Six days after his rescue, he was still confined to a wheelchair; but the color in his face was back, and on most days his spirits had been high. Leaning against the rough bark of the oak tree that majestically towered above her in the Hutton garden, she let out a contented sigh of relief. Only God knew what the days ahead of them would hold, but for the first time a life spent with Luke seemed possible.Only one dark shadow hovered in the recesses of her mind. While the doctor had decided against the necessity of amputating the injured extremity, full use of the limb was still questionable. Because of the uncertainties that lay ahead, Luke spoke little about the future, except for telling her that his days spent on a whaling voyage were over. He seemed to accept this without remorse, and she hoped his acceptance of the matter was because of her. With him now free from the obligations of the sea, they had been offered the chance to pursue a future together. Whether he still wanted to take that chance, she wasn’t sure.Luke’s eyes opened halfway.
