“Miss Sneed!”

Billie, Lucien and Ottilie turned to see Isabella Weaver making her way toward them, a line of dark-haired children following behind like ducklings. “Mrs. Weaver.” She forced a smile. Mrs. Ferguson’s machinations had now been scotched, she was sure, but it had taken a lot out of her.

“Miss Sneed,” Isabella repeated when she reached her. “I am so happy to see you again. Look.” She turned to the group of beauties behind her. “My brothers and sisters all want to meet you!”

Billie fought a sigh, but Lucien chuckled. Yes, easy for you to laugh – you don’t stand out in a crowd like I do.

The eldest sibling approached – Rufina, wasn’t it? – with a little girl clinging to her skirt. “Miss Sneed, I’ve looked forward to seeing you again,” she said with awe in her eyes.

“It’s nice to see you again too.”

Rufi smiled and looked at the little one attached to her. “This is Gabriella. We call her Gabby. She especially wanted to meet you.”

Billie bent down to look at the child. “Hello.”

Gabby smiled widely. “You’re wonderful!”

Billie wasn’t sure what to make of that. “Er … really?”

Gabby nodded. She glanced around, then motioned Billie closer. “Is he dead?”

“What?”

“The man who gave you those scars. Or was it a big beast?”

Billie heard Lucien working hard to stay silent. It was funny, though. “No, he’s not dead that I know of.”

“You’re very brave. I want to be brave too, just like you.”

Billie swallowed hard and straightened up.

“Gabby, what did you say?” Rufi asked.

“Nothiiiing,” Gabby said, swaying to and fro.

“I’m sorry if she was impolite,” Isabelle said. “Mrs. Gunderson at the stage stop was telling us about …” She stopped and smiled at Billie. “… ‘the brave woman with the scars’ who came to Nowhere. The children could not get here fast enough.”

Billie watched the child, who still had that look of wonder in her eyes. “The woman with the scars …”

Two boys approached, both gaping as well. “Do you have a sword?” one asked.

“Leo!” Rufi said. “Don’t ask silly questions. This is a lady from England, not a, a …”

“Not a pirate?” the other boy said. He sounded disappointed.

“Arturo!” Isabella warned. “Mind your manners!”

Now Billie had to keep from laughing. “No, I don’t have a sword. But my father was a ship’s captain. And I have met a few pirates –”

“Can we see it?” another girl, twelve or thirteen, asked.

Billie knew what they wanted. “It would be too much for you.”

“No, it wouldn’t,” the girl insisted.

“Stop it, all of you!” Rufina growled, then turned to Billie. “I am so sorry. They are like untrained animals at times.”

“They’re children and curious,” Billie said. She glanced around, then bent down so the younger ones could hear. “I was attacked by a horrible man while protecting my father. That’s how I got these scars.”

“Do you have an eye under there?” Gabby asked, pointing at Billie’s eyepatch.

“No, I lost it.”

The girls gasped. The boys were mesmerized.

Rufi shrugged. “If you show them, you’ll be their hero and they’ll follow you the rest of the day. You’ll never be rid of them.”

Hero? Billie smiled. “Well, there are worse things.” She flipped up her eyepatch.

The children oohed and ahhed. Two of the boys even clapped. Ottilie gulped. Well, you couldn’t please everyone.

“That’s enough,” Isabella said. “You are to act like young ladies and gentlemen.”

“But she showed us!” the youngest boy whined.

Billie replaced her eyepatch. “Because you asked. Now you’ve seen it.”

“Are you getting married?” Gabby blurted.

Billie’s heart went to her toes and back. Her reaction came out of nowhere, like a ghost come to haunt her. Maybe Mrs. Ferguson had done more damage than she’d thought …

“Yes,” Lucien said, taking her hand and beaming. “Tomorrow she’s marrying me.”

Rufi and the twelve-year-old sighed.

“We would like to attend the wedding if it is all right with you,” Isabella said. “I told you we would when I saw you last.”

“Yes, you did.” Billie saw the children around her. “All of you are invited – I look forward to having you there.”

Gabby began to jump up and down. “Yay!” She grabbed Billie by the hand. “Can I eat with you?”

“Us too!” one of the other girls cried.

“Let go of Miss Sneed!” Isabella ordered over their excited giggles.

“They’re all right,” Billie said. That the children were so excited to eat with her came as a shock. Most children took one look at her and ran, and lately she’d automatically avoided crossing paths with little ones because of it. But not these children.

And more were coming. “Good heavens,” she whispered as another batch approached. But these were toddlers, and Calvin Weaver brought up the rear.

Lucien nodded. “There are a lot of Weavers.”

“Calvin,” Isabella smiled. “Look who I found.”

“Howdy, Miss Sneed, Luce,” Calvin called. “Ya hitched yet?”

“Tomorrow,” Lucien replied before Billie could. Silently, Billie thanked him for it. Despite her bravado, Mrs. Ferguson had momentarily derailed the progress she’d made. And it was progress. People didn’t change overnight, and she could thank Lucien and her new friends for getting her this far, but it was hard, very hard. She would have to work to keep her mind from thinking the sort of things it was used to, things that said she was nobody, a monster, a discard …

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things … A chill went up her spine as she recalled the scripture. “Yes, yes …”

“Billie?” She turned. Bernice stood there, a glass in hand. “Lemonade?”

Billie took the glass and had a quick sip. “Thank you. Oh, and could we get a glass for Ottilie? This is Mrs. Ferguson’s niece of legend.”

Ottilie blushed to her roots.

“I want lemonade!” Gabby yelled.

Bernice smiled nervously – a logical reaction to a tidal wave of Weavers. “Follow me – the lemonade is over here.”

Calvin snatched up two of the toddlers – identical twins, possibly. “Come on, sugar, I’ll get you some lemonade.”

Gabby looked up at Billie with wide eyes. “You’re coming too, aren’t you?”

“Of course,” Lucien said, then leaned over to Billie. “That way, both of us will be too busy to give Constance Ferguson the horse-whipping she so richly deserves, eh, sweetheart?”

Billie laughed out loud – she couldn’t help it.

As they walked, Lucien surveyed the myriad Weavers. “Alfonso, you’ve grown! Are you old enough to work at the bank yet?”

The oldest boy smiled. “Not yet, sir. Soon.”

“When?”

“I’m fifteen.”

Lucien nodded. “Give it another year, then.”

Alfonso smiled widely and glanced at Calvin. “Did you hear that?”

“I heard. Don’t let your sister hear, though.”

Billie blinked a few times. “Why not?”

“Al here’s good with figgers,” Calvin said quietly as Isabella chased one of the other girls. “Lucien told him they could use him at the bank when he’s old enough, but Isabella’s kinda … protective. She don’t wanna let him go just yet.”

“The boy is sharp, though,” Lucien said. “Hungry?”

Billie nodded and fought the urge to hold onto him.

He sensed her distress. “I’ll fix us each a plate while you tend to your admirers – and Ottilie. I think she could use a friend, not to mention a bulwark against her aunt.” His eyes narrowed. “Are you all right?”

She smiled at him. “With you here, yes, I am.”

“I am here, Billie. And after we’re married tomorrow, I always will be.” He kissed her on the cheek.

Billie’s chest heaved. All her doubts and fears, hopes and dreams crashed together like giant waves, her heart in the middle. Unbelief, she concluded, was a powerful force. The question was, did she believe him? To do so, she’d have to fight. But it was a fight she wanted, and she was willing. She looked him in the eyes and smiled defiantly. “Yes, I know. Go get our food.”

Tarnation! What was that fool Mrs. Ferguson thinking? Lucien thought as he headed for the food tables. How dare that old busybody torture Billie – and her poor niece – like that?

Speaking of which, there she was talking with Mary Weaver – correction, Mary Hughes – and her husband Harlan. “And that’s the truth of it!” she brayed as he approached. Mary and Harlan gave him an odd look, then glanced at Mrs. Ferguson. Wonderful.

“Hello, Harlan, Mary. How are things out at the farm?”

“Just as fine as they can be, Lucien,” Harlan said. “No one’s been tossed down a well in months. I count that as progress.”

Lucien laughed.

“So,” Mary asked, “where’s your bride to be? I’d like to meet her.”

Mrs. Ferguson pressed her lips together. “Mary!”

“Don’t ‘Mary’ me, Connie. I don’t buy a word of it.”

Lucien’s eyes narrowed at Mrs. Ferguson. “What have you been telling these people?”

The woman’s mouth opened and closed like a freshly-caught trout’s.

“She says her niece came to town and ‘suffered an altercation’,” Harlan volunteered.

Lucien smiled. The woman should know better than to tangle with Weavers, even a Weaver by marriage. And especially Harlan Hughes, a retired sheriff. “Go on.”

“Yep – says your bride threatened her.”

“What?!” Lucien turned on Mrs. Ferguson. “Now see here, madam, I’ve had enough of your lies for one day. I don’t know what’s in your craw, but I’ll not have it.”

Mrs. Ferguson squared her shoulders. “I’ll tell you, Lucien Miller, you’re an idiot to marry a woman the likes of that … that Sneed girl. Why, no one will visit you, you’ll never entertain, you’ll be the laughing stock of the entire territory!”

Lucien stood in shock, as did the other onlookers. One of which was Billie, who’d apparently decided to find out what was taking him so long. She marched up like the avenging goddess he’d imagined she could be, until she leaned over Connie Ferguson like a cliff about to fall on her. “If you have anything further to say about me, Mrs. Ferguson, then kindly say it to my face. If you dare.”

“Face,” Mrs. Ferguson scoffed. “That face …”

“Is beautiful,” Lucien said. “Why on Earth does it bother you so much?”

Mrs. Ferguson’s face became pinched. “My niece will take over the hotel for me one day. I want her married to someone decent! I had it all planned until you came along!” She glared at Billie.

Billie looked at Lucien in … was it amusement? “Were you aware of this?”

“Of course not – I would have stopped it in a moment if I was.” Lucien shook his head at Mrs. Ferguson. “Great Scott, woman, have you gone completely mad? You can’t plan someone else’s life for them.”

“My niece doesn’t know what’s best for her!” Mrs. Ferguson clenched her fists. “Look at her!” she said with a nod at Billie. “This … thing you’re going to marry. Why, when you could have Ottilie?”

Compassion filled Billie’s as she realized what was really happening. “You don’t hate me. You’re afraid of something.”

Mrs. Ferguson covered her mouth. “How dare you! What do you know?”

Billie’s voice was soft as a spring breeze “Trust me, I know about being afraid. What is it?”

To everyone’s surprise, Mrs. Ferguson burst into tears. “My hotel! It’s all I have left! I don’t want it to go to some stranger!”

Lucien and Billie exchanged a look with Mary and Harlan.

“Everything all right?” a deep voice asked as Arlan Weaver pushed his way through the crowd.

“That’s what I’d like to know.” Lucien wrapped his arm around Billie, thinking to protect her.

But she had other ideas. “Let go. There’s something wrong – something I can help with.”

Lucien took one look at the sobbing Mrs. Ferguson and did.

Billie went to the woman and took her in her arms. “Mrs. Ferguson, it’s all right. I understand. But you don’t have to be afraid. Why do you believe these things about your hotel? Can you predict the future? I can’t.”

Lucien had a sense Billie was speaking to herself as much as she was to Mrs. Ferguson.

“My husband and I had that hotel for years. Then he left me!”

The people around watched in shock. They’d never seen the hotel proprietress act this way before. Which made him think. How often did he or anyone else go into the hotel to visit her? Did the other ladies in town invite her to tea or take a meal with her? To his knowledge, no one had, himself included. Mrs. Ferguson almost never left the hotel, except for the occasional trip to the mercantile.

“My father left me too,” Billie said. “The same way your husband left you.”

Silence fell over the crowd and Lucien wondered if they weren’t coming to the same conclusion he just had. Mrs. Ferguson was a forgotten widow. He felt a prick of shame at the thought.

“Your father?” Mrs. Ferguson said. She wiped at her tears. “What does your father have to do with anything?”

“He died,” Billie said with a shrug. “I told you that. Murdered, if you want the truth of it. You’ve heard my tale.”

Mrs. Ferguson pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped her nose. “Murdered?”

“It’s true,” Lucien said. “Billie’s a brave woman and a survivor, Mrs. Ferguson.” He gave Billie a faint smile. “Listen to her.”

Billie smiled back. “Stop thinking the worst,” she told her. “If you expect bad things, you get bad things.”

“Expect them?” Mrs. Ferguson huffed. “What else am I to expect? The only man in town capable of running my hotel after I’m gone is marrying you! Where does that leave me?”

Billie hugged Mrs. Ferguson tighter. “Don’t believe it. Don’t believe it for a minute.”

“Believe what?” the older woman rasped. “Let go of me!”

“You’re not thinking big enough.”

“What?”

“You’re like me. I never thought I’d marry. I never imagined someone like Lucien was out there, not for me. It took him a lot of work to convince me, him and others.”

Mrs. Ferguson looked Billie up and down. “You have to admit, you’re a lot for a man to take on.”

Billie faced her. “True. Because I am a lot of woman. I’ve sailed the seas, fought bandits, been cut and scarred, lost an eye, traveled across an ocean and a continent. What woman around here can say she’s done all that?”

Mrs. Ferguson had the decency to blush. “No one. Though I hear Isabella Weaver is mighty handy at clobbering bandits with a frying pan.”

The Weavers present, not to mention a few of the townsfolk, laughed.

Billie put a hand on Mrs. Ferguson’s shoulder. “Let us help you figure things out. It’s obvious you love your hotel and want good things to happen to it. You don’t have to do this alone.”

Mrs. Ferguson stared at her. “I’ve always had to do things alone,” she said in a small voice. “Ever since my husband passed years ago.”

“Well, if you’d let a body know you needed company,” Nellie Davis replied. “There are plenty of us around to help. Land sakes, why didn’t you say something?”

“I didn’t want to wind up like you,” Mrs. Ferguson shot back.

“But you did,” Nellie said. “Gossipy and bitter and isolated. But I’m learning to change, and you can too.”

“Seems to me there’s been enough gossip going on,” Harlan commented. “Out on the farm, there’s no room for guessing. We have to tell each other how we feel, get things out in the open. You folks need to do the same.”

Everyone stared at him. The man was right, Lucien thought. He looked at Billie. “You know I love you, don’t you?”

“Yes. Though you were right about me being thick-headed – it took me far too long to believe it. And I love you, Lucien.”

Nellie smiled and looked at Connie Ferguson. “And you are joining Charlotte, Abbey and me for tea next week.” She turned back to Billie. “That goes for you too, if you’re not too busy with your new hubby.” She looked at the rest of the townsfolk. “What kind of place is Nowhere if we can’t take care of our own? I know I’ve wronged a lot of you and I’ve paid the price. But when did we get so busy that none of us noticed what was going on with Connie? I declare, this never should have happened.”

Everyone stood in stunned silence at her speech. Except Gabby, who wiggled her way through the crowd and grabbed Billie’s wrist. “You’re special.”

Billie looked at her, a tear in her eye.

“She’s right,” Lucien said. “I knew it from the moment I set eyes on you.” He pulled her away from Mrs. Ferguson and held her close. “I love you, Billie. I’ve been falling in love with you for days.”

Billie choked back a sob. “Lucien,” she said as her arms went around him. “I love you too.”

Lucien tightened his hold. There were no gasps of shock, no quips about impropriety. It was as if the town had an open wound and Nellie and Billie had just sewn it shut. He looked into Billie’s eye and smiled.

“Well, kiss her!” Gabby prompted.

Lucien and Billie looked at the child. “Out of the mouths of babes,” Lucien quipped, then looked at his bride and did just that.

“Oh my goodness, do I look all right?” Billie’s voice shook as she spoke.

“I declare, if you don’t stand still, I’m going to stick you with a pin!” Nellie said as she worked to fix Billie’s veil to her head.

“I’m so nervous. The whole town showed up.”

“Of course they did. After yesterday, who wouldn’t?” Nellie put the final pin in place. “There, that should hold.” She stepped back. “Just look at you – you’re a vision. You girls have outdone yourselves.”

Charlotte stepped forward. “You’re beautiful, Billie.”

Billie bit her lip. She was so happy she didn’t know what to do with herself. Being worn out from yesterday’s picnic didn’t help. After the incident with Mrs. Ferguson and the subsequent “meeting of the minds,” as Lucien referred to it, everyone wanted to spend time with her. She regaled people with tales of her father, his ship and their life traveling all around Europe.

By the time the picnic was over, she and Lucien had been invited to supper by just about every family in Nowhere, including what Weavers had come. She had yet to meet Daniel and Ebba, Benjamin and Charity and their children. Someone had to stay behind and mind the farm while the rest of the family came to town. She took an immediate liking to Arlan’s wife Samijo, who had some interesting tales of her own.

“Are you ready?” Abbey asked as she brushed at Billie’s skirt.

“As I’ll ever be.” She reached up and touched her eyepatch. “I hope I don’t get this dirty.”

“How can you?”

“I don’t know, but I’m sure I’ll manage. Are Mrs. Ferguson and Ottilie out there?”

“Yes,” Charlotte said. “What you said to her yesterday was a wonderful thing, Billie. If it were me, I’d have had a hard time, but you saw she was hurting. I never noticed until you said something.”

“Some of us are better at hiding pain than others,” Billie said. “I hid mine so long, I forgot it was there until I saw Lucien for the first time. Then it came at me in a rush.”

“I thought I would never change, but I did.” Charlotte turned to Nellie. “And Mother, I am so proud of you. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to tell you yesterday.”

Nellie smiled at her daughter. “Don’t be too impressed. They say old habits die hard, and I’m sure mine aren’t going down without a fight.”

“Be that as it may, Mother,” Abbey said, “you did the family proud yesterday.”

“Thank you, my dears. Now, let’s get Billie out there and married.”

Abbey slipped out the back room of the church as Charlotte took Billie’s hand. “Come, let’s get you where you need to be.”

Billie followed her out a side door and along the path to the front of the church. She heard an organ begin to play and her heart raced. This was it!

Grandpa Johnson sidled up beside her. “You ready, Missy?”

“Yes. Are you?”

“Always! And may I say, it’s an honor to give the bride away.”

“Thank you for agreeing to it. I couldn’t think of anyone better for the job.”

Grandpa smiled as the wedding march began to play. “Congratulations, Billie. And I ain’t talkin’ about gettin’ hitched. I’m talkin’ ‘bout acceptin’ yourself. Took me years.”

“It did?” she said quietly as they started down the aisle.

“Yep. My guess is there’s lots of folks around here need to do the same. And you’re just the gal to help them.”

Billie smiled as she met Lucien’s gaze. He looked so handsome in his black suit, waiting for her at the altar. “I’ll do my best.”

“And that’s good enough, Billie Jane.” They reached Lucien and Pastor Lewis. Grandpa put her hand into Lucien’s and smiled. “And congratulations on gettin’ hitched.” With a chuckle, he left them to take a seat.

“What was that about?” Lucien whispered as they turned to face the preacher.

Billie smiled. “You’ll see. But let’s get married first, hm?”

Lucien gave her hand a squeeze. “Sounds good to me.”

Pastor Lewis cleared his throat and their wedding began.