James discovered he loved horses.
William discovered he did not.
Margaret planted vegetables.
Catherine read anything she could touch.
Edward remained convinced he had personally defeated the Mercer gang with a skillet.
Caleb never corrected him.
The federal investigation spread across three territories.
Judges resigned.
Company officers fled.
Silas Mercer was charged with conspiracy, fraud, kidnapping, bribery, and murder.
Mrs. Cromwell agreed to testify.
The Bride Society office closed.
Twenty-three families separated through its schemes were located.
Caleb helped reunite eleven.
His reputation changed slowly.
People who once crossed the street to avoid him began greeting him.
He seemed almost disappointed.
“Being feared was easier,” he complained.
Eleanor smiled.
“You’ll survive.”
Autumn arrived.
One evening Eleanor found Caleb repairing the barn door.
“You never told me why there were eight bowls.”
His hammer stopped.
“What?”
“The first night.”
He looked toward the house.
“You lived alone. There were eight bowls.”
For perhaps the first time, Caleb looked embarrassed.
“I bought them before Covenant Creek.”
Eleanor’s heart tightened.
“You already knew you were bringing us here.”
“I hoped.”
“All eight of us.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t even know whether I would agree.”
“No.”
She studied him.
“Why eight?”
Caleb resumed hammering.
“One for you. Seven children.”
“And yours?”
“I had a tin plate.”
Eleanor swallowed.
There had never been a place for him.
Because he had never assumed he belonged in the family he was saving.
She took the hammer from his hand.
“Come inside.”
“I’m not finished.”
“Caleb.”
Something in her tone stopped him.
That night, for the first time, nine places were set at the table.
Eight bowls.
And one tin plate.
Eleanor removed the tin plate.
She placed a new bowl before Caleb.
He stared at it.
Edward climbed onto his chair.
“Bear has a bowl!”
Everyone laughed.
Caleb looked at Eleanor.
Something passed between them that required no explanation.
Later, after the children slept, they stood outside beneath a sky filled with stars.
“I don’t know what this is,” Eleanor admitted.
Caleb looked at her.
“Neither do I.”
“You bought me at an auction.”
“Technically.”
“Don’t ever say technically.”
“Understood.”
She smiled.
Then became serious.
“You saved my children.”
“Your husband asked me to.”
“That isn’t why you stayed.”
“No.”
“Why did you?”
Caleb was silent for a long time.
Finally he said, “Because somewhere between Thomas threatening to kill me, Sarah stealing my books, Edward destroying my skillet, and you reorganizing everything I own…”
Eleanor laughed softly.
“…the place stopped feeling empty.”
Her smile disappeared.
Caleb’s voice lowered.
“And I discovered I didn’t want it empty again.”
Eleanor reached for his hand.
This time he did not wait.
Winter returned early.
By December, snow covered the valley.
Christmas approached.
The children secretly made gifts.
Thomas carved a wooden horse for Edward.
Sarah copied poems into a hand-sewn book for Eleanor.
Margaret and Catherine embroidered a cloth with crooked flowers.
James and William built Caleb a gun rack.
But three days before Christmas, a letter arrived.
It came from Washington.
Eleanor opened it beside the fireplace.
The Department of Justice had completed its investigation.
The Mercer company would be dissolved.
Assets were being returned to defrauded families.
Daniel Hayes—Nathaniel Mercer—would receive a posthumous federal commendation.
Eleanor read the final paragraph twice.
