Home Fires by Jana Richards

openly favored Anders over him made sense. Anders wasn’t to blame. No one was.
    “Why didn’t you tell me this years ago?”
    “I should have,” she said, “but I couldn’t say anything while Ingmar was alive. After he died, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I’m sorry, Erik, for being so weak.”
    Erik got to his feet and enveloped her in his arms. “Anders and Ingrid should know. Promise me you’ll tell them.”
    “Yes, I promise. There have been too many secrets in this family.”
    She pulled out of his arms and went to the cupboard, returning to him with an envelope.
    “Anne left this for you.”
    Erik stared at the sealed envelope in his hand, his name written in neat script on the front. His hands shook as he lifted the flap.
    My darling Erik,
    By the time you read this I’ll have left the farm. The farm and all the people living here have become very dear to me. I’ll miss this place as long as I live.
    I planned to include your grandmother’s necklace with this letter, but I couldn’t make myself take it off. Please forgive me. It’s all I have left of you. Someday, when it doesn’t hurt so much to part with it, I promise to return it.
    I know you don’t believe me, but I love you. I’ll always love you. I want only happiness for you. Please don’t close your heart to love.
    When I get settled, I’ll send you my address so that when you start divorce proceedings you can find me. I’ll cooperate in any way you want me to.
    Goodbye, my darling.
    Anne
    Erik read and then reread the letter. She loved him . Why hadn’t he let himself believe it? Was he doomed to repeat the mistakes of his father—his uncle—and never believe in the love that was staring him right in the face?
    He couldn’t let her go. He loved her. Whatever happened in the past didn’t matter anymore. The only thing that mattered was the present—and his future with Anne.
    Anne. Dear God, what have I done?
    “Ma, I don’t want to lose her. I’ve made such a huge mistake. What do I do?”
    Astrid glanced out the window. “There’s Ingrid returning with the sleigh. Maybe Carl Bjornson hasn’t taken her to the train yet.”
    Erik pushed his boots back on his feet and hurried outside as quickly as he could, ignoring the stabbing pain in his leg.
    “Ingrid, wait! Don’t unhitch the team.”
    She stopped on her way to the barn. “Why? Where are you going?”
    “To the Bjornsons’. I have to stop Anne from leaving.”
    Ingrid’s face lit with excitement. “She’s not there! She and Carl left for town before I started for home. He had some business to take care of and had to get there a little earlier. You’ll have to go to the train station in town.”
    “What time does Anne’s train leave Emerald?”
    “At four-fifteen. If you hurry, you should make it.” She pushed him toward the sleigh. “Go!”
    Erik climbed into the sleigh, and Ingrid handed him the reins. He turned the horses around and headed out of the yard. Ingrid ran alongside for a few yards.
    “Good luck!” she called.
    He waved and urged the horses faster, praying he’d make it before the train left, taking the shortest route he knew. Once the sleigh nearly upset when he took a hill at too steep an angle. He nearly cried in relief when he saw the train still sitting on the track in front of the station.
    He left the horses at the side of the building and hurried to the platform, frantically searching for Anne. She was nowhere in sight. He checked inside the train station.
    Still no sign of her.
    She had to be on the train. With his bad leg, there’d be no way he could quickly check each car. There was only one thing he could do.
    “Anne!” he shouted. “Anne Gustafson. Are you on the train?”
    People stared at him, but he didn’t care. “Anne! Please come home with me!”
    Still nothing.
    He was losing hope.
    “Anne Gustafson, I love you!”
    A short distance down the platform, Anne emerged from the train. She stood facing him a moment