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On Sunday morning, Kate sat in the Bolt's pew, fidgeting nervously with the cover of her Bible. If she hadn't been seated between Joshua and Lottie, she would have found a reason to run from the church after the very first hymn. Lottie patted her hand and every so often Joshua would give her an encouraging wink. In spite of their support, the service seemed to speed by like never before. All too soon the sermon had ended and the congregation rose to sing the last hymn. When the last notes from the organ faded away, Reverend Adams addressed his little flock in his calm and loving voice. "Would you all sit down a minute please? Before we are dismissed, Kaitlyn Macready has asked if she might share a few words with you." He nodded to the pale young lady, "Miss Macready." As everyone turned to ask their neighbor if he or she knew what was going on, Kate's Bible slid from her hands. She bent down to retrieve it and saw that the bookmark Sister Rafaela had given her lay at Lottie's feet. Katie read the embroidered words once again as she picked it up. If ever she had to trust the Lord with her whole heart, it was now. "This will only take a minute," her voice was barely audible as she stood beside Reverend Adams. "There's something I need to tell you before the trial on Tuesday." Kate fixed her eyes on the new stained glass window across the room and carefully explained the whole story of that awful night. When she finished, the room was silent. "I wanted you to know the truth. I'm truly sorry for what happened. I hope you will forgive me." No one spoke or made one sound as Kate headed for the door. She wanted to leave but Joshua rose to meet her in the aisle and led her into the bench before him. The Reverend asked the group to stand for the final blessing and then dismissed them. Joshua and Lottie stood like sentinels on either side of Kate as the townspeople filed past them in the square. Many of the brides made it a point to assure their friend of their loyalty and support. Jason and Jeremy thanked her for finally explaining why she'd run off. Aaron clasped her hand in his and told her how much he admired her courage. Although the words she heard comforted her, she noticed several citizens who stood at a distance speaking to one another in small circles as they cast sly glances in her direction. "Here we go," Kate murmured. "So, what are you going to do about it?" Joshua asked softly. "Get back to work," was the firm reply. "That's the spirit," he leaned in closer so Lottie couldn't hear, "my love." Katie spent the remainder of that rainy Sunday with Candy and the children at the Bolt cabin. The young ladies fixed supper while the men worked in the barn assisted by Molly and Christopher. Kate had helped Candy make several meals for the Bolts in the past but never before had she been so interested in exactly how her friend created such delicious dishes. She asked Candy so many questions about spices that Candy became curious. "Why the sudden interest in cooking?" "Oh, well, the Cutlers took us to some terrific restaurants in San Francisco. I'd like to recreate some of the meals for...all of you when we're back in the dormitory." Kate hoped her explanation was believable as she jotted down every word of Candy's advice in her notepad. That evening, the Bolts, the Pruitts and Kate settled down to dinner. As Jason said grace, Katie sneaked a peek at the faces around her. Jeremy and Candy sat together holding each other's hand; Molly sat on her sister's left and Chris on Jeremy's right. They were already a family and in a very few months would be sitting like this in their own cabin on the mountain. Jason sat with his head bowed as he held Christopher and Joshua's hands tightly in his own. Joshua was still not back to his old strength and, according to Doc. Mohr, might not be for quite awhile. The possibility of losing him to a cold, wet Seattle winter made Jason even more vigilant than ever of his younger brother. Kate cast her eyes sideways to study Joshua only to see that he was watching her as well. He smiled at her and pressed her hand. Her heart beat quickly causing the color to rise in her cheeks. Fortunately, Jason didn't prolong grace and with a chorus of "amens" the temperature in the cabin became much cooler for her. Dinner was wonderful. The seven ate, shared, and laughed all through the meal. Afterwards as the women cleared away the plates and Jason drew dishwater from the pump, Jeremy and Joshua took out their guitars to play their favorite songs. Listening to the brother's soft harmony as she dried the dishes, Katie wondered how she could ever have thought of leaving these people for life in San Francisco. She must have been temporarily insane. This was where she belonged and where she wanted to stay. When the chores were completed, the little family again sat at the table to discuss the trial and the future of the Inquirer. Jason assured Kate that Judge Cody had been informed of her confession. It was decided that she would testify only about her encounter with the defendants after they entered the news office. Joshua and Jeremy would be called as witnesses of the attempted murder of Swede and Corky. "If you want to, Kate," Jason said, "you can leave after your testimony." The reporter smiled, "And miss all the details of a lead story? I don't think so." Jeremy groaned, "Here we go again. Hurricane season has begun." ********** On Monday morning Katie came down from her room at Lottie's more restless than she had been in a very long time. The trial was a day away, the dorm wouldn't be ready to move into for another week and her new printing press was still sitting in the hold of the Seamus until after the prisoners were moved from Aaron's shed. No one was stirring in the saloon so Kate settled herself into a seat in front of the newly framed window to watch the activity across the square. She could see Joshua standing in front of the nearly completed dormitory studying his blueprints. As the loggers and mill hands slowly gathered at the site, she watched him organize the men into crews to complete the special touches he'd designed for the brides. Kate admired the way Joshua moved from one group to another, problem solving when necessary and encouraging the men with a clap on the shoulder and frequent laughter. As she watched him work, Kate realized that Joshua Bolt was a man who knew how to handle his world. How could she have been so wrong about him? Joshua wasn't afraid of adventure, he just took each day as it came, exciting or not, and made the most of it. There was so much she could learn from him. Candy and Biddie came down the stairs from the room they shared and swept Kate from her seat. "What's up?" "Biddie and I are making pies for the men working on the dormitory and we need apples. So unless you have other plans...?" Kate shook her head. "None at all. Do you mind if we talk about the Inquirer as we work?" "Oh, I think we could arrange that," Candy grinned. The ladies waited for Molly and Christopher to wriggle into their coats and head off to school before they each took a basket to fill. They bid good-bye to Lottie and made their way down a trail that lead from the sound to a high hill where the best fruit trees grew. Kate laid out her plans for the paper as they walked along. She wanted to see the next edition come out just before Christmas. Candy and Biddie agreed that with the new press, it was definitely a possibility. Their excitement made Kate's spirits rise. If she could get two or three editions out on a regular basis she and Joshua might just be able to announce their intentions to the world before summer. "I love this time of year." Candy breathed in the sea air and scent of the trees around her. "The holidays will be here in no time and then the spring." "And wedding bells." Katie smiled. "And wedding bells, at last." Candy repeated with a laugh. But at that moment spring seemed far off, a frigid wind blew against them making sails of their skirts. The clouds grew darker as the little group filled their baskets to overflowing. As they scurried along the road back to town a light snow began to fall. "Look at this!" Candy cried in delight. "We're going to have a beautiful Christmas," Biddie predicted. Kate smiled. "I remember so many snowy Christmas days on Bridal Veil." "What was Jeremy like at Christmas back then?" Candy asked as she tucked her scarf into her coat collar. "He always had a piece of candy or a gingerbread cookie in his hand or stuffed into his back pocket. I can still picture those big, innocent eyes staring up at us as his chubby little hands snitched goodies from the cookie box." Candy and Biddie shared a laugh. Jeremy was famous for poking around in the kitchen sampling food before every party. "What about Jason?" Biddie asked. "Jeremy and I kept him hopping. He would make his presents for us early in December then spend the rest of the month trying to keep them hidden." "Did you ever find them?" Candy asked. "Oh, we always found them. It just took us a few years to learn how to keep it a secret. Jason would often find the two of us sitting in the middle of a pile of paper and string, happily playing with the toys he'd spent weeks carving for us. Boy, would he get angry!" "I'll bet!" Candy smiled, "And Joshua?" "Every winter after dinner, Joshua would settle down in front of the fire to write carols for our families. He'd play them for us on Christmas Eve and when we caught on, the whole family would sing together 'til midnight. On the stroke of twelve, Papa and Uncle Jonathan would read the Christmas story from the bibles they brought from Scotland. That was our Christmas service before any ministers were here. Oh, Josh used to sketch pictures of the things we loved and make frames for them out of branches. We'd hang them over our beds on Christmas Day. I wish I still had a few of his drawings. They were very good." "I didn't know Joshua was an artist," Biddie remarked. "Isn't it funny how you can be around someone for years and suddenly realize that you don't know them as well as you thought you did." Kate smiled to herself. Biddie couldn't have summed up her own feelings about Joshua any better. The sound of a horse and buggy galloping their way made the ladies look down at the trail below. "Who could that be?" Candy wondered. Kate had a better glimpse of the driver. "I've never seen him before." Biddie stepped closer to the edge of the road to get a closer look. "It looks like..." Her hazel eyes grew wide as she studied the stranger. "Who, Biddie?" The mysterious traveler saw the women in the distance and waved to them. "It is!" Biddie squealed once, dropped her basket of apples and raced down the hill at top speed, right in the direction of the stranger. "Biddie!" Kate called after her. Candy took a closer look then laughed; "It's Barnabus." "Barnabus?" "Barnabus Webster, I'll tell you all about him on our way home. Biddie has been writing to him for two years. I'd honestly given up hope of ever seeing him in Seattle again, but Biddie never did." "Are they sweethearts?" Kate asked, fascinated by the thought. The redhead smiled as she watched her friend approach the well dressed stranger below. "You tell me." The young man jumped from his rig, enfolded Biddie in his arms and kissed her warmly, as small white snowflakes tumbled about them. "They sure look like sweethearts!" Kate commented as the couple's happy voices echoed through the woods. "Candy Pruitt, you have to tell me their story." "I will, but let's get back to Lottie's first. I think I'm turning blue!" The girls met the couple down the trail. Candy greeted Barnabus with a hug before introducing him to Kate. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Macready. Biddie's written me so much about you and your paper." "Thank-you, Mr, Webster. I'm very happy to meet you too." The snow was turning to sleet. "I should have brought a larger buggy up so I could give everyone a ride back to town but when Lottie told me where you were, Biddie, I just couldn't wait." Candy heard the sound of another horse and buggy rumbling up the trail. It was Jeremy. "It looks like Lottie told someone else where we were," Candy said as she waved to him. Jeremy pulled the covered buggy to a halt, shook hands with Barnabus and hurried Candy and Kate onto the sheltered seats. "We'll see you at Lottie's?" Barnabus smiled as he helped Biddie into the buggy. "Of course," Candy assured him. Barnabus and Biddie rode on ahead while Jeremy turned the horses around. Candy sat in the front seat while Katie settled in the back. "Did Biddie, know Barnabus was coming?" Kate asked Candy. "Well, she knew he would be here soon but she didn't know just when." Kate had watched Biddie as she waited for Barnabus to take the reins. The nervous giggles were replaced by a quiet joy. There was no doubt about it; Biddie Cloom was definitely in love and from the looks Barnabus was giving her, she did not love in vain. When the group returned to Lottie's, they dried off then settled around the pot bellied stove to listen to the lawyer's story. Joshua and Jason joined them when they'd heard their old friend was in town and the sleet put a temporary halt to any further construction on the dormitory. Joshua pulled out a chair and sat beside Katie, kicking her gently under the table. Kate gave a secret nudge back without looking at him and they both smiled as they gave their attention to Barnabus. "I met Judge Cody in Shelbyville last week. He told me he was hearing a case in Seattle and asked me if I would defend the accused as a favor to the territory." Biddie was astonished. "You're going to defend those men after all they've done to this town?" Jason stepped in. "They must have a lawyer, Biddie. Barnabus is the one the court has chosen. He'll only be doing his job." "That's right. It seems to be a very simple case from what I've heard but I have to do my best to see that my clients are treated justly. It's what I've pledged to do." He closed his hand over Biddie's. Everyone at the table smiled at the loving gesture. "I suppose you're right," she sighed. "I just wish you were defending someone we liked." "I will be." "What do you mean by that, Barnabus?" Joshua asked. "I've spent two years making restitution to everyone my brother and I swindled in the past. The minute we paid the last debt Victor headed back east. He wanted me to come with him but I was too busy drumming up as many cases as I could to make some money. I've saved every penny possible and now I'm the proud owner of the Brown's cabin just south of town." Jason beamed, "So Seattle finally has a lawyer to call her own?" "Correct, Mr. Bolt." The young man's grin was a mile wide. "The Brown's cabin is so large," Kate commented slyly. "What will you do with so much space?" "My legal office will take up the two large rooms on the north side of the cabin and..." he stopped to glance quickly at Biddie who nodded. "Yes?" Candy pressed. "The rest of the cabin I'll be sharing with my wife. I've asked Biddie to marry me..." "...And I said yes." Biddie answered barely able to suppress her excitement. Candy almost vaulted over the table to embrace her best friend as congratulations filled the saloon. "Oh, Biddie!" There was a major celebration in the old saloon as Seattle learned that little Biddie Cloom was engaged. Clancey brought over his crew, an accordion and his own "private stock". Aaron left the mill to add his congratulations to the happy couple. Ben and Emily closed up the shop for a few hours and entered Lottie's with their son in hand. Jason and the town council declared November 5th an unofficial holiday to commemorate the great event. As the party grew in volume, Katie leaned over to Biddie. "So when's the wedding?" "At the end of the month. I just don't know how I'm going to get everything done before then. My hope chest was lost in the fire so I'll have to start sewing new linens, curtains, doilies, potholders, and towels. Oh, it makes my head swim to think of it!" Candy overheard, "Don't you worry about a thing, Biddie. We'll all help, won't we, Katie?" "I'll do my best." Kate answered quietly. The reporter realized that Biddie's wedding would be top priority on everyone's mind and that meant that the Inquirer would be forgotten temporarily. How Kate wished the couple had decided to wait a little longer before they were married, but one look at the two lovebirds was all it took for her to feel ashamed of herself. Biddie and Barnabus were a matching set and designed to be together. Kate decided to accept this happy interruption of her plans without dampening Biddie's joy with so much as a sigh. Joshua had been observing Katie from a distance and knew exactly what that sad little smile on her lips meant. He pushed his way through the rowdy crowd to join her. "Hey, Brat, want to dance?" Candy stood next to Kate and rolled her eyes at the way he addressed her friend. "Sure, Squid, I'll take a chance." The two waltzed themselves into a corner and away from attentive ears. "So the Inquirerhas just lost a reporter." "What makes you say that?" Kate asked abruptly. "Biddie will have a husband and a large home of her own to care for. Before long little Barney and Bunny and Buford and Boopsy will come along." "Oh, stop!" Kate laughed then asked seriously, "You really don't think Biddie will want to work for the paper after she's married?" Joshua smiled, "Take a look at those two. Do you think the future Mrs. Webster is going to want to focus on anything but her husband and their home? She's waited a long time for him to come back to her." Kate wanted to argue the point but she could see Biddie standing beside her sweetheart absorbing every word he uttered. Even if the new Mrs. Webster did agree to work on the paper, the editor doubted she would give it her all as she had before. "She was my best source of news, too!" Kate sighed. "You underestimate yourself, my love." Kate looked around to see if anyone heard. "Josh, I thought you were going to call me Brat in public." "Sorry, I forgot," he grinned, not at all sorry or forgetful. He expected her to tease him in return but she had other things on her mind. "Josh, do you think Barnabus will believe my story of what happened in the news office? He's going to defend Lex, Jess and Claude. Candy said Barnabus is an excellent lawyer, the best there is. What if he tries to make it seem like it was solely my fault that everything was destroyed? Seattle just has to trust me, Josh, and if he makes it look like I was..." The logger cut her off, shaking his head, "You worry too much, do you know that?" "But, Josh..." "There you go with those 'but Josh's' again. I'd kiss you right now but it might arouse suspicions so be quiet a second and hear me out." Kate grinned, "Yes, sire." "That's more like it," his eyes twinkled at their loving banter. "All you have to do tomorrow is answer any question Judge Cody asks you, then answer anything Barnabus asks you. Try not to get emotional no matter what. The truth will come out, I promise." Kate looked at him sideways and sighed. "Don't you believe me?" "I believe you. I just wish life weren't so difficult." "Can't be helped, Brat," he said as Jason walked by and gave him a brotherly pat on the shoulder. As soon as he had passed Joshua added, "Just think, soon it might be us announcing our engagement." "Until then, I'm going to be busier than ever getting the paper up with one less staff member." Joshua pulled her hand before him. "What are you doing?" "Taking a last look at these inkless nails - very pretty. I'll miss them." Kate laughed. "Does anyone in here have any idea how silly you are?" "Only you, my love." Josh gave her a little bow as the music ended.
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