“Wait. What did you just say?” Nancy fixed her cousin with an open-mouthed gaze.
Faith laughed. “Andrew knows everything about me, and not only that, he shares my circumstance. His father and mother were both mixed-race, and when he puts together all the parts of one tribe or another that came through his family, he figures himself to be at least half Indian. The old Indian man I told you about—the one he saved during the fight—that’s his grandfather.”
“That’s wonderful,” Grace said from where she was busy arranging Nancy’s bed for the birth.
“How did you find all of this out and when?” Nancy asked.
“When Lakewood demanded that I help him or he’d kill all of you.” Faith put her dirty things in a cleaning basin. “I was so upset, and before I knew it, I was at the river looking for the Morning Star. Once I found Andrew, I just told him everything. I knew if I became Lakewood’s mistress it would be the talk of the town, and I wanted him to hear it from me. When I explained my heritage, he told me that there was nothing stopping us now. I had no idea what he meant, but then he kissed me and told me we could marry because he, too, was part Native. I was never happier than in that moment.”
“How romantic,” Nancy said with a sigh. “I’m just so happy for you. All these years you’ve believed you could never have a husband and family, and now you can. It’s truly wonderful.”
“It doesn’t mean there won’t ever be problems,” Faith warned her. “We’ll marry as two white people, but at least, should someone want to make trouble for us because of my Indian blood, he’ll be able to point to his own and show there is no breaking of the law.”
“When do you plan to wed?” Grace asked.
“Soon, I hope. I see no reason to wait.”
Nancy grabbed her belly as another contraction hit. “You’ll wait long enough for me to deliver this baby and be able to attend the wedding.”
Faith laughed. “Of course we’ll wait that long. After all, I want you to stand up with me. You’re the closest friend I have.”
Forgetting about the pain, Nancy got to her feet and came to Faith. She embraced her cousin and held her tight. “I would be honored to stand up with you. Oh, you don’t know how much that means to me. You were always like a big sister to me.”
Faith laughed. “As the oldest, I’ve been everyone’s big sister, but now I’m going to be the bride and thoroughly enjoy myself.”
Nancy let go of Faith and made her way to Seth’s side. “That last contraction was much stronger. I think this baby is going to be here before we know it.”
“So long as you both come through this strong and healthy, I will be happy,” Seth said. He couldn’t really embrace Nancy because of his injured arms, but she leaned down and placed a light kiss on his cheek.
“I feel the same way about you. I want you back strong and healthy.” Nancy straightened and shook her head. “The man who did this to you deserves the same.”
“He deserves it,” Seth said, “but we have to forgive him. Otherwise we’re no better, and we’ll only end up bitter.”
“I know you’re right, but I don’t think I could bear being a widow twice. So you must recover and never come this close to death again.” She grinned. “And that’s an order.”
Seth smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”
Faith made her way to the kitchen with the basin of old bandages. She found Andrew there talking to Bedelia, of all people, and they seemed quite chummy.
“What are you two discussing?”
Bedelia gathered a stack of linen napkins. “We were considering where the two of you might live after you marry.”
“Oh, and what did you come up with?” Faith ladled hot water from the stove’s receptacle into the basin to let the bandages and scissors soak.
“I thought it might work to have you remain here,” Bedelia said. “The captain will be traveling up and down the river, and it would be awkward for the crew to have you with them all the time. Not only that, but you wish to practice medicine.”
Faith frowned. She hadn’t yet thought about their future living arrangements. She knew Andrew’s crew would more than welcome her to join them on the Morning Star, but how could she spend her time just going up and down rivers?
Bedelia continued. “However, if you remained here and the captain joined you when he was in port, then you could live like a normal husband and wife.”
“But that would put another man in the boardinghouse.”
The spinster shrugged. “What’s one more?”
Bedelia left them to figure it out, and Faith covered her mouth to keep from bursting into laughter. She could see the twinkle in Andrew’s eyes and knew he was just as amused.
“That is a rather big dilemma,” she said. “I’d never really thought about where we’d live.”
Andrew got up and came to take her in his arms. “We’ll figure it out in time. First, I’m determined that you be allowed back in college to get your certificate.”
“My class graduates tomorrow evening.” Faith had been doing her best not to think of it.
“Would you like to be there, or would that be too painful?”
She considered it for a moment. “I’d like to go. I want to see my friends get their certificates.” She smiled. “Would you go with me?”
“I will. Maybe your father would like to join us. We should be back by then.”
Faith hugged him close. “Thank you for loving me. I love you so dearly, and if you didn’t return that love . . . I think I would die.”
He held her tight. “Then you should live forever, because I will never stop loving you.”
John Alexander Carpenter was born at dawn the next morning. He was blessed, as Grace declared, with a headful of auburn hair and beautiful blue-green eyes.
“I’m pleased you named him after your fathers, but what will you call him? That’s much too formal a name for such a little peanut,” Grace said, holding her grandson close.
“I think you should call him Jack,” Faith suggested. “A lot of men named John go by that nickname.”
Grace held the baby up for Nancy and Seth to see. “What do you think? Jack?”
“I think it’s a perfect name,” Nancy said, then yawned.
“All right, you’ve both been up all night, and it’s time for you to get some sleep.” Faith pulled the quilt up over the sheet that covered Nancy. “Your mother needs some sleep as well.”
“It’s hard to even think about such things with this little guy finally here,” Nancy said, glowing with happiness.
“Yes, but he needs to sleep as well.” Faith took the baby from Grace. “I promise that if he needs anything I can’t provide, I will put out a call for help. For now, and speaking as the only person who had several consecutive hours of sleep last night, I’m in charge, and you are ordered to rest.”
She swept from the room with little Jack, looking forward to spending time with him, and dreaming of holding her own child one day. For so long she’d buried those dreams, but now there was nothing to stop them from coming true.
CHAPTER 25
The little blue booklet read, Fifteenth Annual Commencement of the Medical Department of Willamette University. Faith bolstered her heart to take courage. This was a happy evening for her friends, and she wanted very much to honor them. She’d even worn the dress her mother had made when they’d thought Faith would also graduate.
“You came,” Malcolm declared, pushing through the crowded foyer of the First Methodist Church of Portland. “You look beautiful. I saved you seats with my family.”
Faith smiled and looked to her father and Andrew. “Is that all right with the two of you?”
“Sounds perfect,” her father replied.
“Good.” Malcolm seemed pleased. “I’m hoping we’ll be able to get together afterward. There’s so much to talk about. I’m sure you’ve heard what happened with Mr. Lakewood and Mr. Berkshire.”
“Yes, we know all about it,” Faith admitted.
Faith followed him, knowing her father and Andrew wouldn’t allow her far from their sight. There were still so many unanswered questions, and instead of feeling safer, Faith now felt even more in danger. Someone had murdered Samuel Lakewood and Gerome Berkshire. And it was very possible that the threats made by Mr. Lakewood toward her and her family actually came from his superior—perhaps the very man who had ended his life.
“Mother, Father, I want to introduce my dear friend Faith Kenner.”
Faith smiled at the couple. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Digby. Let me in turn introduce my father, Lance Kenner, and my fiancé, Captain Andrew Gratton.”
Malcolm’s expression momentarily flashed with pain. “You’re engaged?”
“Just. We can talk about it later.” Faith laid a gentle hand on his arm. “Is Violet here?”
“Yes. She’s already seated down front. I wish you were graduating with us. It’s not fair that you were expelled.”
“No, it’s not,” a voice said behind Faith. She turned to find the college’s president, Josiah Parrish. He smiled. “That’s why we’re allowing you to graduate with your class.”
Faith thought her heart might have stopped beating. For a moment it seemed the entire room went silent. “What?”
“I had a meeting two hours ago with the Board of Trustees. I explained the situation, and we all agreed that as our top student, it was foolish to allow Lakewood to dictate your expulsion. You will, of course, have to submit your thesis and complete your final exams, but I’ve no doubt that you can accomplish those things with little difficulty. I apologize for putting you through this ordeal, and I hope you’ll still be willing to accept a certificate from our institution.”
“Mr. Parrish, I’m pleased to hear this,” Faith’s father said, extending his hand. “Thank you.”
“This is wonderful news. Wait until I tell Violet,” Malcolm declared before rushing off.
Only Faith remained sober. Even Andrew was grinning from ear to ear. “But . . .” She glanced around. There were so many people here, and she didn’t want to reveal the details of her ancestry to the entire world. “There was that one issue Mr. Lakewood brought up.” She prayed Parrish would understand what she was hinting at.
He nodded. “Lakewood told me it was a lie. He only said it to further discredit you in case your father wanted to sue the college.”
Faith looked at her father. Should she allow Parrish to believe it was a lie? That seemed even more a sin than neglecting to tell the truth in the first place. She couldn’t keep lying. Not in such an important situation. Her father gave her a reassuring smile.
Faith squared her shoulders. “Mr. Parrish, it wasn’t a lie. I’m not sure why Mr. Lakewood would tell you that, but what he said was true. I can’t accept your offer based on the restrictions of the college.”
Parrish looked at her for a moment. “You fulfilled all that was expected of you, and frankly, that is all I find necessary in order to give you your certificate.”
“But—”
Father put his hand on Faith’s shoulder. “You did the required work. If Mr. Parrish, as president of the medical college, is satisfied, then we should accept his offer.”
Faith began to tear up. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“You’d better take your seat. We’re about to begin the ceremony,” Mr. Parrish declared. “Oh, and I will see you first thing in my office tomorrow morning to schedule your exams.”
Andrew handed her a handkerchief, and she quickly dabbed her eyes. “I’ll be there, Mr. Parrish. Bright and early.”
Father kissed the top of her head. “I’m very proud of you. Now, go take your place with your friends. I will be here with Andrew to cheer you on.”
She hugged her father, then turned to Andrew to give back his handkerchief.
“Keep it for now,” he said. “I have a feeling there will be more tears.”
“You’re probably right.”
“I usually am, Dr. Kenner.”
She couldn’t help but smile. “Soon to be Dr. Gratton.”
“Your father said the police asked you questions about Mr. Lakewood and Mr. Berkshire.” Faith sat alone with her mother.
“They did,” Faith agreed, “but I told them there wasn’t much to tell. They had heard about Lakewood getting me expelled and suggested I had a powerful reason to kill him.”
“Oh dear. What did you say?”
“I told them it was a powerful reason to kill him—if I were a vengeful person. But I told them that I was a child of God, and they asked what that had to do with anything.” Faith looked in the mirror to check the veil on her head. “This is crooked.”
Hope reached for a hairpin. “I’m sure I can fix it. So what did you tell them when they asked that?”
“I shared the plan of salvation. I told them how we were all sinners and that the penalty of sin is death. But that it isn’t a death one could deliver to another—it was eternal death that God alone would decide. I told them how Jesus knew that penalty and still came to earth to die in our place. I must have talked about that for fifteen or twenty minutes. I finally ended by saying that if God could forgive me and give me eternal life, I could forgive Samuel Lakewood and allow him his earthly life. Father just sat there with a smile on his face.”
Hope laughed and worked to straighten the veil. “I’ll bet he did.”
“Hopefully they’ll leave me alone now and look elsewhere. Father told them he could raise at least a dozen witnesses to prove I was not even in town when those men were killed, and I think that impressed them—especially since one of the witnesses was Major Wells.”
“There,” Hope declared, “you are the perfect bride.”
Since Clementine and Gabe were getting married on the thirtieth of May and family would be coming to Oregon City to join in the celebration, Clementine had suggested they share the day and have both weddings that morning. Gabe had heartily agreed.
Faith and Andrew figured they might as well have their wedding on the same day as her cousin. It had given them barely a month to plan it, but most of the work was already done, since Faith’s family in Oregon City had been working with Clementine’s family to arrange the event.
“If I am, then it’s thanks to you,” Faith said, taking another look in the mirror.
“I wish I could have been there to see you receive your certification.” Her mother’s words were barely a whisper.
“You were in spirit. I felt you there. When Mr. Parrish said he didn’t care about my Indian heritage, I felt as if you were standing beside me.” Faith turned and took her mother’s hand. “Thank you for taking me back after Eletta died—for raising me. I know it must have been hard at times, having me here as a constant reminder of what happened to you.”
Hope Kenner shook her head and cupped her daughter’s face. “You’ve been a constant reminder of God’s blessings and His mercy. What happened at the Whitman Mission haunted me for a long time, but when you came back to me, I was finally able to let go of the memory of evil and focus instead on the beautiful child God had given me. I was so sure nothing good could come out of what had happened, but you did. Your presence was healing. I don’t think I’d be the joyful woman I am now had you not returned to me.” She kissed Faith’s cheek, mingling her tears with those of her daughter.
Faith hugged her mother close. “I love you so, Mama.”
And then it was time to march down the aisle to Andrew. Faith was so nervous that she feared she’d faint, but her father gave her a wink.
“Before you know it, it will be over, and then you can watch Clementine and Gabe get married.”
Faith nodded and drew a deep breath. “I’m ready.”
Later, as she sat twisting the gold band on her finger and accepting the well-wishes of family and friends, a sense of peace settled over her. All of her dreams had c
ome to fruition in such a short time. She looked across the sea of people and saw Gabe and Clementine. They were so happy. They had already purchased a small house in Portland, and Gabe had taken over managing the family sawmill there. Clementine promised she’d make regular visits to the boardinghouse since, as a married woman, she could no longer teach school.
“Did you get some of this? I made it special for you,” Remli said, coming toward her with a piece of wedding cake and a fork.
“I didn’t. I’m so delighted that all of you came to the wedding that I haven’t yet sampled any of the food.”
“Well, you can now.” He handed her the cake.
Faith knew he wouldn’t let her refuse and took a bite. It was one of the best fruitcakes she’d ever had. “This is delicious. Is it your recipe?”
He gave her a proud smile. “It is, Miss—Missus—Well, I’ll be. Dr. Gratton.”
She laughed and took another bite. “You shall have to teach me how to make it. Although I must warn you, I’m not very good in the kitchen.”
“You don’t need to be. You got me.” He laughed and made his way through the crowd to join his shipmates.
“He’s happy you’re joining us. I’m happy too. You’ve made my spirit glad,” Benjamin said in Nez Perce.
Faith replied in the same. “Thank you, Grandfather.” She touched his hand. “You are my family now, and I am yours.”
The old man smiled, knowing this was a pledge of her willingness to always care for him. “I’m gonna go eat Remli’s cake. It also makes my spirit glad.”
Faith laughed and sent him on his way. She looked forward to getting to know him and hearing the stories he could tell.
“You had a very lovely wedding,” Bedelia Clifton said, taking a seat beside Faith. “The day is perfect for this outdoor reception.”
“It is. I was so happy to see the rain clouds had disappeared.” Faith looked around. “Where is Miss Cornelia?”
“Where else? She’s with Nancy. She’ll scarcely leave her side for fear of missing a chance to be useful with the baby.”
The Way of Love Page 26