Page 75 of Valley of Dreams

“In this moment, so am I.”

They held each other’s gaze, neither looking away, both breathing slow and shallow. Her pulse pounded from her chest to her head in that telltale rhythm that told a woman she was likely about to be kissed. She ought to have been nervous or scandalized or something. Silently she begged him to make good on the unspoken promise in his eyes. And for just a moment, she thought he might.

But then his expression clouded over, and he stepped away. “We should likely get back. Ian’ll be wanting his cart.”

“Are you . . . upset?”

He gave her a quick, sincere smile. “I’m not. Simply doing what’s best for you and Ian, and, at that, for me.”

“And if I think you’re wrong?”

He shook his head, leading the way back to the cart. “We’ll simply have to live in disagreement on that score.”

For the time being, Patrick O’Connor. For the time being.

Chapter Eighteen

Eliza walked at Katie’sside up the walk to Tavish and Cecily O’Connor’s home, not at all certain of the wisdom of this undertaking. She’d asked Katie about the sewing circle she’d unintentionally interrupted a couple of weeks earlier, hoping to inquire about the possibility of joining in now and then. Instead, she’d found herself happily excused from work for the remainder of the day and brought along for what was, apparently, an annual tradition: turning Tavish O’Connor’s berry harvest into preserves.

“And this is how he makes his living?” Eliza asked as they approached the door.

Katie nodded. “He’s the only berry farmer in most of the territory. And his berries are utter perfection. He sells them and the products he makes from them all over.”

Maura’s husband had a business selling hay to the local ranches. Katie had once made her living selling baked goods. Cecily oversaw an organized effort to create raised-type books for the blind. Was there any other town in this remote area of the world where so many people took risks and pursued their dreams?

Luck had not generally been on Eliza’s side. Perhaps that was beginning to change.

Tavish answered Katie’s knock and, with a smile all the O’Connors could claim, motioned them inside. He looked so very much like Patrick, a fact that shocked her anew every time she saw him. If Patrick ever shaved his close-cropped beard, the two would be nearly identical.

“Eliza!” Maura rushed over and threw her arms around her and Lydia. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“Katie invited me.” She looked at Tavish. “I hope that’s fine with you.”

“I never turn down help on berry day.”

Maura guided Eliza inside, where several tables were pushed together to form one very long one. Both O’Connor sisters, plus Cecily, Biddy, and Mrs. O’Connor, stood gathered around. No one seemed unhappy to have her there.

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