“Marisa was an accepting person. The man she chose when she was young and impressionable wasn’t her true mate, but she remained loyal to him in spite of the fact that he was so wrong in the way he treated her. She raised her son to be a good man, and she would have raised the boy she took . . .” She broke off when Isabeau gasped.

Mary nodded. “Yes, dear, we knew about little Mateo. Marisa brought him to us when she needed a doctor for him. She was a good woman, and she would be so happy that you are going to be the one to share her son’s life. I know she would.”

“You’re very kind,” Isabeau said.

“I knew Marisa very well, Isabeau, and she would want me to help you. I’d like to do just that if you don’t mind. I never had a daughter—only sons. Fortunately I love all of their wives, but they have their own parents to handle things like weddings. Marisa and I often talked about that—how as a mother we both had dreamt of creating a wonderful day for our daughters. She had no daughter either, so she pinned her hopes on Conner’s wife—you. She isn’t here, but perhaps you would be willing to fulfill both our dreams.”

Emotion nearly choked Isabeau. Tears burned behind her eyes and she had to bite down hard on her lip to stifle a sob. “I don’t know what to say. You make me feel like anything is possible.”

Mary’s face lit up. “Anything is. I just happen to have this trunk and it will be a treasure chest for us, I think.” She assessed Isabeau’s size, drawing her out of the chair and making her turn in a circle. “Yes, I think we’ll be just fine, and if not, well, I’m pretty handy with a sewing machine. Let me just make a few phone calls. I have friends who will come help us.”

“Conner might be concerned about strangers around, especially with Jeremiah in a bad way,” Isabeau pointed out reluctantly.

“Jeremiah is doing much better. Go have a look in on him and let your man know what I’m doing. Remind him that Abel and I have known those I’m calling for over twenty years. I’ve got a million things to do. Go reassure yourself that your friend is doing better and then get right back here.”