Gabriel was always amused, watching Dorcas at her work. The efficiency with which she ran the Candleford Post Office left her husband impressed. She seemed to inhabit another world once her daily duties began - and this, Gabriel found fascinating.

"My love," he said one morning as he studied Dorcas taking telegraphs, "should you not pace yourself? You work so quickly and carefully - which is quite amazing - but I worry that you are going too headlong into things."

Dorcas looked up from her writing, offering her husband a wry grin.

"You underestimate my resilience, my dear," she teased. "Have you ever known me to be less than up to my tasks each day?"

Sighing, Gabriel put his hands in his pockets and looked down to the floor.

"Of course not," he told her. "But Dorcas…"

The look his diminutive wife gave him then told Gabriel he would be best off to let the matter drop. And so he did.

"I believe the forge is calling me," Gabriel told Dorcas. He then took his leave of her.

With an audible sigh, Dorcas watched her husband head to his work. Once again, she'd given him the wrong idea; he was concerned for her health and she'd yet again pushed him off. But she did so not out of anger or frustration. She was simply afraid to tell him that their lives were about to change again - completely.

Hammering away at a piece of iron, Gabriel wiped the sweat from his brow. He felt the ache of his work in every muscle of his body, strong as it was. But this day, everything felt different. Something was gnawing at Dorcas, he knew, and there was nothing for him to do but wait for her to bring it his way.

"Gabriel?"

He turned to find Dorcas watching him.

"Yes, my love?"

Rather sheepishly, Dorcas approached her husband, touching his forearm. Gabriel put down his tools and, after wiping his hands on a cloth, gently took his wife into his strong arms and, gazing down into her green eyes, studied her intently.

"Oh, sweetheart," Dorcas began, "I am sorry for snapping at you just now. Please forgive me."

Gabriel pulled her close against him. And Dorcas nestled her head against his chest, relishing the feel of her man's muscles. She now knew them so well.

"Are you all right, Dorcas?" Gabriel asked. "I only wish to see that you don't overtax yourself, that's all. I have no doubt that you'll never have trouble ensuring that…"

Dorcas cut him off.

"Gabriel, I'm going to have a baby."

Gabriel was stunned.

"Our baby."

Unable to speak, Gabriel merely wrapped Dorcas tighter in his embrace. His breath now came quickly, as did hers.

"You… You are certain?" Gabriel asked, barely able to get the words out.

"Yes," Dorcas told him, somewhat breathlessly. "I am sure now. That is why I have … waited to tell you."

"How long…?" Gabriel said hoarsely.

"Two months," Dorcas said quietly. "I only wanted to make absolutely certain that I was… that we had… Oh, Gabriel!"

Now Gabriel stroked his wife's cheek tenderly. He adored her. And now they were going to be unified forever through their child.

"My darling," Gabriel whispered, burying his lips into the top of Dorcas' thick, curly hair. "How I love you."

Dorcas nuzzled his chest.

"Your love," she told her husband, "is yet another of my many, many weaknesses."