"Oh yes, Aunt Annique," Marissa said, accepting the embrace with a grand smile. "I've just been hearing all about you."
Gran looked from one to the other. "But what are you doing here?"
"We're going to sweep you away," Annique said.
"Tomorrow morning at first light," Henryk declared. "We have six hundred miles to cover, and almost a thousand people waiting to greet you."
"Friends and children and grandchildren," Annique agreed merrily.
"Such a circus I can't even imagine," Henryk went on. "It reminds me of the celebration in Arden, before we came to America. But you wouldn't remember that, would you, Emily?"
"Oh, she remembers, all right," Marissa said.
"I can't go anywhere," Gran protested. "Marissa isn't well enough—"
"Look behind you," Henryk said. "A people carrier, that is what they call those things."
"The seats fold down," Annique explained. "We can lay the mattress from your rollaway bed in the back. Marissa can rest and sleep just as much as she likes."
"How did you know about my bed?" Gran focused on Marissa. "You! You planned this!"
Annique's hold on her shoulder tightened. "She is a wonderful young lady, your grandchild."
"Such a time we had," Henryk said around his grin. "First the calls to tell people you could not come, then the calls to say yes, we will gather for Christmas, on New Year's Eve."
"But, but . . . " Gran searched for some protest against the tide of events pulling her along. She said feebly, "Christmas is over and done with."
"Ah, Emily, you will have to do better than that," Henryk said.
Annique smiled at Marissa. There were lines streaming out from her face and eyes, but within the sparkling gaze the pixie could still be found. "Your grandmother gave us the first Christmas of our new lives not three days late, but three months."
"Ach, the young these days," Henryk said, "what do they care of the past?"
"A lot," Marissa said quietly.
Annique smiled her approval, then said, "She taught us two important lessons on that day. First, that the Lord's most wonderful gift knows no season, just as His love knows no bounds."
"I know the other lesson," Marissa declared. She smiled at her grandmother, and said, "When you accept His gift, all is well."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DAVIS BUNN is an internationally acclaimed author who has sold more than four million books in fifteen languages. Honored with three Christy Awards for excellence in historical and suspense fiction, his novels include The Lazarus Trap, Drummer in the Dark, and bestsellers Elixir, The Great Divide, Winner Take All, The Meeting Place, The Book of Hours, and The Quilt. A sought-after lecturer in the art of writing, Bunn was named Novelist in Residence at Regent's Park College, Oxford University. Visit his Web site at www.davisbunn.com.
Table of Contents
COVER PAGE
TITLE PAGE
COPYRIGHT
CONTENTS
DEDICATION
ONE
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
ABOUT THE AUTHOR