by Kari Trumbo
He lifted the papers and tapped them against his desk. “No, I should think I would be fine here. There hasn’t been much work of late. Perhaps when I get busy again, you can return here as we spoke about before your mother’s accident.”
He was so quiet, not the man who had made the decision to come all the way to California and strike out on a new path, far from Boston.
“Have you lost your way, Father?” the words slipped out before she could fully think them through. Of course, he had. Mother had been part of him for so long.
He sighed heavily. “I’m afraid I have. I was so angry with your mother for distancing herself, for trying to change my mind about coming here. She hated Boston and all the lies, so I thought she would be happy here, in this quiet little pocket of California. She wouldn’t have to tell anyone her past if she didn’t want to, she could just live. But all those rules she claimed to hate so much were a constant for her, comfortable. She knew just how to act and what to say. She couldn’t do that here. All the way to Blessings, as she mourned the loss of her home while on the ship, she convinced herself Blessings would be a horrible place. Then Mr. Abernathy suggested there were Indians just waiting in the shadows to take any unsuspecting woman hostage, and from that point forward, she wouldn’t be dissuaded that they weren’t everywhere, just hoping for her to have a minute alone.”
She swallowed hard. Lenora hadn’t made the trip any easier on her mother. “I thought her fear started once we got here.”
He shook his head. He’d seemed to turn grayer by the day.
“Remember when we got here, I told you not to judge Abernathy based on rumors? I did. I knew he wanted your heart with all that was in him and I let those rumors rule me. Geoff had no proof of what he claimed, but I believed. I shouldn’t have trusted anything from your mother’s mouth, especially not in the state she was in just before she died, yet I did. I’m sorry, Lenora. It must have been terribly difficult to live with me, hoping every day that the man I told you to trust, that I practically bade you to love, would be trusted by me. Can you forgive me?”
She’d been angry with her father, but would never dream of holding it against him, and certainly not now.
“Of course, Father.” She moved to the front of his desk and took his clammy hand. “We must stick together now. Without Geoff, all we have is each other.”
He laughed humorlessly. “No, my dear. I believe that when Victor comes back from his little jaunt, he won’t be able to wait a moment longer to see you. If he asks you, what will you say?”
Did she dare tell him that he’d already asked her? Would he be angry that Victor had not gone to him first?
“He has asked, in a roundabout way.” She met his glance and he urged her to go on with an arch of his eyebrow. “I would say yes, if he asked again.”
Her father smiled slightly. “Good. I don’t want to have to worry about you, and you shouldn’t have to worry about me, anymore. Don’t make him ask you again. You have my blessing, Lenora.”
She couldn’t just leave him, not after losing Mother.
“What if he wants to take me to England, what then?”
He leaned softly against the desk, as if he were weak.
“We will deal with that when and if it happens. Until then, you’d best get to Pati, she’s probably wondering where you are.”
For the first time in days, the road to the seamstress shack felt light. Father was beginning to heal and see the truth, and Victor would be home later that day, if Cort was right about the distance and the time it would take.
Pati waited for her outside the seamstress shack as usual, a slight smile on her face that grew larger as she looked up.
“Good morning! Mr. Winslet stopped by earlier to tell me that he needs you this afternoon. Very strange that he would pick you of all people to help him out, but he asked that I let you go a little early, so I will.”
“Thank you.” Lenora could think of nothing else to say about it. She knew nothing of plants and Mr. Winslet’s choice baffled her most of all.
“Mr. Abernathy’s kerchief is gone…” Lenora hadn’t noticed before she’d left for lunch the day before, and she hadn’t returned to work after, but it was no longer on the table with the finished items.
“Yes, while you were at lunch yesterday he came in. I forgot to tell you. Also, he wanted to order one more, but this one is different. Though, the work is already done.” She smiled again as she drew a small slip of paper from her pocket.
“He wants the same three colors as before except he doesn’t want the A black on this one, he wants it red.”
Red? If the blue was for her eyes, and the rose for her lips…why red?
“Red? Did he say why?”
“No, but look at the design.” She handed the paper to Lenora. The paper almost slipped from her fingers as she opened it. It was the design she’d already made for herself, with the initials LRA.
“Oh…” words failed on her tongue. He’d left her for days, but when he’d come to find her, she’d been gone. His message was clear. He still wanted her for his bride, and he would come back for her. Her heart beat so quickly she couldn’t contain her joy, she wanted to run to find him, but she didn’t know the way. She clutched the paper in her trembling fingers.
“I’ll get started on it right away. He could be here for it later today.”
Pati got herself situated with a dress on her stool. “Yes, he may. I should’ve told you yesterday, but you didn’t return after luncheon.”
“I love him, Pati.” She had to tell someone, or she would just burst. She’d held her feelings in check for so many months because he wasn’t the right man, and because he was going to leave, but it didn’t matter anymore. Someone had to know.
“I know. I’ve known from the first time I saw you two together. That isn’t something you can hide.”
“So, you think he knows it, too?” She prayed he did, that he’d seen through her attempts to control herself; that he could see her heart.
“I think he has a good idea of how you feel, but you should probably tell him. Men aren’t as good at reading that kind of thing as women. They can be as slow as a spring drizzle. A good strong woman doesn’t need a man to say first what needs to be said.”
Pati always was good for speaking plainly.
“You’re right, and I’d better get to work. I don’t think I could get it done before he gets here.”
She laughed and handed her a seam ripper. “Tear out the A on the one you’ve already got and just change the color. You can make a matching one for yourself later.”
And she would, she would also make matching pillow cases and a quilt for their bed, assuming he would give her that much time. Mr. Abernathy didn’t like to wait, and she’d already put him off for months. Once he learned that he was back in her father’s good graces, she may not be able to make him wait a moment longer. Not that she wanted to.
Chapter 18
The farther the sun got past its zenith, the faster Victor tried to walk. He’d have to pick up his pace to make it on time. He’d really hoped to go and see Lenora first, even bring her to the river to meet with Mr. Winslet with him. If she could see for herself that he’d changed enough for Atherton to grant him a job, she would accept him. He felt it right down to his toes.
As he made it into Blessings, the silence around Winslet House met him. He’d have to go right to the river. Atherton wasn’t sitting on his front stoop as he usually did to keep an eye on his town. Victor pressed on, even though his legs were so sore he could barely keep them straight. He’d rest once his had his promise from Atherton, and his Lenora.
Dodging around trees, he made it to the river’s edge and followed it farther east, down by the mines. As he came closer, Atherton wasn’t there. He paused for a moment and stared. There, by the river, was the woman he’d wanted to see all along. Had Atherton known that this would change her mind? Could that be why he’d agreed to meet him, in order to give Lenora reason to tru
st him? He pressed forward and Lenora glanced up, her deep blue eyes wide. As soon as she recognized him, her face shifted from surprise to utter elation. A healthy pink infused her cheeks and her eyes brightened as she smiled. She took his breath away. A woman had never been so happy to see him.
She shifted to face him, and he had to hold himself in check. The desire to crush her close and kiss her until she knew just how much he’d missed her was so strong he could taste it.
“Victor.” She glanced up into his eyes, tilting her chin just so. “I’ve missed you.”
“Did you?” He held his breath for a moment. “Not half as much as I’ve missed you, love.”
She flinched, and pain suffused her face for a moment and he couldn’t stop himself from rushing forward, taking her hands in his. They were so soft, now that it had been days since she’d done wash for Pati.
“What is it, darling?” If he’d done something to hurt her, he had to make it right. Everything had to be perfect when Atherton came.
“How could you miss me? I haven’t seen you for days and you’ve only been gone from Blessings for one.”
He cupped her cheek and let his hand trace all the way to the soft tendrils of hair at her nape, then tugged her close, finally holding her as he’d wanted to.
“My lovely Lenora. I was told first by the sheriff to stay away, then Cort agreed with him. They were sure you might be hurt by my involvement in your mother’s death. I never meant for that to happen, and I never went near her, Lenora. You have to believe me.”
Her arms encircled his waist and held him tight. Many women had pressed themselves to him, but none fit so well, none were as welcome, and none as precious.
“Oh, Victor. I never thought for a moment that you did. I just needed you. I needed to know that you cared about me … more than you have about every other woman in your life. When you didn’t come around … I was sure that I was just another skirt in a long line.” Her voice hitched, and he held her tighter.
“Never. You were never like them. From the first moment I saw you, I had to know more about you, had to be near you. You are more precious to me than any woman anywhere. I can’t fathom why you would give me your attention at all, but I’m blessed beyond measure that you do.”
She pulled away slightly and tilted her head back to look him in the eye and, again, took his breath away. They were bright with unshed tears.
“What about your family and your promise to make money and return?”
“My mother sent me a letter. All three of my brothers are wed and doing well. They miss me, but they don’t need me to come back. I’m free, Lenora. I know you could do so much better than a poor livery owner who’s seen far too many saloons. But—”
She held a soft finger to his lips, stopping him.
“Victor. I love you. It matters not to me how you make your living. As long as you work hard to provide for me and our children, I will be a happy woman.”
His heart raged against his chest, and he kissed her finger. When she laughed and cupped his cheek instead, he took his chance and captured her lips. She squealed in surprise, then melted into him as he lifted her off the ground. His legs quaked both with the power of her kiss and with the fatigue. He’d have to find somewhere to set her, but he wasn’t ready to let her go. As he let her slide back to solid ground, she sighed, and parted from him much too soon.
“Will you stay with me forever, Victor? Or will you tire of me?” She bit her lip and her sweet eyes danced from his lips just before she wrapped her arms around him to hide under his chin.
“Love, I will never tire of you. You could kiss me like that every day until the Lord takes you home and I’d never be weary of it.”
“Yes.”
He laughed, suddenly unsure of himself, which was a whole new feeling for him.
“Yes? What are you agreeing to?”
“Yes, I’ll marry you. As soon as you’ll have me. But I have one request.”
“Anything.” He couldn’t breathe. Sweet mercy, where would he and Lenora live, how would he ever make a home for her, and where was Atherton?
“My father will do a wedding for us whenever you want it, but when the circuit preacher comes back to town, I’d like to say our vows before God.”
Praying had kept Lenora safe when he couldn’t be near her, and had brought her to him when he was sure she’d want nothing to do with him. He couldn’t deny her such a small request after he’d relied so heavily on a God he was sure hadn’t wanted anything to do with him. But would the Lord agree that he should be anywhere near a church?
“I don’t think God wants me in His house, love. You may be willing to overlook my past, but there aren’t enough Hail Marys to wash away all I’ve done. I wouldn’t even be able to recall it all.”
“You can’t, but He can, and you won’t have to say a single Hail Mary, the preacher is Protestant.” She giggled.
He kissed her head and held her close. “My mother will already cry that I’m not coming home, I won’t tell her that I’ll be absolved by the Protestants. That might be more than my poor mum can take.”
She laughed again. “Does that mean you will?”
“Yes, love. I’ll step foot in the church if it means I can see that smile again.”
Lenora sighed once again. “I wonder where Atherton is?”
He couldn’t help his surprise. “You were meeting Atherton? I’d thought perhaps he’d sent you here to meet us? I wasn’t sure why else you would be here.”
She shook her head. “No, I was supposed to meet him here to pick some plants.”
“He asked me here to … work. But I thought he was going to give me a job and my own plot to build on.”
“I don’t think so. He only does that through Father, and he’s had almost nothing to do since Mother’s accident.”
“So he…” Atherton had made sure they would both be in the private little glen by the river at the same moment, and both of them with the same needs. The wily old man had known. Victor would never be able to repay him.
“He what?” Lenora searched his eyes.
“Nothing, love. Let’s go talk to your father.”
Epilogue
Pati had wanted to make her a gown, but there just wasn’t time to get fabric and do all the sewing. They had settled for taking one of her mother’s gowns and adjusting it to fit Lenora. Just two short weeks after she’d agreed to be Mrs. Abernathy, she would walk down the aisle to her husband. Since her father was officiating, as the circuit preacher only came once every three months, Mr. Winslet would stand in as her father, and he seemed almost happier than she was about it. He fairly danced when she’d asked him to participate in the ceremony.
Now she stood at the front of the church as everyone in the little town sat waiting for the service to begin. Victor was very unsure in his faith, but he loved her more than she’d ever felt before, and they were moving forward. Victor may never be chosen to do a sermon on a Sunday, but he’d sat next to her the last two Sunday’s and even managed to look interested. It was progress. He did believe, she just had to convince him the Lord could forgive him, and what better way to do it, than to show him love?
The women of Blessings started a hymn and Lenora moved to her spot at the end of the aisle. Victor waited for her, his eyes taking her in and appreciating every bit. Hopefully, he would remember this day just as much as she would. This was their compromise. They had their service in a church, but officiated by her father. Then they wouldn’t have to do anything over again. She’d hoped for a true preacher, but her father was a man of God, and it would have to be good enough. All that mattered was that she would be with the man she loved, and she would say her vows in a church.
As she reached Victor, Atherton gave her a kiss on the cheek and slipped her hand into Victor’s. Victor squeezed it as he slid her hand under his elbow and walked her the last few feet to the front. Her wonderful man had always seemed so very sure of himself. Today, he looked nervous. He’d already to
ld her that he feared he would let her down, that he wouldn’t be enough for her. She gripped his arm until he looked down at her, and she smiled. At the sight of her smile, his muscles relaxed under her fingers immediately, and the service went faster than she could imagine.
She turned to look at all the faces of the residents of Blessings. This was her new extended family, but Victor was her life, her heart, and her forever—and she was blessed beyond measure to be his wife.
About the Author
Kari Trumbo is a writer of Christian Historical Romance and a stay-at-home mom to four vibrant children. She does freelance developmental editing and blogging. When she isn't writing or editing, she homeschools her children and pretends to keep up with them. Kari loves reading, listening to contemporary Christian music, singing with the worship team, and curling up near the wood stove when winter hits. She makes her home in central Minnesota with her husband of eighteen years, two daughters, two sons, and two cats.
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Thank you, dear reader, for joining me on this adventure. I hope you’ve enjoyed it and that you’ll continue reading the next book in the series, Hell-Bent on Blessings.
Be sure to join my special reader list to find out when the next Brides of Blessings novel will be released. You can also get a free book at www.KariTrumbo.com.
Other Books by Kari Trumbo:
Cutter’s Creek Series:
Montana Trails
A Lily Blooms
A Penny Shines
A Carol Plays
A Ruby Glows
An Ivy Tangles
Keepsake
Western Vows Series
To Honor and Cherish
For Richer or Poorer
To Love and Comfort
Seven Brides of South Dakota