“This letter explains everything,” Moses told the group. “After being questioned by the police, Mr. and Mrs. Rutledge and Mr. Laird admitted to involvement in poisoning five girls and collecting insurance money. Mr. Laird apparently conceived the plan, but the Rutledges went along, willing to share in the spoils and permit his evildoings.”
Ezekiel thumped his coffee cup on the kitchen table. “And to think I’s the one who let you go to that place. I wouldn’t never forgive myself if something woulda happened to ya, Truth.”
She gave him a warm smile. “Nothing happened, Pappy. I’m home safe and sound. And that’s not the very best news.” She reached into the big front pocket of her coat. “Silas, this is from Dr. Boyle. A reward for your courage and assistance in returning us safely from New York. Dr. Boyle asked that we deliver it to you.”
Silas untied the string, opened the brown paper, and gasped. “It’s money! More’n enough to buy a piece of land.”
Grace rested her open palm across her heart and beamed. “It’s what you prayed for, Silas! God answered your prayer.”
From the look on his face, Jarena wasn’t certain her father was quite so happy at the thought of Silas purchasing his own parcel of land. After all, the young man’s willingness to work was a valued asset in her father’s fields. Now that he had the money, she wondered if Silas would ask to purchase Thomas’s land. Likely not—Grace would surely tell him the purchase of Thomas’s land was a forbidden topic.
Jarena’s thoughts were interrupted by Truth’s invitation for the family to join them at their new house for Christmas dinner. “Moses and I are hoping you’ll agree.” Instead of looking to their father for affirmation, Truth was focusing on Jarena. “Well? What do you think?”
Ezekiel leaned forward. “I’s thinkin’ it’s a fine idea. We’s gonna be in town for church meetin’ on Christmas—preacher says he’s got a fine sermon already prepared.” Ezekiel chuckled. “Prob’ly the same one he preached last year. We can jest all come to your place afterward. Ain’ that right, Jarena?”
“Of course. That will be great fun.” Jarena knew her agreement was expected. “You let me know in advance what you’d like me to prepare.”
“I was hoping Pappy would offer us one of the hams.”
Grace poked Truth in the arm. “And I’m guessing you want Jarena to bake it for you—along with an apple pie, too!”
“We’ll likely need at least two pies. Moses and Pappy are both fond of mincemeat.” Truth grinned as she looked from her husband to her father and back again.
The twins were enjoying the verbal exchange, and Jarena played along with them and added her agreement to whatever they suggested, though suddenly she felt very old—as though she’d already lived her life and the final curtain was falling. It ought not be that way, but thus far, she’d not experienced any of the life for which she longed.
But she knew something that would bring a smile to her face, and she jumped up from her chair. “I believe I’ll go and check on those baby chicks. It’s cold, and I want to make sure they are warm enough out in the coop.” She grabbed her cloak and hurried outside, ignoring Grace’s protests that she’d already given them sufficient care.
The clouds hung heavy in the sky. Intermittent snowflakes dropped from the heavens and danced on her face before melting and trickling down her cheeks like tears. Grasping the hem of her cloak, Jarena swiped the fabric across her face and dried her cheeks. She hesitated as she reached the barn. For a moment, she thought she heard sleigh bells jingling in the distance. She shook her head. In addition to indulging in self-pity, she was beginning to hear things.
The heavy wooden door creaked and groaned in protest as Jarena pulled on the handle. Again, she heard sleigh bells. She turned and squinted toward the horizon. There was a sleigh in the distance. She wasn’t imagining things after all! But who would be out for a sleigh ride in this weather? She laughed at the thought. Moses and Truth thought nothing of traveling in the snow; in fact, they planned to return to their home in town later this evening. Apparently she was the only one who gave the weather more than a passing thought.
“Helloooo!”
She didn’t know who was shouting from the sleigh, but she waved in return. Whoever it was, they’d likely stop for a cup of hot coffee if one was offered. She pushed the barn door closed and walked toward the road while straining to see. Will Southard? What was he doing all the way up here from Ellis?
She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, “Will Sou-thard. Is that you?”
The horses clopped to a halt and snorted puffs of frosty air from their large nostrils. The animals shook their heads, tossing their frost-laden manes in the cold air and causing the harness bells to jangle a melodious greeting.
“What brings you from Ellis on this cold day, Will? Weather’s going to turn bad on you before you can get home.”
He nodded. “I know. I’m hoping you’ll offer a cup of coffee and put me up for the night if need be.” He waved at the blanket-covered mound behind him. “As a way of thanking me for bringing you a special Christmas present,” he added.
Jarena wondered if Moses had ordered a special gift for Truth and had it delivered to the farm in order to surprise her. “Christmas present? You must be mistaken. I’m not expecting anything from Ellis. I don’t think any of us placed any special orders.”
The blankets shifted, and Jarena watched as the wool coverlet dropped away to reveal the Christmas gift. “Thomas!” Her high-pitched cry of delight streaked across the still, snow-covered prairie. “When did you . . . ? How did this . . . ?” She couldn’t complete a full sentence, nor could she seem to move!
“Aren’t you going to come closer?” Will asked with a laugh.
The question jarred her into motion. She sprinted to the side of the sleigh and then stopped short. “Thomas! What happened to you?”
“Indians,” he said as he arranged himself in a seated position and straightened the patch over his left eye. “But I’m alive, and I’m not complainin’.” He grasped her hand. “I’m not the man who left here, Jarena, but don’t pity me. I can already see you’re pained by what you’re seein’, but I don’t want nobody feeling sorry for me—least of all you. Understand? I lost an eye, but my leg’s healin’. It’s gonna be fine in another few weeks.”
A lump formed in her throat and rendered her speechless. She tipped her head in agreement, unable to speak. Will circled the sleigh, and with a surprising nonchalance, assisted Thomas out of the sleigh and into the house while her family hurried to welcome the men and then fetch coffee and food, all of them acting as though nothing were unusual.
Thomas thanked them for the coffee before he requested a few moments alone with Jarena. She swallowed hard as she neared his side, hoping to rid herself of the lump in her throat that wouldn’t seem to diminish.
“Please, sit down.” There was an ache in his voice she’d never heard before. He took her hand and looked deep into her eyes. “I wanna tell you what happened. Why you ain’t heard from me. When I’m done, I want a promise from you.”
She bowed her head, knowing if she spoke it would be through tears. And she knew Thomas didn’t need tears. He needed her to be strong. Biting her lower lip when it began to tremble, she listened while he told her of a battle with Victorio and his men. How a bullet ricocheted off a rock and hit him beside the left eye. The only thing he remembered was the flash of light before he fell to the ground.
“I don’ remember any of what happened after that. I don’t know how long I was there, but the men who found me said I’d wandered across the Rio Grande and into their village. When I got there, I didn’ even know who I was. I’d lost my memory. ’Course, from my appearance, they knowed I was one of the buffalo soldiers. The womenfolk nursed me back to health—even made this patch for my eye.” The black fabric had been embroidered with brightly stitched flowers and tied around his head.
“As I started to heal, my memory slowly returned. When I finally
got back to Fort Concho, I found out the army had listed me as dead. There was a note in my records showin’ Moses was notified. I coulda written you as soon as I got back to the fort, but they said they’d be sendin’ me home for good—what with my eye and all. I figured I might jest as well wait and surprise ever’body.” He waved his arm with bravado. “So here I am, determined to farm my land right here in Nico-demus, jest like I planned.”
“And I’ll be at your side, Thomas,” Jarena whispered. “I’ve been waiting so long. . . .”
He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand and shook his head. “No. We cain’t get married, Jarena. Leastways not right now. Maybe never. That’s the promise I was talkin’ about. I’m not the same man what left here, not the man you was plannin’ to marry. So I want you to promise me that if another fella comes along, you won’t hold off because of me. To tell you the truth, I wouldn’ta been surprised to find out you was already married to some lucky fella.”
A swell of indignation rose in Jarena’s chest. “How could you think such a thing? Did my letters not speak what was in my heart? Didn’t I promise to be here waiting for you?”
“No need to get angry. You’s a pretty gal, Jarena, and I figure there’s plenty of single fellas lookin’ for a wife in these parts. When I couldn’t get word to you, I thought ya’d take me for dead and move on with your life.”
“Well, you should have known better than that! I’m not a fickle woman, Thomas!”
He chuckled and brushed her cheek with his hand. “I can see that. But here’s the thing. With this bad leg and only one eye—this isn’t somethin’ either one of us was intendin’. I don’ think we should be plannin’ for the future right now.”
After all this waiting, after trusting God for his return, was Thomas now going to reject her? “Nobody ever plans on facing difficulties, Thomas.” Apparently she was going to have to argue him into marrying her.
“That’s true, but I know myself. I’ll likely be pretty ornery to get along with when I start trying to keep up with my farmin’ chores and such. Sometimes I get mighty bad headaches, and it wouldn’ be fair to you.”
Her pulse quickened, and she could feel her temples throbbing, racing to keep time with each rapid heartbeat as she gathered both of his hands in hers. “I’m pushing my pride aside, Thomas, and I’m going to say what’s on my heart. I love you and I want to marry you. I must know if you feel the same.”
He hesitated and then lifted her hand to brush it with a soft kiss. “You know I love you, Jarena. I’ve loved you since the first day we met. But I couldn’t stand it if you grew to hate me. I wanna do the right thing by you.”
“Then marry me. That’s the right thing—the only thing.”
He drew her into his arms and softly kissed her lips. “If you’re sure that’s what we should do.”
She returned his kiss. There was no doubt: this was the man for whom she was intended. This was the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Injured or not, she loved him with all her heart. With God at the helm of their marriage, they would face these new hardships with a steadfast love and trust in Him. Working together, their life on the prairie and their love for each other would shine as brightly as a Kansas morning sky.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks to:
The stalwart pioneers who willingly sacrificed to settle the
Kansas prairie
The staff of the National Park Service, Nicodemus
Historic Site
The staff of the Kansas State Historical Society
Mary Greb-Hall
Mary Kay Woodford
Angela Bates-Tompkins
Deletria Nash
Books by Judith Miller
FROM BETHANY HOUSE PUBLISHERS
_______________________________
BELLS OF LOWELL*
Daughter of the Loom
A Fragile Design
These Tangled Threads
LIGHTS OF LOWELL*
A Tapestry of Hope
A Love Woven True
The Pattern of Her Heart
FREEDOM’S PATH
First Dawn
Morning Sky
* with Tracie Peterson
Bestselling Author
TRACIE PETERSON
EMBARKS on a NEW SERIES
Leah Barringer’s life in the rugged Alaskan Territory
changes unexpectedly when the man her heart can’t forget
returns after ten long years. But unbeknownst to her,
Jayce is a wanted man. Can the past be made right...
and can she surrender her heart again?
Summer of the Midnight Sun by Tracie Peterson
ALASKAN QUEST #1
Morning Sky Page 29