Page 2 of On a Midnight Clear

Angel could see that Granny was serious. “What are you saying?”

Granny motioned Angel to follow her into the front room. Granny went to her writing desk and pulled out an envelope. She took a letter from inside and looked at Angel.

“Let me read you something.” She unfolded the pages and cleared her throat. “‘Granny, the truth is I need a wife. I need her by Christmas.’”

It was Angel’s turn to be surprised. “Who wrote that?”

“Vincent.”

Angel took a seat and considered the words Granny had said. Vincent Duran was Granny’s only grandson. His folks had been killed when he was young, and Granny and John Quincy had raised him. Vincent was best friends with Angel’s brothers, Mark and Sam. Angel considered him a friend, as well.

Vincent had been a part of her entire life.

He was ten years older than she was and had married some years earlier.

The guys had another friend, Zed Martin, whose sister had caught Vincent’s attention.

Elsa had been everything Angel wasn’t. Elsa was a dark-haired beauty with deep brown eyes, while Angel was blond and blue-eyed.

Elsa had been tall and shapely where Angel was short and rather pudgy, at least in her teen years.

Everyone had thought Elsa the most beautiful woman in the entire state, and even Mark had tried to court her.

But it was Vincent who captured her heart.

“You know Elsa died last February. The children all took measles, and she caught them herself. She was expecting their fourth child in just a few months.” Granny looked up and shook her head.

“The two oldest made it through, but little Paul and Elsa were too weak. They passed within days of each other.”

“I remember. It made me so sad. I’ve often prayed for Vincent and his children. That’s why I mentioned asking him to come here and help you.”

Granny didn’t seem to hear her. “Benjamin is nine and Ava seven. It’s a bad age to lose a mother .

.. not that there is ever a good age.” Granny looked back at the letter.

“Vincent asked me to help him find a wife ... one who could relocate to the Wyoming Territory immediately. One who loved children and preferably knew about—”

“Sheep,” Angel spoke before Granny could finish.

Vincent had learned all about sheep farming from her father and grandfather. He had trained with her brothers since he’d been about thirteen. That was why Vincent was such a constant part of her life. She had never really known a time when he wasn’t around.

“Oh, Granny ... I don’t know what to say.”

“I think the Lord has spoken, Angel. I think you’re to marry Vincent. The two of you already know each other and share many common memories. You were close friends, and that’s so important in a marriage. Vincent already trusts you and knows that you’re capable and worthy of his children.”

Angel felt as though someone had taken the air from her lungs.

She forced herself to focus on a deep breath, but it was slow coming.

Was this indeed what God had planned? She had once fancied herself in love with Vincent.

Of course, she’d been quite young ... maybe fifteen or so.

Elsa had been a couple of years older than Angel and was already looking to find a husband.

Unfortunately, she chose the one Angel had been considering as well, and from that time on, Angel had pushed aside her fondness for Vincent Duran.

“Oh, Angellyn, I think your dream was a sign from God. It never came to mind yesterday when we learned what Cam had done, but now it seems certain to me.”

“What if Vincent doesn’t want to marry me? I mean, we are friends, that much is true. But maybe he would feel strange about marrying a friend.”

“Nonsense.” Granny folded the letter and stuffed it back in the envelope.

“Angel, I truly believe this is the answer to Vincent’s needs and yours.

You want to leave this area and the embarrass ment Cam caused you.

You are looking for a man to marry and raise a family with.

You were ready to wed Cam without love, and he was most undeserving.

Why not consider Vincent, who is very deserving of love?

You’re both bearing burdens of hurt and loss.

You could help each other to overcome this.

And my goodness, those children need a mother.

They are the sweetest children, and I have feared this loss would make them bitter.

You are the very kind of mother they need—a woman strong in faith. ”

“I know very little about children, Granny. I want to be a mother one day, but I don’t know how to take on children already half raised. Besides, what will you do if I go away?”

“God will show you what to do. Just as He’ll show us what we need to do. We’ve been doing fine. Look, let’s pray about it.” Granny held out her hand to Angel. “Pray and consider it for three days. If you are not convinced by then, I won’t mention it again.”

Angel came and knelt beside Granny. The very idea of leaving the area and going west was appealing.

But the thought of helping a grieving man and his children was terrifying.

She would always live in the shadow of Elsa Duran.

She already felt unworthy of love and affection.

How could she marry herself to a man who might never be able to love her?

Vincent Duran looked at the slightly burnt eggs and shrugged. “Breakfast is on,” he told his nine-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter. “It’s a little scorched, but we can make do.”

He dished up eggs for each of them, trying to give them the less burned portions.

He dumped the rest onto his own plate, then put the cast-iron skillet aside and took a seat at the table.

He handed them each a piece of toast that he’d managed to cook to a golden-brown perfection and then folded his hands.

“Let’s say grace.”

“Do we have to?” Benjamin asked.

Vincent knew the boy had struggled with God since losing his mother. It seemed no matter how much he had tried to talk to Benjamin, he still blamed God for taking his mother away.

“We do,” he murmured, then closed his eyes. “Father, for what You have provided, we are grateful. Even if we don’t always understand why You allow the things You do, we know that there are reasons. We ask a blessing on this food, this farm, and family. Amen.”

He looked up to find his children staring at him as if he’d said something appalling.

He wished he could convince them that God was still a loving Father—a wonderful and generous God who would provide for them in every way.

It was hard, however, to even say those words when Vincent felt just as cheated as they did.

For the last seven months, they had all struggled to go on living after Elsa, the baby, and little Paul’s deaths. At the last Christmas, they had all been so excited. The new baby would come in a few months, and they’d had a profitable year with the sheep. Christmas was a merry celebration.

By the end of January, everything had changed.

Benjamin and Ava took sick at the same time.

Measles spread like wildfire in Cheyenne.

It was never completely clear as to how they’d caught them.

Their attendance at church was sporadic given the distance into town, and Christmas services were the last they’d been there.

Vincent and his family had gone into Cheyenne in the middle of January for supplies, and that’s when Elsa figured they’d been exposed. The doctor figured it that way too.

Elsa couldn’t remember if she’d had measles as a child, but Vincent knew he had and wasn’t concerned for his own health.

He remembered Elsa nursing Benjamin and Ava with tender care and did what he could to share the burden so that she, in her delicate condition, could rest. When Paul grew ill, he was much worse than the others.

From the start, it was clear that things weren’t going well.

His fever ran higher, and his consciousness waned.

Vincent had gone for the doctor after two days of watching his son deteriorate.

By then, Elsa had come down sick as well.

She was more than a little worried. Everyone knew measles could cause miscarriage, and she was terrified for their unborn child.

By the time Vincent returned with the doctor in tow, Elsa had collapsed, and Paul was near death.

The doctor was there when the life went out of their three-year-old son.

Elsa had been inconsolable, and Vincent delayed telling Ava and Benjamin.

Within twenty-four hours, it wasn’t only Paul’s death he had to break to his children.

Losing his wife, son, and unborn child had left Vincent in a stupor for weeks afterward.

Had Elsa’s aunt Mary not heard about the situation from Granny and come to help, they might have all perished from sorrow.

“I want you children to work on your reading primer like you did with Aunt Mary. I’ll help you when I can check in.

There’s food to eat for your lunch, and it’s warm enough you don’t need to keep the stove going, Benjamin.

Just work together, and I’ll be back and forth. I have to see to the animals.”

“I don’t want to stay here,” Benjamin protested. “Can’t I come and help you?”

“I need you to watch over Ava. What if a snake gets in the house? You’re the one who can keep her safe when I’m not around. Since Aunt Mary had to leave, we’ve only got each other to count on.”

Ava looked up from her plate. “I don’t like snakes.”

“I know.” Vincent gave her a smile. “I’m not real fond of them myself. Do as I ask, and I’ll be able to finish up quickly and come back to the house to be with you.”

“Are we gonna get another aunt to come and stay with us?” Benjamin’s tone wasn’t one of hope, but more of resignation.

“No. That’s something I need to talk to you children about. I’ve asked Granny Duran to help us. She’s going to find someone who can come and live with us permanently.”

“What’s permanently ?” Ava asked.

“It means forever,” Benjamin told her. He looked at Vincent with a frown. “Do you mean another mother?”

Vincent knew the news would not be well received by his son. “Yes. I mean to take a new wife. Someone who can be a mother to you children. We’ll be a family again.”

Benjamin jumped up from the table, his food only half eaten. “I don’t want another mother. I want my mama back!” He ran from the table and up the stairs to no doubt seek solace in his room.

Ava met her father’s gaze. “What’s our new mother’s name?”

Vincent shrugged. “I have no idea.”