The first ambers and golds of fall were seen in the trees, and the wind was stronger and cooler. The clouds overhead grew in size, and there was nothing but the smell of cinnamon and apples in the air.

Robert and Alice strode up the path, hand in hand, waving at some parishioners who were up ahead on the road, or those who rode passed in carriages.

“Wonderful sermon this morning, Vicar!”

“Thank you for visiting my mother this last week, Vicar!”

“Mrs. Stone, you must share your bread recipe with me! It was divine!”

The couple smiled at one another, and they thanked the many people who said such kind things.

“I never believed in all my life that I would be so happy,” Alice said, squeezing Robert’s hand tightly.

He returned the gesture. “Nor I, my love.”

It had been six months since they had met. It had only been five since they had been married.

“I must say, however, I do miss dear Mr. and Mrs. Weston,” Alice continued. “She was the only one who could make any sense of London for me.”

Robert smiled. “Those two months were wonderful, were they not? I miss them, too. I wonder if he has found a parish that suits him yet.”

Alice shrugged. “Perhaps. I do wish that there was one nearby, then we could dine with them regularly.”

“That would be delightful,” Robert replied. “I wonder if they would be interested in coming to visit us in the spring.”

“Why wait until spring, my love? Perhaps they will come before Christmas!”

“Well, then I shall trust you to write the letter, and I shall ensure that it is sent out in proper time.”

His wife smiled, and his heart skipped a beat.

“I still cannot believe that you married me,” he said, so very happy that he could be so frank about his feelings toward her.

She squeezed his arm with her other hand playfully. “You are always saying that, when it was you who gave up so much to be with me.”

He looked her seriously in the eyes, and said, “And I would do it all again in a heartbeat. My life would have never been complete without you. It would have had no purpose.”

He looked up at the sky. “And I believe that God Himself would have chased me down until I admitted that I was called to the church. I know I am a stubborn fool sometimes, but this is one matter I am glad that I was able to discern.”

They quickened their pace as the sky overhead grew darker, and rumbles filled the sky, still miles away, but clear enough to warn all those nearby.

Thankfully, their humble home was only a short walk from the church itself. It was no manor by any sense of the word, but it was perfect for them. Big enough for them to begin a family, as well as fully furnished with gifts from family, parishioners, and friends. Alice had a whole wing of the house for her own personal use, with a library, a sitting room, and even a terrace that lead out into the back garden.

Robert was pleased to have space for an office as well as a library of his own. It allowed him to be home with his new bride more often, and he found that he worked more efficiently, and wrote more meaningful sermons, when she was so close to him. It allowed them to share meals together, have tea together in the afternoon, and he could seek her opinion on matters.

They stepped inside just as soon as it began to pour. Together, they stood on the threshold of the house, watching the water splash off their small pond and the grass and cause the leaves in their large elm tree to dance.

Robert put his arm around her shoulders and drew her close, kissing the top of her head.

“Sometimes all of this feels like a dream,” he said quietly. “And I dearly hope that I never wake up from it.”

He felt a squeeze around his waist of agreement.

Life was far more comfortable now for him than it had ever been. When he lived with his family, the expectations of society filled their home. His duties and responsibilities far outweighed anything he himself found valuable. As a boy, he knew it taught him to be respectful and conscious of everything and everyone around him, but now that he was unchained by the expectations of society, he felt a freedom that he had never before experienced.

He knew that he was the only one in his family that truly felt that way. He knew his sisters relished in the idea that they would make desirable matches. Indeed, his closest sister in age, Jane, treated it almost as if it were a game that she sought to win. The other two were far more careful, but still, they had been raised to be ladies that would be desirable to eligible men.

Robert helped Alice out of her coat and hung it on the small row of hooks just inside their door. He found he appreciated the smaller space of their home and also found he did not much miss the grandeur of his parents’ estate.

This truly is where I was meant to be, he thought to himself. I have found the place where I belong.

“Dear, could you help me in the guest suite? I want it everything to be ready when John and Agnes arrive so we can spend as much time with them as possible.”

Robert smiled. They had just returned home, and she was already hard at work once more. He followed the sound of her voice down the hall off the kitchen and found Alice standing beside the small guest bed they had set aside for guests. It would eventually become a room where children would sleep, but for now, until they had a family of their own, it was a perfect space for people visiting them to stay.

Her back was to him, and it appeared she was unfolding a quilt. When he approached, she turned around, and he was surprised to see a small, brown wrapped package in her hand.

She smiled at him and handed it out to him.

“For me?” he asked, taking the small package in his hands.

She nodded her head. “Go ahead, open it.”

His fingers closed on the thin string and pulled it free. He gently unfolded the paper, pulled the item out, and discovered it was a book. But there was nothing on the cover, no title or name. There was nothing to distinguish it from any other book.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Open it,” she replied.

He smirked curiously at her, and opened the tiny book slowly.

Inside, he found handwritten notes, in a beautiful, easy script. And there were dozens of them, as he began thumbing through the pages. He was shocked to see that every three or four pages was dated as well.

“This is your handwriting,” he said quietly, slowly scanning the pages.

Some of the days looked as if she had plenty of time; her hand was steady, each word uniform. Others looked as if it had been hastily written, or under some great duress.

“These are journal entries from when I moved to Bridgewater, including the day that we met.”

Robert looked up at her, feeling as if his heard was as light as air. “Truly?”

Her face brightened, and she nodded. “Indeed. I felt it was only right that you saw these and read the words from my heart as we were building our relationship.”

“May I read one?”

She flushed. “What, right now?”

He nodded. “I would love it.”

She looked down, the reservation plain on her face, but she smiled. “All right.”

He flipped to an entry a dozen or so pages in. It was the day after they had met.

Today I saw Lord Robert Stone again. Something about that man has captured my attention. It is not only his handsome face, but also the confidence with which he carries himself. And his smile is so kind and gentle. His brother, Lord Bridgewater, is also a handsome man and quite amiable. But his brother has obvious strong conviction. And I feel as if every time I have seen him that he has a book in his hand.

When he spoke to me, I was shocked, but I was pleased at the same time. I have seen that Agnes has a good relationship with him.

Apparently, she has also asked him to stay for the remainder of the month. This has left me torn for some reason. The chance to see him again is enticing to me; as I have said, he is quite pleasant to look at. I have enjoyed having chances just to watch him.

Yet, I am not foolish enough to think that anything could ever happen with him. He most likely has already forgotten that I exist. Why would he not? I am but a servant, after all. There is no reason why he would ever give me a second glance.

That is for the best, I believe. Better that I forget about him, as well, so as I do not dwell on a man that I could never have.

Robert looked up, his finger still poised on the page.

“It is not as if any of this surprises me,” he began, “But to hear it from a point of time when we were not aware of each other’s feelings is…very intriguing. I…” he reached over and pulled his wife into an embrace.

“Thank you for this wonderful gift,” he said into her hair.

She hugged him tightly. “I am glad that you like it. I worried that you might think it was too much or something too personal.”

“Why on earth would I ever think that?”

She pulled back and shrugged. “I do not know. Perhaps I was afraid of how vulnerable it would make me.”

He grinned. He took the book and placed it gently on the table beside his side of their bed, touching it affectionately before returning to the guest room where Alice was waiting.

Together they finished making the bed, tucking the blankets in, and lighting the fire in the fireplace in the corner of the room. Alice absently rearranged some wildflowers in a vase beside the door.

“Do not worry, my love,” he said. “They will love it here.”

She smiled softly. “I know. I just want them to be as comfortable as possible.”

They did not have to wait long. The rain dissipated slightly, enough for them to hear the sound of the carriage as it came up the road. They went to the window and peered out, checking to see if it was their guests or another person passing through the village. When it turned into their drive, they glanced at one another happily and then went to the front door to greet them.

Robert stepped outside and up to the carriage, waiting beside the footman who had hopped down to open the door.

The grinning faces of John and Agnes met him as they peered out into the rainy day.

“Welcome, our honored guests,” Robert said, holding out his hand to help Agnes from the carriage. “Welcome, welcome.”

John followed his wife out, and they thanked the footman, who returned to the back of the carriage to begin removing their luggage.

John walked over to Robert and held out his hand. The two men shook hands and clapped one another on the shoulder.

“Brother, it is good to see you.”

“It is good to see you both as well.”

Agnes said. “Alice’s letter arrived a few weeks ago. We were so pleased that you were able to find a parsonage so close to the church.”

John nodded. “Not to mention able to find a church within a half a day’s ride by carriage from home. Mother was beside herself wondering if you would end up in Wales or in Brighton. She was most pleased when you were able to relocate here.”

Robert nodded. “Oh, I am quite aware of how Mother felt about all of this. Thankfully, Father has been most understanding.”

They smiled knowingly at one another.

“Shall we retire inside?” Robert asked, gesturing back toward the doors, and the three made their way up the stone path to the door.

“I hope your trip was agreeable?” Robert asked.

“It was, aside from the rain,” John answered.

Agnes peered up at their home.

“Oh, Robert, it is just so charming,” she said. “I never could have imagined it was this perfect.”

Robert waved his hand. “This is nothing like your home.”

She smirked. “I would be just as happy to live here as I am to live where we live right now.”

“Would you now?” John replied in a teasing tone.

“I would. You know I do not need all of the fancy furniture or the artwork or space.” She turned to Robert. “I think this is just beautiful.”

The three entered inside. Agnes found Alice at once, and the two women embraced.

They began talking excitedly, and arm in arm, they made their way into the sitting room across the foyer.

“It brings me joy to see them so happy together,” John said. “Agnes has spoken of little else than visiting you both in the last week.”

“Alice as well,” Robert replied. “We are so very pleased that you are here.”

The men followed the women into the sitting room. They women were already speaking rapidly, sharing wide smiles.

The men sat down in wide chairs across from them.

“Truly, this place is just perfect for you both,” Agnes said. “It is comfortable and spacious. I had hoped for something almost half this size for you. It appears that God has been gracious and provided you with something far grander than I had expected.”

Robert smiled. “God has been good to us. My father and my uncle provided us with the connection of someone in town who was giving the home to a distant family member of poor standing. After some discussion, and a little bit of money changing hands, we acquired the house for next to nothing. Not only has it brought peace to a town that feared the possible tenant here, but it has been more than we could have ever hoped for.”

Alice beamed. “And on top of all of that, many of these lovely pieces of furniture have been gifts from parishioners. One man in the congregation is a carpenter, and he crafted that lovely table for us,” she said, pointing at the dining table through the archway into the next room. “And the chairs were a wedding gift.”

“It sounds as if everyone is accepting you as one of their own,” John replied.

Robert and Alice grinned at one another.

“It is true,” Robert said. “We have only been serving at this church for three months, and already we feel as if we have been here for many years.”

Agnes beamed. “Oh, that brings my heart such comfort to hear. I could have only hoped that this is where you needed to be.”

“And what of you?” Robert asked. “I suppose much has happened since we left the estate. I know that our dear sisters are preparing once again for spring and all of the balls they will attend. I suppose winter will be full of boredom and restless arguing among them all,” and Robert and John gave each other knowing looks.

“Well, we have settled into our home, and everything seems to be going well,” John replied.

“Though I must admit that it is awfully lonely without you,” Agnes said, squeezing Alice’s hand.

“I do miss you as well,” Alice said.

“But, I am so pleased that we are family now; that is something that we could never have imagined as girls, could we?” Agnes said, and the girls smiled at one another.

“Father and Mother have begun to understand that we enjoy our space,” John said. “We may be close, but we have our own life now.”

“That is true,” Robert said.

John and Agnes looked at each other and smiled.

“What is it?” Robert asked. “I know that look on my brother’s face.”

“Well, we do have one piece of news that might interest you,” John began.

Agnes’s face began to shine. “Our large house is not going to seem so large anymore.”

“Are you…?” Robert began.

Alice nearly leapt out of her chair in excitement. “Are you pregnant?”

Agnes and John both grinned widely, and they nodded.

The room was suddenly full of happy cheering, hugging, and tears.

“When are we to expect the baby?” Alice asked.

“The doctor believes it will be here by early spring,” Agnes replied. It was then that Robert noticed she had been sitting with her hands on her stomach. Perhaps she wasn’t even aware that she was doing it.

“My brother, a father,” Robert said, clapping his brother on the arm. “Well done. Do Mother and Father know?”

“Not yet,” John replied. “We found out just before we left, and we didn’t want them to know and then worry about Agnes traveling.”

Alice clapped her hands happily. “Oh, this is just wonderful. We will make sure to take care of you while you are here! I will make sure that you and the baby eat well, and that you rest, and that you have plenty of walks.”

Agnes and Alice turned to one another and began discussing the intricacies of women and only things that they could understand.

The men smiled at one another.

Robert went to the kitchen and returned with some fresh water. He poured each of them a glass, and he raised his into the air.

“To my brother and his lovely new wife for coming to visit us.” He smiled at the two of them. “And to your little one. May God bless you, and keep you. May He protect you, strengthen you, and bring you peace.”

The other three raised their glasses into the air, wide smiles on everyone’s faces.

John added, “And to my dear brother, who recently discovered God’s purpose for his life and found the love of his life.”

Together, they all drank from their glasses.

The rain continued to drizzle outside, pattering against the roof. The drops chased each other down the window panes, but in the distance, the sky had begun to break. Sunlight had started to peak around the clouds, and the first signs of a rainbow were visible in the east.

Life was wonderful, blessed, and full of joy.

* * *