Leave a Candle Burning (50 page)

Cake and small sandwiches were served afterward, and Dannan and Scottie were able to visit and hear the well-wishes of everyone who came. When it was time to say their goodbyes, they loaded into Dannan’s buggy, Iris and Corina in tow, with plans to drop off the two of them.

Corina, who loved to sleep at Iris’ house, barely noticed when they left her, and for himself, Dannan was in no mood to linger. Urging the horse along, he landed Scottie at the front door and made quick work of stabling the animal. By the time he got to the house, Scottie had lit a lantern and put her coat away.

“Do you want help lighting the fire?” Scottie asked when he stepped into the near-dark room. The moon was full, and the lantern seemed dim after the large parlor and dining room at the big house.

“First things first,” Dannan said, joining her in the middle of the room.

Scottie stood still while his hands went toward her hair, his eyes lighting with pleasure as her hair fell in soft, light red curls around her shoulders.

“That’s better,” he whispered as he bent to kiss her and take her in his arms. “I think marriage agrees with you,” he continued, holding her close.

“What makes you say that?”

“Only that you look more beautiful than ever.”

Scottie laughed with pure contentment and put her arms around his neck. Dr. Dannan MacKay was finally hers to have and to hold, and there was no better time to start than now.

Once darkness had settled all around them, the slow rocking of the train put Corina to sleep. Dannan had settled her on the seat across from them and returned to put an arm around his wife. It had taken some months of planning and waiting for winter to pass, but at last they were making the trip to see Dannan’s family.

Scottie was on her first train ride. A little nervous and very excited, she had exchanged letters with Dannan’s family but had also been asking about them for weeks.

“Do they know I have red hair?” she asked.

“I’m not sure. Does that matter?”

“It might. Not everyone likes red hair.”

Because they sat close, Scottie could feel Dannan laugh, but he controlled his voice before answering. “My family will like red hair.”

“You’re laughing at me.”

“Some of your questions are funny.”

His voice was much too logical, and Scottie hadn’t been very serious. She suddenly felt him lean toward her.

“We could be kissing, you know,” he whispered in her ear.

“On the train?” she whispered right back with just enough scandal in her voice.

“It’s very fun,” Dannan coaxed.

“You speak from experience?” Scottie teased.

“I will as soon as you kiss me.”

Scottie put a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing, and Dannan felt her body shake against him.

“Let me cover that for you,” was his last whisper before he moved her hand and covered her lips with his own.

Epilogue

A little bit more to their stories...

“Maddie,” Jace stood at the bottom of the stairway and called to his wife.

“We’re coming,” she called down, and Jace waited for his family. They were headed to the train station to pick up Jace’s sister, Eden, who was coming to visit for the weekend. As soon as they had Eden, they were all going to Doyle and Cathy’s for dinner.

Valerie was first down the stairs. Fifteen years old now, she had her mother’s hair and her father’s eyes, including his long lashes.

“What’s taking so long?” Jace asked.

“Walt has outgrown his good pants again,” Valerie said simply. “Mama’s trying to button them around him.”

Slipping past their father, 12-year-old Jenny and 11-year-old Eden made their way downstairs. They followed their sister, even as 8-year-old Walt came into view. Jace had to smile when he noticed how short his pants were.

Taking the stairs in last place was Maddie. Their 2-year-old daughter, Paige, was in her arms and reached for her father the moment she was close.

“All set?” Jace asked, Paige settled on his arm.

“I think so,” Maddie answered. “I’ve taken those pants out so many times the seams are weak. If he bends, folks in town will be scandalized.”

While Jace was laughing, Maddie had another idea.

“Jace, next time I’ll hitch the team and you can stuff Walt into his pants.”

Jace laughed again and put an arm around her, moving them to join their children in the yard.

Conner and Reese listened to footsteps on the stairs, knowing Levi was headed their way. No one else had feet so big or so loud as that boy, and it always made his parents laugh.

“Levi,” Reese called to him from the dining room. “We’re in here.”

Levi went that way and found his parents already seated. He joined them at the table and prayed for their tea when he was asked, his voice almost as soft as his father’s.

Reese watched him when they started to eat, never tiring of thanking God for this child. He was their only one. Not in all of Levi’s 14 years had Reese conceived again. Still a marvelous caregiver, and having assumed their large home would be filled with children, Reese did at times wonder that it had not been God’s plan.

It was true that Troy’s health had not been the best. More than two years had passed since he moved back to Linden Heights to be near his daughters, but prior to his going, Reese had taken care of him like the beloved father he’d become.

And it wasn’t as if Reese ever lacked for something to do or company to look after. She was as busy as ever with many opportunities to do good works for the church family and in the community. Conner could not have been prouder of her work and was good at telling her how he felt.

“What are you thinking about?” Conner asked, and Reese realized she hadn’t touched her food.

“Just wool gathering,” Reese told him, her look saying more.

Conner didn’t press her, but just as soon as Levi wandered off, Conner cornered his wife in the kitchen.

“Are you upset about something?”

“Not upset. Just wondering and wrestling a bit about God’s plans. Levi would have made a wonderful big brother.”

“Yes, he would have,” Conner agreed, “and you mustn’t forget, it might still happen.”

Reese looked up into Conner’s face, thinking that she would have never seen things as she did without his solid confidence in their saving God. He never failed to remind her of God’s goodness and that in Him there was always faith and Someone to trust.

“Thank you, Conner,” Reese said, slipping her arms around him.

“For what?”

“For being you.”

Reese went up on tiptoes to kiss him. Conner, who loved her even more now than the day they were married, kissed her right back.

“Scottie?” Eli, four years old and the youngest MacKay, found his mother in the kitchen.

Scottie was used to it by now but still liked to laugh a little over the fact that all six of her children called her by her first name. They had grown up listening to Corina and simply followed suit.

“What do you need, Eli?”

“Where’s Rina?” he asked, using his nickname for his oldest sister.

“Corina is helping Mrs. Muldoon today.”

“Where’s Annie?”

“Also helping Mrs. Muldoon.”

“Where’s Matthew?” came next, and Scottie knew Eli was going to ask about all of his siblings. Distracted as she was by more than one subject, she stopped what she was working on and sat down to hear him.

“Matthew is sweeping at Doyle’s store today.”

“Where’s Grant?”

“He’s at Uncle Finn’s.”

“Where is Jonas?”

“He’s with Grant and Uncle Finn.”

Eli sighed when he realized there was no one to play with. Scottie was about to suggest he look at books when Dannan came in the kitchen door.

“Someone’s missing you,” she wasted no time telling her husband.

Dannan didn’t need much time to catch on but still teased, “Eli or you?”

“Both, but if you can spare a little time to play with Eli, we would both be very grateful.”

Dannan came over to kiss her. She could see by his eyes that he wanted to tease her some more, either that or keep kissing, but he took pity on all of them and invited Eli to accompany him back to his office.

Scottie saw them on their way and went back to work on the casserole she was making for the next day. Iris had been gone for almost four years, dying unexpectedly in her sleep. Scottie still missed her but enjoyed working in the kitchen, preparing meals and gathering her family around her. And indeed, the family would gather tomorrow. Scottie had to force herself to calm down when she thought of what it was going to be like. It was going to be a wonderful day.