“I doubt we’ll be having that conversation.  Who is this child?  I confess I’m having a great deal of trouble understanding what’s going on in your life.”

“This is Grace, the youngest of the four in my care now.  Ada, the oldest at thirteen, asked if when you showed up, they should call you Grandfather.  You might take that with a grain of salt since she’s just like me, but there the question is and it could be thought of as an honor.”

“Then you knew I was coming.”

“Yes.”

“And how did you feel about that?”

“Unhappy that I’d created the need.  Mistrustful of what you might attempt.  On the other hand, I wanted to see you.”

“And I wanted so very much to see you.  When Tobias wrote that you had all these children, and then that you were with child yourself, to keep my sanity I stopped believing him.  I see now, much to my chagrin, that he was truthful in every way.”

“Where are you staying?” Charlotte said, sidestepping his comments entirely.

“The General said guest quarters.  What does that mean exactly?”

“Don’t count on luxury.”

“I don’t know.  So far I’ve been quite impressed with the level of comfort the military provides.”

Grace held out her hands and Charlotte stopped for a moment to brush off all the clinging blades of grass.  “Father, does the name Lenore mean anything to you?”

“In what way?”

“Back east where the Family originally belonged.  Before you married Mother.”

Samuel grew thoughtful.  “Yes,” he said after a long moment.  “The name does mean something.”

“I thought it might.  She’s the wife of Colonel Hutchinson, who commands the fort.”

And still lovely, she wanted to say.  And her husband’s never here.

“Lenore from all those years ago?  Charlotte, the world’s a smaller place than we ever realize.”

“Maybe.”  Though with him here it suddenly seemed huge and full of obstacles.  “More importantly, she’s the one who had faith in me, who allowed me to take on everything that I have.”  Charlotte felt she had to keep speaking all in a rush to stop him from asking questions.  “But what I’d like most is for you to come to dinner tonight.  The children and I have our own rooms and everyone will be there.”

“I have a sudden need to know what’s meant by everyone.”

“Miller Dawson, the pilot of the wagon train and before you ask, no, he’s not the one, he’s younger than me and would die at the thought.  Ellis Gray and it’s not him either, though I do have a very deep affection for him.”

“He swore to me.”

“He had no choice.”

“Everyone has a choice.”

Charlotte made a small choking sound.  “I can’t believe you’re saying that to me, of all people.  I never had a choice in anything and look how that turned out.”