the father will do his duty by you?”
“None. He is gone forever.”
It was clear to her now that Eugene had wanted to keep their engagement secret because he’d had no intention of marrying her. No one, not even her closest friend, had known they were seeing one another.
He’d convinced Rena that their marriage would take place the following morning. No one would know they’d been together. His smooth words had led her foolish mind to accept and trust him.
Oscar said, “She told me it was that wretched Rodgers fella.” He clinched his fists at his side. “He gave her his promise.”
“Papa, don’t. If I’d lived the way you and Momma taught me—” She paused, garnering the courage to continue. “It’s my own fault.”
Shame covered her soul. Why had she believed Eugene? How had she allowed herself to be so stupid?
* * *
“Eugene Rodgers?” Scott ground his teeth at the memory of the young man with slick manners. “I was glad to see him get on the train the day he left Gran Colina. I had no idea he was running from his responsibilities.” He’d disliked the man on sight. Those sly ways and pretty words could woo a woman, but Scott had been leery of him from the start. He should have paid closer attention. Maybe he could have prevented this situation if he had.
Rena’s next words surprised him. “He didn’t know about the child.”
“You kept it from him? A man has a right to know about his own flesh and blood. Have you written to inform him?” He would be hard-pressed to forgive such a thing if it happened to him. A child deserved a father. One to love and provide for their needs.
“I didn’t know he was leaving. He left me no way to contact him.” She shook her head and didn’t look at him. “He left the morning after...” She choked on her words and didn’t finish.
“Have you heard from him since he left?”
“Only a postcard saying he won’t be back and has gone to see the world.”
Scott wanted to find Rodgers and drag him back. He should never have left Rena like this. But a man like that would be untraceable—and unworthy of a good wife and a child.
There were several men in Gran Colina who would be glad to take Rena on as their wife. Men who wouldn’t appreciate her stubborn ways or determined mind. And if they knew about the child, she could be treated poorly.
No woman deserved that. Not even after so obvious a sin.
“Rena, what do you think of your father’s proposition?” She sat with her arms crossed and her face taut. The green eyes that often held laughter and mischief were sober. Her dimples made no appearance. Not even the childlike freckles from her youth softened the sorrow in her countenance today.
Her voice was low, but steady, as she answered. “I have presented him with an impossible situation, and he is trying to protect me. As well as everything he’s done to improve Gran Colina. If scandal breaks out now, he’ll lose the election for sure.”
As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. “Do you wish to marry?”
“It was my fondest wish before—” She held his gaze. He knew she chose her words with care. “I know it is best for my father and my child. And for myself. It is not how I ever intended for my life to unfold.” The straight set of her pink mouth reinforced the sincerity of her answer.
Oscar said, “I don’t see any alternative. You are the best choice, Scott. The only choice, actually. Anyone else could use this to undermine my work as mayor. You remember how unruly Gran Colina was when you first came to town. All our work could be undone in a matter of weeks if this isn’t handled discreetly.”
“Oscar, will you leave us to speak privately?”
The mayor seemed to have aged overnight. He looked from Rena and back to Scott. “I’ll go out to the kitchen and make us some coffee.”
When he left them alone in the front room, Scott turned to Rena. Her slim neck was stiff. “Are you well? You look as though you’ve lost weight.”
“I am healthy, but food holds no appeal to me at the moment.”
“What shall we do?”
One eyebrow lifted. “It’s more a question of what you will do. I’m not in a position to make demands.”
“There’s something we need to talk about before I agree to this arrangement.”
She didn’t speak, but the widening of her eyes spoke of fear that he’d refuse her.
“You know I’m a believer in the Lord above.”
Rena nodded.
“And you? I’ve seen you in services on Sundays for the last couple of months, but we’ve never talked about your beliefs.”
“I walked away from the church and God when my mother died. I was so hurt. I wish I’d stayed there beside my father.” She wrung her hands together in her lap. “He’s a good man, but he was so lonely without Momma, and I couldn’t just accept that Momma was gone. Not after how I’d prayed for God to spare her. It was a foolish choice.”
“Have you asked the Good Lord to forgive you?”
She nodded. “I have.” She raised tear-filled eyes to meet his gaze. “I know there are hard days ahead for me, but I’m determined to face them with God. I made a mess of things when I didn’t heed His ways.”
“That’s all I needed to hear. The rest isn’t mine to know. We can marry immediately if you choose.”
“Really? How can you say that’s all you need to know?”
“Jesus does the forgiving. You’ve done me no wrong. Jesus even said for the people without sin to cast the first stone.”
The tears dripped off her lashes, and she dashed them away with the back of her hand. “Still, I’m powerful sorry.”
“Then the next step will be to forgive yourself. Making things right with God and living your life by the Good Book—that’s where you’ll find your hope.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“I can give you and your little one my name. Only God can give you peace.”
“What about your life? Why would you be willing to give up your future for me? Knowing what you know.”
“My future is being the sheriff of Gran Colina. But if your father loses the mayor’s race, I’m likely to lose, too. I know I was only elected because your father told everyone he could about the bank robbery he and I thwarted. No matter how it happened, it’s who I am now.”
“You have your homestead.”
“Since my sister married and moved away, it’s all I can do to keep up with that and being sheriff. She cooked and cleaned. Things I don’t have the time or talent for.”
“That doesn’t seem like a fair deal to me. You save my reputation, and all I have to do is housework. What if you meet someone and fall in love?”
A dull ache in his chest quivered for a brief moment and stilled. “You won’t ever have to worry about me falling in love. I gave up on that notion a long time ago.”
Two hours later, Scott stood beside Rena at the altar of Gran Colina Church. He rubbed his palm down the side of his Sunday trousers before taking Rena’s hand from Oscar. Reverend Walter Gillis began the ceremony that would take away any freedom Scott had. The reverend asked him to repeat the vows and put a ring on Rena’s finger. He pledged all his earthly possessions to her, but he had no ring. She lowered her eyes to the floor when his voice wavered as he promised to love and honor her. He would love her. Like a sister in Christ. But he’d never love any woman for himself.