"I don't know what happened," said Jonas. "I felt just fine, and then the floor seemed to tilt sideways."

Melanie jumped to her feet. "I'll get Dr. Meade."

"Oh, no!" Melanie saw the panic in Jonas' eyes. "Don't get the doctor. I'll be fine. Just let me sit here and rest some more."

"But you might have a concussion!"

"I'll be all right." Jonas was resolute.

"Why won't you let me get the doctor?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He looked down at his blue uniform.

"That won't matter to Dr. Meade! He's a good man!"

"Even so, I wouldn't want to make him uncomfortable. Really, I'll be fine. Just let me rest here a bit more." He lay back on the sofa and closed his eyes. Beau returned to his play, Melanie to her household chores. By dinner time, he was snoring. Not wanting to disturb him, Melanie served dinner to herself and Beau and saved a plate for him.

It was close to bedtime when he finally awakened and looked around, startled. "Whoa! What time is it?"

"Nearly eight," Melanie told him. "I fixed you a plate in case you're hungry."

"You're too kind, ma'am, but I'd best be on my way. I don't want to cause you to be the subject of vicious rumors."

"At least let me help you to the shed in the back. I'll bring you some blankets and pillows so you'll be more comfortable."

"I don't mean to be intrusive, ma'am, but what happened to your husband? Was he killed in the war?"

"He was killed in an accident at the sawmill where he worked." She remembered it as vividly as if it had been yesterday. She'd been preparing lunch when the men had showed up. There had been a terrible accident, they'd told her. Ashley had been...

She didn't remember much after that, as she'd swooned and they'd had to catch her so she wouldn't fall.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, ma'am."

She smiled. "You may call me Melanie."

He grinned back. "Only if you'll call me Jonas." She saw that his eyes were twinkling, and her heart began to beat faster. For shame, Melanie! she rebuked herself. Why, Ashley's hardly been gone six months!

"I'll be on my way, then." He turned to walk outside.

"Wait! Aren't you going to eat your dinner first?"

He laughed. "Thanks for reminding me."

He gobbled down every bite of the chicken, biscuits, gravy, and turnip greens, then thanked Melanie and went out to the shed.

Upon awakening the following morning, her first thought was of Jonas. Had he slept well? Had there been lingering effects from the concussion that hadn't shown up until later? She and Beau were about halfway through their breakfast when he appeared at the door.

"I'd best be on my way," he told her. "Thanks again for your hospitality."

"Won't you stay and have breakfast first?"

"Oh, no, that's all right. I need to find that runaway horse. I'm much obliged - take good care of yourself and the boy."

"Good-bye, Mr. Jonas!" Beau cried.

"Good-bye, Beau. I know you'll grow up to make your Mama proud." He took something from his pocket and held it out to Beau. Melanie saw that it was a pocket knife.

"Wow, thanks!" Beau took the pocket knife and turned it around and around in his hands, admiring its expert craftsmanship.

Jonas had barely left when who should show up on the Wilkes' front doorstep but Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler.