Now, though, the stakes were way too high. Now she had more than her own heart to consider. She had someone else to protect, someone more important to her than life itself—Cody’s daughter, the child he didn’t even know he had.

2

The entire family was walking around in a daze. Cody had never seen them like this, not even when Erik died. He supposed they were all following Harlan’s lead. His father hadn’t spoken more than a word or two to anyone. He hadn’t eaten. He wasn’t sleeping. He had refused a sedative prescribed by the doctor. Not even his unusually subdued grandchildren, tugging on his sleeves and competing for his attention, drew so much as a smile. He looked haggard and lost.

On Saturday morning Cody found Harlan in his office, staring at nothing, his complexion a worrisome shade of gray. Cody walked over and perched on a corner of his desk.

“Hey, Daddy, are you doing okay?”

Harlan blinked, his gaze finally focusing. “Cody, have you been here long?”

The vague question startled Cody. Normally nothing went on at White Pines that Harlan didn’t notice. “Actually, I got here yesterday.”

His father’s lips quirked for a fraction of a second. “Hell, I know that. I haven’t lost my marbles. I meant now. Have you been standing there long?”

Relief sighed through Cody. “Nope. Just walked in. Everyone’s been looking for you.”

“Must not have been looking too hard,” Harlan grumbled in a manner that was more in character. “I’ve been right here all night long.”

Cody was dismayed. “You didn’t sleep?”

“Off and on, I suppose.”

“Daddy, you should have been resting. Today’s going to be rough enough without facing it exhausted.”

His father shrugged. “I couldn’t go upstairs.”

“Damn,” Cody muttered. Why hadn’t any of them thought of that? Of course it was going to be hard for their father to spend time in the suite of rooms he had shared for so many years with his wife. It was hard for the rest of them just being in the house where their mother had reigned over every last detail. “I’m sorry. I’ll go upstairs and bring some clothes down for you. It’ll be time to go to the church soon.”

He had barely reached the door when his father’s voice stopped him.

“How could a thing like this happen?” Harlan murmured.

His choked voice sounded too damned close to tears. Cody was shaken by that as he hadn’t been by anything else in his life.