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They waved to Melisande and Bill and set off. Jessica stopped only once to turn the horse and look again. Even if she’d earned it on her back, she’d owned this place. It had belonged to her. Even if she’d hated the very soil beneath her feet, it had been hers.
“Good-bye,” she whispered to the house. Then she urged her horse to a quick trot to catch up with Caleb.
“Ready to see the ocean?” he asked.
She grinned at him. “I’ve seen the ocean before.”
“Not this one,” he reminded her.
“No,” she conceded, “not this one.” And not with Caleb.
“We could still ride north and catch the train. Be in California in a few days’ time.”
“No, I want to see the stars and land and mountains.”
“If you change your mind—”
“I won’t,” she interrupted.
“All right then,” he said, seeming pleased with her answer.
They were almost out of sight of the house when she heard a sound behind her. Jessica didn’t turn around, but Caleb drew his horse to a stop and shaded his eyes. “Melisande is shouting about something.”
“Yes,” she answered.
“She’s waving a piece of paper.”
“Is she?” Jessica smiled and kept on riding. Once she was around the curve, Caleb hurried to catch up.
“What was it?” he asked.
Jessica slanted him a quick look. “The deed to the house.”
His eyebrows rose. “The deed?”
“Melisande deserves it. It’s more her place than mine. And I didn’t want it anymore. I didn’t think you’d want it either, if we marry.”
“If we marry,” he repeated carefully, and then his smile wasn’t crooked anymore. It was wide and full and sweet. “We could stop in the next town.”
She’d been thinking it over for the past few days, letting it sit inside her to see how it felt. “No,” she said, “not here. We’ll see how we get on first. But maybe when we get to California…maybe we’ll start again.”
He reached for her hand and bumped his horse against hers so he could pull her close enough to kiss her gloved fingers. “We’ll start for the first time, you mean.”
“How many first times can we have?” she huffed.
“As many as we need to get it right.”
She didn’t need any more new starts. It was right already. Right and good and everything she thought she’d never be again.
They turned away from town, and she knew she’d never return. Her future was in front of her and right beside her, and she meant to live it.
* * *
