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“Harriet…” Deb said as she looked down at their now separate hands.

“I can’t, Deb.”

“You can’t what?” Deb asked, looking more than concerned.

“I can’t be with you anymore. It’s not right. I don’t know why you weren’t with John David last night, but he’s probably telling his parents right now and maybe even yours that you didn’t do what you were supposed to do, and they’re going to start wondering why.”

“So, you don’t want to be with me now because Iwasn’twith him last night?”

“Why are you making this harder than it has to be? You’re married now. We can’t keep doing this. He’s going to find out, Deb.”

“He already knows,” Deb replied.

“What?” she asked. “You told him? Deb, what were you thinking?”

“He knew. I didn’t tell him.”

“We have to run. Why didn’t you bring a bag with you? Do you have one? Where did you hide it?” she asked, thinking quickly about whether or not she could convince Lucas to drive them to the train station about thirty miles away to get them out of town before John David told everyone.

“Stop.” Deb cupped both of Harriet’s cheeks in her hands. “It’s all right, Harriet. He knew because he’s like us.”

“What do you mean? Did you bring a bag or not?”

“Do you love me?” Deb asked.

Something about that question and the look on Deb’s face had her stopping in her tracks.

“Yes. You know I do. You’re the love of my life. You’re my–”

“I’m your wife. On paper, I might be his, but in my heart, I’m yours. I will always be yours.”

“But you’re not mine, really, because–”

“Harriet Louise, I love you more than anything. And John David didn’t want to touchmelast night because he loves someone else. He knows I’m telling you this, and he’s talking to Jacob Lansing right now. They’re in love, too, Harriet. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. They love each other how you and I do. And when John David’s parents leave us the house, we can all be how we want there.”

“What are you talking about?” Harriet asked, thoughts running too quickly through her mind for her to catch up to them.

“He and Jacob want to be together.”

“Jacob is getting married, too.”

“Yes. They’ll have to figure that part out, but for right now, John David said that you and I can be together, too, as long as we’re careful. And when we get the house, you can stay over. I’ll have a bedroom of my own, Harriet. You can sleep there with me sometimes. Your parents won’t notice as long as you’re back by breakfast to help your mama cook. You can even slip in through the window, and they’d never know.”

“You’re serious?” Harriet asked. “Your husband is all right with you being with a woman?”

“Yes. He wants to be with a man. And he knows how dangerous it is, so he wants us to be careful, but, Harriet, we can be together.”

“What happens when my fatherdoesfinally remember me and pushes me to marry?”

“I don’t know that part yet. And I hate the idea of you marrying someone else. I hate the idea of him touching you how I know you thought he was touching me last night, but he didn’t.”

“Hewill,” Harriet replied.

“What?”

“Deb, at some point, and soon, he will. Just because he wants to be with Jacob Lansing and he said you can be with me, doesn’t mean that you two won’t have to do that soon. Your parents all expect you two to have children… There’s only one way to do that, isn’t there?”

“We talked about that a little. He said we didn’t have to do that right away. And when we do, it’ll be quick because neither of us wants it. He even said if we have a boy, he’s fine with one child, and we can make do with pretending from there.”