“Your father and I will go with you.”
“Aunt…Mother, you’re pregnant. You shouldn’t be traveling across the country. You must stay in Wyoming. Reese might need help with the baby.”
“The baby, the baby!” Temperance exploded. “Won’t you at least give your daughter a name before you leave?”
“That’s for Reese to do.”
“I named you,” Tempy confided. “I named you and I made Prudence promise to keep the name. Your daughter should have something you’ve given her. What better gift than her name?”
“Her father.” Faith was openly crying. “She’ll have her father. I’m giving her Reese. Don’t you see? He needs someone to love. Someone of his own. Someone he can love without fear of rejection.”
“What about you?” Temperance demanded. “What about your needs?”
“I need to know they have each other,” Faith hugged her mother. “And I need to know you and Kevin are looking out for them.”
“I can’t promise you that,” Tempy said. “You’re my child, Faith. My flesh and blood. If you go to Richmond, I go with you.” Temperance stood firm. “I won’t give you up again. I can’t.”
“You have to, Mother,” Faith replied. “You have a family here. A home. A husband who dearly loves you. And in a few months you’ll have another child to love.”
“Not as much as I love you.” Tempy brushed away her tears.
“Every bit as much as you love me.” Faith smiled at her. “This is your home now. Not Richmond.”
“My home is where my family is,” Tempy said.
“Your family will be here.”
“Except you,” Tempy said. “You won’t be here.”
“I have to go,” Faith explained. “You know that. I signed a contract. I have a legal obligation. I must abide by the terms of the contract, just as you honored your agreement with Aunt Prudence.”
“I was sixteen. I was forced to submit to my father’s will. But Faith, this is different. I don’t believe Reese would fight you. I don’t think he would really try to keep you from seeing your baby. He won’t enforce the terms of the contract.” Temperance walked to her daughter and put her arms around her.
“What if he does?” Faith asked. “What will happen to Aunt Virt and the others if he does? I can’t risk the house in Richmond. It’s their home.”
“Oh, Faith, my brave, darling Faith! We can hire a lawyer to break the contract.”
“And drag Reese’s good name through the mud? And mine as well? No, Mother.” Faith closed the trunk, then sat on top of it. “I love Reese. I love him enough to abide by his conditions. To give him whatever he wants.” She looked Temperance in the eye. “Reese Jordan wants his child. And he wants me out of his life.”
“I think you’re wrong, Faith.”
“Not this time,” Faith said sadly. “If he’d ever mentioned wanting me to stay before the baby was born, I’d stay. But now… It’s too late. He never once mentioned love. He never suggested…”
* * *
Reese paced the confines of the nursery, his tiny little girl cradled against his shoulder. Her mother was leaving in the morning and he couldn’t bring himself to ask her to stay. He’d had every opportunity. He’d followed her around like a puppy dog for the last six weeks, hoping for a chance. And he missed it. He’d missed lots of them, he reminded himself. He’d had the past year to rip up the contract and ask Faith to stay with him.
So why hadn’t he?
“Because I’m afraid,” he whispered in his daughter’s ear. “I’m afraid she doesn’t love me.” He’d never dreamed he would turn out to be such a coward. He’d never been afraid to risk anything before, but he realized he’d never risked his heart.
“What if all she feels for me is desire?” He gently patted the infant’s back, burping her as the wet nurse had instructed him.
He didn’t think he could survive Faith’s rejection, but then again, how could he stand to lose her?
“I thought you’d make the difference.” He confided to the sleeping baby. “I thought I was so clever. I thought she’d beg me to let her stay once she found out about you. And then when she didn’t, I was sure everything would be fine once you got here. Faith would take one look at you and refuse to leave without you. Then I’d have had her. I could waive the contract and the marriage papers and forbid her to take you. And she’d stay. We would be a family—me, you, Joy, and your mother. I’d have everything I ever wanted,” Reese explained. “Without having to say the words. Without having to risk anything. It was such a clever plan. And I was such a fool. I should have known better.” He sat down in the large rocking chair and began to rock. “Your mother is a fine and honorable woman. And she’s determined to honor that damned contract whether I want her to or not.” He kissed the top of the baby’s head. She smelled faintly of lavender, like her mother. “That’s why I’m hiding out in the nursery with you,”
Reese continued talking to his infant daughter. “I know she’ll come to see you before she leaves. She loves you very much. And when she comes to see you, I’ll be able to talk to her. I’ll be able to give her the ring I meant to give her for her birthday. And I’ll be able to tell her something very important…I have to explain how I feel. It won’t be easy, but I hope she’ll understand how much…” His voice broke. He tried again. “I hope…” The words choked him.