LITMIR.BIZ

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even more, including the charming pastor, Reverend Thomas. His Virginia accent differed from Susanna’s Georgia drawl and Evangeline’s broader Cajun intonations, but there was no mistaking his southern origins. She also met the rest of the vast Northam family, including Colonel and Mrs. Northam, their youngest son, Bartholomew, nicknamed Tolley, and Tolley’s wife, Laurie.

      Having played hostess for her father and husband, Evangeline put her keen memory skills to use and filed away something unique about each person so she could remember their names in the future.

      “Justice.” Susanna stood in the aisle by the pew and waved to him as he entered the church. “I saved you a spot.” She indicated the space beside Evangeline.

      If Evangeline weren’t in church, she’d be tempted to smack her cousin’s arm...hard. As it was, she saw Justice wince and look around like a scared mouse trying to escape a cat. The crowded sanctuary offered few remaining seats, so he had no choice but to obey the summons.

      Justice brushed against Evangeline’s shoulder and skirt as he sat. “Morning, Mrs. Benoit.” His deep, rich voice caused a pleasant shiver to roll down her neck and arm. She eased the effects of her involuntary reaction by noting he’d lost some of his Cajun inflections in the past eleven years. She doubted he’d deliberately changed his speech to fit in. Justice was never one to follow the crowd.

      “Good morning, Sheriff Gareau.” She was rescued from having to make further conversation when the pastor took his place at the front of the congregation and announced the first hymn.

      Sneaky Susanna had arranged for them to share a hymnal, but it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Justice’s baritone voice had always been strong and sure, unlike poor Nate’s. Even standing down the row from him, she could hear his off-key voice and she gave a quick shake of her head. At the end of the verse Evangeline glanced up when she heard Justice clear his throat, in time to see him smother an amused smile. She couldn’t keep from responding with one of her own.

      Dismissing such foolishness, she sang the alto line in the second stanza of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” and a tiny thrill wove its way through her heart. So often while growing up, they’d stood side by side in the church where their families had worshipped and harmonized as they now did, enjoying hymns of praise to the loving God they both believed in. The God Who dwelt among His children in this humble community church as surely as He did in the grand New Orleans cathedral. If only she could erase the past eleven years...

      No. That would mean she wouldn’t have her two precious children, whom she loved more than words could say. She must protect them at any cost, must protect all three of them from the strong, imposing lawman beside her, whose manly, orange-scented cologne made it difficult to concentrate on anything other than him.

      Forcing such foolishness from her mind, she bowed her head and prayed, as she always did in church, for God to speak to her today. Then she settled back to enjoy the rest of the service.

      After announcements, the offering and another hymn, Reverend Thomas began his sermon with Romans 13:8. “Paul tells us we should ‘Owe no man anything...’”

      Stuck on those words, Evangeline didn’t hear the rest of the verse. Owe no man anything? And yet she owed thousands of dollars. Her guilt, compounded by the presence of the man beside her, routed out every good feeling she’d experienced that morning.

      * * *

      Justice always enjoyed the services in this homey little church, but today, Susanna’s matchmaking caused him a great deal of discomfort. He couldn’t avoid Evangeline’s scent of gardenias, a fragrance he recalled from his early teen years when he’d plucked the snowy-white blossoms from his mother’s bushes for the beautiful young girl he loved. When the two of them sang the familiar hymns, they fell into the natural harmonies they’d enjoyed so many years ago. Even their silent communication over poor Nate’s legendary tone-deafness tugged on his heartstrings because he remembered the harmless laughter they’d shared as children over the foibles of being human. They’d never been cruel, only good-humored toward others, as youngsters tended to be when the future seemed bright and certain before them. Over the years, Justice often wondered how differently things might have turned out if he hadn’t gone on his Grand Tour. Would his father have died so young after being swindled out of his money? Would Mr. LaPierre have given Justice permission to marry Evangeline instead of granting that privilege to Lucius Benoit? He’d never know.

      The minister read from Romans 13:8, and Justice listened carefully, as his godly father taught him. “‘Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.’” Father also taught him never to contradict the Word of God. But it was difficult with Evangeline seated next to him. How could he love her? Yes, he knew the verse referred to Christian love, not the romantic sort. And he knew the law to be fulfilled referred to the commandment Christ called the second most important, to love one’s neighbor as oneself. Yet he would have a hard time being around Evangeline and loving her in Christ without thinking of the love they’d promised to one another so long ago. Thus, he should stay as far away from her as possible. Not easy when he’d be working on the Christmas village in the library’s back room. And then he’d promised Nate to keep watch over Gerard. There was no way he could win in this situation.

      After the final hymn, he nodded to his seatmates and strode up the aisle, ignoring Susanna’s call. She’d trapped him for the church service, but he wasn’t about to get invited to dinner and have to spend Sunday afternoon in the same house as Evangeline.

      He snagged his hat and winter jacket from the cloakroom and shook hands with the preacher before exiting into the churchyard. Nate’s brother Tolley and his wife, Laurie, were walking toward their home three blocks away, so he caught up with them. Tolley carried their one-year-old son on his hip, and Laurie grasped his other arm.

      “Nice day.” Feeling more than a little foolish, Justice fell into step beside them.

      “Yes, it is.” Tolley looked at him expectantly.

      Laurie, being the more perceptive of the two, elbowed her husband. “Sheriff, won’t you come for dinner? We’re having our usual pot roast and sure would enjoy your company.”

      “Sheriff.” Susanna bustled after them, waving her hand in the air.

      “Thank you, Laurie. I’d be pleased to accept.” Relieved to have successfully escaped Susanna, Justice inhaled a deep breath of the fresh autumn air. Safe. At least for today.

      “Sheriff, are you going deaf?” Susanna caught up with them and took a moment to chuck her young nephew under the chin. “Hello, sugar.” She turned her attention back to Justice. “Don’t you recall my inviting you to Sunday dinner?”

      “Did you?” Justice recalled it well. He also recalled not exactly accepting. “I’m sorry, but Laurie here has invited me, too.”

      Susanna gave her sister-in-law one of those looks women gave each other when they were put out. “Laurie, surely you knew I wanted him at my house today.”

      “Oh, dear.” Laurie batted her dark red eyelashes. “Well...” She looked up at Justice.

      “Tell you what,” Tolley broke in. “He can eat with us today, and next week he can join all of us for our monthly gathering at the big house.”

      “That might work.” Though he wanted to shake Tolley’s hand in gratitude, Justice instead tipped his hat to Susanna. He’d probably be forced to attend next week, but at least he’d be among a larger group where he might be able to avoid Evangeline. “Thank you for thinking of me,” he said to Susanna. “We poor bachelors depend on the kindness of our married friends to keep us fed.”

      She crossed her arms and tapped one foot on the hard-packed dirt road. “Very well. Next week, then. And I can count on you to keep an eye on Evangeline as she begins work at the library tomorrow?” Her expression held that private meaning she was so good at. Only a few people knew about the Christmas village, and this younger Northam couple was not among them.

      “Yes, ma’am.” He was sunk

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