"It was a fine sight," Toledo agreed.

Eddie gawked at Hilda. "You had a tree? We used to do that back home when I was a little boy."

Dale's eyes grew huge. "You used to be a little boy?"

"Ja." Eddie's robust laugh filled the room. He turned to Laney. "So what is this plan of yours?"

"Hilda said there's a German tradition of coloring eggs for Easter."

"Mama would boil the eggs with onion skins to make the shells turn a beautiful yellow," Hilda explained. "That was the color she did most. But sometimes we'd have other colors, too. She'd draw a cross on them after they cooled." Hilda's wrinkles radiated happiness. "We'd roll the eggs on the grass or down a little hill because Mama said it was like the stone rolling away from Christ's grave."

"What a lovely tradition," Amanda commented.

"Dunno much 'bout that grave stone a-movin'," Ishmael said, "but shore sounds like a heap of fun for young'uns to do that."

"Exactly!" Laney declared. "I'm buying every last egg you O'Sullivans have for the next two weeks. I'm paying ten cents a dozen, and we're going to make them the most beautiful eggs anyone in the county ever saw. On Easter Sunday we'll take baskets full of those eggs to church so everyone in the congregation can take home their very own."

"If you use cherries or beets, the eggs will be pink." Eddie grinned. "I remember those best of all. If I keep this secret, will you make some like that?"

Ivy burst out laughing. "Mr. Lufe, I cain't holp thinkin' yore still a boy deep down inside."

"I've got plenty of beets." A sly grin tilted Hilda's mouth.

"Ahhh, beets." Eddie's voice left no doubt that he loved eating them, too.

Laney and Ruth helped clear the table as Hilda cut wedges of pie. In the kitchen, Ruth leaned close to Laney. "You have to admit, Eddie's a nice man."

"I never said otherwise." Laney gave her sister-in-law a telling look. "He'd be nicer for someone else."

"Oh, I don't know ..." Ruth's eyes glinted. "You'd never have to eat sauerkraut again."

"Or beets," Hilda added.

"I seriously doubt that. He'd probably want them alternating every other day."

"Laney, you have to give him a chance." Ruth gave her a stern look. "Don't think I didn't notice how you paired up Robert and Patricia."

"They're head over heels in love. You can't deny that." Laney set all the dirty silverware in the empty sauerkraut bowl. "I'm so happy for them."

"Enough about them," Hilda said as she slid a big wedge of apple pie onto another plate. "It's time you stopped pining for Galen."

Laney looked from Hilda to Ruth. "Galen and Ivy seem to be ... better. Weeks ago, that would have devastated me. Now, I can truly say I'm glad for them."

"Well and good." Hilda waggled the knife at Laney. "You're the one we need to pair up, and Eddie's the finest bachelor in these parts."

Laney was tempted to mention that Hilda had said the same thing about Lester and Robert, too. After Laney had explained what Lester had said about Galen and Ivy, no one bothered to promote him as a prospective suitor anymore. And as besotted as Robert was with Patricia, his name no longer came up in Ruth and Hilda's chronic nagging that they euphemistically called matchmaking.

The housekeeper continued, "You have to overlook Eddie's talent for slaughtering hymns. Every man has his flaws."

"He's easy to talk to and well read." Ruth showed the singlemindedness of a cranky toddler eyeing the candy jar in a mercantile. "I bet you could bring up any subject, and he'd have something remarkable to say about it. You go right on out there and see if it's not so."

A few minutes later, Laney had eaten two small bites of pie. Eddie ate his whole slice in three. He eyed her plate. "Are you already full?"

She set down her fork. "I've eaten enough."

"No use letting it go to waste." Eddie grabbed her plate. Once he polished off her pie, he leaned back in his chair. "I read the most fascinating thing the other day."

Ruth jerked her head to the side a few times, silently urging Laney to show interest in his comment.

Laney relented-because it was the polite thing to do, not because Ruth would hound her for the next fifty years if she didn't. Turning toward Eddie, Laney asked, "What did you read?"

He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. "You know how progressive England is."

Laney nodded. Something about England might be interesting. Anything other than war and robberies would make for pleasant conversation.

"Well, they've been building water closets with plumbing in all the newer buildings for the past five years ..."

He's discussing the necessary at the table?!

"... and many actually have water flow that causes them to flush."

"Oh my," Amanda said in a very small voice. Someone else gasped, but Laney wasn't sure who.

Encouraged by what he obviously interpreted as awe, Eddie brought one forearm down and banged the table with his palm. China and silverware jumped. "Such convenience! What do you think of that?"

"That's ... very-" Laney turned to glare at Ruth-"remarkable."

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE.

Ipromise I won't puke all o'er the front of you." Galen arched a brow. "I figure I'm safe. You wouldn't dare be sick all over that Easter frock Ruth gave you."

Ivy fussed with the hoops. "Ain't none too shore 'bout these thangs," she told Mrs. O'Sullivan. "I'm ascairt I'll move wrong and all them church-folk'll get a long gawk at all them parts I'm s'posed to pretend I ain't got."

"Remember what Laney taught you: glide, don't gallop. You'll be fine." Ma tugged Ivy's shawl up higher and nodded her approval. "We're ready. Colin, once we're in the wagon, bring Dale out to me."

"Aye, Ma."

"I'll tote Sean," Ishmael volunteered.

Galen looked over at the boys sleeping on Ma's bed and grinned. They'd stayed up most of the night in the stable, watching as Hortense farrowed. Ruth had given Dale a children's book on animals, and he'd tested everyone's patience by quoting the page on pigs. He'd told Laney they could expect eight piglets, seeing as it was Hortense's first litter. Maybe ten if they were lucky. Hortense exceeded all expectations and had twelve.

In the wee hours of the morning, when Sean could be convinced that Hortense was done and Dale felt certain his sow and every last piglet were fine, Galen brought the boys back to the house. Ivy surprised them by having hot chocolate ready. When they were done, she'd had the boys wash up and put on their Sunday best pants. Ma let Sean sleep on one side of her and Dale on the other. Now Ishmael and Colin would help the lads put on their shirts and shoes, but Galen fully expected them to doze the entire way to church.

As soon as Galen lifted the ladies into the buckboard, Ishmael rolled Sean into the back and Ma cradled his head in her lap. "Colin," Ivy whispered, "gimme lil' Dale." She didn't lie Dale down. Instead, she kept him across her lap and tipped his head onto her shoulder. A momentary frown sketched across her features. With her free arm, she tugged off her shawl and laid it over his baby brother. Ma straightened the end of it so the shawl completely blanketed Dale's curled-up body.

Galen stripped out of his coat and slid it around Ivy's thin shoulders.

"Oh!" Ivy gave him a startled look. "Thankee."

"Can't have you getting sick," he said gruffly.

Colin looked at the bed of the wagon. If he tried, he could fit back there, but the expression on his face nearly shouted his thoughts.

Galen gave him a good-natured shove. "It'll be a tight fit, but the three of us men can sit up front."

While Colin scrambled in, Ishmael brushed by and said in a low tone, "Yore gonna be a real good daddy."

Galen fought the urge to bellow a denial. What good would it serve? He couldn't help keeping track of time. Exactly three months and one week ago, Ivy had ensnared him with her lie. Never once did she show the least sign of relenting and telling the truth. Whoever got her into this mess was either long gone or so hardhearted that he wasn't likely to step forward now and claim a woman almost five months gone. Or the man was already married.

Daddy. The word hit him hard. Until now he'd been so angry at Ivy, he'd not thought things through. I'm married to her. I didn't sire that babe, but 'tis legally mine.

Lord, you know the man whose heart most needs to be touched today. I'm leaving it in your hands.

During the service, they sang "Sinners, Dismiss Your Fear." Ma had asked Pastor Dawes what hymns he'd planned for today, and she'd spent the last week teaching Ivy and Ishmael the lyrics. For all the musical talent Ivy lacked, Ishmael counted double his fair share. To her credit, Ma didn't flinch once, even though Ivy stood on her other side and butchered the notes.

Between Eddie Lufe and Ivy, we have the wrong notes and the wrong words.

"Christ, the Lord Is Risen Today" came next. Ivy and Ishmael thoroughly enjoyed blasting out Alleluia at the end of each line. The congregation took Communion, and Pastor Dawes read from Matthew. "The angel said to the women, *Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as he said."'

He preached about how Christ had endured so much and how very dear the price of salvation was. The message was simple, yet profound. Leaning over the podium, Pastor then said, "I want you all to notice something. In this verse, Jesus had told them what would happen, but they were all so busy with what they thought and planned, these believers didn't harken back to what He'd said."

Interesting.

"Those women went to the tomb to tend to burial matters; God gave them the wondrous mission instead to meet an angel and go proclaim the good news. The daily obligations and the ordinary demands of life pull at us. We figure we've got a handle on how things are supposed to be.

"In Gethsemane, Jesus knew what lay ahead. He even asked God to let the cup pass from Him; but He chose to be obedient and endured the worst torture. He did it because He knew submitting to the will of God would bring about redemption.

"We have to roll back the stone to our hearts and souls. What God wants for us, what He plans for us is far above what we could ever dream or expect-but we'll never know unless we die to our selfish plans and desires and allow Him to do as He wills.

"Children ..." Pastor Dawes motioned. Sean and Dale scooted out into the aisle, and Greta Long and her cousins, Sophia and Olivia, slipped out to join them. Laney and Ruth had gotten to church early and placed ordinary wire egg baskets filled with yellow, pink, blue, and deep mahogany dyed eggs behind the piano. The pastor handed the children those baskets. They in turn carried them down the aisle and passed them down the pews. Galen took a pale yellow egg.

"These eggs represent the stone that sealed the grave. Each has a cross on it. Jesus sacrificed himself for you. You can hold fast to what you have, or you can relinquish everything to the Lord by rolling the stone away and giving Him free rein to do as He wills with and through you."

This egg is the color of Ivy's hair. Lord, before I came I prayed for you to touch the heart of the man who needed to be touched the most. I was so sure it was the baby's father; it wasn't. It's me. I have to surrender my dreams and wishes, don't I? You're asking me to roll away the stone in my heart and accept that Ivy is my wife.

Slowly, he unclenched his fingers and let the egg tumble into his other hand.

The congregation sang, "Angels, Roll the Stone Away" as the benediction. As people left the church, Ishmael took Dale by the hand and didn't budge. He frowned at Galen. Galen raised his brows in silent inquiry.

"What 'bout the hitchin' post?"

"Hitching post?" Galen couldn't imagine what he meant.

Ishmael pointed to the altar. "That thar hitchin' post. Ain't that whar he hitches brides to grooms?"

"Yes. But no one's getting married."

"But that's whar he hitches folks to God, too, ain't it? Only the parson didn't stand up thar and give the invite."

"The altar is always open, Ishmael. Did you want to dedicate your heart to Christ?"

"Yup. Dale here tole me he'd holp me when'er I decided I wanted to do it." He looked over Galen's shoulder. "I'd 'preciate it if 'n you'd take Sis on outta here. We've always done ever'thang together, but I reckon this is sommat a man does on his lonesome."

The pale yellow egg in Galen's left hand took on a new significance. Galen had relinquished his wishes and now witnessed the unfolding of God's plan. In dying to the dream of Laney being his mate here on earth, Galen now gained a brother for eternity. "Ishmael, take Dale on up to Pastor Dawes. They'll be happy to hitch you to Jesus."

Laney sat out on the front porch early in the afternoon on Monday, reading a dime novel. Amanda and Ruth had both read it and agreed it was among the best they'd ever read. Turning the page, Laney had to agree.

"Miss Laney ..."

She jumped. "Oh! My. Mr. Lufe! You surprised me."

He stood on the step and looked a little sheepish. "Sorry. I get like that when I read, too. Must be a good book."

"It is. If you like something with adventure and a little mystery in it, you'll have to check it out of Ruth's library once it opens." Laney closed the book and handed it to him.

Eddie read the title and nodded. "I'll remember. Best I hand it back now, though. I'm always tempted to read the last page, just to be sure things work out. Nothing like reading a whole book only to have them leave me hanging until the next one. I can be patient about a lot of things, but ..." He shrugged.

Laney laughed. "It's cheating to read the last part, but I did that recently myself. It was for the same reason."

"Did it ruin the book or did you still enjoy reading it?"

She thought for a minute. "I can't truly say. The book wasn't very good, so I'm not sure if reading the ending first really spoiled it." As he handed back the book, Laney remembered her manners. "Would you care to have something to drink?"

"No, thanks. I just dropped by to let you know I haven't forgotten about bringing you grapes. I checked the vines myself the day before Easter. They look healthy, so I'm counting on a bumper crop."

"That's kind of you, Mr. Lufe."

"We're neighbors. Have been for years. I'd take it as a favor if you'd call me by my given name."

For being such a massive bear of a man, he had a gentle side. Hope and warmth shone in his hazel eyes. I don't love him. I don't know if I ever could. But I have to let go of my dreams. It would be wrong for me to mislead him, though. "We are neighbors, and you've become a friend of my family. I suppose it would be okay, Eddie."

A big smile lit his face.

Before he could say anything, Hilda tromped out of the house. "Laney, who are you talking-Well, as I live and breathe! Eddie! Nice to have you come by. Isn't it nice, Laney?"

She nodded. It was nice. Sort of. Not romantic, but friendly.

"The eggs at church yesterday-they were such a good idea," Eddie told Hilda. "I chose one that you colored with beets. I think Laney must have drawn the cross on it. It was very fancy. Beautiful."

"We ought to do it again next year," Hilda declared.