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  As soon as she’d cleared dinner away, she brought out her books, and they sat together on the sofa.

  “This book discusses the history of astronomy—what our ancient ancestors thought the stars were, the legends they developed about them, and so forth,” she explained, handing him the first volume. “There are stories in here similar to the ones you told me from the Inuit, but from a wide variety of cultures. And this book talks about the stars themselves—their names, the constellations where they appear, and so forth.”

  “Tell me about your favorites,” he said, and she opened the second book and turned to the page about Cassiopeia.

  After a few minutes, she noticed that Richard was breathing softly and evenly, and she looked over to see that he had fallen asleep, his chin resting on his chest. Poor man—he’d worked the early shift that day and was going to be taking her out in the middle of the night. He deserved a nap. She closed the book, stood up, and gently nudged him until he flopped over onto the couch.

  “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I’ll wake up.”

  “No, you’ll take a nap,” she said. He didn’t argue—he’d never even opened his eyes.

  She shook her head and went into the bedroom, placing her books on the trunk and then deciding to take a nap herself. All that excitement, even though it was just emotional, had worn her right out.

  ***

  “Violet?”

  She felt a hand touch her shoulder, and her eyes flew open. “What is it? What’s the matter?”

  Richard stood there, a smile on his face. “It’s time to go see the stars.”

  “It is?” She sat up and noticed it was full dark. “Oh, it is! Let’s go!”

  He chuckled as she scrambled out of bed. “Thank you for letting me nap. I didn’t realize how tired I was.”

  “You needed it. And now we can stay out even later, right?”

  He laughed again. “Um, sure. The stars fade after about four hours, though, so that’s probably our limit.”

  They went outside, and Violet was pleased to see that he’d already hitched up the buggy they kept at the Mountie station in case it was needed. She knew the men relied on their horses for nearly everything, but sometimes, having a buggy was nice. He helped her up, then went back into the house to fetch the blanket and the basket of cookies she’d forgotten to bring out with her.

  As Richard guided the buggy along, Violet clung to his arm, staring up into the sky. The trees thinned, and she saw the twinkling of lights overhead. Oh, she’d missed this so much. A time or two, she’d thought about staying up late herself and just going out in front of their house to see the night sky, but she was always too tired to give it a try. Now, fortified with a nap, she was ready, and her heart soared to see her old friends again.

  Their destination, the hill Richard had spoken of, was neither steep nor high, but it was clear on all sides of trees and other things that would block their vision. They climbed to the top, leaving the horse tied to a tree at the bottom, and spread out the blanket they’d brought. Then Violet lay back, stared upwards, and gasped.

  It was just as Richard had promised it would be. From this vantage point, she felt as though she could leap out and touch space if only she could get up the momentum. Each star seemed so huge, so bright, and so beautiful.

  Richard reached over and wiped a tear away from her cheek. “Are you all right?”

  She rolled onto her side and looked at him. “I’m more than all right. This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Thank you so much for bringing me here.”

  He stroked her cheek, and it tingled where he touched. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, Violet.”

  She didn’t know how to respond to that. She just closed her eyes and accepted his kiss, curling her fingers around his neck. If Mrs. Allan knew how very happy she was at that moment, she’d likely have some sort of stroke, but Violet didn’t care. She was home now, in the arms of her husband, in a place where she could make a difference by being herself. What a novel thought.

  Richard pulled back, leaned on one elbow, and said, “Now, I seem to recall something about some cookies.”

  She laughed. “Yes, there are cookies. In the basket.”

  He set the basket on the blanket between them and they munched cookies and talked about the stars until the sky began to lighten again. It was without doubt the best night of Violet’s life—sharing the things she loved with the man she loved. And when they got back to the cabin, she walked over to the sofa, picked up his blanket, and tossed it in the closet. He wouldn’t be needing it out in the living room anymore.

  Chapter Ten

  Violet had just finished washing up the lunch dishes when a knock came at the door. She dried her hands and crossed the floor to open it. There stood Miss Hazel, along with Liam and Adele.

  “Hello,” she greeted them, wondering why they’d all come visiting together. “Come in.”

  Richard stood up from reading the newspaper and invited everyone to sit down. “What brings you by, everyone?”

  “I hope we’re not here too early,” Miss Hazel said. “I know you went out to see the stars last night and that you’d likely sleep in this morning because of it.”

  “Oh, we’ve been up for a couple of hours,” Violet said. “We’ve even just had our lunch. Can I get any of you something? Tea?”

  “Yes, please,” the older woman said, while Liam and Adele shook their heads. “It might help calm my nerves.”

  Violet and Richard exchanged confused glances. “What’s the matter?” Violet asked.

  “It’s terrible. It’s just terrible.” Miss Hazel sank onto the sofa, but stood up again within a second. “I’ve come to make a confession.”

  Violet handed her the tea and led her over to the table. “Have a seat and take a moment,” she said.

  Miss Hazel sipped her tea, closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and then blurted, “I matched up the wrong people.”

  “I don’t understand, Miss Hazel,” Adele said. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, you know these horrible reading glasses Dr. Baker is insisting I wear? I made a mistake, a horrible mistake, and I don’t know if you’ll ever be able to forgive me. I had all the letters from the Mounties in a stack, and I dropped the stack. I didn’t realize until late last night, when I was cleaning out my bag, that I had picked them up in the wrong order because I wasn’t wearing my glasses, and I’d made my assignments incorrectly. Liam had asked for a quiet, thoughtful girl, and Richard had asked for a girl who enjoyed being social. Violet, I meant to match you with Liam, and I was going to match Adele with Richard, but because the letters were out of order, I put the wrong names on the requests . . . and I can’t even describe what happened properly because I’m so upset. You all married the wrong people!”

  Violet reached across the table and took Miss Hazel’s hand. Adele came over and wrapped her arm around the matchmaker’s shoulders. “We didn’t marry the wrong people, Miss Hazel,” Adele assured her. “I’m very happy with Liam—very happy. And no offense, but I can’t imagine myself married to Richard. He’s just not for me.”

  “I feel the same way,” Violet chimed in. “Liam and I . . . well, we didn’t get off to a very good start.” She glanced at him and noticed that his face was red. Poor fellow—she knew how he felt. “But Richard and I are getting along so well. In fact, we’ve fallen in love.”

  Miss Hazel looked up, her eyes moist. “You mean it? You’re happy?”

  All four of them nodded.

  “So, I didn’t ruin anything after all?”

  “I’d say you fixed it,” Richard said, coming to stand next to Violet. “If you hadn’t dropped those papers, we definitely would have been married to the wrong people.”

  Miss Hazel smiled through her tears. “Oh, I’m so relieved to hear it,” she said. “I’ve had a sleepless night wondering how I was going to tell you. I couldn’t abide the thought that you’d have to settle in your marriages without
real happiness.”

  “All is well, Miss Hazel,” Liam said. “Your record of success remains unbroken.”

  She gave a happy sigh. “Thank you. Now, why are you all standing here staring at a blubbering old woman? Don’t you have happily married lives to lead or something? Go off with you, now!” She waved Liam and Adele out the door, then turned to Richard and Violet. “Your happiness is all that matters to me,” she said. “My record . . . well, it’s nice to know that I’ve been successful, but I’m only successful as long as you’re happy.”

  Violet gave her a quick hug. “We are, Miss Hazel. So very happy. Now go take a nap—they do wonders when you’ve had a sleepless night.”

  She closed the door after Miss Hazel had stepped off the porch, then leaned on the back of the nearest kitchen chair. “Can you imagine—me married to Liam?” The idea was so preposterous that she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

  “Or me married to Adele? She’s lively, all right, but I think I prefer my women a little quieter, a little more studious.” Richard crossed the floor and took her in his arms. “Out of all the women in the world—or the galaxy, for that matter—you’re the only one I want. And I will gladly spend the rest of my life showing you that in every possible way.”

  When he bent to kiss her, Violet wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, and for a moment, she could have sworn that she saw stars.

  Epilogue

  The aurora borealis was everything Violet had ever dreamed it would be, but it was so much more. She stared at the sky, mesmerized by the colors, the purples and blues, the streaks of light swirled together with the stars. It simply couldn’t be real, and yet it was.

  “It does this all winter?”

  “All winter,” Richard replied. “Until around March.”

  “How can something so incredible exist in our lowly world?”

  Richard wrapped his arms around her from behind and held her against his chest as they both stared upwards. This hill had become their favorite spot, their own private place to sit and talk and dream, and here, she knew anything was possible. Except this—this incredible display of creation and might and power. She felt as though the entire universe was on display for her to see, exceeding every expectation she’d ever had and pulling science and God together in a way that finally made sense. She would never be the same after this night—she knew it.

  After a few minutes, they sank onto their blanket, but didn’t take their eyes from the sky. She’d been waiting for this since she’d first arrived in Flying Squirrel, and now she didn’t know how she’d sleep a wink all winter—she’d want to come out here every night, no matter the weather, to see this phenomenon over and over again.

  Except maybe that wasn’t the best idea, considering that the temperatures would drop so very far, and she might not be able to tolerate the cold.

  “Richard, do you remember a conversation we had when we were first married about how you hoped I’d teach the children everything I knew about the stars?”

  “Yes,” he mumbled into her hair, where he’d buried his face when he wrapped his arms around her.

  “I think that showing them the Northern Lights is a good start, don’t you?”

  “I do,” he said, lifting his head a little. “I think they’d be just as fascinated as you are, seeing that they’re your children.”

  “Well, can you think of a better time to start teaching them than right now?”

  Richard looked at her curiously, then blinked. “Are you . . . are you saying . . .”

  Violet grinned. “Yes, Daddy. You can expect your own little Murray in about seven months.”

  He turned her to face him. “A baby.”

  “Yes, a baby. I’m not talking about an ocelot.”

  He laughed, gathering her up into his arms. “This is incredible. Just incredible. My mother is going to be ecstatic—she’ll probably want to be here as soon as the baby comes. Baby. Oh, my.” He sat back and ran a hand through his hair. “A baby. I think I need to breathe.”

  Violet grinned. His reaction was everything she’d hoped it would be—he was clearly overjoyed, but also surprised. She imagined that he’d make a wonderful father—he was so kind and thoughtful with her, he couldn’t possibly be anything else.

  “I wonder something,” she said, feeling a little shy to bring it up. “I know it’s odd, but if it’s a girl, what do you think of naming her Aurora?” She motioned at the sky above them, streaked with vibrant color.

  “Naming our beautiful daughter after the most beautiful thing in nature? I approve,” Richard said. “But listen—if we have a boy, there’s no way you’re naming him Borealis.”

  Violet threw her head back and laughed. Nothing, nothing in the world could ever be more perfect than this moment—sharing her wonderful news with the man she loved under the most incredible sky she’d ever seen. She’d thought she was happy many times before, and she had been, but it seemed that fate had decided to show her greater and greater levels of happy until she was ready to burst. What a beautiful gift.

  About Amelia C. Adams

  Amelia C. Adams is a wife, a mother, an eater of tacos, and a taker of naps. She spends her days thinking up stories and her nights writing them down. Her biggest hero is her husband, and you just might see bits and pieces of him as you read her novels.

  You can reach her at [email protected].

  Please join Amelia on her website to learn more about her, sign up for her newsletter, stay on top of news and upcoming releases, and follow her on Facebook. In fact, you can join her readers’ group by clicking here!

  And if you’ve enjoyed any of her novels, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. It’s much appreciated!

  The Kansas Crossroads Series:

  A New Beginning (free!)

  A Free Heart

  The Dark and the Dawn

  A Clean Slate

  A Clear Hope

  The Whisper of Morning

  A Careless Wind

  A Narrow Road

  The Bitter and the Sweet

  The Calm of Night

  A Begrudging Bride

  A Broken Wing (A Kansas Crossroads novella)

  A Twisted Fate

  An Unspoken Dream

  A Joyful Noise

  The Echo of Music (A Kansas Crossroads novella)

  The Risk and the Reward (A Kansas Crossroads novella)

  The Nurses of New York series:

  Sea of Strangers (free!)

  Cause of Conflict

  Touch of Tenderness

  Heart of Hearts

  Test of Time

  The American Mail-Order Brides series:

  Hope: Bride of New Jersey

  Tabitha: Bride of Missouri

  The Hearts of Nashville series:

  Whiskey and Women

  Records and Rebels

  As part of the Brides of Beckham series by Kirsten Osbourne:

  Mail Order Molly

  As part of the River’s End Ranch series:

  Accidental Agent

  Rugged Rockclimber

  Welcome Wagon

  Santa’s Shopkeeper

  Delivering Destiny

  Lucky Lifeguard

  Poinsettia Promises

  Christmas Catch-Up III

  Candy Crush

  Paislee’s Path

  Pet Peeves

  As part of the Grandma’s Wedding Quilts series:

  Meredith’s Mistake

  As part of the Magnolias and Moonshine series:

  Sweet Georgia Peach

  As part of the Burnt River series:

  Ashley’s Hope

  Phoebe’s Fate

  As part of the Rocky Mountain Romances series:

  Utah Sunrise

  As part of the Mail Order Mounties series:

  Bride for Joel

  Bride for Jonathan

  Bride for Samuel

  Bride for Calvin

  Bride for Peter

  Br
ide for Michael

  As part of the Seven Sons series:

  Benjamin

  Daniel

  Frank

  As part of the Cowboys and Angels series:

  Bribing the Blacksmith

  Tea for Two

  Loving the Landlord

  As part of the Main Street Merchants series:

  And Something Blue

  For Love or Money

  Five Golden Rings

  Just Desserts

  In the Stars

  Sugar and Spice

  As part of the Brody Hotel series:

  Generations

  Short Fiction:

  The Ghost of Dunlow Manor

  The Best of Me