by Linda Ford
“She’ll be there, all right, or my name’s not Sam Abbot.”
Reid checked the address again, thanked the detective and went for a cab.
* * *
Maddie left the rooming house to begin her weary trek through the city once again. She gave the warped door a second yank to get it to close properly then turned toward the pavement.
“Maddie.”
She froze.
Was she dreaming? There, a few feet from her, stood Mr. Gallagher, as devastatingly handsome as the first time she’d seen him, his blue eyes piercing into hers.
Her first impulse was to run to him. Then she remembered. He only pitied her. She must flee before she broke down in front of him. Where could she go? She began pushing through the crowd, away from him. She didn’t feel strong enough to resist his noble intentions.
“Maddie, wait!” She quickened her step, but too many people stood in front of her. In a moment she felt a strong hand clasp her shoulder and she was forced to face him.
Her heart constricted at the sight of his dear face. His eyes looked tired, the lines around his mouth deepened. “Maddie, why did you run away from me?” His quiet tone sounded hurt.
“Please, Mr. Gallagher, you shouldn’t have come—”
“Why are you afraid of me, Maddie?”
She shook her head and tried to speak but couldn’t. She raised a hand to her mouth to hide its trembling and finally turned away.
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
She looked down at her feet, too ashamed to look him in the eye. Why did he have to see her like this?
“We have to talk. Is there somewhere we can go?”
She wanted to weep at the concern in his tone. “Please,” she whispered.
“Maddie, trust me.”
She raised her eyes to him and felt her resolve slipping. She’d tried so hard to give him up. But there he stood, so solid and sure. How could she ever say no to him? She took a deep breath. She’d hear him out. She owed him that much, but she must remain strong. She must. “All right.” She led him back to the boardinghouse, hating the thought of taking him there, but knowing of nowhere else.
The door stuck as usual. Before she could give it an additional shove, Mr. Gallagher put his greater strength to it and held it open for her. She slipped past him and led him into a dingy side parlor.
Murky sunshine only highlighted the years of grime on the upholstery and carpet. She didn’t offer him a seat nor did he take one. He removed his hat and held it in his hands. “I saw your parents.”
Her gaze flew up to his. “You did? When?” The next second, she asked, “Did they tell you where I was?” No, how could they? They didn’t know.
He shook his head. “They said they didn’t know.”
“No...they didn’t.”
He cleared his throat. “You needn’t have run away. We found the letter you wrote to my aunt just before her stroke. It convinced my sister you had no ulterior motives. She’s sorry she misjudged your character.”
Maddie’s back straightened. “I didn’t run away out of guilt or fear—” She stopped, afraid she’d give away the real reason.
“I know you didn’t.”
She remained silent, feeling the fear grow in her.
“Your parents send their love. They’re concerned about you.”
“You didn’t tell them anything—”
“What could I tell them? You disappeared. I merely said you were my assistant, as well as my aunt’s companion.”
She stared at him, wondering what her parents had thought of him.
“I think your parents understood the real reason I was there looking for you.”
“The real reason?” She waited, hardly breathing.
His gaze remained steady. “That I love you.”
Her lower lip began to tremble again and she bit down on it. “Don’t, Mr. Gallagher. Pl-please don’t say anything more. You don’t owe me anything.”
“I owe you a great deal. You gave me back hope and life and such a deep sense of happiness. You helped restore my faith and feel young again.”
Her eyes filled with tears so she could no longer see him in front of her. “You mustn’t speak like that.” Overcome, she sniffled, turning away from him. “I’m not worthy—”
He approached her and took her wrist in his hand, forcing her back though she held her face away from him. “Why? What are you afraid you’d do to me?” As he spoke, he rubbed the inside of her wrist with his thumb. “What are you afraid of if you married me? Other than making me the happiest man on earth?”
“I’m not g-good enough f-for you. Look what your aunt said about m-me.”
“My aunt was a selfish old woman—”
“You mustn’t speak ill of her—” She could hardly think for the feel of his thumb pad against her skin.
“Marry me, Maddie, and come back with me to Egypt. You’ve always wanted to go back to the Middle East. Come with me.” His soft voice wore down her control. How could she fight him reasonably when he stood so near, his touch and low tone hypnotizing her?
“I’d only ruin it for you the way I did for my parents,” she whispered, knowing she must persuade him any way she could.
“Your parents told me they didn’t come back because of you.”
Maddie stared up at him.
“They said the Lord led them to the curacy your father now holds. They said they prayed long and hard about it and felt it was the Lord’s will for them to return to that village in England.”
Maddie pondered his words. She knew her father had been content in the village where they’d lived upon their return. Why would her father say such a thing to a stranger unless it were true?
Mr. Gallagher offered her his handkerchief, a large white square of finest cotton. She took it and wiped her nose and eyes.
Before she knew what he was doing, he leaned toward her, until his face was almost touching hers. “Marry me, Maddie...and don’t make me go through the agony you put me through in the last fortnight.” As he spoke, his lips skimmed her temple and cheek, his mustache brushing her skin.
“Agony?”
He nodded, his cheek grazing hers. “I’ve searched high and low for you. I couldn’t rest until I saw your face and held you in my arms.”
“How did you...find me?”
“I hired a detective.”
She drew back from him, unable to believe what she was hearing. Did he care that much about her? She tried again, though her voice sounded wavering to her ears. “I’d hold you back—”
“How could you when you give my work meaning? These last couple of months with you have made me realize how little it all means if I have no one to share it with. You’ve reminded me there’s something greater than my little, self-protected world. You’ve given me hope.” He fell silent and touched his lips to her cheek, raining soft kisses along her jaw, not stopping until he’d reached the corner of her lips.
Before she lost all reason, she asked the hardest question of all “What...about your wife?”
He drew away a fraction and she was sure this was the end of his proposal. But he held her gently by the shoulders. “I loved Octavia very much, but you’ve shown me it was time to let her go. She’s gone and I think I’ve finally laid her to rest.” His blue eyes searched hers. “Can you forgive an old fool for not realizing until you left me how much I love you?”
“You loved your wife.”
“And now I love you. You showed me my heart hadn’t died with Octavia. Maddie, marry me because I can’t live without you—” He stopped in midsentence. “Oh, I can, literally. I can survive, as you well know, just as you can without me. But I’ll only be existing the way I’ve done since Octavia died. I know we have eternity, but I don’t want to miss the chance to enjoy your company in the here and now as long as
the Lord gives us.”
He touched her cheek with his fingertip and stroked it softly. “Marry me, Maddie. Don’t let me turn into one of those fussy old bachelors who snaps at his servants and can’t remember where he put his reading glasses and when they point them out at his side, he’ll never admit it’s his failing memory that’s at fault.” As he saw the humor begin to lighten her eyes, he pressed on, “Don’t let that terrible fate befall me. I need you, Maddie. I’m desperately in love with you and can’t imagine not seeing your beautiful face beside mine each morning.”
Her cheeks heated, no doubt turning a bright shade of pink. He continued his caresses with his fingertips.
“Why didn’t you tell me any of this the first time you proposed to me?”
“Perhaps I didn’t want to admit it, even to myself.”
She appeared to consider his words. Seconds passed, in which she seemed to be weighing his words, determining their authenticity, and Reid was reminded of himself when he studied an artifact. Was it genuine or a cleverly masked fake? And now his own words were being weighed in the balance. He could feel the thud of his heart, pounding loudly in fear.
She glanced at his left hand still resting on her shoulder. His ring finger was bare, the paler skin where his wedding band had sat so many years making its absence all the more evident.
She stared back at Reid. He nodded, telling her with his eyes that he had finally relinquished this most tangible sign of his first marriage.
Seconds passed. She moistened her lips. “Perhaps I should rethink my refusal. I wouldn’t want to subject you to such a miserable fate.”
He hardly understood the first part of her words, but by the end, he discerned the humor warming her tawny eyes.
He pulled her to him and her hand came up to his chest. “What are you doing?”
“Exacting my revenge.” He lowered his face down to hers.
“For what?”
“For putting me through an agonizing fortnight.”
“Oh.” His lips touched hers and he was relieved she made no more move to stop him.
He scowled at her rosy face. “Is that all you have to say?”
“Was it so very bad?” She touched his cheek.
“It was in direct proportion to the pleasure I shall exact from you now,” he murmured between light kisses to her mouth.
“I see. Will it be so very bad for me?”
“Let’s just say Aunt Millicent would find it most inappropriate—” he touched her lips again “—indeed.”
“It sounds dreadful,” she breathed against him as her arms came up to wrap themselves around his neck. Then she was unable to speak anymore.
He kissed her long and deeply, his senses reveling in the taste and touch and scent of her.
After a few minutes, she broke away from him. “I’m sorry that I caused you any pain. I thought loving you meant I had to give you up.”
He lifted her chin with his fingertip. “Never run from me again. You almost killed me with worry.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“You should have come to me.”
She smiled. “I will the next time.”
“There’d better not be a next time,” he growled.
She laughed softly.
He drew a deep breath, separating himself from her only far enough to say what he meant to say. “Now that you are sufficiently penitent, permit me to rephrase the question I put to you so inelegantly after that dreadful reading of my aunt’s will.”
Her eyes clouded at this reminder and she would have looked away if he’d permitted it, but he cradled her face between his hands. He cleared his throat. “Maddie, will you marry me? I love you with all my heart and soul and breath.”
The warmth that began in her beautiful eyes spread to her mouth as she smiled. “I will indeed, for I think I have loved you since the first day I met you at Lady Haversham’s.”
“I’m sorry it took me so much longer.”
“Oh, Reid, you’ll never know how grateful I was that day you offered me your protection.” She hugged him fast. “You are the most wonderful man!”
He laughed in response. “Just keep thinking that for the rest of your life.”
“That won’t be difficult.”
“I like hearing my name on your lips, by the way.”
“Reid,” she repeated softly, her color heightened. “How I love you and thank God for bringing you into my life.”
“As do I.” His smile met hers as he leaned in until she was a blur and he closed his eyes and kissed her again.
Epilogue
Cairo, Egypt 1900
Reid felt the deep sense of satisfaction that coming home always gave him. He led the donkey by the reins as he approached the large whitewashed palazzo he called home. The words on the brass plate by the door, The Good Shepherd Orphanage, announced the dual function of the building.
The Cairo sun was low in the sky, washing the front of the building in its golden light. The air resounded with the muezzin’s call to prayer. A servant boy exited the building. Spotting Reid, his face broke out in a smile.
“Sir Gallagher!” Quickly he came and took the reins from Reid and led the donkey toward the stable in the back. Reid entered through the heavy front doors. He came to a tiled courtyard filled with orange trees. A fountain tinkled in the middle. Children’s voices could be heard from there and above in the galleries.
He smiled as he saw Maddie among the group of children. She was blindfolded, her arms stretched outward. The children screamed in laughter, jumping around her, just out of reach.
Over the years, she’d gained a lot of confidence around children. When he’d first brought Maddie to the Middle East, she’d proved a willing and able partner, not only donning men’s trousers once again when she’d worked alongside him on archaeological digs in the field, but also the roomier, more comfortable Arab and Turkish garb.
Cairo under the British was a city of many races and religions. He and Maddie had purchased a large house in the Coptic quarter of the city. With the birth of their first child, she had blossomed into the mother she was meant to be. Reid had remained in Cairo then, helping to establish a museum to house the antiquities. Soon after, he and Maddie had received their first foundling, a homeless boy. Over the years, other children were left with them.
Now, ten years since they’d married, he and Maddie had three children of their own, and twenty additional children who called this place home.
“Papa Reid!” a child’s voice cried out, spying him. He motioned the boy with a finger to his lips to be silent. The boy understood at once. With a conspiratorial smile, he accompanied Reid as he approached Maddie.
The crowd of children fell silent at his signal, their faces alight with anticipation.
Reid positioned himself close enough to Maddie to let her catch him. Her hands landed on his front, and she stopped immediately. “Reid?”
The next moment she whipped off her scarf and broke into a joyous smile. Before he could do more than return her smile, he was bombarded by several children’s bodies flinging themselves around his legs and waist. “Papa Reid! Papa Reid!” He looked over the children’s heads at the elegant woman in front of him.
Maddie had changed little in their ten years together. Still as slim as when he’d met her, her tawny hair was hardly touched by gray, but best of all, she had the warmest smile in the world.
Slowly, the children parted as he took a step toward her. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he took her in a bear hug.
She looked up at him, giving him the smile he’d dreamed of in the desert. “Welcome home, dearest.”
“Hello, Maddie. I’ve missed you.”
His own firstborn son came running up. “Papa!”
“Alex!” He gave the blond-haired eight-year-old a tight hug. Then he turned
to his five-year-old daughter, Pippa, who was pulling at his arm. Last of all, their Egyptian nurse brought their youngest, two-year-old Troy, for him to hold. He raised him high in the air amidst his giggles.
“Papa.” The toddler’s chubby hands came up to play with Reid’s hair.
Reid put the child on his shoulders as he gave his attention back to his wife.
Together, the group walked toward the house, Reid and Maddie arm in arm. His darling Pippa, her hair as tawny as her mother’s, her eyes as blue as his, clung to his free hand and chattered all the way. His oldest son walked alongside his mother. Reid gave him a special wink, promising they’d have that “man-to-man” time alone later.
Reid squeezed Maddie’s shoulder. She met his look. These days, as director of the orphanage, she ran a staff of people and never turned a child away. Best of all, her life reflected the gospel she preached—feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the prisoner.
He was proud of his wife and never ceased thanking God for giving him this opportunity to love again. Maddie had taught him over the years to open his heart and not to be afraid to give of himself. With each child they welcomed, they risked their hearts. With the Lord’s love sustaining them, they never refused the call to love.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from The Rancher’s Return by Carolyne Aarsen.
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