tilted his head, as if to better hear her reply.
Erin mel his gaze over Quinn’s shoulder. “Yes, I’ll marry Mr. Yarborough.”
The doctor’s chuckle was rich, relief blending with his obvious pleasure in her decision. “Well, that certainly solves things nicely, I’d say. You’re a lucky man, and that’s a fact, Mr. Yarborough. Not every day a man gets a prize like this young woman handed to him.”
Erin didn’t hear Quinn’s reply, nor did she hear the hum of conversation that rushed to fill the silence, for her ears throbbed as she listened to the beating of her own heart, its pace rapid against her breastbone.
Then she blinked, watching as Doc Fisher and Quinn shook hands and discussed the legalities of the situation. Near the table Brother Stephen fished through his pockets, finding a veritable treasure trove therein, including a small Bible and another book. His satisfaction was apparent as he held both volumes within long, slender fingers.
“We don’t have a ring.” Erin murmured the words in a small voice. Her announcement silenced the room, as if uttered with the sound of trumpets.
Quinn straightened, his quick gaze slanting in her direction. With only a moment’s hesitation, his hand slid into his pocket and he brought forth a slim leather purse. Two long fingers slid inside, withdrawing a narrow gold band that glittered in the rays of pale sunlight coming through the window.
“It was my mother’s.” It circled the tip of his index finger and he held it in Erin’s direction. “Will this do?”
She nodded. “Oh, yes.” Swiftly her eyes met his, and she felt them fill with unwanted tears. “Would she mind, do you think?”
Whether it was the evidence of emotion that drew him or only the urge to offer the symbol into her keeping he didn’t know. He simply stepped to her side, drawing her from the chair with a hand beneath her elbow.
“Let’s see if it fits,” Quinn murmured, taking the baby from her arms to hand him to the doctor.
Erin gave up possession with only a moment’s hesitation, her gaze fastened on the movement of Quinn’s hands as he slipped the narrow band into place. It was almost a perfect fit, needing only a tiny nudge to ease it over her knuckle. She bit at her lip as she blinked back the tears that begged to fall.
“What do you think?” he asked, his voice rough, as if her emotion had spilled in his direction.
“I’d be proud to wear it, as long as you’re sure.”
Quinn cleared his throat “I’m sure.” He turned his head to where the doctor watched and waited. “You want to hold the baby while we do this?”
“Guess I can handle this little fella for a few minutes.” Doc’s big hands cradled the small bundle in one arm, and he nodded at the preacher.
“Well, I don’t see any reason why we can’t make this a legal situation,” Brother Stephen announced, his wide smile laced with relief. His fingers slid between the pages as he ruffled through the book he held, then halted as he smoothed it open to the place he sought. He stepped to the window to catch the available light.
“It was handy that I brought along my book of sacraments,” he said, eyeing Erin with smug delight
He planned this, she thought, amazed that no censure marred her judgment only a certainty of what was right and fitting.
“Let’s use the long version of the ceremony,” the young clergyman said quietly. “I believe presiding atweddings is about the most important thing I do as a minister, Miss Erin. God willing, this will be a union for life, and it merits taking the time to do it right. It doesn’t matter that there’s only a few of us here, so long as God is invited to join in the proceedings.”
A rush of gratitude filled Erin’s heart, and she nodded her agreement, unwilling to trust her voice. Quinn’s hand tightened on her arm and she cast a glance upward, gaining strength from the curve of his mouth and the approval of his gaze.
They stood before the
Erin mel his gaze over Quinn’s shoulder. “Yes, I’ll marry Mr. Yarborough.”
The doctor’s chuckle was rich, relief blending with his obvious pleasure in her decision. “Well, that certainly solves things nicely, I’d say. You’re a lucky man, and that’s a fact, Mr. Yarborough. Not every day a man gets a prize like this young woman handed to him.”
Erin didn’t hear Quinn’s reply, nor did she hear the hum of conversation that rushed to fill the silence, for her ears throbbed as she listened to the beating of her own heart, its pace rapid against her breastbone.
Then she blinked, watching as Doc Fisher and Quinn shook hands and discussed the legalities of the situation. Near the table Brother Stephen fished through his pockets, finding a veritable treasure trove therein, including a small Bible and another book. His satisfaction was apparent as he held both volumes within long, slender fingers.
“We don’t have a ring.” Erin murmured the words in a small voice. Her announcement silenced the room, as if uttered with the sound of trumpets.
Quinn straightened, his quick gaze slanting in her direction. With only a moment’s hesitation, his hand slid into his pocket and he brought forth a slim leather purse. Two long fingers slid inside, withdrawing a narrow gold band that glittered in the rays of pale sunlight coming through the window.
“It was my mother’s.” It circled the tip of his index finger and he held it in Erin’s direction. “Will this do?”
She nodded. “Oh, yes.” Swiftly her eyes met his, and she felt them fill with unwanted tears. “Would she mind, do you think?”
Whether it was the evidence of emotion that drew him or only the urge to offer the symbol into her keeping he didn’t know. He simply stepped to her side, drawing her from the chair with a hand beneath her elbow.
“Let’s see if it fits,” Quinn murmured, taking the baby from her arms to hand him to the doctor.
Erin gave up possession with only a moment’s hesitation, her gaze fastened on the movement of Quinn’s hands as he slipped the narrow band into place. It was almost a perfect fit, needing only a tiny nudge to ease it over her knuckle. She bit at her lip as she blinked back the tears that begged to fall.
“What do you think?” he asked, his voice rough, as if her emotion had spilled in his direction.
“I’d be proud to wear it, as long as you’re sure.”
Quinn cleared his throat “I’m sure.” He turned his head to where the doctor watched and waited. “You want to hold the baby while we do this?”
“Guess I can handle this little fella for a few minutes.” Doc’s big hands cradled the small bundle in one arm, and he nodded at the preacher.
“Well, I don’t see any reason why we can’t make this a legal situation,” Brother Stephen announced, his wide smile laced with relief. His fingers slid between the pages as he ruffled through the book he held, then halted as he smoothed it open to the place he sought. He stepped to the window to catch the available light.
“It was handy that I brought along my book of sacraments,” he said, eyeing Erin with smug delight
He planned this, she thought, amazed that no censure marred her judgment only a certainty of what was right and fitting.
“Let’s use the long version of the ceremony,” the young clergyman said quietly. “I believe presiding atweddings is about the most important thing I do as a minister, Miss Erin. God willing, this will be a union for life, and it merits taking the time to do it right. It doesn’t matter that there’s only a few of us here, so long as God is invited to join in the proceedings.”
A rush of gratitude filled Erin’s heart, and she nodded her agreement, unwilling to trust her voice. Quinn’s hand tightened on her arm and she cast a glance upward, gaining strength from the curve of his mouth and the approval of his gaze.
They stood before the
Similar Books
