“You’d better have this towel. You don’t want your suit ruined.” Gloriana handed him up a towel, which he promptly used to cover his shoulder.

He patted Sally firmly on the back until she let out a loud burp. “I think that should suffice,” he said, laughing. “I’ve heard grown men belch more delicately.”

Gloriana grinned. “She’s just very enthusiastic. By the way, how’s JT doing with his nouns?”

“He’s fine now. He was just confused by pronouns. When I left, he was racing through the problems. I’ll check all of his answers after dinner.”

She had no desire to avoid the obvious. “What is it we need to discuss? Has something happened?”

“It has.” Luke sat down and bounced Sally on his knee. “My father has come to town.”

“Your father?” Gloriana felt a chill go up her spine. “Why is he here?”

Luke met her gaze. “To take Sally.”

Chapter 20

“Take Sally?” JT asked from the other side of the room. “You aren’t going to let him, are you?”

“Indeed, I will not. That’s why I was late getting here. I had to stop off to see Judge Prescott. I told him about my father and what he had said and what I feared he might do.”

“Which is what, exactly?” Gloriana asked. She wanted to snatch Sally out of Luke’s arms but held back.

“Father believes he can give Sally a better life in Philadelphia. With his money and social standing, he thinks that Sally will have every advantage life can afford. I pointed out she would be lacking the most important thing: love.”

“Love is the most important,” JT declared, coming to stand beside Gloriana. “Sally has us to love her, and she wouldn’t be happy if we weren’t there.”

“No, I don’t believe she would be,” Luke said, smiling at the baby. “Judge Prescott said we have nothing to fear.” He handed Sally to Gloriana. “And although I wish my father were not in such ill spirits about the matter, I do not intend to let him spoil our happiness.”

“Did the judge offer any other advice?”

Luke nodded. “He did. He suggested you and I be married immediately. He said even if we want to have a bigger wedding later, he believed it would further solidify our case to be married and show a strong family unit. I assured him I would speak to you on the matter.”

“I don’t need a big wedding. Let’s get married right away—even tonight.”

Luke chuckled. “I don’t think we have to run out right now and get the judge to marry us, Gloriana.”

“I just don’t want anything to happen to cause us to lose Sally. I have agreed to be your wife, so why delay any further?”

JT looked at her and then Luke. “I can go get Pastor Sedgwick.”