Alis (29 page)

She smiled at him. “I am happy, truly. But I wish I had not brought so much trouble and sorrow to others—Galin, my parents, and there was poor Ethan, too, who was so good to us. I wish I knew what had happened to him.”

“Well, I can tell you that,” Luke said. “He came back to Two Rivers only a little before I left, and I spoke with him. He had stayed in the city, working there, searching, and hoping to hear word of you. But at last he gave up and went back to his old trade. He was very thankful to know that you were alive. He blamed himself for what had happened.”

“Oh, Luke! I am so glad to have news of him. It has grieved me always that he had been hurt because of me. I feared he might have died of his injury.”

She felt that a burden had been lifted from her.

The mist was gone and they could see the newly plowed fields with the crows stalking the furrows. At midday they stopped to share the food that Hannah had packed for her daughter only that morning.

Luke ate hungrily. She watched him with pleasure, noting the curve of his cheek and the glossiness of his dark hair, longer now than when she had first known him. How beautiful he was. She reached out to stroke his arm, feeling the hard muscle under his shirt. Then she took his hand. “Luke, when you heard that I had been found guilty, did you think I had killed my husband?”

He said slowly, “I was not sure, but I did not think so. I thought that if you had done it, you would have said so.”

“And if I had—killed Galin, I mean—what would you have felt?”

“That you had been driven to it. And that I would rather you had killed him than let him lie with you. He had no right.”

She stroked his hand. “You would not have turned away from me because of it? You are sure?”

He gripped both her hands. “Of course, I am sure. I am glad you did not kill your husband, but it would have made no difference. Alis, you must believe me.”

“What about your grandmother? How can you leave her?”

“She will understand, I hope. When my grandfather died, she said to me that I must make my own life and not be tied to her. And the people we stayed with when my grandfather was ill, Ellen’s friends, they wanted her to make her home with them. When I can, I will send word to her and tell her all.”

She put her arms around him and held him tightly. Then they harnessed the mare again and set off. Mist was already gathering in the hollows and the air was colder. They must look out for a place to sleep that night, and very soon they would have to find somewhere to live for the winter if they were not to freeze or starve to death. But she was full of joy: they could choose their way together, and they would not be parted again.