Dorcas and Timothy, a lark rise to candleford fanfic

This little story is dedicated to Julia Sawalha and Ben Miles, for bringing Dorcas and Timothy to life so beautifully.

DORCAS AND TIMOTHY: A Lark Rise to Candleford Tale

CHAPTER 1

Dorcas turned restlessly in her bed as the sound of distant thunder rumbled across the countryside. She would find no respite in the arms of Morpheus tonight. The clock struck twelve and Dorcas tossed and turned, twisting the blankets in her hands. She knew he would be coming to her; it was just a matter of time. All she could do was wait because she could not—no, would not—go to him. As she lay in her bed, listening to the approaching storm and watching the lightning flash patterns across her room, Dorcas replayed the previous day's afternoon when Thomas came back from his rounds, looking shocked and solemn, and told her the news.

"Miss Lane," he began. Then, taking off his postman's cap, he faltered and looked down at his hands.

"What is it, Thomas?" She could see that he was very upset about something.

Thomas shook his head and said in a hoarse voice, "Oh, Miss Lane, I have some terrible news."

Dorcas was alarmed now, her eyes widened with fear and she cried, "What has happened? Is Sydney all right?"

"Oh, no, ma'am, it's not Sydney, it's….it's…." He faltered again.

Almost beside herself now, Dorcas said, "Please, Thomas, just tell me!"

He took a deep breath and said, "Miss Lane, I just came from the manor. The servant who answered the bell told me that Lady Adelaide is….is…oh, ma'am, she is dead!"

"What? What do you mean she is dead?" cried Dorcas. "How? What has happened? Where is Sir Timothy?"

Thomas wiped a tear away with the back of his hand and sniffed loudly. "They say she died in childbirth. Both she and the baby were lost."

Dorcas's hand flew up to her mouth as she gasped in horror. "No! Oh, no! Poor Lady Adelaide! And poor Timothy! He must be devastated!"

Thomas nodded. "The servant told me that Sir Timothy is on his way home now with his young daughter. Lady Adelaide and the baby were laid to rest yesterday in London."

"Oh, Thomas," she said. She reached out and put her hand on Thomas's arm and he choked back a sob.

"If you will excuse me, Miss Lane, I must go to Margaret now and tell her the sad news."

"Of course; thank you for telling me, Thomas."

It was just as well the Post Office was closing for the evening. She needed time to herself to digest this tragic news. And thankfully, she had given Laura and Minnie the evening off to spend the night in Lark Rise for Alf's birthday celebration. They had taken Sydney with them to join in the fun with the other children.

Lady Adelaide was gone and Timothy was coming home. Dorcas's mind was reeling and she needed to sit down.

Timothy stared desolately out the carriage window, his little daughter, now two years old, slept peacefully on her nanny's lap. Thank God she was too young to understand that her mother was now gone. That was one blessing. Timothy was feeling both sorrow and guilt. Guilt that he had never given Adelaide his whole heart, and guilt that she knew he hadn't. He was fond of her, and grateful that she had given him a beautiful daughter, but their marriage had never been right and, try as he might, he could not make it so. His heart belonged to someone else and there was nothing he could do about it.

He thought back to his life as Squire and how he had always been the dutiful eldest son—married within his class, ruling the land the way his father had taught him, always doing what was expected of him. Yet, he would have gladly given it all up if only he could have had her. Ironically, in the end, he did give up his birthright, his position as Squire for her, just so she could keep her beloved Post Office and life in Candleford. Again he felt a twinge of guilt because he had led Adelaide to believe he gave up Candleford for her and for her alone. He took some comfort in the fact that Adelaide never knew the truth.

Now he was tired and weary and just wanted to be back on his beloved patch—and see the one face again that could soothe his soul.

The carriage arrived at the manor house just as darkness fell. His brother met him as he descended the carriage and gently embraced him.

"I am so sorry, Timothy," his brother said. "I am at your disposal. If there is anything I can do for you and the child…"

"Thank you, James." He nodded at his brother.

"Oh, and Timothy, should you wish to reclaim your position as Squire..."

Timothy shook his head. "No, James, I don't think I want that life anymore."

James furrowed his brow. "I see. Well, Cook has dinner waiting for you. You must be hungry after your journey from London."

Timothy shook his head. "I am afraid I haven't much of an appetite right now. I just want to have a hot bath and go to my room." Turning to the nanny he said, "Please make sure Abigail gets something to eat and then settled in her room." The nanny hurried off, leading the sleepy child by the hand.

Timothy looked up at the manor house, drinking in its familiarity. Despite all that had happened, it was good to be home.

Alone in his room, Timothy sat at his desk staring at the flame of the candle as it cast flickering shadows all around him. He tried not to think of Adelaide's last moments as she lay dying in their bed from an uncontrollable hemorrhage. He tried not to think of her hand in his as it slowly lost its strength whilst her eyes looked beseechingly into his. He felt so helpless as the doctor told him there was nothing more he could do—there wasn't time to get her to the hospital. The baby had come too early and there was nothing that could be done to save it, either. Life could be too cruel sometimes. He admitted there were times when he wished he could be free of his wife, but not like this. Never like this. After it was over all he wanted to do was get out of wretched London. How he had hated it there! Hardly a moment had gone by when his mind wasn't back in Candleford, dreaming of what might have been. He knew it distressed Adelaide that he had never embraced their life together. He tried so hard to make her happy, but all he had ever done was bring her grief. Now she was gone and he would never be able to make it up to her.

Timothy sighed and rubbed his eyes. He might as well try to get some sleep before facing the morrow. Sooner or later he would have to face the good people of Candleford and Lark Rise, who would be anxious to pay their respects and give their sympathies to their former Squire, their friend. How he had missed them.

The night deepened and the clock chimed eleven, then twelve, then one…. Sleep eluded Timothy whilst all he could do was toss and turn. In the distance he could hear thunder and it was coming closer. His mind guiltily turned away from Adelaide and he began to remember another storm from the distant past. The storm that would change his life forever. The storm where he would fall in love with Dorcas Lane...

They had been friends since they were children—the young Squire-to-be and the Postmaster's daughter. Timothy would escape from his tutors as quickly as he could and head down to the Candleford Post Office where he was sure to get some freshly baked delicious thing out of Zillah and pull Dorcas out of her boredom behind the counter of her father's Post Office. Her face always lit up when she saw him, knowing another adventure was about to begin. He smiled as he remembered what a terrible tomboy she was. She could ride horses and climb trees as well as any boy—probably better! One time, when they were thirteen years old, Timothy teased her by calling her a monkey after she climbed higher than he could in the great old oak tree on his estate. "Look at the monkey climb! Hey, monkey, want a banana? Here, monkey, come get the banana! You sure are one hairy, little monkey." He knew this last part would particularly annoy her because she had wild, curly hair that she had always disdained. Trying to keep it tamed when she was running around with Timothy was impossible.

She glared down at him with flashing eyes, and grabbing the largest acorn threw it at him with such precision it bounced off his head and nearly made him fall out of the tree.

"Ouch! What did you do that for? I was only teasing." He rubbed his head ruefully. Already he could feel a bump growing.

"Well, that will teach you to call me a hairy monkey, Timothy Midwinter." But seeing him in pain her eyes softened and she climbed down to him. "I am sorry, Tim, I didn't mean to hurt you. That badly, I mean."

He just glared at her.

"Here, let me see your head." She reached out but he pulled away from her.

"No, you stay away from me."

"Oh, don't be such a baby. Let me see if you're bleeding."

Reluctantly he leaned towards her and let her put her hands on his head, parting the hair where the bump was growing. Her touch was gentle.

"No, no bleeding, but you do have a bump." Her eyes were apologetic. "I really am sorry."

For the first time Timothy noticed the colour of her eyes. They were a deep, blue-green. He felt a funny little flip in his stomach and suddenly felt very self-conscious being this close to her. He turned away as though looking for a branch to climb down on and said, "It's all right. It's nothing. You'd better get home, though, before your father notices you're missing."

"You're not cross with me, are you?" She looked so forlorn at him telling her to go home that he relented and shook his head.

"Or course not. I had it coming."

It made Timothy laugh now to think of that time in the tree and he unconsciously put his hand up to his head where he once had that bump. Thunder sounded again bringing him out of his reverie and then the rain started coming down. He could hear it pelting against his bedroom window and once again he thought of Dorcas and that tree, only this time they were sixteen years old...

They were out again and on horseback riding to the far reaches of the Midwinter estate when a storm blew in so fast they didn't have time to get back home before getting soaked. They laughed as they galloped as fast as they could across the countryside, the manor house still far in the distance. Finally, they made it as far as the Big Tree, as they had begun to call it, the very one where Dorcas had thrown the acorn at Timothy. At last they could get some shelter from the rain as the leaves were so thick they formed a cosy canopy.

Dorcas looked down at herself and laughed. "If I didn't know any better, Timothy, I'd say you did this on purpose—getting me soaked to the skin like this. I must look like a drowned rat!"

Timothy tried to look indignant. "As if I have the power to control the rain!" He looked down at her as by now he had grown quite tall—nearly six feet—and she was still quite petite—barely over five feet herself. "And you don't look like a drowned rat." He got a mischievous gleam in his eye as he looked her over. "No, not a rat at all but maybe more like a little drowned monkey."

Up flashed her eyes and she shoved him as hard as she could. He laughed out loud as he tried to keep from falling, and then shoved her right back—although in a much gentler manner. It was enough for her to lose her balance, though. And thanks to the slippery mud beneath her she slipped and fell right on her behind.

Realising what he had done, Timothy was instantly apologetic. "Oh, Dorcas, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to push you that hard. Are you all right?" He reached down to help her up.

"I'm fine. I just slipped on the mud." She looked rather sheepish, though, as he grasped both of her hands and pulled her up. The momentum made her slip again, but this time Timothy had a hold of her and she just fell against his chest. She looked up at him, her face now red with embarrassment, and tried to step back. Once again Timothy noticed the colour of her eyes. They were so beautiful, like the colour of the restless sea—so full of life and fun and even a little wickedness. He felt his breath quicken and his heart beat faster as his grip tightened on her hands. She was staring at him, too, as though she were seeing him for the first time. Her mouth fell open a little as though she were about to speak, but no words came out. She suddenly felt strange and a little lightheaded. She tried to pull away but he was holding her hands too tight.

"Timothy…" Her voice came out as just a whisper. She was about to say that he could let go now, but instead he suddenly leaned down and kissed her. Before she could even process what was happening she was kissing him back. Timothy let go of her hands and put his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. Her hands slid up his chest until suddenly, realising what she was doing, she pushed him away.

"W-why did you do that?" she asked breathlessly, looking shocked and panicked. Her hand went up to her lips as she took two steps back.

Timothy was breathing hard and looking at her so intensely that she started to feel faint. "You kissed me back," he said in a deepened voice and took a step towards her. She retreated two more steps and looked like she was going to cry. "I have to get back to the Post Office now. My father will be expecting me…." She choked back a sob and ran to her horse, climbing up as quickly as she could.

Timothy ran after her. "Dorcas, wait! Please don't go!" But she was galloping away as fast as her horse could carry her. "I'm sorry!" he yelled after her.

He didn't see her again for almost a week. He couldn't understand why she was so upset. He haunted the Post Office, but Zillah told him Dorcas had gone to Lark Rise to visit her cousin Emma for a few days. Looking at him with shrewd eyes Zillah asked, "What is the matter, young Master, lovers' quarrel?"

Timothy said nothing, but Zillah saw the blush creep up his face as he stared down at his shoes.

Zillah let out a cackle. "You can't fool ol' Zillah, young man! I see the way you look at her and the way she comes to life the minute you walk through that door!" Leaning towards him conspiratorially she whispered, "Let me guess—you tried to kiss her, didn't you, and she wouldn't have any of it!"

Timothy sighed and sat down at the table. Why not confide in Zillah? He had known her his whole life and he needed to talk to somebody before he went mad.

"Yes, but I didn't try to kiss her, I did kiss her, then she just got upset and ran away. Now she won't even speak to me. What do I do now, Zillah?"

He looked so desolate that Zillah took pity on him and patted his hand. She always did have a soft spot for the handsome, young lad. "Don't you worry, Master Timothy, we girls can be funny creatures. She'll come around, you just wait and see. Just give her a little time." She gave him a reassuring wink. "Now, how about some scones and a nice pot of tea?"

Timothy nodded gratefully and Zillah hurried off to fetch them.

Five days later and there was still no sign of Dorcas, not even a letter. Hurt and confused, Timothy sat with his back against Big Tree and stared up into its branches. A gentle breeze caused the branches to sway gently and the soft whisper of their leaves made him drowsy until he closed his eyes, trying to still his mind.

"Lounging around again, are we, Midwinter? Tut-tut, what kind of Squire will you make spending all your time under a tree?" Timothy's eyes flew open to find Dorcas standing over him pretending to look stern but her twinkling eyes belied her admonishment.

"Dorcas," he said, his stomach giving a little flip. "I see you've decided to talk to me again." He looked up at her briefly then away towards the horizon as though it was of little consequence to him whether she was talking to him or not.

Dorcas stood there for a moment, and then, with a sigh, sat down next to him. "Timothy," she began, "I'm sorry I ran away like that the other day."

He turned to look at her and she could see the hurt in his eyes. "Why did you, Dorcas? Why were you so upset?"

She hesitated for a moment. "I…I was scared."

Timothy stared at her. "Scared? Scared of what?"

She looked away because she didn't want him to see the tears springing into her eyes. "I was scared that our friendship was changing. Oh, Timothy, I don't ever want to lose you. I don't know what I would do if you weren't my friend anymore."

Timothy looked incredulous. "Why you silly little….Dorcas, look at me."

She shook her head and whispered, "I can't."

He reached out and took her chin in his hand and turned her face to his. His heart twisted when he saw her tears and with his thumb he gently wiped them away.

"Dorcas, just because I kissed you it doesn't mean we cannot be friends anymore. There is no power on this earth that could stop me from being your friend. You are stuck with me whether you like it or not."

That made her smile.

"Now," he said, placing his hand over his heart contritely, "I, Timothy Midwinter, do solemnly swear never to scare Dorcas Lane with one of my kisses ever again."

Dorcas laughed out loud. "Well, now, let's not be too hasty," she said, nudging him with her shoulder.

He nudged her back and she rested her head against his shoulder as they both looked up into the branches of their tree.

Time would march on, so the saying went, and with it would come changes whether they were wanted or not. Growing up brought with it new responsibilities and leisure time would become more and more scarce. Dorcas's father increased her duties at the Post Office, and as the town of Candleford grew so did the amount of work that needed to be done.

"One day, Dorcas," her father said proudly, "this Post Office will be yours. You will have a good living and become a very prominent person in this town." He beamed at her and she tried to look appreciative, but in her heart she knew she would never waste her life behind the counter of a Post Office. Her dreams lay elsewhere, and there was only one life she could imagine for herself.

Timothy was also required to spend more time learning the duties of his future position and, worst of all, his father was making him attend all kinds of social gatherings for the sole purpose of finding him a suitable wife. The Squire was puzzled at Timothy's lack of interest in any woman introduced to him. Even the beautiful Adelaide Spencer failed to turn his head. His father had no idea that Timothy had already decided on whom he was going to marry. Deep down, Timothy knew his father would never allow his son, the future Squire, to marry beneath him. He began to resent this future that was being forced upon him and tried to think of ways he could get out of it. He escaped as often as he could and spent more and more time at the Post Office trying to distract Dorcas from her work and allowing Zillah to spoil him with pastries whilst they shared a nice chat. The Post Office became his refuge, his haven of happiness, his home away from home.

It was a glorious, bright spring day when, after a very trying morning with his father, Timothy burst into the Post Office and begged Mr Lane to allow Dorcas an afternoon off to go riding with him. It was hard for Dorcas's father to deny the Squire's son any request, so he reluctantly allowed her to go with him. But it troubled him to see the joy in his daughter's face as she left with the young Master. It was as though he had suddenly realised what was unfolding before his eyes, and with a heavy heart, he knew he had an unpleasant duty to perform.

"Come on, I'll race you to the Tree!" Timothy cried as they both spurred their horses into a run.

"As if you could ever beat me, Midwinter!" Dorcas teased as she bent low over her horse and urged it to run even faster. She laughed and squealed as she saw him gaining on her and before long they had arrived at their destination with Dorcas winning by a head. Timothy jumped off his horse and helped her down from hers. Pulling her to his chest he said, "You think you are so smart, don't you?"

Her eyes flashed wickedly at him, causing his heart to beat faster as she replied, "Haven't you learnt by now, Timothy, that I can outrun you and outwit you any day of the week?"

"Oh, you think so, do you?" he said grinning down at her.

"I know so," she whispered as he leaned in and kissed her. Her arms went up around his neck, pulling him just as tightly to her as he was pulling her to him, their bodies instinctively wanting more as the kiss deepened.

It was Timothy who broke away first. His dark eyes wild with passion and desire, he held her face in his hands and gasped, "I love you, Dorcas Lane. I love you more than anything in this entire world. Oh, my darling, please say you will be my wife."

Dorcas suddenly burst into tears, and burying her face in his chest, she sobbed, "Yes. Oh yes. There is nothing I want more than to marry you, Timothy Midwinter."

He lifted her face up to his again, and after wiping away her tears they smiled at each other in perfect happiness. He gave her a gentle kiss, and then, taking her by the hand, he led her to the base of the tree where he helped her to sit down.

"Now then," he said seriously, "we must make our pledge official." He took out his pocketknife, and after choosing the perfect spot, began to carve their initials into the trunk of the tree—a large T and D.

"What do you think?" he asked as he finished his handiwork.

Dorcas reached out and slowly traced their initials with her finger. "They are beautiful," she said quietly. She was looking at him with such adoration that he thought his heart would burst.

"Well, it is official now. Big Tree will forever be our witness," he said with a smile as he gave the tree a pat.

The afternoon was passing quickly, and with reluctance they rode back to the Post Office.

Before Dorcas went inside Timothy whispered to her, "Till tomorrow, Lady Dorcas."

"Till tomorrow, Sir Timothy," she whispered back with a smile.

Dorcas sat staring into the fire as thunder now broke overhead and the rain came rushing down in great buckets. She pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders and she gave an involuntary shiver as she remembered back to the day when the reality of life first dealt her its cruel blow.

She had just returned from the happiest day of her life with Timothy. The sun had been shining brightly and the meadows were so green and bursting with spring flowers. She was in love and she had never felt more alive. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair wild as she came into the Post Office. Her father called her into his study and asked her to sit down.

"What is it, Father?" she asked with concern. He looked so solemn and he was never solemn.

He turned and stared out of the window; his hands clasped behind his back, and said, "My dear child, I am afraid I have been very remiss as a father."

Dorcas looked mystified. "Whatever are you talking about, Father?"

"Dorcas, this friendship of yours with Timothy Midwinter, it has become something more, hasn't it?"

Dorcas felt her face flush and her stomach twist in a knot and she suddenly couldn't look her father in the eye.

He nodded. "I was afraid as much. I should have put an end to this 'friendship' of yours years ago. I guess I had always assumed you both would grow out of it."

Dorcas suddenly looked frightened. "What is wrong with my friendship with Timothy, Father?"

"It is wrong because he is the Squire's son and you are the daughter of a Postmaster!" Realising the harshness of his words, he said a little more softly, "Dorcas, you and Timothy belong to two very different worlds. You do know that nothing can ever become of this 'friendship'? I do not want you forming any sort of attachment to him—you could never be together."

Dorcas shook her head at him as tears sprang up in her eyes. "Timothy loves me, Father, and I love him. He doesn't even want to be a squire. We are going to be married and..."

Her father interrupted her. "You are not going to marry Timothy Midwinter, Dorcas! There is no way his father would ever let him marry anyone outside of his class, let alone the daughter of a Postmaster. The sooner you accept that, child, the better it will be for you both."

Dorcas refused to look at him and shook her head.

"Listen to me, Dorcas. It is a sad truth, but love never crosses the great divide of social class. Timothy is the eldest son and heir and will one day be our Squire. He has a duty to his family, to his position and to this land. His father will expect him to marry well. He has no choice in the matter. What vexes me is he knows all this and yet he still toys with your heart."

He paced back and forth, rubbing his forehead. "You must end things with Timothy immediately, do you understand?"

Dorcas could contain her tears no longer. "Please, Father, don't make me do this," she begged. "I love him so much. I couldn't live without him in my life."

It broke his heart to see her in so much pain and he hated himself for letting things get this far. He knelt down before her and took her hands in his own.

"My dear child, if you truly love Timothy you will do what is best for him. If you were to marry him it would be the ruin of him. He would lose his inheritance, his birthright, his family would turn against him—he would lose everything. You don't want that to happen to him now, do you?"

The reality of his words struck like a blow. She could not comprehend a life without Timothy in it. All her dreams of spending the rest of her life with him were suddenly shattered in those brief few moments in her father's study. With a sob she ran out of the room and fled out into bright sunlight where she ran and ran and ran as far as her legs could carry her, until she thought her heart would explode into a million pieces.

Timothy bounded into the Post Office the next day hoping to find Dorcas behind the counter as usual. Instead, he found Mr Lane alone.

"Good morning, Mr Lane. Is Dorcas about?" he asked.

"Good morning, Master Timothy. No, I'm afraid I've had to send Dorcas out on a delivery to Lark Rise today."

"Oh, I see," said Timothy, disappointment evident on his face. "Well, would you please be so kind as to tell her I called?"

"Of course, Timothy." Mr Lane gave Timothy a strained smile then turned back to his work.

Timothy called again the next day, but again Dorcas wasn't there. This time he went around to the kitchen to speak to Zillah.

"Ah, Master Timothy, you always do brighten an old woman's day!" she greeted him.

"Thank you, Zillah." He smiled at her. Then, clearing his throat, he asked, "Zillah, would you happen to know if Dorcas is avoiding me again?"

Zillah looked away from him, pretending to pick a speck of lint off the tablecloth. "Why, I don't know what you mean, Master Timothy."

Something was wrong, he could feel it. Try as he might, he wasn't able to get anything more out of Zillah. He rode around town for a little while longer hoping to find Dorcas along the way, but she was nowhere to be found. Finally, with a heavy heart, he returned home.

Dorcas heard Timothy leave the Post Office and knew she couldn't avoid the inevitable any longer. With a trembling hand she wrote a quick message to him and sealed it with wax. She made her way downstairs and caught the eager new postman, Thomas Brown, before he left on his rounds.

"Thomas, would you please put this in the Squire's private post bag?"

Thomas nodded. "Of course, Miss Lane."

Timothy's father handed him the note later that day and his heart skipped a beat when he saw Dorcas's handwriting. The note simply said:

Timothy,

Please meet me at Big Tree tomorrow morning at dawn. We need to talk.

Dorcas

Those last four words "we need to talk", not to mention the lack of any endearments in the note, turned his stomach into a boiling cauldron. Why did he feel as though his world was about to come crashing down on him?

Dorcas slept not a wink that night. Her heart was breaking, and she cried into her pillow at the thought of breaking Timothy's heart, too. She knew what she had to do but did not know how to find the strength to do it. But her father's words echoed in her head and she knew she must sacrifice her own happiness to save Timothy from a life of misery.

Timothy was standing with his back against the tree when she slowly approached him on horseback. He was silent as she dismounted, watching her with guarded eyes.

She walked towards him, but kept a few feet of distance between them. "Hello, Timothy," she said.

"What's wrong, Dorcas? I tell you that I love you and want to marry you and then you disappear."

He looked away from her as though afraid of what she was going to say.

"Timothy." Her voice broke and he looked at her with fear in his eyes. "I am so sorry. I should not have told you that I would marry you."

Timothy's face turned deathly white. "Why would you say such a thing, Dorcas? I love you and you love me. We are going to be married."

Dorcas squeezed her eyes shut, trying to keep the tears from coming. "Timothy, I do love you, but not in that way. I love you as my friend and only as a friend. That isn't enough for marriage."

"No," he said, his mouth twisting with fury. "No, don't you dare say that. Don't you dare try to tell me that you don't love me the same way that I love you!"

Dorcas shook her head at him, all the while her heart was breaking. It nearly killed her to have to say these words, "No, Timothy, I don't love you in the same way."

Timothy's breath came in great gasps as he walked quickly towards her. "I don't believe you. I don't believe a word you're saying." He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her towards him.

"Please, Timothy, don't make this harder than it already is," she pleaded, the tears now running down her cheeks.

"Why are you doing this?" He gave her a little shake and his voice was hoarse with tears. "You cannot do this to me, it doesn't make any sense!"

With all the strength she could muster, Dorcas pulled away from his grasp and quickly mounted her horse. She choked back a sob and looked at him one last time. "I am so sorry, Timothy. I never wanted to hurt you...never. I pray one day you will forgive me." She quickly urged her horse forward, desperate to get away before he could catch her and make her forget the reason she was doing this in the first place.

She broke into great, gasping sobs as she heard him running after her yelling, "I don't believe you! Do you hear me, Dorcas Lane? I don't believe you! Please! Dorcas! Don't do this!"

The flames were growing dim in her bedroom. Dorcas got up from her chair to add another piece of wood to the fire before it went out altogether. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks remembering that terrible time so long ago. She wiped them away and stood there for a moment watching the flames grow and realising the storm was growing worse. Maybe something warm to drink would make her feel better.

Downstairs in the kitchen she put the kettle on and sat down at the table to wait. Perhaps she should not have gone to the kitchen for it brought back the most painful memory of all…

After that day under the tree, Dorcas did not see Timothy again for many, many months. Her heart lurched into her throat every time the door to the Post Office opened, but it was never he who came through it. Thomas later told her that Timothy's father had sent him to London to visit relatives and attend society functions. He would probably be gone for a very long time.

Dorcas missed him desperately. She had lost her dearest friend and would never forgive herself for the heartbreak she had caused him—even though she did what she thought was best for him. Her father understood her pain and treated her with great kindness.

"I am proud of you, Dorcas," he said to her as she lay sobbing in her bed after she had told Timothy goodbye. "I know it wasn't easy for you, but you did the right thing."

"I will never love anyone again the way that I love Timothy, Father," she cried.

"Shhh… that is nonsense, child, you have your whole life ahead of you. I promise you, you will fall in love again!" He pulled her into his arms and she cried into his chest. "There, there, my love. The sun will shine again, you will see."

There was only one thing she could do to try to keep her mind off of Timothy and that was to throw herself into her work. Instead of as a chore, she began to see the Post Office as a refuge. She learnt every aspect of its workings and she helped Thomas with deliveries. But most of all, she enjoyed chatting with the people she met along the way. She tried to be happy, but somehow that lonely ache never quite went away.

Nearly eight months had passed and Dorcas and Zillah were having tea in the kitchen when a tap was heard at the door. Zillah got up to answer it.

"Why, Master Timothy! How long it has been since we last saw you! Come in! Come in!"

"Thank you, Zillah. Yes, it has been a very long time indeed."

A shock went through Dorcas so great it felt as though her heart had stopped. It took an incredible effort to look at him as he walked through the door and removed his hat.

"Hello, Dorcas," he said to her. He looked older, more regal somehow. He was looking every inch the future Squire.

"Hello, Timothy," she said, barely above a whisper.

"Would you like some tea, Master Timothy?" Zillah asked.

"No. No thank you, Zillah. But if I may, I was wondering if I might have a moment alone with Dorcas?"

Zillah looked from Timothy to Dorcas then back again. "I'll just go and get to that pile of ironing I have waiting for me upstairs."

Timothy nodded his thanks to her as she lumbered up the staircase.

He stood silent for a moment as he turned his hat in his hands. Finally, he looked up at her and said, "Dorcas, there is something I need to tell you."

Dorcas stood up and leaned against the table to face him. Her legs felt unsteady and she reached back to grip the edge of the table with her hands so he wouldn't see how badly they were shaking.

"What is it, Timothy?"

He looked at her for a moment as if trying to find the right words. "I wanted to be the one to tell you that I….I am engaged to be married."

She stared at him for a long moment as if trying to process what he said. "Oh. Oh, I see," was all she could say. She had gone very white and she felt like she was going to faint.

"As I said," he continued, "I wanted to be the one to tell you before the announcement was made."

She couldn't breathe. She couldn't speak. All she could do was nod her head as tears sprang into her eyes. Finally, she choked out, "Thank you for telling me, Timothy."

As if waiting for a sign, he saw her tears and was instantly before her. He took her hands in his own and cried, "Dorcas, please! You know I don't want to marry anyone but you. One word, just say one word and I will put an end to this engagement. Please! I have missed you so much—you don't know!" He was crying now himself and he pulled her face to his and kissed her. It was a kiss of such desperation that she couldn't stop herself from kissing him back.

She managed to push him away and cried, "I can't. I just can't. I am so sorry."

He was breathing hard and choking back tears as he asked, "Is this your final word then? You really don't love me?" He took her by the shoulders and cried, "Look me in the eyes, Dorcas." She turned her head.

"Please, Timothy," she pleaded.

"No! You look me in the eyes and tell me you don't love me!"

It took every ounce of strength she had, but she looked into his tortured eyes and said the words she would regret for the rest of her life, "I don't love you."

Timothy backed away, stung to his very core. He turned and ran out of the house slamming the door behind him.

Dorcas's legs could no longer support her. She sank to the floor as the world spun around her. And, as if from a great distance, she could hear a wailing sound growing louder and louder. As she fell into the darkness she dimly wondered what it could be, not realising that it was coming from herself.

Within two months Timothy was married and to be addressed as Sir Timothy, his father having passed away shortly after the wedding. The new Squire brought his bride back to the family estate and it was all the tittle-tattle of Candleford and Lark Rise. He had married Adelaide Spencer, much to his father's delight, a strikingly beautiful woman who came from a London family of wealth and privilege. Exactly the kind of lady a young Squire should marry.

For Dorcas, it meant a daily struggle just to get out of bed each morning. She knew there was nothing that could be done about the situation now. Timothy was lost to her forever. Her father worried about her. She would barely eat a thing no matter how much Zillah tempted her with tasty dishes. She worked as hard as ever at the Post Office, but she was growing thinner, and her beautiful eyes, once full of life and fun, had lost their sparkle. Her father sometimes heard her crying in the middle of the night, and she would come downstairs in the morning with dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep.

One fine warm day her father sent her out to deliver a package to the end of town, hoping the fresh air and sunshine would lift her spirits. She hadn't gone far when one of Sir Timothy's carriages came through the lane and stopped in front of the dressmaker's shop. It was there that Dorcas got her first glimpse of Lady Adelaide as she alighted from the carriage. She was breathtakingly beautiful, tall and graceful, with flawless, powder-white skin and the largest blue eyes Dorcas had ever seen. She looked just like a porcelain doll. Dorcas watched her with a sinking heart. Of course she would be beautiful. What man wouldn't be happy with such a creature? Sadly, she turned away and continued on to the end of town where all she wanted to do was continue walking far beyond its boundaries and away from Candleford forever.

She wasn't aware that Timothy had sat hidden, watching her from the carriage.

Losing Timothy wasn't to be her only sadness. Not long afterward her own beloved father took suddenly ill, and before she knew what was happening he was gone. She was now all alone in the world. All she had was Zillah and the Post Office to keep her from falling into complete despair.

The whole town turned out for her father's funeral. For so many years her father had been the hub of the town, as everyone at one time or another came into the Post Office for business or just to pass the time of day. Even Sir Timothy came to the funeral. He had slipped in at the last minute and sat discreetly at the back of the church. Dorcas had been so distraught that day that she didn't even know he was there. Despite the pain she had caused him it broke his heart to see her so sad. She looked so lost, so little and forlorn. He longed to put his arms around her and give her comfort.

Later that night, Timothy stood in the darkness across from the Post Office and stared at its lighted windows, trying to find the courage to knock on the door. He felt, at least as Squire, he should pay her his personal respects and condolences. He was startled when the door suddenly opened and Dorcas came walking out with her arms held across her chest and her head down. She walked into the shadow of the tree next to the house and rested her forehead against its trunk. He could see her shoulders start to shake and knew she was crying. He could stay away no longer.

"Dorcas," he said softly to her. She started at the sound of his voice, and before he could say anything more she threw herself into his arms and buried her face in his chest.

"Oh, Timothy," she sobbed. "What am I going to do? I have lost everyone that I have ever loved."

Timothy drew his arms tight around her and his heart leapt to have her so close to him again.

"Shhhh," he said, rubbing her back, his lips brushing against her hair. "You still have me."

"No, I have lost you, too," she said, her voice choked with tears.

"Dorcas, listen to me," he said, holding her away by the shoulders so he could look into her eyes. "I promised you once before that I would always be your friend—that nothing could ever stop me from being your friend. Despite what has passed between us, I am and always will be your friend."

She started to cry even harder and he pulled her to him again. "Oh, Dorcas, I have missed you so much."

"I have missed you, too, Timothy. More than you know."

They stood like that for a long time, holding tight to one another. And for the first time in nearly a year, both their hearts felt a little lighter.

With her friendship with Timothy renewed, Dorcas's spirits began to lift. She did her best to embrace her new life and one of her first tasks was to get the Post Office in order. Thomas would continue to deliver the mail and telegrams and a Mrs Macey was hired to sort the mail. Dorcas would work behind the counter as her father had done. She had also inherited the forge next door, so between the two she kept quite busy. She soon discovered the charms of being Postmistress of Candleford. People from all over town would come in sharing little bits of their lives, their trials and tribulations, through their letters and telegrams. It was as though the world came to her within those tiny walls.

Whilst it was still painful for her to think of Timothy as a married man, he remained true to his word about being a friend to her. He could not have been more attentive. He helped her sort out the affairs left to her after her father's death and gave her sound advice about various business matters. And during the slow times he would often be found just 'dropping by' for a chat and end up staying for tea. What Lady Adelaide thought of her husband spending so much time in Candleford, Dorcas did not know. She was too happy to see him to give much consideration to his wife.

Once a month, Timothy would make his rounds visiting his tenants on horseback. He began to ask Dorcas to accompany him.

"I would be delighted to, Timothy," she said. "But don't you think you should be asking Lady Adelaide to accompany you instead?"

Timothy looked pained. "I've tried to get her to go with me, Dorcas, really, I have. But she is a city girl born and bred and has no love of horses, let alone the thought of galloping across the countryside."

"Oh, I see," replied Dorcas. "What a shame—the country is so beautiful this time of year!"

Timothy smiled at her. "Yes, and I hate going about my rounds with no one to talk to. So will you join me tomorrow?"

Of course she couldn't refuse his request. The thought of riding out alone with him was too tempting to resist. She would just have to be careful, though, and remind herself that he now belonged to another and she was only his friend.

They talked about many things during their rides together. Dorcas, though, was careful not to let the conversation become too intimate. She laughed and bantered with him just like old times, but whenever he got into dangerous territory she would skillfully divert the conversation elsewhere. Timothy found this increasingly frustrating, but on some level he understood her actions. He did not want to do anything to destroy what had taken so long to rebuild between them.

But despite her best efforts, they started falling back into their old patterns again. Sometimes she almost forgot that he had a wife. Timothy asked her to go riding with him more and more often, and sometimes he would bring her a beautiful bouquet from his own garden. She was helpless to refuse him. His continued presence began to weaken her resolve more and more. She realised Timothy was and always would be her one true weakness.

Timothy grew more and more restless as the night deepened and he stood up to look out of the window, watching the trees bending and swaying in the wind. If only he hadn't been so impulsive after Dorcas rejected him. It wasn't long after he was married that he realised what a terrible mistake he had made in marrying Adelaide. He married her out of anger, spite and pain, and certainly not for love. He had let his father have his way in arranging the marriage because he just didn't care about anything anymore. He might as well do his duty in marrying whoever would make his family happy. If only he had just waited for his pain to subside before making that decision. Everything would be so different now. So much sadness could have been avoided. He remembered back to the time of that first birthday party for Zillah when he realised that Dorcas had lied to him about not loving him. What a fool he had been to have ever doubted her love….

One day Dorcas pulled Timothy aside. "Timothy, I have a favour to ask of you."

"Anything!" he replied, intrigued.

"Next Friday is Zillah's birthday and I am planning a surprise party for her that night," she told him. "I was hoping you could come and pretend that you were just passing through and had no idea it was her birthday. I think it would be a wonderful surprise for her to have you there!" Dorcas's eyes sparkled with such delightful mischief that it made him laugh.

"Of course I will come! I would not miss it for the world!"

Lady Adelaide, however, was less than thrilled at the prospect of attending a party in Candleford.

"Really, Timothy, I do not understand why you feel the need for us to attend this party. This Zelda woman, isn't she just a servant?" Adelaide looked at him with disdain

"Adelaide, her name is Zillah and she happens to be a very old and dear friend of mine."

Adelaide sniffed. "It seems there are a lot of people in Candleford who are 'old and dear' friends of yours. Servants and Postmistresses…hardly fit company for a Squire. I don't know what you see in them."

Timothy bristled at her. "We are going to this party, Adelaide, and that is final. And I will thank you not to disparage the people of Candleford, do you understand?"

He could see in her eyes that tears were imminent which only served to annoy him even more.

He turned and left the room.

"I hope you're not planning a birthday party for me, Miss Lane. You know how much I hate a fuss being made," Zillah said as she watched Dorcas mixing ingredients in a large bowl that Friday.

Dorcas looked innocent. "Birthday party? Heavens no! This is for the Church Society Tea Party. Don't you remember?"

Zillah, catching the twinkle in her eye, tittered loudly. "Oh, yes, the Church Society Tea Party! Perhaps I should make a nice meringue for it!"

"Ooh, that sounds lovely, Zillah!"

Zillah tittered again and set about her work.

That evening the whole town of Candleford and even Lark Rise turned out for Zillah's party. The front of the Post Office was lit with many paper lanterns and a trio of players provided festive music. Wine, ale and cordials were served along with all kinds of pastries and other delicious things. Zillah's face became red with too many cordials and she laughed and danced with everyone. It warmed Dorcas's heart to see her so happy.

Timothy arrived later and pretended to be surprised by all the festivities. "Good heavens, what is going on here? Is it somebody's birthday?" He winked at Zillah and pulled a bouquet of flowers from behind his back which sent her into gales of laughter.

"Oh, Your Lordship, it is good of you to come!" She lifted her glass to him.

"Many happy returns, Zillah," he said warmly.

He looked around and spotted Dorcas chatting with her cousin Emma from Lark Rise. Catching her eye she excused herself and made her way towards him. She looked so beautiful. She was wearing an emerald green gown that brought out the brilliant colour of her eyes. Timothy had to remind himself to breathe.

"Good evening, Dorcas. Looks like quite a turnout for Zillah tonight."

"Good evening, Timothy. Thank you for coming." She looked around a moment. "Didn't Lady Adelaide come with you?"

Timothy grimaced. "No, I'm afraid not. She had one of her 'headaches' again." He looked away as Dorcas gave him one of her searching looks.

"Oh, I am sorry," was all she said, not wanting to press him any further.

The evening continued on and after all the many toasts to Zillah's happy day Dorcas began to feel a bit tipsy. That was her sign to stop before she made a fool of herself. Timothy stayed longer than she expected him to. She was happy to see him having a good time, mingling with everyone and creating good cheer wherever he went.

Soon the guests began to leave and Zillah was found fast asleep in her chair, still holding a cordial in her hand. "I think it is time I got Zillah to her bed," Dorcas said to Timothy, as she gently removed the glass from Zillah's hand.

"Yes, I had better be heading home, too," Timothy said with a sigh.

She walked with him to the back of the Post Office where Timothy's horse stood waiting for him.

They were all alone with only the soft light of the nearly full moon shining down on them.

"It was quite the party, Dorcas. Thank you for inviting me," he said.

"Thank you for coming, Timothy. I know it made Zillah's night," she said smiling up at him. "And please convey our regrets to Lady Adelaide that she couldn't be here tonight. Tell her she was missed."

"Thank you. That is most kind of you," he replied, but his smile was strained.

The music had started again to serenade the guests as they left. It was a plaintive song. Dorcas turned her head slightly and closed her eyes, listening to the soft strains of the violin. "It's beautiful, isn't it," she said.

Timothy was staring at her face. "Incredibly beautiful," he replied. She opened her eyes and smiled wistfully at him.

"Dance with me," he said suddenly.

"Oh, Timothy, I don't think we should…"

"Come now, even old friends can have a dance once in a while, can they not?"

As usual, she was too weak to refuse him. He put his right hand on her waist and took her hand with his left. As they slowly danced, the lilting notes of the violin wove their magic, invisibly surrounding them with their tale of love and longing.

Dorcas looked up into his eyes and he could see tears starting to form in hers. He could restrain himself no more. Bending down he kissed her softly. She moaned as the kiss deepened and his hand slid down her back, pulling her tight against him.

Suddenly, she gasped and pulled away from him. "What are we doing? You have a wife! This cannot…it must not happen again!" She backed away horrified, her hand over her mouth.

Trying to get his breathing under control, Timothy replied, "You're right. I am so sorry. Please forgive me. Please forgive me, Dorcas!"

He could not trust himself to stay a moment longer. Mounting his horse he gave her one last look of longing and rode away into the night.

The next morning everything at the Post Office seemed to be at sixes and sevens. Zillah, nursing a headache from too much good cheer the night before, kept to her room. Dorcas hurriedly tried to get breakfast together herself, but the old kitchen range would not cooperate. Thomas was grumbling about having to trudge all the way to Lark Rise again, and worst of all, Dorcas had lain awake all night unable to stop thinking about that kiss.

Finally, Thomas left on his rounds and whilst things were quiet Dorcas decided to try her hand at fixing the kitchen range. She bent down and opened the range door, which was filled with soot and ash, and soon discovered the flue was stuck closed again. With a small poker she banged on the flue until all at once the flap fell down and caused a cloud of ash to blow out all over her face. Her temper now pushed to its limits, it was all she could do not to swear out loud. She stood back up with hair now in disarray and her face smudged, to hear the door to the Post Office open. She was hurriedly trying to wipe the soot off her face when someone impatiently tapped the bell at the front desk causing her to abandon her efforts.

Dorcas groaned inwardly when she saw it was the Misses Pratt, the new seamstresses who had taken over the dressmaker's shop.

"Good morning, Miss Pearl, Miss Ruby," Dorcas greeted them, trying hard to smile. They were both wearing identical dresses which were so outlandish that Dorcas could only blink at them.

"Miss Lane." Pearl nodded. Pearl, the eldest and least pleasant of the two sisters, carried a permanent expression of haughty disdain on her face wherever she went. It was even more pronounced now as she took in Dorcas's appearance. Ruby, always following Pearl's lead, adopted the same expression.

At that moment, the door opened again and in walked Timothy who was just in time to hear Pearl say, "Really, Miss Lane, I would think a woman of your position would take more care with her appearance before greeting customers."

The corners of Timothy's mouth twitched as he saw the familiar storm brewing on Dorcas's face. Her mouth still smiled but her eyes had suddenly turned dangerous. He half expected acorns to be thrown at heads.

"Please forgive me, ladies," Dorcas said to them, her smile tightening. "I just had a most unfortunate accident with my kitchen range moments before you came in. There wasn't time to recover, I'm afraid."

"Hmmm, well," Pearl sniffed, raising an eyebrow at her. "We would like three penny stamps, please."

Dorcas gave them their stamps and was only too happy to see them leave. But now Timothy stood before her and she gave a little sigh. This day was not going to be an easy one.

"Good morning, Timothy," she said, not quite able to look him in the eye.

"Good morning, Dorcas. I think you make a very fetching chimney sweep," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

She rolled her eyes and couldn't help but smile at his teasing. "Don't you start, too! Come back into the kitchen with me. I need to find a wet cloth."

Timothy followed and watched as she dampened a cloth and wiped her face. When she had finished he walked up to her and took the cloth from her hand. "You missed a spot," he said as he took her chin in his hand and gently wiped a spot on her cheek. He stood there looking into her eyes until she said rather breathlessly, "Timothy, you are looking at me in a most disconcerting way."

"Am I?" he said with the hint of a smile.

"Yes, you are," she replied, stepping away from him and turning towards the sink.

He was serious now. "I really need to talk to you about what happened last night."

Dorcas sighed and took a moment to reply. "What happened last night was a mistake, Timothy, and nothing more. I'm afraid it was the result of us indulging in one too many toasts for Zillah."

"I don't believe that for a moment, nor, do I suspect, do you, Dorcas," he said, anger beginning to creep into his voice. "In fact, I realised something last night when we kissed. You would not have kissed me back like that if you didn't love me. What I want to know is why you lied to me before about not loving me."

Dorcas looked away and shook her head slowly.

"No, don't deny it. I have a right to know the real reason why you refused me."

"Timothy, you have to stop this! What happened in the past doesn't matter anymore. You are married to Adelaide now. There is no going back."

"It matters to me! Do you have any idea what it's like to wake up in the middle of the night to find the wrong person lying next to you? Do you? If I am to spend the rest of my days living a life that I never wanted then I at least deserve to know why. So tell me, Dorcas. Tell me why you lied to me."

The door to the Post Office opened, but before Dorcas went to see who it was she turned to him, her eyes now steely, and said, "No one forced you to marry her, Timothy. You did that all on your own."

Dorcas was pleasantly surprised to find it was Queenie Turrill who had come into the Post Office.

"Hello, Mrs Turrill, what can I do for you today?" Dorcas greeted the elderly Lark Rise woman. She smiled, hoping to hide the agitation she felt after her confrontation with Timothy moments before.

"Good day to you, Miss Lane. I have a letter to send to my brother that just needs a stamp to send it on its way." Queenie beamed at Dorcas.

"Well, I can certainly do that for you, Mrs Turrill," Dorcas replied.

"Please, Miss Lane, call me Queenie."

"Only if you will call me Dorcas, Queenie." They smiled at each other. Queenie gave Dorcas her letter and Dorcas was mortified to find her hand was shaking as she took the letter. Queenie glanced sharply at her, but said nothing.

"There we are," Dorcas said as she placed a stamp on the letter. "And how are things in Lark Rise these days, Queenie?"

"Oh, can't complain, can't complain, Miss….I mean, Dorcas." Queenie was studying her again until Dorcas started to feel self-conscious.

"Are you all right, dear?" Queenie asked, looking at her with concern. "If you don't mind me sayin', you are lookin' a bit peaky."

Dorcas tried to laugh it off. "I am fine, Queenie, thank you. I didn't get enough sleep last night. I guess it was the excitement of the party and all."

"Oh, and what a fine party it was indeed!" Queenie smiled broadly. "It was quite a treat for Twister and me. Thank you for having us."

"It was my pleasure, Queenie. Thank you for being there—it meant a lot to Zillah."

Queenie continued, "And wasn't it splendid of Sir Timothy to attend as well? He sure is a handsome fellow! So charming and kind. Lady Adelaide is a lucky woman, isn't she?"

"She is indeed a lucky woman." Dorcas tried to smile but her stomach had twisted into a knot. Queenie noticed her go pale again and with a sudden look of understanding reached out and patted Dorcas's hand.

"I seem to remember you and Sir Timothy as children running all over the place together. I thought for sure that you….well, never mind, I should be on my way back home before Twister misses me too much." She smiled kindly at Dorcas then turned to leave.

Dorcas felt tears stinging at the back of her eyes, but managed to smile. "Goodbye, Queenie, it was nice to see you."

Queenie looked back at her. "You too, dear; and, Dorcas, it is a beautiful, sunshiny day today. You should take a little walk if you get the chance. It will do wonders for your soul and put the colour back in your cheeks."

"Thank you, Queenie. I think I will do just that." She waved goodbye and then returned to the kitchen, but Timothy had already gone. She sat down at the table and tried to keep the tears from coming. Why was Timothy asking her these questions now? What good could come from it? If she told him the truth would he leave Adelaide for her? She felt ashamed of herself for even thinking such a thing, but she would be lying to herself if she didn't harbour some small, tiny hope deep in her heart that he would do just that.

Timothy was halfway home before his anger began to subside enough for him to realise that Dorcas was right in what she said to him back at the Post Office. He had no one to blame but himself for getting into a marriage he did not want and never would want. He still could not understand why she wouldn't tell him the truth, though, about her feelings for him. All he knew was that he had pushed her too far this morning and his heart sank at the thought of losing her friendship again. He chastised himself for being so foolish. He of all people should know that Dorcas Lane could never be bullied into saying anything she wasn't ready to say. If he just hadn't been so sure about that kiss and what it meant! It was driving him to distraction. He thought of turning back and apologising, but then thought better of it. He had done enough damage for one day. Perhaps he should write her a letter instead. Yes, that is exactly what he would do. He urged his horse on. He was eager to get started.

Adelaide was waiting for him when he arrived home. "Timothy, where have you been? I have been looking everywhere for you."

Timothy glanced at her. "I have been in town, Adelaide. I had some business to attend to."

Adelaide watched him for a moment. "Let me guess, you're 'business' was at the Post Office, wasn't it?"

Timothy said nothing. He began to walk towards his study.

"Timothy, don't forget we have the Whitfield's ball to attend tonight." Her voice was almost pleading.

He stopped and turned towards her. "Must we attend every ball we're invited to, Adelaide? I was hoping for a nice, quiet evening at home after being up so late for Zillah's birthday party last night."

"But you promised we would go tonight! I had a new gown made and everything! I have been so looking forward to this ball." Her big blue eyes started to fill with tears.

Timothy sighed. "All right, all right, we will go. But we are not going to stay late. I have my rounds to make in the morning. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some correspondence to take care of."

He left her standing there with tears still in her eyes.

Timothy was relieved to get to his study and close the door behind him. He felt a little guilty for being so abrupt with Adelaide, but he just wasn't in the mood to deal with her at the moment. He had more pressing matters on his mind.

He sat at his desk and pulled out his pen and paper. He thought for a moment and then began to write:

Dear Dorcas,

Please forgive my behaviour this morning. I had no right to question you the way that I did. You were right—I have no one to blame but myself for my current situation. One day I do hope to know the real reason why you refused me, but in the meantime I promise never to press the matter again. I fear I have jeopardised our friendship with my insistence at knowing the answer to this and that has given me great pain. Your friendship, Dorcas, means more to me than you will ever know. Sometimes I think it is the only thing that keeps me going.

Tomorrow, I have my monthly rounds to make and I hope you will join me as usual. If you are not there, I will understand. I hope you will be, though. I do so look forward to our talks. And I promise to be on my best behaviour.

Always,

Timothy

He sealed the letter and sent it off with Thomas when he arrived with the morning delivery. Then he sat back and waited.

Dorcas was surprised when Thomas arrived from his morning rounds with a letter for her: "Sir Timothy asked me to give this to you, Miss Lane."

"Thank you, Thomas. Lunch is almost ready," she said to him. Then she hurried into her private chamber to read the letter. She read it three times over. Touched by his apology and fear of losing her friendship she set about writing a reply. She didn't quite know what to say at first, but then smiled as she knew the best way to assuage his fears would be to tease him:

Dear Timothy,

I am ashamed of you if you thought my friendship was so tenuous to be lost over our discussion this morning. I may only be a chimney sweep, but I do have constancy. There are some doors, though, that I believe it best to be left unopened for the time being. I hope you will come to understand why. In the meantime, if I can keep away from misbehaving kitchen ranges, I will be happy to accompany you on your rounds tomorrow morning.

Always your friend,

Dorcas

She sealed the letter and gave it to Thomas to deliver to Timothy in the afternoon post. Suddenly her day began to look brighter.

Adelaide was anxiously trying to hurry Timothy out the door so they wouldn't be late for the ball when Thomas arrived with the late afternoon post.

"Thank you, Thomas," said Timothy. Turning to Adelaide, he said, "I will just be a moment, I am expecting an important letter." He hurried into his study before she could protest and opened the mailbag. His heart leapt as he saw Dorcas's handwriting on one of the letters. He eagerly opened it and smiled as he read her words. After safely locking the letter away in his desk drawer, he returned to Adelaide with a happier heart.

"I trust you got your letter and it was good news?" she asked, seeing the change in his disposition.

"Yes, very good news indeed," he replied, but said nothing more about it. He turned and stared out of the carriage window, not noticing the troubled look on his wife's face.

The next morning, even though Dorcas said she would come, Timothy still felt a little anxious wondering if she would show up. But she kept her word and arrived at the stables on time as always.

"Good morning, Dorcas," he greeted her.

"Good morning, Timothy."

After their encounter the previous morning they were both feeling a little awkward around one another, but soon they both relaxed enough to return to their usual bantering.

"Do you know what I miss most about my youth?" Dorcas suddenly asked him.

"No, what?" he asked, looking at her with amusement.

"Not having to ride with this ridiculous side saddle!" She did indeed look uncomfortable and Timothy had no idea how a woman could get anywhere on a horse sitting like that.

"Yes, you could never beat me in a race now, could you?" Timothy said smugly.

"I could beat you sitting backwards, Timothy Midwinter," Dorcas said, her eyes flashing their old challenge that always set his heart beating faster. He laughed out loud, and for awhile they were both sixteen again.

After making the rounds, Dorcas invited Timothy into the Post Office for tea. When they went inside they found Mrs Macey and the schoolmistress, Miss Holmes, posting a notice for the Penny Reading which was to be held the following Friday.

"Why, Miss Holmes, is it time already for the Penny Reading?" Dorcas asked with a smile. "The children are going to be so excited!"

"Oh, yes, indeed, Miss Lane. I do so love the Penny Reading!" Miss Holmes said with delight. Then her eyes lit up when she saw Timothy. "Oh, I do hope you will be there, too, Sir Timothy! I still remember that lovely Shakespeare sonnet you read to us years ago. You read it so beautifully and with such feeling, it would have made Mr Shakespeare proud."

Timothy cleared his throat. "Thank you, Miss Holmes, I remember that night very well," he replied, glancing over at Dorcas whose smile had suddenly faded. "And I would not miss this year's Penny Reading for the world."

"Oh, splendid!" Miss Holmes cried as she gave a little clap with her hands. "I will see you both next Friday, then. Good day!" she said as she went out the door.

Timothy followed Dorcas into the kitchen where Zillah had set out tea for them.

"You will accompany me to the Penny Reading as usual, won't you, Dorcas?" he asked as she set about pouring the tea.

Dorcas hesitated for a moment. "Don't you think you should bring Lady Adelaide, Timothy?"

Timothy shook his head. "No, you know how she feels about such country theatrics. She would be bored silly. I would have a much better time with you. After all, we have always attended these events together."

"I know," Dorcas replied, looking troubled, "but things are different now. Adelaide should at least be given the choice to attend or not."

"All right," Timothy sighed. "But if she says no you will accompany me, won't you?"

Dorcas regarded him for a moment then said, "I would be happy to, you know that."

The Penny Reading was a much anticipated annual event for the people of Lark Rise and Candleford. It was a place to be seen and heard where participants chose to read aloud passages from their favourite books, poems, sonnets or plays. Anyone could sign up to read and the list was usually long.

Dorcas chose her favourite blue gown to wear in anticipation of sitting with Timothy, who always dressed formally for these events, and, indeed, when he arrived in his carriage to pick her up he looked intoxicatingly handsome. It also brought on the old familiar ache in her heart. As predicted, Lady Adelaide was not in the carriage.

"You look beautiful, Dorcas," Timothy said, looking down at her as he helped her into the carriage.

"Thank you, Timothy. And may I say how handsome you look?" she said with a smile and Timothy gave her a little bow.

"So," Timothy began, as he sat back in the carriage, "who do you think will fall asleep first tonight?"

He and Dorcas had played this game 'Who Do You Think' every year before the Penny Reading. It made it fun to see which predictions came true.

"Definitely Twister!" Dorcas smiled, playing along.

"All right, who do you think will cry first?" he asked again.

"Hmmm…" Dorcas thought for a moment. "I think my cousin Emma Timmins will cry when Laura or Edmund say their piece."

Timothy nodded.

Then he said, "I was rather hoping one of the Misses Pratt would give a reading this year." Dorcas raised her eyebrows at him.

"Oh, yes," he continued, "can you not picture Miss Pearl reading the Witches' scene from Macbeth?" His eyes twinkled at Dorcas as he tried to suppress a smile.

Dorcas laughed out loud at his wickedness. "How am I ever going to look at them tonight without thinking 'Double, double, toil and trouble'?"

"See? I told you I have more fun with you," he said, looking at her with such fondness it made her blush.

As predicted, Twister was the first to fall asleep during the readings and Emma did tear up when Laura read from Romeo and Juliet. Timothy nudged Dorcas when the Misses Pratt came in and it was all Dorcas could do to keep her composure. All in all it was a wonderful evening and Dorcas was sad to see it end.

During the carriage ride back, Timothy pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and slowly unfolded it. "If I may, I have something to read to you in honour of the Penny Reading."

Dorcas looked at him with surprise. He continued, his voice now serious, "It is a new poem from this Irish fellow by the name of William Butler Yeats. It made me think of you…of us, actually."

Dorcas felt her hands grip each other tightly and her heart started to pound in her chest as he began to read:

"It is called, 'When You Are Old':

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars."

Timothy finished and sat back, staring at Dorcas who had gone very still and there was a glistening of tears in her eyes. She looked back at him across the darkness of the carriage and felt an almost overwhelming sense of loneliness overcome her. Seeing the sadness in her face he reached out and took her hand in his. "I am sorry if I upset you," he said gently.

Dorcas wiped away a tear with her other hand and shook her head. "No, it was beautiful, Timothy. Thank you."

They had arrived at the Post Office and Timothy helped her out of the carriage and walked her to her door. He had folded the poem again and placed it in her hand. "Here, I want you to keep it," he said and then he wished her a good night.

"Good night, Timothy," she said softly and then she went inside.

Later, when she stood before the fire in her bedroom, she unfolded the paper Timothy had given to her and reread the poem which he had copied in his own hand. At the bottom he had written:

Dorcas,

I am the one man who will always love the pilgrim soul in you.

Timothy

Dorcas would reread that poem many times over the ensuing months. Its rich imagery haunted her with its sad tale of wasted time and regret over a perfect but unrequited love. Did she want to end up 'old and grey' and still mourning the loss of what might have been? Is this how it would always be for Timothy as well? Maybe it would be best if they both tried harder to move on with their lives now. It was a dangerous game they were playing continuing to spend time in each other's company. It was making the reality of this future of constant regret more and more certain. She was going to have to be strong and put more distance between them if they were ever to achieve some happiness in this life. She needed something new to focus on and give her some distraction.

One day Dorcas had a visit from her cousin, Emma Timmins, who was obviously in the family way, expecting her fifth child.

"Dorcas," Emma said, "I was wondering if I could speak to you about my Laura."

"Of course, Emma. Is everything all right?" Dorcas asked with concern.

"Well, yes and no," Emma replied.

Seeing how fatigued her cousin looked, Dorcas steered Emma into the kitchen and asked Zillah to bring them some tea. "Now, tell me what is on your mind, Emma," Dorcas said kindly.

Emma looked down at her swollen belly and said, "As you can see, our family is about to grow a little larger." She hesitated for a moment and then looked up at Dorcas. "Our Laura is growing up so fast. For a while now I have known that she is not like the other hamlet children. She thrives on learning, always reading a book. The way she speaks and thinks and sees the world is so far beyond what Lark Rise can offer her. Dorcas, I came here to ask you to take Laura on here at the Post Office."

Dorcas looked at her with surprise, but before she could say anything Emma continued on.

"Please consider it, Dorcas. She could learn so much from you and I promise you she will work hard and not give you any trouble. You have really made something of your life here and I want Laura to see that she can do that, too."

Seeing the desperation in Emma's eyes, Dorcas thought for a moment and then made up her mind. With a smile she said, "As a matter of fact, I had been thinking of hiring another person for the Post Office. I think Laura would do quite well here."

Emma, smiling with relief, reached out and squeezed Dorcas's hand. "Thank you so much, Dorcas. I don't know how I will ever repay you."

"Nonsense," Dorcas reassured her. "I am sure it will be I thanking you for Laura's help!"

"As soon as the baby is born I will send Laura to you," Emma said, looking as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

It was just a month later when Robert Timmins arrived with a rather frightened looking Laura. Knowing what a change this would be for the poor girl, Dorcas had Zillah prepare a special lunch as a way of welcoming her. Laura didn't say very much but she looked around with interest and smiled when introduced to everyone. Unfortunately, Zillah wasn't as welcoming as Dorcas had hoped she would be. She tutted and fussed over the new addition to their little family in a way that Laura could not help but notice and which embarrassed Dorcas. It was just going to take time for them to get used to one another.

When it came time for Robert to leave, Laura looked as though she was going to cry. Robert didn't look very happy himself. He and Laura had always shared a special bond and he was going to miss his daughter terribly. As Robert got into the waggon and began to pull away, Dorcas placed a comforting hand on Laura's shoulder. And Laura, trying bravely to keep the tears at bay, said a silent goodbye to her old life.

One of the first tasks Laura had to complete in order to be an official employee was to sign her declaration to the Post Office in the presence of the magistrate, Sir Timothy. Laura had, of course, seen Sir Timothy at various events but had never in her life spoken to him. And it wasn't until her first day in Candleford that she had ever set eyes upon his wife, Lady Adelaide. As she and Dorcas were saying goodbye to Robert, they saw a most elegant lady alight from a carriage in front of the dressmaker's shop. Laura noticed a cool nod of greeting pass between the woman and Dorcas. She didn't know who it was at the time, but later that night when Dorcas came up to say good night, Laura asked, "Was that Lady Adelaide we saw today, ma'am?"

Dorcas's eyes suddenly looked a bit guarded as she replied, "It was, yes, and impossibly beautiful, don't you think?"

Laura smiled. "Yes. I heard she was from London."

"Yes, but now she is married to Sir Timothy, whose family has given us our Squire for hundreds of years," Dorcas replied with pride. But then Laura noticed her eyes take on a certain sadness as she continued, "That means we must love Lady Adelaide and cherish her. She is one of us now." She sounded as though she were trying to convince herself of this fact. But recovering herself she added, "And tomorrow you may meet her!"

Laura asked eagerly, "Does she come into the Post Office?" Which made Dorcas laugh.

"Oh, no. I don't suppose Her Ladyship has much need of a penny stamp! She won't come to you, Laura, but you will go along to the manor. You must go to see Sir Timothy and be sworn in. No one can work for the Post Office until they have signed the declaration."

When Dorcas left her room, Laura sat there pondering not so much Miss Lane's words about Lady Adelaide, but the way she looked as she said them. Her mother had told her before how Miss Lane and Sir Timothy had grown up together and had always been good friends. It was puzzling to Laura why Sir Timothy had married someone else. Something told her that Miss Lane didn't quite 'love and cherish' Lady Adelaide as much as she said they should.

The next day, Dorcas had just returned from accompanying Sir Timothy on his rounds to his tenants when she sent Laura on her way to the manor to sign her declaration. Laura arrived with a quaking heart just in time to witness an exchange between Lady Adelaide and Sir Timothy. Lady Adelaide seemed most upset and was saying, "All we did was trot around the countryside to see to your tenants yet you come back from those jaunts so much sunnier!"

Timothy stopped and let her walk away whilst calling out, "Well, at least now you know you're not missing anything!"

Laura felt acutely embarrassed standing there witnessing such an outburst and was half trying to hide behind a pillar when Sir Timothy turned and took notice of her.

He looked almost fearsome as he said, "What have you been up to, young lady? Poaching? Rick-burning? Or is it petty larceny? I look gravely upon petty larceny."

Laura just stood there staring at him.

Finally, he smiled at her. "Forgive me, Laura, I couldn't resist. You look so full of dread standing there. Come in. Dorcas…uh…Miss Lane has told me all about you."

Laura followed him into his study where he saw to it that she read and understood her declaration before signing it. Then he said, "You should do well with Miss Lane. She is an excellent woman—efficient, I mean, and respected, and kind to those of whom she approves."

Timothy looked up at Laura and noticed she was smiling at him in a knowing manner. He continued, now looking solemn, "Your eyes are young, Laura. Let's hope they will never be dimmed by crying."

And as Laura was leaving she came upon Lady Adelaide quietly crying in the next room. What had happened between them today? And how much had it to do with Miss Lane's friendship with Sir Timothy?

As Laura walked back home she felt quite proud to be an official, sworn in employee of the Post Office. And now that she had got over her fear of Sir Timothy, she realised that she liked him very much. He had been most kind to her and had a teasing humour about him, not unlike Miss Lane's. And once again she wondered about their friendship and what had really happened between them.

It wasn't long before Dorcas realised what Emma said about Laura was true. She was a very bright girl who learnt quickly and was also incredibly observant. Once Laura got over her initial shyness Dorcas found her to be quite high spirited and not afraid to speak her mind. Even Timothy remarked to Dorcas that Laura reminded him of her when she was that age. Each night before going to bed, Dorcas would find Laura writing in her journal and wondered what sorts of things could be found within its pages. She would have to be careful to always be a good role model for the child. But it was nice to have a young person around the Post Office and Laura turned out to be great company.

Dorcas also soon realised that Laura possessed a talent for writing as well as a streak of mischievousness that nearly matched her own. It all began when Dorcas decided to play matchmaker for Thomas Brown and the Reverend Ellison's daughter, Margaret. She had picked up on the fact that Margaret was hopelessly in love with the earnest mail carrier, but Thomas remained in complete denial of his own feelings to the point of exasperation for all. It got so bad that Thomas began to suffer from insomnia, and as a consequence, kept them all awake at night for twelve days running. It was getting ridiculous and Dorcas took it into her own hands to move things along. She enlisted Laura's help with the devious plan and soon made use of Laura's writing talents by having her write love poems to both Thomas and Miss Ellison and saying they were from each other. The plan seemed to be working, albeit slowly, and more nights of insomnia ensued. However, as such things were wont to happen, the whole plan backfired terribly and it was Dorcas who suffered the consequences.

It was during this time that Timothy was experiencing a crisis of his own. Adelaide had found an abandoned little girl near the manor and had made up her mind to adopt the child. She soon discovered the child's name was Polly and set about trying to convince Timothy to let her keep her. Timothy wanted nothing to do with adopting any child and ended up taking the child to Dorcas for safekeeping until he could find a suitable family for her. It was in the middle of the night, when the Post Office was still awake with Thomas's insomnia that Timothy arrived with Polly in hand and asked Dorcas for her help.

Acutely aware that she was wearing only her nightdress, she quickly asked Laura to take Polly up to her room and then ushered Timothy into her private chamber. It was a strange sensation to have him see her like this, in such intimate quarters in the middle of the night.

Timothy pleaded his case as to why he needed to hide the child from his wife, but it went against every instinct of Dorcas's to keep Polly and to play a part in this deception to Adelaide. The desperation in his eyes weakened her, though, and in the end she knew she couldn't deny him in his hour of need.

"I'm indebted to you, Dorcas," Timothy said gratefully.

Dorcas still looked worried. "Timothy, these next few days could be quite precarious. I think it might be best if you and I didn't see each other. I will send a message in your private post bag with the morning delivery to let you know how things are."

Timothy nodded, but still looked terribly troubled. "This whole business with Polly and Adelaide," he said with a slight shake of his head. "Sometimes circumstances force us to reflect…."

Dorcas understood his meaning and found it hard to look him in the eye without giving her own feelings away. "You must go," she said. "It will be dawn soon. Go." She tried to smile at him and he hesitated, wanting to say so much more to her. But instead he did as she asked and left. It was all Dorcas could do to fight back the tears.

The next morning, Dorcas found Thomas standing with the latest poem in his hand and looking quite muddled over it. She handed him the promised letter about Polly for him to give to Timothy and he took it absently in hand. But in his confusion, instead of placing it in the post bag, he placed it in his pocket. It was Miss Ellison's poem that went into the bag instead.

It wasn't until the post bag was delivered to Sir Timothy that Thomas realised his mistake and confessed it to Dorcas. Dorcas was mortified and even more so when she discovered the poem was "The Definition of Love" by Andrew Marvell. What on earth was Timothy going to think when he found this poem in his bag from the Post Office? Before she could even think what to do about it she went to one of the bookcases and found the book that contained the poem and began to read. Meanwhile, Timothy now had the poem in hand as well and was reading it himself:

"My love is of a birth as rare
As 'tis for object strange and high:
It was begotten by Despair
Upon Impossibility

Magnanimous Despair alone
Could show me so divine a thing,
Where feeble Hope could ne'er have flown
But vainly flapped its tinsel wing

And yet I quickly might arrive
Where my extended soul is fixed
But Fate does iron wedges drive,
And always crowds itself betwixt.

For Fate with jealous eye does see
Two perfect loves, nor lets them close:
Their union would her ruin be,
And her tyrranic power depose.

And therefore her decrees of steel
Us as the distant Poles have placed
(Though Love's whole world on us doth wheel)
Not by themselves to be embraced,

Unless the giddy heaven fall,
And earth some new convulsion tear;
And, us to join, the world should all
Be cramped into a planisphere.

As lines (so loves) oblique may well
Themselves in every angle greet:
But ours so truly parallel,
Though infinite, can never meet.

Therefore the love which us doth bind,
But Fate so enviously debars,
Is the conjunction of the mind,
And opposition of the stars.

After reading it to herself, Dorcas came upon Thomas reciting the poem by memory and trying hard to understand it. "What does it mean?" he asked Dorcas.

Dorcas sighed and sat down next to Thomas and explained: "It talks about true lovers kept apart by Fate. They go about their lives—parallel lines—never to touch, never to join." She looked sadly at Thomas, thinking about the meaning of those words and how they were a perfect illustration of her and Timothy's lives. She continued, "If I received such a poem, I would take it as a message of refusal to accept such a fate. It is a poem of such longing, it's almost as though to send it is an act of defiance against circumstances." Thomas nodded, finally understanding.

But at least one person was to get their happy ending during all this upheaval. Polly's family returned to claim her at the Post Office and it was a most joyous reunion. Timothy happened to come just in time to witness the happy event, but before he could say anything Thomas approached him with an apology for mixing up the letters in his post bag and explained the situation with the poem. Dorcas could see the disappointment in Timothy's face and fought to keep her own feelings hidden from him.

Timothy said quietly, whilst looking at Dorcas, "Yes, I gathered there must have been some kind of a mistake."

Thomas nodded. "A very interesting poem it was, too, sir, concerning parallel lines and fate," he said.

Dorcas couldn't help but look up at Timothy, and as their eyes met they both knew the other understood perfectly the true meaning of that poem.

Timothy's hiding of Polly from Adelaide wasn't to be forgiven, however. Adelaide was so upset that she set about redecorating the manor house from top to bottom. The outside grounds didn't escape her notice, either. She told Timothy the front gates were too plain and conventional for such a great house and demanded new ones be made. Timothy was rather happy to take charge of this project as he knew he could hire Dorcas's blacksmith and craftsman, Matthew, to do the job. It would give Dorcas excellent business for her forge and it would give him a good excuse to visit the Post Office and forge to check up on the progress of the gates as often as he pleased. Adelaide was even more difficult to be around these days, and besides being angry at him for the Polly incident, she was now claiming to be unwell all the time. It was getting tiresome.

Whilst Dorcas was happy to have the extra business, she felt a little unsettled to have Timothy at the Post Office more often than usual. Part of her was happy to see him, but the other part felt guilty that he was spending so much time away from Adelaide. She knew Adelaide was terribly unhappy that Timothy had taken Polly to stay at the Post Office and if she knew Timothy was spending so much time with her something terrible was going to happen.

That terrible something did finally happen and it happened after Adelaide witnessed Timothy and Dorcas laughing together at the forge whilst Matthew worked on the gates. Her jealousy now at its peak, Adelaide waited for Timothy to leave and then made her way to the Post Office where she cancelled the order for the gates. Dorcas and Matthew were both dumbfounded as the gates were coming along so beautifully, but Adelaide could not be persuaded otherwise. It was a terrible blow to Matthew and Dorcas could only feel responsible for Adelaide's spiteful actions.

Timothy was furious when he found out what Adelaide had done and demanded she reinstate the order for the gates. It was their worst argument ever and ended with Adelaide throwing a glass at Timothy then running out the door crying. She was gone for a long time, and Timothy realised that such a city girl could easily get lost in the woods and set about looking for her. Having no luck, he enlisted Dorcas's help to find her, but it was Queenie who stumbled across the disoriented Adelaide instead. Timothy went to tell Dorcas who had returned to the Post Office.

"Adelaide was found safe and sound and the doctor was called just in case."

"I'm glad she's all right," Dorcas replied.

"Yes. Yes, thank you. And I'm sorry you and Matthew were caught up in this…um...well, I'd…" He turned as if to go but Dorcas stopped him.

"Timothy, do you think we… Do you think Adelaide, perhaps, has a right to feel neglected?"

Timothy sighed and looked down. "I've tried to treat Adelaide honourably. I have cared for her and I've given everything of myself that I possibly can. But I can do no more. Believe me, I've tried." Then he looked intently into Dorcas's eyes and began to say, "Dorcas, I…" But he was interrupted by an excited Laura bounding into the Post Office.

"She's changed her mind about the gates, Miss Lane! Miss Lane, she's changed her mind—Lady Adelaide! About the gates! She wants Matthew to do them after all!"

Dorcas tried to focus on what Laura was saying. "What? When did you see her?"

"Just now, in the park!" Laura said joyfully.

Timothy looked down at Laura and said, "Laura, I believe a career in the diplomatic corps awaits you."

Laura just laughed. "Well, it wasn't me. I think she's just so happy about the baby!"

Timothy looked sharply at Laura, stunned, and the smile on Dorcas's face froze and then slowly faded as Laura's words sunk in. Laura looked from Timothy to Dorcas and back. "She did say it was all right for me to tell," she said uncertainly.

Timothy tried to recover quickly. "Yes. Yes, of course. I'm…I was just telling Miss Lane the good news."

Dorcas felt as though her heart had stopped and it was all she could do to say, "Yes, it's wonderful news…all around! I must tell Matthew." She couldn't stay there a moment longer. She turned and walked as quickly as she could out the door.

Timothy, looking very unsettled, also turned and left in the opposite direction. Laura just stood there looking very puzzled at both their reactions. Why weren't they happier?

After giving Matthew the good news about the gates, Dorcas retreated to her room to think about what Laura had said. Lady Adelaide was going to have a baby. Timothy's baby. The pain she suddenly felt nearly brought her to her knees. Why it should be such a blow to her she didn't know. Timothy and Adelaide were married. Of course their relationship wouldn't remain chaste. For four years they had been married yet no child had been produced. Somehow not seeing proof of their physical relationship made it all seem easier to bear. She knew it was absurd but she felt almost betrayed by Timothy. Hadn't he always said he loved her and only her? How could he now be a father with someone else? She quickly tried to push such thoughts away and chastised herself for being so foolish. Any foolish notion she had nursed that Timothy might leave Adelaide for her was now to be banished forever. He was going to be a father. It was over.

And later, as they all stood and watched as the new gates were hung, Adelaide stood radiant and holding tight to Timothy's arm, secure in her knowledge that Timothy was now tied to her forever. Timothy tried hard to smile as they passed through the gates, but as the gates were closed behind them, he turned one last time to look back at Dorcas, who was standing there looking just as sad as he himself felt inside.

It seemed Fate was bent on destroying everything between them. A few nights later a terrible storm blew through Candleford, and in the morning Timothy found their beloved Big Tree had been weakened so badly it needed to be felled. Laura happened upon him as he surveyed the damage, bringing him the morning post. She could see how upset he was and tried to comfort him. It was such a beautiful old tree! She knew how upset she would be to lose even the smallest piece of her beloved Lark Rise. Her heart went out to him.

Timothy moped about all day but received little sympathy from Adelaide who couldn't understand his attachment to some old tree. When Adelaide insisted on writing to the doctor assigned to her confinement, Timothy decided to come with her to the Post Office so she could mail the letter and he could tell Dorcas about the tree. He knew she would feel its loss as keenly as he did.

Adelaide was all smiles going into the Post Office, gloating about the pregnancy and how protective Timothy was being of her. Dorcas tried hard not to roll her eyes but managed a weak smile. Timothy looked meaningfully at Dorcas as he said, "I suppose you heard our misfortune."

Dorcas looked blankly back at him until Laura explained, "A tree on Sir Timothy's estate was weakened in the storm. It has to be felled….a beautiful old oak."

Dorcas looked back at Timothy and he could see the sadness in her eyes. They looked at each other for a long moment, each remembering all that had happened under that tree. Finally, she broke their gaze and looked away.

"I'm very sorry to hear that," she said softly.

The exchange was not lost on Adelaide whose face had gone stony. She suddenly claimed to not feel very well, and with a hurt look at Timothy, turned and left the Post Office.

Timothy came back the next day to discuss a legal matter concerning the Pratts, but that wasn't the main reason he returned to the Post Office.

"We felled the tree today," he said quietly.

Dorcas tried hard to remain neutral. "It is natural to mourn the loss of an old friend."

Timothy gave a slight nod. "Perhaps I fear that all that it is meant to be has been lost with it."

Dorcas was afraid to let him say anything more. "Timothy…" she began.

"I kissed you under that tree—so many times!" Timothy said with anguish.

"We parted under that tree!" she replied with growing agitation. Silence hung between them for a moment before she continued, "Maybe this loss is for the best. We have both lived too long surrounded by monuments of what might have been. And you're soon to be a father! And I? I have a life. Perhaps it's time I started living it."

Timothy said nothing. He just looked at her sadly, then turned and left.

Dorcas was resolute in trying to keep her distance from Timothy. She cancelled an upcoming riding engagement that they had planned and told him that she thought it might be best if he weren't to spend so much time at the Post Office. He didn't quite understand why she was doing this until she stressed again that he was going to be a father.

"Either way, it is decided," Dorcas told him. "We should keep our distance." She walked away from him before he could reply.

Soon it was to be Zillah's birthday again. Dorcas tried to be enthusiastic about the surprise party, but first she had an unpleasant task to take care of. She met with Timothy on the grounds of the manor house. As they walked together in the lane she said, "I could have put a note into your private post, but since it's such a delicate matter I thought I might call on you."

"And the delicate matter is?" Timothy asked.

"Zillah's birthday," Dorcas replied.

"Zillah's birthday celebrations have been many things, but never delicate," Timothy said wryly.

Dorcas hesitated before continuing on. "I would be grateful if you did not attend."

Timothy stopped walking and looked away for a moment, obviously unhappy.

"I know that Zillah loves you to turn up coincidentally at the last minute, but this year…" Dorcas hesitated, searching for the right words. "There will always be reasons why you and I should be in one another's company. And I feel that we have to be strong in our resistance."

Timothy grimaced and nodded. "Yes, I understand. But then I've always understood we must do things exactly to your bidding."

Dorcas tried to stay calm. "I will explain to Zillah that you were unable to join us."

"It was at your bidding that we live like this," Timothy continued.

"Timothy, please…"

"Tell me why, Dorcas. We've been like this for years. We meet, we chat, we smile; we're on our guard to be decent and polite. We never say anything that matters," Timothy said with anguish.

"Timothy, this is all past and gone. And we should leave it well alone!"

Timothy looked her straight in the eye. "I don't believe what you told me then—that you don't love me. I live my life bound by duty and obligation. I didn't want any of this. All I ever really wanted was you." He took a deep breath then sighed. "Tell me why you refused me. Tell me the truth."

He looked so tortured that Dorcas wanted to cry. Why not tell him the truth? It was over between them now anyway. "It was my father," she said, choking back her tears. "He told me it could never work. 'Love never crosses the great divide of social class.' Those were his words."

Timothy shook his head. "Then your father was a bigoted, small-minded, fool of a man," he said bitterly.

Dorcas was so stunned by his words that she reached out and slapped him across the face.

Timothy just stood there, looking down. "Thank you," he said quietly. Then he looked up at her. "At last, something real between us."

Dorcas angrily turned to leave, but before she could go Timothy grabbed her and pulled her tight against him. She let out a sob and pulled him just as tightly to her. "You've no idea how much I've longed for this moment!" she cried.

They held each other for a long moment until Dorcas heard an approaching footstep. Realising what she was doing, she pushed herself away from Timothy and walked quickly away. Timothy watched her go with tears gathering in his eyes.

Unfortunately, the approaching footstep belonged to Adelaide, who had witnessed their embrace.

Adelaide was surprisingly calm when she confronted Timothy about the embrace. All she wanted to know was what he was going to do about the situation. Timothy knew he had a decision to make.

He went to see Dorcas and told her that Adelaide had seen them together.

"Oh, Timothy, the damage we have done," Dorcas said with regret.

"Yes, and go on doing," he replied.

"If we try not to see one another..."

Timothy shook his head. "It's past that now. Dorcas, I came to tell you that I love my wife…and to mean it. To face you and to tell you that I want to be happy with Adelaide."

Dorcas felt her heart breaking all over again. Reluctantly, she said, "I have looked at you for so long. The young man you once were…my young man. But you're not him anymore, are you?"

During the night, Dorcas had made up her mind what to do about the situation. She realised that if anything were to be resolved she was going to have to be the one to do it. So the next morning she gathered her employees together and broke the news that she would be selling the Post Office and going abroad. They were all stunned, especially Laura who couldn't understand why she would make such a drastic decision like this. Later, Laura privately confronted Dorcas about her real motives for selling the Post Office, but Dorcas refused to speak to her about it. Laura became so angry she began to shake. "It's the baby!" she blurted out. "It's Lady Adelaide and her baby. I know it!"

Dorcas was stunned and furious with Laura for discovering her secret. She forbade her to mention her assumptions to anyone. Her anger was so swift that it almost frightened Laura. But there was a defiant streak in Laura that not even Dorcas was aware of. Laura set off to find Sir Timothy.

Laura was still shaking when she arrived at the manor house. She stood in the foyer waiting for him.

"Laura, what's wrong?" Timothy asked with concern when he saw how upset she was.

"Oh, Sir Timothy, Miss Lane is about to make a terrible mistake!" she cried. "I know it's not my place to say this to you but I don't know what else to do!"

He was alarmed now. "Calm down, Laura, and tell me what is going on!"

Laura lowered her voice to nearly a whisper. "Sir Timothy, it's about you and Lady Adelaide and the baby." She looked down, embarrassed to be saying this to him. "I know how she feels about you and it's just too much for her. She feels she needs to sell the Post Office and go abroad!"

Timothy reeled back with shock. "Laura, are you sure about this?"

Laura nodded. "Yes, sir, she told us all yesterday. And today she's packing her things! I tried to talk to her about it but she got so angry with me." Her eyes filled with tears. "Please, Sir Timothy, isn't there anything you can do to stop her? I know she doesn't want to do this but she won't listen to any of us! You're the only one who can change her mind, I just know it."

Timothy patted her shoulder. "Thank you, Laura. Thank you for telling me. I will take care of this, I promise. "

"Thank you, sir." Laura nodded to him with tears in her eyes and then hurried out the door.

Timothy thought for awhile, trying to get over the shock at what Dorcas was about to do. He knew he couldn't let her leave like this. He knew once she made up her mind about something it was nearly impossible to change it. But he had to try. With a sigh he headed over to talk some sense into her.

Dorcas was shocked to find out that Timothy knew what she was about to do. She had a sneaking suspicion who had told him, too.

Timothy sat across the table from her. "It makes no sense, Dorcas," he said.

"The way I see things it makes absolute sense. I can find no other way out of this predicament. You and I have put Adelaide in an intolerable position." She paused and looked at him for a moment. "Timothy," she said, "I cannot let you blame my father for what happened between us. I lied to you. I told you that I didn't love you when I did. We spent all of our young life together, but when it came to marrying you….I thought that if you married a girl from the Post Office it would be the ruin of you."

To hear Dorcas finally admit to him that she had lied about not loving him, that she had loved him all this time, made him feel indescribably happy and also furious; furious with her father for having placed such doubts in her mind. It was her father who could only see the position, the privilege and the history, and not the man himself.

Shaking himself out of his reverie he asked Dorcas not to sign the contract to sell the Post Office. He asked her to wait at least a week before she decided. They were interrupted by the sound of the Post Office door opening, and the Pratts' voices were heard coming in. Timothy quickly took his leave of Dorcas and left through the back door.

Timothy's mind was reeling as he left the Post Office. She had loved him all this time. All these wasted years when they could have been happy together. Now he was married to someone else and there was nothing he could do about it. How could Fate be so spiteful? How had she borne it for so long seeing him with another woman? How much strength she must have had to put up with his very presence, his temptations, feeling the way she did yet knowing she could never have him. He wanted to cry for her and for himself, cheated out of true happiness by outdated, foolish conventions. She had sacrificed her own happiness for what she believed to be his own. How could she ever think he could be truly happy without her? And here she was about to sacrifice her own livelihood, her home, her beloved Post Office, again for him. He could not let that happen. He would not see her give up one more thing for him. It was time for him to sacrifice for her. There was only one thing he could do—leave Candleford forever. He would convince Adelaide that he wanted to start a new life with her in London and let the next eldest brother take over as Squire. Even though he knew he would be miserable never seeing Dorcas again, and being away from his beloved patch, it would be worth it to save her from anymore sorrow. He had to let her go so she could move on with her life. It was the least he could do.

And so it came to be the night of Zillah's party when he sought Dorcas out and told her goodbye. He told her he was leaving for London with Adelaide, that he wanted to lead the life that he had and not the life that had slipped out of reach. He hoped to convince Adelaide that he meant it. And he wanted Dorcas to keep her Post Office.

With tears in her eyes, Dorcas let him know that she understood and then told him to go. He looked at her for that one last moment and then quickly walked away.

The sound of the teakettle startled Dorcas, so deeply was she in thought remembering back to those last days with Timothy. She looked around the kitchen and remembered Zillah and how she had quietly passed away the night of her birthday party, the night that Timothy left Candleford forever. How she got through those days afterward she did not know. So much had changed now since Timothy had gone. She had adopted a boy named Sydney, had taken in a young new housekeeper who never ceased to be a challenge, Thomas finally married Miss Ellison and moved into his own home, and she herself had almost married her adopted son's father. But somehow she could not go through with that marriage. Deep down she knew her heart would always belong to only one man. She had reconciled herself to a single life and for the most part she was happy. But try as she might, she couldn't quite get over the feeling that a part of her was missing. A part that if once put back where it belonged she could be completely happy.

Timothy stood looking out into the darkness and he could feel her nearness once again. Could she possibly still love him? He thought of her being so close now, fast asleep in her bed, and something deep and primal stirred within him. He had been deprived of her for so many years, yearned for her since they were teens. He looked out at the raging storm and knew he could not let another night end without seeing her again. Morning was a lifetime away. He grabbed his coat and ran outside to the stable where he quickly saddled his horse and rode out into the night. The heavy rain stung his face and the wind blew branches and leaves at him causing his horse to shy away more than once, but he drove the poor beast even harder. All he could think of was seeing her face.

Dorcas looked up at the clock and sighed. It was now half past one o'clock. A part of her had been waiting for him and she felt the familiar pang of disappointment when he did not come. Perhaps he wasn't home yet. Or perhaps he no longer needed her. She chided herself for being so foolish as to think he would come to her right away. Pulling her robe tight around her she started to make her way up the stairs and back to her room.

She was half way up the staircase when she heard the faint tapping at the door. She froze, wondering if her mind was playing tricks on her. The tapping came again, and this time she rushed down the stairs and pulled open the door. A gust of wind and rain made its way inside causing her to step back, but there he stood, dripping wet and breathing hard, his dark eyes flashing at her as lightning lit up the night above him.

They stood staring at one another for a moment, both their hearts beating wildly in their chests.

"Oh, Timothy," Dorcas whispered, her eyes filled with compassion and tears. He rushed towards her, gathering her into his arms and holding her as tight as he could. With a sob he buried his face in the softness of her hair and kissed her head. She turned her face to his and softly kissed his cheek and then his eyes where she tasted his tears. And then his mouth found hers and it felt as though she were melting into him. He then swiftly picked her up in his arms and carried her up the stairs and into her room where the fire still burned, casting soft light and shadows around them.

Dorcas shivered in his arms. Realising his wet clothes had soaked through her nightdress he gently set her down in front of the fire. Without letting go of her he reached down and put more wood on the flames before turning back to her.

She ran her hands up his chest and pushed his coat off of his shoulders then began to unbutton his shirt. When he was free of his wet clothes he helped her remove her nightdress, and then they stood before each other, free at last from any impediments, and smiled at one another. No words were necessary; their eyes said everything that needed to be said between them. And Fate, accepting its defeat, turned its jealous gaze elsewhere, removing the iron wedge which had always separated them. The once parallel lines of their lives, now battered and bent, at last curved gently towards one another, meeting at blissful intersection…

CHAPTER 2

After awhile the thunder and lightning subsided and a gentle rain was left in its wake. They lay entwined in each other's arms as they stared into the fire. Dorcas rested her head on Timothy's chest and could hear his heartbeat. She could feel it matching her own.

"You know, I don't think I have ever felt such happiness in my life the way I feel right now," Timothy said, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"Nor I," she said softly. She looked up at him and smiled.

He sat up and took her face in his hands. He looked at her so intensely that she stopped breathing. "Dorcas, I love you. I have never stopped loving you—not once. All these years and not a moment went by when you weren't in my thoughts, in my heart and in my soul. Will you be my wife now? Will you marry me, my most precious darling?"

Dorcas had tears in her eyes as she nodded her head yes. Then she hugged him tight and sobbed, "I never stopped loving you, either, Timothy. Is this a dream? If so, I don't ever want to wake up. I couldn't bear it if you were gone again."

"No, this isn't a dream," he said, holding her tight. "I am right here where I should have always been—where I will always be, I promise!"

They held each other for a long time until suddenly Dorcas pulled back. "Oh, no!" she exclaimed.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Timothy cried.

"Timothy, the Post Office!"

"What about the Post Office?"

"If I were to marry I wouldn't be able to remain as Postmistress. You know the rule they have about married women."

"Another stupid, outdated convention," Timothy muttered. Then he looked at her with a frown. "Are you saying you won't marry me because you would rather keep the Post Office?"

"No, of course not, but I have Sydney to think of now and I promised him one day the Post Office would belong to him."

"I see," Timothy said, laying back down and staring up at the ceiling. After a moment he said, "Dorcas, the solution really is quite simple."

She looked at him hopefully. "Is it?"

"Yes," he replied smiling at her. "You can sell the Post Office to me before we are married. That way I will officially be the Postmaster but you will still run it, of course. Then, once Sydney is of age, I will sign it over to him." He put his arms up and clasped his hands behind his head looking quite pleased with himself.

Dorcas thought over what he said and a smile slowly spread across her face. "I knew there was a reason why I loved you so much," she said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Just one reason?" he said as he pulled her down to him and began kissing her neck.

"Well, maybe I can think of a few more," she said softly.

"Mmmm," he murmured, his mouth now nuzzling her ear. "Then it's all settled. Sydney shall have his Post Office and I shall have my Postmistress."

"Timothy!" Dorcas said, pretending to be shocked. Then suddenly she didn't feel like talking anymore…

Dorcas awoke with a start. She glanced over at the clock on the mantel and could see it was nearly dawn. She smiled as she realised that last night wasn't a dream after all. Timothy was still beside her, lying on his stomach and breathing softly with one arm draped possessively across her body. She hated to wake him, but he had to leave before Laura, Minnie and Sydney arrived home. They were probably on their way already.

"Timothy," she whispered, giving him a little shake.

"Hmm? What is it?" He slowly opened his eyes then smiled as he saw her face.

"I'm sorry, Timothy, but it's nearly dawn. You must get back to the manor before anyone finds you here."

He buried his face in the pillow and groaned. "Yes, I suppose you're right."

She went to get out of bed but he tightened his arm about her and pulled her towards him. "Not yet," he growled.

"Timothy, I don't want you to leave, either, but you must!" She gently pulled herself away from him and got out of bed. Already she felt the pain of separating from him.

"How am I going to stand being away from you?" he said, echoing her own feelings.

"We will just have to manage somehow." She thought for a moment then said, "You must come to dinner tonight. I want you to meet Sydney and Minnie, and I know Laura will be glad to see you again. And I would like very much to meet your little girl."

Timothy smiled. "I would like that, too, Dorcas. Who is Minnie?"

"Minnie is the girl I hired to take Zillah's place as housekeeper and cook. She is like no one you have ever met before so be prepared!"

The sun was nearly peeking over the horizon when they were both finally dressed and downstairs. "Till tonight then," Timothy said reluctantly as he kissed her goodbye.

She held his face for a moment. "I love you," she said softly.

"I love you, too." He held her a moment longer then kissed her once more before slipping quietly out the door and into the growing dawn.

Dorcas had just enough time to draw a nice bath after Timothy left that morning before everyone returned home from Lark Rise. As she finished putting her hair up she heard Sydney burst through the kitchen door.

"Ma! Ma!" he cried excitedly. "We're back!"

Dorcas came down the stairs with a big smile. "Well, Little Man, did you have a good time at Alf's party last night?"

Sydney gave her a big hug. "Oh, Ma, it was so much fun! We had a big bonfire and everything! Then that big storm came in and there was such thunder and lightning! I was worried about you being all alone here last night. Were you scared?"

"You are a dear to have worried about me, Little Man," she said, giving him a kiss on the top of his head. "But there is nothing I love better than a good storm—they are my one weakness!" Her eyes twinkled at him.

Sydney laughed and then Laura and Minnie came in looking more solemn.

"Good morning, girls," Dorcas greeted them.

"Good morning, Miss Lane," Laura and Minnie replied. Minnie gave Laura a quick glance and then Laura went up to Dorcas and said in a quiet voice, "Miss Lane, did you hear about Lady Adelaide?"

Dorcas nodded. "Yes, Laura, it is a terrible thing."

Laura gave her a searching look. "I heard that Sir Timothy will be coming home to Candleford."

"He is already home," Dorcas replied.

"You've seen him?" Laura asked with surprise. "How is he? Is he all right?"

"Yes, I saw him yesterday, Laura. He is doing well, under the circumstances." Dorcas couldn't quite look Laura in the eye and turned her attention to Minnie instead.

"Minnie, I want you to go to the butcher and get a nice prime rib to roast for tonight. Sir Timothy will be joining us for dinner."

Minnie's eyes grew huge. "Sir Timothy… is coming here…for dinner?"

"Yes, Minnie. And we will need to tidy up the house before he does so as well."

Minnie looked as if she were in a daze. "I am cooking dinner for Sir Timothy?"

Dorcas sighed. "Yes, Minnie. Don't worry, I will be helping you. I want everything to be extra special for him tonight. I thought at a time like this he should be with old friends. You do understand?"

Minnie's face broke out into a smile and she bounced up and down with glee. "Oooh, I've always wanted to meet Sir Timothy! Isn't it exciting, Laura?"

Laura gave Minnie a weak smile. "Yes, it will be wonderful to see Sir Timothy again."

Dorcas's eyes met Laura's and she could see the knowing look in Laura's face. She would have to be careful how she conducted herself tonight. Laura never missed a thing.

The rest of the day seemed to crawl by. In between helping customers Dorcas would run back and help Minnie with the cleaning and the dinner preparation. She blushed as she changed the linens on the bed remembering her night with Timothy. It was hard to concentrate on her work when all she could think of was him. Dinner seemed an eternity away.

Laura noticed her distraction and when they had a moment alone she placed a hand on Dorcas's arm and asked, "Miss Lane, how are you doing? With Sir Timothy being back, I mean."

"I'm fine, Laura. Really, I am." Dorcas patted her hand gratefully. She could hardly fault Laura for asking such a personal question. Laura had witnessed a lot before Sir Timothy left two years ago.

Laura still looked worried, though. "Miss Lane, if you ever need someone to talk to…I hope you know that you can trust me. I am here not just as your employee but as your friend and your family. I care very much about you."

Dorcas could feel tears stinging the back of her eyes as she gave Laura's hand a squeeze. "Thank you, Laura. You have no idea what that means to me."

There were times when she wished she could confide in someone. Laura wasn't a child anymore and she knew Laura knew about her feelings for Timothy before he left Candleford. But it wasn't easy for her to share her feelings with anyone. It never had been.

Finally, the Post Office closed and Dorcas hurriedly helped Minnie set the table before rushing upstairs to change her clothes. Then she made sure Sydney was dressed properly.

"Ma," Sydney asked as she combed his hair, "what is Sir Timothy like?"

Dorcas smiled as she looked at her young son. "I have known Sir Timothy since we were children. He was always the kindest boy and so much fun. He is the best sort of man there is, Sydney. He treats everyone with respect and kindness and fairness. I know you will like him. Candleford was so lucky to have him as its Squire."

"Why did he leave, Ma? Why isn't he our Squire anymore?" Sydney asked, looking puzzled.

Dorcas's smile faded. "Well, Sir Timothy married, you see, and his wife wanted to live in London. So that is where they went."

Sydney looked at her with a face older than his years. "You must have missed your old friend a lot when he left."

"Yes, Sydney, I did miss him."

"But you have me now. I will never leave. I will always be here to keep you company, I promise," Sydney said to her in such an earnest manner that she couldn't help but hug him tightly to her.

"I know, Little Man. I love you so much, you know that? No matter what happens I will always be your ma and will always love you."

Dorcas felt her heart flutter as she heard the knock on the door. She patted her hair and took a deep breath as she opened the door to find Timothy standing there holding a big bouquet of flowers.

"Good evening, Timothy," Dorcas greeted him.

"Good evening, Dorcas," Timothy replied. "You look so beautiful," he whispered. He looked around quickly, and seeing no one else was around, leaned in and gave her a kiss. "I've missed you. This must have been the longest day in history."

"I know what you mean. I've missed you, too." She smiled up at him. She turned as she heard footsteps coming up behind her and quickly stepped back. It was Laura.

"Hello, Sir Timothy," Laura greeted him with a smile and held out her hands to him.

"Laura!" Timothy said, taking her hands and giving them a squeeze. "Look at you. You are all grown up now."

"Yes, I suppose I am," she replied. Then, with sympathetic eyes, she said, "Sir Timothy, I'm so sorry for…..for your loss."

"Thank you, Laura, that is most kind," he replied.

"I hope it will help to be home now where you can be among friends," she continued.

"It already has, Laura, it already has." He looked over at Dorcas with a little smile. Then he spotted Minnie who was standing there practically quivering with anticipation.

"You must be Minnie," he said to her, pretending to sound stern.

Minnie gulped and gave an awkward curtsy before saying, "Yes, Your Highness. Um, I mean, Your Lordship. That is me. I'm Minnie, I mean."

Dorcas rolled her eyes and Timothy tried to suppress a laugh.

"Minnie, would you please find Sydney?" Dorcas asked.

"Yes, ma'am." Minnie hurried off to find him.

"And, Laura, would you please put these flowers in a vase? They will look so lovely on the table." Dorcas gave the flowers to Laura who took them back into the kitchen.

"You didn't bring Abigail?" Dorcas asked, turning back to Timothy.

"No, I thought it best to leave her with her nanny tonight. She is still adjusting to her new surroundings."

"Oh, I see." In a way, Dorcas was relieved. She was almost afraid of seeing Adelaide's likeness in the child's face. Would it be something she could ever get used to?

Minnie came back down a moment later with Sydney trailing behind her. He was shy with strangers—especially men. Dorcas knew that Sydney had been treated terribly at his old school and to this day he still had nightmares from his time there. She hoped one day he would open up to her about what had happened to him, but in the meantime she did the best she could to make him feel safe and loved. She prayed he would warm to Timothy.

"Timothy," she said proudly, putting her arm around Sydney, "I want you to meet my son. This is Sydney."

"Well, Sydney, I am very pleased to meet you at last. Your mother has told me all about you." Timothy held out his hand and Sydney shook it with a shy smile.

"I'm very pleased to meet you, too, sir," he said politely.

"And I understand you want to run this Post Office someday."

"Oh, yes, sir, I love the Post Office. I want to live here forever!" Sydney said with enthusiasm.

"I can certainly understand why, Sydney. There is something very special about this place, isn't there?" Timothy looked at Dorcas as he said this and she smiled back at him.

Sydney nodded. "Yes, sir, it's the nicest place in the whole world."

"Well, shall we sit down? I believe dinner is ready," Dorcas said, ushering everyone to the dining room.

Timothy sat at the head of the table and Dorcas sat at the foot. Minnie and Laura sat next to each other whilst Sydney sat opposite them.

Timothy looked appreciatively at the table. "Prime rib and Yorkshire pudding! My favourite!"

Dorcas smiled. "Yes, I remembered."

Laura looked over at Dorcas and then back at Timothy, noticing the look between them, and smiled to herself. Minnie just looked thrilled to pieces that Sir Timothy was eating something that she had cooked.

"It's good to have you home, Sir Timothy," Laura said to him. "You've been very much missed. By everyone, I mean."

"Thank you, Laura. I have missed my patch very much. How is your family? I trust everyone is well?"

"Yes, sir, they are all quite well, thank you."

"Sir Timothy," Sydney piped up, much to Dorcas's surprise, "Ma says that you've been friends since you were children."

Timothy glanced up at Dorcas. "Yes, we certainly have, Sydney."

"What was she like back then?"

"Sydney, I think we should let Sir Timothy enjoy his dinner first," Dorcas said to him.

"No, it's all right," said Timothy. "Let me tell you, Sydney…my father was a formidable man. He ruled with an iron fist and his word was law. If I did something wrong he would tan the hide off me. When I met your mother she was eight years old, barely came up to my shoulders in size and yet I was more terrified of her than of my father."

"I'm still terrified of her." Laura heard Minnie mutter under her breath.

Sydney laughed. "Terrified of Ma? Why?"

Timothy looked over at Dorcas as he took a sip of wine from his glass. His eyes were twinkling. "Well, for one thing, I could never win an argument with her. She always had to be right. And if she didn't get her way….watch out."

"Oh, Timothy, how you do go on!" She shook her head at him. "Sydney, you mustn't believe a word he says about me."

Timothy winked at Sydney and the boy laughed again.

"Tell me what she would do when she didn't get her way, Sir Timothy," Sydney asked.

"Well, for one thing, she had a deadly aim with whatever she could get her little hands on. One time she nearly knocked me out of a tree with an acorn."

"Ma did that?" Sydney exclaimed looking incredulously at Dorcas whilst both Laura and Minnie tried to suppress a laugh.

"I told you not to listen to him, Little Man," she said with a reproving look at Timothy. "Besides, he deserved it."

Timothy was grinning broadly now. "And when it came to Mischief Night your mother was the worst mischief maker in Candleford!"

"Timothy! I was no such thing!" she exclaimed. "I was no worse than you were, anyway."

"Oh, please tell me what she did on Mischief Night!"

Dorcas rolled her eyes knowing it was useless trying to stop Timothy from telling his stories. She braced herself for the worst.

"Let's see, which one should I tell you about first?" He looked up, tapping his chin as though trying to decide.

Sydney giggled. Part of Dorcas was mortified that Sydney was hearing such stories about her, but the other part was amazed at how quickly Sydney was becoming comfortable with Timothy. She had never seen him speak so easily to someone new before. She felt a rush of gratitude towards Timothy for indulging the boy with his stories and making him laugh—even if it was at her expense.

And now, judging by the fiendish look of delight in his eyes, she knew he had come up with a Mischief Night tale to tell Sydney.

"One Mischief Night when we were seventeen years old, your mother lured me under a certain tree under false pretences."

"Timothy…" Dorcas said in a warning voice, but he took no heed of her.

"Somehow she had rigged two buckets in the branches right above where I was standing. One was filled with molasses and the other with straw. It was so dark I didn't even see the strings she used to pull them over with—first the molasses and then the straw, which stuck to everything. I must have looked like a deranged scarecrow."

Even Dorcas couldn't help laughing at that memory. Sydney was nearly beside himself as were Laura and Minnie.

"What did you do, Sir Timothy? Did you get her back?" Sydney asked.

"Oh, I must have chased her half way to Lark Rise before I caught her. Let's just say by the time we got back to town we both looked like deranged scarecrows."

Timothy gave Dorcas a wicked look as he took another sip of wine. Minnie and Laura raised their eyebrows at each other and giggled.

Dorcas's face had gone red as she cleared her throat and said, "Well, now, I think we've had quite a long enough stroll down memory lane for one evening, don't you, Timothy?"

"I'm sorry, Dorcas. I was rather enjoying it myself," Timothy said with an innocent smile. But she was getting that dangerous look in her eyes again so he decided to behave himself and tuck into his meal instead. He couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from twitching, though, as he remembered that Mischief Night long ago when he finally chased her down and held her tight, making sure she was just as sticky as he was with molasses and straw. He ventured a quick glance up at her and he could see in her eyes that she was remembering, too.

With dinner now finished, Sydney was sent up to bed and Laura helped Minnie clear the table and start the washing up. Dorcas and Timothy retired to the sitting room where a cheerful fire was lit and Minnie soon brought them a tray with coffee and slices of the cake she had baked that afternoon. Then they were left alone.

They sat in silence for a little while, sipping their coffee and nibbling their cake. Timothy watched Dorcas as she stared into the fire as though a million miles away.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked gently.

"I'm sorry, Timothy," she said, turning her gaze to him with an apologetic smile. "I was just thinking about how quickly our lives can change."

"Yes, indeed," he replied.

"How are you really doing, Timothy? I mean, after losing Adelaide and the baby like that. It must have been such a terrible shock. Have you even had time to mourn?"

Timothy sighed and put his cup down. "Yes, it was a shock. I'm fine, though—really, I am. I have you back in my life now and that is all I have ever really wanted or needed to be truly happy. But if that had been you, Dorcas…" He shook his head as though trying to banish the thought. "I know I wouldn't have been able to go on. Even when I was far away in London and still married, I always knew you were out there in the world. I couldn't stop myself from dreaming of a life with you here in Candleford."

Dorcas reached out and grasped his hand tightly. "I couldn't stop, either."

Timothy smiled at her. "You know, I had some trepidation of coming back here and finding you married. It seemed impossible that a woman as wonderful as you would still be unattached."

Dorcas hesitated for a moment. "Well, I did have one offer," she confessed.

Timothy raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh? Who was it?"

"Sydney's father; his name is James Dowland."

"I see." Timothy furrowed his brow. He felt a pang of jealousy shoot through him. "What stopped you from marrying him?"

Dorcas was silent for a moment. Finally, she said, "There were several reasons, but the main one was I knew I still loved you. I tried so hard to move on. I thought James might be the solution. But in the end I knew it wasn't working and I could never marry a man I didn't love with my whole heart."

Timothy breathed a little easier, but one thing was still puzzling him. "If James is Sydney's father, why are you raising him?"

"James didn't even know he had a son until Sydney's mother died and a message was sent to him about the boy. I'm afraid neither of them was ready for a father/son relationship. Sydney was so unhappy where he was and very frightened. For some reason he instantly bonded to me and to the Post Office. It made me so happy, Timothy, to finally have a child to love and who loved me back. He has been a godsend. James realised that it was best for Sydney to stay with me and gave his consent for me to adopt him."

"And where is this James now?" he asked warily. His face had now clouded over.

"I don't know. We haven't heard from him since he left Candleford last year." She could see his darkened brow and taking his face in her hands she said, "Timothy, you have nothing to worry about. You are the man I love and have always loved."

Timothy shook his head. "I am not worried about him. I am angry…at myself. It is my fault that you never had a child of your own to love. I never should have married Adelaide. I was such a fool not to realise what you were doing when you first refused me. Such a bloody, stupid fool."

"No, don't say that," she said, shaking her head.

"But it is my fault," he said miserably. "Dorcas, you should have had children of your own by now. Not left to raise someone else's. And I am so sorry that I was the reason you kept from marrying someone else and having a family of your own. I don't think I can ever forgive myself for any of this."

"Timothy, I don't want to hear you say that ever again, do you hear me?" Her eyes flashed angrily. "I have made my own decisions in this life and you are not responsible for their outcome. If there is any blame to be had it is on my head. I was the one who refused you. I was the one who didn't have faith that you could be happy marrying a girl from the Post Office. I knew the consequences of loving a man who was married to another and yet I did nothing to stop myself from loving you. I could no more have done that than stop the wind from blowing. So don't you dare take the blame for this! Don't you dare!" A small sob escaped her and tears were now running down her cheeks.

Timothy didn't care that Laura or Minnie could come into the room at any moment. He pulled Dorcas into his arms and held her as tightly as he could. "Oh, Dorcas, I love you so much. I don't want to wait a moment longer than I have to to marry you. I just want to put all this sadness behind us so we can finally be happy together."

"That is what I want, too, Timothy—so very much."

The little clock on the mantel chimed the hour. It was now ten o'clock. Timothy sighed. "I suppose I had better be heading home now."

Dorcas nodded reluctantly.

He didn't let go of her just yet. "I cannot stop thinking about last night," he whispered. "The thought of having to go home to my empty room tonight..."

"It's unbearable," she finished sadly.

He took her face in his hands and kissed her. "Good night, my love. Thank you for the wonderful dinner," he said before turning to leave.

"Timothy."

He stopped and looked back at her hopefully.

"I want…..I want to thank you for being so kind to Sydney tonight. I think he has really taken to you."

"I'm glad, Dorcas. He is a fine young lad and he is very lucky to have you for a mother."

"Thank you, but I am the lucky one. And Timothy, would you bring Abigail to meet me tomorrow? I do so want to see her. I am going to be her mother after all."

Timothy came back to her and took her hands in his. "Yes, I will. And yes, you will be her mother. And what a lucky little girl she will be to have you as a mother, too. Oh, Dorcas, I cannot wait for us to be a family together!"

"Neither can I, Timothy. It is going to be wonderful."

The house felt empty after he left. Dorcas couldn't bring herself to go to her room just yet. She stayed downstairs instead for a long time, staring into the fire and thinking of the future.

CHAPTER 3

The next day was a busy one at the Post Office. It was a rare sunny day and everyone seemed to be out and about in the town, rushing to and fro, and taking care of business. Dorcas was looking forward to Sydney coming back from his lessons with Mrs Brown so he could help her behind the counter. She hoped things would slow down before Timothy arrived with Abigail.

Around noon she thought she heard a carriage arrive and then the sound of several voices talking at once. She went to the window and saw that Timothy had arrived and was standing outside his carriage holding a very little girl with dark brown hair in his arms. Poor Timothy was surrounded by Pearl and Ruby Pratt as well as several other townspeople, all giving him their sympathies and exclaiming over his little daughter. Timothy looked strained, but his life-long training in diplomacy carried him through the ordeal of meeting with the townspeople for the first time since his return. Dorcas longed to go to his side and rescue him, but thought it best to remain inconspicuous for the time being. She saw Timothy glance at the Post Office and his eyes lit up when he saw her through the window. She gave him an encouraging smile.

"Such a little poppet!" Ruby Pratt exclaimed over Abigail who was looking at her with a frown. "So beautiful, isn't she Pearl?"

"She is indeed, Sir Timothy. Although it is a pity she does not have Lady Adelaide's beautiful blue eyes!" Pearl said tactlessly.

"Yes, it is a shame," Timothy replied, trying to smile. "I'm afraid she takes more after me than her mother, poor thing." He bounced her in his arms as she was beginning to struggle to get down.

"Oh, there is nothing wrong with a daughter taking after her handsome father, is there?" Ruby said, giving her sister an exasperated look.

"No, indeed!" exclaimed Mrs Watson, who was married to the butcher. "She is as beautiful a child as I have ever seen, Sir Timothy. You must be very proud."

"Thank you, Mrs Watson. I am very proud. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some business to take care of at the Post Office. It was wonderful to see you all again." He tipped his hat to the ladies and they began to disperse reluctantly. Abigail struggled again and he put her down and held her hand as they made their way to the Post Office where Dorcas had opened the door and was waiting for them.

"Hello, Dorcas. I was afraid I was about to be held hostage out there."

"Hello, Timothy. I am sure they were just happy to see you again," Dorcas replied. Then she knelt down in front of Abigail and took her little hands in hers. Dorcas felt an absurd rush of relief to see not the reproachful blue eyes of Adelaide's in the little girl's face but Timothy's own dark brown looking back at her with frank curiosity.

"Hello, Abigail. I am Miss Lane. I am so happy to finally meet you." Dorcas gave her a big smile. Abigail smiled shyly back then hid her face against her father's leg.

"I'm afraid she's a bit bashful," Timothy said apologetically.

"Oh, Timothy, she's beautiful. And she looks just like you!"

"Thank you, Dorcas."

"Come now," Timothy said to Abigail as he tried to pry her off his leg. "Say hello to Miss Lane. She is Papa's closest friend in the whole world!"

Abigail looked back at Dorcas who smiled and held out her hand to her. "Come with me, Abigail. I have a delicious treat for you!" Abigail looked up at her father, who nodded encouragingly to her, and then she slowly took Dorcas's hand and let herself be led into the kitchen. Laura arrived just then from delivering a few packages and was delighted to see the little girl.

"Hello there, little one! I'm Laura. You and I are going to be great friends!" Laura laughed and Abigail gave her a smile in return.

"She's beautiful, Sir Timothy," Laura said.

"So I've been told," Timothy said proudly as he looked at his daughter.

"Laura," Dorcas said, "would you please find Minnie and tell her Sir Timothy will be staying for lunch?"

"Yes, Miss Lane," Laura replied and she headed upstairs to find Minnie.

"Please don't trouble yourself, Dorcas. I don't expect you to feed us," Timothy said.

"Nonsense, of course you must stay! I won't take no for an answer. Besides, Minnie has taken one of Zillah's old recipes and made a delicious stew for us. I know how much you loved Zillah's stew."

"Yes, indeed I do. Thank you, Dorcas."

Laura came back with Minnie who set about getting lunch ready. "Laura, could you watch the front counter whilst I visit with Sir Timothy?" Dorcas asked.

"Of course, Miss Lane."

Dorcas and Timothy went into the sitting room and Dorcas took Abigail on her lap.

"Abigail…such a big name for such a little girl! I think I shall call you Abby instead. Is that all right?" Abigail nodded and repeated slowly, "Ab-by!"

"Abby it is, then!" Dorcas gave the child a hug and Abby nestled her head under Dorcas's chin. Timothy smiled at them both. It made him so happy to see the two girls he loved most in the world together at last.

Just then, Sydney came bursting in through the door. "Ma, I'm home from school!" He stopped short when he saw Sir Timothy with Dorcas in the sitting room.

"Hello again, Sydney," Sir Timothy said to him. "Come in and meet my daughter. This is Abigail—or, as your mother prefers, Abby."

When Abby saw Sydney her little face lit up and she struggled to get down from Dorcas's lap. She rarely got to see other children. Sydney smiled and knelt down in front of her. "Hello, Abby, I'm Sydney."

Abby giggled and tried to say his name. "Sid-dy!" she said.

"No," Sydney said patiently, "it's Syd-ney. Can you say Sydney?"

"Siddy!" Abby exclaimed again and then giggled even louder.

"I'm afraid you're stuck with 'Siddy' for now," Timothy said to him.

"Oh, that's all right," Sydney replied good-naturedly. "I don't mind."

"Siddy!" Abby said again and laughed out loud.

"Well, Sydney, it looks like you've made a new friend!" Dorcas said to him with a smile.

"Wait here, Abby," Sydney said to the little girl. "I'm going to bring you a toy to play with."

He ran upstairs and Abby began to pout as he went out of sight. "Siddy!" she cried after him until Timothy took her hand and asked her to be quiet. Her eyes never left the staircase, though, until Sydney returned with a bright red rubber ball in his hand.

"Come on, Abby, let's play with the ball." He took her hand and sat down with her on the floor where they rolled the ball back and forth between them. Abby squealed with delight.

Dorcas looked up at Timothy and they smiled at each other.

"Miss Lane, lunch is ready," Minnie announced.

Abby was now glued to Sydney's side so Laura placed a chair between herself and Sydney and added a small stack of books to it so Abby could reach the table. Between her and Sydney they could keep an eye on Abby and Laura could help her eat her stew.

"This stew is as delicious as I remember it!" Timothy exclaimed. "Well done, Minnie."

Minnie blushed and giggled with pleasure. "Oh, thank you, Sir Timothy!"

"How was school today, Sydney?" Dorcas asked her young son.

"Fine, Ma. I can't wait to be finished with school, though, so I can be at the Post Office full time," he replied.

"Well, that won't be for a long time yet, Little Man. Right now your job is to get an education," Dorcas said to him sternly.

"Yes, Ma," Sydney replied less enthusiastically.

"Siddy!" Abby exclaimed again and everyone burst out laughing as Sydney blushed.

Timothy looked around the table as he ate his stew and for the first time felt like he was part of a real family. He felt a contentedness that he had never known before and his heart filled with such happiness that he thought it might burst. He saw Dorcas looking at him, and as though reading his mind, she gave him a little wink, and they both laughed out loud as Sydney, Laura and Minnie looked at them with curiosity.

Abby cried when it came time to leave. She wanted to stay with Sydney.

"Come now, darling, it's time to go home," Timothy said, taking her hand and trying to lead her to the door.

"No!" she cried. "Want Siddy!"

"I'm sorry, Abigail, but Sydney and Miss Lane have work to do so we must leave now," he said patiently to her.

Abby began to cry so Sydney took her hand and promised her she could come back again real soon and they could play again. "Siddy..." she said sadly as she hugged his leg.

"Come on now, Abigail," Timothy said to her as he pried her away from Sydney. "I need you to be a big girl now and say goodbye to Miss Lane and Sydney."

"Thank you for lunch, Dorcas, I had a wonderful time," Timothy said to her. "Will you walk out to the carriage with me for a moment?"

She followed him outside where Timothy secured Abby into the carriage. "Dorcas, would you go riding with me tomorrow? I haven't been around the estate since I've been back and it would be wonderful to have you accompany me again. It will be like old times."

"I would love to, Timothy. I will look forward to it."

"Good. Good. Well, I will see you tomorrow then." He smiled at her and wanted so badly to kiss her, but he knew eyes were upon them—most notably two pairs staring from the window of the dressmakers' shop. He tipped his hat instead and Dorcas bowed her head goodbye.

"Bye-bye, Abby!" She waved to the little girl.

"Bye-bye." Abby waved back.

Before they drove away, Sydney rushed out the door much to Abby's delight. He went up to the carriage and handed Abby the red rubber ball through the window.

"Here, Abby, I want you to have this. We'll play again real soon, I promise."

Abby hugged the ball to her chest and laughed. "Bye-bye, Siddy!"

"Bye, Abby."

Dorcas hugged Sydney to her as they waved to the departing carriage.

"Thank you for being so sweet to Abby today, Sydney. I am so proud of you," she said as she hugged him tight.

"It was fun, Ma. I like her. Besides, I know what it's like to lose a mother. I don't want her to be sad like I was."

Dorcas felt tears stinging her eyes and she gave him an extra squeeze. "I am the luckiest woman in the world to have a son like you, do you know that?"

Sydney smiled and hugged her back. Then they went back inside together to help Laura with the customers.

Dorcas awoke feeling a twinge of excitement in her stomach as she thought of riding out with Timothy that afternoon. It had been such a long time since they had ridden the estate together. She looked out the window and saw it was going to be another beautiful day—perfect for riding-but first she had to tend to the Post Office until Laura could cover for her.

"Good morning, everyone," she said to Laura, Minnie and Sydney as she came down for breakfast. They greeted her back, and Laura, seeing the big smile on her face, gave her a curious look.

"It looks like it is going to be a beautiful day, doesn't it?" she said so gaily that Laura and Minnie exchanged a glance and nodded their heads in agreement.

"Laura," Dorcas said, "I will need you to return right away from your deliveries today as I will be accompanying Sir Timothy on his ride this afternoon and will need you to cover for me."

Laura suddenly smiled as she now understood why Dorcas was in such a good mood. "Of course, Miss Lane. I won't be late, I promise."

"Thank you, Laura." Dorcas saw the look on Laura's face and tried to adjust her smile to something a little less ebullient.

Minnie suddenly giggled loudly and said, "I think Sir Timothy is sweet on you, Miss Lane." Then she yelped as Laura kicked her under the table.

"Minnie, I will not have you speak of Sir Timothy in that way," Dorcas said in a steely tone that made Minnie gulp.

"Sorry, Miss Lane. It's just he's been here every day since he's been back and now…" Minnie yelped again as Laura kicked her even harder. "S-sorry, Miss Lane." She stared down at her plate whilst rubbing her leg.

"Minnie," Dorcas tried to soften her voice, "Sir Timothy and I are just good friends. We've been riding together since we were ten years old. Let's not let our imaginations run away with us."

"No, Miss Lane." Minnie tried to finish her breakfast before she could get into anymore trouble.

Dorcas realised how careless she and Timothy had been these past few days. It was way too soon for anyone to know about their attachment, but if Minnie had already figured it out it was only a matter of time before the whole town was aware of it. They must be much more careful from now on.

The day seemed to drag by, but finally Laura returned from helping Thomas deliver the packages and Dorcas had just enough time to change into her riding clothes before meeting Timothy.

"Enjoy your ride, Miss Lane!" Laura called after her with a knowing smile as she hurried out the door.

She arrived at the Midwinter estate just as Timothy was leading his horse out of the stable. "Ah, Dorcas," he greeted her with a smile. "I hope you've been looking forward to this as much as I have."

"Of course I have, Timothy, and what a perfect day it is for riding," she replied.

"Yes, indeed it is."

They headed out on their usual route, taking in the scenery as though they had never seen it before. "Oh, how I've missed my patch, Dorcas," Timothy said with a contented sigh.

"I know, Timothy, it must have been so difficult to be away from it for so long."

"And from you," he said, giving her a sideways glance.

She smiled at him, but then her face turned serious as she remembered what Minnie had said at breakfast. "Timothy, there is something I need to talk to you about," she began.

"Oh, no," he interrupted her.

"What?"

"I know that tone. It usually means you're about to tell me something I don't want to hear." He looked away and sighed.

"Oh, Timothy, don't be so dramatic. It's not that bad," she teased him.

"All right, let's have it, then."

"It's just we have to be careful, Timothy. If anyone in this town thought something untoward was happening between us so soon after Adelaide…well, it could be disastrous for both of us."

He nodded. "Yes, I see. You're right. Of course you're right. But, Dorcas, if you think I'm going to stay away from you…"

"No! I didn't say that. I just meant we have to be careful how we meet. I mean, perhaps it would be best if you didn't come by the Post Office so often."

Timothy gave her a hurt look.

"I'm sorry, Timothy. I don't like this, either. But Minnie, of all people, said something today that made me realise how careless we've been. If she can pick up on what's happening between us then soon the whole town will, too. And you know how this town can be."

He was quiet for a moment. "So how long, Dorcas? How long do we have to keep up this charade of being indifferent acquaintances?"

"I don't know, Timothy, perhaps a few months?"

Timothy groaned.

"I know. I'm not happy about it, either," she said sadly. She hated to give him any pain.

"It's going to be torture, this waiting," he said, looking agonised.

They rode on a little further in silence until Dorcas turned to him with a mischievous little gleam in her eyes. "Like I said, Timothy, I didn't say we couldn't be together right now—we just have to be careful how we're together."

Timothy felt the corners of his mouth twitch as he took in her meaning. "Dorcas Lane, are you suggesting that we start meeting clandestinely?"

"Why, Timothy," she said innocently, "I never said any such thing." But she grinned so wickedly at him that he laughed out loud.

"Come on," he said, urging their horses on faster, "there is one more place we need to go."

They raced across the countryside until they came upon the site where Big Tree used to stand. Timothy stopped and got off his horse and then helped Dorcas down from hers.

"Oh, Timothy, our poor tree," Dorcas said sadly as she looked at the large stump—the only remnant of their old friend. "I am so sorry I wasn't there for you the day it was felled."

Timothy stood beside her and she linked her arm around his. "It's all right, Dorcas, I understood. And I knew, despite what you said that day, that you felt its loss just as deeply as I did."

"Yes," she said quietly.

"Anyway, I couldn't bear to see it just disappear entirely. I asked the men to leave the stump and flatten the top so I could at least come here and sit once in a while." Dorcas looked up at him with a half smile. "I know, I know, it was silly of me, but it seemed the right thing to do at the time."

"Well, I'm glad you did," Dorcas said.

He took her hand and they both sat down on the tree stump, which was at least four feet across in diameter, and took in the view of the meadow before them.

"There is one thing that I did that I regret to this day," he said to her quietly. "I had the tree cutter burn the part of the tree that had our initials on it."

Dorcas breathed in deeply as she could feel tears starting to sting her eyes. "Timothy, I never expected you to save it. What would Adelaide have said if she had seen it? It would have only made things worse between you."

"Yes, but that isn't why I had it burnt," he said, looking off into the distance.

Dorcas squeezed his arm. "I know," she said sadly.

"I did keep a little piece of the tree, though," he said as he reached into his pocket. "I know you're going to despair of my sentimentality, but I had always hoped to one day be able to give this to you."

He took her hand and on her palm he placed a beautifully carved little wooden heart. Dorcas felt the tears finally come as she saw the little T and D that he had carved into its centre.

"Oh, Timothy, it is so beautiful," she said, choking back a sob. "What a treasure!"

"Well, I'm glad you like it," he said, looking pleased. "At least you will always be able to carry a piece of Big Tree with you wherever you go."

She took his face in her hands and kissed him. His arms went around her as he kissed her back, pulling her tightly against him. And in those next few moments what remained of Big Tree witnessed yet another memory being made.

Dorcas tried to look nonchalant as she arrived back at the Post Office.

"Well, Laura, did everything go all right this afternoon?"

"Everything was fine, Miss Lane. It was a quiet day," Laura replied.

"Oh, I am glad," Dorcas replied with a smile.

"Did you enjoy your ride with Sir Timothy?" Laura asked with a sly grin.

Dorcas avoided Laura's eyes. "I had a lovely time, thank you, Laura. Now I'll just run upstairs and change my clothes then I will be right down."

She turned to go but Laura stopped her. "Miss Lane, wait. You have something on the back of your dress."

Dorcas froze, wondering what in the world was on the back of her. She tried to remain calm. "What is it, Laura?"

Laura came up to her and began to brush off whatever was on her back and shoulders. "It looks almost like little wood slivers… and is that sap?" Dorcas closed her eyes and felt a blush creep up her cheeks.

"Oh, dear, I'm afraid I was resting under a tree for a bit today. I guess I shouldn't have leaned up against it." Dorcas was aghast at how quickly she could come up with such a fib.

"Well, I'm afraid the fabric might be ruined, Miss Lane. I don't know if you can get tree sap out." Laura shook her head with dismay.

"That's all right, Laura. It is just an old riding outfit." She hurried upstairs before Laura could see how discomposed she was. What if Laura suspected what had really happened?

When she came back down Laura was watching her so she pretended not to notice by busying herself with straightening the shelves and rearranging things.

Finally, Laura came up to her and said quietly, "Miss Lane, I just want to say how happy I am for you."

Dorcas tried to keep her voice light. "Whatever do you mean, Laura?"

"I'm talking about you and Sir Timothy, ma'am. Anyone with two eyes could see that you two are…"

Dorcas interrupted her more harshly than she intended. "Laura, I am not going to speak to you about my relationship with Sir Timothy. Whatever it is you think you see you are mistaken."

Laura suddenly felt an anger growing within her. "Why do you always do this, Miss Lane? Why do you shut people out who care about you—who are just trying to get to know you?"

"I do no such thing, Laura," Dorcas snapped at her.

"Yes, you do," Laura snapped back with her voice rising. "I have watched you, Miss Lane. I have watched you for years now. I saw the way you and Sir Timothy were around each other before he left. I saw how sad you were when you found out that Lady Adelaide was going to have a baby."

Dorcas turned around abruptly and started to walk away, but Laura followed right behind her.

"I saw how heartbroken you were when Sir Timothy came to say goodbye that night at Zillah's birthday party. You have hidden it really well, Miss Lane, but I could see the sadness in your eyes ever since he left Candleford. And now, for the first time, I see true happiness in your face now that he has come home. You cannot deny it." Laura found she was shaking and her voice was starting to quaver.

Dorcas whirled around to face her. She looked angry, but there was also fear in her eyes. "Laura, stop this right now."

"No, I won't, Miss Lane." Laura's eyes were filling with tears. "It hurt me to see you so sad before. It made me feel awful to see you hurting and not being able to do anything about it. I care about you and thought that we had become friends. I guess I was wrong about that, wasn't I? I am just another employee to you—not worth confiding in." She began to sob and Dorcas felt her anger dissipate as she realised how truly concerned Laura was for her. She felt awful for being so harsh with her before. She went to reach out to her but was interrupted by a customer coming in the door.

"Go upstairs, Laura. I will take care of this. We will be closing in a few minutes anyway."

Laura ran upstairs and, with a deep breath, Dorcas forced a smile and took care of the customer.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Laura said nothing and excused herself as quickly as she could and went upstairs to her room. Dorcas sat and thought about what Laura had said and knew she would have to decide what to do about the situation. She always knew Laura saw more than she let on and she was right about what she had seen. Dorcas could only blame herself for letting her feelings for Timothy be so obvious. Finally, she made up her mind and went upstairs to Laura's room.

"Laura, may I come in?" Dorcas asked as she found Laura still awake and sitting on the edge of her bed. Laura nodded.

Dorcas shut the door behind her and leaned against it for a moment. "Laura, I must apologise for speaking to you the way I did earlier today. You were right about everything you said before. I do tend to shut people out, but that has always been my nature. Sharing my true feelings has never been easy for me. You might say it is my one weakness." Laura managed a ghost of a smile at Dorcas's favourite saying, but still said nothing. Dorcas sighed and sat down next to her.

"You were right about Sir Timothy and me, Laura. Timothy and I have loved each other our entire lives. My whole world revolved around him. When he married Adelaide…" She hesitated a moment and shook her head sadly. "My world stopped turning for a long time. It was a long while before we were even friends again after that."

"Ma'am," Laura finally asked gently, "I don't understand. Why did Sir Timothy marry Lady Adelaide? Why didn't he marry you instead?"

"He did ask me to marry him, Laura, but I refused him."

Laura's eyes grew large. "But why, Miss Lane? If you loved him so much why wouldn't you marry him?"

Dorcas sighed again. "Because, I let my father convince me that a Midwinter could never marry a girl from the Post Office without bringing about his ruination."

"Oh, ma'am, I am so sorry—for both you and for Sir Timothy. He must have been devastated when you refused him."

"Laura, it was the worst day of my life." Dorcas looked down at her hands and Laura reached out and put her hand on her arm.

Laura thought for a moment then said, "Well, I understand things a lot better now. You know, the very first time I met Sir Timothy, the day I had to sign my declaration to the Post Office, I could tell that he was in love with you. I was wondering what was going on!"

Dorcas looked at her with surprise and Laura couldn't help but smile. "Oh, yes, he never stopped talking about you." Laura tried imitating Timothy's voice: "'Miss Lane is an excellent woman' and 'So kind to those she approves' etc, etc."

"Did he really?" Dorcas asked, beginning to smile.

"Yes, he did!" Laura nudged her and they both began to giggle.

"Now, what was going on with the tree that had to be cut down? I came upon Sir Timothy when he found out it had to be felled and he looked so devastated. Then, the way you both reacted when he told you about it…"

"Well, now, young lady," Dorcas said, pretending to sound severe, "there are some things that are going to remain just between Sir Timothy and me. Let's just say we spent a lot of time under that tree and leave it at that."

"Miss Lane!" Laura exclaimed, pretending to be shocked, and then they both began to giggle again.

Then Dorcas turned serious. "Laura, I'm going to confide something to you that you must keep to yourself. Can I trust you not to breathe a word of this to anyone—not even to your mother, and especially not to Minnie?"

"Of course, Miss Lane. I won't tell a soul, I promise," Laura said solemnly.

Dorcas took a deep breath, wondering if she was doing the right thing. "Sir Timothy has asked me to marry him again…and I have said yes."

Laura squealed and threw her arms around Dorcas.

"Oh, Miss Lane, I am so happy for you! You have been given a second chance at love!"

Dorcas hugged her back and they both ended up crying and laughing at the same time.

"Now, Laura," Dorcas said after they finally settled down, "it is not without complication which is why it is of vital importance that what I have said to you never leaves this room."

Laura nodded solemnly again.

Dorcas continued, "We have to wait a little while to announce our engagement due to it being so soon after Lady Adelaide's death."

"Of course, Miss Lane," Laura agreed.

"And another problem is the Post Office."

Laura gave her a puzzled look. "The Post Office, ma'am?"

"Yes, you see, I am able to run the Post Office because I am a single woman. Once I am married I will not be allowed to remain as Postmistress." She saw the look of horror on Laura's face and quickly explained, "Don't worry, we have a plan. Timothy knows that I promised to leave Sydney the Post Office one day, so he suggested that I sell him the Post Office before we are married so that we could legally keep it in the family until Sydney is of age."

"Oh, I see. That is an excellent plan, Miss Lane. I am so relieved you won't have to give it up."

Dorcas nodded. "Well, it is getting late and we must be getting our beauty sleep! Remember, Laura, not a word to anyone."

"You can count on me, ma'am…and, Miss Lane?" Dorcas stopped and looked back at her. "Thank you for confiding in me. It has helped me to understand you so much better—you have no idea how much that means to me."

Dorcas smiled warmly at her. "I'm glad. And, Laura, you are so much more to me than 'just another employee'. I do hope you know that."

Laura smiled happily and nodded whilst wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Good night, Laura."

"Good night, ma'am…..and congratulations!" she whispered loudly and they both giggled again.

CHAPTER 4

Five days passed and Dorcas saw neither hide nor hair of Timothy. She knew he was respecting her wishes not to come to the Post Office so often as to rouse the suspicion of the townspeople, so she wasn't really worried. But still, she missed him terribly and was wondering where he was and what he was doing on such a fine, autumn day as today. She glanced up at the clock and wondered what was keeping Laura. She should have returned from her afternoon rounds already. She hoped Daniel, the young man Laura was seeing, wasn't keeping her from her work as he sometimes did. She might have to have a word with Laura about that.

As it turned out, Laura was not dilly-dallying with Daniel. She had decided to take a different path from her usual route from the manor house and walk through the small woods on the edge of town to admire their autumn colours. She walked along glancing upward at the trees, admiring their beauty and breathing in deeply the crisp air and lovely scents of freshly harvested fields and the wood smoke that now began to hang in the air. She closed her eyes for a moment, relishing the atmosphere, when suddenly she nearly ran into Timothy.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I'm so sorry, Sir Timothy. I'm afraid I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Laura!" he greeted her with a surprised smile. "What brings you out here?"

"I was just taking a little detour on my way home. These trees are always so beautiful this time of year."

"Yes, indeed they are," he said, looking up into their branches appreciatively.

"We haven't seen you for awhile at the Post Office, Sir Timothy," Laura said to him slyly.

"Yes, it has been awhile, I suppose," he replied, trying to sound casual. "Actually, I was doing the same thing you were doing—going for a nice walk to admire the…um… trees."

"I think Miss Lane would enjoy the autumn colours too, don't you agree, Sir Timothy?" She looked up at him with innocent eyes. "She's been working so hard these past few days I think I'll try to persuade her to take a nice walk, too."

Timothy narrowed his eyes at her as he saw the way she was now grinning at him. "Laura, subtlety is definitely not one of your strengths!"

Laura couldn't help but laugh a little as she walked away. "Don't worry, Sir Timothy," she gave him an impish grin over her shoulder, "your secret is safe with me!"

He shook his head as she walked away and couldn't help but chuckle. He wasn't too worried, though. He knew he could trust her to be discreet.

"Laura, where have you been? I was getting worried!" Dorcas admonished her as she walked through the door.

"I'm sorry, Miss Lane. I took a different path home today to admire that patch of trees to the north of town," Laura replied.

"And what, may I ask, was so special about that patch of trees today?"

"Haven't you seen them, ma'am? They have finally turned to their autumn colours! They are so beautiful! I really think you should take a walk down there, too. You deserve to take a break."

"I can't right now, Laura, we have another hour until we close."

"Miss Lane, I can take care of the closing. I really think you should take a walk now to see the trees. I think you will find them very special, too." Laura gave her such a pointed look that Dorcas finally understood what she was getting at.

"Well, Laura, I think you are right—a break is exactly what I could use right now!" Dorcas's eyes began to glow as she came around to the front of the counter. Suddenly she was stopped by Minnie popping her head from 'round the kitchen.

"Oooh, I want to see the trees, too, Miss Lane! Can I come with you?"

Dorcas looked at Laura with panicked eyes, but quickly recovered herself. "Not this time, Minnie, I need you to stay here with Laura in case...in case she needs any help."

Minnie looked disappointed. "Yes, Miss Lane."

"Don't worry, Minnie," Laura said to her. "You and I will go together tomorrow! Maybe we can gather some leaves for a nice table arrangement." Dorcas gave Laura a grateful look as she steered Minnie back into the kitchen.

Dorcas took a moment to straighten her hair and smooth her dress before heading outside. She walked quickly with her head down hoping no one would stop her in the street. The grove of trees that Laura spoke of was nearly a quarter of a mile north of town so she quickened her pace, eager to make it to her destination. She felt her heart thumping in anticipation. It had been five days, after all!

When she finally did arrive she took in a deep breath. The leaves were indeed lovely. Fiery shades of red, orange and yellow, they almost looked like they could radiate heat. She walked amongst the grove in quiet reverence until someone grabbed her arm and pulled her under the cover of a large tree that had multitudes of low hanging branches.

"Timothy!" she gasped as he pulled her to him with a deep laugh. His hands went around her waist and pulled her tight against him. She shivered as she felt the heat of his body against hers and he kissed her so hard that all thoughts of leaves, trees, Post Offices and anything else flew out of her mind altogether.

She was left momentarily senseless when their lips finally parted and he pressed his forehead to hers.

"Mmm…I've missed you," he growled.

"I've missed you, too," she whispered back, feeling almost dizzy in his arms.

"We need to find better places to meet than under trees," he laughed, kissing the tip of her nose.

Dorcas smiled. "If it hadn't been for Laura I wouldn't have known you were here."

"Hmmm…yes, something tells me Laura knows more than she should about us, the little imp," Timothy said.

"Timothy, I had to tell Laura. She had already guessed what was happening. She doesn't miss a thing. I thought it best to explain it to her and she knows not to say a word about it to anyone. She has already been a great help-I'm here, aren't I?" She smiled up at him.

Timothy nodded. "Yes, Laura's a good girl and I am most grateful to her," he said softly as he began kissing her ear, and then the side of her face. "In fact, I think you should give her a raise." His mouth was now trailing kisses down her neck and into the hollow of her throat.

"Mmm…yes, I think you may be right," she whispered back as she wrapped her arms around his neck and wove her fingers through his hair.

Then, once again, all thought fled her mind until all that remained was the way his body felt against hers under the shadow of an autumn tree, with its crisp canopy of fire.

Laura tried hard not to smirk as Dorcas arrived back at the Post Office with her cheeks flushed and her eyes still glowing.

"Did you enjoy the trees, ma'am?" she asked innocently.

"Yes, Laura, thank you." Dorcas pretended not to notice the look on Laura's face and walked with as much dignity as she could back into the kitchen.

Laura had to put her hand over her mouth to stop from laughing as she saw a leaf stuck to the back of Dorcas's frock. She was happy for her, though, as she remembered how sad Miss Lane had been all those years Timothy was married to Lady Adelaide. To see her finally have the love that she had always wanted was a wonderful thing. But sometimes the urge to tease her was almost too hard to resist!

The following morning, Minnie was waiting patiently for Dorcas to finish a list for her to take to the grocer's when the Misses Pratt came into the Post Office.

"Good morning, Pearl, Ruby," Dorcas greeted them with a smile. "What can I do for you today?"

"Good morning, Dorcas. We just have this order to send out to London," Pearl replied, handing over a large envelope.

"Of course." Dorcas took the envelope and posted it. "That will be two pence, please."

Ruby handed her the coins and said, "Such a terrible tragedy about Lady Adelaide, was it not? I was quite beside myself with grief when I heard the news of her untimely death."

"Yes, it was indeed terrible, Ruby," Dorcas replied.

"But you, Miss Lane, must be very glad to have Sir Timothy back home again," Ruby said rather pointedly.

Dorcas gave her a dim smile. "It is always nice to see an old friend again."

"I suppose we'll be seeing a lot more of him at the Post Office now. I mean, he always did spend an inordinate amount of time here." Ruby realised by the sudden flash in Dorcas's eyes that she had overstepped her bounds and directed her flustered gaze to her sister, looking for support. But Pearl was studying Dorcas's face and paid no attention to Ruby.

Before Dorcas could form a reply, Minnie jumped in and said, "Oh, Sir Timothy's been here a few times already. He said he loved my pot roast and Yorkshire pudding," she added proudly.

"Oh, so he's been here for dinner already?" Pearl asked with a raised eyebrow.

Again, before Dorcas could reply, Minnie jumped in. "Once for dinner….oh, and once for lunch…and I think another time he…"

"Thank you, Minnie," Dorcas interrupted her through gritted teeth. "You had better hurry along to the grocer's now before the best vegetables are taken."

"Yes, Miss Lane." Minnie took the list and hurried out the door.

Dorcas faced the Pratts again with a weak smile. Both of them looked like the cat who ate the proverbial cream at Minnie's little tidbit of information. She felt the sudden urge to strangle Minnie.

Dorcas cleared her throat. "Yes, I thought it would be nice for Sir Timothy to be surrounded by friends during this sad time. You know how important friends can be when we are at our lowest point, am I right?" She directed this last part at Pearl who suddenly looked rather chagrined.

"Yes, a friend can make a world of difference," Pearl agreed. Ruby stared at her sister like she had suddenly sprouted wings. "Come along, Ruby. We have a mountain of work to do." Pearl steered Ruby towards the door.

"Good day, Dorcas," Pearl said, looking back at her.

"Good day, ladies," Dorcas replied.

She stood there a moment in wonderment at the change in Pearl over the last year. Ruby had been away for several months, hoping to find romance in Pontefract, leaving Pearl alone for the first time in her life. It was probably the best thing to happen to Pearl as it forced her to realise that she really had no friends outside of her sister. It was Dorcas who was the first one to reach out to her, and, to her surprise, Pearl took the proffered hand. She knew that deep down Pearl was a very lonely person who refused to trust anyone after being let down time and again by her own father. And whilst Dorcas was not yet at the point to trust Pearl completely with any real confidence of importance, such as her relationship with Timothy, they had reached a mutual understanding of good will and friendship which Dorcas hoped to continue nurturing. How long those tenuous ties of friendship would last now that Ruby was back, she did not know. But she had faith that if the need ever arose, Pearl would rise to the occasion.

No sooner had the Misses Pratt left the Post Office when Emma Timmins stepped through the door.

"Emma!" Dorcas greeted her cousin warmly, "how nice to see you!"

"Hello, Dorcas," Emma replied with a smile.

"I hope all is well with you and yours?" Dorcas asked.

"Yes, very well, thank you."

"I'm sorry, you just missed Laura. She has already left on her rounds."

"Well, actually, Dorcas, I came to see you. I had hoped we could have a little chat. It has been a while."

"Oh, how nice! Come into the kitchen and I'll make us some tea."

Emma followed behind and watched as Dorcas put the kettle on and placed some freshly baked scones on a plate. She cleared her throat. "To be honest, Dorcas, I came to see how you were doing."

"How I am doing?" Dorcas asked with a puzzled look as she sat down across from Emma.

"Yes. Ever since I heard about Lady Adelaide's passing and Sir Timothy coming home I have been thinking about you."

Dorcas's face suddenly became guarded. "And why would that make you think of me?"

Emma leaned forward and covered Dorcas's hand with her own. "Dorcas, it is me you are talking to, remember? I was the one you used to run to in the past when things went wrong between you two—before Timothy married. I know what he has always meant to you."

Dorcas looked down at her hands and said quietly, "Yes, but that was a very long time ago."

Emma shook her head. "It wasn't so long ago when I watched you two at Zillah's last birthday party. I could see the pain in your eyes when he said goodbye—and in his. Now that he is no longer married…."

"Oh, Emma," Dorcas exclaimed, "are Timothy and I under everyone's scrutiny now?"

"No, of course not!" Emma tried to reassure her. "But you have to admit you two never did try to hide your friendship. You used to accompany him to all kinds of functions and go riding with him even when he was married to Lady Adelaide. I think a lot of people wondered why he didn't marry you instead."

Emma was silent for a moment as she studied Dorcas, who had gone very quiet.

"You're still in love with him, aren't you?" Emma asked gently. She watched for any evidence to be revealed in Dorcas's face, but Dorcas had become very good at hiding her true feelings from everyone through the years.

"Emma, please," Dorcas finally said, "I really don't want to discuss this right now. I'm sorry. I do appreciate your concern, but I promise you I am quite all right."

The kettle began to whistle and Dorcas was grateful to have a reason to get up and turn away from Emma's perceptive gaze. She suddenly felt quite flustered. It was one thing to let Laura in on the secret—it couldn't be helped. Besides, she had some control over Laura. But for Emma to know this soon what was happening between her and Timothy, it just seemed dangerously reckless. It came down to trust. Could she trust Emma? Then she felt ashamed of herself for even asking such a question. Of course she could trust her. Emma had never once betrayed her secrets before. She had always been a true friend to her.

"I'm sorry, Dorcas. I didn't mean to pry into your personal affairs. I was just worried, that's all. I won't press the matter any further, I promise. I just hope I haven't offended you."

Dorcas sighed in defeat. "No, of course you haven't offended me. And the answer to your question is yes."

"What?" Emma looked up with surprise.

"Yes, I am still in love with Timothy." Dorcas had turned to her with an almost defiant look in her eyes as though bracing for disapproval, but instead Emma's face broke into a big smile and she sprang up to give Dorcas a hug.

"I knew it!" she said, laughing. "Have you spoken to him yet? Does he feel the same way?"

Dorcas's face had flushed bright red as she nodded and said, "Yes, we've seen each other and yes, he feels the same way."

Emma squealed just as Laura had and hugged her again.

"Emma," Dorcas said seriously, "things are really complicated right now. Our reputations are at stake with it being so soon after Adelaide's death. Please don't breathe a word of this to anyone. I am counting on you to keep this to yourself. There is so much at stake for all of us right now. Please promise me not to speak of it to anyone!"

"Oh, Dorcas, of course I won't. All I want is to see you happy and I would never do anything to jeopardise that. I am so happy for you and Timothy. It's not often that we get a second chance at love, you know."

"I know. I keep expecting to wake up and find it was all just a dream!" They laughed together with tears in their eyes.

"Oh, Emma, I have loved him for so long. I never thought such happiness would ever be mine again."

Emma took Dorcas's face in her hands. "Well, it just goes to show us that we must never lose faith in our love. We must never, ever give up on it. True love will always find its way back to us."

Dorcas hugged her cousin tightly. "And it has," she whispered softly.

CHAPTER 5

Several more days had passed since Dorcas had last seen Timothy. She was beginning to regret asking him not to come to the Post Office so often. The longer he was away the more she craved him—emotionally and physically. She was growing restless and had just decided to go to the manor to see him when Laura came in from her rounds with a secretive smile on her face.

"I have a special delivery for you, Miss Lane," she said as she handed Dorcas a small envelope.

"Oh, thank you, Laura. If you will excuse me, I will just take this into my private chamber to read."

"Of course, ma'am." Laura did her best not to smirk.

Once Dorcas was alone she eagerly opened the envelope and found that Timothy had sent her a little riddle within a poem:

A cottage stands upon the land,
East of House it is not manned,
It hides beneath a willow fair,
A desperate heart awaits you there.
A private place, no one will see
This Sunday noon
Please come to me.

Dorcas smiled as she read the poem again. She knew exactly the 'cottage' he spoke of. She shivered with delight at the thought of meeting him at such a private place where nobody would know. Tomorrow was Sunday. It seemed an eternity away!

After church the following morning, Dorcas hurried home to change into her riding clothes. Minnie and Sydney had to run to keep up with her. "Ma'am," Minnie said, trying to catch her breath, "what's the hurry? You'd think the hounds were after you!"

"I'm sorry, Minnie, I have a lot of errands to run today and I just want to get home and change my clothes so I can get started. Oh, and Minnie, I won't be home for lunch so it will just be you and Little Man. Laura is going home to Lark Rise today."

"All right, Miss Lane," Minnie replied.

After changing her clothes, Dorcas glanced at the clock and saw it was nearly noon. She rushed downstairs with her heart thumping in anticipation of seeing Timothy again. Stopping briefly at the mirror to adjust her hat, she took her gloves in hand then hurried out the door, only to be startled by a man standing just outside of it with his back to her, surveying the town before him. Hearing the door open, the man turned around and Dorcas gasped in shock, dropping her gloves.

"James!" she exclaimed.

"Hello, Dorcas," he said. "I've come to get my son."

Dorcas felt his words like a blow. "What do you mean you've come to get your son?"

"Just what I said; it is time I was a proper father to the boy. He is my only family and I want him in my life."

"But we agreed that what was best for Sydney was for him to remain here with me!" Dorcas felt her stomach twist into a knot with the sudden fear of losing her son.

"I know, Dorcas, but things have changed for me now. I am settled in Manchester. I now own a thriving cotton mill and am doing quite well for myself. I can give Sydney a good life now, I promise you."

"No." Dorcas backed away from him, shaking her head. "I won't let you take Sydney away from me. He is my son now! He is happy here! If you take him away now it will destroy all the progress he's made here!"

"I'm sorry, Dorcas, I know you're fond of the boy, but he is my flesh and blood. He belongs with his real family. You have been so wonderful taking him in the way you have. I don't know how I will ever repay you."

"Please, James, don't do this. Think of what is best for Sydney, I beg you."

James cocked his head to one side, studying her. "What is best for Sydney? Or what is best for you, Dorcas?"

"How dare you!" Dorcas felt anger rising within her. "I love that boy as though he were my own flesh and blood. And he loves me as his mother! Where have you been all this time? Where were you when he nearly died of measles last year? Where were you when he would wake up in the night with another one of his nightmares? Not a word, James, not one word from you since you left."

James looked down and nodded his head. "You're right; I haven't been there for him. That is why I am here now, Dorcas. I want a chance to be a real father to my son. I owe him that and I owe myself that chance. I want to be there for him from here on out. This past year I've spent working hard to make something of myself so I could give my son a proper home of his own. And I…I have a wife now, too, Dorcas. She is wonderful! She will make an excellent mother for Sydney. I want us to be a family."

Suddenly, the door opened and Sydney came outside. "Ma, what's going on? Are you all right?" He stopped short when he saw James.

"Aren't you going to say hello to your pa, Sydney?" James smiled down at him.

Sydney just stared at him.

"Look at you, I'll bet you've grown a foot since I last saw you!" James walked up to Sydney and placed his hand on the boy's head. "It is good to see you, son."

Sydney pulled away from James and moved to Dorcas's side. "Ma, what is he doing here?"

Dorcas put her arm around him. "Say hello to your father, Sydney. He has come to see you."

"Hello, Pa," he said unenthusiastically.

"Sydney, will you take a walk with me? I would like to talk to you," James said to him.

Sydney looked up at Dorcas. He could see she was struggling not to cry and it frightened him.

"It's all right, Little Man." She nodded to him, trying to brave a smile. "Go with your father."

"Thank you, Dorcas," James said to her.

As they walked away Dorcas ran back into the house and began to sob, causing Minnie to come rushing out of the kitchen with alarm.

"Miss Lane, what's wrong? I thought you had errands to run!" she asked, her eyes wide with concern.

"Oh, Minnie! James Dowland is back and he wants to take Sydney away from us!" she cried.

"Oh, no!" Minnie gasped. "He can't take our Little Man! You have to do something, Miss Lane!"

"That's just it. I don't know if I can do anything about it. James is his father."

"But you have to do something about it!" Minnie was getting hysterical. "He's ours! He belongs here with us! He'll die if he has to leave the Post Office!"

They were both sobbing now and Minnie threw herself into Dorcas's arms where they held on to each other and cried at the thought of losing their Little Man.

Dorcas pulled away from Minnie. "Minnie, we have to get a hold of ourselves. I have a feeling Sydney is going to be running in here any minute and he mustn't see us like this—it will only upset him more."

"I don't know if I can help it, ma'am. It's all so distressifying!" Minnie sniffed loudly.

"Then maybe it's best if you go upstairs for awhile until everything calms down."

"Y-yes," Minnie hiccupped and ran upstairs, wiping her eyes with her apron as she went.

"And, Minnie," Dorcas called after her, "you will not help Sydney run away this time, do you understand?"

Minnie frowned, but nodded reluctantly.

Dorcas went into the kitchen and splashed water on her face and held a cool wash cloth to her eyes, hoping to erase any trace of tears so Sydney wouldn't see she had been crying. Moments later, as expected, he burst through the door.

"Ma! Ma! Please don't let him take me away! Please!" He was crying and threw himself into her arms, holding tightly to her. James followed shortly after him looking pale and running his hand through his hair.

"Shhh…Sydney. Don't cry, darling, we'll figure this out."

"But he says I have to live with him now. In Manchester! I don't even know where Manchester is! I don't want to live anywhere but here, Ma!"

"I know, Sydney. Go upstairs now, darling, so I can speak to your father, all right?"

Sydney nodded and wiped his tears with his sleeve. He wouldn't even look at James who stood there twisting his hat in his hands and looking down at his shoes.

When Sydney was out of earshot, Dorcas turned to James. "How can you do this to him? You can see how upset he is!"

"Dorcas, I am sorry to upset him, but he is young, he will get over it in time. If I don't take him now I will never have another chance with him. I promise you I will take excellent care of him and he will get used to his new home."

Dorcas shook her head. "You don't understand him at all. This is his home. All he wants is to grow up and take over this Post Office someday—and I have promised it to him. To take him away from this life would be too cruel!"

James's face turned stony. "Dorcas, Sydney is my son and I mean to take him home with me. My wife and I hope to have children soon and I want Sydney to know his brothers and sisters, and they him. Now, I am very sorry, but if I have to I will secure legal means to take him away from you. I hope we can avoid that." His voice softened as he saw the terrible hurt in her eyes. "Please, Dorcas, please help me convince him to at least give this a try. You are the only one he will listen to. And it's not like you will never see him again. You can come to visit him and I will see to it that he visits here during his summer break from school."

Dorcas had to sit down before her legs gave way. This had to be a nightmare. She knew deep down that if James meant to take Sydney there was nothing she could do about it.

"Look," James continued, "I will be staying at the hotel for a few days to wrap up my business there. That will give both you and Sydney time to adjust to this and maybe you can talk to him and help him understand. But we must leave by Wednesday."

Dorcas remained silent.

"Well, I will leave you to think about this for now." James put his hat back on, and with one last glance at Dorcas, went out the door.

Laura came home late that afternoon to find a very glum looking Minnie in the kitchen.

"Goodness, Minnie, why the long face?" Laura asked her.

"Oh, Laura, it's Little Man! Mr J.D. has come here to take him away from us!" Minnie said tearfully.

"What? Why?" Laura was stunned.

"I don't know, but he means to take him away on Wednesday."

"Wednesday? Where is Miss Lane?"

"She's upstairs talking with Sydney now."

Minnie and Laura sat down at the table and waited for Dorcas, who came down a few minutes later looking pale and drawn.

"Oh, Laura, I'm so glad you're home," Dorcas said to her. "I suppose you've heard what's happened today."

"Yes, ma'am. Oh, ma'am, how can Mr Dowland just take Sydney away from us? Isn't there anything we can do?"

"If only there was something we could do. Sydney is so upset!" Dorcas shook her head.

Minnie then excused herself to go upstairs to keep Sydney company.

Laura thought for a moment. "Miss Lane, maybe Sir Timothy would be able to help us. He was a magistrate, after all. He might know of some legal way to keep Sydney here where he wants to be."

Dorcas suddenly looked stricken. "Oh, my God! Sir Timothy! Oh, no!"

"Miss Lane, what's wrong?" Laura asked with alarm.

"Oh, Laura, I was supposed to meet Sir Timothy at noon today. Oh, what he must be thinking right now!" Dorcas wrung her hands together and felt tears stinging her eyes again.

"Don't worry, Miss Lane, he'll understand once he's heard what's happened. Do you want me to go and tell him?"

"No, thank you, Laura; I'd better go speak to him myself." Dorcas got up to go, but before she could a knock came at the door.

Laura sprang up and opened the door to find Timothy standing there with little Abby in hand. "Sir Timothy!"

Timothy looked solemn. "Hello, Laura, is Miss Lane here?"

"Yes, please come in."

"Oh, Timothy," Dorcas said as she met him at the door. "I am so sorry about today. The most awful thing has happened."

"My God, Dorcas, what is wrong? Are you all right?" He took her by the shoulders, looking at her with concern.

Laura took this moment to take Abby by the hand and take her upstairs to see Sydney. Maybe it would cheer him up to see the little girl again and Miss Lane and Sir Timothy could have their privacy.

Dorcas began to cry, much to Timothy's alarm. "It's Sydney, Timothy. His father came here this morning to take him away from us. He wants him to live with him in Manchester now."

"Oh, Dorcas, I am so sorry." He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Not unless you know of some legal way we can keep Sydney here with us. He is so upset about having to leave the Post Office. This is his home!"

"When does he mean to take the boy?" Timothy asked.

"Wednesday morning. He's staying at the hotel until then to take care of business."

Timothy suddenly looked determined. "First thing tomorrow morning I will go into Oxford and speak to the judge there and see if he can help us secure some sort of legal means of keeping the boy here. Sydney's wishes should be taken into account in this matter."

"Thank you, Timothy," Dorcas said to him tearfully. "And I am so sorry that I kept you waiting today. It was supposed to be such a happy day… and now this."

"Shhhh, don't you worry about that, darling. We will get this all straightened out soon." He kissed her forehead and held her tighter. "When you didn't come today I figured either something had happened or my poem wasn't clear enough." He gave a little chuckle. "I'm not very good at that sort of thing."

Dorcas couldn't help but look up at him and smile. "Your poem was beautiful, Timothy. I understood it perfectly."

Abby was a good distraction for Sydney. She had brought the little red ball with her that he had given to her and she made him get down on the floor to play with her. Laura and Minnie soon joined them and even Sydney couldn't help but smile when Abby laughed with delight.

The next day was Monday and Dorcas waited restlessly all day for Timothy's return from Oxford. The minute she saw him she knew the news wasn't good.

"Dorcas," he said, taking her hands in his, "I am so sorry, but I am afraid there is nothing we can do to stop Dowland from taking his son away. The law is very clear on this matter: 'No parent is allowed to relinquish rights and responsibilities for a child nor can another adult assume them.'"

Dorcas sat down in defeat. "Well, I guess that's that, then."

"Would you like me to try and reason with Dowland for you?" Timothy asked gently.

"No, thank you, Timothy; I know Mr Dowland—if another man tried to tell him what to do it would only make him dig his heels in deeper."

"I see," Timothy replied.

"No, I will just have to hope that James will see how unhappy Sydney is and will change his mind."

"Is that likely to happen?"

"I don't know. I don't think so—he believes Sydney will come around in time."

Timothy reached out and squeezed her hand. "Let's not give up hope just yet, shall we? Things always have a way of working out." He gave her a little wink and she smiled gratefully back at him. But in her heart she knew she had lost her son.

Wednesday morning, Dorcas took Sydney's hand and walked him out to the carriage where James was waiting. Timothy was there with Abby; and Thomas, Minnie and Laura followed behind with solemn faces. Even Pearl and Ruby Pratt were there after they heard the news.

"I'll give you a few moments to say your goodbyes, Sydney, and then I'm afraid we must go if we're to make the train in time," James said to his son.

Sydney sniffed loudly and Dorcas tightened her arm around him. Thomas came up first and handed Sydney a book. "Here, lad, I want you to have my Bible. The Lord's word will always bring you comfort in your time of need. Read it every night and you will see." He gave the boy a little wink.

Sydney took the Bible. "Thank you, Mr Brown."

Thomas couldn't help but give a little sniff. "I'll miss you, boy."

Next, Laura came up and tried to smile for him. "I expect you to come back, Little Man, when you're all grown up so you can be my boss here at the Post Office! We'll be waiting for you." He smiled at her and she gave him a big hug, trying to keep the tears from running down her cheeks.

Pearl and Ruby then stood before him. Pearl gently took his chin in her hand and said, "At least you have a father who loves you enough to want to be with you. Not all of us were so lucky." Ruby nodded in agreement.

Abby looked up at her father. "Papa, where is Siddy going?"

"I'm afraid Sydney has to go away, darling. He is going to live with his papa now," Timothy said to her as he squeezed her hand.

"But I don't want Siddy to go 'way!"

"I know, I'm sorry, Abigail. Can you be a big girl for Sydney and say goodbye?" Abby just shook her head sadly and buried her face in his leg.

Then Minnie came up and handed Sydney something wrapped in a little cloth. "Here, Little Man, some sausages to gird you on your trip." Then she burst into tears and hugged him until he could barely breathe.

"Th-thank you, Minnie," he managed to say.

Sydney turned to Timothy and Abby. Timothy shook Sydney's hand then gave his shoulder a squeeze. "I'm sorry, Sydney. I wish we could keep you here with us. I think someone is going to miss you very much indeed." He looked down at Abby who refused to look at Sydney. Sydney knelt down in front of the little girl and said, "I'll miss you, too, Abby. I wish I could stay and play with you." He patted her on the head then slowly got up and went back to where Dorcas was waiting.

Dorcas walked him a few steps away from everyone and knelt down before him. "Sydney, you know I will always be right here whenever you need me. You will always be my son, my Little Man; you know that, don't you? I love you so much! And one day this Post Office will be yours forever, I promise you."

"I love you too, Ma." Sydney began to cry and Dorcas couldn't keep her tears at bay any longer, either. They just held on to each other as long as they could until James, clearing his throat, announced that it was time to go.

James nodded to Dorcas and followed Sydney into the carriage. As the carriage went on its way, they all stood and waved as Sydney looked back at them. Finally, Sydney turned away and slumped sadly against the side of the carriage. James reached out and placed his hand on Sydney's head. "I'm sorry, son, I know this is terribly hard for you, but I promise you it will get easier with time." Sydney just stared straight ahead and said nothing.

When the carriage was halfway down the road, Abby suddenly broke away from her father and started running after it crying, "Siddy! Siddy!" Her sturdy little legs pumped as fast as they could as she tried to catch up to it. "Siddy!" she continued to scream.

Sydney and James heard her screams and turned to look out the window.

Finally, she could run no more and collapsed on the ground crying as Timothy caught up to her and picked her up. Sydney turned away and began to cry in earnest and James was helpless to comfort him. They went on a little ways longer until, reaching the edge of town, James hit his fist against the side of the carriage exclaiming, "Damn! Damn!"

Sydney looked warily at him. James then yelled, "Stop the carriage!"

Turning to Sydney in agitation he said, "Sydney, one month a year. Just one month a year you must promise to come stay with me. No fuss, no fighting over it, one month. That is all I ask."

Sydney suddenly looked hopefully at his father. "Do you mean…?"

"Yes, yes, you can stay at your blasted Post Office." He looked sideways at Sydney then began to smile in spite of himself. "Son, I only want to be a part of your life. All I ask is that every year I get to see you for a month and then you can stay with Miss Lane the rest of the year. Is it a deal?"

"Yes! Oh, yes, Pa, it's a deal! I promise!" His face was now joyous and he went to climb out of the carriage.

"Sydney," James stopped him, "can I at least get a hug from my son?"

This time Sydney did not hesitate. He threw himself at his father and hugged him. "Oh, thank you, Pa, thank you!"

"All right, be off with you then." He ruffled Sydney's hair then handed him his little suitcase.

"I don't suppose you want me to run you back there, do you?" he asked.

"No, sir, I'll walk back so you won't be late for the train."

"Well, then, goodbye son. I'll see you next summer after school is over, all right?"

"All right, Pa, goodbye!"

Sydney couldn't get out of the carriage fast enough. He suddenly felt light as air, and clutching his suitcase in his hand he ran as fast as he could back to Candleford.

It was Minnie who spotted him first. "Miss Lane! Laura!" she cried. "It's Little Man!"

"What?" Dorcas exclaimed as she came back outside. "Oh, dear, has he run away already?"

"Ma! Ma!" She could hear him crying as they all ran out to meet him.

"Sydney! Why aren't you on the carriage with your pa?" Dorcas asked him breathlessly.

"He changed his mind, Ma! He said I could stay as long as I visited him one month out of the year!"

Dorcas began to laugh and hugged him tight to her.

"Looks like the Lord heard our prayers after all!" Thomas beamed at everyone as they gathered around the boy.

"What made him change his mind, Sydney?" Dorcas asked.

Sydney looked around until he saw Timothy come out of the Post Office with a tear-stained and scrape-kneed Abby whose face lit up when she saw him. "I think it was Abby running after us that finally made him change his mind," he said. Then he ran over to Abby and picked her up and swung her around until she squealed with delight. "Thank you, Abby," he said and gave her a hug.

"Well, this calls for a celebration!" Dorcas said. "Minnie, let's make a feast for dinner!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Minnie said happily. Then they all laughed and went back into Sydney's beloved Post Office.

Dinner had been a jolly affair. After Timothy took Abby home for her nap, he came back to join the festivities that included Thomas and Margaret as well as Ruby and Pearl Pratt. Dorcas had never seen Sydney look so happy as everyone toasted his triumphant return. Finally, after all the dessert had been eaten, their guests went back home and Minnie and Laura finished the washing up before heading upstairs. Timothy waited whilst Dorcas sat with Sydney for awhile before tucking him into bed.

"How is he?" Timothy whispered as Dorcas came downstairs.

"Sound asleep at last," Dorcas whispered back.

"Poor little fellow. He's had quite an emotional few days, hasn't he?" Timothy said.

"As have we all!" Dorcas exclaimed with a sigh as she sat down in her parlour chair and closed her eyes. She looked exhausted.

"Well, I should go and let you get some rest," Timothy said, but he looked like that was the last thing he wanted to do.

Dorcas reached out and took his hand. "No, don't go. Not yet." She opened her eyes and smiled up at him as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I'm sure the Misses Pratt are glued to their window watching to see how late I stay."

Dorcas rolled her eyes. "I have no doubt. They were watching us like hawks all through dinner."

Timothy chuckled. "I wonder what they would have done if I had done this?" He leaned down and kissed her soundly on the lips. He could feel her smile against his mouth.

"I am sure they would have both fainted dead away!" Dorcas laughed.

Timothy then pulled her to her feet. "Come on," he said.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Come with me, I want to show you something." He led her to the door that led to the back of the house, away from the prying eyes of the Pratts, and took her outside. Dorcas gasped as she saw the brilliant orange ball of the full autumn moon rising over the horizon. It looked impossibly huge, bathing the land before it in its soft glow.

"Oh, it's beautiful, Timothy! How did you know?" Dorcas exclaimed.

"I had it ordered special just for you, darling," he said as he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Mmm...I see. And what other miracles are you capable of, Midwinter?" she asked teasingly.

"Oh, all kinds; you'll just have to wait and see," he said as he tightened his arms around her. She leaned back against him, gratefully enjoying the warmth of his body in the chilled night air.

They stood there a long time, watching the moon gently rise until it lost its orange glow and grew smaller in the sky.

"Timothy," Dorcas finally said, breaking the silence.

"Hmmm?" he murmured in reply.

"I've been thinking about something. I was wondering where we are going to live after we are married? Are you going to want to stay at the manor?"

Timothy turned her around to face him. "Where do you think I want to live?"

Dorcas searched his faced. "Certainly you don't want to live here, do you?" she asked dubiously. "What would people think of a man of your background living at the Post Office?"

His face was serious now. "I cannot think of any other place in the world that I would rather live than here with you at this Post Office. You know what it has always meant to me. It was practically my second home when we were growing up. You were here. You are what it has always meant to me."

"Are you sure, Timothy? You're not just saying that because you think I won't want to leave this place?"

"Dorcas," he said, looking directly into her eyes, "I have lived my whole life worrying about what other people might think, always doing what people expected me to do. All it did was make me unhappy. If there is one thing I have learnt these past few years it is that life is too short. I plan to spend the rest of mine doing what I want to do for once. Doing what makes me happy. And what would make me the happiest man alive is to be able to live right here, in this wonderful little Post Office, with you."

Dorcas wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. "First you give me the moon, and now this."

Timothy smiled. "And that is just the beginning."

CHAPTER 6

With Thomas and Laura out on their rounds and Sydney at school, Dorcas was finally alone in the Post Office and had time to reflect on the events of the past few days. She shuddered as she thought of how close she came to losing her son. After Timothy left Candleford for London, she was left with a void so great in her heart that she thought she would never know real happiness ever again. Having a child come into her life at that point was like a miracle. It was a different kind of love that helped fill that horrible emptiness inside of her. The ache for Timothy never quite went away, though. Seeing James again made her realise how close she had come to making the mistake of marrying him. It would have been for all the wrong reasons—a desperate attempt to find a replacement—and no one could ever replace Timothy in her heart.

Thinking of Timothy, she suddenly remembered his riddle about the cottage where they were supposed to meet the Sunday James arrived so unexpectedly. She began to smile as she imagined what that meeting would have been like. It was time to find out. Taking out a piece of paper, she began to write a little poem of her own:

Our secret cottage still awaits,
Is your heart still desperate for me?
Meet me there at eight o'clock,
And my love for you you'll see.
I cannot wait to see your face,
Feel your touch, your sweet embrace.
So don't be late, my Timothy,
My heart is desperate too, you see.

She added just the slightest hint of perfume to the paper, then placed the note in an envelope and sealed it. She would have Laura deliver it on her next round to the manor. Then she waited and tried not to watch the clock, hoping the day would speed by quickly.

Laura arrived for lunch with cheeks pink from the brisk air and her hair all blowsy. The wind was beginning to pick up and Dorcas wondered if a storm was coming.

"Laura, would you please see that Sir Timothy gets this message when you go to the manor today?" Dorcas asked.

"Of course, ma'am," Laura replied. Then she brought the envelope to her nose with a sly smile. "Is that perfume I smell, Miss Lane?" she asked teasingly.

"Laura…" Dorcas said warningly.

Laura just giggled and went into the kitchen. Dorcas suddenly felt rather foolish. She was behaving like a girl of sixteen! No wonder Laura found it so amusing.

After lunch, Laura left on her afternoon rounds and Dorcas felt a little twinge of excitement knowing her note was on its way to Timothy. She glanced again at the clock and sighed. So much longer to wait!

Laura was relieved to happen upon Sir Timothy as he was coming out the door. She was never comfortable delivering the Squire's private post to Sir Timothy's brother, Sir James. He wasn't unpleasant, just not open and friendly the way Sir Timothy always was. He never even bothered to learn her name, just addressed her as, "You, girl!" whenever he had mail for her. Laura wished Sir Timothy would take back his position as Squire for Sir James showed no interest in the townspeople or their problems the way his elder brother had. It just wasn't the same anymore. She wasn't the only one who felt that way. Sir Timothy had been an exceptional Squire and was greatly missed by all.

"Hello, Laura," Timothy greeted her.

"Hello, Sir Timothy. I'm glad you're here, I have a special delivery for you." She gave him Dorcas's note and couldn't help but smile as she saw how his eyes lit up when he saw Dorcas's handwriting on the envelope.

"Thank you, Laura." He looked exceptionally pleased. "Would you wait for a moment whilst I read this? I may need to send a reply back. Oh, and I will take the packet to my brother for you."

"Thank you, Sir Timothy. And of course I'll wait."

Timothy quickly made his way to his desk and eagerly read the note. He smiled as he read her poem and felt a little jolt of excitement at the thought of being alone with her at the cottage that night. The hint of perfume made its way to him and he brought the paper to his nose, breathing in deeply the scent of her. Then he remembered Laura was waiting so he quickly took out a piece of paper and wrote his reply.

Laura was waiting patiently for him and he could see she was trying hard not to smirk as he gave her the return note. "Please give this to Miss Lane, Laura," he said with as much dignity as he could muster.

"I would be happy to, Sir Timothy." She took the note without being able to contain her smirk any longer and said goodbye to him.

Timothy rolled his eyes. "Goodbye, Laura."

Laura was enjoying her role as messenger between Miss Lane and Sir Timothy. She couldn't wait to get home to give Miss Lane his note. She was dying to know what was in those notes—her young, romantic mind imagined them filled with all kinds of passion. She would have lots to write about in her journal tonight!

She finally finished her rounds and made her way back to the Post Office where she caught a glimpse of Dorcas looking out the window as though she were watching for her. Then Dorcas quickly ducked out of sight and was behind the counter looking quite nonchalant as Laura came in. Laura pretended not to have noticed her in the window. She knew Dorcas was hoping for a reply from Timothy so she deliberately took her time putting down her bag and adjusting her hair until she could see Dorcas growing impatient and finally ask her if she had anything for her.

Laura pretended to think for a moment then slowly drew out Timothy's envelope and said, "Oh, do you mean this?"

Dorcas rolled her eyes and shook her head at Laura. "Really, Laura, and I thought I was bad at your age!" But her eyes twinkled as she took the note from Laura's hand and quickly made her way to her private chamber.

Her hands trembled with anticipation as she opened his note. Her heart swelled as she read his words:

My heart is always desperate for you.
I crave you every moment of every day.
I won't be late.

Dorcas tried not to hurry everyone through dinner that night. She tried to remain calm and collected so no one would suspect anything. Finally, when Minnie and Sydney said good night and went up to their rooms, Dorcas pulled Laura aside and whispered, "Laura, I have to go out tonight. Would you keep an eye on Sydney for me? I shouldn't be out too late, but you needn't wait up for me."

Laura nodded her understanding. "Don't worry about a thing, Miss Lane."

"Thank you, Laura," Dorcas replied.

Before she went upstairs, Laura turned to Dorcas and whispered, "Give Sir Timothy my regards!"

Dorcas's eyes widened, but before she could protest Laura gave her a wink and ran upstairs.

With eight o'clock fast approaching, Dorcas ran up to her room and changed her clothes as quickly as she could. She chose a new riding frock with a wider skirt to wear. She had decided earlier that if she was going to be galloping across the countryside in the dark on a possibly stormy night, she was not going to be hampered by that ridiculous sidesaddle. No, she would be riding astride tonight. No one would be around to see her anyway. The wider skirt would allow her to do so, just as it had when she was a child racing around the countryside with Timothy.

Very quietly, she made her way to the stable behind the house and saddled her horse. She walked him slowly past the neighbours' houses so no one would hear or see her leaving at such an hour. She glanced at the Pratts' shop out of habit and was assured there was no one peering out of the window.

Finally, she mounted her horse and urged him on as quickly as she could.

The night was inky black already. Clouds had moved in and blotted out the moon and the stars, and the wind had a bite to it that made her eyes water and tugged her hair out of its holdings until it was blowing in long, curly streams behind her. The air smelled of rain and before long she could feel a mist hitting her face. It felt glorious riding out into the night as fast as she could. She felt like whooping and laughing as she flew across the countryside.

The cottage Timothy alluded to stood in a fallow field east of the manor. It was indeed sheltered by a willow tree and as Dorcas approached she could make out a faint glow emanating from its windows. A small stable stood next to the cottage and as she took her horse to it she saw Timothy's own beautiful stallion already there. It nickered softly to Dorcas's horse and she left them to keep each other company.

Her heart began to beat faster and she felt a delicious sense of wickedness at meeting Timothy like this. She wasn't Dorcas the responsible Postmistress, mother and employer tonight. No, tonight she was again the young woman she once was, desperately in love with her young Squire. It was as though no time had passed, all heartache and grim realities just a distant memory. There was only one thing she wanted and needed right now and it waited for her inside.

Something blew by her shoe and looking down she saw it was a red rose petal. She could now see a trail of them leading up to the door. She smiled as she opened the door and saw more of them on the floor pointing her in the direction of the back room. The cottage was softly lit by candles placed all about, flickering now in the breeze brought in by the open door, and a roaring fire crackled in the fireplace that was set between both rooms. She took off her cloak and gloves and laid them across the back of a chair and followed the rose petals.

Timothy was waiting for her. He was leaning back in the biggest bathtub she had ever seen. Hundreds of rose petals floated on top of the steaming water and he held a glass of champagne in one of his hands. When Dorcas came into the room he could feel his heart stop and his breath catch in his throat. He felt a thrill run through him so great he nearly gasped. She looked incredibly beautiful standing there watching him, lit only by the soft candlelight and the glow from the fireplace. Her dark hair cascaded down in the long, thick curls that he remembered from their youth. Her beautiful eyes flashed as they took him in, but she said not a word. Then she slowly approached him, and without ever taking her eyes off his, slowly began to undress.

Timothy watched her silently as he held his breath, the glass in his hand now forgotten. His eyes took in every inch of her as she stood before him. Then she stepped into the bath and sank down, moving forward across his body, her eyes still never leaving his. She took the glass out of his hand and drank down its contents before placing it aside. All this time, Timothy still hadn't moved. It was as though he were mesmerised. Every nerve ending in his body was aware of her, though, waiting for whatever she would do next. He groaned as she moved against him. Knowing the effect she was having on him she gave him a wry little smile before taking his face in her hands and kissing him nearly senseless. He could stay still no longer. His hands moved over her body, taking in every curve, every crevice, every rise and fall before moving up to that glorious hair, tangling his fingers within its curls. They became one then, riding wave after wave of perfect ecstasy until at last, they both cried out and collapsed against each other. She then turned and leaned back against his chest. She could feel how fast his heart was beating as they both tried to catch their breath. His arms went around her and he buried his face in her hair, breathing in her scent, whilst he waited for his heart to still.

They stayed like that until the water grew cool, listening to the nearing rumble of thunder and the gentle sound of rain now coming down on the roof. Timothy stood up and helped her out of the water. He took a thick towel that had been warming near the fire and rubbed her dry before drying himself. Then he tossed the towel aside and pulled her to him as they stood in front of the fire, enjoying its warmth on their bare skin. He brushed the hair away from her face with his hand so he could watch the dancing firelight reflected in her eyes. She always had such power over him with those eyes. How he survived away from her for so long he did not know. It was as though he had stopped living the moment he left Candleford.

Dorcas watched him watching her, then reached up and caressed his cheek as she read the emotions playing across his face. She smiled at him, a smile of reassurance that this was real and she was and always would be his. Then she pulled his face to hers and gently kissed him. His hands slid up and down her back as he returned her kiss making her shiver against him. An overpowering wave of desire then swept over him and he picked her up and carried her to the bed, laying her gently down upon its warm softness where once again she gave herself to him and he to her. Gasping at the feel of him, she clutched at his back as passion overtook all her sensibilities. She hung on as thunder now shook the cottage and lightning flashed through the windows, punctuating the power of their emotions. She cried out once, twice, and just when she thought her heart couldn't take anymore, he, too, gave a hoarse cry and then stilled. He lay down next to her and it was only then that she realised they were both crying as they held on to one another. The realisation of what they had lost and miraculously found again had finally caught up to them, overwhelming them with emotion. They reassured each other with their touch, and when their hearts finally calmed down enough, they fell asleep in each other's arms.

A sharp crack of thunder jolted Dorcas out of her deep sleep and for a moment she was disoriented as to her surroundings. The sound of Timothy's deep, steady breathing brought the night back to her in a rush and she was filled with such contentment as she had never known before. She turned and watched him sleep; smiling at how boyish he looked in repose. His hair had turned silver early in life, just as his father's had, which Dorcas found incredibly attractive. It made him look so regal, so masterful. She used to love slipping in unnoticed to watch him preside over court as magistrate, the light shining off his silver hair, his dark eyes stern and forbidding to the offender, the elegance of his speech, firm but always fair. There had always been a quiet powerfulness about him in the way he spoke, in the way he stood and even in the way he walked. Though she always pretended to have the upper hand with him, the truth was she was often in awe of him, so proud of the man he had become. He excited her in ways no other man ever could.

She reached out and gently stroked his hair, not wanting to wake him, but unable to keep from touching him. He stirred ever so slightly, turning towards her touch, and she couldn't help but kiss him tenderly on the cheek.

The last candle still burning suddenly sputtered and died, leaving them in total darkness. With a start, Dorcas realised that it must be far later than she intended to be out and suddenly feared that Laura might have waited up for her and was at this moment in a panic as to her whereabouts. She knew she should get back home before anyone else discovered she was missing, but the thought of parting from Timothy and the warmth of their bed filled her with despair. She groaned inwardly knowing what she had to do, and as quietly as she could she slipped out of the bed and began to dress. She waited until she was fully dressed before waking Timothy to say goodbye.

"Dorcas, you cannot leave now," he said sleepily. "It's storming out there—I won't hear of it!"

"I have to, Timothy. I told Laura I wasn't going to be out late and it must be well past midnight now." She sat down next to him and held his hand. "You know I don't want to leave you, darling. After tonight I don't know how I'll ever be able to be away from you ever again. But how would it look for me to be out all night like this? I have no choice but to go home now, before it's too late."

Timothy groaned and wrapped his arms around her, burying his head in her lap. "This is madness. Why can't we just get married now so we never have to spend another night apart?"

She held his head and kissed the top of it. "You know why, my love. Just a little while longer and then we will be together forever."

Timothy groaned again. "Well, you are not going home alone. I am going with you to make sure you get home safely. No arguments!" he said as he saw her begin to protest.

He dressed quickly, but before they left Dorcas stopped him and wrapped her arms around him and said, "Timothy, will you promise me something?"

"Your wish is my command, you know that."

She smiled at him. "Promise me that wherever we go in this world that bathtub is coming with us."

Timothy's laughter shook against her as he pulled her tightly to him and said, "That is a promise I fully intend to keep."

It was a fearsome ride home and Dorcas was grateful to have Timothy by her side. The rain had paused, but lightning was forking in the distance and occasionally shot across the sky above them, followed by tremendous thunder. She was glad to reach town and see the safe haven of the Post Office ahead. She was relieved to see that no lights lit up its windows indicating that anyone was awake and worrying about her. They skirted round back to the stable as quietly as they could before Timothy helped Dorcas off her horse.

"You go on in now and I'll take care of your horse," he whispered. "I don't want you out in this weather any longer than you have to be."

"Timothy, are you going to be all right going back by yourself?" She felt terrible leaving him like this.

"I'll be fine, darling, don't you worry about me." He pulled her to him and kissed her, then reluctantly let her go, watching until she was safely inside.

Dorcas closed the door behind her and leaned against it, already missing Timothy. She stayed still, listening for any signs of anyone being awake before making her way upstairs as quietly as she could. But just as she reached her bedroom she thought she heard the faintest click of a closing door coming from the direction of Laura's room. Had she waited up for her after all?

CHAPTER 7

Sometime in the early hours of the morning, the storm finally went away and Dorcas awoke with the sun streaming in on her face. She turned away from its brightness and hugged her pillow, wondering if the night before had been real or a dream. Then she turned back to the sun with a start, looked over at her clock and then flew out of bed as she saw how late it was.

After washing and dressing as quickly as she could, she hurried downstairs and was still trying to put her hair up when she saw Laura, Minnie and Sydney waiting expectantly for her at the breakfast table.

"I am so sorry, everyone," Dorcas apologised. "I'm afraid I overslept!"

"Did the storm keep you awake last night too, Miss Lane?" Laura asked innocently enough.

"Indeed it did, Laura. Such thunder as I have never heard before!" Dorcas replied, not quite meeting Laura's gaze.

"I wish I hadn't slept through it. I love storms!" Sydney said with disappointment.

Minnie shook her head. "I didn't hear a thing, either, Little Man. Once I'm asleep the entire sky could fall down and it wouldn't wake me up!"

Dorcas smiled at her and then ate her breakfast as quickly as she could. She only had a few minutes before it was time to open the Post Office. As she ate, she realised how famished she was. Her eggs, bacon and toast had never tasted so good! Minnie watched her eat with raised eyebrows then got up and brought Dorcas another piece of toast which Dorcas accepted gratefully.

As soon as breakfast was finished, Sydney hurried off to school and Minnie began the washing up. Dorcas followed Laura to the front of the Post Office, but before Laura unlocked the front door Dorcas stopped her.

"Laura," she said, placing her hand on Laura's arm, "did you wait up for me last night?"

Laura stared at her for a moment before saying, "It was the storm that kept me awake, ma'am. When it got so late and I hadn't heard you come home yet, I did begin to worry."

Dorcas shook her head. "Oh, Laura, I am so sorry to have worried you. Sir Timothy and I had….some business to discuss and then the storm came up so quickly and fiercely that he wanted me to wait until it passed before letting me leave. But it got so late I just couldn't wait any longer. He did come with me to make sure I made it home safely."

Laura nodded. "It's all right, Miss Lane. I understand. I heard you come in and was just glad you were finally home."

Dorcas patted Laura's arm. "Thank you, Laura. I promise it won't happen again."

Laura gave her a reassuring smile and continued on with her duties.

But Dorcas was troubled by having to lie to Laura like that. She chastised herself for being so irresponsible. She had a duty to be a role model for Laura and she was failing miserably. At least Laura seemed to accept her explanation as the truth, but she couldn't risk Laura's good faith like that ever again. She resolved then and there that there mustn't be anymore nighttime meetings with Timothy.

The rest of the day seemed to drag by so slowly. Dorcas couldn't stop herself from yawning repeatedly. She almost misinterpreted an incoming telegram as she couldn't get her mind to focus. And then she caught herself putting a three-penny stamp on a letter that only required a penny one. She gave herself a little mental shake but it wasn't long before her mind began to wander again to the night she spent with Timothy. She was far away and smiling to herself, thinking of that big bathtub, when her thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

"Miss Lane?" A soft, feminine voice called out to her, bringing her back to the present.

"Miss Midwinter! How nice to see you again. It has been a long time." Dorcas greeted Timothy's younger cousin with a cordial smile.

"Yes, it has been a long time. So much has happened since we last spoke!" she replied.

Dorcas had always liked Miss Midwinter. She was friendly and unaffected and had once confided in Dorcas about her passion for a certain handsome, young farmer.

"So tell me," Dorcas asked, leaning forward conspiratorially, "how did things turn out with that intoxicatingly handsome young man?"

Miss Midwinter's face fell a bit. "Oh, I'm afraid Papa put an end to that once he found out. I suppose I should have known he would have never have allowed it."

"Oh, I am so sorry." Dorcas squeezed the young woman's hand. She knew only too well how much pain that must have brought her.

"Thank you, Miss Lane. I do have happy news, though. I am engaged to Sir Harry's son, Roderick, who is just as intoxicatingly handsome!" Miss Midwinter whipped off her glove and showed Dorcas her huge, diamond engagement ring. They both squealed with delight at the way it sparkled in the light.

"Now, if only I could find someone for poor Timothy," Miss Midwinter said, turning serious again. "After that sad business with Adelaide, he needs to stop brooding and find a new mother for Abigail right away."

Dorcas felt her stomach tighten at the thought of Miss Midwinter out there trying to find a wife for Timothy.

"I know," she continued, "I will have Papa throw a ball! I already know several ladies who have expressed an interest in my favourite cousin—especially Penelope Faversham. Yes, Penelope would be perfect!"

"Penelope Faversham?" Dorcas echoed weakly.

"Yes, Penelope has always had her eye on Timothy. She has loads of money, too!"

Dorcas suddenly felt sick to her stomach, but tried bravely to keep her composure. "Did Timothy ever give her any encouragement?"

Miss Midwinter shook her head. "No, he never was one to flirt. I don't know why—he could have had any young woman of his choosing! But, come to think of it, he did ask her to dance a few times at the various balls…. Maybe he will be more receptive now that he has a daughter to think of." Miss Midwinter beamed at Dorcas, happy at the thought of playing matchmaker for her cousin, then she took her leave.

"Goodbye, Miss Lane! I will let you know how the matchmaking goes!"

Dorcas waved goodbye then was left alone to fret over Miss Midwinter's words. For some reason she had never really considered Timothy outside their own little world. It was strange to hear of him interacting with people she had never heard of before. Of course there would be ladies out there eager to make a match with a man such as Timothy, once they heard he was a widower. His family would still have expectations of him to make a good second match. Dorcas knew she shouldn't let such thoughts depress her. Last night was proof enough of his love for her. She knew she had nothing to worry about. But still, it bothered her knowing efforts were being made to find him a new wife.

It bothered her a lot.

Dorcas was still feeling unsettled the following day when she found herself alone again at the Post Office. Doubts began to prey on her mind. What if Timothy wanted more children? Surely, a man coming from such a background as he, would desire a son to carry on his name and legacy and she wasn't exactly a young woman anymore. What if it was too late for her to have children? Would his love for her be enough to compensate, or would he end up resenting her in a few years' time? Maybe it would be best for him to let his cousin find him a younger woman to marry. The more she thought about it the more depressed she became.

Later that afternoon, she was surprised to see Timothy come into the Post Office. His eyes lit up when he saw her, and making sure there was no one else about, leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. "Hello, darling," he whispered. "I couldn't wait another moment to see you again."

"Hello, Timothy," she said, but her smile didn't quite meet her eyes. Timothy noticed and gave her a searching look.

"Is something wrong, Dorcas?" he asked.

Dorcas tried to laugh it off. "No, of course not, what could be wrong?" But her eyes betrayed her and he reached out and took her hand.

"There is something wrong—I can see it in your eyes. Tell me what is bothering you."

Dorcas slowly drew her hand away and turned around, pretending to have something to do on the back counter so he wouldn't see the sudden tears that sprang up in her eyes. "I'm fine, Timothy, there is nothing wrong."

Timothy sighed. "You know you can tell me anything, Dorcas. I don't want there to be any secrets between us. If you're upset about something I want to know what it is."

"I told you I'm not upset!" she snapped as she whirled around to face him, and instantly regretted the hurt look she saw in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Timothy. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm…I'm just tired, that's all."

Timothy's brow darkened as he regarded her. "Why don't I believe you?"

Before she could reply, the Post Office door opened and two ladies came in with packages in their arms. Timothy instantly stepped away and moved to the back wall until Dorcas finished helping them. As soon as they were gone, Timothy moved back to the counter and was about to question her again when more customers came into the Post Office. Dorcas could see the exasperated look on his face, but she was relieved to be saved from further questioning.

"Thank you, Sir Timothy," she said with false brightness as the customers looked on. "I will let you know as soon as you receive a reply to your telegram."

"Thank you, Miss Lane," he said tersely, feeling the sting of being dismissed as he played along with her charade. He gave her a look that said he wasn't finished with her yet before reluctantly turning to leave. As he walked away he searched his mind trying to think of what he might have done to upset her. He shook his head in confusion as he couldn't imagine what it could be. All he knew was he wasn't going to let this day end until he got an answer out of her.

Dorcas felt terrible after the way she had treated Timothy. She kept waiting for him to come back to the Post Office but he never did. Dinnertime came and went and she had just picked at her food. Why had she let her fears get the best of her like that and hurt someone she loved so desperately? She stayed downstairs a while longer after everyone else had gone to bed, trying to calm her mind. She would apologise to him tomorrow. But how would she explain herself? She couldn't tell him her fears for it would only upset him. Maybe things would be clearer in the morning.

She reluctantly made her way upstairs and into her room where she closed the door behind her and turned up the lighting. She gasped with fright as a figure stood up from the shadows and made its way towards her.

"Timothy! What are you doing here?" she exclaimed in a loud whisper, mindful of anyone else in the house hearing her.

"I've come to finish our conversation," he replied in a low voice.

"Timothy, this is neither the time nor the place…"

He cut her off by sweeping her up into his arms, like she was a small child, and holding her tightly to his chest.

"I think it is," he said, looking down at her with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"Timothy, put me down!" she hissed. Her eyes flashed at him but he just shook his head resolutely whilst trying to suppress a smile, which infuriated her even more.

"I won't," he said. "Not until you tell me why you're in such a dither."

"I am not in a dither!" she said through clenched teeth.

"You are in a dither and I want to know why," he said calmly as he began to pace the room with her still in his arms.

"What makes you think I'm in a dither, anyway?" She glared at him.

"Because, my dear, I have a lifetime of experience seeing you in dithers, and I am usually the cause of them. So tell me, Dorcas."

She struggled to free herself but he only tightened his hold on her until she could barely move. His arms were like steel.

"I mean it, Timothy. Put me down or I'll…"

"Or you'll what?" he challenged her. "You are so used to getting your own way, aren't you? Well, now it is my turn to get my way. You are not going anywhere until you tell me what is upsetting you, so you might as well tell me."

Dorcas sighed in exasperation. It wasn't fair—he had brute strength on his side. "It's nothing, really, in fact it is completely ridiculous. I'm ridiculous. I don't even know why it's bothering me."

"Go on," he prompted her.

"Your cousin, Miss Midwinter, came into the Post Office yesterday and told me about her engagement."

"And that upset you?"

Dorcas rolled her eyes. "No, of course not, but then she said she wished she could find someone for you to marry as well and is at this moment planning a ball to introduce you to all the eligible young women she knows."

"Ah, I see." He nodded, finally understanding. "And you think I am going to go to this ball and fall in love with the first pretty, young flirt who comes my way, is that it?"

"No…..well….it is possible, you know." She looked away, embarrassed by the tears she knew were swimming in her eyes. "She said she especially wants to reacquaint you with a Penelope Faver-something-or-other. You used to dance with her."

Timothy's arms began to shake with laughter and he held her up a little higher so he could place a kiss on her forehead. "Dorcas Lane, you are the most adorable creature in the world, do you know that?"

Dorcas frowned at him. "It's not funny, Timothy. I see the man I love being whisked away to be introduced to other women—younger women who can give you more children—and you are laughing at me."

At the mention of children, Timothy stopped laughing and looked sharply at her. There was more to this than simple jealousy over Penelope Faver-something-or-other.

He set her down gently on the edge of the bed, then knelt down before her and took her hands in his.

"First of all," he began, "if my cousin was speaking of Penelope Faversham, she is the daughter of my mother's best friend and I only danced with her at my mother's bidding. Besides that, Penelope Faversham has a face like a pug."

"Timothy! That is a terrible thing to say!" Dorcas exclaimed, but a corner of her mouth had turned up a bit.

"Second of all," he continued, "my cousin can plan all the balls that she wants to but I will not be going to any one of them without you by my side." Dorcas squeezed his hands and felt a tear escape down her cheek.

"Thirdly, and I want you to listen carefully to me, Dorcas," he said as he took her face firmly in his hands and forced her to look at him. "If I wanted more children I would only want to have them with you. Otherwise, I don't want anymore. You, my love, fulfil me. You make me feel complete. I don't want or need anything or anyone else. Do you understand?"

She covered his hands with her own and choked back a sob whilst she nodded her head.

"And lastly," he said, placing a gentle kiss on her lips, "I think I had better make sure you know how much I love you by showing you rather than just telling you."

Dorcas kissed him back and began to laugh through her tears as she whispered, "Yes, I think you should."

And he did.

CHAPTER 8

Winter approached in fits and starts. Snow flurries flew through the air at the end of November, coating Candleford in a thin layer of white like fine powdered sugar. Then, two days later, it was once again sunny and mild, and children bundled up for school in the morning returned with coats slung over their shoulders by the afternoon.

By the end of the first week of December, winter finally settled in for good and everyone coming in to the Post Office had cheeks reddened by the brisk wind and eyes watering from the cold. But despite the long, bleak winter looming ahead, there was a feeling of festivity in the air as Christmas was just around the corner. Laura and Minnie decorated the Post Office with holly and pine wreaths and mischievously hung a sprig of mistletoe over the spot where Dorcas usually stood behind the counter when she wasn't looking.

On one particularly cold day, Dorcas had Minnie make a large pot of hot apple cider to warm the folks who came into the Post Office. Dorcas had always loved the smell of the sweet, hot cider but on this particular day it smelled different. In fact, it rather turned her stomach the longer she inhaled its aroma.

"Minnie," she said, looking perplexed, "are you sure you made this right? It smells funny."

Minnie's eyes widened as she lifted the lid and sniffed the contents. "It smells fine to me, ma'am. I made it the same as always."

Laura came over and sniffed it herself and found nothing out of the ordinary. "Smells delicious to me!" she proclaimed to Minnie's relief.

"Hmmm…" Dorcas shook her head. "I'm sorry, Minnie, it must just be my nose. Perhaps I'm coming down with a cold."

"Ooh, I hope not, ma'am!" Minnie said. "You don't want to be sick over Christmas! I'll bring you a nice hot water bottle tonight to keep you warm, just in case."

"Thank you, Minnie. That would be lovely." Dorcas replied.

As soon as Minnie and Laura left the room, though, Dorcas moved the pot of cider to the other end of the counter. She hoped she wasn't coming down with something—she had too much to do to get sick!

Later that day, Sydney came home from school quite excited.

"Ma! Guess what! I get to play Joseph in the Christmas pageant!"

Dorcas smiled at him. "That's wonderful, darling. And who will be playing Mary this year?"

"Ethel Timmins," he replied. "She was so happy!"

"I'm sure you will both be perfect," Dorcas said.

"Oh, Mrs Brown said we all have to make our own costumes for the play. Can you make one for me, Ma? The play's in two weeks!"

"I'll get started on it tonight, Little Man. We'll have to figure out how to make a beard for you, though."

"Thanks, Ma!" Sydney gave her a hug before running upstairs.

She smiled at the thought of seeing her son in a play. And then she began to giggle as she remembered a time a very long time ago when the Reverend Ellison had chosen her and Timothy to play Mary and Joseph in the annual Christmas pageant. Oh, how everyone had laughed when Timothy's beard fell off and landed on top of her head whilst she was cradling the Baby Jesus! She was so startled poor Jesus slipped out of her arms and landed with a loud clunk on the wooden floor. It was the last time the Reverend ever cast them in a pageant together.

Dorcas loved Christmas. No matter how old she would grow to be, she would always find Christmas to be the most magical time of year. She loved the excitement and the anticipation of gatherings and parties filled with the laughter of friends and loved ones, carolling out in the snow, the soft glow of candles on the Christmas tree and the general good cheer everyone had towards their fellow man. Even the gloom of the winter's night was made mysterious and romantic by the silent, ghostly glow emanating from the moonlit snow.

She smiled as she admired the decorations Laura and Minnie had put up around the Post Office and knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this was going to be the best Christmas ever—the best because Timothy would be there to share it with her. Even Father Christmas himself could not have given her a better present.

That evening she found an old sheet to use for Sydney's costume and had him stand still so she could measure him for the correct length of Joseph's robe. With a mouthful of pins, she knelt down on the floor and pinned the hem around his ankles. When she finished, she stood up to see how it looked and was suddenly hit with such a wave of dizziness that she nearly fell over. She leaned heavily on Sydney's shoulder and he looked at her with alarm.

"Ma, are you all right? What's wrong?" he asked; his eyes huge with concern.

It took a moment for her to answer, but finally the dizziness subsided and she patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sorry, Little Man, I'm fine. I just stood up a little too quickly and it made me dizzy." She smiled reassuringly at him until the fright left his eyes. But the dizzy spell left her shaken. She had never in her life had one like that before. She felt a little nauseated so she sat down until she began to feel better. She must indeed be coming down with something. Maybe it would be best to go to bed early and get a good night's sleep.

She said her good nights, and Minnie, bless her, brought up a hot water bottle for her as promised. Before she went to sleep she swallowed experimentally to see if she was getting a sore throat, but there was no sign of one coming on, thank goodness. She felt her forehead and it didn't feel feverish. Maybe she was just tired. She rested her cold feet against the warmth of the hot water bottle, and clutching the blankets tightly around her finally fell asleep.

The next morning, Dorcas awoke feeling so hot she was sweating. She kicked the blankets off and went to the window to open it so the frigid air could cool her off. She must have a fever but she didn't feel sick. It was just the strangest thing! Suddenly, she remembered something her mother used to talk about concerning what she called 'going through the change'. It would cause her to go hot all over and break into a sweat at the oddest times. Is this what was happening to her? She didn't think she was quite old enough to be going through this just yet, but now that she thought of it, her mother wasn't much older than she was when she first experienced such symptoms. A wave of despair came over her as she realised that going through the change would definitely put an end to her chances of ever having children with Timothy. Her own body was betraying her.

The heat subsided, and with a heavy sigh she closed the window and began to get ready for the day. At least her appetite seemed fine so far. In fact, she felt ravenously hungry.

The Post Office was busier than usual that day with many people mailing packages and letters to their loved ones before Christmas. The day passed quickly and Dorcas soon forgot whatever ailments had plagued her the day before. Sydney returned from school and Laura from her rounds so she had lots of help with the customers. Just before closing, Dorcas was surprised to see Timothy come through the door. Her heart still leapt whenever she saw him and he was looking especially handsome that afternoon.

"Why, Timothy, what a nice surprise," she smiled warmly at him.

"Hello, Dorcas, Laura, Sydney," he greeted them as he took off his hat and hung it by the door.

Laura and Sydney said their hellos then started to giggle when he leaned against the counter just across from Dorcas. Timothy and Dorcas both looked over at them, puzzled as to why they were laughing, until Sydney slowly pointed his finger above Dorcas's head. They both looked up and saw the mistletoe hanging above them, then looked down at each other. Dorcas suddenly felt acutely embarrassed, wondering if Timothy thought she had planted the mistletoe there herself, but the corners of Timothy's mouth twitched and his eyes twinkled at her.

"You have to kiss a lady when she's under the mistletoe, Sir Timothy," Laura said to him with a wicked smile. "It is tradition and you know it is bad luck to break a Christmas tradition." Sydney nodded his head in agreement.

"Well, we mustn't cause any bad luck now, must we?" he said with mock seriousness. He leaned in towards Dorcas, and for a moment she was afraid he was going to kiss her on the lips right in front of everyone. But at the last moment he turned his head and kissed her dutifully on the cheek. Sydney and Laura both giggled again until Dorcas shooed them away into the kitchen with a glint in her eyes that said she would deal with them later.

She heard Timothy laughing softly as she turned back to him. "You're blushing, Dorcas." he said teasingly.

"I had no idea that was there, those scamps," she said, shaking her head. "What must people have thought all day seeing that hanging over my head? They must have thought I was begging for kisses!"

She stood on her tiptoes trying to reach the mistletoe to take it down, but she was too short. Timothy walked around the counter and easily reached it. He stood there a moment, holding the mistletoe over her head.

"I don't think I kissed you properly before," he whispered as he leaned forward and kissed her soundly on the lips.

Dorcas frantically pushed him away. "Timothy! What if someone were to come through that door?" she said all flustered.

Timothy just laughed and dangled the little sprig in his hand, threatening to kiss her again which made her run to the other side of the counter and lock the front door, officially closing the Post Office for the night.

"Honestly, you are just as bad as when we were sixteen!" she admonished him, but her eyes were bright and her cheeks were flushed. He laughed again and looked at her in such a way that she couldn't help but start laughing herself.

"You are incorrigible," she said, shaking her head at him. "I assume you came by for a reason other than to chase me around the Post Office?"

"Yes," he replied with a smile, as he surrendered the mistletoe to her. "Before I was so agreeably distracted, I came to ask you to accompany me to Oxford tomorrow."

"Oxford?" she said with surprise. "Why are you going there?"

"I promised my brother I would take care of some business for him and I would be bored to death going all that way by myself. I want you to come with me."

Dorcas thought for a moment. The Post Office was so busy right now she really shouldn't be gone a day and leave Laura to manage on her own. On the other hand, she could do her Christmas shopping whilst Timothy attended to business. Oxford had some wonderful shops! And the chance of spending the day alone with Timothy where no one knew or cared who they were was almost impossible to pass up.

Her eyes sparkled as she smiled up at him. "I would love to go. What time do we leave?"

Timothy grinned happily at her. "I'll come for you at dawn."

Dorcas was ready for Timothy when he arrived with his carriage at six in the morning. The journey to Oxford would take a couple of hours so Dorcas had prepared a basket of bread, cheese and fruit to tide them over until they reached their destination. Timothy greeted her with a sleepy smile and stepped down to help her into the carriage. The morning was quite chilly and their breath blew out in great steamy clouds. Timothy had thoughtfully brought a warm, woollen blanket along and tucked it around her as though she were a small child. She smiled gratefully at him as he sat down opposite her.

When the carriage had made its way out of Candleford, Timothy moved to sit next to her, tucking her arm through his.

"Now I can give you a proper good morning," he said as he leaned in and gave her a kiss. Despite the cold, his lips were warm against hers and she wished she could keep them there for the rest of the trip. She caressed his cheek and smiled as she gazed into his eyes. "Good morning to you, too," she murmured.

"So," he began, "I thought you might want to do some shopping whilst I attend to my business this morning. Afterwards, we'll meet for a nice lunch and then we can explore the town together before going home."

"That sounds perfect, Timothy," she replied. "I can do my Christmas shopping whilst you are otherwise engaged. It has been a long time since I was last in Oxford, but I do remember them having some rather fine shops."

"They still do." He nodded. "I'm sure you'll be pleased with them."

They rode in companionable silence for a time, and as the sun finally began to rise in the east, Timothy took Dorcas's hand and threaded his fingers through hers as they watched the sunrise together. She loved his hands. They were big, strong, masculine hands that dwarfed her own. She heard him sigh as he gazed out the window and she gave his hand a little squeeze.

"What are you thinking about?" she whispered as she rested her chin on his shoulder.

He shook his head ever so slightly. "I was just thinking about how much precious time we wasted being apart all those years."

Dorcas fought back the sudden tears that threatened to fill her eyes before saying, "Timothy, look at me."

Her heart twisted as she saw the pain in his eyes and she reached up and took his face in her hands. "I don't want us to dwell on the past anymore. We have already lived through that terrible pain once and I think it is time we banished it forever. We have each other right now and for the rest of our lives, and that is all that matters. It is the only thing I want us to think about from now on. Agreed?"

"Agreed," he said as he turned his head and kissed the palm of her hand. Then he rested his forehead against hers. "I love you so much," he said softly.

"And I love you, Timothy."

"I am so glad you came with me today," he said, the joy coming back into his eyes. "I love having you all to myself like this."

"I am glad, too. It's like a mini holiday. Although I must admit I am feeling rather guilty leaving Laura to manage the Post Office without me today."

"I am sure she will be fine," he reassured her.

"Yes," she agreed. "I let Sydney stay home from school so he could help her with the customers. I think he's come to know more about that Post Office than I do!"

Timothy laughed. "In that case, Laura is in good hands." Then he put his arm around her and held her close until they finally reached the grand old academic city that was Oxford.

Timothy had his driver manoeuvre along the gentle curve of High Street until they came upon a rather nondescript building where the carriage stopped and Timothy stepped out and gave the driver further instructions.

"Simmons, I want you to take Miss Lane over to Broad Street whilst she does her shopping and then return her here at noon. I should be finished by then."

"Yes, sir," Simmons replied with a nod.

Then he leaned into the carriage and took Dorcas's hand. "You will be all right on your own?"

"Of course, Timothy, don't worry about me—I know my way around Broad Street quite well."

"All right, then. I will see you at noon." He kissed her hand then nodded to Simmons before making his way inside.

Dorcas had always enjoyed coming to Oxford. She admired its gothic architecture with its many spires and pinnacles and the soft cream colour of the medieval buildings built entirely of Cotswold limestone that changed colours with the passing light of the day. Despite its ancient history the city bustled with the energy of youthful academics and there was a never ending supply of places to explore with its labyrinth of alleys, halls and passageways.

She descended the carriage at Broad Street and glanced up and down its length before deciding which direction to take first. She turned to her left, and with a smile entered the first shop she came to. Shopping was definitely one of her weaknesses!

The first gift she bought was a new pen and ink set for Sydney. Then she proceeded to the clothing stores where she bought a dress for Minnie that she knew would send her into ecstasies, and one for Laura. With each she bought matching combs and crisp new pairs of gloves. She also found a new suit for Sydney as well as new shoes. For Thomas, she would be giving him a monetary bonus for Christmas. She knew that is what he and Margaret needed most right now. After all that, she still hadn't decided on what to buy for Timothy's Christmas present. She just knew it had to be something special, something that he would cherish. After tucking her packages carefully into the carriage she wandered down towards the other end of the street where she encountered Blackwell's bookshop. When she entered she was greeted by an unctuous little man wearing round glasses which gave him a rather owlish appearance.

"Good morning, madam. Welcome to Blackwell's. Is there anything in particular you are looking for?" he asked.

"Good morning, sir. Yes, can you recommend a book that would appeal to an eleven year old boy?"

"Of course, ma'am; in fact, I can recommend several. Please follow me." He led her upstairs to a whole other room filled to the ceiling with bookshelves.

"Now then," he said, as he plucked a book from one of the shelves. "I should think he would like this one: 'Treasure Island' by Robert Louis Stevenson; quite an adventure, that one." He handed the book to Dorcas who browsed its pages.

"Yes, I think this one will do nicely," she said.

"I also have two very popular books written by an American author named Mark Twain." He perused the shelves once again and pulled out the titles 'Tom Sawyer' and 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'. After flipping through the pages of both books Dorcas declared she would take them both much to the bookseller's delight.

"I'll just have them wrapped for you, madam," he said happily.

She left Blackwell's feeling quite satisfied with her day's purchases and all that was left was to find something for Timothy. Towards the end of the street her eye was caught by a display of jewellery in one of the shop windows. Looking up, she saw a sign that read 'Oxford Jewellery and Repair', and underneath was 'Harold T. Jones, Proprietor'. Amongst the beautiful rings and pendants sat a variety of pocket watches. Dorcas now knew what she was going to get Timothy. She entered the store and was greeted by an elderly man who smiled and said, "Good morning, ma'am. Is there something I can help you with today?"

Dorcas returned the greeting and asked, "Are you Mr Jones?"

"I am indeed. But, please, call me Harold and this is my wife, Frances," he said, gesturing to the older woman who sat at the table behind him and appeared to be working on the insides of a watch. She looked up at Dorcas and said hello.

"It is very nice to meet you, Harold and Frances. My name is Dorcas. I was admiring your pocket watches. I think I would like to purchase one as a Christmas gift."

"Oh, and a very fine choice it is for a gift, ma'am. Let me just show you the ones we have and I will let you choose which one you would like."

He brought out a tray of watches and opened each one so she could see the faces and working mechanisms. She finally chose the most elegant and expensive watch they had and Harold applauded her good taste.

"Would you like to have it engraved, ma'am?" he asked.

"Oh, yes, that would be lovely," she replied.

He gave her a piece of paper and a pencil. "Just write down what you would like to have engraved and Frances will do it for you in a jiffy." He noticed her look of surprise when he mentioned his wife doing the engraving.

"Frances has a much steadier hand than I do," he said with a wink. Then he left to find a box for the watch.

Someone else had come into the store and waited behind Dorcas as she stood at the counter, trying to put into words what she felt in her heart for the engraving. She heard a rattling sound coming from behind her and she turned to see a tall, handsome young man shaking a pocket watch and placing it up to his ear repeatedly. He smiled sheepishly at her and said, "My watch has stopped and I maintain the foolish notion that shaking it will bring it back to life again."

Dorcas smiled at him. He had the most startlingly blue eyes she had ever seen, made more so in contrast to his jet black hair which parted neatly to the side and swept across his finely chiselled forehead. She realised she was staring so she turned back to her task. When at last she was satisfied with what she had written she cleared her throat, hoping to get Frances's attention.

Frances finally looked up from her work and addressed the young man behind Dorcas. "Oh, Richard, don't tell me you over wound that poor watch again!"

"I'm afraid so, Frances. I never can remember if I've wound it before or not. Then I wind it just in case and end up breaking the spring."

"Honestly," Frances shook her head at him. "What would your grandfather say if he knew what you put his watch through?"

"Oh, I suspect he would cuff me on the ear like he always did." The young man called Richard laughed.

"Are you finished, dear?" Frances asked Dorcas who nodded and handed her the piece of paper. She felt her face turn red as Frances read the words. The old woman's face broke into a smile and she clutched the paper to her breast as she said, "What a beautiful thing to say. I am sure your husband will be so happy when he reads this."

Dorcas was about to reply when she was suddenly struck by another wave of terrible dizziness that sent the room spinning around her. She began to fall but was caught by the young man behind her.

"Quick, Frances," he barked out, "bring me a chair."

Harold came out from the back room and took the chair from his wife and quickly brought it over to Dorcas.

"Are you all right, ma'am?" Harold asked with concern.

"I am so sorry," Dorcas replied when she got her bearings again. "I don't know what is wrong with me."

The young man knelt in front of her and held her face whilst he looked into her eyes. "It's all right," he said gently as he saw the alarm in her eyes, "I am a doctor. I think I had better take you back to my office and examine you."

"Oh, no, I'm fine, really," she protested. "I think I just need to eat something."

"I will be the judge of that," he said firmly. "My office is just across the street. Come, let me help you."

Seeing the concerned looks in both Harold and Frances's faces she finally acquiesced and let him take her arm.

"Don't worry, dear," Frances said. "You're in fine hands with Doctor Armstrong. And I'll have your watch ready for you when you come back."

"Thank you so much," Dorcas said to them. "I am so sorry for causing such a scene."

"Nonsense, dear, we just hope you're all right," Frances replied with a sympathetic smile.

As Doctor Armstrong led her across the street he asked her how often the dizzy spells came and if she had been experiencing any other symptoms.

"I have only had the dizziness a couple of times, just over the last few days," she replied.

"And is that all?" he asked.

"Well, there was a time when food didn't smell right and then I would feel sick to my stomach. Oh, and one time I went all hot all over and broke into a sweat."

He nodded his head then said no more until they reached his office and he brought her into the back room.

"Please sit up here for me," he said as he gestured to a narrow table that stood in the middle of the room. He then looked into her eyes and had her follow his finger from side to side then up and down. He pulled down her bottom eyelids and then looked into her ears and mouth.

"Have you had any bumps to the head recently?" he asked, as he gently felt around her head.

She shook her head. "No, none at all."

"Any weakness to your arms and legs or numbness and tingling?"

Dorcas shook her head again.

He took her wrist in his hand and felt her pulse as he watched the clock on the wall, then he listened to her heart for a bit.

He then asked her some very personal questions which she answered with embarrassment, but he was so matter-of-fact with his questioning that it made it easier for her to answer honestly.

"All right, Mrs…I'm sorry, I don't even know your name," he said.

"It is Dorcas Lane," she replied. She didn't bother to correct him about the 'Mrs' part. She doubted she would ever see him again anyway.

"Mrs Lane, I'm sorry but I'm going to need you to remove your clothes so I can properly examine you."

She had not expected this, but there was something instinctively trustworthy about this young doctor, such a kindness about him, that she did as he asked and hoped the exam would be over quickly.

He had her lay back on the table and he tried to put her at ease by describing what he was going to do before he did it. As he poked and prodded her belly and nether regions she tried to distract herself by thinking of something to say. "I was thinking perhaps I was starting to go through the change," she finally said.

"I think you might be a little young to be worrying about that," Doctor Armstrong replied with a lopsided grin. He listened to her belly for a bit then said, "All right, Mrs Lane, you can sit up now and get dressed."

He went and washed his hands whilst she dressed, then came and sat next to her. "I am happy to say that you seem to be in excellent health, Mrs Lane."

Dorcas sighed with relief. "But why am I getting these dizzy spells?"

"Well, you are right about going through a change, just not quite the change you are thinking of."

"What do you mean?" Dorcas asked, looking confused.

He smiled broadly at her which made his blue eyes seem even more brilliant. "Congratulations, Mrs Lane, you are going to be a mother."

Dorcas just sat there staring at him, completely speechless.

"I hope this is welcome news, Mrs Lane?" he asked carefully.

She suddenly choked back tears as the words sunk in and gasped, "Yes! Oh, yes, this is the best news I could ever have hoped for!" She suddenly found herself hugging him whilst she both laughed and cried, and he laughed along with her. It was days like this that made him love his profession.

"Thank you, Doctor Armstrong. Thank you so much for helping me. I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you."

"I'm just glad I was there to help," he replied modestly. "Now, Mrs Lane, I am going to be completely honest with you. A pregnancy in a woman your age, especially one who has never had children before, is a bit more at risk than in a younger woman. There can be complications."

Dorcas nodded, but looked worried.

"Try not worry, it's just something I want you to be aware of. For now, you are in good health and that is the most important thing. But I want to see you at least once a month so I can monitor your progress and more often as your date of confinement approaches. And I want your delivery to be at the hospital and not at home so I can deal with any complications. Do you understand?"

"Yes, doctor, I promise to follow your orders. I don't want to lose this baby."

He looked relieved. "Good. That is excellent, Mrs Lane. Do you live here in Oxford?"

"No, I live in Candleford."

"Hmmm," he said, furrowing his brow. "That is a little farther away than I would like. I think it best if you could arrange to stay here in Oxford the last couple weeks of your pregnancy so I can be nearby to keep an eye on you. Will that be possible?"

"Yes, I think that can be arranged. I cannot thank you enough for your concern, doctor."

"No thanks are necessary, Mrs Lane. There is nothing that gives me more pleasure than bringing healthy babies into this world. In the meantime, be sure to eat nutritious foods and get lots of rest. And most of all, I want you to avoid stress of any kind, understood?"

She nodded again. "I will."

"Good," he nodded with satisfaction. "Now, let me escort you back to the Jones's so you can get that new watch of yours!"

Dorcas glanced at the clock and saw it was nearly noon. She hurried across the street, and after admiring Frances's engraving skills, said her goodbyes to the Joneses and to Doctor Armstrong, then hurried back to the carriage where Simmons was patiently waiting for her.

During the short ride to High Street, Dorcas's mind was in such a whirl that she couldn't think of how she was going to tell Timothy about the baby. She knew he was going to be thrilled, but the news was so overwhelmingly big that she was having trouble processing it. She wanted the timing to be just right when she told him, too, that is, if she could find the words.

As the carriage rounded the corner onto High Street she saw Timothy waiting where they had left him. She could see his eyes light up when he saw her, and her heart began to beat so hard that she thought it would burst.

Timothy opened the carriage door before Simmons could get down and smiled in at Dorcas. "Well, I see your shopping trip was successful," he said as he regarded the packages stacked high on the opposite seat. "Will I have to sit up front with Simmons or is there room for me to squeeze in?" he teased.

Dorcas laughed. "Oh, I'm sure we can fit you in somewhere, Timothy."

Timothy gave Simmons directions to a restaurant then climbed in beside her. "Hello, darling," he whispered as he gave her a quick kiss. "I hope you enjoyed your morning."

"More than I could ever have imagined, Timothy. I found everything I had been looking for and then some."

"I can see that." He chuckled as he regarded the packages swaying precariously on the seat.

"I hope your meeting went well?" she asked.

"Quite well, thank you. My brother should be pleased." He smiled at her and noticed how bright her eyes were as she gazed at him and her cheeks were rosier than usual.

"Darling, are you all right? You look a bit flushed."

"I'm fine, Timothy, more than fine, actually. But I must admit I am rather famished. Where are you taking me?"

"There is a wonderful place just up the road that I think will be to your liking."

The carriage stopped in front of a fine looking establishment called The Rose Garden. Dorcas could see elegant looking couples having their lunch through the large picture windows on either side of the door. When they went inside the head waiter guided them to a perfect spot next to a window that gave them a beautiful view of the city.

"This is lovely, Timothy." Dorcas sighed contentedly.

"I knew you would like it," he replied with a smile.

Dorcas really was hungry after her busy morning. She just hoped her appetite wouldn't disappear suddenly like it had before. At least now she knew the cause of it!

Within a short time the waiter brought them dish after dish of delicious things and the wine was the best she had ever tasted. Thankfully, her stomach was cooperative and before long she felt filled to bursting.

"Are you up for taking a walk now?" Timothy asked after he had paid the waiter.

"Yes, I think I had better try to walk off some of this food. That was delicious, Timothy. Thank you."

"I am pleased you enjoyed it," he said as he took her arm and led her out the door.

The day was still chilly and the sky had clouded over, but Dorcas didn't feel the cold at all. The walking kept her warm and since there was still a bit of snow on the ground here and there, Timothy held her arm securely through his. They took a tour of the Botanic Gardens, enjoying the glass houses such as the Palm House that contained cocoa, orange, banana and coconut trees, and the Cactus House that was like stepping through a portal into a desert world. Afterwards, Timothy guided Dorcas across the Magdalen Bridge where they stopped half way and leaned against the balustrade to look out over the River Cherwell. A lone punter moved down the river and as he looked up he waved cheerily to them. Dorcas smiled and waved back. It was a beautiful location, and Dorcas admired the spired tower of Magdalen College looming in the distance before gazing out again over the river. For the moment, they had the bridge to themselves.

"Dorcas," Timothy said quietly.

"Yes, Timothy?" she replied, turning back to him.

"I know Christmas isn't for another two weeks, but I cannot wait any longer to give this to you."

He reached into the inner pocket of his coat and brought out a tiny box tied with a brilliant blue and gold ribbon.

"Happy Christmas, Dorcas," he said, as he placed the little box in her hand.

Dorcas looked up at him with surprised wonderment. He watched her carefully as she untied the ribbon and slowly opened the lid. Then she gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth as she saw the glittering of the most beautiful diamond ring she had ever seen nestled within the velvet folds of the box. Her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Timothy, it's so beautiful!"

He smiled as he took the ring out of the box and held it before her.

"This ring was my grandmother's. It was given to me to give to the woman I was to marry." He could see the questioning look come into her eyes, but before she could say anything he quickly continued on. "I had always intended this ring to be yours, Dorcas. I never could bring myself to give it to Adelaide, despite what happened between you and me in the past. I guess a part of me refused to give up hope that one day you would be my wife. I couldn't bear to see anyone wear it but you." He took her left hand and placed the ring on her ring finger, then brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it.

Dorcas began to cry in earnest now and threw herself into his arms. "I love it, Timothy, and I love you—more than you can possibly imagine."

Timothy held tight to her. "I don't want to wait any longer to marry you, Dorcas Lane," he whispered fervently in her ear. "I want the banns to go up this Sunday."

He half expected her to protest the marriage announcement as still being too soon, but instead she sort of half laughed and half sobbed as she replied, "Yes, I think that might be a very good idea."

"You do?" he said, looking relieved.

"Yes, the sooner the better. Oh, Timothy," she began to laugh, "I have an early Christmas present for you, too!"

He looked curiously at her as she took his hands and held them tight. Then she took a deep breath and looked intensely into his eyes. "You are going to be a father."

He stared at her a moment, then gave a slight shake of his head as though unsure of what he just heard. "Did you say I'm...Are you saying you're...?"

Dorcas nodded her head and laughed again through her tears as she watched the reality of her words sink in with him. With a sudden whoop he picked her up and swung her around, laughing joyously before gently setting her back down again.

"Please tell me I'm not dreaming," he said breathlessly.

"It is not a dream, my love. We are going to have a baby."

"A baby! You and I are having a baby!" He took her face in his hands and kissed her until they were both breathless.

"How long have you known?" he asked after their lips finally parted.

"I just found out today."

"Today?" he said, looking puzzled.

"Yes, I nearly fainted in one of the stores this morning and a doctor just happened to catch me before I fell. He insisted on examining me at his office and that is when I found out."

Timothy took her shoulders in his hands and studied her face with concern. "Darling, are you sure you are all right? I should not have let you go out alone like that. I should have been there for you!"

"I'm fine, Timothy, really I am. Doctor Armstrong took excellent care of me. In fact, he made me promise to see him once a month and to have the baby in the hospital here in Oxford."

"Have it here? But why?"

"He wants to keep an eye on me. It is just a precaution, darling. He said because of my age he wants to avoid any complications and feels it would be safer to have the baby in a hospital rather than at home."

Timothy blanched at the mention of complications, remembering what happened to Adelaide. He pulled her tightly to him and said, "By all means, you must have the best care possible. I could not bear to have anything happen to you."

"Nothing is going to happen to me, Timothy, or to our baby. I know it in my heart."

He kissed her forehead, still holding her tight. "I know it won't because I won't let it! Come; let's get you home before you catch a chill out in this cold air."

He kept his arm around her as they made their way back to the carriage, and during the ride home he never once let go of her. As she rested her head against his shoulder, the gentle swaying of the carriage finally lulled her to sleep. He looked down at her with a smile, and as though addressing the heavens, murmured, "What have I done to deserve such happiness?"

CHAPTER 9

Timothy hardly slept a wink that night. Not only was he excited that he was going to have a baby with the love of his life, but his mind was also racing with all the things that needed to be put in order before the marriage banns went up. The first thing he did, when morning finally came, was corner his brother, the current Squire, to have him officiate over his signing of his declaration to the Post Office.

"Timothy, why on earth do you want to sign a declaration to the Post Office? Have you taken leave of your senses?" James asked.

"No, James, I have never been in a better state of mind in my life. I will explain it all to you in good time, but right now I need you to witness me signing this and give your seal of approval."

James stared at his elder brother with a furrowed brow as Timothy signed the declaration, then with a dubious shake of his head, signed it himself.

"Thank you, brother," Timothy said to him with a happy grin that made James feel even more mystified. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have some important business to attend to."

He left the room quickly before James could respond.

The next thing he had to do was secure the carriage and find Dorcas so they could have the papers drawn up transferring the ownership of the Post Office over to him. He hoped Dorcas would be available to leave for an hour or so. It was imperative the transfer be completed before the engagement was announced. He wanted nothing and no one to interfere with this, especially that horrible Postmaster Blakestone, who had a grudge against Dorcas and had been coveting the Candleford Post Office for years.

When he arrived at the Post Office he found Laura behind the counter waiting on the Misses Pratt. "Good morning, Sir Timothy," Laura greeted him with a smile as did the Misses Pratt who nodded to him.

"Good morning, ladies," he replied as he swept off his hat. "Is Miss Lane around, Laura?"

"Yes, she just stepped away for a moment—she should be back shortly. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"No, no, I just have something I need to discuss with her." He gave a weak smile to Pearl and Ruby, who were staring at him with frank curiosity, before he turned away, pretending to read the postings on the wall.

Dorcas returned a moment later, much to his relief. "Good morning, Sir Timothy," she greeted him formally, mindful of Pearl and Ruby's presence.

"Hello, darling," he replied with a smile, then froze as he realised he had let the endearment slip out without thinking. Dorcas and Laura had also frozen to the spot, and in looking over at the Pratts could see their eyebrows had risen nearly to the tops of their heads.

There was simply no way to recover from his blunder so he simply cleared his throat and said, "Uh, Miss Lane, do you have a moment?"

"Of course, Sir Timothy, please come inside." She avoided looking directly at the Pratts, who were now looking at each other as though Christmas had come early, before leading Timothy into the parlour.

"Dorcas, I am so sorry. It just slipped out. And in front of the Pratts no less!" he fretted.

"Well, there is nothing to be done about it, Timothy. They will know the truth soon enough anyway."

"Still, I hate giving those two something to tittle-tattle about," he said regretfully. "That is what I get for not getting enough sleep last night."

Dorcas looked at him with concern. "Are you all right, Timothy? Why didn't you sleep?"

"I'm fine, darling, really," he said as he took her hand reassuringly. "I was just excited about…you know… and also getting things in order before Sunday."

"I know. Everything is happening so quickly it is no wonder you had trouble sleeping."

"Actually, I feel like I have been waiting an eternity for this moment, Dorcas. It cannot happen quickly enough for me." She smiled up at him and tightened her grip on his hand.

"The reason I came by is I was wondering if you could slip away for just an hour or so this morning. I would like to get those papers drawn up today transferring ownership of the Post Office over to me."

"Oh, that is a very good idea, Timothy. I will just let Laura know and we can leave right now if you like."

"Splendid," he replied with relief. "I just want to make sure we leave no stone unturned before we announce our engagement."

"So do I, Timothy, so do I."

Before she went to speak to Laura, Timothy held her back for a moment. "Dorcas, are you sure this is what you want to do with the Post Office? Are you sure you want to sign ownership over to me?"

"Of course I'm sure, Timothy. The question is, are you sure you are ready to become a Postmaster?"

"I will do whatever it takes to make you happy, darling, you know that. Besides, I will be Postmaster in name only—you will still be the one who is really in charge here."

A wicked twinkle came into her eyes. "Yes, I will, and don't you forget it!"

"Well, now," he said, putting his arms around her waist and backing her against the wall with a teasing look. "If you are going to be like that I think I just might exercise my rights as Postmaster after all."

"Oh, you think so, do you?" she said, her eyes starting to flash dangerously at him.

"Yes, because I can, and don't you forget it!" He laughed as he saw the sparks fly out of her eyes. Oh, how he loved to provoke her! She began to squirm in his grip so he held her tighter. "Give me a kiss and I will let you go," he said, unable to resist teasing her further.

"I most certainly will not, you beast!" she hissed, refusing to give in to him.

Timothy shrugged. "All right then, I guess we will just have to stand here like this forever!"

"Honestly, you can be the most infuriating man!"

"I can, I really can. Admit it, Dorcas; it is what you love most about me."

"Love isn't quite the word I am thinking of at the moment."

His laughter was deep and rumbled in his chest and she fought to keep herself from smiling.

"Come on, give me a kiss and we can be on our way," he whispered in her ear and she felt her defences begin to crumble.

"Why should I?" she whispered back.

"Because we're mad about each other and you know it."

His mouth now hovered just above hers and he felt her soften in his arms as they gazed into each other's eyes. He didn't know who kissed who first but it was electric and it was as though they were trying to devour each other before remembering where they were and what they were supposed to be doing.

"W-why am I here again?" Timothy gasped as he rested his forehead against hers.

"S-something about papers," Dorcas replied breathlessly.

"Oh, right, yes, I guess we should be going then," he said.

"Y-yes, I think so," she agreed, not quite wanting to pull away just yet.

They let go of each other reluctantly, and after taking a moment to compose themselves, told Laura she was in charge for an hour or so, and finally went on their way.

Once all the paperwork was properly filed away, the next thing that had to be done was post their intention to marry at the church. But first, Dorcas wanted to speak to her little Post Office family and tell them the news.

"Timothy, would you like to stay at the Post Office today until Thomas gets back from his rounds? I would like you to be there when I tell everyone our good news."

"Thank you, Dorcas. I would like that very much. I suppose I had better tell my brothers later today as well. James gave me the strangest look this morning when I asked to sign the declaration to the Post Office. I think he thought I had lost my mind."

"So you haven't told him anything yet?"

"No, not yet; I wanted to get our business taken care of first before I dealt with my family."

Dorcas nodded, looking a bit concerned. "They are going to have some strong objections, aren't they, Timothy?"

He put his arm around her and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "If they do, it won't matter in the least. Nothing is going to stop me from marrying you, my love. I really don't care what they think, anyway. You and our baby, Abigail and Sydney, you are all my family now and that is all that I care about."

Dorcas still looked troubled. "Well, as long as you're sure…"

"Sure? Of course I'm sure! Am I going to have to convince you right here, right now in this carriage?" He gave her a playful look as though he intended to ravish her.

She couldn't help but laugh. "All right, I'm convinced! Now, behave yourself, we're almost home."

"Home," Timothy echoed. "I love the sound of that."

Timothy stayed for lunch and then Dorcas showed him the basics of how to run the Post Office. He wasn't really going to act as Postmaster, but it would be good for him to know a little of what it entailed in case he was called to act as one.

Finally, Thomas came in from his last rounds as did Laura, and Dorcas asked Thomas to bring Margaret over to stay for dinner. Thomas looked curiously at Timothy, who was standing behind the counter with Dorcas, before going to fetch his wife.

When everyone was finally assembled and seated at the table, Dorcas stood up and looked around at her little family who were all looking up at her expectantly.

"Thank you for coming, Margaret and Thomas. You are all so very dear to me that I wanted you to be the first to hear my happy news—our happy news." She looked over at Timothy who smiled back at her and everyone turned to look at him before looking back at Dorcas in puzzlement.

Laura's face had now gone red with excitement as she realised what news Dorcas was about to share.

Dorcas quietly cleared her throat before beginning. "I want you all to know that Sir Timothy and I are going to be married."

There was stunned silence all around, until Laura couldn't contain herself any longer and squealed out loud before jumping up and giving Dorcas a hug.

Margaret also broke into a smile. "Oh, how wonderful, Miss Lane! I am so happy for you both!" She stood up to hug Dorcas too, whilst Thomas still looked like he was trying to puzzle out what had just been said.

Minnie couldn't help saying, "I knew it! I knew Sir Timothy was sweet on you! Didn't I say so, Laura?" Then everyone began to laugh. Finally, Thomas reached over to Timothy and shook his hand.

"Congratulations, Sir Timothy," he said.

"Thank you, Thomas," Timothy replied.

Thomas then stood up and walked over to Dorcas. "Congratulations to you, too, Miss Lane. May I wish you every happiness." He smiled awkwardly at her and for some reason his words brought tears to her eyes.

"Thank you, Thomas. I was wondering, would you be so kind as to post the banns for us this Sunday morning?"

Thomas looked pleased. "I would be honoured, Miss Lane."

Sydney looked over at Timothy. "Does this mean you're going to live with us here at the Post Office, Sir Timothy?"

Timothy looked over at Dorcas who nodded to him. "Yes, Sydney, the Post Office will be my home, too."

"Oh, good!" Sydney exclaimed.

Thomas and Margaret exchanged glances. To think their former Squire was going to live at the Post Office!

Their look was not lost on Dorcas which prompted her to further explain. "I know you all must be wondering how this is going to work. Thomas, I am sure you are aware that once I marry I will no longer be allowed to act as Postmistress." Thomas nodded worriedly and Sydney and Minnie both looked stricken.

Dorcas continued. "It is my deepest wish to keep this Post Office so that when Sydney is of age I can turn it over to him. I have promised him that. Therefore, this morning I signed the Post Office over to Sir Timothy so that he can officially act as Postmaster of the Candleford Post Office, thus keeping it in the family. It will in turn go to Sydney on his eighteenth birthday."

Seeing the look on Thomas's face she hurried to say, "Don't worry, Thomas, I will still be running this Post Office. Nothing is going to change as far as that is concerned."

Thomas looked relieved but still rather stunned.

Timothy then stood up and looked around at everyone. "I know this may have come as a shock to all of you. You are used to seeing me as your Squire, but I am not your Squire anymore. That duty now belongs to my brother. I want you to understand that I have known Miss Lane all my life and I have loved her all my life. In fact, I spent most of my youth here at this very Post Office until duty and obligation took me away. Now, I am finally able to live the life that I want to live. And that life is right here, with the person I love most in this world, in a place that is most dear to my heart."

Dorcas and Laura were both wiping the tears from their eyes and Minnie looked like she was going to swoon at such a romantic outburst. Thomas looked over at Margaret and took her hand in his. "Oh, Sir Timothy," Margaret said rapturously, "what a beautiful thing to say!"

Laura lifted her glass: "To Miss Lane and Sir Timothy!"

"To Miss Lane and Sir Timothy!" they echoed enthusiastically.

After dinner had finished and they had said good night to Thomas and Margaret, Timothy stood next to Dorcas and said, "Well, that went rather well, don't you think?"

"Yes, although I think we gave them a bit of a shock."

"I suppose we did. Well, they will just have to get used to it because I am not going anywhere."

She put her arm through his and gave him a playful squeeze. "You had better not, Timothy Midwinter."

The next morning Dorcas headed out to Lark Rise to pay a visit to Emma and Robert Timmins. She was happy to find them both at home, enjoying the warmth of a fire with a pot of tea.

"Dorcas, what a nice surprise!" Emma greeted her warmly.

"Hello, Emma, Robert." Dorcas nodded to them both.

"Well, Dorcas, what brings you out to Lark Rise on such a day? Is everything all right?" Robert asked.

"Everything is fine, Robert, thank you."

Just then there was a knock at the door and Emma opened it to find Queenie standing there with a small cake in her hands.

"I saw Dorcas arrive and thought you all might like one of my cakes."

"Oh, thank you, Queenie. How thoughtful! Please come in and join us," Emma said with a smile.

Dorcas put her hand on Queenie's arm and said, "I am glad you are here, Queenie. There is something I would like to share with you all."

They looked intrigued, although Emma had a trace of a smile on her lips as she had an idea of what Dorcas was about to tell them.

"Please sit down and let me get you some tea first," Emma said to Dorcas and Queenie.

After everyone had a warm cup in their hands, Dorcas looked around at them and took a deep breath. "I have come to tell you that Sir Timothy and I are getting married."

Queenie gasped with delight and Emma clasped her hands in front of her mouth as she squealed out loud, much like her daughter had done. Robert leaned back in his chair and just said, "Well, well, well."

"I…I know it must be a shock to hear this, but I hope you will be happy for us," Dorcas said hopefully as she watched their faces.

"Oh, Dorcas, of course we are! This is wonderful news," Emma said as she came over to Dorcas and hugged her.

"And I am so happy for you, too, Dorcas," Queenie said as she also gave her a hug. "I always knew you two belonged together since you were children."

"Thank you, Queenie. That means a lot to me." Dorcas's eyes were filling with happy tears as they congratulated her.

"Well, I can't say I am surprised," Robert finally said with a wry smile after he gave Dorcas a kiss on the cheek. "Any fool could see that man has been in love with you for years."

"Robert!" Dorcas exclaimed. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Come on, Dorcas. You two were always in each other's company—even after he was married. I always wondered what kept you apart, why he didn't marry you first. It wasn't until he made a little slip of the tongue that everything became clear to me."

Dorcas felt a blush creeping up her cheeks and she couldn't think of how to respond.

Robert continued, "I always assumed it was he who chose not to marry outside of his class but it wasn't, was it?" Robert studied her whilst waiting for her answer.

"Robert, this is none of our business," Emma admonished him as she looked worriedly at Dorcas.

"No, it's all right, Emma," Dorcas said. "Robert is right. It wasn't Timothy who kept us from marrying years ago. It was I. I let my father convince me that if I were to marry Timothy it would be the ruin of him."

Queenie shook her head and tutted, "Oh, you poor child! How terrible it must have been for you to see him married to someone else."

"Yes, it was very difficult, Queenie," she replied as she quickly dabbed the tears from her eyes. "But we have been given a second chance and that is all that matters now."

Emma hugged her again. "Well, I think this calls for a celebration! Queenie, your cake could not have come at a better time!"

Queenie laughed. "Well, I did drop a fork today which always means a woman will be visiting! So I thought I had better make an extra cake just in case."

Robert shook his head at the superstitious female mind whilst Emma cut the cake and passed out the pieces.

"I have to say, even though Sir Timothy and I didn't see eye to eye on many things, he always was a good man and a fair one. I do respect him for that," Robert said to Dorcas.

"Thank you, Robert. I know he has always had a lot of respect for you, too," she replied.

"Well, I don't know about that," Robert said doubtfully. "So what will become of the Post Office after you're married? Will you be moving to the manor?"

Dorcas put down her fork and explained how Timothy would technically be the Postmaster and that they would continue to live at the Post Office.

"Incredible!" Queenie said in astonishment. "Our Squire is going to live at the Post Office?"

Robert started to laugh. He laughed until tears came into his eyes. Dorcas, Emma and Queenie stared at him in consternation.

"I'm sorry, Dorcas. I was just laughing because Sir Timothy once told me that he envied my life. I didn't quite understand him at the time, but now I do. He had wealth, privilege and power but not the freedom to do as he liked. I have to struggle every day just to put food on the table but at least I have always been free to do what I choose with my life. I would not trade my freedom for all the wealth in the world. Well, it looks like he has finally found his freedom now, too. I have to say, I think I have even more respect for him now."

Dorcas listened to his words but didn't quite agree with him. "Do we really have as much freedom as one would think, Robert? It is true that when Timothy was Squire he was bound by duty and obligation to his family and to the people of his land. But aren't we all bound in duty to our own families and friends? Timothy just happened to be responsible for a much larger family than our own. But whether it is to one or to a thousand people, our duties and responsibilities are just as important to the one as to the many. I sometimes think freedom is an illusion. We just trade one duty and obligation for another."

Robert thought for a moment then nodded his head. "You may be right, Dorcas. You may be right. Whichever the case, I offer you both my congratulations. I have a feeling you are going to be very happy together."

"Thank you, Robert. It means a lot to hear you say that." She reached out and squeezed his hand. "Now, I hope you will all join us this Sunday morning when we post the banns. It would mean a lot to me to have you there."

"Of course we will be there!" Emma said. "I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

"And Twister and me will be there as well." Queenie beamed at her.

"I cannot thank you enough," Dorcas said with all her heart.

"Let's have some more tea, shall we?" Emma said, reaching for the teapot.

"Oh, Dorcas, you must let me read your tea leaves!" Queenie said, noticing that Dorcas's cup was nearly empty.

"Queenie, you know I don't believe in such things!" Dorcas replied, looking dubiously at her teacup.

"Come now, Dorcas, it's just a bit of fun," Emma chided her. "Let's see what the tea leaves will say about your upcoming marriage!"

They were both looking at her so eagerly and with such glee that she didn't want to appear ungracious, so she reluctantly gave in.

"Well, ladies, I will leave you to your fortune telling," Robert said as he got up and put on his hat. "I need to get back to my work. Dorcas, congratulations again, and give my love to Laura for me."

"I will, Robert. And thank you," she said sincerely.

She turned back reluctantly to Queenie and Emma who were waiting eagerly to do the reading. It wasn't so much that she disbelieved in tea leaves telling the future—after all, Queenie had been uncannily accurate in her readings before—it was more she was afraid of what they might reveal. With a sigh she sat down and let Queenie do her thing.

Queenie handed her the cup. "Here, dear, just drink a little more but leave about half a teaspoon at the bottom."

Dorcas did as she was told and handed the cup back to Queenie. Queenie then held the cup upright and swirled it around three times before slowly turning it over onto the saucer to drain away the liquid. She then turned it upright again and began to study the patterns made by the tiny bits of leaves that were left behind. Emma leaned in to look inside the cup, too, and then, with a little gasp, she and Queenie looked at each other as though surprised by what they saw.

In spite of herself, Dorcas found she was holding her breath and about to burst with curiosity. "What?" she asked leaning forward, trying to see into the cup. "What do you see?"

Emma sat back and put her hand over her mouth as though trying to stifle a smile.

Queenie finally turned towards Dorcas and began to point out the patterns in the cup. "Do you see this one here, closest to the rim? What does it look like?" she asked her.

Dorcas squinted at the pattern, trying to make it out. "It looks rather like a basket."

"Right you are!" Queenie said with satisfaction.

"And what does a basket mean?" she asked.

"Well, it can mean success, or a gift, or unexpected money…but because it lies so close to the handle of the cup it means something else entirely." Queenie was now looking at her so intensely that Dorcas began to grow uneasy.

"Queenie, why are you looking at me like that? What does it mean?" she asked, feeling a strange sort of panic begin to rise within her.

Queenie continued to look at her a moment longer, a searching sort of look that seemed to look into her very soul. "It means a baby," she finally replied.

Dorcas felt her breath catch in her throat and she began to cough.

"Dorcas, are you all right?" Emma jumped up and pounded her on the back until her coughing subsided.

"I…I'm fine, Emma, I just swallowed the wrong way." She gave them both a weak smile and prayed the reading wouldn't go on much longer.

"Don't worry, Dorcas, this is one of the best readings I have ever seen!" Queenie tried to reassure her. "Here, look at these patterns further down the cup—you have a heart and a harp next to each other. The heart means love and marriage, and the harp means there will be harmony in that love. And look over here at this one—it is a complete circle. The circle also indicates a wedding, but see how it has a little dot within it?"

Dorcas nodded, already knowing what Queenie was going to tell her about that dot.

Queenie continued, "That dot also means a baby!"

Emma couldn't contain herself any longer and began to laugh. "Oh, Dorcas, if you could only see the look on your face!"

Dorcas tried to laugh it off as she stood up, ready to leave. "Well, that was fun, but I should be getting back to the Post Office now. Thank you both for a lovely morning. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday."

"We will be there, Dorcas, and congratulations again," Emma said, giving her a hug goodbye. "And give our love to Sir Timothy as well!"

"I will, Emma. Thank you again." She hurried out the door and waved goodbye before riding away.

Emma and Queenie went back inside and Emma picked up Dorcas's teacup and looked at the patterns again. "Queenie," she asked as she studied the symbols, "don't the ones nearest the top of the cup mean they will happen first?"

Queenie nodded her head and looked knowingly at Emma.

"Then that means…" Emma trailed off as her eyes went wide with realisation.

Queenie finished her sentence. "Dorcas is already with child!"

Dorcas found that her hands were trembling as she took the reins. She had to get away before Queenie or Emma could see the effect the reading was having on her. Her rational mind told her such things were not possible, yet the patterns in the leaves were unmistakable. Whether she believed in it or not, what mattered was that Queenie and Emma both believed wholeheartedly in the exercise. She only hoped that they believed she was going to have a baby in the future and not that she was currently with child. Perhaps they were only reading into it what they expected to read. After all, she had just told them she was getting married and it would only be natural to assume a child would come next. Yes, that is probably what had happened. Queenie was looking for baskets and found something that just vaguely resembled one. It was the power of suggestion on the mind.

Dorcas began to relax as she rationalised the reading away. She was being ridiculous to get so worked up over it. One thing was for certain, she couldn't wait to be officially married so she would no longer have anything to hide!

She was glad to get home and back to the familiar comfort of her Post Office. Laura needed to go on her rounds so she was left alone to think for a little while. With the banns going up on Sunday, that would give them just three weeks until the wedding. She would have to talk to Timothy about where they would hold the wedding breakfast. It was too cold to hold it outside so it would have to be held in a place large enough to accommodate their friends and family from both Candleford and Lark Rise. She could only think of two places—the Midwinter manor or the Golden Lion Hotel. She doubted Timothy's brother would allow such an event to take place in his home, so it would most likely be at the Golden Lion. Then there was the matter of her wedding gown. She would love to have one made by the finest dressmakers in London but there wasn't time to make that journey. Besides, she knew Pearl and Ruby Pratt would be terribly hurt and insulted if she didn't ask them to make her gown. With a sigh, she made her decision—she would speak to the sisters later that afternoon.

It turned out she didn't need to go to them after all. It wasn't long after she got home when the Misses Pratt came bursting through the door of the Post Office and marched up to the counter where Dorcas was standing. They both looked so indignant that the little feathers sticking up in their identical hats were quivering.

"Good afternoon, ladies," Dorcas greeted them hesitantly. She looked from one to the other as they stood there glaring at her with reproachful eyes.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Dorcas tried again.

Finally, Pearl harrumphed and said, "Well, Dorcas, I thought we were friends but I guess I was wrong." Ruby nodded her head alongside her.

Dorcas looked perplexed. "I don't understand…"

Pearl drew herself up to her full height and looked down her nose at Dorcas with a sniff. "Well, it seems everyone in this town knows that you are marrying Sir Timothy except us!"

Dorcas shook her head. "Oh, Pearl, Ruby, I assure you I have only had the chance to tell my employees here at the Post Office and my cousin Emma. That is where I was this morning. I was going to come to you this afternoon and tell you the news myself, I promise you."

When they still didn't seem convinced Dorcas said, "Please, come into the kitchen and have some tea with me. I think Minnie made scones this morning, too."

Pearl and Ruby glanced at each other and silently agreed to be led back into the kitchen. After Dorcas handed them their teacups and the plate of scones, she told them about her engagement to Timothy and their plans to stay at the Post Office. Ruby looked rather shocked, but Pearl, surprisingly, didn't even raise an eyebrow.

"Well, I cannot say I am surprised," Pearl said, putting down her teacup. "Sir Timothy always did seem to have a soft spot for you. And I suppose his little daughter is going to need a mother right away."

Dorcas looked relieved. "Yes, that is exactly so. Poor Abigail shouldn't be without a mother for long."

Ruby was looking rather appalled. "But poor Lady Adelaide is barely cold in her…"

"Ruby!" Pearl silenced her and Ruby looked like she was going to cry.

Dorcas looked helplessly at Ruby. "I…I know how this must look, but Timothy and I have known each other since we were children." She hesitated, wondering how much she should tell them. Finally, she looked down at her hands and said quietly, "Many years ago, before Timothy married Adelaide, he asked me to marry him."

Pearl and Ruby looked at each other in stunned silence. Then they both leaned forward, eager to hear more. Dorcas sighed and told them the reason why she had to refuse him.

"So all this time you could have been married to the Squire and living in that mansion," Pearl said, shaking her head in wonderment.

"Well, I don't think his father would have allowed it even if I had accepted his hand back then," Dorcas said sadly. "But now things are different and we have been given a second chance at love."

Ruby's eyes began to soften. "How romantic," she said wistfully.

Dorcas smiled at them both. "Now, I have a favour to ask of you. The wedding is in three weeks and I am going to need a wedding gown!"

The sisters' eyes lit up. Ruby was suddenly all smiles as she assured Dorcas that they had all the latest fashions straight from Paris. "You must come tonight so we can take your measurements and go over the patterns with you. Oh, I do hope we have enough white silk and lace. If not, they will have to be ordered straight away. Will you have any attendants?"

Dorcas thought for a moment. "Yes, I think dresses for Laura, Minnie and little Abigail will be needed as well. Sydney already has a new suit so he is taken care of."

"Just come by the shop tonight and we will get started," Pearl said. "Come along Ruby, we must check our inventory!"

"Thank you both so much," Dorcas said to them as they made their way to the door.

They smiled at her then hurried back to their shop.

Dorcas breathed a sigh of relief when they were gone. She had been rather dreading telling them about her engagement to Timothy, not knowing what their reaction might be. It went better than she had expected, and she was glad she had asked them to make the dresses for her. They could have no further objections now that they were involved with the wedding preparations.

As expected, Laura and Minnie were ecstatic when Dorcas asked them to be her bridesmaids. Dorcas took them with her to the Pratts' to be measured and to choose among the dress patterns and colours. It took a little longer for Dorcas to find the exact design that most suited her. She wanted something elegant with a long train—no puffy sleeves or too much lace. Just when Pearl and Ruby had nearly exhausted all their patterns Dorcas found just the right one.

"We will get started right away, Dorcas," Pearl said, relieved that something was finally settled upon.

"Thank you, ladies. I know it is going to be perfect!" Dorcas said happily.

"Now, what shall we do about a veil?" Ruby asked.

"I am going to use my mother's veil. It is still in perfect condition," Dorcas replied.

Ruby nodded. "Very appropriate."

"Yes, I think she would have been so happy. I just wish both my parents could be here to see me married."

Ruby placed a sympathetic hand on her arm. "Do you know yet who will walk you down the aisle?" she asked.

"Oh, dear, I haven't really thought about it," Dorcas replied. Who would walk her down the aisle? The only two men she could think of were Robert and Thomas. She would have to decide quickly and ask one of them soon.

Later that evening Timothy came by the Post Office and they were able to discuss where they might hold the wedding breakfast.

"Have you spoken to your brothers yet about our wedding?" Dorcas asked him.

Timothy sighed. "Yes, I spoke to them last night."

"And?" she prompted him.

"James was the only one who seemed to object. My youngest brother didn't seem to care one way or the other. But James didn't protest too much—I think he will just be happy to have the manor to himself again."

"I see," Dorcas said with a furrowed brow.

"Don't worry, darling," Timothy said as he took her hands in his own. "It doesn't matter in the least to me what they think. Anyway, you will be happy to know that my fair cousin, Miss Midwinter, was thrilled that I was marrying you! She is quite fond of you, you know."

Dorcas smiled. "Oh, I am so glad for that! I hope that means at least one member of your family will be there for you at our wedding."

"Yes, I am sure she wouldn't miss it!"

Laura came downstairs just then and was holding something behind her back. "Hello, Sir Timothy," she greeted him.

"Hello, Laura. What do you have there?" he asked.

Laura brought out a rolled piece of heavy paper and slowly unrolled it for them. "I hope you don't mind, I wanted to make the wedding banns for you."

She had stayed up late the previous night and had created the most beautiful wedding announcement written in elegant calligraphy and bordered by colourful flowers, cherubs and hearts. It read:

Intention to Marry
between
Sir Timothy Midwinter
and
Miss Dorcas Lane

"Oh, Laura, it's beautiful!" Dorcas gasped with delight.

"It really is splendid, Laura. Thank you." Timothy gave her a little kiss on the cheek.

"Well, I wanted to do something for you. Pa taught me how to do calligraphy when I was a little girl."

"You have definitely inherited your father's artistic talents, Laura," Dorcas said as she gave Laura a hug. "I cannot wait to put this up at the church tomorrow!"

"I'm glad you like it." Laura blushed happily. "Good night, Sir Timothy, Miss Lane."

"Good night, Laura, and thank you again! That was most thoughtful of you," they both said.

Timothy held the paper in his hands and admired it some more. "It makes it seem even more real to see it in writing, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does," Dorcas said as she put her arm around his and rested her head on his shoulder as she looked at the banns with him.

"Timothy, I was thinking of holding our wedding breakfast at the Golden Lion Hotel. It will be too cold to hold it outdoors and I'm sure your brother would not allow it at the manor. What do you think?"

"Even if my brother did want to hold it at the manor I think I would prefer to have it elsewhere. The Golden Lion sounds perfect," he replied.

"Good, then that is settled." Dorcas breathed a sigh of relief.

"I will take care of the arrangements, darling. Don't you worry about a thing," he said, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"Thank you, Timothy. That would be wonderful. Oh, and be sure to bring Abigail with you tomorrow—I want her to be our flower girl. I'll bring her to the Pratts' to get her dress made."

"She will be thrilled. She does love to dress up! I will come for you tomorrow morning and we can walk to the church together."

"Till tomorrow, then," she said, looking up at him adoringly.

"Till tomorrow." He kissed her tenderly then held her face in his hands a moment longer. "I cannot wait for the time when I no longer have to leave here at night," he whispered.

"I cannot, either," she whispered back as she kissed him again.

"Mmmm…" he murmured, reluctantly breaking their kiss, "I had better leave now whilst I still have the strength to do so."

Dorcas smiled rather wickedly at him. "Do I really have that much power over you, Timothy Midwinter?"

"You cast a powerful spell over me years ago, Dorcas Lane, and you know it," he teased as he held her tight once again. "See what you do to me? I should be on my way and here I am holding you in my arms again under your witches' spell."

Dorcas laughed softly. "Good night, Timothy."

He kissed the tip of her nose. "Good night, my little witch."

When Dorcas opened her door the next morning, she was stunned to see not just Timothy standing there but most of Lark Rise and several of her Candleford friends waiting with smiles on their faces in the cold winter air. The Timmins and Arliss children held a beautiful arch made of holly and ivy with rare winter-blooming flowers amongst its leaves and a generous sprig of mistletoe hanging from its top. Timothy grinned at her surprise and held his hand out to her.

"Ready to take a little walk, Dorcas?" he asked her.

She took his hand and smiled at everyone, trying to keep her tears at bay. "I never dreamt so many would come!" she said to Timothy.

"You have a lot of people who care about you, my dear."

"And you, Timothy. You were very much loved as their Squire."

"Thank you, Dorcas."

She linked her arm through his as they made their way to the church with the children skipping alongside them, holding the arch above the happy couple. It felt wonderful to be able to show her affection for Timothy in public at long last. They needn't hide their relationship any longer!

When they reached the church, Thomas stepped forward looking very important as Dorcas handed him the banns. He walked to the entrance of the church and nailed up the banns before turning to the crowd and announcing: "Ladies and gentlemen, now posted is the intention to marry between Sir Timothy Midwinter and Miss Dorcas Lane."

A cheer went up and Dorcas was glad to have a handkerchief in hand to dab away the tears that could no longer be held back. Timothy smiled down at her and held her hand even tighter. Then he looked out at all their friends and said: "The banns are up and there will be a wedding two Mondays from tomorrow and a wedding breakfast to be held at the Golden Lion Hotel. We hope to see you all there."

"Will there be sausages?" Twister cried out from the middle of the crowd which made everyone laugh.

"There will be plenty of sausages, Mr Turrill!" Timothy replied with good humour.

Another cheer went up and then everyone came up to them to give hugs and handshakes.

"Thank you all so much for coming," Dorcas said to everyone. "Please join us back at the Post Office for some tea and hot cider, won't you?"

Someone called out from the crowd which sounded suspiciously like Laura, "You're standing under mistletoe!"

Everyone began to laugh again and the children giggled as they determinedly held the arch with the mistletoe above the couple's heads.

Dorcas blushed as Timothy looked at her mischievously and said, "Well, we mustn't disappoint them!" Then he leaned in and gave her a kiss as everyone cheered and clapped.

Timothy whispered to her, "It doesn't look as though anyone's objecting to us getting married, does it?"

Dorcas shook her head happily. Then they made their way back to the Post Office with the little parade following behind.

After everyone had warmed themselves at the Post Office and had some refreshments, they headed back to the church to attend the late morning service. Dorcas caught Thomas before he and Margaret left and led him into her parlour.

"Thomas, I don't have a father, or a brother, or even an uncle. I was wondering…would you do me the honour of walking me down the aisle at my wedding?"

Thomas suddenly looked like he was going to cry. "It would be my honour, Miss Lane, to walk you down the aisle, very much my honour, indeed."

She surprised him by giving him a hug. "Thank you, Thomas. It would mean a lot to me to have such a dear friend by my side."

Thomas could only nod and smile, and as he walked away Dorcas heard him blow his nose into his handkerchief before joining his wife who was waiting patiently for him.

CHAPTER 10

Christmas was now nearly upon them and Dorcas was glad that the wedding plans were well in hand so she could concentrate on the holiday. She wanted this Christmas to be extra special for Timothy and his little girl who would be spending Christmas day with her at the Post Office.

She finally had time to finish Sydney's costume and was very much looking forward to the annual Christmas pageant which was to be held that evening at the schoolhouse. Timothy would be coming for them with his carriage at six o'clock.

Dorcas took her time getting dressed, choosing a brand new gown to wear and fixing her hair just so. She gazed at her hand which bore the beautiful ring that Timothy had given to her, admiring the way the diamond flashed in the light. She was so happy to be able to wear it in public now that their engagement was known to all. It felt so right to see it on her ring finger, as though it had always belonged there. She shook her head in wonderment at all that had happened in just these last few months. If anyone had told her during the summer that she would be reunited with the love of her life and carrying his child by Christmas, she would have thought them insane. "Miracles really do happen," she said to herself.

She was interrupted by Sydney who was now dressed in his costume. "How do I look, Ma?"

"Oh, Sydney, you look splendid! That beard turned out rather well, don't you think?" She had taken some sheep's wool and dyed it dark brown and attached it to some string which was now tied around his ears.

Sydney nodded happily even though he was feeling a little nervous about remembering his lines.

"Miss Lane," Minnie called up from downstairs, "Sir Timothy's carriage has just arrived!"

"Ready, Little Man?" She smiled as she held out her hand to him and they made their way downstairs.

Timothy stepped down from the carriage and his face lit up when he saw Dorcas. "Good evening, Dorcas. You look so beautiful!" he said as he kissed her cheek.

"Thank you, Timothy, and good evening to you, too!" she replied as she took his hand. He smiled when he saw the ring on her finger and gave her hand a quick kiss.

Laura and Minnie went first into the carriage and then Sydney stepped in to sit next to Abby. Abby was frowning at him and staring suspiciously at his beard until he pulled it down and said, "See, Abby? It isn't real—it's just part of my costume for the play tonight!" He pulled it up and down until she started to giggle and wasn't afraid of him anymore. Then, as soon as Timothy and Dorcas were settled inside, the carriage went on its way.

The schoolhouse was already filled with people when they arrived and the whole room was festive with holly and ivy, and candles burning softly all around. A table in the back of the room held hot apple cider and biscuits and there was an aroma of apples and cinnamon in the air. Robert had constructed a new manger for this year's pageant and it was the nicest one it had ever had. A brightly painted star hung from the ceiling above the manger and this year a real baby would be playing the part of Jesus rather than the usual doll. As soon as everyone had taken their seats, Margaret Brown gathered up her students to sing a few Christmas carols. The children's voices rang sweet into the night as they sang 'Away in a Manger,' 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear' and 'We Three Kings' before the play began. Then, everyone went silent as Ethel Timmins and Sydney made their way to the stage as Mary and Joseph. The audience watched entranced as Mary and Joseph were denied a room by the innkeeper and were led to the manger instead. As Mary took the baby Jesus in her arms with Joseph standing protectively over her, Dorcas reached for Timothy's hand and he smiled down at her as his fingers intertwined with hers. Then he whispered to her, "I hope Sydney's beard doesn't fall onto Ethel's head!"

Dorcas shook with suppressed laughter at Timothy's reference to their own disastrous attempt at playing Mary and Joseph so many years ago, and Timothy had to cover his mouth with his hand to keep from laughing out loud himself.

Queenie, who was sitting next to Emma, gave Emma a nudge and nodded towards Dorcas and Timothy whilst whispering, "Do you see? You mark my words those tea leaves were right!" Emma hushed her, but she couldn't help but think that Queenie was right the way Dorcas was looking at Timothy. She was positively glowing!

After Mary and Joseph were visited by the shepherds and the Three Wise Men, the pageant ended and the little actors bowed as the audience clapped enthusiastically. Sydney looked over at Dorcas who was smiling so proudly at him that his chest swelled with happiness.

"You were wonderful, darling!" she said as he came offstage and gave her a hug.

"Was I really, Ma?"

"You were a perfect Joseph and you remembered all your lines! I am so proud of you."

"Yes, you were a much better Joseph than I was, Sydney," Timothy said to him.

"You played Joseph, too, Sir Timothy?" Sydney asked with surprise.

"Yes, a very long time ago and I made a complete disaster of it, I'm afraid." Timothy told him what happened and Sydney nearly fell down laughing.

"Darling, why don't you take Abby to get some biscuits before we leave," Dorcas said to Sydney who took Abby's hand and led her to the back table.

As they stood waiting for the children, some of the local farmers came up to Timothy. One of them said, "Sir Timothy, now that you're back in Candleford, are you going to be our Squire again? I'm afraid some of the troubles we've been having have fallen on deaf ears at the manor. It just hasn't been the same since you left, if you don't mind me sayin'." The other men nodded in agreement.

Timothy guided the men to an empty corner of the room and talked with them privately for several minutes. When he finished, the men looked relieved, but Dorcas could see the troubled look on his face when he came back to her.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

Timothy sighed. "It seems my brother has been rather lax in his duties as Squire since I've been gone. I'm afraid I'm going to have to have a little talk with him."

Dorcas nodded. "It is true that we don't see him as often, nor has he taken an interest in the town or its people the way you did. But then perhaps we were spoiled by your excellence as Squire for so long that anyone else would seem lax."

Timothy shook his head. "No, there is no excuse for his behaviour. I will have to take care of this right away."

Dorcas placed a hand on his arm and studied his face for a long moment. "Timothy, you do know that if you want to take back your rightful position as Squire I would support your decision. I know it would make the people of Candleford and Lark Rise so happy to have you back."

Timothy patted her hand. "Let's not worry about this right now, darling. I will have a talk with James and it will all be straightened out." He smiled reassuringly at her but she couldn't help but feel troubled by the worry that showed in his face. She knew how seriously he had always taken his duties, even if he had never really wanted them.

They spent some time visiting with everyone at the schoolhouse and accepting even more congratulations on their upcoming wedding. Everyone seemed genuinely pleased for them. Afterwards, Dorcas looked around for Laura and Minnie who were laughing with Alf across the room. She finally caught their eye and soon had everyone gathered back into the carriage.

When they arrived at the Post Office, Dorcas sent Abby inside with Laura, Minnie and Sydney and then took Timothy's hand. "Let's take a little walk before we go in, Timothy. I want to talk to you."

"Dorcas, I assure you I am fine. I will talk to James in the morning and everything will be all right."

"Please, just listen, Timothy," she said as she led him away. "I know how much you have always loved your patch, how much it has always meant to you. Even though you never wanted so much duty placed upon you, could you really be happy watching your brother take it over, knowing he doesn't care about it the way you do, and knowing your people aren't happy with him? Please, be honest with yourself and with me. I don't want you to wake up one day and regret this…and resent me."

Timothy stopped and faced her, placing his hands on her arms. "Dorcas, I could never, ever resent you. Don't you ever think that! A life with you is all that I have ever wanted. Yes, I do care about my patch, but not as much as I care about you and the life we are going to have together. You must believe me. "

"I do believe you. Of course I believe you. But, Timothy, is there any reason why you cannot have both?"

Timothy stared at her for a moment, but before he could reply Dorcas continued on, "Why couldn't we live at the Post Office as we planned, and then during the day, if you have duties to be performed, you could work out of your study at the manor just like you used to?"

"But I want to spend all my days with you at the Post Office, Dorcas. It's all I've been dreaming about."

Dorcas placed her hand on his cheek and smiled at him. "Darling, you spent half your time at the Post Office when you were Squire before, remember?"

Timothy began to laugh softly and turned his head to kiss the palm of her hand. "Yes, I suppose you are right. Nothing ever could keep me away for long, could it?"

"Promise me you will think about it?" she asked.

Timothy sighed. "All right, I promise I will think about it."

Timothy did think about it. He stayed awake all night thinking about it. Before he confronted his brother he decided to pay a visit to each and every one of the tenants on his land and talk to them personally about how they had been treated the past few years. He was surprised to discover how much he had been missed as everyone seemed so glad to see him again. Whilst they tried not to sound as though they were disparaging his brother, they made it clear that they wished Timothy would return as their Squire. They felt neglected and the more Timothy learnt about his brother's methods of acting as Squire, the angrier he became. By the time he made his way home, he had made his decision.

Dorcas had hoped Timothy would come for dinner that night, but when he didn't show up she began to worry. She stayed downstairs after everyone had gone to bed and sat in her parlour in front of the fire wondering if he had given further consideration to their conversation the night before. Something must have happened because Timothy never let a day go by without seeing her. She began to fret that she had pushed him too hard about giving thought to becoming Squire again. Perhaps she shouldn't have said anything as he did look troubled after speaking with the farmers and even more so after their conversation. Oh, how she wished she could see him and know what he was thinking!

The little clock on the mantel chimed the hour and Dorcas looked up at it with a heavy sigh. It was no use going to bed—her mind was racing far too much to get any sleep. Maybe a pot of tea would help soothe her.

She had just stepped into the kitchen when she heard a light knock at the door. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was Timothy standing there.

"Timothy, I have been so worried about you!"

He didn't say anything, he just stepped inside and took her in his arms and held her tight.

"Darling, what's wrong?" she asked softly.

He finally gave a short, humourless laugh and said, "No matter how much we might wish it, we are never really able to escape our destinies, are we, Dorcas?"

She leaned back, studying his face with concern. He looked so tired! She caressed his cheek and stared into his eyes, silently encouraging him to go on.

"I have spent the day speaking with my tenants and was very distressed at what I heard." He paused for a moment, taking comfort from her touch, before going on. "I have sent my brother packing, Dorcas. The duties of Squire and magistrate are mine once again."

"Oh, Timothy," she said, pulling him close to her, "I think you have done the right thing. You were a true gift to this town when you were Squire."

"Do you really think so?"

"Of course I do. I was always so proud of you, Timothy."

"Thank you, Dorcas."

Then she looked up at him with a twinkle in her eye. "You know, I have missed watching you perform as magistrate."

"Oh, you have, have you?" He raised an eyebrow at her and the corners of his mouth began to twitch with amusement.

"Yes, you were always so powerful and commanding!"

"I see. And you like a man who is powerful and commanding, do you?"

"I liked it in you because you were always fair and just in your rulings."

"Well, I am afraid my commanding skills are a bit rusty. I think maybe I had better start practicing." He stepped away from her, crossed his arms over his chest and gave her his sternest look. "Dorcas Lane, you have been found guilty of bewitching your Squire. You are hereby sentenced to kiss your Squire right here, right now."

Dorcas tried to suppress a smile. "But, your Lordship, don't I even get an appeal?"

"Absolutely not. The evidence has proven you guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt."

"I see. And what might the consequences be if I refuse to serve my sentence?"

She felt her heart begin to beat faster as he gave her his most dangerous look and moved towards her.

"Are you refusing your sentence, Miss Lane? Am I going to have to lock you up in a certain cottage with a very large bathtub until you have reconsidered?"

She gave a dramatic sigh. "No, I suppose that won't do. Come here and I will serve my sentence now."

"A very wise decision," he said solemnly as he moved closer to her and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly on the lips. He could feel her smile against his mouth and then she began to giggle.

"Are you making light of your sentence, Miss Lane? I'm afraid I am now going to have to double it for your impertinence," he said, trying to look stern but his eyes were twinkling.

Dorcas shook her head at him. "Such a harsh man you have become, your Lordship." She kissed him again and as the kiss deepened his hands moved in such a way up and down her back that any feeling she might have had to giggle went right out of her head.

"Mmm," he murmured when their lips finally parted. "I think I'm going to like being magistrate again."

He stood with his forehead against hers and then placed a gentle hand on her belly. "How have you been feeling, my love?"

"Much better, I am happy to say. I haven't had any dizzy spells lately and my appetite is almost back to normal."

"I am very glad to hear it. Is there anything I can do for you—anything that you need?"

"No, I'm fine so far….although I have been craving chocolate lately!"

"Chocolate? Well then, I shall make sure you have all the chocolate your heart desires."

"Mmm…that would be lovely," she replied dreamily.

"When do you need to see Doctor Armstrong again?"

"I was thinking just after our wedding, weather permitting, of course."

Timothy nodded. "I think this time we will take the train into Oxford rather than jostling you about in the carriage. It will be much faster, too."

"I would like that, Timothy. I have never ridden on the train."

"Good, then that is settled." The clock chimed the hour again and Timothy looked up at it with a sigh. "I suppose I should be heading home now."

Dorcas held onto his arms. "Don't go just yet. Share a pot of tea with me and warm yourself by the fire before you go out into the cold again."

He smiled at her and then suddenly kissed her again. "Thank you, Dorcas. Being here with you has made this terrible day all worthwhile."

"I am so glad, Timothy. Only another week and we will be together forever."

Timothy sighed contentedly. "Sounds like Heaven."

CHAPTER 11

Dorcas awakened on Christmas Eve with a feeling of excitement. She knew this was going to be the best Christmas ever! There was still so much to do that she couldn't lie about in bed a moment longer. The Post Office would be closing early that day so she would have plenty of time to help Minnie with the baking for tomorrow's Christmas dinner. She would also give Laura her present early as Robert would be coming to bring Laura home for Christmas that afternoon. Robert was also going to bring Dorcas the little set of carved animals that she had commissioned him to make for Abigail's Christmas present.

She bathed and dressed quickly and went downstairs to find Minnie already making breakfast.

"Good morning, Minnie. Is there any coffee yet?" she greeted her.

"Good morning, Miss Lane. The coffee will be ready in a few minutes," Minnie replied as she bustled about cracking eggs in one pan whilst she fried up slices of ham in another.

They were soon joined by Laura whose cheeks were pink with excitement. Part of her was excited to be going home to be with her family, but the other part wished she could stay in Candleford with her Post Office family. This was her home now and she hated missing out on the festivities with Sir Timothy joining them tomorrow. She knew Dorcas would make it a grand affair.

"I am sorry you won't be here with us tomorrow, Laura," Dorcas said. "You will be missed."

"Thank you, Miss Lane. I will miss being here. I wish it were possible to be in two places at once!"

"So do I, Laura," Dorcas replied sincerely. "But I am sure you will have a wonderful time with your family."

Laura nodded then sat down at the table as Minnie announced breakfast was ready.

Dorcas was just about to ask where Sydney was when she heard him come bounding down the stairs, trying to slick back his hair with his hand.

"Happy Christmas Eve, Ma!" he greeted her with excitement.

"Happy Christmas Eve to you, too, Little Man." She smiled at her young son. One of the greatest gifts of having a child around at Christmastime was it restored her own sense of childlike wonder for the holiday. It allowed her to see things through a child's eye once again—something she thought was lost to her forever.

"When are we getting our Christmas tree, Ma?" Sydney asked.

"As soon as Minnie and I finish our baking later this afternoon Sir Timothy is going to take us all to find our tree. Then we shall have a grand time decorating it together and we'll have hot cocoa and roasted chestnuts and sing carols. How does that sound?"

"I can't wait!" Sydney exclaimed enthusiastically and Minnie beamed with excitement, practically bouncing out of her chair. Poor Laura looked rather forlorn at missing out on all their fun. Dorcas reached out and patted her hand sympathetically.

Soon it was time to open the Post Office and they were kept too busy to think much more about the coming festivities until the aroma of the mince pie that Minnie was baking began to waft through the air. Dorcas closed her eyes and sniffed appreciatively. "Mince pie is my one weakness," she sighed contentedly.

"I thought Sir Timothy was," Laura whispered teasingly to her then skipped away quickly as Dorcas fixed her with a blazing eye.

Just then Thomas came in from his final rounds, and seeing it was now one o'clock, Dorcas was able to close the Post Office for the rest of the holiday.

"Thomas, I look forward to you and Margaret joining us for dinner tomorrow," Dorcas said to him before he left for home.

"Thank you, Miss Lane. We are very much looking forward to it, too," he replied with good cheer.

"Oh, before you leave, Thomas, I have an early Christmas present for you that I want you to enjoy tonight." Dorcas disappeared into the kitchen and came back out with an entire dish of Thomas's favourite calves' foot jelly. The look on his face made all the work that went into making it the day before worth it.

"Oh, Miss Lane, that is indeed a wonderful Christmas gift!" He looked reverently at the dish as he took it in his hands and licked his lips in anticipation. "Margaret and I will enjoy it so very much. Thank you!"

"You are very welcome, Thomas."

Thomas gazed lovingly at the calves' foot jelly again and then he wished Laura a happy Christmas before going home to his wife.

"Now, Laura," Dorcas said, "I want to give you your Christmas gift before you leave!"

Laura's eyes lit up as Dorcas led her into the parlour where she handed her a beautifully wrapped present.

"Can I open it now, Miss Lane?"

"Ooh, yes. Half the fun is watching someone open their gift!" Dorcas said gleefully.

Laura tore the wrapping away and gasped when she saw the beautiful dress, gloves and comb that Dorcas had bought for her in Oxford.

"Oh, Miss Lane, they're so beautiful! I love them!" She held the dress up to herself and spun around happily before giving Dorcas a hug. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome, Laura. Happy Christmas!"

"I have something for you, too, Miss Lane. Wait here whilst I get it." Laura ran upstairs and quickly returned with a large package.

"I drew these for you," Laura said shyly as she handed the package to Dorcas.

Dorcas's eyes shone as she opened it and then gasped when she saw the two framed drawings it contained. One was of the outside of the Post Office and the other was a portrait of Sydney.

"Oh, Laura, these are so beautiful!" she exclaimed with tears in her eyes. "What an incredible talent you have! And this is an exact likeness of Sydney! How on earth did you do it?"

Laura laughed. "It wasn't easy getting him to sit still for so long. I thought I'd never get it finished! I had to keep bribing him with chocolates. Oh, and Sir Timothy helped me get them framed."

Dorcas laughed as she wiped the tears from her eyes and then she hugged Laura tightly. "Thank you so much, Laura. I will treasure them. And that was very sweet of Timothy, too."

"I'm so glad you like them, ma'am."

Dorcas was still admiring the drawings when Robert arrived carrying a large sack with him.

"Well, Laura," he said to his daughter as he gave her a kiss on the cheek, "are you ready to go home?"

"Yes, Pa. Look what Miss Lane gave me for Christmas!" Laura showed him her gifts and Robert gave a low whistle. "Well, now, aren't you my fancy girl?" Then he turned to Dorcas. "Happy Christmas, Dorcas. Here are the toys for Abigail and a little something from Emma and me."

Dorcas eagerly opened the bag and found that Emma had made a beautiful needlepoint picture of Candleford. "I drew the pictures and Emma did the needlework," Robert said proudly.

"Oh, Robert, it's beautiful! Thank you and please thank Emma for me. I love it! I will hang it up in the Post Office so everyone who comes in can admire it, too." Robert looked pleased and then Dorcas saw the toys that he had carved in the bag. One by one she took out the little wooden animals and shook her head in wonderment. "Robert, these are exquisite! Oh, Abigail is going to be thrilled to pieces when she sees these!" There were lions, bears, horses, foxes, dogs, cats, sheep and cows, and even camels and elephants. And at the bottom of the bag was a beautiful little wooden ark to house them in.

Dorcas looked at Robert with amazement. "These are true works of art, Robert. I cannot thank you enough for all the work you have put into these. I'm sure Abigail will one day pass these down to her children and her children's children. What a lucky little girl she is!"

Robert bobbed his head modestly. "Thank you, Dorcas. I'm pleased that you're pleased. You will have to let me know how she likes them."

"Oh, of course I will!" Then she surprised him by giving him a kiss on the cheek and he felt himself suddenly blushing.

"Well, Laura," he said, clearing his throat, "we'd better head home to your ma now."

"Wait, Robert," Dorcas said. "I have some gifts for you to take to your family as well." She hurried off and came back with a small stack of packages and an envelope containing Robert's payment for the toys. "Oh, and Laura, could you fetch one of the mince pies to take home with you?"

Laura went off to the kitchen whilst Robert looked inside the envelope. "Dorcas, this is too much—way above and beyond what we agreed on!"

"Nonsense," Dorcas replied. "Your efforts went way above and beyond anything I could have imagined! How does one put a price on works of art? Happy Christmas, Robert, and thank you again."

Laura returned with the pie and Dorcas gave her another hug before they went on their way.

"Happy Christmas, to you and your family," Dorcas said to them both.

"Happy Christmas, Miss Lane!" Laura called out as they rode away towards Lark Rise.

And what a happy Christmas it was turning out to be already, Dorcas thought to herself, as she closed the door behind her and went into the kitchen to help Minnie finish the baking.

A light snow had fallen by the time Timothy arrived that afternoon, making everything look as though it were covered with white icing. Dorcas made sure Sydney was bundled up against the cold and then Timothy made sure Dorcas was warm enough by tucking a blanket snugly around her. Then they headed out to his estate where a grove of evergreen trees grew in abundance.

After they arrived, Sydney and Minnie ran ahead, laughing as they dodged in and out between the trees looking for the best one. Timothy took Dorcas's hand as they followed along more slowly, making sure she didn't slip in the icy snow.

"I've always loved these woods, Timothy." Dorcas sighed contentedly as she gazed around at the evergreens with their white covered branches. "I remember the first time I came here with my father to pick out our Christmas tree. It seemed like a fairy land!"

Timothy laughed. "I remember it, too. I followed you here and you threw a snowball at me that hit me in the head."

"I did no such thing!" Dorcas exclaimed.

"Oh, yes you did. Half of it went down the back of my shirt, too. I thought I was going to catch pneumonia."

"Honestly, Timothy, the stories you make up! I don't ever remember being that naughty," Dorcas said with a sniff.

"I am not making it up—you have just conveniently forgotten. You were a very naughty little girl back then." He could see she was getting exasperated with him and he had to work hard to suppress his laughter.

"I was not naughty—you were just a horrid little boy who was continually provoking me. I was just defending myself."

"Aha! So you admit you threw the snowball at me?"

"I am doing nothing of the sort. I am just saying if I did ever throw something at you it was because you had provoked me into doing so."

He began to laugh quietly as he put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him, kissing the top of her head. "You're right. I did love provoking you. But admit it, you loved every minute of it. You thought I was the bee's knees," he said smugly.

Dorcas turned away so he wouldn't see her smiling. "I thought you were a pain in the neck."

"You were crazy about me, you followed me everywhere," he countered.

"I think it was the other way around."

Suddenly he stopped and leaned down, nuzzling her ear as he whispered, "You loved me, even back then and you know it." She could feel the warmth of his mouth against her ear travel throughout her whole body and she felt herself weakening.

"I...I guess you weren't all that horrid," she whispered back as she turned her head to look into his eyes which were now lit by more than just the glow from the snow.

He was just about to kiss her when Sydney emerged from the tree line shouting, "Ma! Come see the tree we found!"

Timothy sighed. "We'll continue this later," he said as they made their way to look at Sydney's tree.

"Oh, dear, I was afraid it would be too big," Dorcas lamented as Timothy and Sydney brought the tree into the parlour and tried to stand it up—only to have the ceiling get in the way.

"It will be all right," Timothy replied. "I'll just cut a foot or so off the bottom and trim up the branches. Let's take it back outside, Sydney."

Whilst they worked on the tree outside, Dorcas followed Minnie into the kitchen to check on the roast beef that had been cooking whilst they were away.

"Mmm…roast beef tonight and roast goose tomorrow! We're feasting like kings, Miss Lane!" Minnie exclaimed happily.

"Yes," Dorcas agreed. "And with all the other goodies we have to eat for tonight and tomorrow we will soon be as fat as King Henry VIII!"

Minnie giggled. "It sure was nice of Sir Timothy to bring us all these chocolates," she said as she eyed the fancy box sitting on the kitchen table.

"Yes, it was. Shall we have one now, Minnie?" Dorcas could see that Minnie was dying to have one.

"Ooh, yes, please, ma'am!" Her eyes sparkled as Dorcas took the lid off the box and they gazed at the variety that lay before them.

"Mmm…" Dorcas murmured as she bit into a piece. "Chocolate is my one weakness!"

Minnie giggled again. "It's my weakness, too!"

"Aha! I caught you both red handed!" They both jumped guiltily at the sound of Timothy's voice. He stood there with Sydney looking sternly at them as he shook his head. "Do you see, Sydney? The minute we turn our backs the women raid the chocolate box." Sydney joined Timothy in shaking his head at them.

Dorcas smiled sheepishly as she held the box out to them. "You must have one, too. Only one, Little Man, I don't want you spoiling your appetite."

"Yes, Ma," Sydney said as he chose a chocolate.

Dorcas held the box out to Timothy but he shook his head. "No thank you, Dorcas. I prefer to wait until after dinner to have my dessert." His eyes twinkled at her in such a way that she felt a blush creep up her cheeks. "Come look at the tree, ladies," he said. "It now fits perfectly."

"Oh, it looks wonderful!" Dorcas exclaimed, as she followed him into the parlour. "I think this will be the nicest tree we have ever had." Then she turned to her young son. "Sydney, why don't you go upstairs and bring down the box of Christmas decorations. That way we will be ready to get started right after dinner."

Sydney nodded excitedly and ran up the stairs to fetch the box. Timothy, meanwhile, added wood to the fireplace and had soon created a cheery blaze. "There, that should keep us warm for a little while," he said as he brushed the dirt from his hands. Then, looking around and seeing that Sydney was still upstairs and Minnie busy in the kitchen, he pulled Dorcas towards him and gave her a kiss.

"Mmm… you taste like chocolate," he murmured.

"Timothy!" Dorcas exclaimed, pretending to be shocked. "You'd better behave yourself or Father Christmas isn't going to bring you a thing!"

"Oh, he's already given me my present," he laughed softly. He leaned in to give her another kiss but was thwarted by the sound of Sydney pounding down the stairs. He moved away and clasped his hands behind his back, but not without giving her a quick wink first. Her eyes flashed at him but he could see she was struggling to keep from smiling.

"Thank you, Sydney," she said as she took the box from him and set it next to the tree. "Now, let's have our dinner so we can get started!"

Timothy laid his fork down on his plate with a satisfied clink. "Now that was a roast beef worthy of Father Christmas himself! Well done, Minnie."

Minnie blushed. "Thank you, Sir Timothy."

"I hope you saved some room for mince pie," Dorcas said to him.

Timothy breathed in deeply whilst holding his stomach and looked over at Sydney. "I think your mother is trying to fatten me up to be the Christmas goose tomorrow."

Sydney laughed and Dorcas rolled her eyes at the both of them. "Why don't you gentlemen go into the parlour whilst Minnie and I do the washing up?"

"Come along, Sydney," Timothy said as he stood up from the table. "Let's you and I have a nice brandy and a cigar whilst we wait for the women." He winked at the boy who giggled out loud and then he ventured a glance over at Dorcas who was giving him her best warning look. He turned away with a chuckle and followed Sydney into the parlour.

With Dorcas helping Minnie with the dishes, the work went quickly and soon they stood around the box of decorations, taking them out one by one. There were some beautiful glass ornaments that were handed down from Dorcas's mother, gold stars, silver tinsel, paper snowflakes, as well has handmade ornaments from Dorcas's childhood. Timothy reached in and found one that was sitting in the corner of the box that was carefully wrapped in paper. Intrigued, he slowly removed the wrapping, and then his hand froze as he saw what lay inside. He looked up at Dorcas, who had been watching him, and said, "You kept it all these years?"

Dorcas nodded slowly, feeling tears suddenly stinging her eyes. "Of course I kept it. You made it for me."

Timothy held up the little reindeer that he had carved for her when he was eighteen years old and looked at it in wonderment. Then he noticed that within its paper wrapping was a dried sprig of mistletoe that had been lovingly preserved.

Dorcas quickly brushed a tear from her eye. "That was a wonderful Christmas," she said softly.

Timothy looked like he was about to cry, too. He reached out and touched her face, wishing they were alone so he could take her in his arms.

Dorcas took the little reindeer ornament from his hand and carefully placed it on the tree. Then she looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back at her and placed the wrapping containing the mistletoe gently aside out of harm's way.

Then Minnie began to sing 'Oh, Christmas Tree' and they all joined in as they placed the rest of the ornaments on the tree. Soon the box was empty and it was time to place the candles on the branches. One by one the candles were lit and they stepped back, gasping at how beautiful the tree looked all aglow. Then Sydney pointed at the window and cried, "Look, it's snowing!"

"Oh, how perfect!" Dorcas exclaimed as they opened the door and looked out to see the gently falling snowflakes swirling towards the earth. The snow fell silently as though in hushed reverence for the birth of the Christ child. After a few moments, though, the silence was broken by the sound of carolers making their way down the street. The carolers stopped at their door and merrily began to sing 'Hark, the Herald Angels Sing' and then 'I Heard the Bells'. When they finished, Dorcas brought them a plate of biscuits and Timothy handed each of them a coin. After wishing them a happy Christmas the merry revellers made their way to the next house.

"Well, now, I think it's time for pie and hot chocolate!" Dorcas said to Sydney and Minnie who nodded enthusiastically.

They sat in the parlour, enjoying their dessert as they gazed at the Christmas tree and Dorcas regaled them with stories of Christmases past. Soon, Minnie began to yawn and Sydney's eyes started to look heavy.

"I think it's time you went up to bed now, Little Man," Dorcas said to Sydney. "Father Christmas won't come if you're still awake!"

"Ah, Ma, I'm too old to believe in Father Christmas!" Sydney protested.

Minnie looked incredulously at him. "Well, I believe in Father Christmas and I don't want him to skip over us! Come on, Little Man, we need to get to sleep!" She pulled him reluctantly out of his chair and Dorcas gave him a quick goodnight kiss. "Good night, Little Man, good night, Minnie," Dorcas said to them. They both bid her and Timothy a good night and then finally went upstairs.

"Now I can put their presents on the tree!" Dorcas said with glee. She quickly went upstairs to her room and emerged with a stack of boxes in her hands. Timothy ran up the stairs to take them from her, not wanting her to fall with such an armful.

"Perhaps we'd better blow out the candles now before we put the gifts on the tree," Dorcas said. Timothy nodded and they set about extinguishing them all, leaving the room lit only by the fire in the fireplace. After putting Sydney's and Minnie's gifts about the tree with the bigger ones underneath it, Dorcas showed Timothy the set of little wooden animals and the ark that Robert had carved for Abigail.

Timothy took each toy in his hand and marvelled at the workmanship. "Robert really is a gifted artisan. Abigail is going to love these! Thank you for having them made for her, Dorcas, that was extremely kind of you."

"Well, I wanted her to have something special, Timothy. After all, she is your child, and she is going to be mine soon as well."

Timothy put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. "I cannot wait to see her face when she sees these!" he said as he helped Dorcas place the little figures upon the branches of the tree. Then he stood there, looking thoughtful, until Dorcas asked him what he was thinking.

"You know, I have always regretted the way I treated Robert just before I left for London. Despite his inability to hold his tongue he is a good man and the best craftsman I have ever known. I made a mistake being so harsh with him."

Dorcas put her hand on his arm. "It's not too late to make it right with him, Timothy. If there is any way you could help him find work it would mean so much to him and his family. I hate to see them struggling so."

Timothy nodded. "I think I will speak to him right after Christmas."

Dorcas kissed him on the cheek. "You are a good man, Timothy Midwinter."

The log in the fireplace collapsed with a soft crash and the fire began to dim.

"I had better get some more wood before it goes out altogether," Timothy said as they gazed at the fireplace.

"Oh, Timothy, could you bring some in for my room, too? Minnie forgot to fill my wood box today and it is going to be such a cold night tonight."

"Of course, darling," he said. "I hope you are letting Minnie or Sydney carry the wood for you—I don't want you lifting anything heavy in your condition."

"Don't worry, Timothy, I am being careful, I promise."

"Good. Another reason why I cannot wait to live here—I want to be here to take care of you!" He gave her a kiss on the tip of her nose then went outside to gather the wood.

After he filled the box in the parlour and got the fire going again, he brought in another armload and quietly made his way upstairs to her room. Dorcas followed him, closing the door behind her as she watched him fill the box and then proceed to build a fire for her. When it was going to his satisfaction he stood up and rubbed his hands together. "There you go, milady, a blaze that is sure to keep you warm tonight."

"I'm sure it will. Thank you, Timothy." Then she got a gleeful look in her eye and moved over to her dresser where she opened a drawer and took out a little box.

"I want to give you your present now, whilst we're alone. There will be too many people about tomorrow."

Timothy looked intrigued as she placed the beautifully wrapped little box in his hand.

"Happy Christmas, Timothy!" she said, her eyes shining as he opened his gift.

"Oh, Dorcas," he exclaimed softly as he saw the pocket watch inside. "It is magnificent!" He took it out of the box and pressed the button at the top of the watch. The lid obligingly popped open revealing the handsome watch face and the inscription inside its cover. He had to blink to clear the sudden mist in his eyes as he read the engraving:

My Timothy,

I love you more with each passing moment
of every day.

Forever yours,

Dorcas

He pulled her into his arms and embraced her. "Thank you, my love," he whispered to her. "I will treasure this always." They stood there holding each other until Timothy suddenly pulled away and said, "Well now, it's my turn to give you a gift!" He took her by the shoulders and had her stand in front of her mirror. "Now, close your eyes….no peeking!"

Dorcas did as she was told, wondering what he was going to do. He stood behind her and soon she felt something cool and heavy placed around her neck. As soon as Timothy had it fastened he whispered in her ear, "You can open your eyes now."

Dorcas opened her eyes and gasped as she saw a necklace laden with diamonds draped around her neck. The diamonds danced and sparkled in the firelight as she reached up and gently touched them. "Oh, Timothy, it's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!" She looked like she was going to cry. He put his arms around her and placed his chin on her shoulder as he watched her in the mirror.

"You look like a queen," he said as he kissed her cheek and smiled at her reflection "my beautiful queen."

Just then the little clock on the fireplace struck the hour and Timothy looked up at it with a sigh. "I suppose I should be going now. You need your rest, my love. Tomorrow will be a busy day."

As she watched him in the mirror, she reached up and held his face next to hers. "No," she said softly, "don't go."

Timothy felt his heart quicken and his arms tightened around her. "Are you sure?" he whispered in her ear.

"Yes," she whispered back, rubbing her cheek against his. "I don't want you to leave…not yet…not ever."

Timothy looked at her in the mirror as she took the combs from her hair and watched, mesmerised, as her hair cascaded down around her shoulders and framed her face with soft curls. Then she turned to him, her arms going up around his neck, and he leaned down and kissed her—the way he had wanted to kiss her all night. He felt her melt in his arms and all he wanted was to be freed of their clothing so he could feel her skin against his. By the time they had undressed they were both nearly mad with desire, and sinking down into the bed at last, unleashed a passion so powerful it dwarfed whatever burned in the fireplace behind them.

Timothy awoke in the wee hours of the morning. The fire was nothing more than embers and he felt the winter chill in the room. Whilst Dorcas slept soundly he got out of bed as quietly as he could and soon had the fire blazing again to keep her warm. He dressed silently then looked to her little desk to find something to write with. He hated to leave her, but knew it wouldn't do to have anyone find him there in the morning. He wrote her a quick note and placed it on the pillow beside her. Then he stood over her for a few moments, smiling as he watched her sleep. He gently brushed a few curly strands away from her face and placed a kiss on her forehead. Then, with a final look back at her, he slipped away into the snowy night.

CHAPTER 12

Dorcas awoke early on Christmas morning. Not quite ready to open her eyes just yet, she rolled over, reaching out for Timothy's warmth, only to find the other half of her bed to be cold and empty. Her eyes now fully opened, she sighed, wondering if the night before had been a dream, when she spotted a folded piece of paper lying on the pillow next to her. She sat up quickly and smiled as she opened the note and read Timothy's words:

The pain of separating from you at this moment is exquisite. But the danger of having anyone find me here in the morning is too great, as I know you would agree. I am already counting the hours until I can be near you again….and the days until we are married when I will never have to spend another night away from you.

I love you, my darling girl.

Timothy

PS: Did you know you look like an angel when you are sleeping?

She smiled and held the note close to her heart for a moment before getting out of bed and placing it in the little box where she kept her other treasures. Then she bathed and dressed quickly so she and Minnie could get the Christmas goose prepared and cooking before they had their breakfast, and before Timothy came to pick them up for church. They would have just enough time to gather around the tree and share their presents before their company came for dinner. It was going to be a busy day!

Dorcas came downstairs in time to catch Sydney peeking through the door of the parlour.

"Sydney!" she exclaimed, causing him to jump and slam the door shut. "There will be no peeking at the presents until after church!" Her eyes flashed at him but it was hard for her not to smile. She remembered all too well how often she had peeked into that very parlour when she was his age.

Sydney smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Ma. Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas, my Little Man," she said, giving him a hug.

She knew Minnie was already up and in the kitchen because she could smell breakfast cooking.

"Happy Christmas, Minnie," she greeted her with a smile.

"Happy Christmas, ma'am!" Minnie beamed at her. She was struggling with the plucked and cleaned goose in her arms, trying to fit it into the roasting pan.

"Here, let me help you with that, Minnie," Dorcas said as she grabbed her apron before relieving Minnie of the slippery goose.

"Who's all coming to dinner, Ma?" Sydney asked.

"Well, there will be Sir Timothy and Abby, Thomas and Margaret Brown, and the Misses Pratt," she replied.

"I hope this goose will be big enough to feed all those people—and us!" Minnie said as she looked dubiously at the goose.

"Don't worry we will have plenty of food, Minnie. This is probably the biggest goose I have ever seen!"

By the time the goose was prepared and roasting and the last of the breakfast dishes were done, the sound of Timothy's carriage could be heard stopping just outside their door. Dorcas whipped off her apron and patted her hair before opening the door.

Before she could greet them, Abby cried out excitedly, "Happy Chwismas, Miss Lane!"

"Happy Christmas, darling!" she said as she knelt down and gave the little girl a big hug. "You look so pretty in your new dress, just like a princess!"

Abby smiled happily at her and then her eyes lit up when she spotted Sydney. "Siddy!" she cried and ran over to him, crashing into his leg which made him blush at her devotion. "Happy Christmas, Abby," he said to her as he gave her an awkward pat on the head.

Timothy then took Dorcas's hand and helped her stand back up. "Happy Christmas, darling. I hated to leave you last night," he whispered to her before giving her a quick kiss.

"Happy Christmas, Timothy. Thank you for the beautiful note you left me," she whispered back. "I missed you not being there when I woke up."

"Soon we won't have to miss each other anymore," he said as he brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it.

"Papa!" Abby interrupted them. "Siddy said Father Chwismas came here last night and left us presents!"

"Yes, darling, Father Christmas did come and you will get to see what he left for you after church." Timothy smiled down at her.

Timothy then went over to Sydney and whispered in his ear, asking him to keep Abby distracted whilst he brought in her gifts to put around the tree. Sydney did as he was asked and Timothy and Dorcas ran out and brought in the packages as quickly as they could.

"Well now, is everyone ready to head to the church?" Timothy asked as they closed the parlour doors behind them.

They were all nearly in the carriage before Minnie realised she was still wearing her apron and had to run back inside to take it off. Then they were on their way.

The church bells rang clear in the crisp December air as they arrived at the church. Everyone was dressed in their best finery and greeted one another with good cheer. The service was always longer on Christmas day, much to the children's dismay, as they were eager to get home and see what Father Christmas had brought them. Thomas Brown stood up at the front of the church and gave a reading whilst his wife looked on proudly. Even Christmas songs were sung until at last the service was over and everyone headed home for their celebration.

When they arrived home the smell of the cooking goose greeted their noses. Then, after everyone had taken off their coats and gloves, Dorcas slipped into the parlour and quickly began to light the candles on the tree. She heard the parlour doors open and close behind her and knew that Timothy had come in to help her. Once the tree was all aglow they headed back to the doors to let the children and Minnie in. But before they did, Timothy stopped and pulled Dorcas into his arms and kissed her soundly until she was quite breathless.

"Have I told you how much I love you yet today?" he whispered to her.

"You did in your note," she smiled at him.

"Oh, well, in that case I don't need to say it," Timothy said airily as he let go of her.

"Timothy Midwinter, how dare you!" Dorcas glowered at him and began to turn away until he pulled her back with a soft laugh and held her even more tightly than before.

"All right, I will say it. I love you, Dorcas Lane, truly, madly and ever so deeply." He felt her melting in his arms and he kissed her once again until the children's voices outside the room brought them back to their senses, causing them to reluctantly pull away from each other and open the doors.

Minnie and the children ran into the parlour and squealed as they saw all the presents around the tree. Minnie gasped as she saw the beautiful dress, gloves and comb that Dorcas had bought for her.

"Oh, Miss Lane, it is the most beautiful thing I have ever owned! I can't wait for Alfie to see me in it!" she exclaimed with shining eyes as she held the dress up to herself.

"I'm glad you like it, Minnie," Dorcas replied.

Sydney also loved his new pen and the books as well as his new clothes and ran to Dorcas to give her a hug. "Thank you, Ma!" he said happily.

Abby squealed with delight when she opened the gifts Timothy had brought for her. One was a beautiful doll and the other was a fancy miniature tea set as well as a little rocking horse made with real horse's hair. Then she spotted the little wooden animals that were sprinkled upon the tree branches and Timothy picked her up and helped her find each one. She laughed out loud every time she spotted another one until all were found and she was shown the little ark to keep them in.

"Siddy! Play with me!" she cried out to Sydney as she clutched all the animals in her little arms.

"I will in just a minute, Abby," he said. "I have to run upstairs first."

Sydney ran up quickly then came back down smiling as he held something behind his back. He walked up to Dorcas and said, "I made this for you, Ma. Happy Christmas!" What he took from behind his back was a little birdhouse made of wood that was painted bright blue with little flowers all around its sides.

Dorcas gasped. "Oh, Sydney, it's beautiful! I love it! Thank you, darling!" She gave him a big hug as he blushed happily.

"Well, now, Minnie, I think it's time we started preparing our dinner," Dorcas said with a little clap of her hands.

"I will make a fire whilst you ladies are in the kitchen," Timothy said.

"That would be lovely, Timothy, thank you."

Before long the goose was ready, the potatoes were mashed and the other dishes were placed on the table that was festively set with Dorcas's best china and with brightly coloured crackers at each plate, along with the Christmas pudding garnished with holly leaves on top. Soon a knock was heard at the door and Dorcas opened it to find Thomas, Margaret, Pearl and Ruby waiting with delicious dessert offerings in their hands.

"Come in, everyone, Happy Christmas!" Dorcas greeted them.

They were all in quite the jolly mood, even Pearl and Ruby, who kept stealing glances between Dorcas and Timothy whenever they could.

Pearl pulled Dorcas aside. "Your dress is almost ready, Dorcas. We just need to do the final fitting. If you could come in tomorrow we can have it finished by tomorrow night."

"Oh, that is splendid, Pearl! I cannot wait to see it!" Dorcas replied. And then she had an awful thought. With the baby growing inside of her she had surely gained a little weight since she was first measured for the dress. How would she explain it? Well, she would just have to think of something by tomorrow. Maybe she hadn't yet gained any weight at all.

As they sat down to dinner everyone exclaimed over the bounty of food on the table. Timothy carved the goose and everyone passed their plates around until they were filled. Then they joined hands and Thomas said a prayer of thanks before they were finally able to tuck into their Christmas feast.

"Oh, Miss Lane, Sir Timothy," Margaret said as she looked to both of them, "I cannot wait for your wedding! What a blessed event that will be! And what a blessing it is to have you back as our Squire, Sir Timothy."

Dorcas reached over and patted Margaret's arm gratefully and Timothy said, "Thank you, Mrs Brown, I am very happy to be back—and we cannot wait for the wedding, either!" Then he winked at Dorcas and gave her such a look that she blushed and Pearl and Ruby's eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

Thankfully, Abby had chosen that moment to pull the ends of her cracker with Sydney, and it made a popping noise as it broke open, spilling out a little paper hat and sweeties, making her squeal. Everyone laughed and joined in by pulling their own crackers. Soon they were all wearing little paper hats on their heads and laughing like children again.

Dorcas then stood and held up her glass. "Thank you all for sharing Christmas with us. You are all so dear to me. Here is to family and to good friends."

"Hear, hear! To family and to good friends!" they said as they raised their glasses to her.

"Now, who would like dessert?"

After they were all stuffed to bursting, they retired to the parlour where everyone could enjoy the candlelit tree and sing carols. They were interrupted by a knock at the door and Sydney ran to answer it.

Dorcas heard a man's voice say, "I have a special delivery for Sydney Dowland?"

"That's me, sir," Sydney said with surprise.

Dorcas joined him at the door in time to see the man lead a beautiful black horse up to Sydney.

"Here you go, son, and the note that goes with it," the man said as he lifted his cap to Dorcas before riding away.

"What does the note say, Sydney?" Dorcas asked her young son as he opened the note with hands trembling with excitement. He then read it out loud to her:

Happy Christmas, Sydney,

Every boy should have a horse of his own so this is for you.
Take good care of him and he will take good care of you.
I wish you were here with me this Christmas, son.

With love from your

Sydney looked up at Dorcas with a smile. "Pa gave me a horse! My very own horse!"

"What a wonderful, gift, Sydney. You must write and thank him right away."

Sydney nodded, but first he went up to the horse and patted its nose until it nickered softly to him.

"I think he likes me!" he said.

"I think we'd better take him to the stable and get him fed, Little Man." They took the horse back and got him settled in alongside Dorcas's horse before returning to their company.

"This is the best Christmas ever!" Sydney exclaimed joyfully as he gave Dorcas a hug.

"It is indeed," she said as she hugged him back. Then she gave silent thanks to James for remembering his son on Christmas Day.

The candles on the tree were nearly burnt all the way down before their guests said their goodbyes and made their way home. Dorcas was tired but it was a happy kind of tired. She was about to help Minnie with the washing up when Timothy surprised her by making her sit down and rest whilst he grabbed some dishes off the table and brought them to Minnie. Whilst Minnie did the washing, Timothy found a towel and did the drying, much to Minnie's amusement.

"You're not supposed to be doing this kind of work, Sir Timothy. You're the Squire!" Minnie exclaimed, rather agog at having such a man drying dishes next to her.

"Nonsense, Minnie," he replied. "It is the least I can do for all the work you and Miss Lane did to prepare such a feast for us. Besides, I always did rather fancy drying dishes."

Minnie giggled and shook her head in wonderment as they continued on with the chore.

Dorcas, meanwhile, sank gratefully into her parlour chair and watched Sydney play with Abby and all her new toys. Then she closed her eyes for a bit, enjoying the sound of their laughter, until she must have dozed off. The next thing she knew, Timothy was gently shaking her shoulder to wake her up.

"Dorcas, my poor darling, you are exhausted. I think it is time I took Abigail home so you can get some sleep. You need your rest!"

"Oh, Timothy, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to fall asleep!" she exclaimed with embarrassment.

"Don't be silly," he whispered to her. "Of course you are tired with all that you have had to do the past few days and in your condition, too. I want you to go straight to bed now. Sydney can help me carry all of Abigail's things to the carriage and get her settled, then I will say goodnight before we leave."

"Please don't go just yet. I assure you I'm fine, really I am," she said as she stood up, feeling mortified at having fallen asleep like that.

"I insist," Timothy said firmly. "I won't have you wearing yourself out. Now, be a good girl and do as I ask. Please, Dorcas."

He was looking at her with such concern that she gave in and nodded her head reluctantly.

"Good," he said as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Come along, Abigail, it is time to get you home and into bed. Thank Miss Lane for your gifts and for the lovely dinner."

"Thank you, Miss Lane," Abby said as Dorcas reached down and gave her a hug.

"You're welcome, darling. I hope you had a nice Christmas."

Abby nodded her head with a smile then ran back to pick up her dolly and the little ark.

After he got his daughter into the carriage, Timothy came back in time to say good night to Minnie and Sydney as they made their way upstairs to their rooms. Then he took Dorcas in his arms.

"Thank you for the best Christmas I have ever had, my love," he said softly.

"Thank you for the best Christmas I have ever had, too, my Timothy," she said as she hugged him back. "I'm sorry it is over already."

"Well, we will have many, many more together, that I promise you."

"I know we will. What a wonderful life we are going to have together!"

"Indeed we will," he said. Then he gave her a kiss before pushing her towards the staircase. "Go on to bed now before I pick you up and carry you there myself!"

Dorcas smiled at his bossiness. "I love you, Timothy."

He kissed her again. "I love you, too, Dorcas. Good night."

"Good night, my love." Dorcas went to the door and watched until the carriage was out of sight. Then she slowly made her way up the stairs, missing Timothy with every step.

CHAPTER 13

Now that Laura was home from Lark Rise it was time for all three of them to go to the Pratts' for their dress fittings. But first, Dorcas stood sideways in front of her mirror, placing her hands on her belly to see if it had grown any bigger. It didn't look so in the mirror, but her hands could feel the subtle difference just the same. With a sigh, she knew there was nothing to be done but get the fitting over with and deal with the outcome as best she could.

"Oh, Dorcas, girls, I am glad you are here," Ruby said as the three of them walked into the shop. "Please come into the back with me." They followed Ruby into their work room where several dressmakers' dummies stood in various stages of dress. Pearl was standing over one of them with pins sticking out of her mouth as she adjusted a hem. Dorcas gasped as she spotted her wedding dress upon one of dummies and clasped her hands in front of her mouth.

"Oh, Pearl, Ruby, it is even more beautiful than I imagined!" Dorcas exclaimed.

Both dressmakers looked proudly at their creation before taking the dress off its dummy and holding it out to her so she could feel its soft, white silk and see its intricate lacework.

"Let's get you inside of it now and see how it looks!" Pearl said to her as Ruby went to bring Laura's and Minnie's dresses for them to try on.

After Laura and Minnie had their dresses on they both looked at each other with awe.

"Oh, girls, you look so beautiful!" Dorcas said to them as they continued to twirl around, admiring themselves in the mirror. "And they look like they fit just perfectly!"

Ruby nodded in agreement. "We'll just finish them off tonight and have them to you tomorrow!" she said with satisfaction as she helped them out of their dresses.

"Thank you, Laura and Minnie. You can go back to the Post Office now," Dorcas said to them after they had dressed.

"Oh, but we want to see you in your wedding dress, Miss Lane!" Laura said enthusiastically whilst Minnie nodded alongside her.

Dorcas cringed inwardly. She really didn't want them there in case the dress didn't fit. What would they think? She could think of no good reason to keep them from seeing her try on the dress, though, so she reluctantly let them stay.

Pearl was all business as she carefully placed the dress over Dorcas's head and helped her arms into its sleeves before letting it slip down her body. Dorcas closed her eyes as she felt the tightness around her bosom and middle, knowing how displeased Pearl and Ruby were going to be.

"Well, that is odd," Pearl said with a puzzled frown as she tried to adjust the dress to Dorcas's body. "Ruby, there must have been some mistake with the measurements."

Ruby rushed over to her. "A mistake? But how is that possible?" She looked at the dress, pulling at bits of it here and there before giving up, shaking her head in consternation.

"Obviously, you wrote down the wrong measurements," Pearl hissed at her sister.

"I assure you I did not write them down wrong. I wrote them exactly as you specified. You must have measured incorrectly!" Ruby hissed back.

Laura and Minnie looked back and forth at the sisters, who were now glaring at one another, before looking at Dorcas with raised eyebrows.

"Girls, I really do think you should go home now," Dorcas said to them with a pleading look. Laura nodded, not really wanting to be there whilst the sisters argued anyway, and took Minnie's hand to lead her away.

After they had gone Dorcas tried to fix the situation. "Ladies, please, no one has made a mistake I assure you. I…I'm afraid it's my fault that the dress doesn't fit."

Pearl and Ruby looked at her with astonishment. "What do you mean it's your fault, Dorcas?"

Dorcas gave a sickly little laugh. "Well, as you know, food has always been my one weakness. I'm afraid I overindulged this Christmas with all the pastries and biscuits that Minnie and I made this year. And Timothy's been bringing me box after box of chocolates which I am powerless to resist! I'm afraid it has all gone to my waistline."

One corner of Pearl's mouth turned down as she arched an eyebrow at Dorcas. "May I suggest that you try harder to resist these chocolates until after your wedding?"

"Yes, yes, of course," Dorcas said as she felt a blush rushing up to cheeks. "I am so sorry for all the trouble, ladies."

"Hmmm…." Pearl muttered as she lifted the dress over her head. "Well, it's a good thing we didn't trim away the excess fabric yet, isn't it, Ruby?"

"Yes, it is most fortunate," Ruby replied with a reproving look at Dorcas. Then they took the new measurements and sent Dorcas on her way.

Dorcas breathed a sigh of relief as she walked back home and prayed she wouldn't gain anymore weight before the wedding took place!

The following day, Ruby came by the Post Office with Laura's and Minnie's dresses and asked Dorcas to come back to the shop for another fitting.

This time the dress fit perfectly and Dorcas felt tears flooding her eyes as she regarded herself in the mirror. "I had given up on ever seeing myself in a wedding dress," Dorcas said softly.

The sisters smiled at her reflection. "You look beautiful, Dorcas," Ruby said and Pearl nodded in agreement.

"Oh, Pearl, Ruby, I cannot thank you enough for such a beautiful gown! You have outdone yourselves!" Then she flustered them both by giving them each a hug.

"We are just pleased that you are pleased," Ruby fluttered.

Dorcas turned back to the mirror one last time and smiled at her reflection. She couldn't wait for Timothy to see her walk down the aisle in such a beautiful creation on their wedding day!

The flowers arrived just in time the day before the wedding. Dorcas had them ordered from Oxford and she, Laura and Minnie set about placing them in water so they would remain fresh until the following day. Dorcas fashioned her bouquet of pink, red and white roses mixed with orange blossoms as well as two smaller bouquets for Laura and Minnie to carry as they walked down the aisle. The littlest rosebuds were set aside for the men's button holes and a little basket of rose petals was put together for Abby to sprinkle down the aisle, as she was to be their flower girl. Abby was so excited to have a part in the wedding—especially since she had a beautiful new dress to wear for the occasion made of white muslin that was tied with a big, pink sash.

Later that afternoon, the vicar let them into the church to decorate the pews with ribbons and bows in pale pinks and blues as well as place vases of roses and orchids along the sides of the church and behind the altar, with orange blossoms hanging from the walls. When they were finished they stood in awe of how beautifully transformed the church was.

"This is going to be the most beautiful wedding I have ever seen, Miss Lane!" Minnie said excitedly.

"All thanks to you and Laura helping me," Dorcas replied gratefully. "I don't know what I would have done without you both!"

"I am just so happy for you, Miss Lane!" Laura said as she squeezed Dorcas's arm. "Just think, by this time tomorrow you will be Lady Dorcas Midwinter! Doesn't that sound grand?"

"Lady Dorcas Midwinter…" Dorcas whispered to herself. She hadn't really thought of the title she would gain by becoming Timothy's wife. It seemed almost surreal to her.

With their work finished at the church, the three of them made their way home to have an early dinner. Dorcas wanted to get to bed early, even though she knew she probably wouldn't sleep a wink that night. Mostly, she wanted to be alone so she could spend some time reflecting on her life and the changes that were about to occur in it.

Before dinner, Dorcas took down the box that held her mother's wedding dress and veil and brought it into her room. She felt the pain of seeing the precious dress that had been ruined by Minnie's carelessness a few years ago, but she could never part with it. The veil, however, was still as perfect as the day her mother wore it to her own wedding. Dorcas took the veil out of the box and gazed lovingly at it before placing it aside whilst she tried on her own wedding dress. She breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn't gained anymore weight in the past three days since the dress was finished. It fit her perfectly and once again she was in awe of how beautiful it looked as she regarded herself in the mirror. Then she slowly took the veil and placed it upon her head, completing the picture.

A quick knock at the door brought her out of her reverie.

"Come in," she said.

The door opened and Minnie stuck her head in. "Dinner's ready, ma'am." Then her mouth dropped open as she saw Dorcas in her wedding dress.

"Oh, Miss Lane, you look like a princess!" Minnie said with awe.

Dorcas smiled at her. "Thank you, Minnie. You may come in."

As Minnie came into the room she spotted the old wedding dress in its box and her face turned pale.

"Miss Lane, I am so sorry I ruined your mother's wedding dress. Truly I am. You should be wearing it tomorrow—but now you can't—all because of me." She looked as though she were going to cry.

"Minnie," Dorcas said as she took off her veil and gently placed it on her bed, "I loved my mother's dress and I know she would have wanted me to wear it to my own wedding. But I also think it's important for a woman to have her own dress made just for her on her wedding day. My mother's dress was very beautiful, but perhaps a little old-fashioned for today, wouldn't you agree?"

Minnie's face lightened considerably and she even managed a smile. "Yes, Miss Lane, I do. Your new dress is even more beautiful than your mother's!"

Dorcas patted Minnie's arm. "Well, then, that's settled. We shall say no more about my mother's dress. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Minnie replied happily.

"Oh, and Minnie, did you get moved in all right to Laura's room and put fresh linens on the beds for Abby and her nanny?" Dorcas asked. She had had a talk with Laura and Minnie the day before, asking if they would mind sharing a room so that Abby and her nanny would have a room of their own when they and Timothy moved into the Post Office after the wedding. It would only be temporary until an additional bedroom could be built on in the coming spring.

"Yes, ma'am, it was all done by this morning," Minnie replied.

"That is excellent, Minnie, thank you. Now, let me change my clothes and I will be right down to dinner," Dorcas said as she shooed Minnie out of the room.

Before she went through the door, Minnie turned back to look at Dorcas one more time. "I can't wait to see Sir Timothy's face when he sees you in that dress tomorrow!" she giggled.

"Out, Minnie," Dorcas said with a half smile as she pointed to the door.

Everyone was almost too excited to eat their dinner that night, including Dorcas. Laura and Minnie chattered away all during the meal. Minnie, especially, couldn't wait for Alf to see her in her bridesmaid's dress and kept giggling every time she thought about it. Sydney just shook his head at her with amusement, but even he was excited to have the important job of being the ring bearer.

"All I have to do is stand next to Sir Timothy and hold the ring on the little pillow, isn't that right, Ma?"

"That's right, Little Man. You must be very careful and not let the ring fall off. Sir Timothy will be sending a carriage for you before the girls and I leave in the other carriage. You must be there with Sir Timothy at the altar before we arrive and walk down the aisle, so don't forget to bring the ring's pillow with you."

"I won't forget, Ma," he replied earnestly.

Dorcas smiled at him and then forced herself to eat another bite of food.

When at last dinner was finished, Laura, Minnie and Sydney took turns having their baths before going to bed. Dorcas would have hers first thing in the morning.

After everyone was safely tucked away in their rooms, Dorcas made a pot of tea and carried it to her bedroom where she sat in front of the fire sipping her tea and thinking about the coming day. She had hoped the hot tea would soothe her enough to make her sleepy, but instead she remained wide awake as her mind raced. She wondered what Timothy was doing at that very moment and whether he was still awake as well. She sat there staring into the fire until the clock chimed eleven and then she got up and walked to the window. Looking out into the frosty, moonlit night, she started when she saw a figure ride up on horseback and look up at her window. It was Timothy! He saw her looking out at him and gave her a little wave. She waved back and then ran downstairs to let him in.

"Timothy! Is everything all right?" she asked as she pulled him inside out of the cold.

"Yes, darling, everything is fine. I'm sorry to disturb you so late. I'm finding it impossible to sleep tonight and I just had this overwhelming need to see you."

"But don't you know it is bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?" she teased him.

"It is only bad luck to see the bride the day of the wedding before the ceremony." He took out his pocket watch and looked at it. "We have one hour until it is tomorrow so we are still safe."

She led him into the parlour and got the fire going again to warm him up, and then made a fresh pot of tea.

"It looks like you haven't been able to sleep, either," he said as she handed him a steaming cup.

"No, my mind is filled with too many thoughts of tomorrow," she confessed.

"I hope they are happy thoughts?" He searched her face, looking slightly worried.

"Oh, Timothy, of course they are!" she reassured him as she took his face in her hands. "I am about to have everything I have ever wanted. I think part of me is almost afraid to believe it."

"I know, I feel the same way. I am almost afraid to fall asleep for fear I will wake up and find myself back in London again and I….." His voice caught in his throat and he looked away suddenly towards the fire and shook his head. "If that were to happen I know I couldn't go on anymore."

Dorcas took his hand in hers and held it tight. "Look at me, Timothy."

He turned towards her and she could see the beginnings of tears glistening in his eyes. She brought his hand up to her cheek so he could feel her and then placed a gentle kiss on his palm. "This isn't a dream, my darling boy. I am right here and you and I are going to be married tomorrow."

"Yes," he half laughed and half sobbed as he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly to him. "Yes, we are. Oh, Dorcas, I love you so much I sometimes feel as though my heart is going to burst with it."

Dorcas felt her own tears begin to run down her cheeks. "I love you, too, Timothy. You made me the happiest woman in the world when you came home to me."

They continued to hold each other whilst gazing into the fire in companionable silence until it was nearly midnight. Then Timothy gave her a kiss before reluctantly pulling away to leave.

"Try to get some sleep now, my love," he whispered.

"You too, my Timothy," she whispered back with a smile. "See you at the church!"

"See you at the church!" He flashed her a smile that lit up the room, then he slipped out of the door and was gone.

Dorcas made her way back to her room and slid under the covers of her bed. Turning to her side, she reached out to the empty half of her bed and smiled to herself, knowing this was the last night she would ever feel its loneliness. Then she closed her eyes with a contented sigh. Being near Timothy had soothed her soul and given peace to her mind, allowing her at last to drift off into a deep sleep.

CHAPTER 14

When Timothy awakened on the morning of his wedding, he cautiously opened his eyes and looked around his room, breathing a sigh of relief to find he wasn't back in London after all, and his impending wedding to Dorcas hadn't just been a dream. He bounded out of bed with a joyful heart, yanked open his bedroom door and called out for his manservant to draw his bath and ready his clothes. Whilst he waited, he walked over to his dresser and took the ring he would place on Dorcas's finger out of its box and gazed at it for a moment, finding the cool solidity of the golden band reassuring in his hand. He then closed his fingers tightly around the ring, as though trying to impress upon it the love he felt for the woman he would be giving it to that very morning, and said a silent prayer of thanks to God for allowing him to have this happiness. When his manservant finally announced his bath was ready, Timothy carefully placed the ring back in its box and smiled to himself. The day he had been waiting for all of his life had finally begun.

Dorcas awakened to Minnie banging on her door.

"Miss Lane, it's time to get up! It's just three hours until the wedding!" Minnie's muffled and rather frantic voice squeaked through the door.

Dorcas sprang out of bed, hardly knowing what she was doing, and opened the door before Minnie pounded her way through it.

"Thank you, Minnie, I am quite awake now. Could you please prepare a bath for me and prepare a small breakfast? The wedding breakfast itself is still hours away and I don't want anyone's stomach growling during the ceremony—especially mine!"

"I've already got your bath drawn, ma'am, it just needs you in it!" Minnie replied, pulling Dorcas out of her room before she could even gather her wits.

Once she had bathed and washed her hair, Dorcas sat in front of the fire, carefully drying her hair whilst Minnie brought her a pot of tea and some toast to tide her over until the wedding breakfast was served. As soon as her hair was dry, Dorcas enlisted Laura's help in arranging it and placing little orange blossoms within its curls. By the time it was arranged to her satisfaction it was just after nine o'clock. They had to be at the church by ten.

Before she changed into her wedding dress, Dorcas went to find Sydney to make sure he was properly dressed in his new suit and had everything that he needed. She needn't have worried—she found him already dressed with his hair carefully combed and the ring pillow by his side. Laura had even placed one of the roses in the buttonhole of his suit.

"Oh, Sydney, you look splendid!" Dorcas exclaimed as she took his face in her hand and kissed his cheek. "I should have known you would be ready to go before I am."

Sydney looked pleased and she could tell he felt very important in his new suit, taking his ring bearer duties very seriously.

"I'm glad you're marrying Sir Timothy, Ma. I like him," Sydney said shyly.

Dorcas gave him a hug. "I am glad that you are glad, my Little Man. Your happiness means everything to me. Sir Timothy is the best of men and we are all going to be very happy together, I promise you. Now, I must get dressed myself! I don't want to be late to my own wedding!" Her eyes sparkled at him and he laughed as she rushed out of the room.

Laura helped Dorcas into her wedding gown by carefully placing it over her head so as not to muss up her hair. Once it was in place and buttoned up, Laura stepped back and clasped her hands in front of her mouth. "Oh, Miss Lane, you look so beautiful!" Laura said with tears gathering in her eyes. "I can't wait to see Sir Timothy's face when he sees you walk down the aisle!"

"Thank you, Laura. And thank you for helping me today. I don't know what I would do without you!"

"It is my pleasure, ma'am. Oh, I do so love weddings!" Laura practically hopped up and down with excitement.

Minnie then came upstairs to let them know the first carriage had arrived to bring Sydney to the church.

"Oh, Minnie, could you see to Sydney getting into the carriage and make sure he has the ring pillow with him?" Dorcas asked. "Oh, and don't forget to have him take one of the roses for Sir Timothy's coat!"

"Yes, ma'am." Minnie hurried off, calling out for Sydney as she went.

"If you would wait downstairs now, Laura, I want to take just a moment alone."

"Of course, Miss Lane, I will let you know when the carriage arrives." Laura gave her a parting smile then closed the door behind her.

Dorcas stood in front of the mirror and carefully placed her mother's veil on her head. "Oh, Mother, how I wish you were here with me today," Dorcas whispered to the heavens. "I miss you so much! And, Father, you were wrong about Timothy and me. We have never been so happy and our marriage is not going to be the ruin of him—quite the opposite, in fact. I am just so sorry you are not here to walk with me down the aisle so you could see for yourself how happy we are." She then stood quietly and could almost feel the presence of her mother and father surrounding her at that very moment, filling her with their love. She then smiled and wiped a tear away from her eye. "I love you, my darlings," she whispered to them.

Laura then knocked on her door. "The carriage has arrived, Miss Lane!"

Dorcas took a deep breath, and after a final look in the mirror, grabbed her overnight bag and headed downstairs with Laura to the waiting carriage and to the rest of her life.

The air was brutally cold as they stepped out to the carriage, but Dorcas was just thankful it wasn't raining. In fact, the sun was shining enough to make it look deceptively warm, and its rays made the diamond necklace that Timothy had given to her for Christmas sparkle like white-hot fire around her neck. Abigail and her nanny came with the carriage. Dorcas introduced herself and Laura and Minnie to the nanny, hoping to make her feel welcome. She was an older, dignified looking woman with beautiful white hair that looked like spun cotton.

"I am very pleased to finally meet you, Miss Lane. Please, just call me Nanny." Nanny's face was kindly, but she had a capable, no-nonsense quality about her that Dorcas immediately took a liking to.

"All right, Nanny it is." Dorcas smiled at her. "We have a room prepared for you and Abigail. I hope you will find it to your liking."

"Thank you, Miss Lane, I am sure I will. And may I say what a beautiful bride you make? Like a picture, you are!"

"Thank you, Nanny, you are most kind," Dorcas replied warmly.

They were all grateful for the warm blankets that were provided for them in the carriage, but it was just a short ride to the church so they barely had time to be cold.

"Don't worry, Miss Lane," Nanny said, "I've made sure that Abigail knows exactly how to behave as flower girl." She turned to the child and asked, "Now, how will you walk down the aisle, Abigail?"

"Slowly," Abby replied.

"Very good. And what will you do with the rose petals as you walk down the aisle?"

"Toss them on the floor," she said mechanically, looking at Nanny as though anyone would know that!

"You are going to be just perfect, Abby, and the prettiest flower girl that was ever seen!" Dorcas said to the child as she patted her hand. Abby giggled and looked pleased.

The church bells were ringing joyfully as they approached the church. Dorcas could see Thomas already there, pacing nervously outside the door as he waited for her.

Laura and Minnie exited the carriage first, followed by Abby and her nanny. Thomas ran up in time to help Dorcas step out of the carriage.

"You look beautiful, Miss Lane," Thomas said with wonderment as he regarded her. Laura quickly placed a rose in the buttonhole of Thomas's coat and then ran to the side entrance of the church to see how much time they had.

"Thank you, Thomas. I am so glad that you are here with me!" Dorcas said as she squeezed his arm.

Laura came running back to them. "They are ready to start, Miss Lane!" she said excitedly. She gave Dorcas a quick hug and wished her luck. Then she took Abby's hand and led her to the church doors. "All right, Abby, here is your basket of rose petals. Minnie will go first, and then you will follow behind me. Are you ready?"

Abby clutched her basket and nodded. Then Laura gestured to one of the ushers to open the church doors.

As the procession began, Thomas held his arm out to Dorcas and she smiled up at him as she took hold of it. Thomas cleared his throat and said, "Miss Lane, I just want to say that I hope you find as much felicity in your marriage as I have in mine."

Thomas's words brought tears to her eyes and she clutched his arm even tighter. "Thank you, my dear friend."

Timothy, meanwhile, was standing ready at the altar and he could feel his heartbeat quicken as the church doors opened. He placed his hand on Sydney's shoulder to steady himself, feeling grateful for the boy's presence. Sydney smiled up at him as he proudly held the ring before him.

As Minnie walked down the aisle she looked around until she spotted Alf who flashed a smile at her. Her face went pink when she saw him and she almost ran into one of the pews before setting herself straight again.

Emma grasped Robert's arm as Laura came next. How beautiful she looked and how grown up she now was! Emma beamed at her and Robert gave her a little wink as she walked past them.

Everyone in the church smiled as little Abby began her walk down the aisle, carefully tossing the petals before her as she went. Timothy felt tears threatening his eyes as he proudly watched his little girl make her way towards him. Suddenly, Abby stopped as she looked up and saw her father and Sydney standing ahead and cried out, "Hi, Siddy! Hi, Papa!" Everyone in the church began to laugh and Sydney blushed as he gave her a little wave whilst Laura gestured for her to keep coming.

Then everyone hushed and stood up as Dorcas and Thomas appeared in the doorway. Little gasps were heard in the room as they caught their first glimpse of the bride. Timothy felt his breath catch in his throat at seeing how beautiful she looked, and then tears really did fill his eyes as he realised his one true love was finally making her way down the aisle to him to become his wife. Laura glanced over at Timothy, and seeing the tears in his eyes made her tear up as well. She could see how much he loved her and she hoped that one day a man would look at her the way he was looking at Dorcas at that very moment.

Dorcas thought she had her emotions under control until she saw Timothy standing at the altar. He was looking at her so intensely and looking so impossibly handsome that she suddenly couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks as she realised her lifelong dream of marrying him was about to come true. Thomas heard her sniffs and he discreetly took his handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her so she could dab her eyes. She wasn't the only one now crying. Nearly every woman in the church was dabbing their eyes—even Pearl and Ruby, who were rightly proud to see their own creation being worn by the bride.

But Dorcas saw none of that. Her eyes never once wavered from Timothy's as she made her way to the altar, and when they finally stood before each other she smiled at him so radiantly that it was all he could do not to take her in his arms right then and there.

After Dorcas had handed Laura her bouquet the vicar smiled at them both, then he cleared his throat, and turning his gaze towards the congregation, began to speak...

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this company, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy matrimony; which is an honourable estate, instituted by God, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and His Church: which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee, and is commended of Saint Paul to be honourable among all men; and therefore is not by any to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God. Into this holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. If any man can show just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace."

The vicar paused to allow time for anyone to protest, and both Dorcas and Timothy felt themselves holding their breath in the unlikely case anyone would come forth. Thankfully, it remained quiet and the vicar regarded them both quite seriously as he continued on:

"I require and charge you both, as ye will answer at the dreadful day of judgement when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment, why ye may not be lawfully joined together in Matrimony, ye do now confess it. For be ye well assured, that if any persons are joined together other than as God's Word doth allow, their marriage is not lawful."

The vicar looked at each of them in turn and they both looked innocently back at him until, satisfied, he gave them a little smile and then turned to Timothy.

"Timothy Midwinter, wilt thou have this Woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?"

Timothy couldn't help but turn to look into Dorcas's eyes as he answered, "I will." Dorcas smiled at him with tears in her eyes and then the vicar turned to her.

"Dorcas Lane, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?"

At the word 'obey', the corners of Timothy's mouth twitched and he raised a challenging eyebrow at Dorcas whose eyes suddenly flashed at his provocation. She hesitated a moment, only because she couldn't keep from smiling, knowing he would gleefully hold that particular vow over her head just to be wicked. But then her gaze softened, and with all her heart she answered, "I will."

"Who giveth this Woman to be married to this Man?" the vicar asked the congregation.

Thomas stood up hesitantly and said, "I do."

Timothy and Dorcas then turned to face each other and Timothy held Dorcas's right hand with his right hand as the vicar had him say after him:

"I, Timothy Midwinter, take thee Dorcas Lane to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth."

He gave her hand a squeeze before he was required to let go of it as her eyes had filled with tears again and he knew his were filled as well.

Then Dorcas took his right hand with her right hand and said after the vicar:

"I, Dorcas Lane, take thee Timothy Midwinter…" At that moment her voice suddenly choked with tears and she had to take a moment before she could go on. She heard Laura start to sniff behind her and she felt Timothy's hand tighten on hers as a tear of his own escaped down his cheek. "…to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to…" Dorcas hesitated here and gave Timothy a wry smile before continuing, "…obey, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth."

Robert leaned over at this point and whispered to Emma, "Obey! There's one vow that's sure to be broken."

"Hush!" Emma admonished him as she dabbed the tears from her eyes.

Timothy then took the ring from Sydney and gave it to the vicar who said, "Bless, O Lord, this Ring, that he who gives it and she who wears it may abide in thy peace, and continue in thy favour, unto their life's end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Then he gave the ring back to Timothy who gazed into Dorcas's eyes as he placed the ring on her finger and said to her, "With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

The vicar then held their right hands together and said, "Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder. Forasmuch as Timothy and Dorcas have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth, each to the other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving a Ring, and by joining hands; I pronounce that they are Man and Wife, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

A cheer went up through the congregation as the happy couple turned to face them. Timothy then joyfully took Dorcas's arm and linked it through his as they looked at each other and laughed whilst the tears flowed down their cheeks. Laura couldn't contain herself any longer and had to hug them both, and even Thomas stood and gave Dorcas a kiss on the cheek.

As the guests began to file out of the church, Dorcas and Timothy, accompanied by Thomas and Margaret as their witnesses, followed the vicar to a small room where their marriage was officially completed with the signing of the register. Margaret then gave Dorcas a hug whilst Timothy shook Thomas's hand and thanked them both for being their witnesses.

"Oh, Miss Lane…Oh, forgive me! I mean Lady Dorcas!" Margaret exclaimed as she blushed at her blunder. "I just want to wish you both many blessings on your marriage and all the happiness your hearts can hold."

"Thank you, Margaret," Dorcas said with feeling as she hugged her again. Being addressed as 'Lady Dorcas', now that was going to take some getting used to!

As soon as they exited the church they were met with a shower of rice and good wishes and before they got into their carriage Timothy turned to the crowd and said, "Please, won't you all join us for our wedding breakfast at the Golden Lion Hotel!"

Another cheer erupted and Twister nearly knocked Queenie over in his haste to get to the hotel to be first in line at the buffet. "Twister!" Queenie called after him. "Get back here you old duffer!" But he was long gone.

As the carriage began to pull away, Timothy tenderly took Dorcas's face in his hands and kissed her. "I love you, my wife," he whispered to her.

"I love you, my husband," she whispered back, and they didn't let go of each other until they reached the hotel.

The staff of the Golden Lion Hotel had outdone themselves with the preparations for the wedding breakfast. The dining hall was filled with tables decorated with flowers and their best place settings, with gleaming white table cloths, candles and little baskets filled with almonds and chocolates. A grand buffet table stood at one end filled with mountains of food. Twister needn't have hurried so—there was plenty of food for everyone. A smaller table stood in the centre of the room that held a massive cake, three tiers high that was decorated with white frosting and orange blossoms made of sugar. Dorcas gasped as she and Timothy entered the room.

"Oh, Timothy, it is all so beautiful!" she exclaimed. She held on tightly to his arm as she gazed around the room with awe.

"I am glad you approve, darling. This is our wedding—it had to be perfect!" Timothy replied. "I had them hire extra cooks and only the best ones at that."

He smiled as she reached up and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, my love," she whispered in his ear.

Just then the guests began to arrive and the happy couple greeted them as they came in.

Twister and a rather harried Queenie were the first, of course, and after Twister gave Dorcas a kiss on the cheek his eyes landed upon the buffet table and nearly fell out of his head.

Queenie held both Timothy's and Dorcas's hands as she congratulated them both. "What a beautiful bride you are, Lady Dorcas, and what a lovely ceremony. I am so happy for you both—and may I wish you every happiness!"

"Thank you, Queenie. And please, just call me Dorcas. We are too old of friends to be so formal."

"Oh, thank you, my dear." Queenie beamed at her then gave her a quick kiss before moving on.

Emma and Robert were next. Whilst Robert shook Timothy's hand and congratulated him, Emma gave Dorcas a big hug and laughed. "Oh, Dorcas, I am so happy for you! I am so glad that you two have finally found happiness together."

"So am I, dear cousin, so am I." Dorcas laughed with her as she looked up at Timothy and gave him a wink.

"And congratulations to you, too, Sir Timothy," Emma said as she gave his hand a squeeze. "What a beautiful couple you make. Welcome to the family!"

"Thank you, Mrs Timmins," Timothy said warmly.

Then Laura came rushing in with a squeal and gave Dorcas and Timothy both a big hug. "Oh, Miss Lane! I mean, Lady Dorcas and Sir Timothy!" she exclaimed, laughing at her blunder. "Oh, I am so happy you are finally married! And thank you for letting me be a part of your wedding—it was so beautiful!"

"No, thank you, Laura. Thank you for all your help in making this day so special for us, my dear young friend," Dorcas said as she held her tight.

Sydney came in next leading Abby by the hand. Dorcas scooped him into her arms for a hug and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "You were wonderful, Little Man—and so handsome standing there with Sir Timothy!"

"Aw, Ma…" Sydney blushed as she kissed him again. Then she did the same for Abby before Timothy picked the little girl up and gave her a kiss. "You were the prettiest flower girl that I have ever seen, darling," he said to his daughter, who smiled happily and placed her arms around his neck. "Now, be a good girl and follow Sydney to our table." He put her down and she ran after Sydney.

The room was quickly filled with people and once everyone was seated Timothy stood up and addressed their guests.

"Thank you all for being here with us today. I stand before you the happiest and luckiest of men, for today the woman I love more than anything in this world, has become my wife. As many of you know, Dorcas and I have known each other since we were children. We played together, we grew up together and she has always been my greatest and most steadfast friend. But for some of us, the liberty of marrying for love was denied to us in the name of duty and obligation and that, as you can imagine, was a heartbreakingly difficult thing for me to accept. To have been given a second chance—to marry for love—is a precious gift that I will never take for granted. I have finally come home, not only to all of you as your Squire and to my beloved patch, but to my true heart's desire and for that I am truly grateful."

He looked down at Dorcas who had tears in her eyes as she grasped his hand. The crowd clapped and cheered and began to tap the sides of their glasses until Timothy bent down and gave Dorcas a kiss, causing the crowd to erupt with more cheers.

They both began to laugh at the crowd's enthusiasm until Timothy quieted them with a wave of his hand and invited them all to partake in the lavish breakfast before them, which they did most enthusiastically.

Once everyone had filled their plates and drinks were served, toasts were given to the newlyweds, beginning with one from a family friend of Timothy's, Sir Humphrey and his wife Lady Charlotte, who had long ago married for love themselves. "To our dear friend Sir Timothy and his beautiful new bride, we wish you long life and happiness always."

Many more toasts were given and even Robert Timmins stood up and gave a toast. "Sir Timothy, Lady Dorcas," he nodded to them, "even though we have not always seen eye to eye on many things, I want you to know that you have always had my utmost respect and good wishes. It is also nice to see two people share a love as deeply as I share with my Emma. Good luck to you both." Timothy and Dorcas both raised their glasses to him in thanks as he sat back down. Emma was smiling at him. "What a lovely toast," she said as she kissed his cheek.

Next, to everyone's delight, the towering cake was cut and served, and as everyone was enjoying the dessert Alf stepped up with his melodian and presented Dorcas and Timothy with the gift of a song he had written in honour of their wedding.

His voice was clear and strong and the melody lilting and beautiful as he sang about two people finding true love and living happily ever after. Minnie watched him with worshipful eyes and there was hardly a dry eye in the room when he finished. Dorcas stood up as she wiped her eyes and gave him a hug. "Oh, Alf, that was beautiful. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, Miss…I mean, Lady Dorcas." He blushed as he gave her a piece of paper. "Here, I've written the words down for you to keep."

"I will treasure it always, Alf. I hope you will come sing it for us again someday."

"It would be my pleasure, ma'am," he said, quite pleased by her reaction.

Just then Simmons, Timothy's driver, came up to Timothy and whispered something in his ear before quickly departing.

The corners of Timothy's mouth twitched as Dorcas looked questioningly at him and he leaned over and whispered to her, "It's time for us to go."

Dorcas raised her eyebrows at him. "You don't think it is too soon, do you?" she whispered back.

Timothy looked at her with an almost wicked twinkle in his eyes. "I will leave it for you to decide, but I have just been told a certain very large, very hot bath is waiting for us at the cottage."

Dorcas's eyes suddenly flashed and twinkled right back at him. "What are we waiting for?"

He laughed and took her hand as he announced that they were leaving. Dorcas quickly kissed the children and told Laura she was in charge of the Post Office for the next couple of days and that Nanny would be there to take care of Sydney and Abby.

Then everyone gathered outside and wished the newlyweds good luck as the carriage pulled away. They continued to wave until the carriage was out of sight.

Just as they reached the edge of town, Timothy stuck his head out of the carriage and yelled, "Hurry, man!" to Simmons. Dorcas could have sworn she heard Simmons chuckle as he urged the horses to go faster.

When at last they reached their special cottage Timothy helped Dorcas out of the carriage and took their bags from Simmons. Then he sent the driver on his way.

Timothy pushed open the door and placed the bags inside, but before Dorcas could take a step he scooped her up into his arms and spun her around, making her laugh gaily. As he held her to his chest he bent down and gave her a kiss. "Ready, Lady Dorcas?"

"Ready, Sir Timothy," she replied as she put her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

Then they stepped inside, closing the door behind them, and for the next few days they were the only two people in the world.

CHAPTER 15

On the third morning of their honeymoon, Dorcas awakened but had not yet opened her eyes. She wanted to just lie there and enjoy the feeling of Timothy's arms around her for as long as she could. She knew he was awake for she could feel him watching her. Finally she smiled, unable to keep up the charade of being asleep any longer, and turned to face him. Neither said a word as they looked into each other's eyes. She reached out and touched his face, feeling the stubble on his cheek as she traced her finger down around his chin and then around his mouth before kissing him.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Good morning," he whispered back. "We have to go back today, don't we?"

"I'm afraid so. I cannot leave Laura alone to manage the Post Office any longer than she already has."

Timothy groaned and pulled her tightly to him. "Why can't we stay here forever?"

"Because we have our children waiting for us," she reminded him.

"Mmm," he murmured as he snuggled his face next to hers, "I like the sound of that—our children. Speaking of which, how is our little one doing?" He reached down and caressed her belly.

"I think he is doing quite well," she replied, smiling at his sudden fascination with her stomach.

"He?" He looked up at her with one raised eyebrow.

"Don't ask me how I know, but I am sure it is going to be a boy."

"A son…." Timothy said wonderingly. "I should like to have a son."

"And I should like to give you one," she said as she brushed through his hair with her fingers. "Which reminds me, I have to see Doctor Armstrong soon; I promised him I would see him once a month and it is past that now."

"Yes, indeed you must see him. How does the day after tomorrow sound?"

"Perfect. At least it won't take as much time going there now that we will be taking the train out of Inglestone."

"No, and it will be so much more comfortable as well."

Dorcas began to get out of bed, but Timothy held her back. "Where are you going?" he asked almost petulantly.

"As much as I hate to say it, I'm afraid it is time for us to leave, darling," she replied.

"I don't want to leave just yet," he said as he pulled her back against him.

"I don't want to leave, either. These past few days…." Her voice trailed off as he began planting kisses down her neck. "You are making this very difficult," she whispered, powerless to resist him.

"Good," he growled as his lips continued their tantalising journey.

It was nearly noon before either of them had the willpower to get out of bed. After one more journey to their giant bathtub, they reluctantly dressed and gathered their things to go home.

"Should I have the bathtub brought to the Post Office?" Timothy asked before they went out the door.

"No, let's keep it here for now. This can be our own private retreat—a place for us to escape to on occasional afternoons. What do you think?"

"Mmm… I like that idea," he said as he put his arms around her and kissed her forehead. Then, with a last look of longing back at their little patch of Heaven, they went outside where Simmons had come with the carriage to bring them back home.

When they arrived at the Post Office, Timothy once again swept Dorcas off of her feet and carried her over the threshold of the kitchen entrance before setting her down again. Their laughter brought Laura and Thomas into the kitchen where they both seemed relieved to see Dorcas back home.

"Lady Dorcas, Sir Timothy, welcome back," Laura greeted them with a rather harried-looking smile.

"Yes, welcome back. I am very happy to see you, ma'am," Thomas said rather pointedly with a glare towards Laura who pretended not to notice.

"Thank you, Laura and Thomas. I trust everything went well whilst I was away?" Dorcas asked with raised eyebrows as the look Thomas gave Laura was not lost on her.

Laura nodded with a strained smile. "Yes, ma'am, everything was fine."

"Hmmph!" Thomas snorted.

"Thomas, if you have something to say I wish you would just say it," Dorcas said rather exasperatedly.

"No, ma'am, I have nothing to say. If you will excuse me, I have my afternoon rounds to get to." Thomas gave Laura another glare before putting on his cap and walking out the door.

"Well, what was that all about?" Dorcas asked Laura.

Laura waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, it's just Thomas being Thomas. I don't think he liked having me telling him what to do whilst you were away. But you did leave me in charge!"

"Yes, I did, Laura, but I had hoped you two could work together without my presence being required."

Timothy cleared his throat. "Well, I will just take our bags up to our room whilst you two have a little chat."

Our room. Dorcas couldn't help but smile to hear him say that.

"We will discuss Thomas later," she said to Laura. "Is there anything else I should know about? How are Nanny and Abby settling in?"

"Oh, fine, ma'am. Abby is over the moon getting to follow Sydney around like a puppy, and Nanny has been keeping Minnie in line as well as helping out with the cooking."

"I am glad to hear it." Dorcas smiled. "And Laura, thank you again for running the Post Office for me whilst I was away. I am most grateful."

Laura smiled. "I'm happy to have helped, ma'am. I hope you and Sir Timothy enjoyed your short honeymoon?" Laura couldn't help but giggle and Dorcas blushed as she replied, "Yes, it was lovely, thank you."

The door to the Post Office opened and Laura left to see to the customer. Dorcas sighed and looked around the kitchen. Everything seemed in one piece, thank goodness. Now it was time to go upstairs and get Timothy settled in, then change her clothes so she could help Laura for the rest of the afternoon.

As she was going upstairs she encountered Nanny coming out of what used to be Minnie's room. "Oh, Lady Dorcas, you are home!"

"Yes, hello, Nanny, I hope you are settling in well?"

"Yes, ma'am, thank you. Abigail is having her nap now and I was just going to nip down to the kitchen for a spot of tea. Is there anything I can get for you?"

"No thank you, Nanny. I am just going to get changed and then help Laura with the customers."

Nanny nodded her head with a smile then continued down to the kitchen.

It was a bit strange coming home to new people living in her house. It was definitely going to take some getting used to!

Timothy was busy unpacking his things when she came into the room.

"Everything all right, darling?" he asked. "Are things straightened out between Laura and Thomas?"

Dorcas sighed. "Yes, I believe so. I think it was just a case of a 'battle of the wills' between those two. They can both be so stubborn sometimes!"

"Hmmm…sounds like a certain Postmistress that I know," he said teasingly as he came up and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I am not stubborn," she replied indignantly. "I just know what I want."

"Uh-huh, and you always get what you want, don't you?" He raised a challenging eyebrow at her as he pulled her even closer.

"I got you, didn't I?" she replied with one corner of her mouth turning up as her eyes flashed back at him.

"Mmm…yes, you most certainly did." He began nuzzling her neck and she laughed whilst pushing him away.

"Now don't start that! I have to get changed and help Laura downstairs."

Timothy sighed dramatically. "Barely married three days and already you are turning me away…"

Dorcas looked at him with a shake of her head, then came back and took his face in her hands. "Timothy, I would love to stay up here with you, you know that. But I need to help Laura right now."

He pretended to pout so she put her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss. "Let's save it for tonight, darling; I am very much looking forward to our first night together at home," she whispered, "very, very much." She accented each "very" with a kiss and was soon in danger of not breaking away from him after all until she remembered what she was supposed to be doing and reluctantly pulled away from him.

"Come downstairs when you have finished settling in and I will make us lunch," she said as she quickly changed her dress.

"Fine," he sighed again. "I guess I am rather famished now that you've mentioned it!"

"Good, then I will see you in a bit." She kissed his cheek then hurried out the door before he could persuade her otherwise.

"Laura, I'm afraid I am going to have to ask you to man the Post Office alone again tomorrow," Dorcas said to her. "Timothy and I are taking the train into Oxford tomorrow morning to take care of….some business. We should be back by the afternoon, though."

"That's fine, ma'am. I hope everything is all right?" Laura replied.

"Oh, yes, everything is fine, Laura, thank you."

The next morning she and Timothy got up early and had Simmons take them over to Inglestone to catch the Oxford train. After they boarded, Dorcas gazed around their compartment appreciatively. The train was even more elegant and comfortable than she imagined!

"I could get used to travelling this way," she said to Timothy with a contented sigh.

"Yes, I see what you mean!" he replied as he looked around himself.

The journey was much faster than by carriage, which was for certain. In what seemed like no time at all they had reached their destination. Luckily, the station was within walking distance of Doctor Armstrong's practise so they had no need to hire a carriage to take them there.

"Why, Mrs Lane, I was beginning to think you had changed your mind about coming to see me. How are you?"

"Good morning, Doctor Armstrong. I am well, thank you, and no, I haven't forgotten my promise. But I do have a confession to make."

Doctor Armstrong raised his eyebrows at her.

"Doctor Armstrong, this is my husband, Sir Timothy Midwinter. He is the Squire of Candleford. My maiden name was Lane, you see. We have just been recently married."

The doctor reached out and shook Timothy's hand. "I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, Sir Timothy. And I beg your pardon, Lady Midwinter."

"Please, just call me Dorcas. And, Doctor Armstrong, I can be assured of your confidentiality as my doctor, can I not?"

"Of course, Lady Dorcas. Rest assured that it has always been my practise to never discuss my patients with anyone else. It would be unethical."

Dorcas looked relieved.

"Please come back into the examining room and let me see how you are doing. Sir Timothy, you may accompany her if you like," he said.

"Thank you, doctor, I would like that."

Dorcas sat up on the examining table where Doctor Armstrong conducted a quick but thorough examination.

"Have you been feeling all right? Any bleeding or stomach pains?"

"I've been feeling fine, doctor, no pains, no bleeding."

"Good, good." He nodded his head and then listened to her belly with a little contraption that he placed in his ears before placing the other end on her belly. Then he smiled.

"I can hear the baby's heartbeat. It sounds strong," he said.

Timothy took Dorcas's hand and squeezed it.

"Would you like to hear it?" the doctor asked Timothy.

Timothy's eyes lit up. "May I?"

"Of course! It will sound very fast and rather faint so listen carefully."

Timothy listened and his eyes met Dorcas's as he smiled broadly at the sound of their baby's heart beating.

"How far along is the baby, doctor?" he asked.

"Right now he or she is still very, very tiny. Your baby will be due around the beginning of July although first babies can be stubborn and go on an extra week or so. Have you been eating properly, Lady Dorcas?" he asked her.

"Yes, indeed I have, doctor."

"Excellent. Well, you seem to be doing quite well. Just remember to rest when you feel tired and don't overdo things."

"I will make sure she doesn't overdo anything, doctor," Timothy said to him.

As they walked out together Dorcas said, "It seems quiet today. I thought I would have to wait to see you, coming unannounced as I did."

The doctor sighed and nodded his head. "I'm afraid my practise has slowed down a lot lately. There are one too many doctors setting up practise here in Oxford these days. I might have to look into moving somewhere else."

"Oh, I am sorry to hear that," Dorcas said sympathetically. Then she looked up at Timothy and then back at the doctor. "If you are serious about possibly moving your practise, we could use a bright, young doctor in Candleford. We are a small town, but we are growing. The train has even come to our neighbouring town of Inglestone. You would be most welcome to visit us and see if it would be to your liking."

"Thank you, Lady Dorcas and Sir Timothy. That is most kind of you. I just might take you up on that offer. Didn't you say you owned the Candleford Post Office?"

"Yes, you can find us there any time."

"Well, in any case, I do expect to see you next month for your checkup, all right?"

"You have my word, Doctor Armstrong."

Timothy shook his hand and paid the fee for the visit. "Please consider our offer to come to Candleford. I know I would feel better having Dorcas nearer to her physician."

"I will. Thank you, Sir Timothy," he said gratefully.

Before they went out the door, Dorcas turned to him and said rather hesitantly, "Doctor, we haven't told anyone about the baby yet. It is a matter of….delicacy concerning the timing of the baby and our recent marriage. I'm sure you understand what I am saying?"

"Of course, Lady Dorcas, you have my word I will never betray your confidence," he replied earnestly.

"Thank you, Doctor Armstrong. We will see you next month then," Dorcas said as she took Timothy's arm and stepped outside.

"If not sooner…" the doctor said to himself as he looked around the empty waiting room with a sigh.

CHAPTER 16

If Dorcas had any doubts about the wisdom of them living at the Post Office instead of the manor, at least as far as Timothy's reputation as Squire was concerned, they were soon put at ease. Behind the gates of the manor Timothy wasn't the most accessible of people. People with grievances could send him messages or wait until they saw him during his rounds, but otherwise he was rather removed from them by virtue of his class. Now that everyone knew he was living with his new wife at the Post Office it became a novelty to visit the Post Office just to see him there, as well as it being a convenient way to speak to him. It also was a boon for business. Whilst asking a question of their Squire they might as well buy a needed stamp or two or finally post that package that had been left sitting somewhere gathering dust. Timothy seemed to enjoy meeting with his people more often as well. And rather than being judged for taking up such a humble abode, he was lauded for his kind attentions and friendly manner. All that his people really cared about was whether their voices were heard and their problems addressed by him. They didn't care where he lived.

A part of him knew his father was turning over in his grave to have his son, the Squire, living at a Post Office and allowing his wife to continue working in such a fashion. It was simply unacceptable for someone of his class! But Timothy didn't care. He had always been a more progressive thinker than his father. The world was changing and it was best to embrace those changes rather than mire oneself in old-fashioned conventions. Besides, he was proud of Dorcas and all that she had accomplished. She had always been whip-smart, unfailingly professional and commanding in her role as Postmistress—not to mention how completely adorable she looked behind the counter. He never tired of watching her.

"What are you staring at, Timothy?" Dorcas asked as she tried to balance the figures in one of her books.

"You," he said with a grin as he leaned against the counter watching her work.

She tried to suppress a smile. "Well, if you don't have anything better to do I am going to send you out to deliver packages with Laura!"

"Oh, really? You forget that I am technically the Postmaster of this establishment. If I want to stare at my beautiful sub-Postmistress all day then that is what I am going to do."

"Fine, but I do find it rather distracting," she sighed as she kept at her figures.

"But why? I wasn't saying a word," he said petulantly.

"You didn't have to say anything. I already knew what you were thinking."

"Did you now," he said as he came around the counter and stood behind her, putting his arms around her waist. "And what was I thinking?" he whispered in her ear.

"Timothy, please! What if a customer walks through the door?"

He laughed and kissed her cheek. "All right, darling, I will leave you alone. I guess I do have some paperwork over at the manor that I could be taking care of." He walked over to the door and gathered his coat and hat. "I will see you at dinner," he said as he went out the door.

Dorcas suddenly felt terrible running him off like that. She hoped she hadn't hurt his feelings. She wished she hadn't teased him about watching her—now that he was gone she rather missed it. She always did take her work a little too seriously. Well, she would simply have to make it up to him that night.

"Minnie?" she called out towards the kitchen.

Minnie stuck her head around the corner. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Minnie, instead of the lamb stew I want you to go out and get the best piece of prime rib you can find. I want Sir Timothy to have his favourite meal tonight—prime rib and Yorkshire pudding."

"Oooh, I love prime rib and Yorkshire pudding, too! I'll go right away, ma'am," Minnie replied enthusiastically.

"Thank you, Minnie."

When Timothy came home that evening Dorcas greeted him with a kiss. "I'm sorry I ran you off today, Timothy. Really I am. I missed you and I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

"Nonsense, darling, I know I can be a pest sometimes. You can run me off any time you like," he said, as he kissed the tip of her nose.

"You are not a pest, Timothy. It's just hard to do my work sometimes when your presence reminds me of what I would really rather be doing." She looked at him in such a way that it made his heart start to beat faster and his eyes twinkled at her.

"So you really did know what I was thinking about as I watched you today, didn't you?" he said as he pulled her close to him.

"Of course I did. Now come to dinner. I had Minnie make your favourites."

Timothy breathed in the aroma of the prime rib. "Mmm…I should be run off more often if it leads to prime rib!"

Later that night she made it up to him in other ways as well. Then it was her turn to stare at him as he closed his eyes with a contented sigh and lay next to her. She continued to stare at him until he began to laugh, for he couldn't help but feel her gaze. "All right, you have made your point. I cannot sleep when you are staring at me like that."

Dorcas laughed and gave him a kiss. "To be honest, I rather like having you stare at me." Then she looked at him seriously. "Don't ever feel like you are being run off, Timothy. Not ever."

"I won't. I promise." He turned on his side to face her and his hand slid under her pillow until it encountered a small, hard object. "What on earth…" he said as he drew the object out. It was the little wooden heart he had carved for her from Big Tree.

A smile spread across his face. "Why, Dorcas Lane Midwinter, you are more sentimental than I thought," he said teasingly. "Have you been keeping this under your pillow all this time?"

Dorcas blushed and took the heart from his hand. "I…I just…it's…." she stammered.

"Never mind, I understand," he said with a low chuckle as he drew her to him and kissed her forehead. "I am just teasing you, darling. I love that you have kept this under your pillow. And I love this sentimental side of you."

She smiled sheepishly. Then she held up the little heart whilst they both gazed at it, remembering all that they had shared under the tree it had come from. Afterwards, she carefully placed the treasured keepsake back under her pillow and nestled her head against his chest.

Timothy tightened his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Dorcas," he whispered.

"I love you, too, Timothy," she whispered back.

The next few weeks passed quickly, and as she was getting dressed one morning Dorcas found she had to loosen her corset even more.

"Timothy," she asked as he shaved at the water basin in their bedroom, "when should we announce that we are having a baby? I mean, it is going to become obvious soon."

Timothy looked at her from the mirror. "Why don't we announce it after our next visit with Doctor Armstrong? We can see him tomorrow, if you like."

"I think that would be a good idea. Then I can have some new frocks made that will be more comfortable without having to hide anything."

Timothy chuckled. "So that is the real reason why you want to announce it—so you can buy new frocks!"

Dorcas rolled her eyes at him. "It's either that or let everyone think I am overeating!"

As it turned out, they didn't need to make the trip to Oxford after all. Later that afternoon, Laura was manning the Post Office whilst Dorcas spent some time with Abby in the parlour. Dorcas had been working hard at letting the little girl get to know her and accept her as her new mother. She was rewarded with Abby finally calling her 'Ma' one day, although Dorcas had a feeling that Sydney had something to do with that. Abby worshipped Sydney, and if he called Dorcas 'Ma' then so would she.

It was a slow day and knowing Dorcas was otherwise occupied Laura slipped out her journal and began to write in it. She was so engrossed with her writing that she barely heard the door open.

The man who came in quietly cleared his throat and Laura started at the sound of it.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't hear you come in." Laura blushed as she quickly shut her journal and placed it underneath the counter.

"It's quite all right. I didn't mean to startle you." The man's voice was deep but gentle and he smiled kindly at her. Laura's mouth fell open as she found herself staring into the most startlingly blue eyes she had ever seen. His thick, black hair and long, dark lashes only served to accentuate them even more. He was quite tall, too, but not gangly like many tall men were. His shoulders were pleasingly broad and there was a presence about him that seemed to fill the room. Laura realised her mouth was hanging open and she shut it with a snap.

"How can I help you, sir?" she managed to squeak out.

"Actually, I am looking for Sir Timothy or Lady Dorcas Midwinter. I was told they could be found here."

"Yes, um, Sir Timothy isn't here at the moment, but Lady Dorcas is just inside. I'll go and get her for you." She turned to go but then turned back to him again. "I'm sorry—whom should I say is calling?"

"My name is Richard Armstrong."

Laura nodded and ran around to the parlour where she found Dorcas. "Ma'am, a Richard Armstrong is here to see you."

Dorcas looked up at her with surprise. "Is he? Oh, that is wonderful! Let me just find Nanny to watch Abby and I will be right out."

Laura returned quickly to let him know that Dorcas was on her way.

"Thank you, Miss….." He looked inquiringly at her.

"Oh, I'm Laura Timmins, sir," she said, embarrassed that she didn't introduce herself sooner.

"I am very pleased to meet you, Miss Timmins." He reached out to shake her hand and she blushed when she realised she was staring again. He was quite easily the most handsome man she had ever seen. She found herself wondering if he was married, then guiltily reminded herself that she loved Daniel and shouldn't be thinking such thoughts about another man.

Dorcas finally joined them. "Doctor Armstrong! How good of you to come! I see you have made it to Candleford after all."

Laura did a double-take when she heard him addressed as 'Doctor'. He didn't look anything like the few doctors she had seen in her life. They were usually much older with balding pates and grey beards. This man looked to be barely thirty years old, if that.

"Hello, Lady Dorcas, it is good to see you again. I hope you don't mind my dropping by unannounced like this but my trip here was rather spur of the moment."

"Of course I don't mind, doctor, I am very glad that you've come." She looked over at Laura. "And this is my number one assistant Laura Timmins. Laura, this is Doctor Armstrong."

The doctor fastened his eyes upon Laura again and smiled. "Yes, Miss Timmins and I were just getting acquainted."

"I hope you find Candleford to your liking?" Dorcas continued.

"I do indeed. I find it quite charming. In fact, I have already found the perfect place for my practise."

"So you have decided to move here. That is wonderful news, doctor. Candleford will be very lucky to have you. Please, come in and join me for some tea. Sir Timothy should be back shortly." He followed Dorcas into the kitchen where she introduced him to Minnie and asked her to prepare some tea for them. Minnie had just taken some scones out of the oven and nearly dropped them when she saw the doctor. Her mouth fell open just as Laura's had done.

"Y..yes, ma'am," she managed to stammer out.

Laura caught Minnie's eye and they both watched as Dorcas led Doctor Armstrong into the parlour, wondering where in the world she had found such a man.

Timothy came in as Laura and Minnie were still staring at the parlour door. He walked up unnoticed behind them and whispered, "What are we staring at?"

Minnie stifled a scream as both girls nearly jumped out of their skin. "Oh, Sir Timothy, we didn't hear you come in!" Laura giggled nervously.

"Yes, I can see that."

"We were um…just…well, you see Lady Dorcas has a visitor in the parlour and she's waiting for you to join them," Laura managed to say.

Timothy looked at both girls, and seeing their flushed cheeks and giddy demeanour he began to smirk. As he walked towards the parlour door he looked over his shoulder at them and said, "Let me guess…tall fellow, devilishly handsome?"

Laura and Minnie both nodded their heads in unison and began to giggle again. Timothy suppressed a smile as he shook his head at them before going into the parlour.

The doctor stood up as Timothy entered the room. "Ah, Doctor Armstrong, it is good to see you. Does this mean you have decided to move to Candleford?"

"Good afternoon, Sir Timothy. I was just telling Lady Dorcas that, yes, I have decided to move my practise here. I have found a building that would suit me perfectly, but I wanted to speak to you first before I purchase it."

Minnie came into the parlour at that moment bearing a tray of tea and the freshly baked scones. She stole a glance at the doctor as she set the tray down, then just stood there staring at him.

"Thank you, Minnie, that will be all," Dorcas said, to Minnie's disappointment. Dorcas tried not to roll her eyes at the girl.

Timothy nodded his head. "Well, if you are buying rather than leasing then it must be Ferguson's old shop. That is the only one for sale currently."

"Yes, that is the very place. It has three rooms on the bottom floor that will be perfect for my practise, with living quarters above."

"Well, it sounds like you have everything in hand. What can I do to help?"

"I just wanted your approval, Sir Timothy, and to make sure you still desired a new physician in town."

Timothy looked over at Dorcas, who smiled encouragingly at him, and then looked back at the doctor. "Lady Dorcas and I are delighted to have you here, Doctor Armstrong, we had been hoping that you would come."

"Thank you, Sir Timothy, and you, too, Lady Dorcas. I have a feeling I am going to be very happy here."

Dorcas smiled warmly at him. "Won't you stay for dinner, Doctor Armstrong?" she asked.

"Thank you, but no. As much as I would like to stay, I must finalise my deal with Mr Ferguson before heading back to Oxford." He then lowered his voice, mindful of anyone overhearing him outside the room. "You are feeling well, Lady Dorcas? Any changes I should know about?"

"I am doing quite well, doctor, thank you. Nothing has changed except my waistline!"

The doctor laughed. "Excellent. Well, I should be back here in about a week if all goes well with the purchase. I shall come to see you then."

Laura and Minnie were still conspiring about what was going on in the parlour when the doors abruptly opened. Minnie flew back into the kitchen and Laura hurried back to the front of the Post Office. As the doctor passed by her he stopped and reached for her hand again, looking intently into her eyes. "It was a great pleasure meeting you, Miss Timmins. I look forward to seeing you again."

Laura was rendered rather speechless and all she could do was smile and nod.

Timothy and Dorcas walked the doctor out to his carriage.

"That is quite a fine carriage you have there, Doctor Armstrong," Timothy said appreciatively.

"Thank you. It was my grandfather's. He raised me since I was a child after both my parents died, and upon his death his estate passed to me."

"Do you have any other family, doctor?" Dorcas asked.

He shook his head. "Outside of a few distant cousins, I'm afraid not."

"Oh, I am sorry to hear that," Dorcas said sympathetically. She knew what it was like to have no one to love.

"Oh, I'm all right, Lady Dorcas," he replied with a lopsided grin. "I have already made new friends here and that is a form of family, is it not?"

"Yes, indeed it is, Doctor Armstrong, indeed it is," she replied. Timothy put his arm around her shoulders, knowing she was thinking of all the people she had lost in her life and how the people of this town had become her family. Then they waved goodbye to their new friend.

Word of a new doctor coming to Candleford spread like wildfire. It was first spread by old Mr Ferguson, who was happy to have sold his property so quickly and for such a good price, and bragged how he could now move back home to the Cotswolds.

Word of what the new doctor looked like was spread by Minnie.

Before he had even officially arrived the women of Candleford, especially the unattached ones, were all aflutter over him. None more so than Pearl and Ruby Pratt, who were found to have their foreheads pressed to their window each day, hoping to be the first to catch a glimpse of him when he arrived.

Of course, once everyone found out that Dorcas and Timothy knew the doctor personally, they stopped by the Post Office, pressing them for information. Where was he from? Was he married? Was he agreeable? How old was he?

Dorcas just shook her head and rolled her eyes at all the fuss that was being made. She felt sorry for Doctor Armstrong knowing he was going to be the focus of attention for quite awhile. She hoped he wouldn't regret his decision to move to Candleford.

Laura tried hard to suppress her eagerness to see him again as well. She had Daniel in her life and she loved him with all her heart. She tried to convince herself that her interest in the arrival of Doctor Armstrong was merely a novelty and it would soon wear off like any shiny, new thing that came into one's life. It was hard, though, to forget the touch of his hand and the way his beautiful eyes had looked into hers the first time that they met. It was as though he had looked into her very soul. She shifted uncomfortably behind the counter of the Post Office and tried to think of other things. Dorcas was out running an errand so Laura thought she might as well pass the time by writing in her journal before Dorcas came back. But instead of getting her mind off of the doctor she ended up writing about her first encounter with him, describing each detail of their meeting and the ensuing anticipation of his arrival by the townspeople. She tried to convince herself that by unburdening her thoughts into her journal it would free her mind to think of other things. It didn't help much, but fortunately a very happy distraction presented itself after dinner that very evening.

All through dinner, Laura noticed Dorcas and Timothy exchanging glances. There was the usual small talk between everyone, but Laura couldn't help but feel the undercurrent of something bigger going on. Finally, after Nanny put Abigail to bed and had returned to the dining table, Dorcas looked around at all of them and smiled. "Well, since we have all of you here, Sir Timothy and I have an announcement to make."

Everyone at the table went silent with expectation. Dorcas looked over at Timothy and he smiled encouragingly at her. "There is going to be a new addition to our family."

Laura, Minnie and Sydney all looked at each other in puzzlement, wondering if someone new had been hired to work at the Post Office or if someone was coming to live with them.

"Have you hired someone new, ma'am?" Laura asked.

"No, Laura, it is not a new employee. Sir Timothy and I are going to have a baby."

Laura's mouth dropped open and Minnie exclaimed rather loudly, "A baby! But you're so ol.." She was stopped in mid-sentence by a swift kick from Laura.

Dorcas continued. "I know it must come as a shock to all of you. It did to me as well. But we are so very happy to be blessed with a child. I hope you will share in our joy."

Laura suddenly squealed and started to laugh as she jumped up and gave Dorcas a hug. "Oh, Miss…I mean, Lady Dorcas, I am so happy for you—and you, too, Sir Timothy! A baby! How exciting! Oh, I can't wait to tell Ma!"

"Thank you, Laura," Dorcas replied.

Nanny gave her congratulations, too.

"Thank you, Nanny," Dorcas said. "I am so glad you are here as I am going to need lots of help!"

"Well, that is what I am here for, Lady Dorcas. You shall have all the help that you need. Don't you worry about a thing."

Dorcas looked over at Sydney who hadn't said a word yet. "Well, Little Man, how do you feel about having a little brother or sister?"

"It's great, Ma," he said with a weak smile. Dorcas looked worriedly at him. He didn't look very happy. She would have to have a talk with him later on when they could be alone and find out what was troubling him.

"Well, I think this calls for a celebration, don't you?" Timothy said to all of them jovially. "I had my cook at the manor bake her famous chocolate cake for us today. Minnie, would you mind bringing in that large box from the kitchen?"

"Oh, is that what was in that box? I've been wondering," Minnie said as she got up to fetch it.

As they enjoyed the richest, most delicious chocolate cake that they had ever eaten, Laura continued to ask questions.

"When is the baby due? Have you picked a name yet?" she asked enthusiastically.

Dorcas glanced at Timothy. "The baby's not due until late in the summer," she said vaguely. "And, no, we haven't thought of any names yet."

"Ooh, there's nothing nicer than babies, ma'am," Minnie also enthused. "I can't wait to have one of my own. Although I guess I'll have to get Alfie to marry me first."

Laura giggled at the thought of Alf and Minnie having a baby together.

"Does anyone else know about the baby, ma'am?" Laura asked her.

"No, you are the first that we have told. But I would appreciate it if you would allow Sir Timothy and me to tell others on our own before you speak of it to anyone."

"Of course, ma'am," Laura replied.

Dorcas stared pointedly at Minnie until she finally got the hint. "Oh, I won't tell anyone neither, ma'am."

After everyone had finished their dessert Minnie and Laura went to the kitchen to take care of the washing up, Nanny retired to her room, and Timothy, after getting a hint from Dorcas, retired to the parlour, leaving Dorcas alone with Sydney.

Dorcas could see that the boy was unhappy as he stared down at the table. "What's wrong, Little Man?" she asked gently.

"Nothing, Ma," he said quietly.

"I don't believe you. Please, darling, talk to me. Does it upset you that I am going to have a baby?"

He shook his head, but she could see his eyes filling with tears and she immediately got up and put her arms around him.

"You are upset. Oh, darling, please tell me why," she pleaded.

Sydney couldn't answer. He just sniffed and wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve.

"Sydney, look at me," Dorcas said as she sat on the chair next to him and took his face in her hands.

"Nothing is going to change between us just because I am bringing another child into this world. You are my son and I will continue to love you just as much as I always have. That will never change."

"Yes, it will," he finally sobbed. "You're going to have a real son and you won't want me anymore. And the Post Office will belong to him, too. I don't really belong here like a real son does. Then you'll want to send me to live with my father." He began to cry in earnest and Dorcas felt her heart breaking to see him hurting so. She pulled him to her and held his head against her, rocking him back and forth as his body shook with tears.

"Sydney, don't you dare say that you are not my real son ever again. It is true that we are not related by blood, but I love you just as much as if we were. That will never change even if I were to have a dozen children. And what nonsense is this about me sending you to live with your father? I would fight him to the death to keep you here with me, and you know I would, too. I cannot imagine my life without you in it."

Sydney's sobs began to lessen and were soon reduced to sniffs. "Do you promise, Ma?" he asked with a hiccup.

"Of course I promise, Little Man, with all of my heart. And as for the Post Office, I only want it to go to the person who loves it as much as I do, and that person is you. If this baby is a boy he will take his father's place as Squire one day. He would not be in need of a Post Office, so don't you worry about that." She continued to hold him until she felt the tension go out of his body as he began to believe her words. She smiled at him and said, "Do you know you are not only my son but my rescuer?"

Sydney gave her a puzzled look. "What do you mean, Ma?"

"Well," she said, "before you came I had lost the people I loved most in this world. I was so very lonely and sad. Then I found you and suddenly I had something to live for again. You were a gift from the Heavens, Little Man. You filled my heart and I will always be grateful to you for that."

Sydney smiled at her then hugged her tightly. "You filled my heart, too, Ma."

CHAPTER 17

Doctor Armstrong arrived in Candleford a week later, armed with a crew of five men who had helped to move all of his equipment from Oxford, then stayed to help him refurbish Ferguson's old building into a functioning medical clinic. The townspeople watched the proceedings with great curiosity and were happy to find the handsome young doctor to be quite amiable.

Pearl and Ruby were among the first to make his acquaintance, and upon finding Minnie's description of him to be more than accurate, simpered and smiled at him in such a way that he began to grow uncomfortable. He was not a vain man, but he was well aware that women often found him attractive, having been pursued many times by women of all ages. He had developed a defence against such encounters over the years and had perfected the art of smiling with just enough dimness so as not to appear rude, yet neither encouraging. He was more than relieved to look up and see Dorcas coming his way.

"Ah, Lady Dorcas, it is good to see you," he greeted her.

"Good afternoon, Doctor Armstrong," she replied. "Pearl, Ruby, I see you have met our new doctor." She nodded to the sisters.

Pearl looked rather disgruntled at Dorcas for interrupting them but Ruby replied, "Oh, yes, we were just getting acquainted." She gave the doctor an adoring look.

"Well, I am sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering if I might have a word with you, Doctor Armstrong?" Dorcas asked with an apologetic smile to the sisters.

"Oh, of course, Lady Dorcas. Ladies," he said, turning to Pearl and Ruby, "please excuse me. It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope to see you again soon."

They both bobbed a little curtsy whilst fluttering their goodbyes before finally leaving.

Doctor Armstrong turned to Dorcas. "Are you feeling well, Lady Dorcas?"

"Oh, yes, quite well, thank you. You just looked like you needed rescuing." Dorcas's eyes twinkled at him with amusement.

"Lady Dorcas, you are an angel," he said with a rueful smile.

Dorcas laughed. "I am happy to have been of service. Now, Sir Timothy and I would like you to join us for dinner tonight if you haven't any other plans."

"I would like that very much, Lady Dorcas, thank you," he replied with a smile.

"Good. Then we will see you tonight at seven o'clock?"

"I will look forward to it!"

The workmen finally finished the job later in the day and the doctor was left in peace to set up his equipment and get his living quarters in order. He was ready to see patients now—all that was left was to hang his sign outside the door.

"Need a hand with that?" a voice said to him as he stood on the stepladder with the sign in his hand. He looked down to see a fresh-faced young man with dark brown eyes staring up at him.

"Thank you, but I think I've got it," the doctor replied, but he stepped down anyway to greet the man properly.

The younger man held out his hand. "I understand you're the new doctor here in town. I am Daniel Parish, I own the Candleford newspaper."

Doctor Armstrong shook his hand and stared at Daniel as though trying to place him. "Wait, aren't you the Daniel Parish who was a journalist for the Oxford Post?"

Daniel smiled at him. "The very one, how did you know?"

"I am from Oxford, too, Mr Parish. I am quite familiar with your work since it happened to destroy the life of a very good friend of mine." The doctor was now frowning at Daniel who then took a step back.

"I don't recall destroying anyone's life, doctor," he said defensively. "I am a journalist, nothing more."

"You are a sensationalist, Mr Parish. You twist the facts to suit your story and you don't care who it hurts."

"You are wrong about me, doctor. I am not the man you think I am."

"Oh, I think you are exactly the man I think you are," he replied bitterly. "If you have come here wanting me to subscribe to your newspaper you can just turn around and go back to wherever it was you came from." The doctor climbed back up on his ladder and continued to hang his sign.

Daniel, feeling rather shaken, walked away. It was just his luck that the new doctor would have to have come from Oxford and know who he was. He knew he had been a greedy, merciless journalist when he was at the Oxford Post, but he wasn't that man anymore. Thanks to Laura's faith in him, he had become a man he could be proud of. He just hoped the doctor wouldn't cause any trouble for him here in Candleford.

Laura found herself dressing carefully for dinner that night knowing Doctor Armstrong would be joining them. She felt a twinge of guilt as she sat in front of her mirror, rearranging her hair one more time. She was Daniel's girl and it wasn't right that she was trying to look her best for another man. She convinced herself that it was only in respect to a dinner guest that she dressed more carefully than usual and not because she had any interest in the doctor.

Doctor Armstrong arrived promptly at seven with a lovely bouquet of flowers which he presented to Dorcas.

"They're beautiful, thank you, Doctor Armstrong," Dorcas said to him as he came into the house.

"Please, Lady Dorcas, call me Richard. All my friends do."

"Thank you, Richard. Please join us in the parlour, won't you?" Dorcas took him into the parlour where Timothy was busy getting a fire started in the fireplace. Afterwards, Timothy poured the doctor a drink and they all had a nice chat whilst waiting for Minnie to finish preparing dinner.

Richard told them that his clinic was now ready for business and how friendly the townspeople had been towards him.

"I am very glad to hear it, doctor," Timothy replied.

"Please, Sir Timothy, call me Richard."

"Well, Richard, if you ever need anything for your clinic please let me know. I will help in any way that I can."

"I appreciate that, thank you, Sir Timothy," Richard replied gratefully. He hesitated a moment, looking down at the glass in his hand, before saying, "There was one fellow that I met today that, I must say, I was not happy to see here in Candleford."

At that moment, Laura happened to come down the stairs and was passing by the parlour doors. She stopped, unseen, when she heard the doctor's voice.

"Oh? Who was that, Richard?" Laura heard Dorcas ask.

"It was that Daniel Parish who owns the newspaper. I knew of him in Oxford, you see, and he was the worst kind of journalist there is. More than one life was destroyed by his careless words."

"I see," Dorcas said thoughtfully. "Well, I do know something of Daniel's past and whilst I shared your concerns at the beginning, he has made considerable efforts to put his past behind him, and has, I believe, changed for the better."

"I do hope you are right, Lady Dorcas. Forgive me, but it has been my experience that a leopard can never change his spots. I just hope the people here will be careful with the information they entrust with him."

Laura turned away and drifted into the kitchen, her face turning white with anger at the way the doctor was disparaging Daniel. How dare he pass judgement like that? Daniel was a kind and gentle man and had earned the respect of the townspeople. She wasn't going to stand by and let this newcomer ruin all that Daniel had worked for here in Candleford.

Minnie passed by Laura and stopped abruptly when she saw the look on Laura's face. "What's wrong, Laura?"

"Nothing, Minnie," Laura replied with a grimace.

Minnie shrugged and went on to the parlour. "Dinner's ready, ma'am," she announced.

"Thank you, Minnie," Dorcas said then waited until Minnie had gone before holding the doctor back. "Richard, perhaps it would be best if you didn't mention your feelings about Daniel in front of Laura."

"Oh? Why is that?" he asked curiously.

"Well, Daniel is Laura's young man. They have been seeing each other for quite some time now."

Richard's brow darkened. "I see. I am sorry to hear that—for Miss Timmin's sake."

Richard was seated next to Sydney and found himself opposite Laura. He stole a glance at her, wondering how such a nice girl could have fallen for a snake of a man like Daniel Parish. When she finally looked up and met his eyes he was struck once again by how pretty she was. Her beautiful, dark red hair shone with little copper highlights in the candlelight and her eyes held the colour of a summer sky as she regarded him. He found it difficult not to stare at her. He gave her a tentative smile. "Good evening, Miss Timmins, it is good to see you again."

Laura was annoyed to find that the way he was looking at her combined with the deep timbre of his voice caused a tiny flutter deep in her stomach.

"Good evening, doctor," she replied stiffly before turning her gaze elsewhere.

Richard was puzzled by her cold greeting. She had seemed happy to meet him the first time he came to Candleford. Perhaps, he thought gloomily, Daniel had already told her of their encounter that afternoon and it had upset her.

Dorcas also looked over at Laura, wondering at her sudden coldness as well. She had heard Laura and Minnie giggling together earlier in the day when they heard the doctor was coming to dinner. Something must have changed as it wasn't like Laura to be rude.

"Doctor Armstrong," Minnie piped up, looking at him curiously.

"Yes, Minnie?" he replied.

"Why aren't you married yet?" she asked innocently.

Laura suddenly coughed into her napkin, Timothy's wine glass froze halfway up to his mouth, and Dorcas just looked appalled. "Minnie! That is not a polite question to ask of anyone, especially a guest at our table!"

Minnie looked properly chastised but Richard just laughed and said, "It's all right, Lady Dorcas. Really, I don't mind." He turned back to Minnie and patiently replied, "You see, Minnie, to become a doctor I had to spend many years in medical school and my studies left me very little time for meeting people socially, much less to find a wife. Then it was time to build my own medical practise and that left me very little time as well. So I'm afraid I just haven't had the chance to marry yet." His eyes flickered briefly over to Laura, but she was once again looking elsewhere.

Dorcas noticed the way the doctor kept looking over at Laura and smiled to herself. She liked the young doctor very much and she began to think that he would make a wonderful match for Laura. As much as she liked Daniel, she never quite felt he was the right match for her young protégée. Though Richard Armstrong was a little older, he was very kind, extremely bright and had a wonderful future ahead of him—not to mention he was almost as handsome as her Timothy. He would be able to take care of Laura quite nicely. What girl wouldn't want a husband such as him?

Her matchmaking thoughts were interrupted by Sydney who asked, "Why did you want to become a doctor, Doctor Armstrong?"

"Well, Sydney, I've wanted to be a doctor ever since I was a little boy. You see, I lost both of my parents when I was just eight years old. There had been a terrible outbreak of typhoid and I nearly died of it myself. The one doctor that we had wouldn't give up on me and it was because of him that I survived. I vowed that when I got old enough I would become a doctor, too, and dedicate myself to saving the lives of others."

Laura then finally looked up at him, and despite her initial anger she found it hard not to feel pity for the boy he once was. Even she had to admit there was something noble about him. Perhaps she had been too hasty with her anger. After all, Daniel had admitted to her that he had not been so honourable before he came to Candleford. The doctor just needed to give Daniel time to prove he had changed.

Encouraged by her softened look towards him, Richard changed the subject by asking, "Did you grow up here in Candleford, Miss Timmins?"

"No, sir, I come from Lark Rise which is a small hamlet eight miles from here," she replied softly.

"I see," he said. "Well, perhaps once I get things settled here in town you could take me there and introduce me to the people of Lark Rise."

Laura nodded, smiling tentatively at him. "I would be happy to, doctor."

Richard enjoyed his first dinner at the Post Office very much and was sad when the evening came to an end.

"Lady Dorcas, Sir Timothy, thank you so much for your hospitality. You have made me feel most welcome."

"It was our pleasure, Richard, you are welcome here any time," Dorcas said to him.

He was disappointed when Laura didn't come to say goodbye to him. She must have been off helping Minnie in the kitchen. As he walked away he turned the collar of his coat up against the cold and thought how lonely it was going to be going back to his empty new home after such pleasant company. He turned, looking wistfully back once more at the cosy Post Office, and stopped in his tracks. Laura was standing at the window watching him leave. He smiled at her, but before he could lift his hand to wave goodbye she had turned away.

Laura lay awake in her bed and waited for Minnie to fall asleep, for once Minnie was asleep nothing could wake her. As soon as she heard Minnie's gentle snoring, Laura quietly got out of bed and lit the candle at her little writing table and took out her journal. Her mind was in such turmoil after Doctor Armstrong's visit that she had to unburden it somehow, and her journal had always been the faithful recipient of all her thoughts. She opened her journal to where she had last left off and then held her pen to her mouth as she tried to compose her thoughts.

Finally, she began to write and soon the words began to flow out of her:

I felt him watching me all through dinner this evening. From the way he abused poor Daniel in front of Lady Dorcas and Sir Timothy, I expected to find his eyes cool and calculating, mean and small, but they were not. They were still the gentle blue that I remembered upon our first meeting and I could not meet his gaze for long without feeling it a betrayal to Daniel. If he means to be Daniel's enemy then he must be mine as well.

I am ashamed to admit that I wanted him to notice me tonight—now I am sorry that he did. He frightens me. Or, I should say, I am frightened of the way he makes me feel when he looks at me. He makes me feel exposed as though he can read my very thoughts and see what is in my heart. How is that possible? We are strangers. Perhaps I am imagining all of this….please let it be my imagination. I love Daniel and I am happy when I am with him. I will just have to make it clear to Doctor Armstrong, should he pursue a friendship with me, that we cannot be more than acquaintances.

Laura gave a nod to her journal, feeling as though she had resolved some of what was troubling her, and then blew out the candle. She crept back to her bed and lay there once again, staring into the darkness and trying not to think of the beautiful man whose eyes could see into her very soul.

CHAPTER 18

Dorcas had been meaning to visit Emma to tell her about the baby but just hadn't found the time. So when she spotted Emma and Queenie walking into town one afternoon she quickly ran out to meet them and invite them in to tea.

"Oh, Emma, Queenie, I am so glad to see you. I have some news that I have been eager to share with you," she said as she gave each woman a hug.

"I do hope it is good news!" Emma said, looking intrigued.

"The very best, I assure you." Dorcas smiled at them. "Won't you come in and join me for some tea?"

Both ladies were happy to accept the invitation and were soon seated at Dorcas's kitchen table, patiently waiting for her news whilst she prepared the tea.

Finally, Dorcas sat down and regarded them both with excitement in her eyes. "I wanted to tell you that Sir Timothy and I are expecting a child."

"What?" Emma exclaimed with a joyful laugh. "Oh, Dorcas, I am so happy for you! What a blessing this is!" She jumped up and gave Dorcas a hug.

"Yes, what a blessing indeed! Congratulations, my dear," Queenie chortled as she, too, gave Dorcas a hug. Then Queenie looked over at Emma and said with a knowing wink, "See? I told you them tea leaves never lie!"

All three of them were laughing and wiping away tears when Timothy came walking into the room. "Good heavens, has something happened?" he asked as he looked around at all of them dabbing their eyes.

"Oh, Sir Timothy, Dorcas was just telling us about the baby. You must be so happy! And I am so happy for you both," Emma exclaimed.

"Thank you, Emma. To say I am happy is an understatement," he said as he reached out and squeezed Dorcas's hand.

"So, have you picked out any names yet?" Emma asked eagerly.

Dorcas looked up at Timothy. "No, we haven't really discussed it."

"Well, actually, I was thinking we could name the baby Aloysius if it's a boy and Petunia if it's a girl. What do you think, darling?" Timothy said with a wink to Emma and Queenie whilst trying to keep a straight face to Dorcas.

Both ladies giggled whilst Dorcas, seeing that she was being teased, shook her head at him. "Really, Timothy, Petunia Midwinter! Can you imagine?"

Timothy laughed and kissed her hand before announcing that he was off to the manor to take care of some business. He bid the ladies goodbye and went on his way.

Emma and Queenie stayed just a little while longer before leaving to run some errands. "Now, Dorcas," Emma said to her before they left, "with this being your first child I am sure you will have lots of questions as you get closer to your confinement. If there is anything you want to ask me I will be here for you. After all, I have had five of my own!"

"Thank you, Emma," Dorcas replied gratefully. "I have no doubt I will be coming to you for all kinds of advice!"

She kissed them both goodbye then thought of all the other people she should tell. Thomas and Margaret definitely should be next, and of course Pearl and Ruby would need to know as they would be the ones adjusting her clothes for her as her belly grew.

She told Thomas as soon as he returned from his rounds. He was genuinely pleased for her, if not a little shocked. "Lady Dorcas, this is happy news indeed! A child is the truest gift from God. Margaret will be so thrilled when she hears the news!"

"Thank you, Thomas. I know it is a little late in life for me to be having a child, but we couldn't be happier."

"Now, Lady Dorcas, if it is God's will that you bring a child into this world then it can never be considered too late," Thomas said piously, but for once Dorcas didn't mind his religious ways. Instead, she reached up and gratefully kissed him on the cheek.

It felt good to have it out in the open now. Keeping secrets made one weary after awhile. But news of the baby travelled like wildfire and before she could visit the Pratts and tell them herself they stormed into the Post Office, quivering with indignation at being the last ones to know once again of the major news in her life.

"Really, Dorcas, this is too cruel!" Ruby exclaimed, looking quite hurt.

"Yes, to be the last to be told again! First, your engagement and now that you are with child! And I thought we were friends!" Pearl admonished her, holding a handkerchief dramatically up to her mouth as though she were going to cry.

Dorcas took a deep breath. "Ladies, please! It wasn't like that at all! I am so sorry you feel left out, but I promise you I only told my cousin Emma and Thomas just today….oh, and Queenie, too, only because she happened to be with Emma. You were both going to be next. In fact, I was just on my way to see you when you came in. I am afraid gossip in this town travels faster than I can."

Seeing that they were still looking dubious, Dorcas plunged ahead. "Actually, I was hoping you could make some new everyday frocks for me to, you know, accommodate me as the baby grows."

Somewhat mollified now and eager for the extra business, Pearl gave a sniff. "Well, I suppose we could put together some new maternity things for you."

"Oh, yes!" Ruby was suddenly excited, her previous indignation now gone at the thought of having more money coming in. After all, Dorcas had always been an excellent customer. "Pearl has designed some wonderful clothes for the expectant mother over the years. You will love them!"

Dorcas beamed at them. "That is splendid, ladies! I knew I could count on you. Perhaps you could show me some of your designs now?"

Satisfied at last, Pearl and Ruby eagerly invited her over to their shop. Dorcas breathed a sigh of relief as she followed behind them and hoped this would be the last big news she would have to share with anyone for a long time!

CHAPTER 19

Before the first week after officially opening his clinic had ended, Doctor Armstrong had delivered two babies, set a twelve-year-old boy's broken arm, sutured a nasty gash suffered by a local farmer and treated Pearl Pratt twice for what he soon realised were 'phantom' illnesses. The first time Pearl came in to see him she claimed to have a terrible sore throat.

"Oh, Doctor Armstrong," she whispered in a dramatically painful manner, "I can barely swallow!"

He turned her towards the light and had her open her mouth and say "Ahhh." He noticed that Pearl was staring at him in a rather disconcerting manner as she opened her mouth.

"Hmmm…I don't see any redness or irritation, Miss Pratt," he said. Then he felt around her neck and found no swollen lymph nodes. He couldn't find a thing that could be causing her sore throat, but he gave her something to gargle with anyway and assured her that it was probably nothing to worry about before sending her on her way.

The second time Pearl came in she was limping pathetically, claiming to have twisted her right ankle. Once again he examined her and found her looking at him almost rapturously as he felt around her ankle. He began to grow suspicious. He had found no indication of a sprain—no swelling and no cry of pain as he manipulated her foot about—but he wrapped it tightly anyway and told her to stay off of her feet until it felt better. As he watched her leave he noticed she was now favouring her left ankle instead of her right. His suspicions now confirmed, he shook his head and sighed. It wasn't the first time a lady had faked an illness as an excuse to see him.

The rest of the time he spent doing research in his books and catching up with the latest medical journals or studying slides in his microscope. It was a lonely existence. He also spent a good deal of time watching out the window as he sat at his desk. He slowly became familiar with the habits of the townspeople just by watching them go about their everyday business in the street. He was particularly fascinated by Laura Timmins who often sat at the little bench across from the Post Office and wrote in what he assumed was her journal. He got to know her ritual: First, she would sit down, open her journal and quickly scribble something down, then she would take out an apple and begin to eat it whilst she watched and smiled at the bustling of people around her; or stared up at the sky following the flight of a bird, or scratched a dog's head that happened to approach her with tail wagging, before bending once again over the pages and writing quickly and assuredly, only pausing occasionally to take another bite of apple or compose her thoughts. He was completely enchanted with her and longed to know what went on in her mind as she watched the town around her and what it was she wrote so assiduously in her journal.

One day, his curiosity got the better of him as he watched her writing at the bench once again, seemingly oblivious to the late winter chill in the air. He stepped outside and walked up behind her, not wanting to disturb her, but unable to help himself.

"Good day, Miss Timmins," he said.

Laura jumped at the sound of his voice, so engrossed was she with what she was writing, and smiled sheepishly at him. "Good day, Doctor Armstrong. You startled me."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I'm just curious, Miss Timmins, what is it that you are writing?"

Laura shut her journal quickly and shrugged. "Oh, it's nothing, really."

"I see. Well, you seem awfully diligent about writing 'nothing'." He smiled teasingly at her. He then took the liberty of sitting down next to her on the bench.

She stared down at her journal. "Well, if you must know, doctor, I hope to be a writer someday," she said shyly, his nearness next to her now causing a blush to creep up her cheeks.

"Do you now," he replied, looking rather impressed. "And what is it that you want to write—poetry? Passionate romances?" He grinned at her.

Laura felt the familiar annoyance at someone assuming that poetry and romance were all that a woman wanted to write about. "No, I write about real life, doctor, about the people around me and the things that make up this town and my home of Lark Rise."

"I see." He nodded. "Well, I must confess to being quite intrigued. I hope you will let me read what you've written someday."

She studied him for a moment. "Thank you, perhaps I will." Then she stood up. "Well, I had better get back to work at the Post Office now. Good day, Doctor Armstrong."

"Good day, Miss Timmins," he replied. He was sorry to see her go. He wished they could have had more time to talk.

He sat there thinking for a few moments longer and then he got up and followed her into the Post Office.

Dorcas greeted him as he came in, "Good morning, Richard. How are you?"

"Good morning, Lady Dorcas. I am doing quite well, thank you."

Laura had had her back to the door and spun around when she heard it was he who had come in, wondering why he had followed her.

"What can we do for you today?" Dorcas asked him.

"Well, actually, I was wondering if I might accompany Miss Timmins the next time she has a delivery to Lark Rise. She did promise to introduce me to the people there."

Laura said nothing but looked helplessly over at Dorcas. She suddenly thought of Daniel and how badly he would react if he saw her in the company of Doctor Armstrong.

But Dorcas was looking unusually pleased with his request and replied, "As a matter of fact, I was just about to send Laura to Lark Rise today. I am sure she would be happy to take you with her."

The doctor smiled broadly. "Thank you, Lady Dorcas." Then he turned to Laura. "Miss Timmins, when you are ready to leave please come by the clinic. We can take my carriage to Lark Rise."

Laura nodded dumbly as she felt her heart begin to pound at the thought of being alone with the doctor for the length of the journey to and from Lark Rise. Why did it make her feel so nervous? And why was Dorcas suddenly looking like the cat that ate the canary?

Laura walked slowly to Doctor Armstrong's clinic, glaring down at the package for Mr Jamison in Lark Rise and silently cursing at him for needing it to be delivered today of all days. She didn't want to be alone with the doctor and if the package had come just a day later it would have been Thomas's turn to take it to the hamlet.

The doctor must have seen her coming for as she reached the clinic he was already bringing his carriage around to the front. He had no driver of his own so he sat on the seat up front and held his hand out to her to help her up beside him. She looked longingly back at the compartment behind her wishing she could have ridden alone inside. She also didn't want Daniel to see her departing with the doctor like this. She looked nervously around for him but was relieved to find he was nowhere in sight.

"So, Miss Timmins, tell me about your family. Are they all in Lark Rise?" he asked as they made their way towards the edge of town.

"Yes, they are all in Lark Rise. There's my ma and pa—my pa is a stonemason and a gifted artist," she said proudly, "and then I have two younger brothers and two younger sisters."

"So you're the eldest," he said thoughtfully.

"Yes. My youngest sister is only four years old. When she was born my ma sent me to Candleford to live with her cousin, Miss Lane—now Lady Dorcas. They needed the room at home and Ma wanted me to learn from Lady Dorcas so I could have a future outside of Lark Rise."

The doctor glanced at her. "It must have been hard leaving home like that."

"Yes, it was. I was terrified! I missed Lark Rise so much. But Lady Dorcas was very kind and now I cannot imagine living anywhere else. I love the Post Office and Candleford. It is home to me now."

"I can understand why. I am finding it to be a very charming place myself. I am very glad I moved here." He smiled at her in such a way that she felt herself blushing again and turned to look out at the countryside.

"So tell me more about Lark Rise. Who else lives there?"

Laura began by telling him about Twister Turrill and soon they were both laughing at Twister's antics. She told him about Queenie and how she could charm bees and tell fortunes with tea leaves. She also told him about her dear friend Alf Arliss and how good hearted he was for taking care of his younger siblings when their parents went away and what a steadfast friend he had always been to her. And then with tears in her eyes she told him about the measles epidemic that took away Alf's only brother and had almost taken Sydney as well. She found she was actually enjoying telling the doctor about her little hamlet. He was an attentive listener and he asked the kinds of questions she liked to answer. As she became more comfortable with him she found herself describing the land of the hamlet itself; its golden fields in summer, the way the dew hung upon the spider webs making them look like jeweled necklaces, the smell of the harvest and the twists of her favourite trees whose branches harboured her when she was sad or wanting to be alone with her thoughts.

Richard listened to her, completely spellbound. He could see the land with her words and felt he now knew its people by her descriptions. He had already found her to be enchanting, but now, after listening to her speak so poetically, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was like no other girl he had ever met. Most were vain, vapid sorts of creatures who were only interested in catching a husband with no original thoughts of their own. But Laura was a rare breed; not only beautiful, but with a fine mind and a deeply caring heart. She was the kind of girl he had always hoped to find one day, and now here she was, sitting right beside him.

"Miss Timmins, if what you write is anything like the way you speak, I have no doubt your name will be celebrated alongside the other great authors of our time," he said with great sincerity.

Laura looked at him as though trying to determine whether he was being sincere or not. "Thank you, Doctor Armstrong. But please, just call me Laura. No one ever calls me Miss Timmins."

"All right, Laura it is," he replied, feeling absurdly happy to have the privilege of calling her by her Christian name. "And you must call me Richard."

But Laura shook her head. "Oh, no, I couldn't."

"Why ever not?" he asked, looking perplexed.

"Because, you are a doctor; it would be disrespectful," she said, blushing again.

"Disrespectful? You are making me feel quite old, you know. Well, if you won't call me Richard than I am going to keep calling you Miss Timmins."

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"It's only fair," he said stubbornly.

Before she could reply they had reached Lark Rise and Laura had him stop outside of her family's home. Emma immediately came outside, having heard the carriage arrive, and gave Laura a hug whilst glancing curiously at the handsome man she was with and his fine carriage.

"Ma, this is the new doctor in Candleford, Doctor Armstrong. He wanted me to introduce him to Lark Rise."

Emma smiled and held her hand out to him. "Welcome, Doctor Armstrong. Won't you join my husband and me for some tea?"

"Thank you, Mrs Timmins; I am very pleased to meet you." He followed the ladies inside and was introduced to Robert who had just come down the stairs.

"So you're the new doctor?" Robert said as he shook his hand.

"Yes, I've been eager to meet the people of Lark Rise. Your lovely daughter was kind enough to bring me here today. I like to get to know the people whom I might need to treat one day. It makes it much easier to know one's health history ahead of time. That is, only if you are willing to discuss it with me, of course."

"That sounds reasonable, doctor," Robert said. "We are a pretty healthy lot ourselves, but I'm sure Twister could fill your ears with his complaints of rheumatism, among other things." Robert and Emma laughed, as did Laura, knowing Twister as they did.

"Yes, Miss Timmins was telling me about Twister. He sounds like quite the character," Richard said.

"That is one way of putting it," Robert said dryly.

Richard looked around the cosy little house and smiled. "You have a lovely home, Mrs Timmins. It already seems familiar from the way your daughter described it. I'm sure I don't have to tell you what a beautiful way she has with words." Richard looked over at Laura in such a way that Robert raised his eyebrows and Emma had to suppress a smile.

Laura and Richard stayed just long enough to have tea and then decided they should get to meeting with the rest of the hamlet folk before it was time to go home. As Richard passed through the door, Emma held Laura back and whispered, "He sure is a handsome one, isn't he? And he sure seems to think the world of you." Laura blushed as her mother looked at her with those knowing eyes of hers.

"Don't be silly, Ma. You know I love Daniel. I am just doing Doctor Armstrong a favour by bringing him here."

"All right, Laura. But just remember, you are still young and have lots of time to decide where your future lies." Emma looked back at the doctor. "My goodness, I don't think I have ever seen such beautiful eyes in a man!"

"Ma!" Laura exclaimed with a giggle. "You'd better not let Pa hear you say that!" Then they were both giggling before Laura kissed her ma goodbye and rejoined the doctor.

Everyone in the hamlet seemed happy to meet the new doctor and Richard came away with a better understanding of the people who might one day become his patients.

They were silent as they made their way out of Lark Rise and on to Candleford. Finally, Laura glanced over at Richard and said, "You've heard all about me, doctor, and yet I know very little about you."

He felt a sudden gladness in his heart that she wanted to know about him, but he shook his head. "Another time, I promise. Right now I want you to tell me all about Candleford. You are a joy to listen to, Miss Timmins."

Laura blushed again but she couldn't help but smile at him. She had to admit she had enjoyed his company and the day had turned out much better than she had thought it would. So she took a deep breath and began by telling him about the Pratt sisters, and soon their laughter could be heard ringing out across the countryside.

When they arrived back at the Post Office, Richard jumped down from the carriage and took Laura's hand to help her down as well. He didn't let go right away; instead he held her hand a moment longer, looking directly into her eyes, and said, "Thank you, Miss Timmins, for introducing me to Lark Rise and for your splendid company. I do not know when I have had such an enjoyable day."

Once again, Laura found his gaze to cause her stomach to flutter and was suddenly aware of how warm and strong his hand was on hers. For a moment all she could do was nod, but finally she managed to say, "You're welcome, Doctor Armstrong. I am glad to have been of help."

Realising he was still holding her hand; he reluctantly let go of it and watched as she went inside the Post Office. Before she closed the door, though, she couldn't resist the urge to look back at him. He still stood there and he smiled when she looked back. She then quickly closed the door and stood with her back to it, glad to find that Dorcas was nowhere to be seen so she could think for a moment. She closed her eyes and realised that once again her thoughts and feelings were in turmoil after being in Doctor Armstrong's presence. She felt a desperate need to go to her journal, but before she could take a step Dorcas came out from the kitchen and looked at her with keen eyes.

"Well, Laura, how did your trip with Doctor Armstrong go today?"

"Fine, ma'am; he seemed to get along with everyone," she replied.

"Good, I am happy to hear it," Dorcas said. "Did your parents get to meet him?" she asked rather shrewdly.

"Yes, they did." Then Laura gave a little laugh. "I think Ma has a bit of a crush on him. She said he had the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen in a man."

Dorcas laughed, too. "No one could say he's not handsome, that is for certain."

"Who is handsome?" Timothy asked as he walked into the room.

"Laura and I were just speaking of Doctor Armstrong," Dorcas replied.

"Oh, really?" Timothy walked up behind Dorcas and put his arms around her. "Should I be worried, darling?" He gave a little wink to Laura. "Should I be dusting off my duelling pistols?"

"Oh, Timothy, don't be silly. You are the only man I have eyes for and you know it," she said.

"Hmmm…I guess that will have to do. Well, if you can tear yourself away from discussing the fine doctor, my love, I thought you might want to accompany me to court. I have an interesting case to preside over today as magistrate." Then he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I promise to be at my most fearsome and then afterwards I thought you and I could take a little ride to a certain cottage."

Dorcas's eyes lit up. "I will just get my coat! Laura, you are in charge."

Laura smiled at the way Timothy and Dorcas interacted with one another. She hoped that she and Daniel would have the same kind of relationship after they were married.

After Dorcas and Timothy left, Laura quickly ran upstairs to get her journal, then came back down in time to help a customer. Just as the customer left Daniel came through the door looking rather sullen.

"Daniel!" she exclaimed, "I was just thinking of you."

"Were you? Laura, would you mind explaining to me what you were doing riding in that man's carriage?" he asked with barely concealed anger.

Laura sighed. "It's not what you think, Daniel."

"Where were you all day?" he asked.

"I was in Lark Rise. Doctor Armstrong wanted to meet the people of Lark Rise and Lady Dorcas volunteered me to take him there. It was nothing, Daniel. I was just doing what I was told to do."

Somewhat mollified, Daniel tried to smile. "I'm sorry, Laura. I didn't mean to sound so suspicious. It's just I had a rather unpleasant encounter with the doctor and it upset me to see you looking so friendly with him."

Laura looked at him with concern. "Tell me about your encounter, Daniel. What did he say to you?"

Daniel leaned against the counter and told her what the doctor had accused him of, embellishing it just a bit to make it sound worse than it was.

"I am not the man he thinks I am, Laura. What if he starts turning the people of this town against me?"

Laura took his hand, feeling a sudden anger towards the doctor for being so awful to Daniel. "I won't let him do that to you. Besides, once he gets to know you I am sure he will see for himself what a good man you are."

Daniel squeezed her hand gratefully, but shook his head. "I don't think we'll be getting to know each other anytime soon. And Laura, I would appreciate it if you would have as little to do with him as possible. I didn't like the way I saw him looking at you just now."

"Daniel, I promise you, you have nothing to worry about. I am not the slightest bit interested in Doctor Armstrong. I love you, remember?"

He smiled at her. "I love you, too, Laura. Please don't forget that."

"Of course I won't forget it." She gave him a reassuring kiss and was happy to see the relief in his eyes.

"Come and meet me after you've finished here at the Post Office and we can take a little walk. I feel like we haven't had a chance to talk much lately." Daniel said.

"I would like that, Daniel," she replied.

"Good, then I will see you later." He gave her another kiss before saying goodbye.

Much later that afternoon, Richard sat at his desk watching the shadows deepen on the town as evening approached, and thought of Laura and how much he had enjoyed her company that day. He wondered if she had given a second thought to him and their time together as well. As if in answer to his query he suddenly spotted her walking arm in arm with Daniel down the street. They were laughing softly together and he felt a little stab of jealousy shoot through him. Now that he had found her he was damned if he was going to let a man like Daniel Parish have her.

As though reading his mind, Laura glanced over at the clinic and saw him watching her. Her face was inscrutable as their eyes met, and she quickly looked away, grasping Daniel's arm more tightly as she looked up at the younger man with what seemed like an exaggerated smile.

"Enjoy her smiles for now, Parish," Richard said to himself. "They won't be yours for long."

CHAPTER 20

For several weeks Laura managed to avoid seeing Doctor Armstrong. If there was a package to be delivered to him she asked Thomas to deliver it for her, and if Thomas was too busy she would slip Sydney a penny to run the package over to the clinic. She convinced herself it was out of loyalty to Daniel, but the truth was she found being near him too unsettling. There was an intensity about him that always heightened her own emotions and left her feeling out of control. She had no idea why he had such an effect on her. It was as though he was always aware of her, watching her, invading her thoughts. She had never experienced anything like it before. So she decided to avoid him, and instead spent more and more time in Daniel's company where she felt comfortable and safe.

One day, when she was alone with Dorcas at the Post Office, she asked, "Ma'am, how did you know that Sir Timothy was the one with whom you wanted to spend the rest of your life?"

Dorcas studied her for a moment before replying carefully, "I don't know, Laura. We always had a special connexion, he and I, and I just knew. There wasn't a moment when I wasn't thinking of him and wanting to be near him. I guess you could say my feelings for him were all consuming—and always will be. He is the one person who makes me feel complete."

Laura nodded her head, looking pensive.

"Why do you ask, Laura? Are you having doubts about Daniel?" Dorcas asked.

"No, of course not!" she replied vehemently. "Daniel is perfect for me. I feel safe with him."

Dorcas raised her eyebrows at her. "Sometimes safety is where we hide from our true feelings. Don't confuse safety with love, Laura. Loving someone is the biggest risk we will ever have to take. It can be frightening to feel so strongly for someone, and yet, at the same time, it is the most wonderful feeling in the world— even more so when it is reciprocated."

Laura remained silent as though lost in thought.

Dorcas put her hand on Laura's arm and said as gently as possible. "I have found, Laura, that when a person has to ask themselves if they are in love with someone then chances are they are not."

Laura looked sharply at Dorcas. "But I am in love with Daniel. I know I am!" she said.

"All right, Laura. Only you can know what your true feelings are. I just want you to be sure that you are being honest with yourself before you make any major decisions."

"Yes, of course I'm being honest," Laura replied.

"Good," Dorcas replied, handing her a large package. "Then you won't mind taking this special delivery to Doctor Armstrong, will you? And, Laura, I don't want you asking Thomas to do it for you or bribing Little Man, either, anymore. Understood?"

Laura nodded sheepishly. How on earth did Dorcas know? She sighed deeply as she took the box. It was no use trying to hide anything from Lady Dorcas Midwinter.

It had not gone unnoticed by Richard that Laura was avoiding him. He saw her pass by with packages or letters in her hands, but it was always Thomas or Sydney who delivered anything to him. He was puzzled by this as he thought after their trip to Lark Rise that they had become friends. The only thing he could reckon was it must have had something to do with Daniel Parish, and his dislike for the man only grew deeper. So when he heard the door to his clinic open one afternoon he groaned inwardly, praying it wasn't Pearl Pratt again, and reluctantly popped his head around the corner to see who it was. He was pleasantly surprised to find that it was not Pearl Pratt but Laura herself who was carrying a large box in her hands.

"Miss Timmins, what a nice surprise." He smiled at her.

"Good afternoon, Doctor Armstrong. I have a special delivery for you," she said, all business-like as she placed the box on the counter. "I just need you to sign for it."

He took the paper from her and quickly signed it. "Good, these are the supplies I've been waiting for. Thank you for bringing them to me." He stole a glance at her, but for whatever reason, she seemed determined not to look directly at him.

Laura shrugged her shoulders. "I'm just doing my job, doctor."

"And you do it remarkably well," he said warmly in that deep, resonant voice of his that always made her stomach do a little flip.

She finally looked up at him and once again found his gaze to be rather unsettling. As usual, it made her cheeks burn to look at him so she looked away again until he handed the signed paper back to her.

"So, Miss Timmins," he said as he opened the box and proceeded to unpack it, "I was surprised to hear that you and Daniel Parish were a couple."

Laura felt her blood begin to rise. "Oh? And why is that such a surprise?" she asked.

He stopped what he was doing and looked directly at her. "Because, you could do so much better than the likes of him."

Laura's face flushed darkly and anger began to flash in her eyes.

"I will have you know that Daniel Parish is an excellent man, Doctor Armstrong," she said stiffly. "He has made a great success of the Candleford newspaper and has earned the respect of the people of this town."

"Oh, I am sure he knows exactly what to do to sell his newspapers. I was referring more to his character. Forgive me, but I know the kind of man Daniel Parish really is and you are far too good for him."

He knew he had overstepped his bounds the moment the words were out of his mouth, but inwardly he shrugged and thought to himself, oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound.

Sparks fairly flew out of Laura's eyes and he could see her struggling not to lose her temper.

"I will not forgive you for that! How dare you say such a thing! You don't even know him and you certainly don't know me! You have hardly been here for any time at all and already you presume to know the people of this town and are casting aspersions on them."

"I am not casting aspersions, Miss Timmins. I happen to be quite familiar with Daniel Parish's character from my days in Oxford. And as for knowing you, I did not need to know you long to know what kind of person you are. It was obvious to me the moment I met you that you are an exceptional young woman—not only beautiful, but intelligent and kind, caring and capable, just like Lady Dorcas. I think you deserve a man who is more your equal in character, that is all."

His attempts to mollify her failed miserably and he could see he had destroyed any chance he might have had of becoming her friend.

"Well," she said haughtily, "I don't need to explain myself to you, and if you are through insulting Daniel I have work to do. Good day, sir." She turned abruptly and quickly made her way to the door.

"Miss Timmins," he stopped her, "I am truly sorry to have offended you. I had hoped we could be friends. I was only thinking of your best interests."

She turned back to him with an icy glare. "My 'interests' are none of your business, doctor. And I have no desire to be your friend, not now, not ever." She fairly flew out of the door, slamming it behind her and fumed all the way back to the Post Office.

"Insufferable man!" she muttered to herself. How dare he insult Daniel like that! 'In her best interests'….Oh, how she hated it when people presumed to know her better than herself!

"Laura, what is the matter?" Dorcas asked as Laura came bursting through the door looking like she was about to explode.

"Nothing, ma'am," she replied brusquely as she made her way behind the counter. "Only I hope I never have to speak to that Doctor Armstrong ever again!"

"Doctor Armstrong? Laura, what has happened?" Dorcas asked, looking perplexed.

"He had the nerve to say that Daniel wasn't good enough for me! How dare he judge someone he doesn't even know? How dare he presume to know me? I wish he had never come to this town. I hope I never have to lay eyes on him again."

"Calm down, Laura, I am sure he didn't mean to upset you," Dorcas said. "Why don't you take a little break and go upstairs for a while. I can take care of things down here."

"Oh, he meant it all right," Laura said as she turned and stomped up the stairs, muttering all the way.

Dorcas shook her head as she watched Laura go. She wondered if that was all that was really bothering Laura or if there was something else going on?

"What was that all about?" Timothy asked as he joined Dorcas behind the counter after passing Laura on the staircase.

"It seems Richard has rubbed our Laura the wrong way," she replied.

"Oh? What has he done?" Timothy asked with raised eyebrows.

"He insulted her by implying that Daniel wasn't good enough for her."

"I see. Well, that is a bit of a sticky wicket, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. But I think there is more to it than that." Dorcas's gaze turned towards the staircase and she got a familiar look in her eyes.

"Oh, no," Timothy said as he watched her face.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"I know that look. You are hatching something in that head of yours, aren't you?"

"Really, Timothy, I don't know what you are talking about."

He placed his hands on her arms and looked into her eyes. "Let Laura fight her own battles, Dorcas."

Dorcas looked a little hurt. "I have no intention of fighting Laura's battles, Timothy. I was merely thinking we should have Richard over for dinner again."

Timothy looked incredulously at her. "My dear, do you really think that is a good idea knowing how Laura feels about him?"

"Trust me, Timothy, I know what I'm doing," she replied.

Timothy sighed. "All right, but we'd better not use your mother's best china."

"Why ever not?" she asked.

They both winced at the sound of Laura slamming her bedroom door shut. "Because Laura is apt to end up throwing it at his head!"

"Oh, Timothy, really." She rolled her eyes at him, but he didn't find it reassuring.

Laura flounced herself angrily upon her bed. Then she got up and took out her journal and began to write furiously scathing things about the doctor, writing all the things that she wished she had said to him in person. Words like 'pompous', 'egotistical' and 'opinionated' spewed forth from her pen. She replayed his words in her head, wanting to hate him and hating herself for having been charmed by his deep voice and masculine beauty. Why did his words in particular bother her so? Why should she care what he thought? He was nothing to her.

"I'll bet the real reason he is still unmarried," she wrote with grim satisfaction, "is because underneath all those fine clothes he is probably as hairy as an old bear and bowlegged to boot." It made her smile to write it even though she knew it was extremely childish. Feeling somewhat better having vented her fury, she closed her journal and sat staring out of the window into the street.

It was only then that she remembered him saying she was beautiful.

The next day, Dorcas went to the clinic to speak to Doctor Armstrong. Just as she was walking in she passed Mr Watson, the butcher, who was coming out with a bandaged hand.

"My goodness, Mr Watson, what has happened to you?" Dorcas asked with concern.

Mr Watson gave her a rueful smile, "Good morning, Lady Dorcas. Just cut my hand with the meat cleaver….feelin' more foolish than anything. Doc, here, sewed me up just fine. Good man that Doctor Armstrong."

"Well, you take good care of yourself, Mr Watson," Dorcas said, placing a hand on his arm. "I might be in the market for a nice prime rib in the next day or so!"

"Aye, I'll be right as rain in no time and I'll be sure to save the best cut for you, milady." Mr Watson smiled reassuringly as he tipped his cap to her before going on his way.

"Ah, Lady Dorcas, how are you?" Richard greeted her as he came out from his examining room, drying his hands with a towel.

"Good morning, Richard. I wondered if I might have a word with you, if you have the time, that is."

"For you, Lady Dorcas, I have all the time in the world." Richard smiled at her and gestured for her to sit down. "Now, what can I do for you? Are you feeling all right? Any concerns about the pregnancy?"

"Oh, no, I am quite well, thank you. Actually, Richard, I wanted to invite you to dinner on Sunday." She watched him carefully, gauging his reaction before deciding whether to bring up what happened between him and Laura the previous day or not.

Richard shifted uncomfortably in his chair and was silent for a moment. He rubbed his hand across his mouth before saying, "There is nothing that would give me more pleasure than to dine with you and your family again, Lady Dorcas. But I don't think it would make Laura very happy if I were to come. We had words yesterday, you see. I am afraid I have ruined any chance of us becoming friends."

"I know. Laura told me all about it. That is why I want you to come to dinner."

Richard furrowed his brow. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Do you have feelings for Laura, Richard?" Dorcas asked bluntly.

Richard looked directly into her eyes and his chin lifted almost defiantly. "Yes, Lady Dorcas, I do."

Dorcas's eyes began to twinkle. "Then you must come to dinner on Sunday."

He looked tempted, but then shook his head. "I think she hates me and I don't want to ruin her Sunday dinner."

Dorcas reached out and covered his hand with her own. "She doesn't hate you, Richard. I would bet my Post Office on it."

Seeing he was still looking doubtful she added, "I know Laura, Richard. You mustn't give up on her….trust me on this. Please join us this Sunday."

Hope began to flicker in his eyes and he suddenly grinned at her. "I would love to, Lady Dorcas. I will see you then."

"Good!" Dorcas beamed at him.

After Dorcas left, Richard sat down in his chair and leaned back with his hands up on the back of his head and began to chuckle. After Lady Dorcas's reassurances he couldn't wait to see Laura's reaction when she saw him sitting across from her at the dinner table again. He was imagining the fire that was going to be shooting from her eyes and it made him smile. He was up for the challenge. He was going to win her heart if it was the last thing he ever did.

Sunday came and when Laura found out Richard was coming to dinner she nearly had a fit.

"Lady Dorcas, why did you invite him here when you know I don't want anything to do with him after the way he treated Daniel?" she cried.

"Laura, this is my home and I will invite whomever I wish to my dinner table—and it is not your place to question me!"

Laura pressed her lips together so hard they were nearly invisible and her whole body quivered with anger, but somehow she managed to hold her tongue.

Seeing how upset Laura was Dorcas's voice softened. "Laura, I am not asking you to entertain him. He is mine and Sir Timothy's guest. All I ask it that you treat him with respect whilst he is under my roof."

Laura shook her head. "Daniel is not going to be happy about this!"

"I do not live my life in accordance with what makes Daniel Parish happy or unhappy, Laura," Dorcas replied frostily.

Seeing it was useless to argue with Dorcas, Laura gave up and went up to her room where she stayed until Minnie came up to tell her that dinner was ready.

"Minnie, please tell Lady Dorcas that I have a headache and will not be coming down for dinner," Laura said as she lay upon her bed.

Minnie's eyes widened. "But I made prime rib! It's your favourite!"

"I'm sorry, Minnie, I'm just not hungry," she replied.

Minnie shrugged and made her way back to the kitchen where she relayed the message to Dorcas.

"A headache! Well, we'll just see about that," Dorcas replied angrily as she made her way upstairs and burst into Laura's room without knocking, causing Laura to bolt upright from her bed.

"Laura Timmins," Dorcas said with a steely glare, "you are going to behave like an adult and come down to dinner this instant. I will not have you sulking up here like a spoilt child whilst we have a guest at our table."

"I am not sulking, I have a headache!" Laura exclaimed.

"Well, Laura, if you are too ill to come to dinner then perhaps I should send Doctor Armstrong up here to examine you," Dorcas challenged her.

Laura knew Dorcas had her over a barrel and reluctantly got up from her bed. "No, I'm all right," she muttered.

"Thought so," Dorcas said with satisfaction.

Laura followed Dorcas downstairs where Timothy and Richard stood waiting at the table until the ladies were seated. She studiously avoided looking at Richard as she nudged Minnie to switch places with her so she wouldn't have to sit directly opposite him. Dorcas saw this manoeuvre and gave her a disapproving look.

Timothy looked between Laura and Dorcas with raised eyebrows then took a large drink of wine before turning to the doctor. "So, Richard, how is your clinic doing now that you have everything up and running?"

"It is doing better than I expected, Sir Timothy. Nothing too challenging just yet, but I do have a steady stream of babies to deliver and the usual cuts and broken bones to mend. It's nice to be needed in whatever capacity." Richard glanced over at Laura who had just taken a rather vicious stab at her potato with her fork.

Minnie also looked over at Laura. "Is your headache better now, Laura?"

Laura glared at her. "No, Minnie, if anything it is getting worse."

Richard looked at Laura with concern. "Miss Timmins, if you have a headache perhaps I should examine you. You are looking a bit flushed."

Laura gritted her teeth. "It is just a headache, Doctor Armstrong. I'll be fine."

She felt a sudden kick from Dorcas under the table. "But thank you for your concern anyway," she added quickly.

Feeling the tension in the air, Timothy took another big gulp of wine and asked Minnie to refill his glass. "Thank you, Minnie. On second thought, just leave the bottle here," he said as he took the bottle from her and set it next to his plate.

Feeling his eyes on her, Laura finally looked up defiantly at Richard only to find that he was looking at her with amusement—as though he knew what was going on in her mind and was enjoying the effect his presence was having on her. All it did was fuel her anger even more and she gave another vicious stab at a piece of meat on her plate.

Timothy looked helplessly at Dorcas who ventured to change the subject. "Richard, now that you have been in Candleford for awhile, do you think you will settle here permanently? It is a wonderful place to raise a family."

"Yes, I like Candleford very much, Lady Dorcas. And after growing up with just a grandfather, there is nothing I would like better than to raise a family of my own right here."

"Well, Sir Timothy and I will have to introduce you to some of the eligible young ladies here in Candleford, won't we, Timothy?" Dorcas looked over at Timothy who nodded his head in agreement.

"Oh, yes, I dare say you will find a most agreeable wife among them," Timothy said.

"Thank you, that is very kind of you," Richard replied.

Dorcas looked over at Laura who was trying to appear as though she wasn't paying attention to the conversation, but her reddening cheeks gave her away. Dorcas smiled to herself knowing that her intuition about Laura's true feelings towards the doctor was now confirmed. She gave a satisfied sigh. "Minnie, I think it is time for dessert!"

Once dinner was over with, Laura retreated to her room as quickly as possible, much to Richard's disappointment. He had hoped to get her alone for a moment so he could apologise again for upsetting her with his comments about Daniel, but she seemed determined to avoid him. He was just going to have to try harder. Candleford was a small town—she could not avoid him forever.

Upstairs, Laura took out her journal and readied her pen to vent her fury onto its pages once again before Minnie came up to bed, but her thoughts were in such a jumble that she couldn't concentrate. She was angry at Dorcas for forcing her to come to dinner and she was angry at Richard for finding her anger amusing. But most of all she was angry at herself for feeling a twinge of jealousy when Dorcas offered to help find Richard a wife amongst the eligible ladies of Candleford.

CHAPTER 21

Even though the calendar said that spring had officially arrived, it still felt like winter. Dorcas did not know how Laura could stand to sit on the bench outside, writing in her journal during her break, without catching a chill.

As she watched out the window, Timothy came up behind her and put his arms around her, placing his hands on her growing belly.

"How are you today, my love?" he said softly in her ear.

Dorcas covered his hands with her own and leaned back against him. "Just fine, my Timothy," she replied.

Suddenly they both jumped. "Did you feel that?" Dorcas exclaimed. "I think the baby just kicked for the first time!"

"It did! I felt it, too!" Timothy said with awe. He pressed his hand a little harder where he had felt the first kick and was rewarded with another. He and Dorcas both started to laugh and Dorcas felt tears stinging her eyes.

"Oh, Timothy, I am so glad you were here to feel our baby's first kick!" she said.

"So am I, darling," he said as he kissed her cheek. "If he is kicking like this already can you imagine what he'll be doing in the next four months?"

"I'm almost afraid to find out!" Dorcas laughed. She felt another bump inside of her. "I think he hears our voices and wants to make his presence known."

Timothy bent down with his mouth close to Dorcas's belly and said, "Junior, this is your father speaking. Be gentle with your mother now!"

Dorcas felt another thump inside of her and laughed. "I think he heard what you said and isn't having any of it."

Timothy grinned up at Dorcas. "He is going to be a handful, that one."

"Especially if he is anything like his father," Dorcas said with a twinkle in her eyes.

Timothy pulled her close to him. "Are you saying I'm a handful, Dorcas?" he said teasingly.

"You always were, Timothy….completely incorrigible!"

"That is because I know you like it when I am incorrigible."

Dorcas shook her head at him and laughed as he leaned in and kissed her. After a moment, she pulled away reluctantly. "We had better stop before a customer comes in and sees us."

Timothy sighed before giving her another quick kiss. "Fine, but we are going to continue where we left off tonight!" He took out his pocket watch and glanced at it. "I am afraid I have to head over to the manor now anyway to take care of some business. I will see you later, darling."

"Goodbye, Timothy," Dorcas said as she watched him go.

Laura looked up from her journal in time to see Timothy passing by.

"Have a good day, Laura," he said to her.

"You, too, Sir Timothy!" she replied with a smile. Just then the sun broke through the clouds and Laura looked up to feel its lovely warmth upon her face. She closed her eyes contentedly and hoped the sun would stay with her for the rest of the day as she made her rounds.

Richard sat at his desk and could see Laura sitting in her usual spot on the bench with her journal on her lap. She made a charming picture as she looked up at the sun with a smile on her face. He was debating whether to go out and talk to her or not when she stood up from the bench and slung the post bag over her shoulder to begin her rounds. He sighed. Another missed opportunity!

He watched as she slowly walked down the street whilst looking down at the open journal in her hands, when suddenly he spotted two young boys, who were chasing each other, heading right towards Laura. The boy in the lead had turned his head to look back at his pursuer, and Laura was still looking down, so neither saw the other. The boy collided with Laura, knocking her flat off her feet and sending her journal and her post bag flying. Richard jumped up and ran out of the office as fast as he could to help her. "Sorry, miss!" He heard the boy yell back to Laura before running off.

"Miss Timmins!" Richard shouted. "Are you all right?"

She was looking a bit dazed as he reached down to help her up. When he got her to her feet she suddenly cried out in pain and fell against him. "My ankle!" she cried. He gently helped her sit back down, and to her embarrassment took her right ankle in his hand and began to examine it.

"I need to take you back to the clinic to make sure it's not broken," he said to her.

"No, please, I'm sure it's just sprained," she protested. The last thing she wanted was to be alone with him in his clinic.

"I will be the judge of that, Miss Timmins," he said sternly as he picked up her post bag and put the items that had fallen out back into it. He also found her journal and held it a moment, looking down at it, before also placing it into the post bag which he then slung over his shoulder. Then he bent down and placed his hands underneath her and picked her up as though she weighed no more than a kitten.

"What are you doing?" she cried out.

"I am taking you to the clinic. You are not walking on that ankle."

"Put me down, Doctor Armstrong, right now!" she nearly shouted as she struggled in his arms.

He gave her such a formidable look, not unlike the way her father used to look at her when she was naughty, that she shrank back. "Stop fighting me, Miss Timmins. You are hurt, and I am your doctor, and you are going to stop behaving like a spoilt brat right now."

She opened her mouth to protest, but seeing the stormy look in his eyes she thought better of it and looked away instead. Her heart began to pound in her chest. At first she thought it was due to how angry she was with him, but the truth was she was finding it incredibly disturbing to be held so close to his body like this, feeling his strength and power and knowing she was helpless against it; and finding it impossible to ignore the strange sensations she was beginning to feel deep inside of her.

As they reached the clinic, Richard kicked open the door and brought her inside, then gently placed her upon the examining table. As he swung the post bag off of his shoulder the strap, having been weakened when the boy collided with Laura, suddenly ripped away on one side causing the bag to tip over and spill its contents onto the floor.

Richard sighed then quickly picked everything up and placed it all back into the bag which he then set aside. Then he proceeded to take off Laura's shoe and stocking so he could examine her ankle properly. It was already swelling and turning a bit purple so he worked quickly to feel the bones before the swelling progressed and got in the way.

Laura felt tears of indignation and pain filling her eyes and she blinked them away before he could see them. But when he had to manipulate her foot to check for a fracture the sudden intense pain she felt caused her to cry out and reflexively rear up, grabbing his hand to move it away from her ankle. He looked up to find her face now just inches from his own and his gaze softened when he saw genuine tears of pain in her eyes. He reached up and placed his hand on her cheek, and she gave a small gasp at his touch.

"I am sorry that I hurt you, Laura," he said softly and she knew he was speaking of more than just the pain he caused to her ankle. The sound of him calling her Laura for the first time sent a tingle down her spine and she could hardly breathe being this close to him. Her pain was almost forgotten as she stared into those impossibly deep blue eyes of his.

She could see his eyes drifting down to her lips and was suddenly aware that he was going to kiss her, and was ashamed at how much she wanted him to.

His hand was still on her cheek and he began to pull her towards him when the door to the front office suddenly burst open. They heard Pearl Pratt's voice call out, "Yoo-hoo! Doctor Armstrong, are you here?"

As though suddenly awakened to what he was doing, Richard let go of Laura and backed away from her. "Damn that woman!" She heard him swear under his breath.

"I am with a patient, Miss Pratt," he called out to her, trying to keep his voice steady. "Please have a seat and I will be with you shortly."

"Oh, in that case, I will come back later," she replied.

"Thank you, Miss Pratt," he said with a grimace as he heard her go out the door.

He sighed heavily and to Laura's disappointment turned back to being the doctor again. "The good news, Miss Timmins, is your ankle is not broken. The bad news is it is badly sprained and you will need to keep off of it for the next few weeks. I am just going to wrap it now which will help with the pain."

"How am I going to do my job, doctor?" she fretted.

"You won't be able to. Lady Dorcas is just going to have to manage without you."

He finished wrapping her ankle and gave her her shoe and stocking to hold, then he picked her up once again to take her home.

Neither of them said a word as he carried her to the Post Office, where Dorcas happened to see them coming and hurried to open the door.

"Laura! Richard! What has happened?" she exclaimed.

"A couple of young rapscallions accidently ran into Miss Timmins and knocked her down. I'm afraid she's sprained her ankle rather badly," Richard replied.

"Oh, Laura, you poor thing!" Dorcas fussed.

"I will just bring her up to her room, Lady Dorcas. She will need to keep her foot elevated as much as possible and must stay off of it."

Dorcas nodded and Richard carried Laura effortlessly up the stairs. Laura pointed to her room where he brought her in and gently laid her down on top of her bed. Then he took one of her pillows and placed it under her leg to elevate it.

"Thank you, Doctor Armstrong," Laura said meekly.

He gave her a half smile as he looked down at her. "You're welcome, Miss Timmins. I'll just go back to fetch the post bag and find a pair of crutches for you so you can get around when you need to. You will be fine in no time, I promise."

Laura nodded and found herself feeling a little disappointed that he had reverted to calling her Miss Timmins again. She replayed what had happened at the clinic in her mind. Had he really been about to kiss her when Pearl interrupted them or was it just her imagination? She would probably never know the answer now.

Richard returned a few minutes later with a pair of crutches and handed the post bag over to Dorcas.

"I'm afraid the strap broke away and the contents have got a bit jumbled," he said.

"Thank you, Richard. I am sure Old Amos, our shoemaker, can fix the bag for me. I will resort the mail and have Sydney make the deliveries as soon as he is home from school," Dorcas said.

Richard nodded. "I'll just bring these crutches up to Miss Timmins and show her how to use them before I go."

Laura's heart began to pound again as she heard him coming up the stairs. She hated that he had this affect on her when the only man who should be making her heart pound was Daniel.

"These will help you get around," Richard said as he came into the room. First, he demonstrated how to use them and then he had her hold on to his arm whilst she stood up and tried them herself. The first time she tried to walk with them she ended up almost falling, but he caught her in time and held her up. Once again she felt breathless being held so close to him, but she tried not to show it.

Finally, she seemed to get the hang of it and Richard seemed satisfied to leave her on her own. "I will be by tomorrow to see how you are doing," he said to her as he helped her back to her bed.

He had reached the door when something inside Laura made her call out. "Doctor Armstrong?"

He stopped and looked back at her. Her mouth opened as though she was going to speak but then she shut it again, realising she couldn't possibly ask him such a question.

He suddenly gave her a cheeky grin as he knew what was on her mind. "The answer to your question, Miss Timmins, is yes, I was."

Then he was gone.

Laura hadn't realised she had fallen asleep until Minnie came banging into their room with a tray in her hands, startling her out of her slumber.

"I brought you some lunch, Laura," Minnie said as she placed the tray on the table next to her bed.

"Oh, thank you, Minnie," Laura said with a yawn.

"Is your ankle feeling any better?" Minnie asked as she sat down on Laura's bed.

"No, it's still pretty swollen." Laura sighed as she looked down at her bandaged limb.

"Ooh, what was it like being carried in Doctor Armstrong's arms?" Minnie asked with an excited little bounce.

Laura just shrugged.

"I think I should have fainted dead away if he had carried me up to my room!" Minnie said, shivering with delight at the thought.

"He is just a man, Minnie," Laura said, trying to sound bored.

"Just a man!" Minnie exclaimed. "But he's so beautiful! Don't you think he's beautiful, Laura?"

"Men aren't beautiful, Minnie, they're handsome."

"All right, handsome, then."

"Yes, I suppose he is."

Seeing that Laura wasn't in the mood for talking, Minnie got up and made her way to the door. "Well, if you need anything else….."

"Oh, Minnie, wait, could you bring me my…." Suddenly, Laura looked around the room frantically. "Oh, no!" she cried.

"What?" Minnie asked, seeing the panic in Laura's eyes.

"My journal! The last time I remember seeing it was when that horrid boy knocked me over! Oh, no, what if it was left in the street and someone found it and is reading it right now?"

"I can go out and look for it if you like," Minnie said, eager to be of help.

Laura thought for a moment. "No, I remember now, the post bag spilled open and Doctor Armstrong picked everything up and put it back in the bag. I'm sure he must have put my journal in with the mail. Could you please ask Lady Dorcas to look in the post bag for me?"

Minnie nodded and ran downstairs. She returned a few minutes later with a shake of her head. "Lady Dorcas said she's already sorted through everything in the bag and your journal wasn't in it."

"Oh, no!" Laura wailed again. "Where could it be? I'll die if anyone reads it!"

Minnie gave her a sympathetic look. "As soon as Little Man is home from school I'll have him help me look for it. We'll ask everyone if they've seen it."

Laura looked like she was about to cry.

"Don't worry, Laura, we'll find it!" Minnie tried to reassure her.

Laura spent the rest of the afternoon fretting and trying to retrace her steps in her mind. Suddenly, she remembered that the bag had also fallen and spilled its contents at Doctor Armstrong's clinic. Maybe her journal had fallen behind or underneath something! With a feeling of hope Laura, grabbed the crutches and hobbled her way to the top of the stairs. "Minnie!" she called out.

Minnie stuck her head around the corner.

"Oh, Minnie, I think I know where my journal is. Could you please run over to Doctor Armstrong's clinic and ask him if he's seen it? Tell him it might have fallen behind something when the strap broke on the post bag."

"All right, Laura," Minnie replied.

Laura waited nervously for Minnie to come back. What if the doctor had found her journal and was reading it right now? She thought of all the things she had written about him in its pages; not only scathing things but also of her own reluctant attraction to him. Surely he was too much of a gentleman to read a lady's journal? Still, her cheeks burned with embarrassment and anxiety at the thought of him reading her most private thoughts. "Oh, Minnie, where are you?" she cried.

Finally, she heard Minnie slowly trudging up the stairs. Laura felt her heart drop when she saw that Minnie was empty-handed.

"I'm sorry, Laura, Doctor Armstrong wasn't there. He must be out on a call or something as the door to his clinic was locked and no one answered my knock."

Laura groaned. "Thank you anyway, Minnie. Do you think you could try back later to see if he's home?"

Minnie promised she would and Laura could do nothing now but wait and worry.

Richard was indeed out on a call. When he got back to the clinic after helping Laura he had a nervous father waiting for him, claiming his wife was in labour and in need of his help. It really was a difficult birth, and by the time the baby was finally delivered it was late into the night and Richard arrived back home tired and exhausted. He lit a candle and walked back to the examining room to put his medical bag away and was just on his way out when something caught his eye. An object was partially sticking out from under one of the counters. He reached down to see what it was and was surprised to find it was Laura Timmins' journal. Then he remembered the strap on the post bag breaking earlier. He must have missed the journal when he was picking up the other contents of the bag. He shook his head thinking of how frantic Laura must have been all day wondering where it was. It was too late in the night to bring it to her now—he would have to return it to her first thing in the morning.

He left it on top of the counter and made his way upstairs to get some sleep. But the longer he lay in bed and thought of the journal, the more tempted he became to find out what secrets it held inside of it. He thought of all the times he had seen her sitting outside with the journal in her hands and how he longed to know what it was she was writing. Now he had a chance to find out, to know what was really in her heart. Did she have any thoughts about him at all recorded in its pages?

He fought the urge to bring the journal up to his room knowing how dishonourable it would be. He tried to go to sleep and put it out of his mind, but he could not. In the end the temptation was too great and he found himself running back downstairs and fetching the journal from the counter. His conscience screamed at him as he settled back into bed with a fresh candle lit on the nightstand next to him, but he soon turned a deaf ear to it. Instead, he opened the journal, and in turning to its first page, stepped into Laura Timmins' world.

He stayed up all night reading the journal, and when he came to the end he turned back to the beginning and read it once more. He knew by the way she had spoken before that she had a way with words, but he was absolutely stunned by the sheer beauty of her writing. For someone so young she wrote with incredible depth and feeling. He found himself laughing and crying along with her, sharing in her joys and sorrows. He felt her love for her home and family, the Post Office and the whole town around her. He learnt of her love for a boy named Fisher and of Daniel's initial betrayal of her trust, which only angered him more towards the young man and left him baffled as to how she could have forgiven him so easily. Then, towards the end, he found his own name mentioned and his heart began to beat faster when at last he discovered how she really felt about him. He smiled as she wrote of her initial attraction to him and how she had been aware of him watching her and how confused she felt in his presence. And the intensity of her angry words towards him after he had confronted her about Daniel only confirmed to him that she felt a lot more for him than she would ever admit to. He laughed out loud at her imaginings for why he wasn't married yet. She would be mortified to know he had read these angry words, but he found them to be utterly delightful. "Oh, Laura," he thought out loud, "the real reason I am not married is because I had not yet met you."

He began to chuckle as he got out of bed to look for a pen and a scrap of paper. He thought for a moment, then wrote a quick note and slipped it inside of the journal. Then he blew out the candle and went to sleep with a satisfied grin on his face.

Laura spent a restless night worrying about her journal. She had both Minnie and Sydney taking turns running back and forth to the clinic in hopes of finding the doctor finally at home until Dorcas put a stop to it and told her she would just have to wait until morning.

Richard arrived at the Post Office just as Dorcas was opening for the day. Dorcas breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Laura's journal in his hand.

"Oh, Richard, thank goodness you found it. Laura has been frantic!"

"I am so sorry, Lady Dorcas. I was out on a call until late last night and didn't find the journal until I got home. Otherwise, I would have brought it sooner. It had fallen under the counter. I'll just run upstairs and bring it to her as I need to check on her ankle anyway."

"Thank you, Richard. Would you like to stay for coffee? You look exhausted," Dorcas said.

"I wish I could, Lady Dorcas, but I have a patient I must see to this morning."

"Perhaps another time, then," she said.

Laura felt a fluttering in her stomach when she heard the doctor's voice downstairs and prayed that he had brought her journal with him. Finally, she heard his footsteps on the stairs, and then a gentle knock at her door.

"Come in," she said.

"Good morning, Miss Timmins, I understand you've been missing something," he said to her with a smile as he held up her journal.

Laura practically gasped with relief. "Oh, thank you for finding it, doctor. I couldn't imagine what had happened to it until I remembered the post bag spilling at the clinic."

"Yes, I was out on a call until late last night and didn't find it until I got home. I knew you must have been worried so I brought it as soon as I could."

Laura took the journal and hugged it to her chest. "That was very kind of you. Thank you, doctor."

"Well, now, let's take a look at that ankle and see how it's doing." His touch was gentle as he unwrapped her ankle and felt it. "The swelling's not any worse, which is a good thing. Just keep resting it and keep it elevated as much as possible and you will be walking on it in no time."

Laura had been studying him and could see he looked exhausted. If he had been up most of the night on a call then chances are he hadn't had time to read her journal. Relief flooded her at this rationalization and she suddenly felt the urge to give him a hug. But instead she just smiled and nodded.

"Take care now, Miss Timmins," he said as he made his way to the door.

"Thank you, again, Doctor Armstrong," she replied.

He stood a moment longer at the door, looking at her, and she could have sworn his eyes were twinkling as though he were amused by something. Once he was gone she just shook her head and reached for her pen. So much had happened since she was knocked down the day before that she could not wait to get her thoughts down in her journal. As she opened it up to where she had last left off, though, a scrap of paper fluttered out. Laura felt her chest tighten as she picked it up and saw that there was writing on it. As she read it she suddenly found she could not breathe:

My Dear Miss Timmins,

I hate to disappoint you, but I am not bowlegged.
As for my hairiness, I am not quite as bad as an old bear, but
perhaps one day you will be able to judge for yourself.

Most affectionately yours,

Richard Armstrong

CHAPTER 22

Laura was beyond furious. Once she recovered from her initial shock she hopped out of bed on one foot, found her crutches and made her way to the top of the stairs where she carefully tried to make her way down them.

"Laura, what are you doing? You will fall trying to go down the stairs on those crutches!" Dorcas cried when she caught her about half-way down.

"I have to see Doctor Armstrong," Laura replied with grim determination.

"You won't be able to see him now—he's had to call on a patient this morning. Here, let me help you back to your room."

"I have to see him, Lady Dorcas!"

"Why on earth do you need to see him now? I'll watch for his return and send him up to you."

"No, I want to talk to him in private."

"Laura…."

"HE READ MY JOURNAL!" Laura didn't mean to shout but she was so worked up she couldn't help it.

"What? How do you know he read it?"

"How do I know? Because he left a note inside of it! He read it all, Lady Dorcas, everything I've ever written about him and everyone else."

"Oh, Laura, I am sorry."

"So, you see, I have a few words to say to him."

"I understand. But it might be awhile before he's even at home so why don't you come down to the kitchen and have some tea. It might make you feel better."

"No, thank you, ma'am. If you could just watch for him and let me know when he's back?"

Dorcas sighed. "All right, Laura. Here, let me help you back to your room."

Richard finally arrived back at his clinic a few hours later and after having his lunch sat at his desk, staring out the window and waiting. It wasn't long before he saw Laura coming slowly as she made her way down the street on her crutches. He smiled, knowing his note had had the desired effect on her.

A few moments later she banged her way through his door and approached his desk.

"How dare you! HOW DARE YOU!" she shouted at him, her face red with anger and exertion.

"Miss Timmins, I had a feeling I would be seeing you again today."

"Don't 'Miss Timmins' me! You read my journal! How could you do such a thing?"

Richard got up from his desk and walked towards her. "I realise that by having read your journal that I have committed an unforgivable offence, but I am not sorry that I did so."

Laura made a strangled sound in her throat but he continued on, stepping closer to her. "I want you to know that I have never experienced such pleasure as I did when I read your words. You have an incredible gift, Laura, and I am sure that my prediction of you one day becoming a celebrated writer will not go unfounded. So, no, I am not sorry that I read your journal. I was given a rare glimpse into a beautiful mind that I will treasure always. But I am sorry that I have upset you so."

"You had no right!" she said, desperately fighting to keep her tears at bay.

"I know I had no right. I am not proud of myself for having read it. In fact, it was quite beneath me to have done so, but it was the only way I could find out what was really in your heart."

"But why? Why do you want to know?"

"I think you know why, Laura. I want to know you. I want to know everything about you—what you think, what you feel—but you keep avoiding me for whatever reason." He stepped closer to her, his eyes were now intense on hers, and despite her anger she could not look away. "I believe Fate placed that journal in my hands. There is something between us, Laura—you've said so yourself in your journal. I want to know why you keep denying it."

"There most certainly is not! I love Daniel!"

"Daniel!" He said the name with disgust. "All right, if that is true then just answer me this one thing,"

"What?" she replied truculently.

"Tell me, after what Daniel did to you with your journal—twisting what you wrote and publishing it in the newspaper, humiliating you and everyone you love—how could you have forgiven him? How could you have possibly formed an attachment to him? Why would you want to?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

"Was it because he was a journalist? Did you think he could help you with your writing aspirations? Is that it?"

"No, of course not! Daniel and I are kindred spirits!"

"You are nothing like Daniel Parish, Laura, spirit or otherwise!" he said, growing angry at the thought.

"Yes, I am! We are both writers and…"

"No, Laura, you are a writer, Daniel is an opportunist! You use words to celebrate the world around you. Daniel uses words to exploit it. Don't you see the difference?"

"You are wrong about him!"

"I am not wrong about him! My God, when are you going to wake up and see what he really is?"

"I don't have to listen to this anymore. I want you to leave me alone." She turned on her crutches and tried to hobble her way to the door as quickly as possible, but he got in front of her and stopped her.

"No, you don't. After reading your journal I now know how you really feel about me."

"What, that I despise you?"

"That's just it—you don't despise me as much as you try to pretend to. In fact, I think you are just as much in love with me as I am with you."

"Why, you egotistical…." she began to sputter.

"I know it sounds that way but it's true—I know it and you know it, so why don't you stop hiding behind Daniel and be honest with yourself?"

"Get out of my way, doctor. I never want to lay eyes on you again!"

Richard stepped aside to let her go. "Go ahead, Laura, run away. When you are ready to face the truth I will be right here waiting."

"You'll be waiting forever, then," she said as she pushed her way past him. She gave him one last glaring look as she made her way outside. It wasn't until she was out of sight of his clinic that she burst into tears.

Dorcas waited anxiously for Laura's return knowing how upset Laura was when she left for the clinic. Even though Dorcas was quite fond of the young doctor she was very disappointed when she learnt he had read Laura's journal without her permission. She didn't blame Laura for being so upset and wondered what on earth Richard was thinking by leaving a note inside of the journal like that. But then, people in love often did foolish things. She could bear testament to that herself. With a sigh, all she could do was lean on the counter and wait for Laura to come home.

It was quite a while later when Laura finally did come home and Dorcas could see that she had been crying.

"Oh, Laura, are you all right?" Dorcas asked as she went to Laura's side.

"I'm fine, ma'am," Laura replied, looking anything but. "I just want to be alone right now."

"Of course, just let me help you up the stairs and you can have a rest."

Once Laura was settled in her room, Dorcas sat beside her for a moment. "Laura, if you need someone to talk to I'll be right here, you know that, don't you?"

Laura nodded her head. "I know. Thank you, Lady Dorcas."

Dorcas put her arm around her and gave her a hug. "I'll bring you up some tea in a bit. Everything's going to be all right, Laura, I promise. "

Once Sydney was home from school Dorcas asked him to take over for her behind the counter whilst she went to have a word with Doctor Armstrong.

She found him alone in his office, sitting at his desk and looking as though he were deep in thought. He looked up wearily when he saw her. "Lady Dorcas," he said as he stood up. "Please, have a seat." He indicated to the chair in front of his desk.

"Richard, what on earth were you thinking? Laura is so upset, and I must say I am very disappointed in you." Dorcas sat down and waited for him to explain himself.

Richard also sat back down and put his head in his hands. "I know, I know, I don't blame you. I am disappointed in myself. It was inexcusable of me to have read her journal and I am so sorry that I upset her like that. I don't know what I was thinking. It's just I…." He fell silent for a moment.

"It's just you…what?" Dorcas prompted him.

Finally he looked up at her. "It's just that I am in love with Laura, Lady Dorcas. I was desperate to know what she really felt for me."

"Well, why didn't you just ask her, Richard? There was no need to breech her privacy like that."

"Because she hasn't been speaking to me. Ever since I insulted her precious Daniel she won't have anything to do with me. But I know she feels something for me because we nearly…" He fell silent again much to Dorcas's frustration.

"You nearly what?" she prompted him again rather impatiently.

"Because we nearly kissed yesterday before we got….interrupted."

"Oh, Richard," Dorcas shook her head at him. "But why put the note in her journal? She would have never known you had read her journal if you hadn't told her."

Richard sighed heavily. "I wrote the note because I knew it would make her want to confront me about it. I had to find some way to get her to speak to me." He looked wretchedly at Dorcas. "I've been a terrible fool, haven't I?" he said.

"Yes, you have. She's been crying, Richard." Dorcas replied.

Richard groaned and held his head again. "Oh, God. Poor Laura. I hate myself!"

He took awhile to collect himself before asking, "Lady Dorcas, has Laura ever let you read her journal?"

"No, she hasn't."

"Her writing, Lady Dorcas, is incredible. I consider myself to be a pretty well-read man, yet I have never read anything so beautiful and moving as I have in Laura's journal. She is truly gifted and needs to be encouraged to do something with her talent. It mustn't go to waste, Lady Dorcas. Please, promise me you will encourage her to keep on writing—find her a publisher—or something!"

Dorcas's gaze softened towards the doctor. It was obvious that he truly did care for Laura even if he did behave foolishly.

"I will do whatever I can to see that Laura reaches her full potential in whatever it is she wishes to do with her life, Richard. I love Laura as though she were my own child and will do anything to protect her happiness." She looked meaningfully at him and he nodded his understanding.

She got up to leave, but before she could he asked, "Lady Dorcas, what can I do to make amends with Laura now?"

Dorcas regarded him for a moment. "I am not sure that you will be able to, Richard. But you might start with an apology."

Richard nodded and Dorcas left him to contemplate the terrible mistake he had made and how he was going to go about fixing it.

CHAPTER 23

Within a week, Laura's ankle was much better and she was able to do away with the crutches and walk with only slight discomfort. She was to work behind the counter until it was completely healed, however, and Dorcas would take over helping Thomas with the deliveries. Daniel came in occasionally to keep her company and chat with her about the latest stories for the newspaper, but he noticed she was quieter and often seemed preoccupied.

That Saturday, Dorcas was out making a few deliveries and Laura was once again by herself in the Post Office sorting the mail when she heard the door open. She turned around to see that it was Richard and she felt a little jolt go through her stomach.

"Doctor Armstrong," Laura said formally, "how may I help you?"

He stared wistfully at her for a moment then placed a piece of paper on the counter. "Good morning, Miss Timmins. I have an order for supplies that I need sent by express post."

"Of course, doctor." Laura avoided looking at him directly and set about preparing his special order in her best business-like fashion. "He's just another customer," she kept telling herself.

Richard watched her as she did her work. "Laura," he finally said, his voice deep with emotion, "I am so very sorry…" His apology was interrupted by two ladies coming in through the door and he sighed with frustration.

Laura pretended not to have heard him and instead greeted the two ladies cheerily. "I'll be right with you, Mrs Robinson, Mrs Waters, as soon as I finish this order."

"No hurry, Laura," Mrs Robinson said gaily and then she and Mrs Waters continued to chat and laugh together whilst they waited.

"There you are, Doctor Armstrong. They should receive your order by tomorrow," Laura said, glancing up briefly at him out of professionalism only to see the tortured look in his eyes.

"Laura, please, might I not have a word with you later?" he whispered to her. Laura looked away, not wanting to look into those eyes so she could avoid feeling anything for him. Instead, she just gave a slight shake of her head and said, "Thank you, doctor. Now, how can I help you ladies?"

Richard had to step aside, and with one pleading look back at Laura, he went out the door.

Laura found her hands were trembling and she tried to calm herself down before the ladies in front of her noticed. Why did he always have this effect on her? Why couldn't he just leave her alone like she had asked?

She was sorry when the two ladies left leaving her alone with her thoughts once again. She tried to push the doctor out of her mind but his praise of her writing and then revealing that he was in love with her…it was just too overwhelming. It wasn't so much that he had read her journal without her permission, but she felt naked and exposed now that he had read her most intimate thoughts, and mortified that he had read of her attraction to him. It was humiliating and very embarrassing. She felt tears stinging her eyes and she forced them back, refusing to think further about him and finding it much easier to just revel in her anger instead.

She tried to smile when Daniel came in a half hour later and regaled her with his latest story. He noticed the strained look in her eyes and that once again she seemed preoccupied.

"Laura," he finally asked, "is something wrong?"

Laura looked at him with a smile. "No, Daniel, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. You just seem like you're off in another world or something."

Laura put her hand on his. "I'm sorry, Daniel. Now that spring is here I guess I just have a case of spring fever."

Daniel suddenly smiled. "I have a cure for that—how does a picnic sound?"

"It sounds lovely but I cannot leave the Post Office right now."

"All right, but tomorrow is Sunday so how about then?"

Laura laughed. "I think a picnic in the sunshine is exactly what I need."

"Good, then I'll have the hotel prepare a nice lunch for us and I will come for you tomorrow."

"Thank you, Daniel," she said, giving him a quick kiss before he left.

When Dorcas came back from her rounds she eyed Laura with concern. "I saw Doctor Armstrong heading towards the Post Office earlier. Did he come in? Are you all right?"

Laura tried to sound nonchalant. "Yes, he came in. He had an order that needed to be sent overnight."

"I see. And did he try to speak with you?" Dorcas asked carefully.

"I don't know, Lady Dorcas, I had other customers to attend to. He didn't stay." Laura turned around, pretending to be occupied with straightening the shelves.

"I am sorry, Laura, I didn't mean to pry," Dorcas said.

Laura gave her a weak smile. "I didn't think you were prying, ma'am."

Dorcas decided to change the subject. "So, will you be going to Lark Rise tomorrow to see your parents?"

"No, Daniel is taking me on a picnic tomorrow!" Laura tried to sound enthusiastic.

"That sounds nice. The weather certainly has been warmer than usual. You should have a perfect day for a picnic," Dorcas said. "Oh, speaking of good weather, Sir Timothy has hired some builders to see about building the new extension on to the back of the house. Soon you will have your own room again, Laura!"

"That's wonderful, ma'am! Not that Minnie has been a bother to share a room with, of course," Laura said.

"Of course," Dorcas replied with a twinkle in her eye. "But I imagine, Laura, you won't want to live at the Post Office forever. One day, in the not so distant future, you will marry and have a home of your own, no doubt."

"Marry? But Daniel hasn't even asked me yet," Laura replied with a shake of her head.

"Well, Daniel or….whomever," said Dorcas, giving Laura a sideways glance. She could see Laura's cheeks reddening and decided not to say anything more about it.

Daniel came for Laura around noon on Sunday carrying a large picnic basket. She took his arm and they laughed together as they walked down the street towards the edge of town. Richard was once again sitting at his desk when they passed by his office and he watched them go with a twinge in his heart. He was beginning to feel quite lonely there in Candleford.

It was time for Dorcas's next check-up at the clinic and Timothy once again accompanied her. Dorcas noticed with concern that Richard looked a bit thinner than usual and his beautiful blue eyes had dulled a bit.

"Richard, are you feeling all right?" Dorcas asked as she sat up on the examining table.

"Isn't that supposed to be my question to ask, Lady Dorcas?" Richard responded with one corner of his mouth turning up.

Dorcas gave a little laugh. "Yes, of course, but you do seem a bit down."

"Thank you for your concern, Lady Dorcas, but I am quite all right. Now just lay back and I'll see how this little fellow is doing."

"He already has quite the kick," Timothy said proudly.

Richard felt a thump against his hand and smiled. "Yes, he certainly does…or she." He asked Dorcas several more questions whilst he examined her until he was satisfied. "You are doing remarkably well, Lady Dorcas. Just less than four months to go now. Do either of you have any questions?"

Timothy shook his head, but Dorcas looked searchingly at Richard and said, "Just one...you haven't been eating much, have you?"

Richard smiled at her. "Not much escapes your notice, does it, Lady Dorcas?" He sighed. "No, I haven't had much of an appetite lately, I'm afraid."

Dorcas had a feeling she knew why. "Have you tried talking to Laura yet, Richard?"

He sighed again and folded his arms across his chest. "Just once and she made it clear she didn't want to speak to me. Not that I blame her, of course." He looked so dejected that Dorcas felt a surge of pity for him.

"Richard, I want you to come to dinner tonight. You need a good, hot meal in you and, if I'm not mistaken, some much needed company. We would love to have you, you know that."

"Thank you, Lady Dorcas, but I wouldn't want to cause anymore distress for Laura with my presence."

"Nonsense," she replied. "You are our guest and Laura needs to start acting like an adult. I am not going to take no for an answer, Richard."

"You might as well give in, Richard," Timothy added. "Once my wife has made up her mind it is useless to resist her. Besides, I have some fine cigars to share that are sure to chase the ladies away from us anyway." Timothy winked at Dorcas who smiled up at him gratefully.

Dorcas was happy to see a little shine return to Richard's eyes as he contemplated their offer. "Thank you, Sir Timothy, Lady Dorcas, I would love to have dinner with you tonight."

"Good! Then that is settled," Dorcas said happily.

As she and Timothy walked home Timothy commented, "That poor fellow. He's a bit lovesick over our Laura, isn't he? I should know as I have been there myself." He put his arm around Dorcas and pulled her close to him.

"Yes, and a bit lonely, too, I should think. The poor man has no family and really no friends outside of us here in town. No wonder he's not eating."

"Maybe it is time we introduced him to other young ladies, Dorcas. The Wellington-Pecks are having their annual spring ball next week. Perhaps we should take him with us."

"That is a splendid idea, Timothy! We will ask him tonight."

After they arrived home, Dorcas took Laura aside. "Laura, Sir Timothy and I have asked Doctor Armstrong to join us for dinner tonight." Dorcas could see the panic rise in Laura's eyes but before Laura could protest she continued on. "I know you are angry with him, Laura, and you have every right to be, but he doesn't appear to be doing very well and we feel he is very much in need of some company. Now, if it is going to be too painful for you to be in his presence then I give you my permission to have your dinner up in your room. But I do hope you will choose to join us."

Laura bit her lower lip and was silent. Finally, she said, "What do you mean he's not doing well?"

Dorcas smiled inwardly. Laura wouldn't ask such a question if she didn't care. "He seems to be very down lately and he hasn't been eating. I think he is very lonely here, Laura. He doesn't have anyone. Can you imagine how you would feel if you were all alone in the world?"

Laura sighed. "I suppose it would be awful."

"Well, I'll let you think about it. Just let Minnie know one way or the other so she knows how many place settings to arrange."

Laura started to feel guilty. He did look rather sad when he came into the Post Office the other day. She thought of how he tried to apologise to her before she brushed him off and felt rather uncomfortable. Perhaps he had been punished enough.

Laura decided she would join them for dinner after all.

Laura was in the kitchen helping Minnie make the gravy when Richard arrived. She tried to ignore the sound of his voice and the sudden pounding of her heart that it caused her. What if he tried to speak to her during dinner? She hoped he wouldn't. All she wanted was to get through the evening with as much grace as possible, and hoped if he did try to engage her in conversation that she could remain polite to him in front of Dorcas and Timothy. At least she was spared of any pre-dinner encounter with him because as soon as he arrived Timothy whisked him into the parlour and closed the door. Laura breathed a sigh of relief and tried to steady her nerves.

When dinner was finally ready, Minnie went to announce it in the parlour and Dorcas sent Laura upstairs to fetch Sydney. Nanny and Abigail had already had their dinner earlier so they would not be joining them. By the time Laura followed Sydney downstairs, everyone was waiting by the table for them and Laura kept her eyes down knowing Richard was watching her as she made her way to her chair. Timothy kept the conversation going with Richard, to Laura's relief, which gave her time to get used to him being there and relax a bit. But it wasn't long before the conversation lulled and Richard looked over at Laura, wishing she would look up and acknowledge him in some way.

"Miss Timmins," he said, "I am very glad to see that your ankle is much better now. Are you still experiencing any discomfort?"

"Just a bit, but it feels a little stronger each day, thank you, doctor." She managed a feeble smile before turning to her food again.

"I am glad to hear it," he replied. Dorcas heard a little sigh escape from him and she looked over at Timothy, giving him an almost imperceptible nod.

"Richard," Timothy said, "Lady Dorcas and I feel it is time for you to meet more people. A very fine family by the name of Wellington-Peck is hosting their annual spring ball next weekend and we would like very much for you to attend with us. They have three daughters still at home whom I am told are very amusing. You won't want for a dancing partner."

Dorcas noticed that Laura suddenly looked up when Timothy mentioned the ball and the three daughters, and she smiled to herself as she began to formulate a plan.

"Thank you, Sir Timothy, I should like to attend very much," Richard said. He took a sip of his wine, and as he did so he stole a glance at Laura, who had stopped eating, and was now just picking at her food.

Dorcas looked over at her. "Laura, would you like to attend the ball, too? I know how much you enjoy dancing."

Laura was caught off guard at being asked to attend such a prestigious gathering, and she was left momentarily speechless.

"Of course we will have to find you a suitable dress to wear but that is part of the fun!" Dorcas's eyes twinkled at Laura.

"Oh, ma'am, thank you, but I wouldn't want to go without Daniel. Is he invited, too?"

Dorcas could see that Richard was now frowning at the mention of Daniel and she looked over at Timothy for guidance.

"I don't see why not," Timothy replied. "The more the merrier."

Laura smiled. "Then, yes, ma'am, I would love to go."

"Good, then that is settled." Timothy said happily.

Timothy kept Richard engaged in conversation for the rest of the dinner leaving Laura to think about the ball and wondering how Daniel was going to feel when he found out Doctor Armstrong was going with them. What if Daniel didn't want to go? Would they expect her to dance with the doctor? She was beginning to regret agreeing to this ball without thinking it through first. She would just have to wait to speak to Daniel about it before she worried any further.

Richard was hoping at some point during the evening he would be able to speak to Laura alone and properly apologise to her for reading her journal and upsetting her. He was desperate to do so, but the opportunity never arose and by the time he and Timothy had finished their after-dinner cigars, Laura had already retired to her room. His only consolation was knowing that Laura was going to the ball now, too, and he was going to steal a dance with her if it was the last thing he ever did.

CHAPTER 24

During the week, Dorcas took Laura by train to Oxford to shop for their new ball gowns. Timothy volunteered to watch the Post Office until they returned as he found it rather amusing to find himself behind the counter for a change. Dorcas and Laura were not away for long—the train made such trips much faster and they had quickly found the perfect store that carried the most exquisite gowns. The gown that Laura chose completely transformed her. Dorcas had no doubt that Laura was going to steal the thunder from most of the young ladies at the ball, and hopefully keep Richard as enamoured of her as ever. Dorcas smiled to herself as she imagined how Richard was going to react when he saw Laura in her new gown.

Daniel was less than thrilled to have to attend a dance and even more so when he learnt that Richard Armstrong was going with them. He knew he would have to attend because there was no way he was going to give Richard the chance to endear himself to Laura by dancing with her. He was going to stick by her side the entire night and not give Richard any opportunities.

Laura could think of nothing else the entire week. She was nervous about attending a function where she knew no one beyond her own party. Would she even recognise any of the dances? Her mind briefly flickered to Richard, picturing him surrounded by all those eligible young ladies, and felt a slight pain in her stomach. She didn't understand why it caused her discomfort to think of him, a man she didn't even like, when she would have Daniel by her side. She finally decided to forget all about Richard being at the ball and focus on the new experience that awaited her.

Finally, Saturday arrived and Dorcas helped Laura with her hair and gown. Laura's hair was fashioned up with swirls of curls atop her head and with soft tendrils falling down to frame her face. Her cheeks and lips glowed pink with excitement and anticipation, and when Dorcas was finished with her she stood back and shook her head in appreciation.

"Laura, you are a vision!" Dorcas said as she stood Laura in front of the mirror.

"Oh, Lady Dorcas, is that really me?" Laura asked softly.

"Yes, Laura, that is really you. You are beautiful!"

"Thank you, ma'am. Oh, I cannot wait for Doc…er…Daniel to see me!" Laura blushed furiously at her near slip of the tongue and prayed Dorcas hadn't heard her.

"He will be so proud to have you by his side, Laura. Any man would be. Now, I must dash and get dressed myself! Timothy hates to be anything less than punctual!"

Dorcas had already fixed her hair and just needed Timothy to help her into her gown before she was ready. Timothy looked at her in the mirror as he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You are the most beautiful woman in the world, my love. I shall be the envy of all the men!"

"Oh, Timothy, you are sweet!" Dorcas laughed as she reached up and caressed his face. "But I am getting to be as big as a house and you know it!"

"You most certainly are not, darling," he said. "You are positively glowing. You shall be the belle of the ball!"

"No, it is Laura who will be the belle of the ball, Timothy. Wait until you see her."

"You mean, wait until Richard sees her, don't you, my little matchmaker?" Timothy teased.

"Well, yes, I must admit I don't want him to forget our Laura whilst he's meeting all those eligible young women tonight."

"But isn't that the point of his going with us tonight—to meet new people?"

"Yes, but not to fall in love with them. I just know that Laura feels something for him even if she's not yet ready to admit it."

"Darling, don't you think you should let Laura discover who it is she really loves on her own?"

"Of course, Timothy, I wouldn't dream of influencing her."

Timothy snorted with laughter. "Whatever you say, darling."

Daniel arrived first and his mouth fell open when he saw Laura. "You look so beautiful, Laura!" he exclaimed.

Laura smiled. "Thank you, Daniel. You look quite handsome yourself!"

"Well," Timothy said, "we can get going as soon as Richard gets here. I wonder what is keeping him."

"Maybe he's changed his mind," Daniel said hopefully.

"I certainly hope not," Dorcas replied with a glare towards Daniel.

A few more minutes passed and when Richard still hadn't arrived Timothy suggested they all get into the carriage and go to the clinic to see if he was there.

They had just assembled outside when Richard came running up the road. "I am so sorry I am late," he gasped. "I had a patient to tend to and it took longer than I expected." At that moment Laura stepped out from behind Daniel and Richard froze when he saw her. Laura had always been beautiful to him, but this woman who stood before him took his breath away.

"Miss Timmins," he said in his soft, deep voice, "may I say how lovely you look tonight? And you, too, Lady Dorcas," he added quickly.

Laura acknowledged him with a nod, and Dorcas smiled and thanked him. Daniel frowned at the doctor and reached for Laura's hand to help her into the carriage.

Laura felt like she had a dozen butterflies in her stomach. She had never seen Richard looking so handsome. He was wearing a very expensive new suit and his deep, blue eyes seemed to glow as he looked at her. She was finding it hard to remember why she disliked him so much. It was even more awkward when Dorcas and Timothy sat across from her and Daniel in the carriage, leaving Richard to squeeze in next to Laura. Laura was very aware of the feel of Richard's body pressed against hers. She could feel the heat of his body radiating into her own and it gave her a most peculiar feeling. She turned to Daniel and smiled at him, taking comfort in the familiarity of his face as she tried to keep her mind off the other man sitting next to her. The ride to the Wellington-Peck estate seemed an eternity for her, and she was relieved when they finally arrived at their destination. As she stepped out of the carriage she felt the side of her that had been next to Richard go cold in the sudden absence of his heat and she gave an involuntary shiver. She pulled her wrap tighter around her arms as Timothy escorted them into the great house where they could already hear strains of music floating out to them in the night. Laura felt excitement suddenly surge through her. It was a magical feeling, a feeling that this would be a night where anything could happen and everything was possible.

She gasped when she entered the ballroom. Gathered there were the most elegant people she had ever seen. Multitudes of candles ensconced the walls casting a romantic glow throughout the gilded room making it feel as though she had stepped into a fairytale. Several of the young men in the room turned and stared at Laura with open appreciation making Daniel scowl and Laura blush self-consciously.

Richard leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I can see that you won't be in want of a dance partner tonight, Miss Timmins. I hope you will save a dance for me." She looked up at him with surprise but he had already turned away and was surveying the room. Laura felt a strange sinking feeling in her stomach when she noticed how all the young ladies in the room were now taking notice of Richard and giggling amongst themselves. One lady in particular, a tall, dusky beauty with raven hair and a full, sensuous mouth, set her sights on Richard right away, and seemed determined to be introduced to him. She was Rebecca Wellington-Peck, the eldest daughter of Sir Anthony and Lady Wellington-Peck who were now making their way to greet Sir Timothy and Lady Dorcas. Rebecca followed behind them, slinking along like a predatory cat.

"Sir Timothy, Lady Dorcas, how good of you to come," Sir Anthony welcomed them.

"Thank you, Sir Anthony," Timothy said. "May I introduce Miss Laura Timmins, my wife's cousin, and our friends Daniel Parish and Doctor Richard Armstrong?"

"Welcome, welcome," Sir Anthony said jovially. "This is my eldest daughter, Rebecca."

Rebecca glided up to Richard whilst ignoring the others and said, "How delightful to meet you, Doctor Armstrong. I hope you will enjoy our little party tonight."

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss Wellington-Peck. May I have the honour of the first dance?"

"Please, call me Rebecca, I feel we are old friends already, doctor," she purred as she took his arm and led him across the room.

"Well," Sir Anthony said, looking rather embarrassed at his less-than-demure daughter's behaviour, "I hope you will all have a splendid time tonight." He beamed at them before steering his wife towards the next guests to arrive.

Dorcas raised her eyebrows at Timothy. "It doesn't look like Richard will have any trouble making new friends, does it?"

"No, indeed," Timothy agreed and shook his head with amusement at the group of ladies that had already gathered around Richard and Rebecca.

Laura felt the sparkle go out of the room all of a sudden, feeling a strange sense of loss and a little out of place. Dorcas, who had been watching her, placed her hand on Laura's arm and gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't let them intimidate you, Laura," she said.

The musicians began to play again and couples quickly made their way to the floor. Laura wanted to wait to see what kind of dance it would be before she and Daniel joined them and was relieved to find it was one she was familiar with. Daniel smiled at her and took her hand whilst Richard did the same with Rebecca. Laura tried not to pay attention to the other couple as she danced. As it turned out, Daniel was an excellent partner and soon she found she was enjoying herself again.

When the first dance ended, Richard escorted Rebecca back to her friends and then proceeded to ask another young lady to dance. Laura couldn't help but smirk when she saw the daggers shooting out of Rebecca's eyes when Richard chose another to dance with.

Several young men asked Laura to dance throughout the evening as well, much to Daniel's displeasure, and whilst she enjoyed the dancing immensely, not to mention all the attention she was getting from the other men, she always found her gaze straying over to Richard and noticing what a good time he seemed to be having with the pretty partners he chose to dance with. This time, he was once again dancing with Rebecca, and Laura felt her heart sink at seeing how perfectly matched they seemed to be—both tall and graceful with their black hair and flashing blue eyes. Richard must have said something amusing to Rebecca who had suddenly thrown her head back and laughed as she took his hand. Laura looked away and tried to put the image out of her mind. Suddenly she didn't feel like dancing anymore.

Richard, who had been watching Laura out of the corner of his eye all evening, was aware of her watching him and felt a sense of satisfaction at seeing her unhappy expression when he was with Rebecca. He admitted, somewhat guiltily, that he was playing up the charm with Rebecca in hopes of making Laura jealous. It seemed to be working.

Laura suddenly found the air in the room to be too stuffy and warm. She was also finding it increasingly difficult to watch Richard with Rebecca. She looked quickly around the room and spotted Daniel chatting away with some older gentleman, and before any other young man could ask her to dance she quietly slipped out of the room through the side doors that led to the terrace.

Dorcas had been keeping an eye on Laura and saw her slip outside. Then she saw Richard excuse himself from the ladies who had gathered around him and make his way to those same side doors. Dorcas smiled to herself and looked around for Daniel, knowing what she had to do.

Laura walked out onto the terrace and breathed in the cool night air as deeply as she could. It felt good to be away from the noise and the stuffy air, and she looked up at the sky, taking comfort in the familiar patterns of the stars above her. Then she rested her arms on the stone balcony bordering the terrace and tried to understand what is was she was feeling.

Suddenly, she was aware of footsteps behind her and her heart began to pound when she saw it was Richard.

"Are you all right, Miss Timmins?" he asked gently.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you, doctor. I just needed some fresh air," she replied, trying to keep her voice light. He came and rested his arms on the balcony right beside her and she felt the butterflies begin their dance once again in her stomach.

He was silent for a moment as he looked out into the night, then he turned to face her. "Laura," he said in his beautiful, deep voice. She found her heart pounding even harder, the way it always did when he called her by her first name, and it took all the strength she had to look at him.

"Yes?" she managed to say.

"Laura, I want you to know how very sorry I am for having read your journal and especially for causing you so much pain. I don't blame you for hating me. I hate myself for being such an arrogant fool. I realise I have lost your friendship, and deservedly so, but I pray one day you will be able to forgive me. I want so much to be your friend again."

Laura looked away, suddenly feeling like she was going to cry, but she swallowed her tears and said rather waspishly, "You seem to have made plenty of new friends tonight. You and Rebecca seem perfect for each other."

Richard tried not to smile. "Yes, well, Lady Dorcas and Sir Timothy went to the trouble of bringing me here to meet new people so I had to at least make an effort."

"I would say you more than exceeded their expectations, doctor."

She heard him chuckle softly. "Does that bother you, Laura?"

"No, of course not!" she replied almost a little too vehemently. "Why would it? Your personal life has nothing to do with me."

"Are you sure about that?" he asked softly.

She could feel his eyes on her and she started to feel uncomfortably flustered, which always put her defences up. "Really, doctor, your ego knows no bounds, does it?"

"Will you please just call me Richard? I feel like we are strangers when you call me 'doctor'," he said with a sigh.

Laura shook her head. "I must get back inside before Daniel wonders where I am." As she made her way across the terrace she heard the music begin again and she could see the dancers through the open window next to the doors. She stopped, mesmerised by the way the couples were dancing—holding on to each other and gracefully gliding and turning—each couple a separate entity from the others. It looked so beautiful that she found she was holding her breath.

Meanwhile, Dorcas was inside keeping an eye on Daniel and when he finally broke away from the gentleman he was talking to, she could see him looking around for Laura. As he came past Dorcas she stopped him. "Oh, Daniel, I have a favour to ask of you."

"Anything, Lady Dorcas," he replied.

"Do you see that nice lady over there sitting next to that large vase? She is Lady Penelope and I happen to know she is quite fond of dancing, but her husband is unfortunately down with the gout. Won't you be a dear and ask her to dance this next dance?"

"Oh, but I was just looking for Laura…" he started to say.

"Laura went to find something to drink for me. I am sure she will be back soon," Dorcas said quickly as she caught Lady Penelope's eye and waved to her. Lady Penelope waved back and Dorcas gave Daniel a little push. "See? She is waiting for you to ask her to dance now, Daniel."

Daniel gave a heavy sigh and headed towards the older woman whose eyes lit up when she saw him coming.

Timothy sidled up to Dorcas at that moment. "My dear, what are you up to now? What have you done to poor Daniel?"

"Why, nothing, darling. Daniel is doing me a favour by dancing with Lady Penelope."

"Really?" Timothy said, not buying a word of it. "And would this have anything to do with Laura and Richard being out on the terrace together?"

Dorcas smiled guiltily at him. "Perhaps a bit."

Timothy shook his head at her. "I thought you said you weren't going to interfere in Laura's love life."

"No, I said I wouldn't influence her. I never said I wouldn't interfere."

Timothy couldn't help but laugh as he put his arm around her and kissed her cheek. "Now who is the incorrigible one?" he said with a chuckle.

"What is that dance?" Laura asked as Richard came and stood beside her.

He smiled down at her. "Haven't you ever seen a waltz? They say it is Queen Victoria's favourite dance."

Laura shook her head. "No, I haven't," she replied, her eyes still fixed on the couples swirling around the room.

"Would you like to learn it?" Richard asked.

Laura looked at him. "You know this dance?"

"Of course. My grandfather was determined I take dancing lessons when I was a boy and my instructor happened to be from Vienna. I can teach you if you like."

Laura looked torn. She would love to know how to dance like that but the thought of Richard holding her the way the dancers were holding each other made her feel a little light-headed.

When she didn't answer right away he held out his hand and said rather commandingly, "Come here, Laura, I am going to teach you how to waltz."

Laura felt herself weakening. Finally, she took his hand where he drew her to him and put his right hand on her waist and held his left hand out to the side. "Put your right hand in my left and your left hand on my shoulder," he instructed her.

She did as she was asked, feeling extremely self-conscious.

"Now, I lead and you follow my steps. I'll start slowly." He moved forward and she stepped back, then he moved to the side where she stumbled a bit.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said with embarrassment.

"That's all right. Can you hear the triple beat? One-two-three-one-two three…" he counted as he moved her about the floor slowly. She kept looking down at his feet to keep from stepping on them and stumbled once again.

"Laura," he said, "don't look at my feet, look at my eyes. Part of learning this dance is to relax and trust your partner to move you. Look at my eyes and feel the direction I am moving rather than thinking about it."

Laura felt her face burning to have to look into his eyes as she stood so close to him. He was so impossibly handsome that it made it very difficult to relax, but she did as she was told, and after a few minutes she began to make fewer mistakes and feel the rhythm of the dance.

Richard smiled at her. "You are a natural! Shall we try it a little faster now?" He sped up to the speed of the music still playing and Laura suddenly felt like she was gliding on air as her feet slid gracefully back and sideways then swirled around until she felt like laughing out loud. What a glorious dance and what a brilliant dancer Richard was! He smiled proudly at her as she followed his lead without further mistake as they continued to swirl and glide effortlessly around the terrace. All too soon the music came to an end and he slowly swirled her to a stop. He did not yet let go of her as they continued to stare into each other's eyes, until Laura, seeing that he meant to kiss her, suddenly pulled away.

"I…I'd better get back inside now before Daniel finds me here," she said breathlessly. "Thank you for the dance. You were a wonderful teacher."

"You were an excellent pupil." He sighed as he let go of her and took a step back. "Well, at least I can say my night is now complete," he said to her as she began to walk away.

She stopped and looked back at him. "Why do you say that?"

He smiled. "Because I have finally danced with the prettiest girl at the ball."

Laura blushed and looked away for a moment. Then she gave him a nod and turned to open the door. Before she did so, she looked back at him one more time, and despite the lopsided grin he gave her, she could see that his eyes looked rather sad. She felt her heart twist and knew she could not leave things as they were. She walked back to him and looked up into his eyes. "I don't hate you, Richard," she said.

After she returned to the ballroom, he stood outside on the terrace for a long time, savouring the memory of their dance, and feeling gladness in his heart that she had finally called him Richard.

CHAPTER 25

It was days later, and try as she might, Laura could not stop thinking about the ball and her waltz with Richard. She did not want to think about that night because it made her feel guilty, as though she had betrayed Daniel. She kept telling herself it was just a dance and nothing more, but why did she feel butterflies in her stomach every time she thought of it? The music of the waltz kept playing in her head, and sometimes she would close her eyes and try to recapture the feeling she had as she danced in the doctor's arms, gliding across the terrace floor as if on air. She thought of how he had almost kissed her and how she pulled away even though part of her wanted him to kiss her so badly. Again she felt shame at thinking such thoughts when it was Daniel that she loved. She poured out her thoughts and feelings and guilt into her journal, hoping it would finally alleviate her mind and allow her to think of other things, but it wasn't working. If she wasn't thinking of the ball then her mind turned to the ride home when Richard's hand had rested against hers as he sat next to her in the darkness of the carriage. She knew she should have moved her hand away at the first touch, but somehow she left it where it was, feeling almost giddy at the way the heat of his skin felt against hers. How terribly upset Daniel would have been if he had known. Then the look Richard gave her as he helped her out of the carriage—his eyes seemed to smoulder from underneath his brow as he held her hand a moment longer than was necessary before saying good night to her. It had made her feel breathless and a little moonstruck. She tried to convince herself it was just the after effects of the music and of the romance of a spring ball that made her feel this way.

Laura shook her head, knowing she needed to find some distraction to keep her from thinking about that night. After his heart-felt apology to her on the terrace she no longer had the luxury of using her anger towards him as a means of banishing him from her mind, not that she had ever been able to banish him completely from her mind before. But anger had been her best weapon, a comforting friend to stand behind and an impenetrable barrier to her heart. Now that her anger was gone all that was left was a confusion of feelings and a disturbing sense of vulnerability. Was she in love with him? She couldn't be. She had been in love with Fisher and now with Daniel and she had never had these strange feelings with either of them like she did with Richard. Perhaps what she was feeling for Richard was nothing more than an infatuation. Yes, that must be it, she told herself with relief, and the best way to get over an infatuation was to stay as far away from it as possible. She suddenly felt better now that she had a solution to her problem. She would simply have to keep her distance from Richard Armstrong until these feelings dissipated.

Richard had been unable to stop thinking about his dance with Laura, either. He was more in love with her than ever and wanted desperately to see her again. But he had had a busy week at his clinic and patients to visit which kept him from having any spare time of his own. He also realised that he could not push things with Laura, that she needed time to think about his apology and to accept his friendship. Perhaps the best thing he could do was to wait and let her come to him in her own time. It would be difficult, but he was a patient man and Laura was worth waiting for.

Because of their diligence to stay away from one another, a month went by before either spoke to the other beyond a casual greeting in passing. Despite Dorcas asking her not to, Laura found ways to have Thomas or Sydney deliver any packages to the clinic. If neither of them were available, Laura would wait until the doctor left his clinic then would run up and pass a note through his door telling him he had a package waiting for him at the Post Office. When he came to pick up the package she always managed to slip back into the kitchen and let Dorcas take care of him. She congratulated herself on successfully keeping her distance until she realised all her efforts did nothing to keep her from thinking about him. If anything, it was getting worse.

Richard was getting frustrated as well, wondering why Laura was still avoiding him. He could have sworn she had softened towards him at the ball. He would see her passing by his clinic whilst on her rounds, hoping each time she would stop in even if it was only to deliver a package, but she never did. One day, he saw her returning from her rounds and she stopped in front of the window display of the store that was across the street from his clinic. She stood there a long time looking at something in the window before tearing her gaze away from it and returning home. He didn't think much of it until he saw her do the same thing the next day. There she was, standing in front of the store window whilst gazing wistfully at something. After the third time he saw her stop at the window, his curiosity got the better of him, and after she was gone he walked over to the store's display to see what had so captivated her. The store sold all kinds of trinkets and used items, some pawned and others traded, some worthless and some quite valuable. One never knew from day to day what items the store would acquire. Of all the objects displayed in the window, Richard knew right away which one it was that had caught Laura's eye. It was a beautiful necklace made of a small, green emerald set amongst a cluster of tiny diamonds hanging from a gold chain. It shone and sparkled in the sunlight—a green temptress amongst the clutter. How beautiful it would look on Laura. No wonder she stopped and stared at it so often. Richard smiled to himself and went inside the store.

The next day Richard sat at his desk and watched out his window, waiting to see if Laura would stop once again at the store display. Sure enough, she came walking down the street and slowed as she approached the store. He saw her look into the window and then look again, this time pressing her hands against the glass as though unwilling to believe that the object of her desire was now gone. Then she sadly turned away from the display and walked dejectedly home. Richard chuckled to himself as he opened his desk drawer and took out a beautifully wrapped little box and placed it on top of his desk. When the right moment presented itself, he would give it to her.

"Timothy," Dorcas said to him one morning, "Laura's birthday is next week. It will be her twentieth. I think we should have a party for her."

"What a good idea, darling," he said as he gave her a kiss. "Whom would you like to invite?"

"Well, most certainly her family and friends from Lark Rise, Thomas and Margaret, Pearl and Ruby, Daniel is a given, and Richard too, of course."

"Do you think it a good idea to invite Richard with Daniel being there?" he asked mildly.

"But we would have to invite Richard. He would be terribly hurt if we excluded him. You know how he feels about Laura."

"Precisely, that is my point. Daniel might not take kindly to having the competition there."

"Well, Daniel is just going to have to deal with it. Richard is our friend and I won't have him insulted just to spare Daniel's pride."

"Whatever you say, darling, I will leave it in your hands," Timothy replied, knowing better than to argue with her once she had her mind made up. "With that many people to invite perhaps we should have the party at the manor. We have a ballroom and a full staff who have been left far too long with nothing to do. Let's make it special for Laura."

Dorcas's eyes began to sparkle. "What a lovely idea, Timothy! A party at the manor will make it all the more special for her." She put her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss. "What a thoughtful husband I have."

Timothy put his arms around her and kissed her soundly back. "Well, Laura is a good girl. She deserves the best birthday party that we can give her. I will talk to the staff today. Shall we set it for Saturday evening?"

"That would be perfect, darling. I will talk to Laura and send out the invitations today."

Laura was excited to be having her birthday party at Sir Timothy's manor. She had only been inside the manor a handful of times and only in the front entrance or Sir Timothy's study at that. She had never even seen the ballroom. She felt like a real lady having her party there. Her family was going to be so thrilled!

Richard received his invitation the next day and smiled as he thought of how perfect it would be to give Laura the necklace on her birthday. He was looking forward to seeing the look on her face when she opened his gift. He also hoped there would be dancing. Perhaps he could steal another waltz with her again. Whichever the case, he was very much looking forward to being a part of Laura's birthday celebration.

Laura awoke that Saturday of her birthday with a feeling of excitement. She had a beautiful new dress to wear, which was her birthday gift from Lady Dorcas and Sir Timothy, and she was looking forward to having her whole family around her to help her celebrate. She also giggled to herself, trying to guess what gift Daniel might have picked out for her. She thought of the beautiful necklace that she had admired so in the store window and wondered who had bought it. She was so disappointed to find it gone! Maybe it was Daniel who had bought it for her birthday! But then she realised she had never told him about the necklace so there was no way he could have known she wanted it. She sighed heavily, hoping that whoever had purchased the necklace appreciated its beauty as much as she did.

She also couldn't help but think of Richard, knowing that Dorcas had invited him to the party. Would he even come? She hadn't spoken to him in ages and was feeling rather guilty at the way she had been avoiding him. Perhaps he didn't want anything to do with her anymore. She really couldn't blame him—she had done nothing to nurture their friendship. She suddenly realised that she would be very disappointed if he didn't come to her party. She promised herself that if he did come she would make an effort to be friendlier towards him. It couldn't hurt for them to be friends now, could it?

Laura gasped when they arrived at the manor that evening and stepped into the ballroom. The servants had spent all day decorating the room, cooking and baking enough to feed a village. A small orchestra had been hired to play as well should the guests wish for dancing. They sat at one end of the room playing softly as the guests arrived. Laura felt like a princess.

Emma and Robert arrived along with Laura's little brothers and sisters and they gazed with awe around the room.

"Ma! Pa!" Laura exclaimed as she ran over to give them all hugs.

"Well, well, if it isn't the birthday girl herself," Robert said as he gave Laura a kiss. "I cannot believe my little girl is twenty years old today. It seems it was only yesterday when I was holding you in my arms, rocking you to sleep. Happy birthday, Laura."

"Thank you, Pa."

"Happy birthday, Laura!" Emma cried as she gave her a hug. "Look at you all grown up. You have grown into such a beautiful woman. I am so proud of you!"

"Thank you, Ma," Laura replied with tears in her eyes. She received hugs from all her siblings as well before Queenie and Twister and Alf and his sisters came into the room laughing with delight at all the grandeur.

Alf gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Happy birthday, Laura. I brought my melodian—thought I might sing a song or two in honour of your birthday."

"Oh, Alf, thank you! That would be wonderful. What would my birthday be without a song from Alf Arliss?" She gave him a hug and they shared a laugh together before Minnie came up to claim her Alfie.

"Look at you!" Alf exclaimed when he saw Minnie all dressed up. "Ain't you a picture!"

Minnie blushed and giggled before taking his arm and leaning her head against his shoulder. Laura smiled at the two of them. They were so perfect together!

Pearl and Ruby came in next and their heads were swiveling around taking in every detail of Sir Timothy's manor. This was one party they would not have missed!

"I believe there may be dancing, Ruby," Pearl said to her sister.

"Ooh, wouldn't that be lovely!" Ruby replied.

Pearl glanced around the room, hoping to see Doctor Armstrong in attendance. Perhaps he might even ask her to dance! She patted her hair and straightened her dress in hopes of seeing him, but so far he was nowhere to be found.

Laura found she was watching out for Richard to arrive as well and was disappointed each time he failed to appear in the doorway. Perhaps he was just running late, she told herself.

Daniel was being extra attentive to her and not leaving her side for a moment. He had a special surprise for Laura's birthday as well, but he wanted to wait until after the party when they could be alone together before presenting it to her.

It wasn't long before the room was filled with people from both Lark Rise and Candleford and gifts began to pile up on the small table near the door. Timothy spoke to the musicians who began to play a lively tune to encourage everyone to begin dancing. Daniel grabbed Laura's hand to dance and soon everyone joined in, reeling around the room and clapping their hands in time to the music. After several dances it was announced that dinner was ready and everyone was asked to assemble in the great hall where many tables had been set up for dining.

Emma and Robert glanced at one another. "Sir Timothy and Lady Dorcas spared no expense for our Laura tonight, did they?" Robert said to his wife.

"No, indeed!" Emma replied. "Laura is a very lucky girl. We owe Dorcas so much for what she has done for her these past four years."

Robert nodded. "Laura has a bright future ahead of her thanks to Dorcas and Sir Timothy."

"Oh, I think we had a little something to do with that as well, Robert," Emma chided him.

"Yes, she did inherit my smarts," Robert said with a sideways glance at Emma who playfully punched his arm making him laugh out loud.

As Laura tucked into her meal she glanced around the room and realised that Richard still hadn't arrived. She felt a pang of disappointment shoot through her and the glow of her evening dimmed a bit. Where was he? Why didn't he come? He must not care about me anymore after all, she thought sadly to herself.

Dorcas also noticed that Richard hadn't come. "Timothy, have you heard anything about Richard and why he isn't here?"

"No, darling, I was just wondering that myself. You did send him an invitation, did you not?"

"Yes, of course I did. Perhaps he was called away to see a patient."

"Perhaps," Timothy replied. "What a shame—he is missing a fine party."

"I think Laura is disappointed, too. She has been looking around all night as if she is waiting for him."

Timothy nodded. "If that is so, then I am sorry for her. But it is still early—perhaps he will show up later."

"Oh, I do hope so…for both their sakes."

Richard was, at that very moment, in the middle of delivering a baby. He was nearly out the door when a frantic young father intercepted him, claiming his wife was in terrible pain, was ready to deliver at any moment and their midwife was nowhere to be found. With a sigh, Richard grabbed his bag and followed the young man home, cursing the timing of babies. Why couldn't they arrive in the morning? Why must they always decide to come into the world in the middle of the night or when one wanted to attend a very important party? Richard sighed again, wondering why in the world he had chosen such a profession. His grandfather had left him a very wealthy man and he could have lived a life of leisure had he wanted to. He remembered how perplexed his grandfather had been when he insisted on becoming a doctor. What a row they had had! But he knew he had to do something meaningful with his life. So there he was, sacrificing yet another night of his life in order to bring another into the world.

After the baby was safely delivered and resting in his mother's arms, Richard glanced at his pocket watch and groaned when he saw how late it was. If he hurried he might still be able to catch the very end of the party and at least have time to wish Laura a happy birthday. He still had the little box in his coat pocket, and after telling the young mother he would check in on her in the morning, he hurried off to the Midwinter estate.

Though it was getting to be late in the evening, the party was still as lively as ever and the dancing continued on. Finally, Daniel could wait no longer and whisked Laura through one of the side doors leading out to a garden.

"Daniel, what are you doing?" Laura asked.

"I want to give you your birthday present privately," he replied.

Laura looked intrigued as Daniel took her hands in his and stared into her eyes. "Laura, I love you so much, and I think that you love me, too."

Laura stared at him, suddenly aware of what he was about to do…..

Richard was urging his horse on as quickly as he could. He was relieved to arrive at the manor and to see that several carriages and waggons still remained outside and music could still be heard pouring forth from the great house. He took a deep breath as he dismounted his horse and straightened his clothes, making sure the little box was still safe within his pocket before going inside. As he walked towards the front entrance, a movement caught his eye off to the side of the house, and when he glanced over he saw Daniel leading Laura out into the garden. He watched as Daniel took Laura's hands and with a sinking feeling he knew what was about to happen. Before he could step away out of sight, Laura, who had been facing in his direction, suddenly saw him and her eyes widened. Their eyes locked for a moment before Laura quickly focused back on Daniel who had been reaching into his pocket for something. When she glanced over at Richard again she saw that he had disappeared.

Daniel suddenly knelt down on one knee and opened a little box that revealed a small diamond ring. "Laura, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Laura gasped. "Oh, Daniel! I…I don't know what to say!"

Daniel's smile faltered a bit. "I was hoping you would say yes."

"Daniel, this is so sudden. I do love you but I need some time to think."

"What? But, Laura, I thought it was understood that we would one day be married." His face was turning dark red and he suddenly looked stricken.

"I know, but I…" I cannot stop thinking about Richard, she thought to herself. "Please, Daniel, I am not saying no, I am just asking for a little time to think things through."

Richard, who was still listening behind a hedge, found he had been holding his breath and let it out slowly with relief when Laura did not accept Daniel's proposal right away. He still had time to earn her affections!

Daniel stood back up, looking sadly at Laura. "Of course I will give you time. Take all the time you need. But please, take the ring. You don't have to wear it, just keep it with you whilst you think about it." He gave her the box then placed a kiss on her cheek. "I think I will say goodnight now and let you enjoy the rest of your party. Happy birthday, Laura."

"Daniel, please don't go. You don't have to go," she pleaded with him.

"Yes, I do. I'm sorry, Laura. I hope I haven't ruined your party."

"Of course you haven't ruined my party! Daniel, I am so honoured that you have asked me to marry you. What a wonderful birthday present you have given to me. But there is no reason for us to rush into anything just yet. We have our whole lives ahead of us."

She could see he was still feeling deeply disappointed. "You are my whole life, Laura," he said sadly as he walked away into the darkness.

Richard quickly slipped away and entered the house where he sought out Dorcas and Timothy.

"Richard!" Dorcas exclaimed when she saw him. "We had given up on you coming tonight!"

"Lady Dorcas, Sir Timothy, I am so sorry. I had a baby to deliver at the last minute. An occupational hazard, I'm afraid. I came as quickly as I could."

"Well, you are here now and I am sure Laura will be happy to see you. Come, get some food—you must be famished!" Dorcas led him into the hall and made sure he loaded his plate with as much food as he could hold. He still looked too thin to her.

"Thank you, Lady Dorcas," he said gratefully. Dorcas sat beside him as he ate and soon the emptiness in his belly was filled. His mind was still reeling at Laura not accepting Daniel's proposal right away. How he wished he could have been here earlier!

"Lady Dorcas," he asked hesitantly, "did…um… did Laura notice that I wasn't here tonight, do you think?"

One corner of Dorcas's mouth turned up a bit and she reached out and placed her hand on his. "I think she was watching for you all evening, Richard. Why don't you go and talk to her now?"

Richard's beautiful blue eyes suddenly lit up as he smiled at Dorcas. "Thank you, Lady Dorcas, I think I will do just that."

As Richard made his way across the ballroom to the doors leading out to the garden, he was happy to come across Emma and Robert.

"Why, Doctor Armstrong, how nice of you to come!" Emma exclaimed as she held her hand out to him.

"Good evening, Mrs Timmins, Mr Timmins, it is good to see you again. I am sorry to be so late but I had a baby to deliver. They never do come at a convenient time, you know."

Emma and Robert both laughed. "Oh, we can attest to that, doctor, having had five of our own."

"If you will excuse me, I was just on my way to see Laura and wish her a happy birthday," Richard said.

Emma smiled at him. "I am sure she will be happy to see you. I last saw her walking out those doors over there."

Richard thanked her and began to walk away.

"Oh, doctor," Robert called out to him. "Will you please tell Laura to come back inside? We have to be getting on our way home now."

"Of course, Mr Timmins," Richard said.

Emma took Robert's arm and whispered to him, "I think Doctor Armstrong is sweet on our Laura!"

Robert chuckled and patted her hand. "Fancy us having a doctor in the family! At least we know he would be able to take care of her." Robert had never cared much for Daniel.

"And give us the most beautiful grandchildren!" Emma giggled.

Richard found Laura sitting outside on a stone bench in the garden. She was staring at the ring box that Daniel had given to her. Richard sat down beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right, Laura?"

Laura wiped a tear from her eye. "How much did you hear, doctor?"

Richard winced—back to being called 'doctor' again. He looked down at his hands guiltily. "Everything," he confessed.

She looked agitated. "Why couldn't I say yes? The look on his face…" She shook her head miserably as tears filled her eyes.

Richard sighed. "Obviously, your heart wasn't ready to be given to him. You mustn't feel guilty for telling him the truth about what you feel."

"But that's just it—I don't know what I feel anymore!" She got up and walked a few steps away, folding her arms across her chest as though trying to protect her heart.

Richard followed her. "Don't you?" he asked softly.

When she didn't answer him he took her by the arm and turned her towards him. "Laura, is there any chance that you could have feelings for…for someone else and that is why you couldn't say yes to Daniel?"

Laura finally looked up at him, and before she could stop herself she slowly nodded her head.

Richard reached out and placed his hand on her cheek. "Laura, I lo…"

He was interrupted by the sound of the door opening and Robert's voice ringing out. "Laura, come say goodbye to your ma, we have to be on our way now."

Laura shook her head as though trying to clear her mind. "Sorry, Pa, I'll be right there."

Robert nodded and went back inside.

"I…I'd better go back inside," she said to Richard.

He nodded reluctantly. "Oh, before you go…" He reached into his pocket and brought out the little gift box. "Happy birthday, Laura," he said as he held it out to her. "Don't open it now—wait until you are home."

Laura looked touched. "Doc…I mean, Richard, you didn't have to bring me a gift."

"It is my privilege to be able to give this to you, Laura. I am just sorry I was so late to the party. Babies don't care if doctors have other places they would rather be, I'm afraid."

"So that is where you were tonight," she said softly with what sounded like relief.

"Why? Did you miss me?" He gave her a teasing grin.

She teased him back. "If I did I wouldn't tell you." She smiled as she turned to go inside.

"Laura," he said, stopping her once again. "Don't be afraid to listen to your heart. You can trust it to point you in the right direction. Just promise me that you will always follow it. That way I will know that you are truly happy."

Laura felt tears threatening her eyes again at his kindness. She walked back to him and, standing on tiptoes, placed a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for being here, Richard," she said before going inside to say goodbye to her family.

Richard smiled and put his hand up to his cheek where her lips had touched it.

They were all exhausted by the time they got back to the Post Office. Before she went up to bed Laura gave Dorcas and Timothy each a big hug. "Thank you so much for the most beautiful birthday I have ever had!" she exclaimed. "I will never, ever forget it. I love you both so much."

"I am so glad you enjoyed it, Laura," Timothy said. "It was nice to see the manor used for such a joyous occasion again."

Dorcas hugged her back. "Did Richard find you tonight?" she whispered in her ear.

Laura nodded shyly. "Yes, he did."

"I'm glad." Dorcas's eyes twinkled at her. "Well, I don't know about you, but I am exhausted! Good night, Laura."

"Good night, ma'am. Good night, Sir Timothy," Laura said to them as she made her way upstairs.

When she opened the door to her room she found Minnie already fast asleep in bed. Laura quickly changed into her nightdress then sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the little box that Richard had given to her. She felt her heartbeat quicken as she tried to imagine the kind of gift he would have chosen for her. Her hands trembled as she untied the pretty bow and slowly lifted the lid. Then her hand flew up to her mouth and she gasped when she saw what was inside. It was the beautiful emerald necklace that she had coveted in the store window for so long. He was the one who had bought it! He bought it for her!

Her eyes filled with tears as she took it out of the box and held it up to the light. She shook her head in wonderment—how could he have possibly known? Then she noticed that there was a note folded within the box. She began to cry in earnest as she read its words:

Happy birthday, Laura.

May you always have your heart's desire.

Richard

CHAPTER 26

Richard had a hard time falling asleep that night. He kept thinking about Laura and whether she had opened his gift yet or not, and what she thought of it if she had. Would she be pleased to receive such a gift from him? Perhaps she would think it too extravagant and end up returning it to him in the morning. Well, she would just have to keep it because he would not accept it back. He tossed and turned, longing to know what she was thinking at that very moment.

Laura went to sleep that night wearing the necklace around her neck. It was the first thing she thought of when she awakened the next morning, too, as she lay in her bed, feeling its delicate weight upon her chest. She still couldn't believe that Richard had bought it for her after the way she had treated him the past few months. "He must really be in love with me," she thought to herself, feeling a tingle go down her spine as she remembered his words from the day she had berated him for reading her journal: "You are as much in love with me as I am with you." Those words continued to echo in her mind. And he had been right about why she couldn't accept Daniel's proposal the night before—she did have feelings for someone else, and, try as she might, she could deny them no more.

She opened the little drawer of her nightstand, and with a twinge of guilt took out the ring that Daniel had given to her. Deep down she knew she couldn't marry him now that she had finally admitted to herself that she had feelings for Richard. She dreaded seeing the look of pain in his eyes when she returned the ring to him. The last thing she ever wanted to do was to hurt Daniel. She didn't ask to fall in love with anyone else—it had just happened. It wouldn't be fair to Daniel to keep him waiting any longer.

She felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach all the while she bathed and dressed that morning, knowing she would have to go to Richard and thank him for his incredible gift. Perhaps it was time she admitted her true feelings to him, too.

Richard had been going over some notes at his desk when he heard the door to his clinic open. His heart leapt knowing it had to be Laura coming about the necklace. He stood up quickly and made his way to the front room, smiling at the thought of seeing her again, but when he saw who it was he froze in his tracks.

"Hello, Richard, you naughty boy," drawled Rebecca Wellington-Peck.

"Rebecca, what are you doing here?" Richard asked with uneasy surprise.

"You didn't come to my little party last night. I was ever so disappointed," she said with a little pout.

"I am sorry, Rebecca, but I had a previous engagement. And the clinic has been so busy I'm afraid I forgot to send a response to your invitation. I do apologise." The truth was he had thrown the invitation away the moment he saw who it was from. He wanted nothing to do with the Rebecca Wellington-Pecks of this world.

She studied him for a moment then began to walk around the room, trailing her finger along the tops of the counters. "You know, Richard, I am a woman who knows what she wants and I always get what I want."

Richard sighed. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Come now, no need to play coy with me, doctor. I knew there was something special between us the night of my father's ball. Everyone said how perfect we looked together."

"Rebecca, I am sorry if I led you to believe I had any designs on you, but I am afraid you are mistaken."

"I see," she said somewhat nonplussed. "Is there someone else? Is that it?"

"Yes, actually, there is."

Rebecca's cool blue eyes suddenly flashed with anger. "You do realise who my father is, do you not? I am a very wealthy woman. Do you really think you, a mere doctor, could do better than me?"

Richard tried to keep his voice steady. "I have always intended to marry only for love and never money."

Rebecca gave a derisive snort. "A sweet sentiment to be sure, but a highly impractical one for someone of your situation, don't you think?"

"I have no need for anyone else's money, Rebecca. Now, I am sorry but I have some pressing matters to attend to today and I must ask you to leave."

He thought of Laura and how she might come at any moment. He ventured a quick glance out of the window and a shock went through him when he saw that Laura was indeed already walking towards the clinic. Rebecca's eyes suddenly narrowed at him and she followed his gaze out the window. Was he asking her to leave because of the young woman who was now approaching? Wasn't that the same girl who had come with Sir Timothy and Lady Dorcas the night of the ball?

Rebecca hesitated until Laura had nearly reached the clinic, then she turned to Richard with a wicked glint in her eye. "Very well, I will leave you for now, but before I go I want you to think about this…" She suddenly threw her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the lips as she pressed her body to his. Richard was so shocked he froze for a moment until finally he reached up and pried her arms away from his neck and pushed her away. But it was too late. Laura had stood there in the doorway staring at them in disbelief. Then she quickly turned away and began running back towards the Post Office.

"Laura! Wait!" he called after her. He could hear Rebecca's soft laughter coming from behind him and he turned on her with fury.

"What is wrong with you?" he nearly shouted.

Her eyes flashed angrily. "You are a fool, Richard Armstrong, and when my father hears of the way you have treated me you will be sorry."

"I may very well be a fool, but I will be a very happy fool because I intend to marry for love and you, Miss Wellington-Peck, are someone I could never love." He opened the door and had to restrain himself from pushing her out of it. Fortunately, she left of her own accord and as her carriage departed she gave him one last furious look before turning away.

Richard slammed the door shut and felt like screaming at the top of his lungs. How was he going to explain all of this to Laura? Why did she have to come at the very moment Rebecca threw herself at him? He knew with a sinking heart that whatever Laura had finally come to feel for him had just been destroyed, in one fleeting moment, by the actions of a most wicked woman.

Laura felt as though she had just taken a blow to the stomach. What kind of man went around securing the affections of young ladies only to break their hearts? What a fool she had been to let herself fall for such a man! A sob escaped her as she ran inside, past a startled Dorcas and Minnie, and upstairs to her room where she buried her face in her pillow and unleashed her tears.

Within moments she heard a soft tap at her door before Dorcas came into the room.

"Laura, what on earth has upset you so?" Dorcas asked as she sat down next to her on the bed.

Laura shook her head, trying to keep from sobbing, but unable to hold back her tears.

Dorcas put her arm around Laura's shoulders. "You can tell me anything, Laura, you know that. Please let me help you."

Laura was still too upset to speak so Dorcas pulled her close and held her tight. "Does this have something to do with Richard?"

At the mention of his name Laura began to cry harder.

"Laura, are you in love with him?" Dorcas asked gently.

"No!" The word nearly exploded out of Laura. "I hate him! He led me to believe that he loved me but it is that Miss Wellington-Peck that he loves!"

"What? You mean Rebecca?" Dorcas asked with confusion. "Laura, you must be mistaken."

"I'm not! I saw them, Lady Dorcas, just now at his clinic. He was kissing her!"

"Kissing her? Laura, are you sure of what you saw?"

"Yes, of course I'm sure—I was standing right there. Why wouldn't he be in love with her? She's rich and beautiful and…and…." She started crying again.

"Oh, Laura, I am so sorry. I will get to the bottom of this, I promise you. I cannot believe that Richard would be so inconstant. There must be an explanation," Dorcas said as the poor girl cried into her shoulder.

Finally, Laura lifted her head and wiped the tears from her eyes. Then she reached up and unclasped the necklace from her neck. "Here," she said as she held the necklace out to Dorcas, "could you please give this back to him for me? I don't want anything from him."

Dorcas stared at the necklace. "Richard gave this to you? Laura, this is a very expensive piece of jewellery. Did he give this to you last night?"

Laura nodded miserably. "I don't know how he knew I wanted it. He must have seen me looking at it in the shop window before."

Dorcas shook her head wonderingly. This was not the gift of a casual friendship, this was a gift given for love. It made no sense that Richard would be kissing Rebecca Wellington-Peck. He had admitted to her himself that he was in love with Laura. She felt anger growing within her. Perhaps Richard Armstrong had deceived them all.

Laura began to cry again. "And Daniel asked me to marry him last night and I put him off! I couldn't possibly agree to marry him when I had feelings for Richard. How could I have been so stupid? Now I've probably lost Daniel, too."

Dorcas looked sharply at Laura. "Laura, regardless of what Richard has done, marrying Daniel when your heart doesn't completely belong to him would be wrong. If you had loved Daniel completely then you would never have felt anything for another man, and you would have accepted his proposal without question. Promise me you won't rush into a marriage with Daniel until you have truly examined your feelings."

Laura pulled away from her and stood up, walking towards the window where she gazed out into the street below. "I don't know what I feel for anyone anymore," she said sadly.

Dorcas left Laura to her privacy and was half way down the stairs when she met Timothy coming up them.

"Hello, darling," he greeted her. Then, seeing the look on her face, asked, "Is something the matter, Dorcas?"

"It's poor Laura, Timothy," she said with a sigh before filling him in on what happened with Richard.

"Why I could thrash that fellow!" Timothy exclaimed angrily. He stopped when he saw Minnie peek her head around the corner. "Yes, Minnie, what is it?" he asked brusquely.

"I'm sorry, Sir Timothy, but Doctor Armstrong is here asking to speak to Laura." Minnie's eyes were huge with wondering what was going on.

"Thank you, Minnie, I will speak to him myself," Timothy replied. He turned to Dorcas who was about to follow him. "Darling, I will take care of this. You are not supposed to be subjecting yourself to any stress, remember?"

"Oh, but Timothy, I…" She tried to protest but he stopped her.

"Dorcas, I want you to get some rest whilst I have a little talk with Richard. Please, darling, I can see that you are tired, and with your due date just six weeks away, I will not allow you to risk your health on account of Laura's love life. It is Sunday, a day for you to rest and have a bit of a lie down, all right? I will come to you and tell you everything later." He kissed her forehead and waited until she went into their room before making his way to find Richard.

Dorcas gave in with a sigh. She was feeling rather tired and her ankles were a bit swollen. Maybe a little nap would give her some much needed energy. The baby already seemed huge inside of her and she wondered how much bigger she was going to get with a month and a half yet to go. She wished the new addition would have been finished by now so she wouldn't have to climb the stairs again until after the baby was born, but due to an unexpected delay the new bedroom wouldn't be started until sometime during the summer. Dorcas laid down and tried to fall asleep, but she couldn't stop thinking about what Timothy might say to Richard, and what explanation the doctor might provide for his behaviour with Miss Wellington-Peck.

Timothy found Richard waiting inside the Post Office. "Sir Timothy, please, I must speak to Laura."

"Richard, I think it is time you and I had a little talk." Timothy gestured for him to follow him into the parlour where he then closed the doors and stood with his back against them whilst he regarded the doctor.

"Now, I don't know what is going on between you and Laura, but it seems that ever since you have arrived she has been in one state of upset after another. I thought she was quite happy with Daniel, but from what I can gather you have given her reason to believe you have feelings for her. Am I correct?"

"Yes, Sir Timothy, I do have feelings for Laura-very strong feelings."

Timothy nodded. "I see. Then would you mind explaining to me why you are carrying on with Rebecca Wellington-Peck?"

Richard groaned and ran his hand through his hair in agitation.

"Sir Timothy, I can assure you I am not carrying on with Miss Wellington-Peck. She is the last woman I want anything to do with."

"Come now, doctor," he said, unconsciously falling into his role as magistrate. "Rebecca Wellington-Peck is beautiful and she is very wealthy. Do you really expect me to believe that you are not the least bit interested in her? After all, it would be quite a coup for you to secure such a woman's affections. You must have given her some indication that you were interested in her."

"I assure you I did no such thing, Sir Timothy. The only contact I have had with her was a few dances at that spring ball. After that, she sent me invitations to other parties, but I threw them all away without a response. A couple of times I came home to the clinic to find she had slipped her calling card through the door. I know this is going to sound terribly vain of me, but this isn't the first time I have had women pursue me in such an aggressive manner. I hate it and I certainly have no interest in the kind of woman who behaves in such a way—rich or otherwise."

Timothy grunted. "I admit I have seen the way women react to you. Not many men would consider that a curse, though—quite the opposite, actually."

Richard rubbed his forehead and began to pace around the room. "But I do consider it a curse. All I want is one good woman whom I can love and who will love me for who I am and not because of the way I look or because of how much money I have. And let's get one thing perfectly straight, sir—I have no need to marry for money. My grandfather left me a wealthy man in my own right with a very large estate. I choose to live my life as a doctor, though, because that is what I feel I was born to do. I have no need of Rebecca Wellington-Peck's money. Besides, beautiful or not, the woman is positively diabolical."

Timothy sighed. "Sit down, Richard," he said. Timothy poured the doctor a drink before sitting down opposite him. "Now then, if this is true, would you mind explaining to me why you were seen kissing Miss Wellington-Peck when you claim to want nothing to do with her?"

Richard gritted his teeth. "I did not kiss her, Sir Timothy—she was the one doing the kissing." When Timothy lifted a dubious eyebrow at him he proceeded to explain how he had told Rebecca there was someone else in his life and how Rebecca guessed it was Laura, then threw herself at him knowing Laura would see them together. "If Laura had stayed a moment longer she would have seen me pushing Miss Wellington-Peck away and telling her to leave."

Timothy just stared at him over steepled fingers. "Look," Richard continued, "I know how this sounds and I won't hold it against you if you choose not to believe me. But I swear to you it is the God's honest truth. I am in love with Laura. She is the only woman that I want. She makes me earn her good opinion and I cannot tell you how refreshing that is. I have never known anyone so real and pure of heart in my life. If I could be loved by such a woman I could truly be happy. So please, Sir Timothy, let me talk to her. Let me try to explain what happened today."

Timothy was silent for a moment whilst he thought about Richard's words. "You forget one thing, Richard. Laura already has Daniel in her life. What makes you think she will want to give him up for you?"

Richard shook his head. "Daniel isn't her equal, Sir Timothy. One day she will finally admit it to herself and I want to be there when she does. I know she has feelings for me—I can feel it. I just want the chance to prove myself to her."

Timothy sighed. "Yes, she must have feelings for you to be so upset. I have no desire to interfere in Laura's love life, Richard, or yours for that matter. My primary concern is that she not be hurt or ill used in any fashion by anyone, am I making myself clear?"

"Of course, that is what I want too, Sir Timothy."

"All right, then. I will leave it up to Laura when or if she will speak to you again. For now, I think it best that you go home. This household has had enough upset for one day."

Richard nodded reluctantly. "I am so sorry for the trouble this has caused, Sir Timothy, truly I am. It has all been a terrible misunderstanding. Would you at least tell her that I called, please?"

Timothy stood up. "Yes, I suppose I could do that."

Richard stood up as well. "Thank you, Sir Timothy."

As he made his way to the door Timothy stopped him. "Richard, if I find that anything that you have said today has been less than truthful you will answer to me, do you understand?"

Richard nodded his head sadly and walked out the door.

After Richard had gone, Timothy made his way upstairs to Dorcas. She sat up when he came into the room, eager to hear what had happened, and he quickly recounted his conversation with the doctor.

Dorcas shook her head. "Rebecca did seem rather forward with Richard at the ball. Oh, Timothy, I don't know what to think. Do you believe he was telling you the truth?"

Timothy sighed. "God help me, but yes, I do believe he was being truthful. The poor man looked quite agonised. The question is, though, what do we do about Laura? How much should we tell her? I must admit I feel quite uncomfortable interfering in this matter. My main concern was to make sure he wasn't leading her on. Now that I know he is truly in love with her I feel we should stay out of it. What do you think, darling?"

Dorcas thought for a moment. "I think we should be here to help guide Laura should she need our advice, but, otherwise, I agree—we should leave her to make up her own mind. However, I don't think it would hurt for us to tell her what Richard said to you today. Perhaps it would put her mind at ease and allow her to move forward with whatever it is she chooses to do."

"Agreed," Timothy said. "Would you like me to talk to her, Dorcas?"

"No, darling, I think perhaps it would be easier for her if I talked to her."

"All right, I will leave it in your capable hands, then." He gave her a kiss and helped her to her feet before going downstairs so she could talk to Laura alone.

Dorcas tapped on Laura's door. "Come in," she heard Laura say faintly. Dorcas found Laura sitting at her writing table with her forehead resting on one hand whilst she wrote in her journal. Her eyes were still red from crying, but at least the tears had stopped.

"He was here just now, wasn't he?" Laura said bleakly.

Dorcas sat down next to her. "Yes, he was, Laura. Sir Timothy had a nice, long conversation with him. Would you like to know what he had to say?"

"No!" Laura said a little more forcefully than she intended. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I mean, I don't care to hear any excuses he might have come up with."

Dorcas placed her hand on top of Laura's. "I think you should at least hear what he had to say. For what it's worth, Sir Timothy believes he was telling the truth."

Laura took a deep breath and gave Dorcas a slight nod. Still holding on to her hand, Dorcas then told Laura everything that Timothy had told her.

"Won't you at least talk to him, Laura?" Dorcas asked gently.

Laura shook her head. "I cannot do this anymore, Lady Dorcas. It's too hard. I should have accepted Daniel's proposal the other night. I should never have allowed someone like Doctor Armstrong to distract me from Daniel."

Dorcas looked at her sadly. "Well, Laura, I will leave you to decide what it is you truly want. I won't interfere any longer, I promise." Dorcas then turned Laura's hand over and placed the necklace that Richard had given to her in her palm. "If you wish to return this to Richard, though, then I think you should do so yourself. Just promise me you will think about what I have told you before you do."

Laura nodded her head and turned her gaze towards the window. Feeling herself dismissed, Dorcas got up to leave. She looked back one more time but Laura was still turned to the window. She shook her head sadly and quietly left the room.

Once she was alone, Laura looked down at the necklace in her hand. The emerald seemed to burn into her skin and she wanted nothing more than to fling it away from her. But instead, she closed her fingers around it and held it tight, as once again the tears flowed down her cheeks.

CHAPTER 27

Laura managed to avoid the doctor for over a week. She knew she had to return the necklace to him, but every time she tried to get the courage up to see him, the image of him kissing Rebecca Wellington-Peck rose up in her mind and her courage failed. It was just too painful. Instead, she sought out Daniel, and despite the fact that she had not yet accepted his proposal, they fell back into their comfortable companionship, keeping her mind pleasantly distracted from any thoughts of Richard Armstrong.

But now Daniel was called away to see his father, who had fallen ill and was asking for him.

"Oh, Daniel, I am so sorry. I hope your father will be well soon," Laura said after he told her the news.

"Thank you, so do I." Daniel looked shaken, though, as the note he had received from his mother didn't sound optimistic. "I don't know how long I will have to be away."

"Take all the time that you need to be with your father, Daniel. Candleford will still be here when you come back." Laura reached up and gave him a hug.

"The question is will you still be here when I come back?" Daniel asked sadly.

"What do you mean? Of course I will still be here," Laura replied giving him a puzzled little smile.

"Promise me you will think about my proposal whilst I'm away?" he pleaded.

"I promise. And, Daniel, I promise to have an answer for you when you return." He looked at her hopefully before kissing her goodbye.

What that answer would be, however, Laura had no idea.

That afternoon, Minnie came skipping into the Post Office. "Laura! Alfie said there's to be another bonfire in Lark Rise this Saturday night! You must come! It will be ever so much fun!"

Laura smiled. Bonfires were a tradition in Lark Rise whilst she was growing up. They always had one to celebrate the beginning of summer and there was dancing and food and lots of merriment. It was exactly what she needed right now to keep her mind off of her troubles.

"How wonderful, Minnie! I wouldn't miss it!" she replied.

Minnie bounced up and down. "Oooh, I can't wait!"

Dorcas and Timothy were, of course, invited to attend, but Dorcas was feeling a little too large with child to be engaging in such merriment. They decided to stay home, but Sydney would be allowed to go along with the girls.

They arrived in Lark Rise that Saturday in the late afternoon. Alf and some of the other men and boys had already placed thick poles of wood in a teepee like fashion in the centre of the hamlet and surrounded it with a great pile of wood. The fire would last for hours! Tables had been set out for the food and children were already running about laughing and yelling as they chased each other.

"Laura! You came!" Emma exclaimed as she embraced her daughter.

"Hi, Ma," she replied as she hugged Emma back.

"How is my girl? How are things in Candleford?"

"Fine, Ma," Laura replied, but Emma could see the strain around her eyes.

"Is everything all right, Laura? You look tired."

"Yes, everything's fine. Well, except Daniel's father is ill and he had to go away to see him."

"Oh, I am sorry to hear that."

Laura nodded, but something else seemed to be troubling her.

"Is that all that is bothering you, Laura?" Emma asked carefully as she studied Laura's face.

"Yes, that is all, Ma." But Laura turned her head and looked off in the distance, unable to meet her mother's eye.

Emma sighed. "How is Doctor Armstrong doing? Have you seen much of him?"

That was it. Emma saw Laura flinch when she mentioned his name, and she blinked rapidly as though trying to prevent any tears from forming.

"I don't know, Ma, I haven't seen him," she managed to reply.

"Oh, I see. Laura, you know you can talk to me about anything, don't you? If something is bothering you I want to know about it."

"Nothing is bothering me, Ma, I'm fine," she snapped. Luckily, at that moment her littlest sister Annie came running up to her and jumped in her arms.

"Sissy!" Annie cried.

"Hello, Annie Banannie!" Laura gave the little girl a hug and spun her around. "Let's go see what our brothers are up to!" Laura led Annie away whilst Emma looked after them, shaking her head with concern.

At dusk the bonfire was lit and everyone cheered and laughed whilst they watched the flames grow and travel skyward high into the night. Alf, Twister and a couple of the other hamlet folk brought out their instruments and began a lively tune. It took little encouragement to get everyone dancing. It was in their blood to dance and they did so joyfully. The littlest children joined hands and danced in a circle around the fire whilst the older folks linked arms and twirled about in a dance handed down through the generations. Laura clapped her hands in time to the music and could feel her troubles slowly oozing away from her, until Robert suddenly grasped her hands and pulled her into the circle of dancers, forcing her from the sidelines. Soon her eyes shone and her cheeks ached with laughter as Robert twirled her expertly around. She had worn her hair down for the occasion and it made her feel like a little girl again to feel it on her shoulders and flying about as she danced in her father's arms. If only life could always be this simple and joyful, she thought.

Richard, at that moment, was heading home after checking up on one of his patients at the farthest outskirts of Lark Rise. The moon was only half full but it gave him enough light to see the path before him. His eye was soon caught by the bright light of a fire emanating a little ways down the hill from where he was. At first he started, thinking someone's home was ablaze, but then he realised it was only a bonfire, and could see people dancing around it. It looked festive and he couldn't help but turn his horse towards it to see what was going on. Soon, music and laughter reached his ears and despite the exhaustion he felt, it made him smile.

He made for a large tree and after dismounting his horse he stood next to the tree and watched from a short distance. The first person he recognised with surprise was Minnie twirling around with Alf. If Minnie was here then possibly Laura had come with her! He searched the group of people as they danced until finally, with a lurch in his heart, he spotted Laura dancing with her father. It was the first time he had seen her with her hair down, and with the firelight behind her it made her hair glow like a red halo around her face. He held his breath at the sheer beauty of her.

He watched her for several minutes, enjoying her laughter and the happy look on her face. How he longed to dance with her again and make her laugh instead of only bringing her sadness. It made his heart ache not to be able to join in the fun, knowing it would only ruin Laura's.

Emma had been watching Robert and Laura whilst clapping along to the music when she happened to turn her head and see Richard standing under the tree. She could see the look of longing on his face as he watched Laura, and she knew if she was going to get to the bottom of what was bothering Laura she should begin by speaking to him.

He looked embarrassed when he saw Emma approaching him. "I'm sorry, Mrs Timmins, I didn't mean to intrude on your party. I was just passing by when I saw the fire and couldn't help but see what was going on."

"You are most welcome, Doctor Armstrong. Please, won't you join us?" she said cordially.

He looked wistfully at the dancers. "Thank you, but no, I don't wish to spoil Laura's good time."

"Why on earth would you spoil it, doctor?" Emma asked.

"Well, there's been a bit of a misunderstanding, I'm afraid, Mrs Timmins. It always seems to happen just when I think Laura and I are becoming friends."

"Oh, I see," Emma replied thoughtfully. She studied his face as he continued to gaze at Laura and ventured to question him some more. "Something tells me you want to be more than just friends with my daughter, am I right, doctor?"

"Please, Mrs Timmins, call me Richard. And, yes, I do want to be more than friends with Laura. I love her, you see, but I am afraid she hates me at the moment."

Still unaware that she was being watched Laura switched partners from her father to little Annie, whom she picked up and twirled around, making the little girl laugh and squeal. Richard smiled as he watched her play with her little sister, imagining what a loving mother she would make for their own children.

"Do you like children, Richard?" Emma asked as though reading his mind.

"Very much so, Mrs Timmins. As an only child I used to long for brothers and sisters. Now I long for my own children, although I guess I am a little late getting started," he said with chagrin.

"Nonsense! You can't be more than twenty-eight or twenty-nine!" she exclaimed.

"Thirty-one, actually," he replied, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Emma tutted. "Still, that is hardly too late to be getting started. Look at me—I just had a baby myself four years ago." Then she smiled at him. "I must admit I am surprised a handsome fellow like you hasn't married yet."

Richard sighed. "Thank you. I'm afraid becoming a doctor kept me too busy to find a wife. But now I am settled and more than ready to share my life with someone."

The dance had come to an end, and as Laura turned away to find something to drink she froze when she spotted Richard standing with her mother. Her mouth fell open as their eyes met and she felt a sudden jolt go through her body. He stood there with his white shirt opened at the collar, for it was a warm night, and his blue eyes stood out in contrast to his black hair and the dark stubble on his face which gave him the dangerous air of a swarthy pirate. She suddenly wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through that hair and feel the stubble of his cheek against hers. Instead, she gave herself a mental shake and turned away abruptly, losing herself amongst the dancers as the music began to play again.

Richard looked down and sighed. The touch of Emma's hand on his arm startled him as he had almost forgotten she was there. "I don't think it is hate that she feels for you, Richard," she said gently. "Why don't you go and speak to her?"

Richard shook his head. "No, I don't want to ruin her evening. I shouldn't have come here. I'm sorry, Mrs Timmins, I'll just be on my way now."

"Wait, don't go just yet," Emma said. "Let me get you something to eat first. You probably haven't eaten all day, have you? You stay right here and I will be back in a jiffy."

Before he could stop her she had already run off to one of the tables where the food was piled high. She returned with a large slice of meat pie and a cup of ale.

"Thank you, Mrs Timmins, you are most kind," Richard said as he gratefully accepted the meal.

Emma waited until he had finished before she spoke again. "Don't give up on Laura, Richard. If you truly love her you will fight for her. For what it's worth, I could tell something was bothering her tonight, and I had a feeling it had to do with you. If she didn't care about you she wouldn't let herself be bothered. Talk to her, clear up this misunderstanding between the two of you."

Richard grasped her hands gratefully. "Thank you, Mrs Timmins. I promise I will talk to Laura, but not tonight. Tonight I just want her to be happy." With that he mounted his horse and said good night.

But it was too late for Laura to be happy the rest of the evening. It had shaken her to see Richard there whilst in the haven of her tiny hamlet. What had he been saying to her mother? What did he want? Part of her longed to know why he was there and another part cursed him for ruining the fun she was having. But the part that disturbed her most was the disappointment she felt when she saw him riding away without even trying to speak to her. It was all so confusing, and she was relieved when the evening finally came to an end so she could go home and be alone with her thoughts.

CHAPTER 28

After the bonfire, Laura laid awake late into the night. She had a decision to make and her mind couldn't rest until she had made it. She quietly slipped out of bed and lit a candle before opening the drawer of her nightstand and taking out the emerald necklace. She stared at it as it dangled from her fingers; mesmerised by the way it sparkled and flashed in the candlelight. Like the man who gave it to her, it had an incredibly seductive air about it. Was it true what Richard had told Sir Timothy—that Rebecca had thrown herself at him without his encouragement? Sir Timothy was no fool so perhaps she had indeed misjudged what she had seen in Richard's office that day. But still, even if he was innocent in the matter, he was the kind of man whom women were naturally drawn to. Even rich women, such as Rebecca Wellington-Peck, who were expected to marry equally rich men, were willing to go against their family's wishes in order to have this beautiful, gentle man who, in all likelihood, hadn't a penny to his name. He would be a fool not to marry one of them and secure for himself a very comfortable life.

Laura sadly thought of how meagre her own savings was. All she had in the world was the small salary that Dorcas paid her to work at the Post Office—hardly tempting for any man. And whilst pretty, she could never compete with the Rebeccas of the world who could afford the best fashions and the best handmaidens money could buy. She may have his affections now, but how could she possibly keep them when there were such wealthy beauties out there willing to do anything to have him?

No, it would be best to stay away from what would surely bring her heartache. She had had her heart broken before and she never again wanted to endure such misery. Tomorrow, she would return the necklace to him and make it very clear that there could never be anything more between them…and when Daniel returned to Candleford she would give him the answer he was waiting for.

It took all of Sunday for Laura to get up her courage to face Doctor Armstrong. She knew she was doing the right thing, though, so with final resolve she grasped the little box that contained the necklace and made her way to his clinic.

Her hand trembled as she opened the door. She failed to understand why the prospect of seeing him made her so nervous. She walked in, quietly closing the door behind her, and was about to call out for him when he suddenly appeared in the doorway of the back office.

He stood there very still, and the way he looked at her from under his lowered brow made her heart beat faster than it already was.

"Well, Laura," he finally spoke. "You were the last person I expected to see come through my door this afternoon."

She opened her mouth but no words would come out. Finally, she took a deep breath and held the little box out to him. "I…I've come to return this to you."

His gaze flickered to the box then back to her face. "I don't want it back. It belongs to you now."

Since he wouldn't take it, she set it on the counter next to her instead. "It was extremely generous of you to give this to me but I cannot accept it."

"Why not?"

"Be…because a gift like that is too intimate and we aren't…we can never be…I cannot accept it." She felt her face burning at the way she was stumbling over her words.

"Again, why not?" His voice had gone deep and whispery and he remained very still, like the quiet before a storm.

"I…I cannot accept it because I have decided to accept Daniel's proposal." There, she had finally said it, and somehow it seemed to give her some much needed strength to have done so.

Something flashed in his eyes and he took a step towards her. "You are not going to marry Daniel."

"Of course I'm going to marry Daniel! I love him! How dare you say that?"

He slowly began to move towards her. "You don't love him," he growled in that dangerously deep voice of his, "and I think you came here so I could prove it to you."

"Don't you dare tell me how I feel!" she said, growing angry.

His eyes were locked on hers as he slowly shook his head at her. "When are you going to stop lying to yourself?"

He quickened his pace towards her and suddenly she didn't feel quite so sure of herself anymore. Her bravado began to fail and she realised she had made a terrible mistake in coming here. His gaze was intense—like a lion's going in for its prey—and whilst her head screamed at her to turn and run away, something else kept her rooted to the spot. The storm now unleashed, he took her in his arms and kissed her.

She had convinced herself she didn't love him, yet why did her entire body suddenly feel electrified? His mouth, almost savage on her own, stirred her in ways no other kiss ever had. She knew she should break away and run from him as fast as she could, but it was as though someone else had taken over her body, and instead of pushing him away she found her hands going up around his neck and burrowing into his hair and kissing him back in a way she had never kissed anyone before. He pulled her tight against his body and the feel of him caused a small moan to escape from her. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, he broke the kiss and gasped, "You had better leave now before I won't be able to stop myself."

Her mind had gone fuzzy and she felt rather dazed, but then the meaning of his words finally sunk in and shame suddenly flooded over her. Shame for letting him kiss her like that, and even more so at the way she had kissed him back. Her shame turned to anger and before she even realised what she was doing her hand rose up and slapped him soundly across the face. The silence that followed was deafening. He gave her a shocked look and put his hand up to his face where her hand had left an angry red mark. Tears then filled Laura's eyes and with a sob she turned and ran out into the street, not caring where she went as long as it was away from him and from the overwhelming feelings he brought out in her.

Richard's first instinct was to run after her, but he stopped himself before he reached the door. He could still feel the sting of her hand on his face, but instead of feeling discouraged he felt a surge of hope course through him. She could pretend otherwise, but the way she had kissed him back spoke volumes about her true feelings for him.

He went back to his desk and took out a letter that he had been avoiding and read it once more. It was from the steward who took care of his estate in his absence. There were some issues that required his presence and he could put them off no longer. Perhaps now would be a good time to visit the estate and also to pick up his mother's wedding ring. He had been saving it for the woman he would one day marry and now he had finally found her. But first, he would have to find someone to take care of his patients whilst he was away. He had no idea how long he would have to be at the estate so he didn't want to leave anyone lacking for medical attention—especially Lady Dorcas, who was now close to term. He would run to Oxford the next day and ask one of his colleagues to fill in for him.

Now that it was all decided, he sat back at his desk with a smile and replayed their kiss over and over in his mind.

Laura ran to the grove of trees to the north of town and, like she used to do when she was a little girl, hid under the protective branches of one of its trees and had a good cry. What had she been thinking going to him like that? Why had she been so angry one minute and kissing him the next? She tried to stay furious with him but all she could think about was the way his lips felt on hers and the incredible wave of desire that came over her when she was in his arms. She felt justified in slapping him, yet there was a niggling of guilt in the back of her mind at having done so. Had he been right about her going there so he could convince her that she wasn't in love with Daniel? Was she really being honest with herself?

She sat under the tree for a long time, waiting for her mind to calm down and for all traces of her tears to disappear before she went home. When she did, she went upstairs to find the ring that Daniel had given to her and took another walk to the opposite side of town from where Richard was. She found a tree stump to sit on and then held the ring in her hand, thinking of Daniel and what she really felt for him.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching her.

"Laura?" She jumped, and in looking up saw that it was Timothy.

"Oh, Sir Timothy, I didn't hear you coming." She looked so flustered that Timothy looked at her with concern.

"Are you all right, Laura?" he asked, seeing the ring in her hand.

"Yes, Sir Timothy, I'm fine," she replied with a weak smile.

Timothy sat down next to her. "Is that the ring Daniel gave to you?" he asked gently.

Laura nodded.

"Have you decided whether or not you will accept his proposal?"

Laura shook her head miserably and said nothing. "I see," Timothy replied. He was silent for a moment as he looked out towards the horizon.

"Laura," he finally said, "you don't have to accept him if you aren't ready to do so."

"I know," she said quietly.

"The question you have to ask yourself is do you love him enough to marry him and to spend the rest of your life with him?"

"I do love him, but…." She hesitated as she looked down at the ring.

"But…what?" Timothy gently prompted her.

"I just don't know!" The words suddenly burst out of her. "A few months ago I would have been so happy if Daniel had proposed to me. But now I feel like everything's changed—I've changed. I don't even know what I feel anymore!"

Timothy looked at her sympathetically. "Could this have anything to do with Doctor Armstrong, Laura?"

Laura was mortified to find herself bursting into tears in front of Timothy as she slowly nodded her head.

Timothy patted her arm. "I thought so." He took a freshly pressed handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. "You may not believe this, Laura, but I know exactly how you feel."

Laura looked up at him with surprise. "Oh, yes," he continued, "which is why I want you to listen carefully to what I have to say."

Laura dried her eyes and gulped away her sobs as she waited for him to continue.

Timothy looked down at his hands and absently twisted the ring on his little finger. "You know, Laura, people marry for all kinds of reasons—duty to family, money, desperation…..love. I thank God every day for allowing me the second chance to marry for love. That wasn't always the case and I know you know what I am talking about."

Laura nodded her head.

"I would hate to see you marry for anything less than true love, Laura. Some of us don't always have that luxury, but you do. You can choose whomever you want to marry, but just remember that once you do marry, you are bound to that person for the rest of your life."

"I understand, Sir Timothy."

"Do you? I really hope that you do." He gave a great sigh. "I've always been quite fond of you, Laura. It would pain me very much to see you make the same mistake I did by marrying someone you knew deep down you could never love completely….knowing that there was someone else out there whom you still had feelings for and could be happy with forever. You must be completely honest with yourself, Laura, because, believe me, life can quickly become a chore when you are with the wrong person."

Timothy put his arm around her and gave her a little hug. Then he whispered in her ear, "I think you know who the right person is already, don't you?"

Laura leaned against his shoulder and had to wipe away more tears as she whispered, "Yes."

He chuckled softly. "I thought so." He gave her shoulder another little squeeze before letting go. "Good. Now that that is settled, shall we go home and have our dinner?"

Laura smiled at him. "Thank you, Sir Timothy. Thank you for always being so kind to me."

"It is my pleasure, Laura. You're a good girl—and Richard is a lucky man."

She looked up at him with surprise and then began to laugh. "You know, you're pretty good at this, Sir Timothy."

"I know. I think Lady Dorcas has rubbed off on me, don't you?" He gave her a little wink and she laughed again as she took his arm to walk back home.

The next morning Laura hurried to the clinic, eager at last to speak to Richard, only to find that he was no longer there.

CHAPTER 29

Richard had left a note on his door informing anyone who came that he had personal business to attend to and that a new doctor would be filling in for him until he returned.

Laura felt her heart clench and feared she had driven him away once and for all when she slapped him. What if he decided never to return? She had no one to blame but herself if she had lost him forever.

She walked slowly back to the Post Office and took up her position behind the front counter with a heavy heart. She hoped Dorcas would come downstairs soon—surely she, of all people, would know why Richard had left!

Dorcas noticed the look on Laura's face before Laura even said anything.

"Laura, what's wrong? You look upset," Dorcas asked her.

"Lady Dorcas, did you know that Richard left town?"

Dorcas looked perplexed. "Left town? What do you mean?"

Laura told her about the note on his door. "That's odd," Dorcas replied. "I would have thought he would have told me, seeing that I am under his care at the moment." Dorcas thought for a moment and then went to the door off of the kitchen. Sure enough, a small envelope had been pushed under the door with her name written on the outside. Dorcas opened it up and quickly relayed its contents to Laura:

Dear Lady Dorcas,

Forgive me for leaving so abruptly, but I have some urgent business to take care of back home.
I will be sending my trusted colleague, Doctor Charles Whitmore, to fill in for me whilst I am away.
I don't know how long I will be gone, but I promise you will be in good hands with Charles.
Should you need me urgently for anything at all, you may reach me at my Daventry address
in Northamptonshire.

Yours most sincerely,

Richard Armstrong

He included the address below his signature along with a post script:

PS: Please tell Laura that I'm sorry.

Dorcas looked up enquiringly at Laura. "Laura, what do you know about this?"

Laura sat down at the kitchen table and buried her head in her hands. "Oh, ma'am, I think it's my fault that he went away!"

"Your fault? What do you mean?"

Laura shook her head miserably. "I went to see him yesterday afternoon to return the necklace to him and…and…we had words. I'm afraid I slapped him."

Dorcas's eyes widened. "Slapped him? Why on earth did you do that, Laura?"

Laura's eyes filled with tears. "I slapped him because he kissed me."

Dorcas's face suddenly filled with understanding. "Oh, I see," she said.

"I didn't mean to!" Laura burst out. "Now I've ruined everything and he's gone away—probably forever!"

Dorcas slowly lowered herself into the chair next to her. "I don't think he's run off because you slapped him, Laura. I am sure he will be back as soon as he's taken care of whatever it is he has to do back home. I don't think Richard Armstrong can be scared off by one little slap."

"It was quite a big slap, actually," Laura said with a sob.

The corners of Dorcas's mouth twitched and she patted Laura's hand. "It was that good of a kiss, was it?"

Laura looked up at her, and seeing the smirk on Dorcas's face suddenly found her own mouth beginning to twitch, and then it broke into a smile. Soon they were both laughing.

Laura nodded her head whilst both laughing and wiping her eyes at the same time. "Yes, it was," she finally said, making Dorcas laugh even harder.

"Oh, that poor man," Dorcas said with sympathy once her giggles had subsided. "He loves you so much. You do know that, don't you?"

Laura nodded her head, looking serious once again.

Dorcas gave her hand a squeeze. "Don't worry, Laura, he'll be back. I would bet my Post Office on it."

A week went by and Richard still hadn't returned, but Daniel did. He showed up at the Post Office one afternoon looking for Laura.

"Daniel!" she exclaimed when she saw him. "How is your father?"

Daniel beamed at her. "He finally turned the corner a few days ago and it looks like he will be making a full recovery."

"Oh, that is wonderful news! I'm really happy for you, Daniel."

"Thank you," he replied. Then he turned serious. "Laura, I was hoping we could meet after you are finished here at the Post Office and have a talk—get caught up, if you know what I mean."

Laura felt a twinge in her stomach. "Yes, I think we should."

"Good." He smiled once again. "I will see you later, then."

"Yes, see you later, Daniel," she replied, her face turning to worry after he walked out the door. She was dreading what she would have to say to him.

Daniel came promptly at closing time and he held his arm out for Laura to take as they started to walk. They were silent as they strolled down the street and Laura could see that Daniel was stealing little glances at her as though trying to gauge her mood.

"Well, Laura," he finally said. "You did promise you would have an answer for me when I returned."

They found a small bench to sit on near the end of the road where there were few people passing by, and Daniel turned to face Laura with such an expectant look on his face that she began to lose her courage. She turned her gaze away from his and took a deep breath.

"Daniel, you have come to mean so much to me. You will always be my dear friend and have a very special place in my heart."

Daniel suddenly looked stricken. Those were not the promising words of a woman about to accept a proposal. He started to lean back as though bracing himself for impact.

"Laura…..please don't….," he started to say.

A small sob escaped from her. "I am so sorry, Daniel, but I cannot marry you."

"What do you mean?" he cried. "Why can't you? I love you and I thought that you loved me!"

"I know, but I realised only recently that whilst I do love you it is not in the way that…that you need."

"What is that supposed to mean?" His voice cracked with anger and disappointment.

"It means that I love you but I am not in love with you." She finally looked him in the eye and hated herself for the pain she saw in his face.

"Is there someone else? Is that it?"

Laura went silent and looked away again.

"There is, isn't there? Oh, my God, it's Armstrong, isn't it? I knew he was after you! I never should have left when I did. How could you, Laura, after the way he's behaved towards me? How could you love such a man?" He was nearly shouting now and had jumped up from the bench and started pacing around in agitation.

"I am so sorry, Daniel. I didn't mean for it to happen but it just did. It had nothing to do with you leaving. I had feelings for him before that, but I refused to accept them. I never meant to hurt you, Daniel. I swear, I never meant to at all."

"Well, you did hurt me, Laura, and I don't think I can ever forgive you. Of all men, you had to choose him!"

Laura stood up and pulled something out of the small pocket of her dress. It was the ring box and she held it out to Daniel whose eyes suddenly filled with tears when he saw it.

Laura began to cry as well and her hand shook as she held out the box. "I hope you will find someone more deserving than me to wear this ring, Daniel. I…I hope one day you will forgive me." When he wouldn't take the ring, she grabbed his hand and forced the box into it and then began to walk quickly back to the Post Office.

She didn't come down to dinner that night, and Dorcas, having seen them walking together, guessed what had happened and left her alone.

When another week had gone by and Richard still hadn't returned, Laura asked Dorcas to see Richard's note again. The waiting was killing her and she felt she had to do something. Perhaps she could send him a note of her own and apologise to him. Maybe it would make her feel better.

She took out a piece of paper and simply wrote:

Dear Richard,

You were right about me. I wasn't being honest with myself or with you.
And I am so sorry that I slapped you.

Please forgive me.

Laura

PS: I gave Daniel his ring back.

She quickly sealed the envelope and carefully wrote his address on the outside, then posted it before she lost her courage to do so. Already she began to feel better.

Richard's replacement, Doctor Whitmore, was a congenial fellow and very attentive to Dorcas. He was somewhere in his late forties to early fifties and explained that he had once been one of Richard's mentors. He joined them for tea one afternoon at the Post Office.

"You must be Laura," he said, giving her a knowing smile as he shook her hand.

She looked at him with surprise. "How do you know who I am?"

"Oh, Richard's told me all about you. And you are every bit as pretty as he said you were."

Laura blushed and felt absurdly pleased that Richard had even mentioned her to his colleague.

As they sat around the kitchen table the doctor regaled them with stories from when he worked alongside Richard at one of the hospitals. "I am quite proud of Richard," he said to them. "I always knew he had the makings of a fine doctor, and, indeed, he has exceeded all my expectations. You are very lucky to have him here in Candleford."

Dorcas smiled at him. "I somehow feel as though it was Fate who brought him to us! To think we would have never known he existed if he hadn't been standing behind me when I fainted at a shop in Oxford last December. Now he has become one of our own and is very dear to all of us." Her gaze rested on Laura as she said this and Laura suddenly looked sad.

"Doctor Whitmore," Dorcas continued, "did Richard give any indication of when he might return?"

Laura looked up at the doctor, eager to hear his reply. "No, I'm afraid not, Lady Dorcas. To be honest, I didn't expect him to be gone this long. But I am sure we will hear from him soon. If you like, I will ask him in my next letter to him. He gave me strict instructions to keep him apprised of your progress, Lady Dorcas."

"Oh, that is very kind of you, Doctor Whitmore," Dorcas replied.

"And please tell him that we miss him," Laura added before she could stop herself.

The doctor gave her a smile. "I will indeed, young lady. I think it will make him very happy to hear it."

Two days later, Richard received Laura's note. As brief as it was, it filled him with such joy that he could hardly contain himself. He wanted desperately to get back to Candleford, but his old steward had to give up the position and Richard was in the midst of training a new one. He was almost finished, thank goodness.

He gave her letter a kiss. "I'll be home soon, Laura," he whispered to himself.

CHAPTER 30

The weather was scorching hot that first week of July. There was nowhere to go to avoid it. The farmers were getting worried at the lack of rain and folks would stand staring up at the sky, mopping the sweat from their brows, as they looked for any telltale signs of a storm brewing. Even the horses stood despondently, their tails only half-heartedly swishing away the flies that plagued them. Everyone was miserable, but none more so than Dorcas herself. She was now at term and the baby lay heavily inside of her—its extra weight making the heat seem hotter somehow. Her ankles were swollen and her energy was flagging more each day. Timothy worried about her and made her rest as much as possible, bringing her cool drinks and drawing cool baths for her. Doctor Whitmore checked in on her often and reassured them that she was doing fine but just needed to rest more. Dorcas was grateful to have the doctor nearby as she was starting to feel nervous about the delivery. The baby seemed so huge compared to her small frame! But despite how competent Doctor Whitmore appeared to be, she missed Doctor Armstrong and wanted him to be the one to deliver her baby. She hoped he would hurry home soon.

One particularly hot evening, Dorcas sat in the parlour with her eyes closed and her feet propped up on a footstool whilst Timothy read to her from a book in one hand whilst gently fanning the air in front of her with the other. They were interrupted by Minnie and Sydney coming in with gleeful smiles on their faces.

"We've got a surprise for you, Ma," Sydney said.

"Oh, I do like surprises, Little Man. What is it?" she asked, trying to muster up some enthusiasm despite her discomfort.

"We've made ice cream!" Minnie exclaimed with an excited little bounce.

"Ice cream? Oh, that does sound divine right about now!" Dorcas said, her eyes now shining in earnest.

"Yes, we found the old ice cream maker tucked away in one of the cupboards," Minnie said.

"And I cranked the handle for ages until it was finished!" Sydney added proudly.

"Well, let's have some, shall we?" Timothy said with a smile to Dorcas. "Only you stay here and we will bring it to you."

"Thank you, darling." She smiled gratefully as she gave his hand a squeeze.

The ice cream was just what she needed. It was cool and refreshing and utterly delicious. There was just enough left for Laura when she finally came home from her umpteenth stroll past the clinic where she was once again disappointed to find that Richard was not yet home.

Laura's cheeks were flushed red from the heat despite the sun having already left the sky and she accepted the cool treat most gratefully. "I saw some clouds way out on the horizon as I was coming home. I do hope this means rain is coming!"

"Oh, Laura, I hope so, too!" Dorcas replied.

Laura took her first spoonful of ice cream. "Minnie, where on earth did you learn to make ice cream?" she asked. "This is delicious!"

"I found the recipe in one of Zillah's old cookery books," Minnie replied. "I've always wanted to make ice cream!"

"You did a splendid job, Minnie, and you too, Little Man. What a wonderful treat! Thank you both!" Dorcas said to them.

With the last of the ice cream eaten, Dorcas stood up slowly and reached for Timothy's hand. "I think I'd better say goodnight now. This heat has me dead tired!"

They all looked worriedly at her. They weren't used to seeing her so tired or moving so slowly.

"Good night, ma'am," Laura and Minnie said to her as she walked towards the stairs.

"Good night, Ma," said Sydney.

Dorcas hesitated at the foot of the stairs. The way she felt she might as well be faced with climbing the pyramids of Egypt! Timothy saw her hesitation and was instantly by her side, scooping her up in his arms to carry her upstairs.

Laura and Minnie smiled at each other. It was so obvious how much Timothy loved Dorcas.

"Oh, Timothy, I'm too heavy for you to carry like this. You are going to hurt your back!" she fussed.

"Nonsense, my dear; you are like a little fairy creature—light as a feather, and just as mischievous!" He gave her a little wink as he brought her into their room and gently laid her down on the bed. Once he closed the door behind him he was by her side, dipping a cloth in the bowl of water on the washstand and wiping her face with it.

"Darling, are you sure you're all right? Are you having any pain?" He took her hand and kissed it as he looked worriedly at her.

"I'm fine, Timothy, I'm just tired and my back is aching a bit."

"Do you want me to get the doctor for you?"

"No, I'm all right. I just need to get some sleep."

Timothy nodded then helped her out of her frock and into her nightgown. He continued to bring her wet cloths to cool her down and rubbed her back until she finally fell asleep. He then lay down beside her and watched her whilst she slept. His stomach twisted into a knot as he thought of how Adelaide had died having a baby. If anything should happen to Dorcas he knew he would never be able to go on with life. He said a silent prayer asking God to watch over her and to keep her safe until he, too, closed his eyes and fell into a deep slumber.

Laura and Minnie had a harder time falling asleep. Even with their window wide open the night air was hot and still, and it was hard to get comfortable in their beds.

"Laura?" Minnie's voice called out from the darkness.

"Yes, Minnie?" Laura replied with a yawn.

"Do you think Doctor Armstrong is ever going to come back?"

"I don't know."

"He's been gone a long time, hasn't he?"

"Yes, he has," Laura replied, suddenly feeling very depressed.

Minnie went silent and Laura hoped she had fallen asleep, but soon her voice called sleepily out to her once more.

"Laura?"

"What, Minnie?" Laura replied with a sigh.

"Do you think Doctor Armstrong will ask you to marry him?"

Laura sighed heavily again. "I don't want to talk about Doctor Armstrong anymore. It's late—go to sleep!"

"Oh, all right. Good night, Laura."

"Good night, Minnie."

It was sometime later when Laura was finally able to fall asleep. It was a dark and restless sleep where she began to dream that she was running in the night, desperately looking for something, but not knowing what it was. She ran and ran until finally she came upon a huge bonfire. Richard was standing there on the other side of the fire, staring into its flames. She screamed at him, trying to get his attention, but he could not hear her. She watched as he stepped closer to the flames as though meaning to walk into them and she screamed once more, trying to make him stop. She tried running to him but the flames became huge and wouldn't let her get near him. She could hear the fire popping and hissing and she choked as smoke filled her nose and lungs until she could barely breathe. She watched helplessly as Richard stepped into the fire and was engulfed in flames. She began to scream in utter despair until the horror of it all jolted her awake and she sat up in her bed gasping and crying. She was fully awake now, but she could still hear the popping and crackling of the fire, and with sudden alarm could now see and smell real smoke that was drifting into their room through the open window.

Laura flew out of bed. "Minnie! Minnie!" she shouted as she shook Minnie awake. "Something's on fire! Quick, get Nanny and Abby and Little Man! I'll get Lady Dorcas and Sir Timothy."

Minnie shook her head, trying to become fully awake as Laura pushed her out the door to wake the others. Then she ran down the hall and pounded on Dorcas's bedroom door.

Timothy groggily opened it. "Sir Timothy! There's a fire! Quick, we have to get out of here!"

"What? Where?" Then he, too, could smell the smoke. "Get the children outside, Laura, now!" he shouted. He flew back into their room and woke Dorcas whilst trying to dress as quickly as he could.

"Dorcas, there's a fire. Come, darling, we need to get you dressed and outside."

"Oh, Timothy, is it the Post Office?" Dorcas cried.

"I don't think so. I think it's one of the buildings nearby. But we have to leave before it reaches us!"

Before Dorcas left the room she hurried back to her bureau and grabbed the box that held her most precious belongings, and then reached under her pillow to find the little wooden heart from Timothy. Timothy grabbed some of her clothes and then they were finally out the door. Laura, Minnie, Nanny and the children were already outside and staring down the street at the flames that were shooting out of the baker's shop a few doors down. Men and boys were already bringing buckets of water and futilely trying to douse the ever-growing flames. Thomas came running out in his night clothes followed by Margaret who had her robe pulled tight around her and her hair rolled up in rags whilst clutching their little dog in her arms. Pearl and Ruby also ran out and joined them at the carriage whilst Sydney ran to get his horse just in case the fire spread further.

"Oh, sister, is the town going to burn? Are we to lose our shop?" Ruby cried as she clutched Pearl's arm.

"I don't know, Ruby," Pearl replied grimly as she watched the flames.

Thomas told Margaret to go with Sir Timothy and Lady Dorcas.

"No, Thomas, I am not going anywhere without you!" Margaret said as she clutched at his arm.

He kissed her cheek then gently pulled himself away from her so he could join the fire brigade.

"Be careful, Thomas!" Margaret shouted after him.

A breeze had come up during the night and it was blowing sparks further into the sky and also dangerously close to the other buildings. Even as they watched, the roof of the building next door suddenly caught fire and that was when Timothy herded them all into his carriage. Pearl and Ruby decided to stay at the last minute to watch over their shop.

Laura handed Minnie her collection of journals that she had grabbed from her room. "Look after these for me, Minnie," she said. Then she jumped down from the carriage. "I want to stay, too, Sir Timothy, and help them fight this."

"Absolutely not, Laura," Timothy said. "You could be seriously hurt and I won't allow that to happen."

"No, Sir Timothy, I must stay. I can pump the water from the well and free up one of the men to carry buckets. Please, Sir Timothy, this is my home—I want to help save it!"

"Laura, please get into the carriage!" Dorcas cried out.

"I cannot let you stay here unprotected, Laura." Timothy went to take her by the arm but Laura retreated from him.

"I will protect her," Richard's deep, beautiful voice was heard as came around from the other side of the carriage. Laura felt her heart leap and she had to keep from flinging herself into his arms when she saw him.

"Richard! I am so glad to see you are back," Timothy said as he shook his hand.

"Yes, it seems I got home just in time. I promise to take care of Laura if she wants to stay."

Timothy finally gave in. "All right, but I am entrusting you to protect her, Richard. I need to get Dorcas and the children to safety, and then I will come right back to help."

Richard nodded and looked down at Laura who was smiling up at him. He grasped her hand and together they ran towards the fire. Laura took over at the pump whilst Richard grabbed a bucket and joined the brigade.

Timothy drove the carriage quickly to the manor and roused the servants, sending the men to help with the fire and commanding the housekeeper to prepare rooms for the children. He then scooped Dorcas up again and carried her upstairs to his bedroom.

"Oh, Timothy, our poor town!" she cried.

He took her hands in his. "Darling, I don't want you to worry about the town. There are lots of able-bodied men whom I am sure will get the fire under control. Buildings can be rebuilt, Dorcas, and things replaced. The most important thing is that no one is hurt. I want you to try and get some sleep now and let me worry about Candleford."

"Timothy, please be careful. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you." She held his face in her hands and kissed him.

"I will be fine, my love, I promise. You just take care of yourself and our little one!" He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile then hurried out of the room so he could get back to town.

He found Minnie still standing in the foyer looking bewildered. "Minnie, I want you to stay with Lady Dorcas tonight. If anything happens you are to come find me immediately, do you understand?"

Minnie nodded her head, her eyes as big as saucers. "Yes, Sir Timothy!"

Back in Candleford the fire was starting to spread. They might have had a chance had the wind not shifted and began to blow harder. The men doubled their efforts and fought valiantly, but more sparks blew onto neighbouring roofs which began to smoulder and take hold.

Laura looked over at the Post Office just in time to see a small flame spring to life on its roof.

"Richard!" she screamed, "The Post Office!"

Richard had taken a soaked burlap bag and a bucket and ran quickly to the Post Office where he climbed up on the roof and brutally pounded the flames into submission. Then he began to douse the roof with water to help prevent more sparks from alighting. Pearl came to take over at the water pump and Laura was freed to bring more buckets of water to Richard who was fighting like a madman to douse every flame that sprouted to life. The wind shifted yet again and a shower of sparks descended on them like a spray of Chinese fireworks.

Dorcas, meanwhile, felt a sudden pressure deep in her belly and in her bladder. She sat up and called out to Minnie, who had fallen asleep in the chair beside her. "Minnie, I'm sorry to wake you, but could you help me get to the commode?"

Minnie blinked the sleep from her eyes and helped Dorcas out of bed. They had only taken a few steps when Dorcas felt a sudden gush of liquid run down her legs and puddle on the floor.

Minnie looked down. "Looks like we're too late for the commode."

"No, Minnie, I think my water just broke!"

"What?" Minnie suddenly looked panicked.

"Help me back to bed, Minnie, I think the baby is coming!"

Minnie did as she was told. Dorcas began to grimace in pain and told Minnie to get Nanny.

Nanny had had some midwifery experience in the past and was all business when she came into Dorcas's room. She barked orders for Minnie to get large pots of water boiling and to get fresh linens and towels into the room. After washing her hands in the basin, she did a quick examination of Dorcas and confirmed that her water had indeed broken, and she was now in labour. Dorcas moaned with the coming contractions and Nanny brought her a cool cloth for which to bathe her face.

Laura was looking up at Richard when suddenly he screamed at her and jumped from the roof of the Post Office. She stared at him uncomprehendingly as he threw himself at her and knocked her to the ground, covering her body with his own. Before she could even register that he was lying on top of her, he cried out, "You were on fire! Oh God, Laura, are you hurt? Did you get burnt?" He suddenly turned her over and saw the charred lower half of her frock and with a cry quickly pulled the dress up to see if her legs were injured. "Oh, thank God the flames didn't reach your skin," he gasped with relief.

Laura, suddenly hit with the enormity of the fire and nearly burning herself, burst into tears and buried her face in his chest. He put his arms around her and held her tight. "Shhhh…you're all right now. Everything's going to be all right, I promise."

Laura continued to sob even as a flash of lightning suddenly burst overhead. "No, the fire is too big. We can't beat it, can we?"

He continued to rock her back and forth as they sat on the ground and she felt his lips brush against her hair. He looked over at the growing flames and knew she was right. "Don't worry, Laura, a town can be rebuilt. Don't cry, my love."

A crash of thunder nearly drowned out his words, but Laura could have sworn he had called her 'my love.' Despite her anguish she felt a glimmer of joy in her heart as she clung to him, feeling so safe in his arms and breathing in his scent as she kept her face buried in his broad chest. He smelled of smoke and fire and manly sweat and it made her almost dizzy with desire.

Lightning flashed again and Laura felt something lightly hit the top of her head. Then she felt it hitting her arms and cheeks. Richard looked up and began to laugh. "It's raining! It's finally raining!" Another crash of thunder shook the ground beneath them, and then suddenly the skies opened up, and the rain came pouring down faster and heavier until it turned into sheets of water that seemed to spill down from the heavens themselves. They could hear the fire hissing its displeasure at being denied its fill of wood and thatch and people's livelihoods. Overwhelmed by the great downpour, the flames began to sputter and die until the town went dark and all that was left was steaming smoke pathetically trying to lift itself into the air. Everyone began to cheer and Richard lifted Laura up and swung her round and round with joy. When he finally put her down her arms went up around his neck as she turned her face up to his rapturously. He was just leaning down to kiss her when a sudden cry interrupted him. It was Minnie, and she was riding rather precariously on Sydney's horse, looking like the devil himself was after her.

"Doctor Armstrong! Doctor Armstrong!" she cried as Richard ran towards her.

"Minnie, what's wrong?" he shouted.

Minnie gasped to catch her breath. "It's Lady Dorcas. The baby….it's coming! Oh, please hurry, doctor! Nanny thinks something might be wrong!"

Richard sprang into action. "Minnie, hurry and find Sir Timothy. Tell him I am heading over to the manor now." Turning to Laura, he said, "I need to get my bag. Come with me."

They sprinted over to his clinic where Richard quickly gathered everything he might need. Then he jumped on his horse and pulled Laura up behind him.

Minnie finally spotted Timothy standing with a group of men near the worst of the damage and screamed for him.

Timothy felt his blood run cold to hear that Dorcas might be in trouble, and he ran as fast as he could to his horse, praying every step of the way that she would be all right.

They arrived at the manor at nearly the same time. Timothy leapt off his horse and nearly burst the hinges off the door getting into the house. Richard then found him at the foot of the stairs, bent over and gasping for breath.

"Sir Timothy?" Richard called out, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you all right?"

Timothy shook his head. "I cannot catch my breath."

Richard could see that Timothy had gone pale and beads of sweat were gathering on his face.

"Here, sit down on the step, Sir Timothy, try to relax and breathe. I think you are having an anxiety attack."

"Can't….must get to Dorcas," Timothy gasped.

"Timothy, sit down!" commanded the doctor sternly, foregoing the formal 'Sir'. Surprisingly, Timothy did sit down and held his head in his hands, trying to breathe in and out. Richard felt his pulse and put his head to his chest to listen to his heart. Timothy then grasped Richard's arm and pleaded, "Please, doctor, I cannot lose her!"

Laura, who had been standing behind Richard, felt tears spring into her eyes to see Timothy so upset. She knew how much he loved Dorcas and could see the terror on his face, knowing he was haunted by what had happened to Adelaide.

Richard took hold of Timothy's shoulders. "Look at me, Sir Timothy. I won't let anything happen to her. I know what I am doing and I can take care of her. I need you to get a hold of yourself and be strong for her now."

Just then they heard Dorcas crying out, and Timothy suddenly sprang to life and ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Richard and Laura were right behind him.

Nanny looked relieved to see Timothy and Richard enter the room. Timothy knelt by Dorcas's side and kissed her forehead as he took her hand. "I'm here now, darling, and Doctor Armstrong is, too. You are going to be just fine, I promise." Dorcas squeezed his hand and tried to smile for him.

Richard took her other hand as he looked down at here. "I'm here now, Lady Dorcas, everything is going to be all right. Let's take a look and see what is going on, shall we?" He did his best to sound cheerful and confident to help ease her mind.

Nanny stood next to him and whispered, "The baby appears to be breech, doctor."

"Thank you, Nanny, I will take it from here," he replied brusquely. He feared Nanny had scared Dorcas to death by telling her there was a problem with the baby.

Dorcas looked anxiously up at Timothy. "Timothy, the fire…is it still burning? Is everyone all right?"

"You won't believe it, darling, but it's raining buckets outside! It came just in time to stop the fire from spreading any further. Our little Post Office is safe and sound and so is everyone in town."

Hearing the good news did wonders for Dorcas's spirits. "Oh, thank God, Timothy! I've been so worried!"

"Well, you can stop worrying, darling, Candleford is safe now and so are you."

After washing his hands thoroughly, Richard did a quick examination and confirmed the baby was breech. "Lady Dorcas, I am going to attempt to turn the baby now. This may be painful so I ask you to bear with me whilst I perform the manoeuvre."

Dorcas nodded her head and held tighter to Timothy's hand.

Richard looked over at Timothy and saw that he still looked pale. The last thing he needed was to have Timothy losing control if Dorcas were to scream out in pain. "Sir Timothy, I'm sorry, but I must ask you to wait outside the room. I have Laura and Nanny here to help me." Timothy opened his mouth to protest, but Richard stopped him. "Please, sir," Richard continued, "you will only be in the way. Let me take care of her now."

Timothy looked torn, but he nodded his head and then bent down to kiss Dorcas again. "I love you, Dorcas, so very much. I will be just outside if you need me. You are going to be fine, darling, and soon you will be holding our little baby in your arms!"

She could see the pain in his face, and she reached out and touched his cheek. "I love you, too, Timothy. Don't worry about me, darling. I know I am in good hands now." Timothy kissed her hand and then reluctantly left the room.

"Right," Richard said, in full doctor mode as the door closed behind Timothy. "Laura, I want you to hold Lady Dorcas's hand and help her concentrate on breathing. Nanny, I will need you to assist me as I try to get this little one turned the right way around!" He smiled reassuringly at Dorcas. "You aren't the first mother I've treated with a breech baby, Lady Dorcas. I am quite good at turning them."

Dorcas tried to smile back at him but another contraction made her groan, and tears sprang into her eyes. Laura held her hand tightly and mopped her brow with the wet cloth.

When the contraction passed Dorcas looked at him. "I am so glad you are here, Richard. Doctor Whitmore was very kind, but I prayed you would be here to deliver my baby. I have every confidence in you."

"Thank you, Lady Dorcas. I am very glad I am here for you, too. Hold tight, now. I am going to begin."

Dorcas cried out as Richard applied pressure to try to turn the baby and she gripped Laura's hand so hard Laura nearly cried out herself.

Timothy, meanwhile, paced outside the room, and when he heard Dorcas's cries he felt as though his own heart was being ripped out of his body. He leaned helplessly with his head against the wall and began to pray.

The baby had begun to move but then seemed to stop. Richard examined Dorcas and could see the baby's foot and part of its leg had prolapsed out and that was what had stopped its movement. He tried desperately to push the leg back in but it appeared to be stuck. Richard felt his own brow breaking into a sweat and he cursed silently at himself for not seeing to it that Dorcas was near a hospital before she went into labour. He was ill equipped to do a caesarean section here in the manor. His eyes met Laura's and she felt fear shoot through her at seeing the concern in his face. She tried to stay strong for him, though, by smiling encouragingly at him until, as though drawing from her strength, he managed to give her a brief smile back. Then he took a deep breath and tried again. This time the leg disappeared back inside of Dorcas and Richard was finally able to get the baby turned head down.

"We did it, Lady Dorcas! The baby's head is now where it should be!"

"Oh, thank God!" Dorcas cried with relief. Then another wave of contractions came over her and she couldn't help but groan.

"Try not to push just yet," Richard said. "You're almost there, just a little longer."

Timothy was now pressed to the door, desperate to know what was going on. He had never felt such fear in his life as when Minnie told him Dorcas was in trouble. He seemed to stand at that door for an eternity, feeling each of Dorcas's groans and cries of pain as deeply as if they were his own. Light was beginning to emanate from the windows down the hall and he knew that dawn had finally broken. The storm must have passed as a streak of sunshine slowly inched its way along the floor towards him. He took comfort in its light.

Then he heard Richard's voice. "I need you to push…now!"

Dorcas bore down with a grimace and clutched even tighter to Laura's hand.

"All right, stop for a moment," Richard commanded. He appeared to be checking something whilst Dorcas caught her breath.

"You're doing fine, Lady Dorcas," Laura said with a smile as she patted her hand.

"Thank you for being here, Laura," Dorcas whispered to her before another contraction came.

"Now push!" Richard commanded again. "Good, very good, keep pushing!"

Nanny had a towel prepared to take the baby with and a warm basin of water ready to bathe it in when it came out. She stood at the ready, like a soldier waiting for the call to charge.

Dorcas was exhausted and she was slowly losing strength. "Just one more push," Richard called out to her. "I know you're tired, but you can do this. You're almost there!"

"Come on, Lady Dorcas, just hold tight to me. I know you can do it!" Laura cheered her on.

Dorcas took a deep breath and with as much strength as she could gather, bore down as hard as she could.

Richard smiled as the baby's head finally popped through and he gently pulled the rest of the baby out of her. "You did it! Congratulations, Lady Dorcas, you have a perfect little boy!" Richard quickly cleared the baby's airways until it finally emitted a lusty cry.

Dorcas began to cry with relief and so did Laura as Richard held the baby up for them to see. Then he gently laid him on her belly whilst he quickly tied and cut the umbilical cord. Afterwards, he gave the baby to Nanny who cooed and smiled as she gave him his first bath.

Laura hurried out the door to get Timothy. The minute Timothy saw the smile on Laura's face he knew everything was going to be all right. "Congratulations, Sir Timothy, you have a son!"

Timothy suddenly burst into tears and hugged Laura tightly to him. "Dorcas….she's all right?" he cried.

Laura patted his back. "Yes, Sir Timothy, Lady Dorcas is just fine and the baby is perfect. You can see them now." Laura reached into her pocket and brought out a handkerchief. "Here, it's my turn to dry your tears."

Timothy smiled sheepishly as he took her handkerchief and wiped his tears away before going in to see Dorcas. Before he did so, he gave Laura a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Laura."

Laura smiled and wiped away her own tears as she watched him hurry into the room. Then she went to find Minnie and Sydney to tell them the news.

Timothy tried, but the moment he saw Dorcas with their baby in her arms he couldn't stop from bursting into tears again. He took her face and kissed her repeatedly. "You're really all right?" he sobbed.

At this point, Richard took Nanny out of the room with him to give Dorcas and Timothy some privacy.

"Oh, Timothy, darling, I'm fine. Don't cry, my love." She kissed away his tears as she caressed his face. "Look, there's someone here waiting to meet you."

Timothy began to laugh through his tears as he looked into his little son's face for the first time.

"Oh, Dorcas, he's so beautiful!" He gently picked him up in his arms and kissed his little face. "Hello, son, I'm your papa!"

Dorcas began to cry herself as she watched them together. "Well, Timothy, what are we going to name this child of ours?"

Timothy studied his son's face. "Well, he does rather remind me of my grandfather. His name was Benjamin."

"Benjamin," Dorcas echoed. "Benjamin Midwinter. I like it, Timothy."

"Benjamin Lane Midwinter," he corrected her with a smile.

Dorcas's own smile lit the room. "How lovely, Timothy!"

Timothy gently placed Benjamin back in his mother's arms. "Hello, Benjamin," Dorcas whispered to her son. "Oh, Timothy, I think he has your chin and your nose."

Timothy looked pleased. Then Benjamin began to cry loudly. "I think he has your lungs, Dorcas," he teased, earning a flash from her eyes as she tried not to laugh.

"I think someone's hungry," Dorcas said as she adjusted Benjamin so he could nurse.

Timothy looked down at the two of them. "Oh, Dorcas, I am so happy-so very happy!" He took her hand and held it tight, never wanting to let go of it ever again.

Richard was exhausted. He looked around for Laura but she was nowhere to be seen. With a sigh he made his way outside and into the garden where he found a stone bench to sit upon in the sunshine. He took in deep breaths of air made fresh from last night's rain, and closed his eyes as he turned his face towards the sun. He hoped Laura would come find him.

Laura was with Minnie and Sydney who were both ecstatic to hear that Dorcas was all right and that the baby had finally arrived. One of the servants then came up to them and said that breakfast had been prepared so they could come down at any time. They were all famished after such a night filled with so much excitement. Laura wondered if Richard had been told about the breakfast. If anyone needed to eat it was him. She followed Minnie and Sydney down to the dining room all the while thinking of Richard and how incredible he had been that night. How could she have ever thought ill of him before? He was the most magnificent and heroic man she had ever known.

"Minnie," she called out, "where did you put my journals?"

Minnie looked back at her. "They're upstairs in the room we were just in. I put them on top of the dresser."

Laura hurried back to retrieve them, then she hurried down to the dining room in hopes of finding Richard there.

He wasn't there, she noted with disappointment. "Minnie, have you seen Doctor Armstrong?" Laura asked.

Minnie shook her head. "No, I haven't. Maybe he's still with Lady Dorcas."

"I've seen him, miss," the young servant girl piped up. "He went out into the garden a few minutes ago." She pointed, "Just through that door there."

"Thank you very much," Laura replied. "Is it all right if I take a tray out to him? I'm sure he must be famished."

"Take whatever you like, miss."

Laura piled the tray high with food and a large mug of coffee. Then, tucking her journals under her arm, she made her way outside where she saw Richard sitting on the bench with his back to her.

He looked up when he heard her footsteps approaching and his smile lit up his tired face. "You are an angel!" he exclaimed when she handed him the tray of food.

"I thought you could use some breakfast right about now," Laura replied, suddenly feeling rather shy for some reason. She sat down beside him and waited whilst he wolfed down his food. He had obviously been starving.

She gave him a sideways glance. "You were magnificent last night—the way you fought the fire, and then the way you saved Lady Dorcas and the baby. You were positively heroic." She shook her head at the memory of it.

She could have sworn she saw a blush come over his pale cheeks. "Thank you," he said quietly. "You weren't so bad yourself."

"Oh, well, catching on fire was hardly one of my better moments. It hardly compares to you fighting fires on rooftops—and on young maidens, not to mention saving a mother and her baby from a difficult birth."

Richard shrugged modestly but she could tell he was pleased by her praise.

"I'm so glad you came home, Richard. I…I missed you."

He turned to face her and suddenly the tiredness was gone from his face. "Did you?" he asked softly.

Laura nodded her head. "Yes, I did." Then she took his face in her hands and kissed him. It was the greatest reward he could have asked for. His arms went around her and pulled her closer to him as he returned the kiss most passionately.

"Oh, Laura," he exclaimed when their lips finally parted. "I love you. I love you with all my heart."

Her eyes filled with tears. "I love you, too, Richard. I have for a long time. I thought I knew what love was before, but I really had no idea until I met you. I'm just sorry it took me so long to admit it."

He smiled as he rested his forehead against hers, keeping his hands entangled in her hair. Then his gaze fell upon the journals next to her. "What are those?" he asked.

Laura looked down at the journals and picked them up. "These are my journals." She took his hand and placed one of the journals upon it. "This is my very first one. I started it when I was eight years old so I doubt you will find anything too scintillating within its pages."

Richard smiled as he regarded the tattered little booklet in his hand. "And this one," she continued, "was written when I was twelve…" She continued to pile the journals on his hand one-by-one, giving a little description of each, until he had them all.

"Are these really for me?" he asked with wonder in his eyes as he regarded them.

"Yes, I am giving you my heart and soul," she replied rather breathlessly. Then she narrowed her eyes at him. "You know, you still owe me your life story. Now that you have mine in your hands it's only fair."

He looked at her with amusement. "I do, don't I?" He thought for a moment then said, "Did I tell you that I own a mansion?"

"A mansion?" she exclaimed.

"Yes, it's even bigger than Sir Timothy's."

Laura gave him a look of amused incredulousness. "Now you're just making things up."

"I'm not! My grandfather left me a mansion and a huge estate. I have no idea what to do with them."

Laura shook her head at him. "You don't have to make things up to impress me."

"I assure you it's true."

"Maybe I should take my journals back until you tell me the truth."

Richard jumped up from the bench and held the journals up in the air out of her reach. "Oh, no, you cannot have them back until I have etched every word of them on my heart."

"Richard! Give them back to me right now!" she shouted, and then she began to laugh as she chased him about the garden.

"No! They're mine!" he yelled back as he laughed and kept just out of her reach. Finally, she caught up to him and grabbed him around the waist as she gasped with laughter. He still held the journals away from her with one hand whilst he pulled her tight against him with the other.

"You're not being fair," she accused him.

"I see. You want me to give you some sort of collateral for the journals, is that it?" He smiled down at her indignant face.

"Yes, I do!"

Richard reached into his pocket and found his mother's ring. He drew it out slowly and then held it up to her. "Will this do?"

Laura gasped and was suddenly serious as she searched his face. "Is this...are you…?"

"Yes, Laura, I am asking you…will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

Laura suddenly felt like crying and laughing at the same time. "Yes! Oh, yes!" she cried as she flung her arms around his neck. Richard then picked her up and swung her round and round with joyous laughter. When he finally put her down he slipped the ring on her finger and then took her in his arms and kissed her, never ever wanting to let her go.

Dorcas looked up at Timothy. "Was that shouting I just heard outside?"

Timothy got up and looked out the window. "It's Laura and Richard out in the garden."

"Oh, dear, I do hope they aren't at each other's throats again," she said with a furrowed brow.

Timothy began to chuckle as he witnessed Richard taking Laura into his arms in a passionate embrace.

"What is it?" Dorcas asked.

"It depends on what you mean by 'at each other's throats'."

"What are you talking about, Timothy?"

Timothy turned away from the window and returned to her side. "Let's just say, my love, that I think Candleford will be seeing another wedding before the summer is out."

A smile spread across Dorcas's face as she finally understood his meaning. "True love always manages to find its way, doesn't it?" she said as she looked down into Benjamin's precious little face.

Timothy lay down beside her and kissed her tenderly. Then together they watched their little son as he slept contentedly in his mother's arms.

"It most certainly does, my darling. It most certainly does."

EPILOGUE

One night, when he was seventy-eight years old, Timothy kissed Dorcas good night and told her that he loved her, just as he had every night for the past thirty-eight years. In the morning, Dorcas awakened and turned towards her husband, placing her arm around him as she had also done every morning for the past thirty-eight years. But this morning she found him cold and still and her cries of anguish brought Ben running.

In the weeks that passed, her children tried to keep her busy as much as possible. Sydney even talked her into coming back to the Post Office, which was now three times as big and had several employees. The original front counter was still there, though, and Sydney enjoyed seeing his mother behind it once again. But he could see that her heart wasn't in it anymore. She was quiet and withdrawn; her once bright eyes had dimmed and often swam with unshed tears. There were times when the front door would swing open and she would look up with a rare brightness in her eyes, only to have it dim with disappointment when whatever she had hoped to see did not manifest.

Ben also worked hard to keep his mother's spirits up after the loss of his father. He sometimes regretted how much he resembled his father because his mother would often startle at the sight of him. She would then take his face in her hands and study it as though looking for Timothy within it. Then she would give a half-hearted laugh at her foolishness and kiss his cheek apologetically.

Then, one day, Dorcas arrived at the Post Office in her best dress, and around her neck was the diamond necklace Timothy had given to her for Christmas so long ago.

"Why so fancy today, Ma?" Sydney asked with amusement.

"Oh, I just felt like dressing up today," she said with a wry smile. "Where is Abby?"

Sydney smiled. "Oh, you know Abby. She can't stay away from that new granddaughter of ours. She's over in Oxford for the day, probably spoiling her rotten."

"Oh, how I wish they were here so I could have said….well, never mind. Give her a kiss for me when she comes home."

Sydney gave her an odd look. "I will, Ma, but you can see her yourself tomorrow."

Dorcas just smiled sadly at him. "Yes, of course."

She worked alongside Sydney for just an hour or so and then she kissed him on the cheek and looked at him with eyes that were the brightest they had been since losing Timothy.

"I'm going to go home now," she said as she held his face in her hands. "I love you, Little Man, so very much."

"I love you too, Ma," Sydney replied with a furrowed brow. She hadn't called him Little Man in over thirty years. "I'll come see you tonight." He hugged his mother extra tight this time. He didn't know why, but he felt a heaviness in his heart. Then he walked her to the door where she hesitated a moment and looked around at the Post Office with a smile before turning away again.

When she returned home she went up to her room, then came down again and found Ben in his study. He looked up and gave her a smile. "Hello, Mother, you're home early."

"Yes, I thought I might take a little walk. Won't you come with me, Benjamin?"

"Of course, Mother, just give me a moment."

Ben took his mother's arm and they walked into the meadow and then up the gentle hill where she stopped at a very large, very old tree stump. Dorcas sat down on its crumbling wood and patted the stump next to her for Ben to sit upon. She took his hand and held it tight.

"Your father and I used to play under the tree that used to stand here. We fell in love under this tree, too."

Ben smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "I know. Father used to tell me about it all the time. He even said you nearly knocked him out of the tree once."

Dorcas laughed softly at the memory. "Oh, yes, your father could provoke the dickens out of me. But, oh, how I loved him. He was the best friend I ever had."

They sat in silence for awhile, remembering the good times, then Dorcas let go of his hand and touched his face. "I'm so proud of you, Benjamin. You are going to be a wonderful Squire—so like your father you are. I love you, my precious boy. You were such a gift to us."

"I love you too, Mother," he said as he gave her a hug, but he felt a sadness descend upon him as he held her in his arms. "Mother, are you sure you're all right?"

Dorcas smiled at him. "I'm fine, my love. In fact, I haven't felt this good in a long time. You go on home now, Benjamin. I'm going to sit here just a little while longer."

"All right, Mother. Don't stay too long though, okay?" He gave her a concerned look as he held on to her hand, but then she shooed him away.

Dorcas closed her eyes and smiled to herself. Then she gently lowered herself to the ground and leaned against the stump. She felt herself falling asleep, and when she awoke it was no longer just a stump she was leaning against but Big Tree itself. She let her head rest against its sturdiness and soon heard footsteps approaching her. Deep in her soul she knew who it was and she opened her eyes joyfully to see Timothy standing before her, looking just as he did when they first fell in love. She reached out to him, not with the hands of the old woman she had become, but with the soft, supple hands she once had in her youth. Timothy took her hands in his, and with a joyful laugh pulled her to her feet and swung her around in his arms.

"Timothy, is it really you?" she asked incredulously as she touched his face and stared into his beautiful brown eyes.

"Of course it's me, darling. I've been waiting for you." He took her face in his hands and kissed her again and again, and then his eyes sparkled as he said, "Come on, my love, I'll race you to Candleford!"

Dorcas laughed, "As if you could ever beat me, Timothy Midwinter!" Then they both raced as fast and as far as they could, until their laughter faded into the distance.

When two hours had passed and his mother still hadn't come home, Benjamin went out to find her. He cried out as he found her slumped next to the tree stump and, falling down next to her, took her in his arms and rocked her as he held her to his chest.

"Oh, Mother, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left you! What are we going to do without you?" he sobbed as he kissed her face, wetting it with his tears. He stayed there a long time until he found the strength to carry her home. It was then that he noticed that something was clutched tightly in one of her hands. He laid her down carefully and then gently pried her fingers open to see what was so dear to her that she clutched it even in death.

In her hand was a little wooden heart with the initials T and D carved upon it.

Benjamin smiled through his tears and then gently closed her fingers around the precious heart again.

THE END

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope you have enjoyed it. Please check out my sequel to "Dorcas and Timothy: A Lark Rise to Candleford Tale" called "A Midwinter's Tale" found here at fanfiction.

Disclaimer

"Dorcas and Timothy: A Lark Rise to Candleford Tale" is an amateur, not-for-profit publication produced solely for the fans of "Lark Rise to Candleford". It is not intended to infringe upon any rights held by the BBC. Pages 31-43 contain actual dialog and situations from the TV series "Lark Rise to Candleford" written by Bill Gallagher, Carolyn Bonnyman and Gaby Chiappe.

I would like to thank you all for taking the time to read my story with special thanks to those who left reviews. [Author's note: To those of you who may be wondering what the character Doctor Richard Armstrong looks like, I modeled him after my favorite actor Richard Armitage ("North and South", "Robin Hood", "Spooks"). I always thought Lark Rise to Candleford needed a character who was a doctor, so if I could cast him myself it would be with Richard Armitage. :)]