by Nathan Adams
Too scared to speak before being spoken to, and feeling intimidated by her new home, she felt that his touch was protective, and she felt safe in his presence.
“I am so glad that you are finally here, may I show you around?” His smile was warm and welcoming.
At Angela’s nod, Zachariah felt a sense of relief. “I am so glad that you have finally arrived. He smiled at her, as they entered the house. “May I show you around?” he asked politely, and Angelica nodded. He took her on a tour of his home, stopping in front of a closed door. “This is the nursery. Do you wish to meet my daughter now, or would you prefer until you have freshened up a little?”
“I’d really like to meet her…” Angelica whispered.
“I’m happy to hear that,” he opened the door.
The room was bright, with toys stacked on shelves and in the corner. The little girl was sound asleep in her crib.
Angelica approached the baby carefully, afraid that any noise or sudden movement might wake the child up.
“Do not worry, she sleeps soundly.”
Bending over the crib, Angelica looked into the angelic little face. She felt an ache to hold the child in her arms but did not want to wake her.
“I look forward to her waking up and being able to hold her,” Angelica blushed.
“I’m certain she will love you as soon as she sets her eyes on you,” Zacharias squeezed her hand.
The day passed pleasantly, and Angelica knew that she hadn’t made a mistake when she chose to reply to his advertisement in the newspaper.
“I have arranged for a small wedding at the church, and then afterwards, some friends and family will join us in the festivities,” he told her after dinner. “I’m afraid that I do not wish to have a lavish affair as I am a reserved kind of a person, and I do not believe that family affairs should be overly public. I do hope you agree.”
“Of course, as you wish.” Angelica agreed. She hadn’t really given it much thought, in all honesty. After all, with everything that had happened lately, she had no family or friends that she could invite. Up until now, she had been alone in the world, alone, that is, until this wonderful man decided to invite her to be a part of his life.
“Please, do not agree with me because you feel you have to. I wish us to be equals in the eyes of the Almighty, and should there be anything that displeases you, please tell me.” His eyes bored into hers, and Angelica felt she might melt.
“Dear Zacharias, there could be nothing you do that would displease me, so please do not even think it. You have brought me immense joy by allowing me to become a member of your family, as your lawfully wedded wife, and for this, I shall be immensely grateful to you for the rest of my days.”
“I do hope it is not solely gratitude that you feel for me…” his whispered words made her blush. She lowered her gaze, scared he would see how she felt about him. Zacharias, however, had seen the unspoken words in her eyes, and for the first time in quite a while, felt happy. As per Zacharias’ request, the wedding itself was modest, but still beautiful.
Angelica wore a gorgeous white dress with delicate embroidery and lace, courtesy of Zacharias’ older sister who was happy to welcome her into the family. She had felt an instantaneous rapport with the younger woman, and deemed her a more than suitable match for her brother. The rest of the St. Clare family was equally welcoming, and Angelica realized that in order for her to have met all these wonderful people, and most importantly, Zacharias himself, she had to undergo a personal tragedy, and that it was by overcoming it that she had received a wonderful reward in the guise of a wonderful man.
Several days later, after the celebrations had finally died down and life returned to normal, Zachariah took Angelica and his daughter to Oklahoma City where he had business to attend to. Angelica found herself strolling through the streets with her adopted daughter. It was a lovely day, and the anonymity felt good. She would previously have been frightened of the faces around her going about their business, but she now felt she belonged. She was somebody, and she belonged with someone. She had a place in life.
She noticed the little girl was stirring anxiously and stopped to see what the matter was. Feeling someone’s gaze on her, she looked up. A man was staring at her from across the street. His gaze sent a cold chill up her spine.
She suddenly felt in distress, wondering who this person was and why he was looking at her in that fashion. She was sure she had never seen his face before.
His gaze seemed to bore into her, looking into her soul, as if he was trying to learn all her inner secrets. Her stress intensified when he started walking in her direction. Turing around, she tried to hurry away from him in order to avoid any possible contact.
Surprisingly, no one else seemed to have noticed the interaction between them, as people kept on with their own business. Taking a sharp left turn, Angelica thought she had managed to lose him, only to be brought up short by a hand at her elbow.
“Please, sir! I beg you, do not harm the baby!” she pleaded. She thought her might wish to rob her, and her biggest fear was for the child in her care.
“No, miss, please! I mean you no harm!” the man appeared nervous. “Miss Hurst? Miss Angelica Hurst?” Angela took a step backwards. “It has taken me weeks to find you!”
“No, no…” she moved away from the man. “You have me mistaken for someone else. Now, please, I must be on my way!” Angela swiftly walked away from the staring man, intent on waiting for her husband until he completed his business, as she had no wish to be further accosted.
When they finally got home, Angela allowed herself to think about what had happened. She realized she had made a mistake, and that the man seemed to genuinely know her. He could have told her who she was, where she came from, and where to find her family.
Then she thought of her new life, her husband, and her new identity. ‘I know who I am! I am Perdita St. Clare, married to Zacharias St. Clare who loves me, with a new daughter whom I adore. We are a happy family under God’s protection. Why would I take a chance on ruining what I have?’
“Is everything alright?” Zacharias entered the room and found her brooding. “You have been flushed ever since returning home. I am worried, my sweet wife. Is there anything wrong? How can I help you?” His sweet words reassured her of her decision not to pursue the matter any further. She had all she needed right here, under this roof.
Several days later, their maid entered the parlor in a flurry.
“Ma’am, I’m sorry, I know you did not wish to be disturbed…”
“It’s perfectly alright, Eveline. What is the matter?” She lifted her gaze from her embroidery.
“There is a carriage waiting in front of the house, and they are asking for you. What should I tell them?” She sounded as confused as Angelica felt.
“Well, I am the lady of the house, but do visitors not normally ask for the man of the house?” Angelica dropped her embroidery and looked at the window.
The carriage looked new, and was larger than those she had seen in the city, which led her to believe that these were important visitors.
“Well, they are here, so I might as well see what their business is. I reckon Zacharias still hasn’t returned home?”
“No, ma’am. He said to expect him later this evening.”
“Fine. Let me see what this is about.”
Angelica exited the house and approached the carriage with care. She must have been heard because the carriage door suddenly opened and a man stepped out. He approached her eagerly.
Mindful of her experience a few days before, she froze, although she tried to keep her voice steady when she spoke. “Welcome, what can we do for you?” She did not wish to make it known her husband would only be home much later.
The man who approached her seemed to examine her carefully. When he finally faced her, his face split into a wide grin. His right hand was lifted as if to cup her cheek, but he seemed to think better of it.
“Angelica?” his voice
shook.
That name again. Angelica. Who was Angelica? “Angelica? Don’t you recognize me?” he pleaded, “It’s me, your father.”
The ground seemed to tremble beneath her feet. Her father? How was it possible? She shook her head.
“I beg your pardon, sir, but you have me mistaken for someone else.” If she truly was his daughter, would she not remember him? Would the memories not come flooding back upon seeing his face?
She felt nothing. She felt sorry for this man who might have lost his child and who was desperate to come looking wherever there was a possibility of finding her, but she could not picture him as being her father.
“No, it’s you, Angelica! My sweet child! I have finally found you!” Tears started rolling down his eyes, and it broke Angelica’s heart to see an old man act this way in front of a stranger.
“Dear sir,” she placed her hand gently on his shoulder, “it pains me to tell you that I am not your Angelica, but I do hope with all my heart that you find her soon.”
The carriage door swung open suddenly and another figure emerged. It was a woman, about the same age as the man, but with a youthful air about her. Her bonnet framed her face, while her dress was of the latest fashion. Her movements were graceful as she approached them.
“Angelica!” her voice was richly melodic. The sound was the trigger she needed, and everything came rushing back.
“Momma! Papa!” She remembered the sweet faces of her loving parents, her life, and fell into their warm embrace, hugging them as if she would never let them go. “Please, come in! I have so much to tell you!”
“We thought we had lost you forever, sweet child.” Her father kissed her on the forehead. “After the accident, Johnson rushed to find help when he saw you had been hurt, but when he returned with a doctor, you were gone! You can’t possibly imagine how worried we were and how scared we would never see your sweet face again.”
“We sent Johnson off to try and find out what happened to you. You could not have disappeared into thin air! We just hoped some ruffians didn’t find you unconscious and take you away with them! Thank Heavens that was not the case. He finally heard there was an accident victim at the hospital who had lost her memory, and that led him to stumble upon you in the street the other day. I can imagine how frightened you must have been!”
Angelica nodded. “He accosted me in the street, I was afraid he meant harm to me and the baby.”
“The baby?” her mother inquired. “You have a baby?” Her parents seemed confused.
“My dear mother and father, so many things have happened during the time of my absence. But, please, allow me to start from the beginning. After the accident, I found myself at the hospital, where, to my utter shock and horror, I found out that I had lost my memory. I had no recollection of who I was or how I got to be there, but fortunately, I fell under the guardianship of a most kind and benevolent Christian woman, Nurse Mary, who helped me when I needed it the most. It was solely because of her that I found shelter and subsequently, a new home here.”
“Is this your house?” her father inquired, incredulously.
“In a way, yes. It belongs to Zacharias St. Clare, my husband.”
“Your husband!” Her father was astonished. “You have gotten married?”
“I have. And Zacharias is the most wonderful man you could meet. In fact, he is due to return any minute now, and I am so joyful that he finally has the opportunity to meet my parents.”
“I don’t know what to make of this.” We came to take you back home with us, where you belong, and instead, we find you married?”
Angelica felt like the news of her wedding was breaking her parents’ hearts, something she had not intended.
“I am happy here. I wish to stay.” She did not want to cause them any further pain, but Zacharias was her husband. “You don’t understand. Zacharias was there for me when I thought that I had no one in the world I could rely on.”
“But, you have us!” her father urged. “We want you back! We need you back! We are not ready to give you up to someone else yet!”
Her father’s words brought tears to her eyes.
“I love you, Papa. You know that. I shall always be your little girl, but to this man, to Zacharias, I must be, no, I want to be, a loving wife. Please understand that,” her voice trembled at the last.
Angelica’s mother smiled. She knew exactly how her daughter felt. After all, was it not what every daughter feels when she is married?
“Listen to her,” her mother’s voice soothed her father’s wounded soul. “We must let God be in control, just like Angelica did when this tragedy happened to her. And look at what we have before us now: a beautiful, grown up woman, with a family of her own. She is not rejecting us, don’t you see? She has grown up, just like God Almighty intended. And we should be grateful that she is this happy.”
Zachariah arrived home at that point, and was at a loss when he saw his wife with the two strangers. He did not know what to do or how to react.
“Mother, father,” Angelica stood up and approached Zacharias. “This is my husband, Zacharias.”
Clumsily, Zacharias took off his hat and mumbled a good day to both of them.
“Perdita, does that mean…” he was cut off mid-sentence.
“I know my real name now!” Her smile lit up her face. “It is Angelica Hurst.”
Zacharias smiled back and placed his arm around her waist lovingly.
“It is even more beautiful than Perdita. It’s perfect.”
He turned to his new parents-in-law. “ Mr. and Mrs. Hurst, the good Lord has brought you to my house today, in accordance with His will, where you were reunited once again with the daughter you thought lost. This way, He has magnified what is truly great indeed, for these are His works and His ways. We know the truth now, and as His good book says, it has finally set not only Angelica, but you free as well. Won’t you please bless this house with your presence for several days, so that we may celebrate the birth of our savior together, as a family?”
Angelica had completely forgotten: it was Christmas in just a few days, and the gift she had received was the most wonderful she could ever have imagined.
God works in mysterious ways, yes. He blesses us not for us, but for others, because it is through us and our reverence that he blesses others, too.
Angelica’s thoughts, when she looked at her family, were that they formed a perfect Christmas image: her entire family was all together again, happy and blessed. Her mother was holding her baby daughter in her hands, while her father and Zacharias were busy decorating the Christmas tree. Yes, we may feel we are in a cold, dark place, forgotten, but then one day, God whispers in your ear, speaking of his love and peace amidst the depths of despair and depression
THE END
Return to the TOC for Bonus Content for Bonus Content
A Cowboy’s Bride
Chapter One
Lucy Copperfield tried to close the heavy lid on her massive, leather suitcase with little success. It was full to the brim, and it seemed that at any moment, it might explode. After all, she had to take all of her stuff, everything that she would possibly ever miss, possibly ever need. It didn’t happen every day that a young woman left her home forever. The previous night she kept wandering like a guest around her own room—the room she had slept in for God knows how many nights, the room that housed all of her girlish dreams and naïve desires for a bright future, the room that soaked up all of her tears that rose out of her broken heart. It’s not that she had her heart broken too many times. The Good Lord had taken good care of her, and she always felt protected and loved.
But now, spending the last night in the room that would never again be hers, that would, from then on, really accept her only as a guest, she had to admit it felt strange. In fact, many things felt strange and had for quite some time. She could feel it in her bones, like a chill that went straight through her, leaving her empty and reverberating with a source-less cold.
> The truth was she didn’t want to leave the safety of her parents’ home. It wasn’t her choice at all. But taking into account the circumstances, Lucy didn’t really have many choices. Ever since that unfortunate episode in town when she acted unlike a young lady of her stature and beliefs should act, she couldn’t shake that feeling, like a snake rattling somewhere from the bushes, that her parents had become somewhat ashamed of her and were not only looking for any excuse not to take her to social soirées but that they were also actually trying to get rid of her altogether. Not that she could blame them. They were honest, hard-working Christians whose every word and actions mirrored those of the Good Lord. She knew that she had become a burden to them.
Finally, with one big push, she managed to lock the suitcase. She sighed, and he room suddenly became quiet, too quiet. Her girly laughter didn’t fill it anymore. Her dolls had fallen asleep. Her diary wished to hold no more of her secrets. She had no reason to laugh. She hoped that was just for the time being and that a time for smiling and laughing would come again.
“Are you decent, darling?” There was a gentle knock on the door. Even before she spoke, Lucy knew it was her mother. Abigail Copperfield had a way about her, an old-fashioned charm that seemed to have been dusted out of someone’s attic after many years of no use but now was as effervescent and sprightly as before. She spoke a lot, a trait her daughter didn’t really inherit but rather tried to mirror. Lucy’s father always said that one chatterbox in the house was more than enough.
Well, now he would be left with only one, Lucy thought. No need to worry about the other anymore. She would become someone else’s problem.
“Yes, Mother, do come in,” Lucy replied automatically and without much joy. She didn’t resent her mother or anything of the sort. She simply wanted to be left alone and to contemplate her life for a while. It appeared to her that if she had done more of that, she wouldn’t be forced out of her parents’ home under the all too convenient pretext of marriage.
“Are you all packed, dear?” her mother chirped. Lucy nodded without turning around to face her.