He chuckled, thinking about Lily and the way other women seemed drawn to her. She was a leader and didn’t know it. As soon as she knew the women agreed, she’d immediately set up a time when the children could attend. She’d suggested they have a short devotional and refreshments, but since Emily was providing the house, the others should share those responsibilities. They’d all agreed, and he was eager to hear how their meeting had gone. Lily had baked two apple pies with the early fruit from their trees, and he looked forward to cutting into the one she’d left for him.
Pushing thoughts of his wife aside, he opened his Bible and became lost in its life-giving words. As often happened when he studied for a sermon, he became unaware of the time until his stomach growled. Feeling a pang of hunger, he looked up at the clock on the fireplace mantle and realized it was well past noon. Lily had left a covered crock of beef stew from last night’s supper in the cellar. After he’d prayed for Mr. Fieldman’s wife last week, the rancher had been gracious enough to send a roast home with him. He hadn’t expected payment, but the man had insisted, saying it was little enough he could do to show his appreciation. He needed to thank him again for the delicious stew, although Lily’s cooking had much to do with the taste.
He retrieved the stew from the cellar and dipped out a hearty amount into a small iron skillet to warm on the wood cookstove. While he’d been reading and making notes, the fire had burned down to embers, so he added a couple of sticks to the firebox. When he straightened, movement outside the kitchen window caught his attention. He hadn’t seen enough to tell what it was, so he ran to the door and across the laundry room to the outside door. Whatever it was had come this way, but now he saw nothing out of the ordinary. As he wondered what he should do, a man darted across the churchyard and around the building out of sight. He’d never catch him and didn’t want to try, as he apparently had gone away.
Was it the same man who sold the horse to Lily? He couldn’t be sure, but his gut said it was. Lily claimed the man was harmless, and he figured she was right. But it still concerned him. What could he possibly want? She’d paid him for the horse, but he continued to come asking for food. And a job. He returned to the kitchen and stirred his stew while his mind wrestled with their problem. If he helped the man find a job, would he leave Lily alone? She said he’d be good with horses. Sunday morning the Fieldman’s should be at church, and he’d ask if they might have a position on their ranch. He couldn’t put in a good work for the man’s character, but he could say he seemed to be good with horses if Sissy’s excellent condition meant anything. He only wanted him to leave Lily alone.
His thoughts, after seeing the man, released more worry as he thought of Lily and Grace riding home double on Sissy. Maybe he should ride out to meet them. He glanced at the clock and forced his breathing to slow. He felt sure they were safe at the Jacob’s farm right now. If they hadn’t shown up, Emily would have sent Adam to find out why.
He finished his lunch and washed the dishes rather than leave them for Lily. Then he headed to the church. Before going inside, he traced the intruder’s path, but found no evidence anyone had been there recently. He could be nearby or miles away by now, but an uneasy feeling inside suggested he hadn’t seen the last of him, and that didn’t set well. Maybe he was as harmless as Lily said, but she might not understand how some men thought. Lily was a beautiful woman, one any man would find attractive. If the fellow won her confidence, and her friendship, he could be a threat to their marriage, and Elliott refused to stand by and let that happen.
He’d been a fool to let her and Grace go alone to their meeting, but they wouldn’t be coming home alone because he’d go now and ride back with them. If he had to wait until they finished, he would. He could always visit with Adam, but never again would he let either of them go off without an escort.
Without checking inside the church, he set off with long strides back into his own yard then out to the barn. He brought his horse out of the pasture and started inside the barn for the saddle when he heard horse’s hoofs outside. Hurrying back to the doorway, relief washed over him when he saw Sissy and the two females who were so precious to him.
They slid from the horse and turned toward him, both with wide smiles. “Oh, Elliott, we have so much to tell you.”
Grace didn’t speak, but her joyous expression told him enough to chase the worry from his mind. “So, you had a good time, did you?”
“Oh, yes!” Lily turned to her horse. “Let me get Sissy taken care of, then we can tell you everything.”
He unbuckled the saddle and pulled it off. While he carried it to the tack room, he released his emotions in a heartfelt prayer of gratitude. “Thank You, Lord, for keeping them safe. Give me wisdom in dealing with this problem. Whoever that man is, and whatever his intentions are, I pray you’ll touch his heart for You.”
Later, when they relaxed in the warm house, Lily sat beside Elliott on the sofa, holding his hand as if they’d been apart for days instead of a few hours. “I can’t believe this small community has had four brides come from New York.” Her eyes shone with excitement. “We had so much fun. Grace and her friend, Bethany, were so sweet to take the small children outside to play so we women could talk. Oh, and the children were adorable, too. Emily’s little boy toddled around everywhere.”
Elliott grinned at her excitement. Did all the talk of children mean she wanted a baby of her own? He wouldn’t oppose the idea, but the timing and whether they had children was in God’s hands. All he said was, “I’m glad your meeting went well. Where will you go next month?”
“Danya Tucker offered. She lives just down the road from Emily. But that’s only for our meetings. We’ve decided all the women in our church need to meet once a month for fellowship and for service. What do you think? I promised to run it past you before we make definite plans.”
“Um, I don’t know.” Surprised by her ambition, he struggled to catch up. “What do you mean by service?”
“Oh, you know.” She waved a hand as if including many ideas. “If someone in the community has a need, we can help. Women who are ill still have a household to run. We could help that way. Or maybe a bachelor could use a warm quilt we could make. Sometimes fires or windstorms take belongings, and we could share. It would be a small sacrifice for each of us, but a big help when we all work together.” Her brows drew together as her gaze met his. “It’s all right, isn’t it? We want to help, and in doing so, maybe folks who don’t believe the Bible is important will change their minds. What do you think?”
“So you wouldn’t limit to helping only our church family?” He looked into her eyes.
“No, we wouldn’t.” Her voice slowed, but her gaze never wavered. “We want to be of service to everyone.”
He nodded. “In that case, I think I’d better organize a men’s group who will go with you ladies, especially if there’s a question about your safety. As soon as that’s in place, I’m all for it. There are things the men can do that you can’t, and it would be best if we work together.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I’m proud of you, Lily. You may have accomplished more in the short time you’ve been here than I have in all the years I’ve pastored this church. God knew exactly who I needed when I asked for a bride.”
A blush accompanied her pleased smile before she ducked her head. “Thank you, but I’m sure you could have found someone better. I had fun today, though, and I hope we can do some good for others.”
She pulled her hand from his and hurried toward the kitchen. “And now, I need to see what I can find for supper. You must be starved, having to eat leftovers while we feasted on our yummy pot luck.”
“I’ll have you to know your leftovers are as good as any feast.” He followed his wife to the kitchen while Grace headed toward her room. “What can I do to help?”
She swung around with a smile that set his heart pounding. “You are too good to me. Why don’t you sit and keep me company. I imagine Grace will come looking for s
omething to do, too, as soon as she puts her purse away.”
He stepped closer to her, catching her by each shoulder and drawing her to him. “I’ll keep you company, all right. How about some quick company before Grace gets here?”
If the sparkle in her eyes was any sign, she didn’t seem opposed to the idea, so he touched her lips with his in a kiss he’d dreamed of all the time she was away. When it ended, he said, “I’ve missed you, Lily. You must’ve been gone at least three hours.”
“Only three hours?” Her eyes danced with merriment. “How could you miss me in such a short time?”
“Every hour was as long as a day, and I was concerned.” He shook his head as he remembered the man he’d seen run away after skulking around their house. “I don’t know what I was thinking, letting you two go alone. Next time, I’ll take you and pick you up.”
“There’s no need.” A slight frown formed between her eyes. “Nothing happened, and it won’t.”
“We don’t know that.” He sighed. “Humor me, please? Until you came, Grace was all I had left. I’ve lost my entire family. My brother and sister are the only living relatives I have, and they live so far away I never see them. I don’t want to lose you or Grace.”
She leaned her head against his chest. “You won’t, Elliott. I promise I’ll still be with you when we’re old and gray. By then, Grace will have married with a houseful of children of her own.”
“That many grandchildren?” He chuckled. “I pray all you’ve said comes true.” As he captured her lips again in a sweet, heartfelt kiss, he wished he could believe, but he couldn’t stop the feeling that something would tear them apart. Whether it was an irrational fear from his past, or God was trying to prepare him for heartache, he didn’t know. All he knew was that he loved Lily beyond his wildest imaginings, and `he didn’t want to lose her.
Chapter 10
Several weeks later, Elliott looked up from his Bible when the back door closed. Lily had been washing clothes in the anti-room and must have gone outdoors to hang them on the line without telling him. He understood she thought he was overreacting, but he couldn’t help it. Losing either of his girls was not an option, if he could help it. Grace was at the Langdon’s spending the afternoon with Bethany, putting her out of harm’s way, although Lily had told him twice now the man he’d seen was not a threat to them. He didn’t know what to believe. She said she hadn’t seen him since they’d cleaned the chicken house, and he was glad, but that didn’t stop him from being watchful.
He went to the back door and peered out the window then jerked back to grab his coat. Lily stood by the clothesline, visiting with the same man as if they were old friends. Just when he’d believed the fellow had given up, there he was. Before he got the door open, Lily shook her head and laughed as if he’d said something funny. Or was she flirting with him? His blood ran cold as he jerked the door open and charged out. Before he’d gone one step, the fellow turned and sprinted away. Fear, not for her life this time, but that he would lose her to another, ripped through his chest.
As he crossed the yard, Lily watched the other man until he was out of sight, then bent to pick up one of Grace’s dresses and hung it on the line as if nothing had happened.
Jealousy brought physical pain. When she continued to hang the clothing as if she didn’t know he was there, he stopped and watched, knowing he’d slammed the door loud enough she’d heard. He thought of calling out to her, or approaching and questioning again about her friend. He loved her dearly. Didn’t she care for him in the same way? Fearing what he might say if he confronted her, he turned and went back inside.
The fellow wouldn’t return now, anyway, and he didn’t want to get into a fight with his wife. Obviously, she enjoyed the man’s visits and wouldn’t appreciate his interference. Knowing that didn’t help his mood. He let the door shut on its own; the bang giving him a sense of satisfaction. He needed to finish his sermon for Sunday evening. Preparing two each week took time, but if Lily didn’t come in soon, he’d go out and help. Maybe by then he’d be calm enough to talk without driving her away into another man’s arms.
Stomping across the floor into the living room, he sat in his chair, letting his heart and mind calm. Tonight should have been a special time, since Grace would stay the night with her friend and come to church with their family in the morning. He and Lily would have uninterrupted time together. Precious time that didn’t need the memory of her laughing with another man standing between them.
He was still working when Lily came inside. She came to the door of the living room and smiled, but he couldn’t quite bring a sincere smile to his face with the image he’d witnessed outside still burning in his brain. He’d go to the sheriff and complain, but he had nothing to go on. The fellow had done nothing wrong. Yet he feared him. Not physically, but because he was powerless to keep him away from Lily. It was like fighting a willow-the-wisp, and Lily’s vague answers when he asked about him didn’t help. The newness of their marriage, and her assurances there was nothing out of the way with this man, kept him from saying more than he already had. Other than that, and keeping a close eye on her, he didn’t know what to do.
“It feels so nice and warm in here.” Lily’s voice calling out from the kitchen penetrated his thoughts. “There’s a bite to the wind. Winter will be here before we realize.”
What was she trying to do? Cover the fact her friend had paid another visit? He sighed. “Felt a little damp when I stepped outside a while ago. Maybe we’ll get a good snow soon. Might keep folks from church, especially in the evenings.”
If it kept their beggar away, he wouldn’t mind. When she appeared in the doorway again, he searched her expression for guilt, but she just nodded and turned back to the kitchen.
A weary sigh rose from his discontent. He needed to concentrate. Recently his messages seemed off. Probably because his mind was so taken with this problem that he’d not been able to prepare as well as usual. Twice in the last month, he’d glanced toward the window while preaching and imagined the mystery man leaning against a tree as if listening to his sermon. Whether he’d been there for real, he couldn’t say, but he thought so. As the weather grew colder, they usually kept the windows closed, but on those days, he’d noticed someone had opened one in the back a couple of inches. Both times the windows had been closed when he’d checked after church. The whole thing seemed like a bad dream. Maybe it was. If something didn’t change, his congregation would soon also notice his distraction.
Small, busy sounds from the kitchen let him know Lily was preparing their lunch. He closed his Bible, tucking in the few notes he’d made then bowed his head for a brief prayer. If he offered to help, maybe she would tell him something that made sense about the man she claimed was only a beggar. The woman he’d thought was perfect in every way was about to drive him to distraction. “Please, Lord, let him be no danger to Lily or Grace, and no threat to our marriage. Give me wisdom in approaching Lily.”
Laying his Bible aside, he rose and went into the kitchen with a smile pasted in place. “So, what can I do to help my beautiful wife feed me?”
She looked up, a blank look on her face as if peeling potatoes took so much concentration, but a smile slowly formed. Had she been thinking about the man he thought of as competition for her affection? As soon as the thought registered, he realized the truth. It was no longer concern for her safety that bothered him. No, he now feared losing her to another man who might be courting her right under his nose.
Yet her smile was as sweet as usual. “I can always use help. I found a few carrots we’d missed buried in the garden earlier. If you’d like to scrape and cut them, I’ll add them to the stew.”
He glanced at the stove and noticed a large covered pot with steam rising around the lid. He sniffed as he recognized the delightful aroma of cooking meat. “Mmm, that smells worthy of eating. Where did you find a beef roast?”
A flash of emotion crossed her face as she averted her eyes. Then she lift
ed her head and looked at him. “It isn’t beef. I’m sure you noticed the beggar outside earlier. He wanted to pay us back for the chicken I let him take that first time he showed up. He’d gotten a deer and said he had more than he could eat. And he said to tell you thank you for the chicken. He hoped a roast would be at least partial payment for your help in his time of need.”
She stood tall, looking at him with a mix of indecision and challenge in her eyes. Sensing she spoke the absolute truth, he turned back to the stove and peered under the lid. His stomach growled as the enticing aroma called to him. What could he say? Unless the man had poisoned the meat, he surely didn’t intend to harm them. A man with evil intent wouldn’t give up a choice piece of venison to his victims, would he?
He turned and faced her. “I stepped outside when I noticed him here, but as soon as he saw me, he left. What’s he afraid of? Why will he speak only to you? All I want is your safety, Lily. Yours and Grace’s.”
“Grace was not outside any of the times he’s been here. And she isn’t even home today.” She dropped another potato into the pot on the table.
Tension crept into his body. “How many times has he been here?”
She looked up with a frown, as if it didn’t matter. “You want to keep track?”
“Yes, today and the welcoming party the churches gave you are two times. Then he took the chicken, and how many other times?” He tried to keep the anger from his voice, but one thing he didn’t like was for someone to lie to him or neglect to tell him something they knew was important.
“Oh, I don’t know.” She frowned. “I guess four or five times. The day after Grace and I canned the last of the green beans, I spread the chicken droppings into the garden you’d plowed. He stopped by then and asked if I had any vegetables to spare. I know you enjoy sharing with others in need, and didn’t think you would mind.”
Stealing the Preacher's Heart Page 9