"Ellie, what's wrong honey?" Levi asked as he ran across the room and sat down on her bed. Hope stood on the other side of the bed wringing her hands as she watched the little girl she'd come to love, cry in her father's arms. After a moment Ellie freed herself from her father's embrace only to launch herself into Hope's and buried her face in the crook of her neck.

Hope turned and sat down on the bed still holding the weeping child. She rocked back and forth holding her and spoke soothing words until the crying subsided. Hope and Levi simply looked at each other as he leaned across the bed to pat his daughter's back. "Ellie honey, what's wrong baby?"

Ellie sat back and looked at the woman with the beautiful eyes and sweet smile. "I dreamed you left me and Papa. Please, please don't ever leave me. I love you."

Hope could see the little girl becoming upset again and quickly stopped her. "Ellie, I'm going to tell you something ok. I love you so much, in fact I couldn't love you more if I was your real mother. As far as I'm concerned, you are my daughter, and I would NEVER willingly leave you, I promise. Now, why don't you lay back down, close your eyes and go back to sleep? Only this time I want you to have sweet dreams, ok."

Ellie nodded but held on to Hope's and Levi's hands until she drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

Levi sat there in a stunned silence. He had no idea what he had done in this life to deserve a daughter like Ellie and a wife like Hope. He should be down on his knees thanking the good Lord above for sending these two angels to him. It was at that moment he realized that he was in love with his wife, and he wanted a real marriage with her. He wanted her in his bed every night and at least a dozen more children with her. And it scared the hell out of him!

He just didn't know how to change things between them after being so adamant about the way he wanted their marriage. What if she truly didn't want a real marriage? At least he knew that she was as physically attracted to him as he was to her. Well, he might be a little more attracted to her; he knew what he was missing. She didn't.

As Ellie's breathing became steady and even, they both got up and walked out of the room. "I think I'll retire for the night. It'll be a busy day tomorrow. Good night Levi." Hope whispered then walked around him to her own room quietly closing the door behind her. Automatically she began to remove her clothes then went to the basin and bathed off before donning her night gown. That's when she remembered what Ellie had said, what she screamed out. She called for her mamma. Tears gathered in her eyes as she lay there trying to sleep.

She loved that little girl and she hoped with all her heart that Ellie was calling her mamma and not calling for the woman that birthed her. It didn't take long for her thoughts to turn toward her handsome husband as they always did. He was constantly on her mind. She loved him and she wanted more than anything to have a real marriage with him and to have at least one child of her own.

Not that she would love it more than Ellie, no, only because she wanted to experience the miracle of creating a life with someone she loved. Her hopes sagged as she thought about how Levi had been adamant about their marriage being in name only. She was only here for Ellie and she would just have to be satisfied with that. Well that and the few kisses they'd shared. What would have happened if Ellie hadn't called out when she did? Those were her last thoughts as sleep took her and her dreams took over.

It was shortly after two in the afternoon when the wagon turned onto the drive. Hope had made sure Ellie had a good bath and a new dress to meet her grandparents. They were all tense, each having their own reason. Levi had been in the barn talking to his new foreman when he heard the wagon and walked out to meet it. Frowning, he noticed only Harold and Skip were in the wagon.

Had the old battle-ax decided to stay in town? Oh, if only he could be so lucky. Sighing he walked over to greet his company. "Harold. Where's the misses?"

A look of pain crossed the old man's face before answering. "She took to her bed after Alicia – well, she took to her bed and just faded away. She's been gone almost a month now."

"I'm truly sorry Harold." And he was for it was obvious the man was in pain. First his daughter then his wife. No wonder why the man had decided to come for a visit. "Here, why don't you come and see Ellie, you haven't seen here since she was just a baby." As they walked across the yard to the house, the front door opened and Hope walked out holding Ellie's hand.

"Harold, this is my wife Hope, and this little angel is of course Ellie. Hope this is Harold Morgan."

"It's an honor to meet you Mr. Morgan. Please, won't you come in and sit down. I'm sure you must be exhausted from your trip." Leading both men into the front parlor she turned and spoke. "If you gentlemen will have a seat, Ellie, and I will be right back with some refreshments."

"You have a very beautiful and very gracious wife, Levi. It looks like you've really done well for yourself." He said as he looked around in admiration. Sighing deeply, he looked back at his son-in-law. "I- you know I would never have taken Ellie away from you. I was just so desperate to do something to reach my wife. Please, forgive me."

Levi felt several things at that moment: anger because of the worry and agony he'd gone through yet relief at knowing that he was never in any real jeopardy of losing his daughter; anger again at having to get married again yet gratitude, because if it had not been for Harold, he would have never met Hope.

The first night they slept in the same bed they both laid flat on their backs stiff as a board afraid to move. However when Hope woke up the next morning she was laying with her head on her husband's shoulder and her right arm and leg thrown over him. Thank God she woke up before him or she would have surely died of embarrassment. She managed to ease herself off and away from him without waking him up; or so she thought. He'd been awake for some time but could not make himself get up. His fingers itched to feel her silken tresses. All too soon she woke up and headed downstairs to start breakfast.

The next night they went to sleep on their sides with their backs to each other. The following morning, Hope awoke still on her side but this time Levi was curled up behind her with his left arm around her side and his left hand cupping her breast. She lay there far longer than she should have reveling in the feel of his strong arms around her.

And so it went for a week. Each one trying to stay away from the other but neither was able to achieve it. Harold, being an older and wiser man saw how one would devour the other with their eyes when they thought the other wasn't looking. Ahhh... Young love he thought to himself. It was rather amusing to watch them dance around each other. He knew they hadn't been together long and he suspected the only reason they were married at all was because of the empty threat he'd made about trying to take Ellie.

He was also fairly certain that they had been sharing separate bedrooms until he came to visit. The first night he'd gone to bed, her night gown had been under one of the pillows. He would not be surprised if they had not even consummated their marriage yet. Harold knew how miserable Levi had been married to Alicia, but there was no doubt in his mind that he'd been faithful even though he knew his own daughter had not been. Putting his sad thoughts aside, he took Ellie up to bed to read her a story. God, he loved that little girl! He wasn't sure how he would ever be able to leave her and go home.

It was time for bed. She couldn't put it off any longer. Harold had read Ellie a bed time story then gone on to bed himself. Levi had gone out to the barn one last time to check on a mare almost ready to deliver. Quietly she made her way up the stairs to the room she was sharing with her husband. Hope bathed off quickly while Levi was outside. Her back was to the door and she was just sliding her head through her gown, so she didn't hear it open.

Levi could not put off going to bed any longer. He'd used every excuse he could think of to stall for more time. Maybe his wife would already be in bed asleep and he could just get in bed, roll over, and pretend she wasn't there. His mind wandered back to the mornings he woke up with her asleep in his arms. Walking quickly up the stairs he opened the door to his – their bedroom. Knocking never crossed his mind, seeing as how he'd never shared a room with anyone before.

He stood in the doorway with his mouth hanging open with his eyes glued to his half naked wife. Instantly his pants became painfully tight as his eyes started at her trim ankles then slid up her shapely calves to her delectable rear end covered in soft pink pantaloons, then to the small of her back. Her skin looked like the softest, creamy white silk and his hands itched to feel the texture then his eyes picked up lines on her back a few white and a few light purple ones and it dawned on him what he was looking at.

Instantly his body began to shake as a white hot rage roared through him. In three long strides he was at her side. Grabbing her arms he turned her to face him. He didn't notice the shocked squeak she let out, all he could see were the crisscross marks on her back. "Who did that to you?"