“Hattie said she’d been feeling run down. She was eighty-nine, Mayor; as sad as it is I’m kinda glad she passed without seeing her beloved town suffer another disaster.”
The mayor nodded. “Yeah, we need to plan a memorial for her. It’s almost funny if you think of it. Our women survived two earthquakes, a mine collapse and mud slide, outlaws and con men, and now a fire. Silverpines is ready for a better year.”
The men all nodded and then Luther laughed. “You know, I just remembered that City developer we hired to come help us move into the twentieth century is supposed to arrive on the train today. Guess his job might be easier for him.”
Alexander shrugged. “Might be harder too. I need to go home, I’m dead tired. Reckon you fellas are too.”
Ian nodded, and he and Alexzander headed toward their houses. Neither said much and when they got to the mansion the marshal and Betsy lived in, they shook hands as Ian turned up toward the row of houses where the miners lived out by the mine. He could see his house and he wanted nothing more than to heat some water in the fireplace since the gas was still off and wash up. Then take his wife back to bed and sleep.
He opened the door and stopped as little feet shuffled around the corner from the parlor. “Ada, Ada, Ada!” He knelt down and scooped up his son, not caring that he was getting soot all over the little boy. He needed the boy’s love and comfort right now. His son patted his check and then looked over his shoulder toward the door. “Mamamamama?”
“Let’s go find her, laddie, she’s here somewhere.”
He stepped into the parlor to see a very nervous Penelope Cooper. “Carol isn’t with you, Mister MacGregor?”
He frowned. “No, why would she be with me? I told her to stay here with you and Collin.”
The young woman was wringing her hands. “She came and told me she was needed to help someone about an hour after you left last night, sir. We haven’t seen her since.”
“You mean she’s out there and has been all night?”
“Yes sir.”
Ian handed Collin to Penelope. “I’ll go look for her.”
“I tried to stop her, sir.”
“I know, Penelope. We both know when she decides to do something she’s going to do it. But no one had mentioned seeing her. I can’t live without her, Mrs. Cooper.”
“I know you love her, it’s obvious sir.”
“I do. If she didn’t make it…”
“You can’t think like that sir. Just like she couldn’t think that way when you took out to fight the fire. She’s somewhere, you’ll find her.”
Ian nodded and turned, all but running for the door. He wouldn’t rest, not until he found her. Not until he knew she was safe and sound in his arms where she belonged.
The woman whose name she never did learn had given birth to a healthy baby boy about an hour ago. By the time Carol had her and the baby cleaned up, Pastor James had come into the church. When he heard what had taken place, he went and got Doctor Childs, who was the closest physician, and he’d come and taken over the woman’s care. Carol was now headed for home. The smell of the fire and the haze of the smoke hung over the town like the specter of death. Pastor James told her that while it wasn’t completely out, what was still burning was under control and most of the people who’d been fighting the fire had already headed home. He hadn’t seen or heard anything about Ian, and he didn’t know if anyone had been hurt or killed in the fire or in fighting it.
Carol dragged her feet as she walked toward her and Ian’s home. She was so very weary and tired. Her head hurt and her back hurt and she didn’t even have the energy to look up. She’d just shuffled past the gazebo in the park and had seriously thought about just sitting there for a minute to rest when she was whisked off her feet. “Carol, where have you been? I’ve been so worried, mo ghaol.”
She looked up into the soot streaked face of the man she loved. Her husband, her strong and courageous highland warrior. “Ian. Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did you get burned?”
“No, my love. I was safe, just tired. But you left the house, why would you do that? I told you to stay there unless the fire came too close. I thought I’d lost you.”
“I had to help a Chinese woman have her baby in the church.”
“What are you talking about?”
“An old friend came and got me. I was needed. There was this Chinese woman in labor behind the church in the field. I took her to the church and helped her have her baby.”
Ian clutched her to his chest and then devoured her lips with his own. “Don’t ever do anything like that again, do you hear me, Carol MacGregor? If something had happened to you I couldn’t have lived. You are my heart, mo Chridhe. My love, mo Ghaol. My dear one, mo Ghràidh. Without you, mo Bhean, my wife life isn’t worth living.”
Tears trickled down Carol’s face. “Is that what those words mean? I love you too, Ian. That’s why it’s been so hard trying to decide if I should leave you. If I should set you free.”
“What are you talking about, Carol. You vowed to be mine until death do us part. You can’t leave me.”
“But there are women in town who think I’m ruining your reputation. They see me as a fallen woman.”
“I don’t care what they think. I know the truth, you are my wife. The love of my life, Carol, and Collin is my son. I won’t let you go. If you leave, I’ll follow you. If you run, I’ll bring you back. I am Ian MacGregor of the Clan MacGregor and I will fight for my family, for my wife. My son. The family I wanted. YOU, Carol, I will fight for you until my heart stops beating in my chest and my breathe stops filling my lungs. Even then I may fight for you until there is not even a ghostly shade of memory left of who I am. Only then will I stop fighting for you, for us.”
Then he kissed her like he’d never kissed her before. He possessed every fiber of her soul in one single kiss. That’s when Carol knew without a shadow of a doubt that she had found her missing love, her husband, and the leader of her clan. When he released her, she looked him in the eye and stood tall, tired beyond belief but unbent. “I am Carol MacGregor of the Clan MacGregor and I will fight for you, my husband with everything within me too. I love you, mo Chridhe.”
Epilogue
Carol reached out and pulled Ian close. They’d both bathed and retreated to bed. As tired as they were they had still celebrated their love for each other and then had fallen to sleep. Now wide awake and refreshed, she kissed the love of her life. She was home. Silverpines and Ian were her home. Collin and even Penelope were part of her family and her home. She kissed her love and he stirred in his sleep. She quietly got up and dressed, then took herself downstairs and out onto the porch. Even from here she could see the devastation. She cried for those of her friends who had lost homes, business and security. This town had been through so much in the last year. How were they going to survive this disaster?
Strong arms wrapped around her and she leaned back into the strength of her husband, her highlander. “They’ve been through so much, Ian. How are they going to survive this?”
“That’s what I love about Silverpines, love. It isn’t a town, it’s not a community. Yes, they’ve had it rough this year. But they are something more than a community. They have something that will see them through this and bring them out on the other side even stronger. Us too.”
She turned and looked at him, confusion on her face. “What? What do you know that I haven’t figured out yet?”
“It’s simple love. Silverpines is not a community, it’s teaghlach, a family. Our family. Oh, not of blood and birth, but a strong family. A Wanted Family.
The end.
About the Author
George McVey always wanted to be a superhero; sadly, no radioactive storms or animals have been a part of his life. One day while spinning a tall tale for his family, some suggested once again that with all his experiences in ministry, and his imagination, he should be writing books. This time it was like lightning struck him and he decided, why not.
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Since then, George has been hard at work using his creative imagination and writing several books. He's still adding to his bibliography to this day. You can find them all on his Amazon.com page. George lives in the wonderful state of Almost Heaven, West Virginia. In a lovely basement apartment with his wife of 31 years, Sheri, and a service dog named Daisy Mae.
If you ever come to visit him, you will probably find him sitting in his recliner or at his desk in the office working on some writing project. If he isn't working on a novel, then he will be working on a short story or blog post. If he isn't doing either of those then he is either asleep or eating, his other two favorite past times.
You can reach him by email at [email protected]. You can also find out more about his books, get a free book, or join his beta readers team to help make the books he sells better at his website http://georgemcvey.weebly.com. You can also connect with George on Facebook at his Readers Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/858552084327160/.
If you would like to read good clean books, then you might find any or all of these Facebook Readers Groups helpful. You can meet authors and talk with them and other readers about their books there. Sweet Wild West Readers Group, and Pioneer Hearts Readers groups. And don’t forget to join the Silverpines Readers Group where you can interact with other readers and the authors of this popular series.
Books By George
You can find all of George’s books on his Amazon author page. Just click the link below.
See George’s Books
Wanted: Family (Silverpines Series Book 20) Page 8