in, but he just stood there. I-I didn’t know what to say. I prayed for God to give me wisdom. I thought that if I said yes, it might delay them, but then I wondered if I said no what would happen. So I said I would be delighted to marry them, but that Sophie needed to have your permission, and then we could have the wedding in a day or two, when their families could rejoice with them.’’ He stared at Kaaren and Lars sitting side by side on the horsehair sofa. ‘‘I was hoping to buy time, to keep them from making a big mistake.’’
‘‘It wasn’t your fault. It was theirs.’’ Lars’s voice wore a hardness not heard before.
‘‘Then today when Grace said Sophie was gone, I was heartbroken, as I know you are. I . . . I’m sorry. I should have gotten on the horse and come to tell you then, but I thought they were going to wait. Hamre thanked me and said something about changing plans. Please . . . will you forgive me?’’
‘‘There is nothing to forgive.’’ Kaaren took Lars’s hand and, glancing at his face, turned back to Pastor Solberg. She shook her head, carefully, as if she had a headache. ‘‘We can all say ‘if I had done this’ or ‘if we had done that,’ but that does no good.’’ She studied their clasped hands. ‘‘My mind says I will trust God, but my heart screams I want my daughter back.’’
‘‘To hurt her mother like this . . .’’ Jawline tight, Lars narrowed his eyes. ‘‘That is unforgivable.’’
‘‘No. Please don’t say that.’’ Kaaren squeezed his hand.
‘‘I asked at the livery. Sam said Hamre rented a horse and buggy, and it hadn’t come back yet.’’ Lars covered his wife’s hand with his other.
‘‘You think they drove it to Grafton?’’ Ingeborg asked.
‘‘Possibly. Take most of the night.’’
Ingeborg knew Kaaren was thinking the same thing she was: Surely they wouldn’t live in sin. Surely Sophie wouldn’t be that wild. Would a pastor or a judge marry them there? How were they going to live? Hamre said he lived in a boardinghouse. Uff da! No answers. The note said Sophie would write when they got to Seattle. But that was three days on the train. It would be at least a week before a letter could get back to Blessing, perhaps two.
‘‘How is Grace?’’ Solberg asked.
‘‘Angry. Disappointed. The same as the rest of us.’’
‘‘So all we can do is pray for her—for them—and wait,’’ Kaaren said with a catch in her voice.
‘‘Unless we send out a posse.’’ Lars leaned back, arms clamped across his chest.
‘‘Like her brothers?’’ Kaaren raised an eyebrow.
‘‘Good thing they aren’t older or I’m sure they would go.’’ Ingeborg felt a knot loosen inside. Kaaren had smiled on that last comment.
‘‘Well, we have God’s promise to care for His wayward children.’’ Pastor Solberg shook his head again. ‘‘If He can take care of sparrows, He will watch over them.’’
Ingeborg stood. ‘‘I need to be getting on home. You’ll let me know as soon as you hear anything?’’
‘‘Ja, we will do that.’’
‘‘Could we pray, please?’’ Without taking time for answers, Pastor Solberg bowed his head. ‘‘Lord, we come to you with pain that hurts even more when it involves our children. Thank you that our children are your children, as are we. We know you will watch over Sophie and that you will heal our hurts, for so you have promised. Let us cling to you, and I pray for extra grace and wisdom in the months ahead. In your son’s precious name, amen.’’ He stood. ‘‘I’ll be praying extra hard for all of you.’’
‘‘Thank you, Pastor.’’ Kaaren sniffed and forced a partial smile.
Lars thanked the pastor and shook his hand, but the tightness had not left his face or his voice.
After Pastor Solberg dropped Ingeborg off at her house, a thought stopped her on the back steps. Wait until Hildegunn Valders got a hold of this. All in the name of Christian caring, of