Caleb knew it wouldn’t make Kenzie very happy, but it seemed he had no choice but to forget about finding her cousin.
“Let’s swing by the house,” he said, maneuvering the car in a U-turn. “We’ll leave a note on the door explaining where we’ve gone and encouraging others to join us there.”
CHAPTER
27
It quickly became apparent that San Francisco was not going to recover from the earthquake anytime soon. The worst of it, however, were the fires. Many had been started by the ruptured gas mains, while people’s carelessness or ignorance started others. Caleb tried to keep abreast of the news. It seemed the army had taken charge of things and evacuated the entire city, including the Mechanic’s Pavilion where the hospital patients had been sent. When he learned what was happening, Caleb went to the Pavilion and offered use of the warehouse for as many as they could take. He learned however, that most of the patients were being taken to the Ferry Building for transport to Oakland, so instead of transporting sick and injured to the warehouse, he spent several hours driving them to the Ferry Building.
Meanwhile, plenty of other people took up Caleb’s offer to come to the warehouse. He was relieved that caring for the refugees seemed to come naturally to his sister and the others. Camri made records of everyone who came to stay with them, then she turned the new arrivals over to Kenzie with instructions as to where they should be placed. Once Judith had seen to her grandmother’s comfort, she and Patrick went to work setting up spaces outside where they could boil water in large kettles. Drinking water was going to be critical for everyone, Judith told him. Caleb was proud of her for putting aside her own desires to be with her grandmother. She never complained about her own injuries either. She had assured Caleb that she was just fine, but he noticed her limping from time to time.
A meeting of what was to be called the Committee of Fifty gathered at the hall of justice at three in the afternoon. Caleb hadn’t been called to the meeting, but he figured it would do them all good if he found a way to be present. To his pleasant surprise, Abraham Ruef had not been invited.
“We aren’t having the meeting after all,” Rudolph Spreckels told Caleb as he arrived at the hall of justice. “The fire’s moving this way. We’ll have it later tonight at the Fairmont Hotel, provided it hasn’t caught fire. Right now, they’re trying to evacuate this building’s records and the dead in the basement. They’d set up a morgue down there, but it’s clear it will have to be moved.”
“Is your family safe?” Caleb asked, knowing that Spreckels’ wife was soon to have a baby.
“They are. I’ve sent them to our friends in Oakland.” Spreckels shook his head. “It’s all madness.”
“It’s definitely a difficult time, but even so, we can be assured God is still in control.”
“Better Him than Ruef and his cronies. The mayor has put the army in control, which has only served to panic people all the more.”
“Yes, but they’d be panicked anyway. Their homes have been destroyed and family members killed. Someone has to keep law and order.”
“Well, we’ll see what’s to be done after our meeting.” A loud explosion rocked the room. “Fools! They’re trying to dynamite against the fire. They’ll kill us all,” Speckels shouted, leaving Caleb without another word.
The wind picked up by nightfall, causing the fires to spread like water through a ruptured dam. Caleb wondered if the warehouse would be safe much longer. He stood outside, looking toward the heart of the city some miles away. The smoke was thick in the skies overhead, and the fires so numerous and consuming that the skies glowed red.
“I’ve been looking for you,” Judith said, carrying a pail of water in each hand.
Caleb quickly took the buckets from her. “How are you doing? How’s your leg?”
She looked at him oddly. “My leg?”
“I know it’s hurt. I’ve seen you limping.”
She smiled. “It’s nothing, really.”
He knew she wouldn’t allow him to baby her. “Why were you looking for me?”
“My grandmother wanted to see you.” Judith bit her lip, then drew in a long breath. “She’s slipping away from me. Each time I see her, she’s weaker.”
“I know.” If only he could save her from further pain. “Why don’t you show me where you want this water, and then we’ll go see her.”
Judith nodded and led the way. Inside at the makeshift kitchen, she instructed him to give the water to the women who were busy making soup.
“I see Camri has put everyone to work.” A large woman grabbed the buckets from him before he could say anything more.
Judith took his arm. “Everyone seems happy enough to help. I think it keeps their minds occupied.”
“I’m sure it does.”
They wove their way through the lines of cots that had been set up. In one of the back rooms, Judith’s grandmother was settled with her own cot and a modicum of quiet.
“Grandmother, I found Caleb.” Judith dropped her hold on Caleb and pulled up an empty crate to sit on. She took the old woman’s hand and placed it against her cheek.
“Glad . . . you came,” Mrs. Whitley murmured.
Caleb crouched beside Judith and the bed. “What can I do for you, Mrs. Whitley?”
“Find . . . Mr. Pettyjohn . . . he has my instructions for . . . when I die. Burial and such.”
“I will, I promise you.”
A small aftershock rocked the room, but there had been so many since the early morning hours that no one paid them much attention any more.
“I’m so grateful,” Mrs. Whitley continued, “that you brought . . . Judith . . . back to us.”
“I am too.” Caleb patted the woman’s icy hand. “I’m glad she could get to know you and that you could see for yourself what a fine woman she’s grown up to be.”
“We were . . . robbed of time.” Her eyes grew watery. “Robbed.”
Caleb only nodded.
Judith leaned over and kissed the old woman’s cheek. “But what time we had together was enough to last a lifetime. I learned the truth, and I won’t forget all the stories you told me about my parents and sister.”
“Forget about the bad things . . . about Bill.”
“I will, Grandmother.”
Mrs. Whitley looked at Caleb. “And you . . . you will take care of Judith?”
Caleb glanced at Judith, then nodded. “I will, I promise you.”
Ann Whitley closed her eyes. “I’m going to rest now. Don’t worry . . . about me.”
Judith nodded. “I’ll come sleep in here when I get my work done. That way I can keep an eye on you.” She leaned over. “I love you, Grandmother.”
The old woman smiled. “I’ve . . . never . . . heard you say that before now.”
Judith returned the smile. “I don’t suppose I knew it for sure . . . until now.”
Ann Whitley nodded. “It’s all I’ve longed for. I love you . . . my sweet Judith.”
Caleb stood and helped Judith rise.
“Oh, there you are,” Camri said, poking her head around the door. “I’ve been looking for you, Caleb. Someone is here to speak to you.”
Caleb let Judith go, but he gave her a wink. “Seems we’re always being interrupted. Find me later.” She nodded, and he smiled. “Don’t forget, because there’s something I want to ask you.”
Reports continued to trickle in, along with horrible stories about things that people had endured. Judith found it all appalling but knew there was nothing to be done about it. One thing was certain—the fires were doing far more damage than the earthquake. Three especially large fires were raging out of control. The South Market fire extended from Sixth Street to the waterfront, and the North of Market fire traveled from the Ferry Building to Sansome Street, consuming the financial district, Chinatown, and spreading to Nob Hill. Last of all was the Hayes Valley fire, which someone had jokingly called the Ham and Eggs fire because a woman cooking breakfast with a faulty flue had appa
rently caused the blaze. They were all far too close for comfort.
Judith tried not to worry about it, but she couldn’t help but wonder what the future held for any of them. Such a short time ago, she had lived in the lap of luxury with everything she could have ever wanted. Even now she thought of how all those beautiful new gowns her grandmother had purchased for her were nothing more than ashes. It was a good reminder that earthly treasures weren’t meant for eternity.
Shortly before midnight, Judith finished washing the last of the dishes. She had been unsure how Camri had managed it all. A wagon filled with food had arrived earlier in the day, and they had fed more than two hundred people who had crowded into the warehouse for shelter. There was no telling what they’d do tomorrow . . . or even if there would be a tomorrow.
Making her way to the room where her grandmother rested, Judith encountered Camri. She handed Judith a short candle, then lit it from her own.
“Are you just now going to bed?” Camri asked.
“Yes. I finished with the dishes and wanted to check on Grandmother. I think I’ll sleep on the floor beside her in case she needs anything tonight.”
“Nonsense. I’ll get your cot and blankets. You go ahead.”
Judith nodded and made her way into the small office room. She glanced around and decided to put the candle on the empty plate sitting atop a crate at the foot of the bed. She dripped wax onto the plate, then secured the candle stub. For a moment, she just watched the flame flicker. How strange that a little flame should be so helpful, while so much fire was devastating everything around them.
She went to her grandmother’s cot and knelt down. Placing her hand on the old woman’s cheek, Judith was startled by its chill. It was then that she realized her grandmother was no longer straining to breathe. She was gone.
Judith broke into sobs and buried her face in her hands. How unfair it all seemed. She had wanted a family so much, and God had given them to her. Now, however, they had all been taken away again. Life was so cruel.
“Judith?” Caleb whispered.
She looked up. “Oh, Caleb, she’s dead.”
Caleb lifted her up. His arms went around her and pulled her close. “It’s all right. We knew this would happen.”
She cried, wetting his shirt with her tears. “But she’s gone, and now I’m all alone.”
“No, Judith. You aren’t alone. You’ll never be alone again. You have all of us.”
She shook her head. “But I have no family.”
He lifted her face to his. In the glow of the candlelight, Judith could see the love in his expression. “You do. You have me, and together we’ll make a new family.”
Her heartbeat quickened. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I love you. That I’ve loved you longer than I even realized.” He wiped away her tears. “I’m hoping—praying—that you might return my feelings. I think you do, but I long to hear you say so.”
“I do. I love you so very much. I’ve loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you.” She shook her head in wonder. “I never dared to hope you might feel the same about me, a poor girl from Colorado. A nobody.”
“Judith, you could never be a nobody.” He grinned. “You’ve become the most important somebody in my life.” He glanced down at her grandmother. “I know the timing is terrible, but. . . .” He looked back into her eyes.
Judith swallowed the lump in her throat. “But?”
“Will you marry me? Marry me and play beautiful music for me. Marry me and let me love you for the rest of your life.”
The tears came anew, and for a moment Judith wasn’t sure she could even speak. How she had dreamed of this moment. “Yes,” she managed to whisper. “Oh, yes.”
He pressed his lips to hers and pulled her closer. His strong arms tightened around her, making Judith feel safer than she ever had. She thought of all they had gone through together, and of the life she’d known before ever meeting Caleb Coulter. The past and the present melded together in dreams forgotten, creating the promise of a new future.
Judith felt Caleb’s hold loosen as he raised his face from hers. For a moment he did nothing but gaze into her eyes, then he stepped back.
“Come on. Let’s find you somewhere else to sleep, and then I’ll come back and take care of your grandmother.”
“No. Let’s do it together.” She looked at her grandmother and for a moment thought the light was playing tricks on her. It looked as if the old woman’s lips had curled ever so slightly into a smile.
“And you proposed, just like that?” Camri asked the following morning as they shared breakfast with hundreds of strangers.
“I did,” Caleb said, giving Judith a nudge. “And she said yes.”
“That’s wonderful.” Camri grinned at Patrick. “We can have a double wedding.”
“Well, that should be something we discuss,” Caleb interjected. “After all, I want my bride to have whatever she wants.”
Judith shrugged. “I think it sounds like fun.”
“What sounds like fun?” Kenzie asked, joining them on one of the benches Patrick had thrown together.
“A double wedding,” Camri replied before Judith could speak. “Caleb proposed to Judith, and she said yes.”
Judith caught the look of pain that momentarily flashed in Kenzie’s eyes. It was there and then gone, replaced by Kenzie’s stoic acceptance.
“Congratulations to you both.” She looked at Caleb, her eyes narrowing slightly. “You’d better be good to her. She’s loved you since we walked in that day from church and learned you’d returned.”
Caleb laughed. “I know, she told me. If I’d had any sense, I would have known that I lost my heart to her that day as well.”
“Seems mighty strange to have folks laughin’ and makin’ merry when our town and all we had is burning to the ground,” a woman on the other side of Patrick said. She got up in a huff and motioned to her children. “Come now, we’ll find another place to eat our breakfast and mourn.”
Patrick shook his head. “Maybe ’tis better that we spend our day bein’ thankful rather than mournful. After all, didn’t the Good Lord save us from the fate of so many others? Didn’t He give us a shelter for rest and food for our bellies?”
The woman stopped and opened her mouth, then closed it as she seemed to consider his words. Her children stood, bowls in hand, looking to their mother for instruction.
Finally, she gave a nod. “Sit back down and eat your oatmeal.”
The children did as she instructed, and the woman didn’t say another word.
The matter was forgotten, and soon they were sharing ideas about the future and the weddings that would take place. Even Kenzie seemed to have put aside her past in order to offer thoughts on Camri’s suggestions. Never had Judith experienced such a sense of belonging. Not even when she’d lived at the Whitley mansion.
She looked around the large open room, seeing the people there—strangers who had come together in need. Just as she and Camri and Kenzie had come together the year before. Maybe family didn’t need to be blood related. Maybe you could be a family just because you shared a common need and a mutual love for one another.
“You haven’t said a word about their ideas,” Caleb whispered in her ear. “Are you really going to let everyone else plan our wedding?”
She laughed and shrugged. “So long as you are included in the plans, I will be quite content.”
Caleb chuckled and slipped his hand around her waist. “I fully intend to be in those plans, because I’m certain they’re God’s plans for me.”
“So you are finally feeling more certain of where He wants you?”
He motioned to the people around them. “He wants me here, with them. I’ll share the Gospel and see to their legal needs. I’ll provide shelter and whatever else I can. It will never make me a lot of money, but if I wisely invest what I already have, I know God will never let us go hungry.”
“I feel the same way.”
She looked into his eyes and smiled. “My inheritance is yours to use as you will. In fact, everything I have is yours. Especially my heart.”
“And that’s truly the only thing I need.”
Tracie Peterson is the award-winning author of over one hundred novels, both historical and contemporary. Her avid research resonates in her stories, as seen in her bestselling HEIRS OF MONTANA and ALASKAN QUEST series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana. Visit Tracie’s website at www.traciepeterson.com.
Books by Tracie Peterson
www.traciepeterson.com
GOLDEN GATE SECRETS
In Places Hidden • In Dreams Forgotten
HEART OF THE FRONTIER
Treasured Grace • Beloved Hope
Cherished Mercy
THE HEART OF ALASKA***
In the Shadow of Denali • Out of the Ashes
SAPPHIRE BRIDES
A Treasure Concealed
A Beauty Refined • A Love Transformed
BRIDES OF SEATTLE
Steadfast Heart
Refining Fire • Love Everlasting
LONE STAR BRIDES
A Sensible Arrangement
A Moment in Time • A Matter of Heart
Lone Star Brides (3 in 1)
LAND OF SHINING WATER
The Icecutter’s Daughter
The Quarryman’s Bride • The Miner’s Lady
LAND OF THE LONE STAR
Chasing the Sun
Touching the Sky • Taming the Wind
BRIDAL VEIL ISLAND*
To Have and To Hold
To Love and Cherish • To Honor and Trust
STRIKING A MATCH
Embers of Love
Hearts Aglow • Hope Rekindled
SONG OF ALASKA
Dawn’s Prelude
Morning’s Refrain • Twilight’s Serenade
ALASKAN QUEST
Summer of the Midnight Sun
Under the Northern Lights
Whispers of Winter
Alaskan Quest (3 in 1)
In Dreams Forgotten Page 27