Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (210 page)

That
thought
brought
a
smile
to
his
lips.
Did
she
see
it?
She
didn’t.
She
looked
everywhere
but
at
him.
Why?
Her
father
tossed back
the
veil
and
kissed
her
cheek
,
leaving
tears
behind.
Would
he
feel
the
same
way
when
Vannie
married?
He
had
five
daughters—five!
Were
there
more
daughters
in
store?
Would
he
have
to
hand
them
over
to
men
like
him
someday?
He’d
never
be
able
to
do
it.
No
man
was
good
enough
for
his
little
girls.
He
wasn’t
good
enough
for
his
Aggie.

He
stepped
up
beside
her
and
took
her
hands,
wrapping
his
around
the
small,
trembling
fingers
that
held
her
bouquet.
His
Aggie.
Luke
met
her
eyes
and
saw
all
the
love
she’d
written
of
on
the
messenger
just
hours
earlier.
She
was
truly
his
Aggie.

Uncle
Zeke’s
voice
jerked
Luke
from
his
reverie.
“Friends
and
f
amily,
thank
you
for
coming.
Luke
and
Aggie
have
asked
you
not
only
to
share
in
the
joy
of
this
celebration,
but
to
be
witnesses
of
the
vows
they
make
together
today.”

He
pulled
her
just
a
little
closer,
marveling
that
it
was
really
happening.
Their
wedding.
His
bride.
What
was
Uncle
Zeke
saying?

“…the
hard
times
come,
you
can
bear
witness
to
these
vows.
You
can
take
them
aside—and
they
ask
today
that
you
will—and
remind
them
that
they
vowed
for
better
or
worse
.
They
vow
today
to
glorify
the
Lord
together
in
this
marriage
and
only
death
will
tear
them
apart.

“Luke
promises
to
love
and
cherish
Aggie
as
Christ
does
the
church.”

Those
words
hit
Luke
in
the
heart
and
lodged
there
like
a
weight.
Such
a
solemn
promise
and
trust.
He
must
not
fail
her—especially
when
hard
times
came.
His
eyes
rose
and
roamed
the
room,
meeting
the
gaze
of
many
of
their
guests,
pleading
silently
and
earnestly
for
them
to
hold
him
accountable.
His
mother,
sisters,
brothers-in-law,
Chad,
Uncle
Christopher
and
Chris...
What
was
that?
What
had
he
missed?

“…submit
to
him
as
unto
the
Lord.
That
is
a
terrifying
promise
for
a
woman.
My
wife
tells
me
that
childbirth
with
a
breech
baby
was
a
million
times
easier,
but
Aggie
makes
that
vow
today.
It
won’t
be
easy,
but
with
your
prayers
and
his
servant
heart,
it
can
be
done.”

Servant
heart.
He
couldn’t
forget
that.
He
must
be
a
servant
to
lead
his
family.
Luke’s
eyes
met
Laird’s.
The
boy
nodded
solemnly.
Tavish
grinned
and
the
little
girls
almost
exploded from repressed
excitement.
Vannie’s
heart
shone
through
the
love
in
her
eyes.
He
wasn’t
her
father—he
never
could
be.
He
was,
however,
now
her
uncle.
He’d
show
her
what
to
look
for
in
a
man
with
whom
she
could
trust
her
heart.
He’d
show
her
by
being
that
man
to
Aggie.