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Shaking his head, Carl said, “My wife, Constance, was a strong woman of faith. She demanded nothing less from me than fidelity, and that I sit at her side weekly at church. She was adamant about wanting a Christian marriage. I fell madly in love with her. I promised her all that she asked for, and that included cutting ties with my mistress and you children, though I never admitted to Constance that I had children. I simply broke things off with your mother just weeks after you girls were born. I saw the two of you once, but even then, even while trying to present myself as a Christian to Constance, all I could think of was to shove my past out of sight. I sent money and turned my back on all of you. It’s the greatest sin of my life.

One I have begged forgiveness for every day since Ben contacted me to tell me his mother had vanished and left him and Maddie alone for days.

“I confessed then to Constance because by this time I’d turned my heart over fully to God and knew this last hidden sin had found me out. And if it cost me my beloved wife, it was no more than I deserved.”

Carl swallowed hard and went on. “She said to go see what had happened. When I got to the miserable apartment Ben and Maddie were in—I’d given her plenty of money, but I suppose her gin was taking most of it—I was not only horrified at the conditions they were living in, but I found one of my children wasn’t there.

Ben told me how you’d gone missing, for over a year by that time.

I took Ben and Maddie home, and Constance took them in and became their mother.

And I have spent these years searching for you, Tilda.

I was sure you were dead. Johanna was never seen again. I was sure she was dead, too.

“I searched every orphanage in the city and beyond. Ben and Maddie had gone out many times, before their mother vanished, and asked questions at orphanages. There was no sign of you.

“Nothing. For years, nothing. And then one day we found that tintype of you displayed in our church. There you were, the very image of Maddie. We’ve been on a mad search ever since.

Eventually it led us right here. It led Ben to do something he never should have done.

Or if his version is correct, and it was a misunderstanding, then he scared you so badly that you thought you were being kidnapped.

I find myself believing both of you are telling the truth. ”

Tilda’s jaw went tight. Carl was telling a very good story. She knew they were going to let Ben go. “And if you stay, I’ll never know a moment’s peace because you might misunderstandingly kidnap me again one day.”

Carl shook his head. “No, I am not going to try to take you back to New York City. You’ve grown into a strong woman, a woman who has the marriage and the life she wants.

You’ve made your own life here, and you’ve done a splendid job of it.

I just want to know you. Maddie wants to know you.

I hope one day I can convince you—that young, arrogant sinner no longer lives in this old man’s body.

I hope I can convince you that I love you.

I have loved you and prayed for you for years. I want to be your father.”

Tilda stood there silent. She had no idea what to do. She came up beside Josh, and their eyes met. Hers full of confusion, his strong and sweet and kind. He took her arm as if to hold her steady.

Closing her eyes, she gathered her thoughts to the extent she could.

“I’m going to need time to trust you. Because I really don’t.

Ben can spin whatever tale he wants, but he did kidnap me.

He made sure to take me out the side of the house that no one sees.

I didn’t know that because he knocked me unconscious—”

“I did not,” Ben interrupted.

And since she’d been unconscious, it was a little hard to contradict him.

“He brought me to town, carried me onto your train, and locked me in his room.”

“It wasn’t locked.”

Carl gave Ben a fierce look and shook his head.

Ben gave his father a look of desperate love, and again Tilda felt pity for her brother.

“Like I said, I need time to trust you. I won’t be alone with you or Maddie.” Then she had a notion. “I suppose it’s true that you are my father.” She glanced at Maddie. “That we resemble you. All of us have such dark hair and eyes. Mr. Cabril, are you by any chance of Spanish ancestry?”

Josh’s hand tightened on her arm. She’d surprised him with her direct question.

“Spanish, yes. My ancestors have been in America since before the Revolutionary War. I’m very proud of my roots. We lived in Florida when it was a Spanish territory.”

“Is Cabril a Spanish name, then?”

“Actually, it was shortened. Our family’s original name was Cabrillo.”

Josh and Tilda exchanged looks, their eyes wide.

“One of my ancestors was a Spanish conquistador. In fact, he was a sailor who explored the coast of California hundreds of years ago.”

“Three hundred,” Tilda said quietly.

Carl furrowed his brow. “What?”

“I was a sailor myself before I settled down to ranching,” Josh said. “There will be saltwater in our children’s blood, Tilda. We’ll raise them up as landlubbers, though. I’d like to keep them close to home.”

“I’m not sure what to do next,” Tilda said, looking at Josh.

Nodding, Josh turned to Carl, then to Ben. “I suppose we have to tell them.”

Tilda’s shoulders lifted and dropped. A very slow shrug, but she knew he was right.

They turned to face what had to be said.