True Devotion. Marta Perry

quickly, as if to head off whatever else he might say. “You mentioned Jen. Is she the person who checked me in this afternoon?”

      “That’s right.” He hadn’t brought her in here to talk about Jen.

      “So you have quite a family operation here, with your sister working the registration desk and your father running the lodge.”

      “Stepsister,” he corrected. “She just helps out after school.” And then only when someone stood over her and forced her to.

      “Stepsister.” She seemed intent on keeping the conversation on Jen, of all people. “Does her mother help with the lodge, as well?”

      His jaw felt ready to shatter. “No.” He clipped off the word. “She divorced my father several years ago.”

      She swung to face him, the firelight burnishing her auburn hair. “I’m sorry.” She seemed to assess the oddity of the situation and come to a conclusion. “Your father is a kind person.”

      “Yes. He is.” He gritted his teeth, determined to say whatever was necessary to keep her away from his father. “He’s also not well. He barely survived a serious heart attack last winter.”

      The green eyes he’d been thinking cold and untouchable warmed with emotion. “I’m so sorry. That must have been terrible for both of you.”

      She reached out toward him. He had no thought of responding to her sympathy, but he found himself taking her hand in his. His gaze locked with hers as their hands met.

      The moment seemed to freeze. Nothing moved. Nothing broke the quiet except the crackle of the fire and her quick, indrawn breath.

      He shook his head, trying to shake off the feeling. Nothing was happening.

      He dropped her hand, clearing his throat. He had to finish what he’d set out to do.

      “I hope you can understand why I’m trying to make things easier for him. He never should have opened the lodge at all this season.”

      If Susannah had been affected by that moment, she didn’t show it. She tilted her head to the side, looking at him. “He certainly seems to enjoy what he’s doing.”

      He considered telling her that she knew nothing at all about his father. But he was trying to gain her cooperation, not sabotage his own efforts.

      “That’s beside the point. He needs to take the time to recuperate.”

      “Is that what his doctor advises?”

      He gritted his teeth. “It’s nice of you to be concerned.”

      “Meaning I should mind my own business?” She lifted perfectly arched brows.

      “I didn’t say that.” He held on to his temper with an effort. “These next couple of weekends will probably be the last for the foliage tourists. After that I’m sure I can convince him to close for the season and get the rest he needs. It’s going to be a little hard to do that if we still have a guest.”

      “I understand your concern for your father.” She looked at him for a long moment, as if assessing the truth of his words. He thought he detected sympathy behind the coolness in her eyes. “I don’t want to leave, but I will.”

      Before he could feel relief, she went on. “When the rest of your guests leave, I will, too.”

      Her expression said he’d have to be content with that.

      Chapter Two

      Lord, why is this such a struggle? Susannah sat in the wing-backed rocking chair by the cottage window the next day, Bible in her lap, looking out across the lake. Am I ever going to find peace with Trevor’s death?

      No, that wasn’t the right question. She fought to be honest in her prayer. She could come to terms with his death. It was the lie she couldn’t deal with. Why had Trevor lied to her?

      It always came back to that. No matter what else might have been wrong with their marriage, she’d always thought she and Trevor were honest with each other. They’d been friends since childhood. Shouldn’t she have known when he’d started lying to her?

      Her gaze rested on the familiar passage to which she’d opened the Bible.

      “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”

      Not that she needed to read the words. She’d committed them to memory a long time ago. Still, it comforted her to read them now.

      She and Trevor had loved one another, though not, she’d begun to see at some point, the way two people united in marriage should love. Maybe they’d both thought they needed someone to belong to. Still, they’d been committed to the vows they’d made before God.

      She knew what she had to do. She had to learn the truth about Trevor, so that she could accept it and move on. She and little Sarah Grace could then be a family. They’d be enough for each other.

      The baby had been quiet while she’d sat, perhaps soothed by the gentle rocking motion. The chair felt as if it had been put here for just this purpose.

      But as she closed the Bible and leaned forward to set it on the convenient lamp table, the baby gave several hard kicks. Susannah patted the spot.

      “Take it easy, little one. Everything’s all right.”

      At least, everything would be all right once she’d done what she’d come here to do. And Nathan Sloane’s opposition wouldn’t stop her.

      The memory she’d been holding at bay slid into her mind, and Nathan’s frowning face was superimposed on the view of lake and mountain. That moment in the library when they’d touched hands and seemed to touch souls—where had that come from? She knew very little of Nathan, and she didn’t like what she did know. She certainly didn’t feel any attraction for him.

      An accident. That’s all it had been. An accidental rush of pregnancy hormones, probably. Nothing more. Still, it might be as well to avoid him, for a number of reasons.

      She didn’t have to go to Nathan for the answers she needed. Jen could give her access to the registration information, and Daniel, with his kind, observant eyes, might know something of what Trevor had done here, although she’d have to reveal who she was in order to ask.

      She stood, hand on the chair arm to steady herself. Pregnancy had affected her balance more than she’d have dreamed it would.

      First things first. Today was Saturday, so Jen might be working the registration desk since she wouldn’t be in school. She would start there.

      When she drove into the parking area at the lodge a few minutes later, she realized that Nathan’s comment about leaf watchers arriving on the weekend had been accurate. Cars filled the small lot, and several people in hiking clothes came down the steps as she went up.

      The teenage girl she’d met the day before was indeed behind the desk. She wore a sulky expression as she handed a map to an elderly couple, and her black sweater and pants, spiky haircut and dark nail polish seemed designed to announce that she didn’t belong here.

      Susannah had to hide her smile. No doubt Jen considered her plight unique, and she’d be offended if anyone pointed out that teenagers had been rebelling in the same way for generations.

      She waited until the hikers departed, then approached the registration desk. “Hi. I see you’re busy working again today.”

      The girl rolled her eyes in mute protest. “Always. You need something?”

      If she wanted to prolong the conversation, she’d better think of something. “I’m going into Lakemont this afternoon. Can you recommend a place for lunch?”

      The girl pulled a brochure from a rack and spread it on the counter. With a dark purple nail she tapped the sketch map it contained. “This shows the main drag. Kids say