Rebecca blinked in surprise.
“You didn’t have to—”
“Yes,” he said quietly. “I did.”
That evening they shared stew and fresh bread. Martha ate little, but she smiled often. Rebecca seemed caught between gratitude and lingering fear.
After Martha had gone to bed, Rebecca stood near the fireplace.
“I need to explain,” she said softly. “The school closed in spring. We lost our lodging soon after. Mama fell ill in July. I couldn’t leave her behind. We had nowhere else.”
Harrison listened without interrupting.
“If this is too much,” she continued, “I’ll understand.”
He rose slowly.
“When I placed that advertisement, Miss Sullivan, I wasn’t only looking for a wife. I was looking for family. And family isn’t chosen in halves.”
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