They entered the central hall, which boasted a magnificent staircase and a crystal chandelier that had been imported from France in 1835. Laurel explained that this would be the site of Debbie’s wedding.

“We can’t seat many people in here,” she explained, “but since I stood on this stairway during my wedding, just as my mother-in-law did when she was married, Debbie wants to continue the tradition. We’ll have only family members for the wedding itself, and then all of our friends and neighbors are invited for the outdoor reception.”

The house had four huge rooms on each floor with great fireplaces in each room, set off by carved walnut mantels and varnished paneling. That the Coopers had once been wealthy was evident in the priceless antiques and beautiful oil paintings in each room.

When Micah commented on the wealth of her furnishings, Laurel shrugged her shoulders. “There would be wealth if I sold them, but I want to keep the house as it is for Debbie and her children. This house was one of the few in the area not raided during the Civil War. Most of these furnishings have been here for a long time. Legend has it that the Coopers buried their money and that it was never found. But my father-in-law said his ancestors gave most of their wealth to the war effort. None of the Coopers I know have been prosperous.”

In the parlor, Laurel pointed out the Steinway grand piano. “This piano belonged to Debbie’s great-grandmother.” Laurel ran her fingers over the keys, testing the tone.

“Debbie’s father played, and he filled the house with music when he was at home. It’s hardly been touched since his death. But Debbie wants her wedding music played on this piano, so I had it tuned.”

The house was situated on a small hill, and a spreading lawn with large, gnarled trees and spacious gardens added to the mansion’s magnificence. Micah’s camera finger was already itching to photograph the place.

Micah thanked Laurel for the tour and returned to his apartment. The rooms were cool now. He turned off the air conditioner and raised the window facing the large stream, flowing southward at the foot of the hill. He inhaled the fragrance of the landscape flowers and settled down with his laptop to map out an itinerary for his Tennessee research.

Micah kept thinking of the delicate bone structure of Laurel’s oval face that ended in a determined chin, and he couldn’t concentrate on his work. Laurel had experienced a rough life bringing up her child as a single parent, but she’d apparently developed a strong character, while fulfilling her role as a mother. He remembered how her emerald eyes easily flared with anger as bright as a flash of lightning, only to fade just as quickly to the softness of a peaceful ocean. Her auburn hair was cut close to her head like a cap. Since she’d been dressed in jeans, he was well aware of her slim waist above shapely hips, and—

“Whoa!” Micah said aloud.

He shook his head, wondering at his thoughts. It had been a long time since he’d given any thought to a woman. There was no time for romance in his busy schedule, so what had prompted this sudden surge of interest in Laurel Cooper? He decided he was just as well off not to know the answer to that one, and he shifted his thoughts to the computer screen.

By the time they’d finished their tour of the house, Laurel had been completely at ease with Micah, and now she could smile at the way she’d mistaken him for a carpenter. She thought about his interesting life—how much he’d seen of the world compared to her meager travels.

She had eventually become resigned to her restricted life. Since Debbie was all they had left of their son, the Coopers were determined that their granddaughter would be raised in their home. When Laurel had mentioned going to work, or moving into a home of her own, they’d raised such a fuss that it was easier to submit to their demands rather than fight them.

She’d tried to stifle her temper when dealing with them, because they’d aged considerably after Jason was lost at sea. They’d been good to her in many ways, but she hadn’t had a life of her own. She’d received some income from a small trust fund left by her grandmother, but she was dependent on them for food and housing. And she could never have given Debbie a good education without their help.

She was surprised when they’d left everything to her, although her father-in-law had asked her in his will to keep Oaklawn for Debbie’s inheritance, actually controlling her life after his death. Mrs. Cooper had lived only two months after her husband, and by the time Laurel had paid their funeral expenses, there wasn’t much money left.

Acting on the advice of her attorney, Kevin Cooper, Laurel had used most of that money to redo the wing into apartments. Kevin, a first cousin of Jason’s, had advised that the apartments would provide a steady income for her. The apartments had supplied an income, but by the time she paid the utilities and the taxes, she’d hardly broken even on the apartments. Laurel still had the upkeep of a large house, a limited income and no job experience. She was annoyed that Kevin had given her such poor advice, but she hadn’t complained to him. He’d been helpful in settling her father-in-law’s estate, and he’d assured her that she could call on him for further help when needed.

Although she’d been concerned about having Debbie leave home, Laurel wondered if it wouldn’t be nice to be completely independent for a change. At forty-two she could still get an education and have a career. She had been dreading the summer, but she anticipated it now. She intended to enjoy her daughter’s company while they planned the wedding. And since just one evening in Micah’s company had uplifted her spirits, she looked forward to seeing him often during the next few weeks.

It was amazing how quickly she’d been drawn to Micah. She hadn’t dated much before she’d met and married Jason, and since his death she hadn’t been interested enough in any man to contemplate a serious relationship with him. But Micah’s quiet ways, his dry humor and his gentleness had captivated her from the first.

Laurel was still downstairs when she noticed the lights go off in Micah’s apartment. The clock on the stairway chimed ten, and Laurel knew it wouldn’t be long until Debbie came home. She turned off all of the downstairs lights except the ones on the back porch and in the entry hall and went upstairs. She always stayed awake until she knew Debbie was safe at home, but Laurel had avoided being a controlling mother who monitored her daughter’s comings and goings. If Debbie wanted to talk to her about what she’d done when she was out for an evening, Laurel let her take the initiative.

After her in-laws died, Laurel had moved into their room because it commanded a good view of the river valley. She had kept the cherry bed, dresser and chest that had been handed down for several generations. But to give the room a hint of her own personality, she’d had a green carpet laid and dressed the high, narrow windows in ruffled curtains that matched the rug’s color. As a final touch, she’d replaced the dark painted walls with a colorful, floral wallpaper.

Laurel had changed into a mint-green cotton nightgown by the time she heard Debbie’s light gait, taking the steps, two at a time. The door cracked slightly and Debbie whispered, “Asleep, Mom?”

“No, come in. I’m about ready for bed.”

“We had a fun time at the pastor’s house, but I almost went to sleep two or three times. It was a long flight from Colorado today.” Debbie smothered a yawn and drifted over to kiss Laurel’s cheek. “Night, Mom.”

“We should go into Knoxville and pick up your wedding invitations tomorrow,” Laurel said, “but we won’t have to leave early. Sleep late if you want to.”

Yawning again, Debbie waved lazily, indicating she’d understood and wandered out of the room and down the hall.