Leave a Candle Burning (49 page)

Douglas ended up so impressed with their answers that he could not object to the marriage for any reason. Nevertheless, he asked if he could meet with them one more time before they chose a day. Their willingness to do as he asked further confirmed for their pastor that Dannan and Scottie were making the right move.

“How did she do?” Dannan asked when he arrived a few weeks later at the Peterson house. Corina had spent the night.

“Very well,” Scottie replied from the parlor sofa where they were alone. Corina was eating her breakfast.

“What’s this?” Dannan tapped the paper in Scottie’s hand and sat next to her.

“Just a list of things I want to get done for the wedding.”

Dannan’s hand came up, and Scottie felt him touch her hair. Not until a lock of hair fell over her ear did she understand what he was up to. She was turning to tell him no and found his face very close.

“Wear it down,” he entreated softly.

“No,” she whispered right back. “If Corina sees it like this, she’ll want to play, and I have a full day of work ahead.”

Dannan’s only answer was to reach to the other side and steal another pin. When Scottie had hair over both ears, Dannan smiled at her.

“You’ll just have to tell her no.”

“And what do I tell you?”

Dannan smiled. “Always yes.”

Scottie could not resist his smile or voice. When he leaned to kiss her, she melted inside. They were still sitting close, talking and occasionally kissing, when Corina found them.

“Hair, Sottie!” She didn’t miss a thing. “Sottie has spurles,” she told her father, looking for the brush.

“Come here a minute,” Dannan called to her. “Scottie can’t play hair with you right now, but as soon as she can, she’ll tell you. All right?”

Dannan was very proud of his daughter when she agreed right away. They had been talking about obeying the first time she was asked, and she was making an effort.

“Sottie has spurles,” she announced once again, this time from Dannan’s lap.

“I think you might have curls too, Corina,” Scottie told her, reaching up to adjust the ribbon. Scottie had found a new one, this time in green.

“I’ve got a dress for you to try on today,” Scottie remembered and told her future daughter. “Remind me after dinner.”

“You do know,” Dannan said, keeping his voice quiet, “that she’s going to ask you about that a dozen times between now and then.”

“Do you mean she might nag me,” Scottie teased, “like a certain man concerning my hair?”

Dannan could not hold his smile, but he still teased right back. “It won’t be long before I’ll be living here, Scottie Peterson, and you might find that you can’t locate a single hairpin in all the house.”

Scottie was ready with a comeback of her own, but Corina was watching them, her young eyes not appearing to miss a thing.

“We’ll finish this later,” Scottie warned, and well-pleased with himself, Dannan only smiled, kissed his daughter, and sent her to the kitchen.

He was at the door, saying he had to get to work, when he remembered to ask, “Is Finn here?”

“I haven’t seen him today,” Scottie answered. “In fact, I didn’t see him yesterday at the meetinghouse either. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, I just have a question. I’ll find him later.”

“All right.”

Dannan came back long enough to kiss Scottie goodbye, both remembering that it wouldn’t be long now.

“I’m glad you told me, Finn,” Scottie said sincerely, even as her heart ached. “Have I done something to make you doubt?”

“No, it’s nothing like that. I think Douglas Muldoon is a fine man, and I respect him, but I can’t swallow what I’m hearing about the Bible. There is some good in man. I’ve seen it all my life.”

Scottie thought fast, wanting to give Finn something to think about without pushing him in this matter.

“Do you believe any part of the Bible, Finn?”

“I don’t know. No one is perfect, not even God. He has power to a degree, but it’s not limitless, or this world would be a better place.”

“Have you had a chance to discuss any of this with Douglas?” Scottie tried.

“No, but I told him on Sunday that I wouldn’t be back. He said I could stop in and see him anytime.”

Scottie nodded and prayed. She could do nothing outside of that. The decision had to be Finn’s, and true to his word when Eli died, he had attended services at the meetinghouse.

“You know what I believe, Finn,” Scottie said, her voice as kind as ever. “Just as you knew what Eli believed. I do believe God is perfect and limitless, but if you don’t see the Bible as God’s Word to man about who He is, then you are at an impasse. I know I can believe anything written in His Word and be sure of it.

“I want you in my life—I need you in my life, Finn—so never think I would shun you over this decision, but know that I’ll pray for you because I still believe you need a Savior.”

Finn’s face actually looked open. Scottie was expecting some sort of anger, but his face looked as it always did.

“I would never want you to deny your beliefs, Scottie.”

“Thank you, Finn.”

The conversation ended there. Confident that it was not her place, Scottie had never pushed this man and knew God didn’t need her to do so. However, she did pray in belief. Just as she had said: Finn needed a Savior, and Jesus Christ was perfect for the job.

Scottie turned 24 at the end of that week. She knew Iris was baking a cake and that Dannan was coming for tea, but she did not expect the others who showed up to wish her well.

A simple evening tea turned into a party when Jace, Maddie, Conner, Reese, Douglas, and Alison all arrived within a few minutes of each other, wishing her well and laughing at the surprised look on her face.

“Where is the baby?” Scottie asked as she hugged Reese.

“Home with Troy,” Reese answered with a huge smile.

“That Troy is a keeper.”

“Yes, he is,” Reese was happy to agree.

“And what about you, Maddie?” Scottie asked. “Where is Val?”

“I left her with Doyle and Cathy, much to their delight.”

Iris, Finn, and Dannan had been planning it all week. Food that Scottie had not seen Iris preparing was brought out, and they feasted. The cake was delicious, and with only Corina in their midst, it turned into a lovely “grown-up” birthday party that Scottie knew she would remember for a very long time.

“Do you want to know something completely odd?” Scottie confided in Douglas after services that Sunday. They had talked about Finn for a time, but then Douglas had asked her how she was feeling about the wedding.

“Tell me,” Douglas encouraged.

“I wish Eli could see Dannan and me be married.” Scottie shook her head a little. “Eli and Mrs. Peterson taught me everything I know about taking care of a home and a husband, and it seems only right that Eli know how it’s turned out.”

“I can certainly see why you feel that way. In many ways, Eli was more like a father to you, or an older brother.”

“I’m starting to see that, but it’s taken some time,” Scottie agreed. “At first, I was so hurt he’d spoken to Dannan that I didn’t know if I could move past it, but now I realize how pleased he’d be to know that Dannan will be in my life, taking care of me the way he always did.”

“I think he would be pleased. I even think he would be pleased that you didn’t grieve for years.”

“I still miss him,” Scottie admitted. “I suspect that having Dannan and Corina in the house will change some of that, but it’s always been Eli’s house, and I still miss walking to his room and talking to him.”

“He was a wonderful friend.”

“He certainly was,” Scottie agreed.

The two shared a smile, and then Douglas noticed Dannan moving in their direction.

“I believe someone might be looking for you.”

Scottie glanced long enough to see Dannan, but she still turned back to Douglas.

“He’s a wonderful friend too.”

“Yes,” Douglas agreed wholeheartedly, “the very best type to marry.”

The wedding was on a Friday afternoon, November 20, and was held at the big house. Reese had asked to do this for the new couple and was very excited when they agreed. Corina would spend the next few nights with Iris, giving the doctor and his new wife a few days alone.

The church family and a few folks Scottie knew from town were invited to this celebration, but for the most part, it was a quiet affair. Feeling just a bit scared and very excited, Dannan and Scottie stood before Douglas to repeat their vows.