Free Leave a Candle Burning by Lori Wick Page A

have a home with Dannan but awful to think of her little heart trying to take it all in.
    “What can we do?”
    “I don’t know of anything right now, but we’ll stay in touch with Conner and Reese. I assume they’ll know what’s going on.”
    When Jace said he had work to do and left, Maddie put away the things he’d brought her from town. But she did so with a distracted heart. Until Valerie needed attention, all she could think about was Dannan and his new little girl.

     
    “I know we need to respect the man’s privacy,” Eli said to his wife and Iris as soon as Troy left. “But I want something done at the house. I’m not sure Doc MacKay even had furniture in that extra bedroom upstairs.”
    “I don’t know how we’re going to go into the man’s home, clean it, and possibly provide furniture, and not invade his privacy,” Iris stated in plain terms, although she was not against the idea.
    Eli looked thoughtful. “We’ll send Finn. He can gain an assessment of the situation for us and report back the needs.”
    “Where is Finn?” Iris asked.
    “He’s checking with Ollie in case we need furniture moved.”
    Scottie had been quiet during all of this, but Eli didn’t question her until Iris exited.
    “Is something bothering you?”
    “Just the situation. I hurt for them, and I don’t want to complicate the situation by doing things to Dannan’s house without first talking to him.”
    Eli patted the side of the bed, and Scottie sat down.
    “If in fact there is no furniture in that small upstairs bedroom, we’ll be doing Dannan a favor. We’ll also make it clear that he may change or return to us anything he doesn’t want or need.”
    “I just wish there was a way to know.”
    Eli watched her and was ready to continue his argument when she spoke up.
    “Don’t do anything yet; don’t even send Finn.”
    “Okay,” Eli agreed carefully.
    “I’m going to see Reese. If she likes the idea, we’ll proceed. If not, we’ll ask Dannan what he needs when he returns.”
    “Does Reese know Dannan that well?”
    “He takes almost every noon meal with them, and sometimes evening tea.”
    “I didn’t know that.”
    “Reese was so close to Doc MacKay,” Scottie explained, “that they’ve just taken him in. I believe Conner and Dannan are alike in age and get on very well.”
    “Yours is the best idea, Scottie. We’ll wait and see what Reese says.”
    Scottie was relieved by this adjustment and told Iris on her way out not to send Finn just yet. But relief soon gave way to excitement. Scottie didn’t even walk, eager to get to the big house and talk to Reese. She hitched the cart horse to the buggy and wasted not a moment of time.

 
    Six
     
    Dannan was on the Friday train back to Tucker Mills two weeks after he’d left for Willows Crossing. He had a very weary little girl in tow, and more trunks and baggage than he could manage. Corina had not cried on the train or even been fussy, but her sober countenance as she took in each new sight and sound was hard to watch.
    “Mama here, Danna?” Corina asked, once they stood in front of the station, using her own pronunciation of his name.
    “No, Corina,” Dannan told her, taking her hand as the stationmaster headed their way. Dannan had a few words with him and then moved aside to wait for the unloading of his baggage. Once on the bench outside the station, the warm June sun across his lower legs, Dannan took Corina in his lap and tried to explain yet again.
    “Mama is dead, Corina.”
    “Jesus died.”
    “Yes, He did.”
    “He’s alive.”
    Dannan looked into her eyes and asked God, as he’d been asking for days, how he was going to do this. How was he going to make her understand that her mother was not coming back?
    “Why did Jesus die?” Dannan asked, hoping he would not regret the way he changed the subject with her so many times.
    “Sin.”
    “That’s right. For our sins. That’s very good news, isn’t it?”
    Corina