“Because that’s what papas do.” She tried not to think about God and her own ongoing war. “Papa knew before you were born that you wouldn’t always do things right, but he loved and wanted you more than anything. Without even needing to speak a word, it was understood that he would love you even when you were naughty and did things you shouldn’t do. Can you honestly imagine those silly school desks being more important to him than you were?”

“No, but he told me I’d shamed him.”

“So do the right thing now and bring him honor. Come to the memorial and tell people what a wonderful papa he was. Tell them how much he loved you and me. How good he was to us and how much we will miss him.”

“We will miss him for a long, long time, Glory. I still miss Mama and Tabby and Aaron.”

“I do too.” Gloriana fought back her tears. “We will always miss them, JT. That’s because we will always love them.”

“I don’t want them to be gone. Not even Scott and Sally. Poor baby Sally won’t ever know her mama and papa.”

“That’s why we must care for her. As she grows up, we will teach her about them. I’ll need you to help me with that, because you knew Scott so much better than I did.”

“Luke knew him even better than me,” JT said.

“Yes, but baby Sally will need all of us.”

“Is she going to the church too?” JT sat up.

Gloriana did likewise and nodded. “She is.”

“She won’t remember it.”

“No.”

JT thought for a moment. “Then I’ll remember it for her and tell her about it. I can do that for her.”

Gloriana smiled as her eyes dampened with tears. “That would be a very kind thing.”

A half hour later, they sat in the church as a family. Luke sat at the end of the pew on Gloriana’s right, while JT sat on her left. She held the sleeping baby, thinking back on the evening Sally Marie had been born. Born into despair and sorrow. Would her life be bound up in such things?

The church was the largest building in town, although it was small by the standards of what was needed. The new St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, being funded in part by Jay Cooke, was still weeks from being finished. It was hoped that their first service would be on Christmas Day. But today, the mourners gathered in the old church, with the family members of those who were lost let inside first, and then the townspeople filling in. Mourners even spilled out into the churchyard. The windows of the building were opened so they could hear what was being said as best they could. Thankfully, it was a calm and pleasant day.