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Onward to Bing’s house to deal with that mess.

He texted his friend to let him know he was on the way over.

Some prayers wouldn’t hurt, so he prayed, asking the Lord for more help, especially regarding Caroline.

Then he texted Hensley to let her know her sister and Wickham were now married by her father, who would explain the particulars shortly.

Half an hour later, he parked in the driveway in front of the A-frame beside a vehicle he didn’t recognize and headed inside when Bing greeted him at the door.

“Come in. We have company. Caroline’s boyfriend arrived this morning from El Salvador in his private jet.

It’s why I wasn’t at church.” Bing gestured to a man with jet black hair standing near the front windows in the living room, gazing out at the mountain views.

“Caroline is returning with him to Manhattan. They’ve patched things up and are getting married in a few months. ”

“That is possibly some of the best news I’ve heard all day.

” The Lord had answered this prayer too.

Blake glanced around as they stepped closer for an introduction, but no sign of Bing’s sister.

“Where is your sister? Is she going to condone your happiness and freedom to marry the woman you love before she pursues her happiness?”

Caroline breezed into the living room while wheeling a suitcase along behind.

“Yes, as a matter of fact I am. I know I said that the Fitzwilliam sisters seemed like country bumpkins, but it was only said out of my own misery, and maybe a bit of jealousy. You two had found your happiness, but mine was missing. For that, I owe you both an apology.” She paused directly in front of Bing, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“I planted seeds of doubt that may linger for some time, but you must know, I never meant a word of it. I was wrong. Once I got to know them, I realized Jen and Hensley have more class than most ladies in my own circle of friends.” She turned toward Blake with a sincere and apologetic expression before turning back to her brother. “I owe you an apology too, Blake.”

“Accepted. Does this mean you will consider purchasing your custom wedding gown from Hensley’s Wedding Creations?” Blake crossed his arms over his chest.

Caroline smiled. “You know, I rather like the sound of that. I’ll text her on our way to the airport.

Let’s say our goodbyes. We’ll see each other soon enough at all of our weddings.

And before we head to the airport,” she motioned to her boyfriend who stepped over to them, “Blake, I’d like you to meet Carlos Maldonado, my fiancé.

” Then she held up a hand featuring an engagement ring.

Blake hadn’t seen her this happy in years. She was smiling. He shook hands with Carlos. “Nice to meet you. Congratulations to you both.”

Bing hugged his sister tight. “I’m going to propose to Jen today, if she’ll still have me. I hope you’ll be a better sister-in-law than the frenemy you’ve been.”

Blake smiled and gave her a quick hug. Thank you, Lord! He spotted the porcupine puffer belly fish, the ugly thing back in its place. “You didn’t throw it away and you gave it a prime location?”

Caroline smirked when Blake crossed to the fireplace mantle. Then they all laughed.

“WHO’S AT THE DOOR?” Kit glanced up at Sarah from her seat at the table in the breakfast nook.

Father had been home for less than an hour, and with cups of coffee and tea, Hensley and her sisters—minus Lula—and Mother, were digesting the news of Lula’s wedding to Wickham.

Hensley kept staring at Blake’s text. She could hardly believe Lula was now a married woman, and that Blake had spared them from so much gossip.

In a small town like Dogwood Creek, it wouldn’t have taken long for their reputations to go downhill.

“It’s Bing, but not for you, Miss Kit,” Sarah informed her.

“For Jen?” MaryAnne’s eyes widened, as did Jen’s and Hensley’s.

Even Mother, who paced in the kitchen leveled a curious glance at the housekeeper.

“No, he’s asking for the man of the house.” Sarah smiled and winked at Jen. “I’ll show him into your father’s office.”

Hensley’s brows shot up, and Jen’s eyes widened. What a strange day this was turning out to be. Mother stopped pacing and leaned against a counter, arms crossed, contemplating Lula, no doubt. But this news caused her to perk up with a weak smile.

“I’ll make some more coffee.” Emma Fitzwilliam reached for the coffee cannister. “And someone should text Lula and remind her to pick up her car from The Gathering Place before she goes on her honeymoon. Maybe Bing would like a cup of coffee ... when he steps out of your father’s office.”

They all knew ‘Father’s office’ was the same thing as his ‘den’ and ‘library,’ due to the fact there were so many bookshelves lining the walls and a flat screen television installed above the fireplace, his desk angled in a corner where he could write his newspaper column.

Hensley released a sigh and sipped the last few drops of coffee in her mug.

Now there would be a different kind of gossip, about Lula marrying before she and Jen did.

But that couldn’t be helped. Like it or not, it was a far better kind of gossip than Wickham bedding Lula overnight at one of Blake’s cabins.

That much they’d overheard Father explain to Mother.

Sarah had taken their father’s dinner to him in the den ten minutes ago, but now she led Bing through the living room and into the den to have a word with him.

Hensley and Jen raced past their mother on tiptoe to the dining room to listen at the other door connecting to Father’s office.

But they could only make out a few words and returned to the breakfast nook when the floor creaked minutes later.

Sarah returned to the kitchen shortly after. “Bing is waiting on the front porch and would like to speak with Jen. Should I tell him you’ll be there in a moment?”

Mother smiled, nodding, her eyes dancing. “Yes, tell him Jen will be right there.”

Jen rose from her seat, took two steps forward, and froze. She spun around. “How does my hair look?”

Hensley giggled and rolled her eyes. “Go, Jen! He won’t care what your hair looks like. It’s fine though. Your knight in shining armor has arrived ...” She shooed her onward.

When Jen stepped out onto the front porch, Hensley, Kit, MaryAnne, and Mother, crept into the parlor and crowded around a front window, peeking at the discussion between Bing and Jen. Sarah pulled Grandmother away from her crochet to participate in the spying.

The talking between Bing and Jen went on for a little while, but Hensley and the ladies of the household managed to remain hidden amid the folds of the drapes.

Bing held Jen’s hands. Then, he went down on bended knee.

Hensley released a sigh. If only she could squeal to release the joy she held for her sister.

Father chuckled from somewhere behind them as Bing kissed Jen’s hand, and they all turned and shushed him.

Bing was on bended knee, after all, and presenting a jewelry box with a ring inside it!

A few seconds ticked by, but Jen was saying yes, flinging her arms around Bing.

He picked her up and swung her around. Then the couple burst through the front door into the foyer.

One by one, the family filed out of the parlor as if they had no idea of all that had transpired.

Jen held out her hand, showing off a sparkling diamond ring .

Hensley, jumping up and down as she embraced the happy couple, was so happy herself, she could almost burst. Except for the fact Blake had not come to her side yet. Had she ruined it between them? Pushed him away for good?

Bing spoke up then. “Hensley, my sister has reunited with her boyfriend. He’s from El Salvador.”

Hensley’s brow arched. This news she had not discovered from Blake in a text yet.

“She’ll be texting to ask if you would be willing to create a custom wedding gown for her if she sends the measurements and if you can mail it to Manhattan.”

Her cell beeped with two incoming texts, one after the other. Caroline. Then Blake.

“I think that could be arranged. I’ll n-need some ideas of what kind of dress she has in mind,” Hensley stammered. This sounded like good news. “She’s texting me now.” And Blake’s text echoed their current conversation.

Bing smiled. “That’s great. She’s flying to New York this evening, but she asked me to thank you ladies for putting up with her during a difficult time in her life.”

This was very good news indeed.

THE NEXT MORNING, THE Fitzwilliam family opted for breakfast in the formal dining room because of its view of the rear garden through the French doors.

Hensley took the day off. The weekend had been exhausting, to say the least. She placed Kit and MaryAnne in charge and off they went to the boutique, leaving her, Jen, and the rest of the household in peace.

With Lula away on her honeymoon, the house seemed exceptionally quiet .

“I think I’ll take a stroll in the garden and drink my coffee out there. Everything is in bloom ... and it’s such a nice sunny morning,” Hensley announced.

Mother nodded as she nibbled at her scrambled eggs. Father muttered something similar, buried in his edition of the newspaper. Jen glanced up and smiled at her with a nod, but she returned to gazing at her engagement ring. Grandmother nodded, clutching her coffee mug. “That’s nice, dear.”

Hensley slipped through the French doors and stepped down to stroll along the brick garden path.

How could it be that Blake had managed to resolve all of the issues that had only yesterday been ripping them all apart?

She didn’t know exactly, but a man like him was hard to find.

Would he come to her soon? Should she go to him?

Had he given up trying to win her affection because she’d been so upset on the night of the dance?

But while she contemplated this very thing, footsteps sounded on the bricks.

She turned to see Blake coming toward her.

She set her coffee aside on a bench. They met in the middle, and she clasped hands with him.

It seemed surreal, the two of them in the garden, early in the morning, when they were usually both at work.

“Blake ...” Where to begin? The last time she’d seen him, it hadn’t gone so well.

But things had changed. How could she ever begin to thank him?

He’d rescued Lula, saved their family from malicious gossip, somehow encouraged Bing to restore things with Jen, and he probably had encouraged Caroline to order a custom wedding dress from her boutique.

Did he have anything to do with her return to Manhattan? Perhaps that too.

“Hello, Blue Eyes.” He smiled, those dimples showing.

“Hello.” A nervous laugh escaped her lips as heat warmed her cheeks and she glanced away. Before her stood the man who had done so much for her and her family too.

He looked down, finding her eyes once more, their gazes melding, locking on each other.

“Tell me ... I have to know. If you tell me to go away and never bother you again, I will. I will accept your answer, wishing you only happiness and everything good. But please tell me if I have any hope at all of winning your hand after the mess I’ve made of things?

And before you answer, you must know how much I promise to support all of your dreams, hopes, and plans.

There is so much I want to do for you, and for your business too, and for us.

Tell me, do I have any hope? Is love in bloom for us?

Can we create our own garden of joy, love, peace, and faith?

” He waved a hand toward the mid-spring blossoms on their right.

Peonies, mounds of phlox, marigolds, petunias, and snapdragons—all of them spreading their delicate petals toward the sky. “Or am I forever lost without you?”

When had they fallen in love? She couldn’t say for sure, only that she knew they had. “Love is in bloom, my darling.” Her arms reached up and clasped around his neck, a smile on her face.

“Is it true?” His eyes searched hers. “You will marry me?”

Ahh, how she had waited for this moment! Yet now that it was here, she was perfectly enraptured and tongue-tied. But words weren’t needed. She was nodding, and their lips met for a long and fiery kiss amid the garden blooms and butterflies.

THE END