"What if a man were seriously interested in you, Alanna? You're so preoccupied with Melissa's child, he might fear the only way to win your consent for marriage was to agree to adopt him. Is it your intention to give such an impression?"
Graham was right, Alanna hadn't thought past her daily contact with Christian to the possibility of assuming responsibility for him permanently. She was of an age to marry, but Ian had rejected the prospect of raising an Indian's child so violently, that it had not even occurred to her that another man might have a more charitable view. "As I said, we've attempted to contact Christian's father. We'll have to exhaust that possibility, before any other plans can be made."
"My God, do you mean you'd consider taking the responsibility for Christian yourself?"
Alanna's pretty smile made her decision plain. "Why yes, I think it's a delightful idea. I have the money from my parents' estate. It isn't a great deal, but it would be enough to provide Christian with all he might need and a good education. He wouldn't be a burden to anyone."
Graham's eyes were a warm, soft gray, but narrowing now, they took on a steel-like glint. "Once you begin putting conditions on your love, I doubt there will be any end to them. If you'll demand a man adopt an Indian's brat to wed you, then you'll soon find another test for him to prove his devotion, and another. A man would be a fool to begin what would surely become an impossible series of challenges."
"You don't honestly believe that I'm such an unreasonable person, do you?"
"I don't know what to think anymore."
"Christian needs a home and family," Alanna replied. "I owe Melissa that much."
"How can you believe you owe her anything, after the way she behaved?"
Alanna picked up the stack of linens. "Please, I came here to help you clean up the house, not to listen to you criticize a woman who can't defend herself."
"You don't even see what you're doing, do you? If you wed a man to give Christian a father, you'll be repeating Melissa's mistake. You saw how bitter Ian was when he realized how he had been used. Your poor husband would soon feel exactly the same."
"I'll not listen to any more of this."
With her arms full, she couldn't move with her usual agility, and Graham had no difficulty blocking her way when she tried to get past him. "No, you'll listen to every word I have to say," he argued. "I love you, Alanna, but I can't go on hoping and praying that you'll come to love me, if that love is dependent on my willingness to raise another man's child."
"I'm thoroughly confused, Captain. Just what is it that you expect me to say, that should I fall in love with you, Christian wouldn't be part of our family?"
"Yes!"
"Now who's making unreasonable demands in exchange for promises of love? This whole conversation is ridiculous! Elliott's written another letter. Perhaps Hunter didn't receive the first. He could arrive any day."
"You can't possibly expect that renegade to come for his son."
"And why not? You only saw Hunter briefly the first night he was here last spring. How can you presume to know what he may or may not do?"
"He's an Indian!"
"I fail to see how that fact disqualifies him for fatherhood."
"If you think so much of Hunter, then why don't you marry him? He'd be the one-man in the world who wouldn't resent the attention you lavish on Christian."
Aghast at that bizarre suggestion, Alanna simply stared at Graham for a long moment. Then she remembered the sweetness of Hunter's kiss, and her cheeks flooded with a bright blush. "I think the less said about Hunter the better. Now if you'll kindly step out of my way, I'll carry these things out to the carriage. Would you check to make certain there's nothing left to pack?"
Graham was too angry to respond, but he did move aside, and with grim determination he searched the house, but found nothing that did not belong to the owners. "God damn," he murmured under his breath. He had finally told Alanna that he loved her, and her only response had been to ask him to move out of her way. He stormed out of the house, thinking that was precisely what he ought to have done several months ago.
* * *
While she was sorry they had quarreled that day, when Graham Tyler did not call on her again, Alanna understood his reasons and wasn't insulted. He had finally accepted what she had always known: that they simply hadn't been meant for each other. Always eager to gossip, the Frederick sisters kept her informed of the young women he escorted to holiday parties, until she finally convinced them that she really didn't care.
The holidays held such little joy for Alanna that year, that she left the Christmas service at church feeling as depressed as when she had entered. Elliott had helped her buy presents for Charity and her children, and they had delivered them earlier that morning, but that her aunt and uncle had not sent anything along for Christian, nor gone to see him, broke her heart. When the pair started toward the cemetery to visit their daughter's grave, she thought them hypocrites and didn't follow.
"Merry Christmas," Randolph O'Neil called to her.
Alanna recognized his voice, and smiled as she turned to face him. "Merry Christmas, Mr. O'Neil."
"I was hoping I'd have a chance to speak with you. Do you remember last spring, when your aunt asked me to find something special for Melissa and Ian's first Christmas?"
"Yes, I do, but sadly, they weren't able to celebrate it."