you stuff I should have. I’m ashamed. I was living a lie because I didn’t tell you something.”

  “But was it something I needed to be told?”

  “Women are supposed to know about healing and stuff. I never learned it. Mama had a doctor, and once she went to her eternal rest, we were so healthy we never needed any help. What if he’s not getting better? What if—”

  “You’re exhausted. ’Tis your fears talking, not your faith. Why don’t you rest? It does no good for us both to stay up. If there’s something you want to tell me later when things are back to normal, you can.”

  “You’re being noble. That makes me feel even worse. The conviction I carry in my heart tells me it’s just as wrong to withhold information as it is to give false information. You’ve asked about my family, and I’ve evaded telling you the truth.”

  “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to.”

  “But I want to tell you!”

  “But Tucker doesn’t want me to know it?”

  “I’ve reasoned with him. He didn’t do anything wrong. Our father did. Only Tucker feels our family’s honor is gone.” She leaned closer. “Father swindled a lot of people back home. They’d just recovered from the awful depression, and Father tricked them into trusting him. We once had a spread with prizewinning livestock. Now the bank owns it.”

  “I’m sorry. It must have been tough to live through giving up your land and livestock.”

  “It was, but worse, Tucker was engaged to be married. The girl’s father called it off.”

  Ian looked indignant. “There was no call for that. Tucker is an honorable man.”

  Meredith couldn’t seem to stop wringing her hands. “Worst of all, Father. . .c–committed. . .” The word was too hard to speak aloud. “He took his own life. Tucker feels honor bound to repay all of those people what Father swindled from them.”

  Bowing her head, Meredith added in a hushed voice, “And now we’re no better than Father was. We’ve misled you. We’ve taken your food. We’ve even been mining gold on your claim. That’s not the way to return the Christian charity you’ve shown.”

  Ian clasped both of her hands in his. “Merry, none of that matters to me. I wish I had enough money to pay back those people so Tucker and you could be free of that burden. God holds us accountable for our own actions, but I think you and Tucker are extraordinary. You aren’t responsible for paying back the investors.”

  “You’re not mad?”

  “The two of you trusted your dad. He wasn’t worthy of your trust. Discernment is a gift, but it’s also a matter of wisely gathering information. I thank you for feeling you could trust me, but I don’t fault Tucker for taking longer.”

  Tears streaked down her cheeks. “Will he have that time? Will he get better?”

  “God willing.”

  ❧

  Tucker’s fever broke. Ian fought the urge to whoop with joy. He wouldn’t do that—Meredith needed her rest. She’d no more unburdened her soul than she’d fallen fast asleep. How she’d managed to curl up like a kitten on one of those cots amazed him.

  Ian filled a small cup with apple cider and lifted Tucker’s head. Tucker took a few sips, then stopped. Every few minutes, Ian coaxed him to take more.

  Weariness dragged at him. At one point, he decided to hum.

  Tucker’s left eye opened a mere slit, and he frowned. “Liar.”

  “Tucker Smith, are you calling me a liar?”

  “No singing.” His voice sounded as gravelly as the silt they mined.

  Ian leaned a mite closer. “I wasn’t singing. I was humming. I gave you my word I wouldn’t sing, but I never said I wouldn’t hum or whistle.”

  “Ugh. Hum? Thought. . .mosquito.”

  Ian grinned. “You’d best open your eyes wider. I’m too small to be an Alaskan mosquito.”

  “No tune. Mosquito.”

  “You being sick, you just didn’t recognize the hymn ‘The Solid Rock.’ ”

  The corner of Tucker’s mouth twitched. “I’m better. I’d be sick if. . .recognized that tune.” Suddenly, Tucker’s brow furrowed. “Sis?”

  “Sleeping. She’s worn out.” Ian lifted Tucker’s head and tilted a cup to his mouth.

  “Cider.” Tucker scowled. “Coffee.”

  “Nay. Water, cider, or stew. Take your pick.”

  “Picking.” Tucker looked over at his sister. “She picked you. Loves you.”

  “I was hoping so. She’s a rare woman. I’m wanting to marry her, you know.”

  “Maybe not. Our dad—”

  “Your father’s not here for me to ask, so I’m asking you for her hand.”

  “But—”

  “Tucker, whatever is in the past is done. No one should have to assume the guilt of another’s deeds. Christ alone did that. God is the only Judge, and He grants forgiveness freely through His Son. I don’t care what your father did. What I care about is you being my friend, and more important, you being my brother-in-law.

  “I’ll love Merry ’til my dying breath. Now are you going to give me permission to take her as my bride, or am I going to have to force you to drink more water?”

  “Coffee, deal.”

  ❧

  Meredith woke to the smell of coffee. She sat up on the edge of the cot and cried out, “Tucker!”

  “He’s too ornery to be sick.” Ian stood and stretched.

  “He needs hearty food, not coffee. Ian, you come lie down. I’ll sit with my brother for a while. Oh, wasn’t the Lord good to us?”

  Tucker sat on the edge of the bed and groaned. “I feel like someone hit me with a two-by-four.”

  “That’s not possible.” Meredith started to ladle up stew.

  “There’s no milled lumber around here,” Ian said.

  “But there are the finest cabins in the world,” Meredith countered. “Who else has a bottle-glass-stained window?”

  “You’ll have one soon, Sis.”

  “How did you get enough bottles?”

  He shrugged—but it was a forced action. “I just have a feeling.”

  The blizzard still howled. “Do you have any feelings about how long we’re going to be burrowed in here?”

  “What does it matter?” Ian shrugged. “We have chess, draughts, and cribbage.”

  “Don’t forget juggling,” Tucker added. “You need to learn how to do that, Ian. I’ll teach you.”

  Meredith burst out laughing.

  Tucker turned to Ian. “What’s so funny?”

  “I heard you still need to perfect your technique.”

  “I’m up to two stones at the same time.”

  Ian plastered a solemn look on his face. “Two. I see.”

  “Yes, and they’re matched, so I can’t count on the different colors guiding me.”

  “Why haven’t you taught Merry such a valuable skill?”

  Tucker shook his head. “No, no. She’d run off with the circus and leave me behind. I can’t have that.”

  “Wait a minute.” Meredith approached her brother. “Are you saying you can’t allow me to go off with the circus, or are you saying I can’t leave you behind?”

  “Unh-huh.” He slumped back down and closed his eyes.

  “You need more sleep.” Ian pointed toward her cot.

  “I’ve had more than you have.”

  He grabbed a few blankets. “I’ll make a pallet.”

  “You can’t do that.” Meredith tapped her toes on the floor. “This is far too hard.”

  “Compared to ice, the floor is soft.”

  In the middle of the night, the blizzard abruptly stopped. Ian sat up and wondered at the odd hush, followed by a strange singing.

  Merry lifted her head. “Oh. The Northern Lights!”

  “I’ve got to see this.” Ian yanked on his boots and coat.

  Merry hurriedly grabbed her cape. They slipped outside and looked up. Green and red waves and flames danced in the s
ky.

  “What makes the noise?”

  Merry shrugged. “I don’t know. Sometimes it’s much softer. Tonight it’s loud.”

  Ian held out his hand. “Let’s go look at them from the bridge.”

  She slid her hand into his and stood out where they’d have a better view. “Breathtaking.”

  “Yes,” Ian agreed.

  Light arced upward and swirled. “I’m so glad I came here.”

  “So am I. It’s been every bit the adventure I wanted, and more.” He stared upward. “You know, your brother and I figure that the vein we’ve found probably isn’t going to get much larger. It’s worth pursuing, but it won’t make us rich.”

  “I already am rich.” She gestured upward. “I have a symphony in the sky and my brother is well. We have a Bible and enough to eat and a good friend and neighbor. What more could I ask for?”

  Ian stayed silent.

  Finally, Merry got up the nerve to look at him.

  He was staring straight at her. “I don’t know what more you could ask for, but I know there’s still something else I’d want. I long to marry the woman I love.”

  Merry held her breath so long she got a little dizzy.

  “Are you going to ask me who she is?”

  She shook her head.

  Ian rubbed his warm, calloused fingertips down her cold cheek. “ ’Tis you, Merry. You’ve stolen my heart just as surely as I breathe. If the only gold I ever got from Alaska was the gold in the center of your eyes, I’d die a happy man. Will you be my bride?”

  “Oh yes, Ian. I don’t know exactly when or how, but you stole my heart, too. My mama once told me love is the greatest adventure of all. You’re the man I want to share that adventure with.”

  As they shared their first kiss, God painted the sky with color and sound.

  Epilogue

  “I get to kiss the bride.”

  Ian gave Abrams a disgruntled look. “Later. Let me marry her first.”

  “Can’t do that. Once she’s your wife, she’s a married woman. I wouldn’t kiss some other man’s wife!”

  “I saw the ring,” Mr. Clemment said. He wore his overalls the right way around for the special occasion. “It’s gold.” He nodded. “Gold as the first rays of the Alaska dawn.”

  “It ought to be. I had the ring made from the gold on our own claim.” Ian craned his neck to see out his door. “What’s keeping them?”

  “They’re twins,” Abrams opined. “Takes ’em twice as long.”

  The minister shot a strange look at Ian. “You’re only marrying one.”

  “Don’t worry; we’ll be sure he picks the right one,” Mr. Clemment said in an earnest tone.

  The minister tugged on Ian’s sleeve. “Can you tell them apart?”

  “Yes, Parson, I can. Abrams, go get my bride.”

  Abrams stepped out the door and hollered, “Hey! This man you wanna get hitched to is gettin’ itchy. Best you shake a leg.”

  The parson tugged at his collar. Ian leaned forward. “Seeing my neighbors reminds me that God has an imagination.”

  “A big one, indeed.”

  A few moments later, Tucker stopped just outside the threshold. He set down his sister and brushed a kiss on her cheek.

  “See? We kiss her before you swap the ‘I do’s’!” Abrams and Mr. Clemment both raced over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

  With no church for miles around, Merry wanted to get married in front of Ian’s stained-glass window. A golden ribbon of sunlight cast a glow through it.

  The parson stood in silence.

  Merry finally whispered, “What is he waiting for?”

  “I’m sure you want your sister to share this joyous occasion.” He bobbed his head.

  “What sister?”

  Ian fought to keep a straight face. “Parson, Tucker is Meredith’s twin.”

  “Yes, yes. Well, I can see how you’re able to tell them apart.”

  Meredith smoothed the front of her pink dress.

  “You look beautiful,” Ian told her.

  She beamed at him, and the brightness of her smile promised a love that would glow for a lifetime.

  About the Author

  Cathy Marie Hake is a Southern California native who loves her work as a nurse and Lamaze teacher. She and her husband have a daughter, a son, and three dogs, so life is never dull or quiet. Cathy considers herself a sentimental packrat, collecting antiques and Hummel figurines. In spare moments, she reads, bargain hunts, and makes a huge mess with her new hobby of scrapbooking. [email protected]

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to my dear readers who spend what little leisure time they have with me. Sharing the Lord’s goodness and mercy with sisters in Christ is a delight, and I appreciate you!

  A note from the Author:

  I love to hear from my readers! You may correspond with me by writing:

  Cathy Marie Hake

  Author Relations

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