by Cathy Bryant
“Do you really think so, Susanna?” she inquired of her friend with astonishment. “The handsomest?”
“Indeed. Never have I seen such a beautiful bride. Fred is truly blessed. Not only are you fetching, you are also sweet and kind.”
The ladies started at the sound of someone knocking. Mr. Howard had been patiently waiting to see the gown, but, as it was taking longer than he had expected, his patience finally faltered. Earlier, Susanna had peeked out of Elizabeth’s bedchamber to inform Mr. Howard that they were just about finished. It would not be long before he would be presented with his daughter in her wedding gown.
“Father, come in,” said Elizabeth with anticipation in her voice.
After opening the door, Mr. Howard stared in amazement at his daughter. With a tear in his eye, he moved toward her. As he gathered her in an embrace, he exclaimed, “You are truly exquisite, Elizabeth! If your mother could but see you now.”
Holding her out at arm’s length, he continued to admire her. With a large grin, he then fixed his eyes upon Susanna, exclaiming, “You did magnificently!”
Susanna smiled with gratitude at the lovely compliment before thanking Mr. Howard for his kind words. “Elizabeth labored right along with me. She is to be praised as well.”
“Well then . . . I congratulate you both.”
Not long after that, the ladies flopped into bed—exhausted from the long hours of making the wedding gown.
Chapter 36
The day was half spent when Mr. Howard, Elizabeth, and Susanna arrived at the Osgood farm. Maddie had not known just when to expect them; therefore, she jolted at the sound of her young friend’s voice. Had she not been absorbed in thought—while busily dusting the little table in the sitting room—she would have heard Susanna enter the house.
While gasping, the elderly woman whirled around. “You about scared me half to death!” After a moment, she caught her breath again. “Since we left your schedule undecided, I wondered when to expect you. I have missed you . . . you little rascal.”
Susanna giggled at the sight of Maddie so flabbergasted. “I have missed you as well, Maddie. What have you been doing with yourself—besides the additional chores?”
“Now I hope you do not think yourself indispensable. I made out just fine while you were away,” she responded with a wink. Truth be told, Susanna had indeed become indispensable to Maddie in more ways than one.
“I hated to leave you by yourself, but it was good to be with Elizabeth and to see her new home.”
“I was hoping they might visit a while.”
“They had much to do today. They left directly after delivering me. They said to be sure and let you know they would come again soon.”
Maddie sat down to continue their conversation in comfort. She then directed Susanna to do the same. “And how was your visit? Did you work on the wedding gown?”
“Yes . . . actually we finished it,” informed Susanna proudly. “It suits Elizabeth well. It is a lovely shade of blue, which nicely complements Elizabeth’s silky, brown hair. You should have seen how excited she was when she tried it on for the first time.”
Envisioning the sight, Maddie smiled with joy for Elizabeth. “It shall not be long now and she shall be married. I can scarcely believe it. It seems only yesterday she was just a little thing. The two of you—all grown up—time goes by so quickly. The older I get, the faster it seems to fly.”
“Yes, Maddie, we have been coming to spend time with you since before we could walk. You have always been so good to us. As Fred is so caring, I know he shall allow Elizabeth to visit anytime she wishes. Elizabeth is blessed to have found him,” uttered Susanna wistfully.
Maddie surmised what her young friend was thinking at that moment when she caught sight of the faraway look upon her face. By now, Susanna may well have been planning a wedding of her own if things had turned out differently.
“Perhaps things might still work out,” said Maddie aloud.
“What did you say?”
“Oh . . . nothing, my dear. As you see, with you away, I have gotten back into the habit of talking to myself.”
Smiling, Susanna rose to her feet. “I best get my things put away.”
When it was time for the evening meal, Maddie informed Susanna that she had invited William. She hadn’t known when to expect Susanna; consequently, she hadn’t seen any reason not to invite him. The young woman understood, but felt a bit panicked at the idea.
Before William arrived, Susanna decided to tell Maddie what had occurred while she was at the little shop in Salisbury. She further explained that the incident had simply confirmed her belief that she and William could never marry.
Having no desire, at that moment, to argue the point, Maddie changed the subject. “Susanna, shall we set the table? William shall soon be here.”
Once again, the thought of seeing William unnerved Susanna. With hands shaking, she began to assist Maddie. After everything was ready, they heard a knock at the door.
Maddie opened the door. As expected, it was William. She then conducted him over to the table. “Take a seat, William. Everything is just about ready.”
William was delighted at seeing Susanna. “It is good to see that you have returned safe and sound, Susanna. Was it an enjoyable visit?”
Nervously, she turned toward William, and responded, “Indeed. It . . . it is always a delight spending time with Elizabeth and Mr. Howard.”
Maddie sensed the tension in the air; for this reason, she decided to engage the two in conversation about the farm. This was a topic of interest to all, and an easy diversion.
Susanna began to relax after a time—as did William. However, Susanna was careful not to encourage him concerning their relationship. She did not want to disappoint him, for she had not had a change of heart. With each passing day, it was becoming more apparent to her that they could never be together.
The evening forged ahead most satisfactorily, though Maddie had not expected such an outcome seeing as the night had started off rather poorly. As she had hoped, William and Susanna, to a small degree, had become comfortable with each other once again. As they all worked the farm together, they would be seeing each other nearly every day. Therefore, Maddie was grateful that, at the very least, her two young friends would be able to function together as they once had, that is, before their last encounter—the one where William confronted Susanna on her reasons for keeping them apart. It may not be exactly as the elderly woman had hoped but, for now, that they could be near each other—at least with regard to the tasks on the farm—was enough.
William set off for home earlier than usual. Seeing Susanna struggle to make conversation as the evening wore on, he decided to take his leave.
As soon as William had gone, and Maddie had turned in for the night, Susanna—with a heavy heart—climbed into bed. It had not been easy to set her feelings for William aside. As the whole evening had left her feeling drained, she decided, once again, to talk to the Lord about her dilemma. Perhaps He might give her insight into how to show William kindness without encouraging him.
Maddie, too, had been eager to talk to the Lord regarding her two young friends. After a time of prayer, as always, she felt a peace wash over her—God was in control of the situation.
The morning began with a visit from Deacon Smythe of the Haverhill church. He had come to inquire as to the reason for Susanna’s absence on the previous Sunday. As it had come to the man’s attention that Mr. Ormsby had displayed more than a little interest in the young woman, he wondered whether this had been the reason for her absence. He thought that perhaps she had stayed away to avoid the man.
With sincere gratitude for his concern, Maddie assured the deacon that Susanna had not been remiss in her attendance—she had simply been away for a time. She then informed him that Susanna was quite content with the Haverhill church and would return on the following Sunday.
With relief at hearing the reason for Susanna’s absence, the man remained
for tea and a friendly visit with Mrs. Osgood. His impressions of the woman had always been favorable, but now that he had seen her farm, he came to view her as one of the strongest women with whom he had ever been acquainted. It was clear that she had a head for business and, with a little assistance, had aptly managed her farm.
Susanna came in from the barn in time to meet Deacon Smythe just as he was about to take his leave. After she had taken a seat, he greeted her kindly and expressed his relief at finding her well. The visit warmed Susanna’s heart. “Thank you, Lord, for reminding me once again, through the folks at the Haverhill church, that there are good and decent people in the world—people whose actions are a demonstration of Your love,” she whispered quietly as the man rose to leave.
After walking the deacon out, Maddie returned to find Susanna sitting at the table—praying. Forewarned, by the sound of the door opening, that someone had entered the kitchen, Susanna glanced up and saw Maddie standing there beside her. As she looked closely at her friend, she saw tears in her eyes.
“Whatever is the matter, Maddie?”
“Oh nothing. It is simply that it does my heart good to see how God has worked in your heart these past few months. Would you have believed yourself capable, at the beginning of the summer, of thanking God for a visit from the deacon?”
With a thoughtful expression, Susanna replied, “No . . . no. I cannot say that I would have believed it possible. Nevertheless, I am glad that I was mistaken. There are genuine believers—people who truly model themselves after the teachings of the Bible.”
Deacon Smythe returned to the meetinghouse with good news that Miss Jameson planned to return the following Sunday. Reverend Eolfe was delighted to hear it. However, though Mr. Ormsby had not been the cause of Miss Jameson’s absence, the reverend remained more than a little concerned about the man’s unwanted attentions toward the young woman. With this on his mind, he directed the deacon to send word to Mr. Ormsby that he wished to meet with him—if at all possible—the following day. But if that was not a convenient time, then he was to ask him to decide on the day. It was the reverend’s hope that he might have the matter settled as quickly as possible.
Though a bit nervous about the reason for the meeting with Reverend Eolfe, Jacob Ormsby decided it was best that, as requested, he be there the following day. Accordingly, at the fixed time, Mr. Ormsby arrived at the meetinghouse.
Upon his arrival, the reverend, and Deacon Smythe who had brought the situation with Miss Jameson to the reverend’s attention, were there to greet him. With a warm pat on the back, Jacob Ormsby was ushered in and offered a seat. Reverend Eolfe then spoke kindly but firmly about what he had learned concerning the Sunday that Mr. Ormsby had approached the wagon of the lady in question, and that she had not returned for the later service. He also questioned his reasons for having offered to pay Miss Jameson a visit on behalf of the church.
Jacob Ormsby wasted no time in admitting his interest in Miss Jameson. He explained that he had even caused considerable hardship for a man by the name of William Gage regarding the man’s connection to the young woman. He went on to say that after his last visit to the Osgood farm and the kind way in which Mr. Gage had behaved toward him, despite the fact that he had attempted to inflict suffering upon the man, he had been thinking about his own dreadful behavior. Moreover, he had also thought about his upbringing and how different things might have been if not for the impious attitude that had been instilled in him. He stated that after this time of reflection he had come to some conclusions about his life. The biggest one being that he desired a change.
Delighted over having heard the outpouring of the man’s heart, Reverend Eolfe offered to assist him in learning a new way to live. He suggested that the man first confess his sins before God, as everyone desiring such a change must do, and then he would teach him weekly from the scriptures how to live an obedient life before God.
Turning to the scriptures to establish what the Bible had to say on the subject, the reverend read from the following passages: John 3:16; John 1:12, and Ephesians 2:8–9. Closing his Bible, Reverend Eolfe studied Mr. Ormsby’s face for any indication that he had understood.
Feeling Reverend Eolfe’s hand upon his shoulder, Mr. Ormsby began confessing his sin before the Lord. He also beseeched Him for strength to live the way he ought. With tears in his eyes, he glanced over at the reverend, and asked. “What more should I do?”
“That is the beauty of it, son. The Lord Jesus paid the sacrifice for your sin on the cross. By confessing your sin before Him, believing that His sacrifice covers your sins, and speaking with your mouth that He is Lord, you are a new creation in Christ. Just as it says in II Corinthians, ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.’ Does that make it any clearer for you?”
“I believe it does. I no longer have to be the man that I was,” cried Jacob, with a heart finally free from the burden of sin.
Hugging the young man, Reverend Eolfe said warmly, “Jacob, if you have any concerns or questions, I shall make myself available to you. I am overjoyed at your decision. I trust that what we had originally planned to discuss is no longer an issue. Am I correct?”
“Indeed. I shall do my very best to make amends for my actions, and I will leave the young lady alone.”
“Jacob, by turning the control of your life over to the capable hands of the Father, your future shall be brighter than you can imagine. Keep growing and changing, and I believe the right young lady for you shall come along.”
Smiling, Jacob thanked the reverend and the deacon who had remained silent throughout the meeting. With a light heart, he then set off for William’s, hoping to make amends for what he had done to the man.
Chapter 37
Jacob Ormsby arrived at William’s following his meeting with Reverend Eolfe. With a desire to speak privately with the gentleman, he hoped to find him at home and not at the Osgood farm. But if need be, he would look for him at Madeline Osgood’s. Without success, he searched for William. Then, disappointed, he decided to take his leave. However, William caught sight of him just after he had mounted his horse.
Hastening toward the man, William called out, “Jacob . . . Jacob Ormsby.”
At the sound of someone calling, Jacob looked down, smiled, and climbed down from his horse once again. “Mr. Pressey . . . Gage, I had hoped to find you at home. I searched awhile but . . . well, here you are. I am sorry that I continually refer to you as Mr. Pressey when you wish to be addressed as Mr. Gage.”
“It really makes no difference now. Call me whatever you wish.” Then, curiosity for why the man had come, prompted William to ask, “What may I do for you?”
His countenance humble, Jacob moved toward him and asked if he might have a moment. “There is something I need to say to you.”
William then ushered Jacob in the door to his house to have a seat at his table. “May I offer you something to drink—some tea perhaps?”
“No, but thank you kindly. Mr. Gage, I am most eager to apologize to you for what I have done. I should never have revealed who your parents are to Miss Jameson. It was most unkind of me to behave so cruelly toward you.”
William’s brow rose as he listened to Jacob. He was stunned that the man would humble himself in this way. “Mr. Ormsby . . . Jacob, what has come over you?”
“After our last meeting, I was at a loss as to why you treated me with such kindness. You had every right to be extremely angry, yet you chose to offer me mercy. I have since met with Reverend Eolfe, and he assisted me in coming to faith.”
Stunned, William quickly accepted his apology. “Jacob, I hope you and I can be friends. As such, I would appreciate it if you would call me William.”
“Very well, William. I should like for us to be friends as well. I shall take my leave now, but I thank you for allowing me to speak with you.”
The two men parted company, each feeling better for having had the op
portunity to become friends instead of adversaries.
The following day while William was at the Osgood farm, he sought Maddie out. “Maddie, you shall never guess who came to see me yesterday.”
Smiling at the excitement in William’s voice, Maddie asked, “Who was it, William?”
“It was Jacob Ormsby,” he answered almost breathless.
“What did he want?” she inquired with concern showing on her face, for the man had given William nothing but misery.
“Oh . . . Maddie, though it was brief, it was truly a wonderful visit. Jacob has come to faith!”
Maddie blankly stared at William—astonished by the news.
“Maddie, did you hear what I said?”
“Indeed I did, William. I am simply amazed. I don’t know why I should be. Is it not what we have been praying for?”
“I must admit—I had the same reaction.”
Susanna came upon the pair just after they had finished speaking about the unforeseen development in Jacob’s life. Though she continued to be a little unsettled in William’s company, Susanna inquired about their conversation anyway. To her, it appeared as though whatever William had shared had been happy news.
With a genuine smile, William informed Susanna of Jacob Ormsby’s visit. Though she was delighted to hear the news, it brought on a sudden wave of panic as she thought about what he had revealed concerning William. The day she first set eyes on Jacob Ormsby at the Haverhill meetinghouse had changed everything for her. Up until that point, she had thought to marry William, but now—
Attempting to be happy for the man, which, as she thought about it she could truly say that she was, Susanna finally responded. “That is wonderful news, William. I am happy for him.”
Maddie sensed that Susanna had a great deal on her mind. Therefore, she suggested, “Susanna, let us go in for a bit. We have been out here working for the better part of the day. I am sure you are in need of a rest—as am I.”