“Poor Drake.” He released her hand. “I think it will take him time to get used to calling Kirtley Meadow home. He’s an old man, stubborn and set in his ways.”
Annabelle leaned down to pat the dog’s head. “Come on, boy. Let’s go home.”
Owen tucked Annabelle’s hand in the crook of his arm. She looked up at the green canopy of trees. Spring was here again. Another winter had passed and life was new. She was a bride. A mother to Hannah. She had a husband who loved her. A future free of the restraints of the past. And a home where she finally belonged.
“I can’t believe it is finally ready.” Annabelle smiled as they approached the cottage. She smiled at the thought of Owen playing here as a boy. He’d been working on repairing the cottage for months. She breathed in the fresh spring air and let her gaze linger on the stone cottage.
“Still needs a little work, but we’ll make it home.” Owen took her hand in his and pressed it to his lips as they walked the path. “And the best part? I have my very own portrait to hang on the wall. What other gamekeeper can say that?”
She laughed at the mention of the portrait she had painted of him the past autumn. “It looks much better with the frame you made for it.”
Mrs. Pike appeared in the doorway. “Don’t know what’s keepin’ you. If you want a hot meal, I wouldn’t dally too much. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I’ll not cook the stew all day.”
Owen and Annabelle exchanged glances at the woman’s odd ways, but in truth, Mrs. Pike was proving to be a true asset—and was becoming a friend. Annabelle knew nothing about keeping a house, and each day Mrs. Pike taught her something new.
“Do you think you’ll miss the cottage at Bancroft Park?” she asked.
Owen gave his head a shake. “No. It held too many memories. It was time to let them go. I want to focus on making new ones. With Hannah. With you. Besides, I still have my fill of Bancroft Park. After all, I am still employed there. It is in my blood, just as Kirtley Meadow is.”
Someone called her name, and she looked to see her aunt and uncle coming up the path as promised to join them for the afternoon meal. Her heart was full. A family. A full family, just as her soul had dreamed.
The memory of her mother’s nightly prayers for happiness crossed her mind. No, the prayers had not been in vain. God had heard them, and now, in this cottage in the copse in the woods, she was living in His answered prayers. It may have taken her a while to understand the truth behind her mother’s faith, but she was beginning to, and she would say the same prayers for Hannah and maybe one day a child of her own.
She smiled and leaned her head against Owen’s shoulder as they walked on the stone path toward the cottage. Their future spread before them, promising and full of hope. She filled her lungs with the crisp country air and turned her eyes on Owen.
She was home, and it was not only the structure of stone and thatch that made it so.
Her heart had found its resting place. Her soul had found peace.
And she had found true happiness—as the gamekeeper’s wife.
Acknowledgments
Writing a novel is such a rewarding experience, and I would like to thank the following for sharing this journey with me:
To my family: It is because of your encouragement and support that I am able to follow my passion for storytelling. I am so grateful!
To my extraordinary editor, Becky Monds: Thank you for guidance and inspiration. And to the rest of the team at HarperCollins Christian Publishing—from marketing to design, from production to sales—you guys are amazing!
To my first readers, Ann and Sally: I love your insight! Thank you for helping me get the story just right.
To Tamela Hancock Murray: You are the agent who made this possible! Thank you for all you have done.
To my writing sisters Katherine and Kristy: I am blessed to call you friends.
To the “Grove Girls”—Cara, Katie, Melissa, Courtney, Katherine, Kristy, and Beth: Thank you for sharing your gifts and inspiring others to tell their stories.
To the incredible suspense writers who brainstormed with me when this story was just a glimmer of an idea—Colleen, Carrie, Michelle, Robin, Lynette, and Kristy: Your creativity helped me see this story in a brand-new light.
Last but not least, a huge thank-you to my readers. I am so grateful for each and every one of you!
Discussion Questions
Which character in this story do you identify with the most? Why?
If you could give Annabelle one piece of advice at any point in the story, what would it be? What advice would you give Owen?
Let’s talk about Crosley. In the beginning she seems loyal to Annabelle, but as the story unfolds she grows cold. Why do you think this is? Was she ever really loyal to Annabelle?
In what ways is Annabelle different at the end of the novel from her character when the story opens? What about her faith—how does it change?
Same question for Owen: Does his personality or character change during the course of the book?
Even though Annabelle’s mother died and is not present in most of the story, she still impacted Annabelle’s life. In what ways did Annabelle’s memories of her mother and her mother’s prayer journal affect her?
Owen experienced great loss when his wife died, and he carried a great deal of guilt over the fact that he could not protect her. How do you think this loss impacted how he saw Annabelle? How do you think it affected him as a father?
Even though Annabelle grew up privileged, she was completely reliant on her brother. How do you think her encounter with Miss Stillworth early in the story impacted the decisions she made?
Pretend you are the author. What comes next for Annabelle and Owen? What would you like to see happen to these characters in the future?
About the Author
FOREVER SMILING PHOTOGRAPHY
Sarah E. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for The Heiress of Winterwood. She is a graduate of Ball State University and has more than ten years of marketing experience. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing family and spunky golden retriever.
Visit Sarah online at SarahLadd.com
Facebook: SarahLaddAuthor
Twitter: @SarahLaddAuthor
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