Amos rode fast and hard to get to the doctor’s home for the second time in a month. When the doctor came to the door, his eyes widened. “Becky again?”

“No, her father. Hurry!” Amos waited while the doctor saddled his own horse, and the two of them rode toward the Brown Ranch together.

When they reached the house, Amos dismounted with the doctor, not sure what they’d find when they got into the house. He knocked once and then opened the door, praying that it wasn’t as bad as the stranger had made it seem.

On the floor in the kitchen, he spotted his mother- and father-in-law immediately. His father-in-law was as pale as Becky had been after Belle’s birth, and his mother-in-law knelt beside him. He could see where she’d stitched him up, but there was a whole lot of blood everywhere.

The doctor pushed him aside and knelt beside the injured man, his gaze taking in the stitches. “You did a good job on the stitches, Minerva. I know you used to be a midwife.”

“A nurse-midwife,” she said softly. “I’ve stitched up more people than I can count.”

“You’re very good at what you do.” The doctor looked at the foot. “I think there may be some tendon damage here, but we won’t really know until he starts trying to walk on it.”

“He thinks he’s going to die.”

“He would probably have bled out before I arrived if you hadn’t come to stitch him.” The doctor got to his feet. “Amos, would you help me get him into his bed?”

Amos nodded. “Yes, of course.”

With Minerva leading the way, the two men carried Herbert up the stairs and put him in his bed. Once he was settled, the doctor looked between the other two. “Someone’s going to have to stay with him.”

“That’s my job,” Minerva said softly.

“Are you sure?” Amos asked. “I can hire someone from town to stay with him.”

“I’m sure. He wants to see Becky and Belle, too.” Minerva had tears rolling down her cheeks as she told him about her husband’s change of heart. “He wants me to come back as well.”

“Is that what you want?” Amos asked. He couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to move back in with a man like his father-in-law, but if that was her desire, then he wouldn’t question it.

She nodded, her eyes shining happily. “He says he understands what he’s done wrong, and he’s willing to forgive. He doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life alone without us in it.”

“How can I help you before I go home to Becky?” he asked. He was starting to get worried at the sheer amount of time his wife had been home alone with the baby. He knew she was doing better, but what if something had happened?

“Nothing. I’ll take care of him. Thank you so much, Amos. You’ve saved my daughter and now my husband. I don’t know how we’ll ever thank you.” Minerva walked to him and drew him down, kissing his cheek. “You’re a good son-in-law to me.”

Amos smiled. “Why don’t I bring the baby and Becky over to see you both tomorrow? If you need any supplies, make me a list before we come, and we’ll make a trip into town to get them.”

“Thank you, Amos. I’ll do just that.”

The doctor smiled. “I’m glad to see everything ending up so well here. Amos, would you mind if I rode with you to see Becky? I was going to come out tomorrow anyway, and I’ll just save myself from making the trip twice.”

“That would be great. Thanks, Doc.”

Together the two men rode at a much slower pace to the house he shared with his wife. When he walked in with the doctor, she raced to Amos. “My father? Is he all right?”

Amos nodded. “He cut himself pretty badly, but your mother stitched him up. He’s in bed resting, and he wants to see you and Belle tomorrow. Are you up for that?”

“He wants to see us?” Tears rushed down Becky’s cheeks. “Are you sure?”

“Your mother was very sure. He said he didn’t want to die alone, and he needed to see you and the baby.”

She wrapped her arms around Amos and wept, so happy to hear that her father no longer blamed her for ruining him and for her mother leaving. “Are he and Mama going to be all right?”

“Yes, they seemed to be just fine. Your father was still unconscious, but Minerva said they’d worked everything out.”

“I’m so glad.” She sniffled and wiped her tears with her apron. “What must you think of me, Dr. JT?”

The doctor laughed. “I think you’re a woman who just had a baby.” He patted her arm. “You have a right to be emotional. Would you mind if I examined you tonight instead of tomorrow? It will save me the ride out here.”

“Of course not.”

Twenty minutes later, the doctor was on his way. “Are you sure you won’t stay for supper?” Becky asked. She’d made enough to feed three people, and her mother was obviously not coming back that night.

“No, thank you. Nora will have supper waiting for me. I need to get home to my wife and children.” JT smiled when he mentioned his family, and Amos certainly understood why. The man was as in love with his new wife as Amos was with his own.

After supper that evening, Amos led Becky into the parlor. “It seems strange for it to be just us and the baby. Your mother has been with us since she was born.”

Becky nodded, settling onto the sofa with him, her head on his shoulder. “I really appreciate all the help she’s given us, but I’m so glad she’s back home where she belongs. With my father!”

“So am I. I’m ready for it to just be our family. Me, my wife, and our beautiful daughter.”

“I can’t tell you how grateful I am to you for the way you stuck up for me with your mother. The things she said hurt a great deal, and you didn’t let her keep saying them. Thank you.”

“I meant every word I said to her. She cannot talk that way about my wife and daughter. I love you both so very much that I can’t imagine what I would do without the two of you at my side.”

“I thought you’d just said that to your mother to try to get her to leave me alone.” Becky looked at him with love shining from her own eyes. “I think I knew I loved you before your mother ever came to stay the first time. You’re an awfully special man, Amos Bowen.”

His eyes widened, and a slow grin crossed his face. “You mean it? You really love me?”

“I really love you!” She leaned forward and brushed his lips with hers. “I guess that means that we can have a real marriage as soon as the doctor tells us it’s all right.”

“When will that be?” He was already anxious for the time he could hold her and be one with her.

“Another three weeks, most likely. He may stretch it out a little longer than that, but he says I’m getting stronger every day, and he knows I’m going to be just fine.”

“I’m glad to hear that!” Amos leaned down and kissed her, lingering over it. “I love you so much. I knew from the moment I set eyes on you in that boarding house that you were meant to be mine.”

She laughed. “You thought I was married to someone else!”

“I was going to take him out, so you’d be mine.”

“You’re crazy, Amos, but I love you that way!”

* * *

Becky was nervous as she got herself and Belle ready to go to her parents’ the following morning. She hadn’t spoken to her father since the day she’d told him she was expecting, and he’d made it very clear he had no intention of speaking with her again.

When she was finally ready, she dressed the baby in her new gown that she’d just finished the night before. Her mother had made most of the baby’s clothes, but she was proud to bring her child in something she herself had made.

Amos hitched up the team and hurried back inside to escort his wife and daughter to the wagon. He carried Belle, not wanting Becky to overtax herself on their outing. “Are you nervous?”

She nodded. “I’m so afraid that he’ll have changed his mind by the time we get there. He’s always been very rigid, but I was his little girl, and he made it clear that he loved me more than anything. I want my father back.”

“I understand. He seemed very unbending when I met him, but perhaps he really did have a change of heart. I hope so.” He handed Becky up into the wagon before giving her the baby. “We’ll know in a few minutes.”

When they got to the house, Becky was shaking, she was so nervous. She prayed that her father wouldn’t have changed his mind, and he would still accept her. She felt terrible for letting him down, but she couldn’t regret the baby in her arms.

She waited for Amos to take the baby and help her down. Though she wanted to run into the house, she walked sedately into the only home she’d ever known less than a year before. So much had changed in the past year that it was as if she was a completely different person.

Her mother was waiting in the kitchen, and when Becky saw her face, she knew that everything really was all right. “How is he?”

“He’s hurting, but he’s changed. You’ll find him more forgiving. I don’t know what happened, or how it happened, but he wants to see you and the baby. He’s been waiting for you all morning.”

“May I go up?” Becky was so excited to see him. She wanted to show her father her beautiful baby and tell him about the time she’d been away. She needed to tell him about the boarding house and his beautiful granddaughter. Hopefully her mother was right, and he’d want to listen to her.

She walked up the stairs, aware that Amos was right behind her, carrying the baby. She would still have to be careful for a while, and he was working hard not to fatigue her.

Her parents’ bedroom door was open, but she knocked on the door anyway. “Papa?”

He looked at her, and she knew she’d been forgiven. His blue eyes were sparkling, and his smile was bigger than she’d ever seen. “Did you bring the baby?” he asked.

She nodded. “Amos is carrying her. I’m still supposed to take it easy.” She sat down on the bed beside her father. “Have you met my husband, Amos?”

He shook his head. “Not while I was in my right mind, I haven’t. It’s nice to meet you, Amos. Thank you for taking good care of all three of my girls.”

“It’s been my pleasure, sir.” Amos handed the baby to Becky, and she held little Belle where her grandfather could see her.

“This is Anabelle. We call her Belle, which means beauty. It seems to suit her so well.”

Her father grimaced as he moved closer to her to see the baby. “She looks just like you did at her age. Definitely a beauty.”

Becky smiled. “I’m sorry I messed up, Papa. I’m so glad to see you again!”

“I’m sorry I was so rigid. I love you so much, and when I thought you were ruining your life, something inside me just broke. I need to remember that none of us is perfect, and we’re all human.” Her father’s arm wrapped around her, and she buried her face in his shoulder, crying.

Amos stood by, wanting to help, but understanding this was a moment between father and daughter, and he had no business there. He looked up and caught the eye of the stranger across the room, who smiled at him before fading from view. Whoever the man was . . . angel or ghost . . . he’d saved lives, and for that, Amos was grateful.

Amos crept down the stairs, not wanting to intrude, and he sat down at the kitchen table. Almost immediately, the stranger was there with him. “Happy now?” the man asked him.

“I’m very happy. I do have one question for you, though.”

“What’s that?”

“Why did you tell me she needed to fall in love with me before the baby was born?” Amos asked.

“Because she needed to have that love to cling to during the dark hours when she almost died. Without her love for you, she would have just drifted away…”

“So she really did love me then?”

The stranger nodded. “Of course she did. I won’t see you again, Amos. You’re ready to be on your own now.”

Amos frowned. “If I need you, will you come?”

“There’ll never be a need for me. You get to live happily ever after.” With those words, the man faded from view, but Amos knew he’d always remember him and the help he’d given him.