by Jane Peart
Evan wanted a room for prayer and meditation to be included in the architectural plans. Joy thought of another design to go on its doors, along with a quotation she had copied from the wall of a church in an English village: “We are always open for prayer. Come in and abide awhile with your Lord.”
Evan was enthusiastic about all Joy’s ideas and sketches and gave her a carte blanche go-ahead.
A few weeks after she returned from Europe, Joy received word from the Mayfield Historical Society that the grand opening of Montclair was scheduled for late October, and she was asked to be there. The invitation included complimentary lodging for her and a guest at the Mayfield Inn. Joy’s first thought was Molly, but when she called her, Molly begged off. She had two weddings for which she had to provide hand-lettered announcements, as well as some holiday parties for which she was committed to design invitations.
“I’m swamped. Why not ask Gayle? After all, she has connections to Montclair, too.”
But Gayle was unsure. Her schedule too was heavy.
“It would be lovely if you and your mother both could come,” Joy suggested. “Even for one day. It would be really wonderful.”
“I’ll talk to her about it and see if I can get someone to cover for me. I’ll let you know,” Gayle promised.
Joy was experiencing such a resurgence of creative energy at that time regarding the hospice project that she felt almost reluctant to take a break and go to Mayfield.
When she told Evan about the trip, she saw an eagerness leap into his eyes. For the first time, the thought came that she would like Evan to see Montclair.
“Of course. I’ll rearrange my schedule. No problem. I’d like to go,” was his enthusiastic reply when she asked him to join her.
Since her return from Europe, their relationship had been delicate. Now Joy was thrilled by Evan’s seeming change of attitude. There had always been a definitive air of authority about him, but now he had a quiet assurance, a new confidence that had nothing to do with his reputation or career. It came from within, and its presence filled her with awe. How God could change a person’s heart was an amazing mystery.
However, she still had unresolved questions about herself, her willingness to make the commitment Evan wanted. Marriage was a big step, and Joy was not sure she was ready to take it.
Evan seemed to have no doubts. Although he hadn’t brought up the subject again since her return, Joy had kept a letter he had written to her while she was away. It was only a single sheet, typed because of his bad handwriting.
You accuse me of being a skeptic. Well, I’m not about marriage. I think it is the most important thing any two people can do. I don’t take it lightly. Not at all. I don’t really know what you mean by being “unequally yoked.” Sure, we have differences, but none that we can’t work out. I have no intention of trying to change you or your beliefs.
I’m sending you this quote written by another so-called skeptic—Mark Twain—on a subject we both feel strongly about. I think this may prove we’re not all that far apart.
A marriage…makes of two fractional lives, a whole. It gives to two purposeless lives a work, and doubles the strength of each to perform it. It gives two questioning natures a reason for living, and something to live for:
It will give a new gladness to the sunshine,
A new fragrance to the flowers,
A new beauty to the earth,
And a new mystery to life.
The night before they were to leave for Mayfield, Joy reread the letter. It touched her in a deeper way than ever before. For some reason she felt that maybe seeing Montclair together would clarify things between her and Evan.
chapter
28
VIRGINIA IN THE FALL is spectacular. The area is famous for its autumn display, and that October the gold and crimson colors outdid themselves. The opening of Montclair to the public was held on one of the most beautiful days that year.
The renovation was complete. Furnishings and artifacts from subsequent generations had been replaced. All the brides’ portraits were hung on the wall alongside the winding staircase, in chronological order. The empty rooms had been filled with appropriate, glowingly polished furniture, newly upholstered in material that matched the original coverings as closely as possible. Everything had been restored to its condition at the time when Montclair was the pride of its owners and known for its hospitality. The house was perfect. It looked as it might have when Noramary Marsh, the first bride, stepped across the threshold.
Afternoon shadows on the velvety lawn began to lengthen. The speeches had all been made, and the dignitaries had departed. Only a few visitors still lingered, as if loath to leave the beautiful setting. Some still wandered in the gardens. Joy had shaken hands with and accepted the greetings of so many people that her fingers tingled and her mouth felt stretched with smiling. She had been touched as well as amazed and thrilled that so many people in Mayfield remembered the Montrose family she herself had never known, that her ancestors and relatives had meant a great deal to the community, had made an impact and left a lasting impression. They had been proud, honorable, interesting people who had served their state and country well in various capacities. They had been people of character—settlers, farmers, soldiers, statesmen. Among them had been women of valor and gallantry who had lived their lives wisely and nobly, had loved their families, their children, and Montclair, their home.
Joy was tired but enormously pleased that everything had worked out so perfectly. The ceremony had been just long enough, the tributes and speeches just eloquent enough, and everyone attending had a feeling of satisfaction that they had seen what they had come to see—Montclair returned to its former glory, open now for all time for people to share its story, its beauty, its historic value.
A short while later, after saying good-bye to the two remaining attendees, Joy looked around and saw Evan standing at a discreet distance. He had waited patiently while she chatted with one of the guests, an elderly woman and her daughter who had known her grandmother Nicole. When they departed, he came toward her. Today he looked particularly handsome. He smiled as his gaze swept over her, and he said, “All you need is a crinoline and a parasol, and you would fit into this scene perfectly. We ought to have your portrait painted to hang on the wall with the other Montrose ladies.”
“It’s been an incredible day. Wasn’t Gayle’s mother magnificent?” she asked. Gayle had managed to make it after all and had brought her mother, a tall, lovely woman with silvery hair and bright, intelligent eyes, who spoke with dignity about her own ancestors who had lived at Montclair.
“Where are they? I thought we could all go to dinner somewhere.” Evan looked around.
“They left already. Gayle had to get back, and they were going to stay overnight with some relatives on the way back. So it’s just you and me.”
“That’s okay with me. Are you exhausted?”
“Not really…well, yes, in one way. But in another way I feel excited. I’ve found so much here. Things I never expected to find, things I didn’t realize I’d missed in my life, a family heritage. Truthfully, it’s been a real homecoming for me, to a home I didn’t even know I had.”
“Has the entire property been given to the historical society, then?”
“Not all. The twenty acres immediately surrounding the house will belong to the historical society in perpetuity.” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m not exactly sure what that means. It’s legalese meaning forever, I think. That’s so the grounds from the gate to the house will always be available as a historic landmark. It can’t be sold or changed in any way. Some of the original farmland will be leased for agriculture, and the small parcel that adjoins the Cameron property is held in my name until or if any other Montrose descendant can be located. If another heir were found, then we would decide together whether it was to be sold or whatever. The historical society would have first refusal if we decided to sell.” Joy paused, then said, “There’s something I’d lik
e to show you before we leave. Actually, it’s the architect’s model for the main house. Would you like to see it?”
“Let’s go.” He held out his hand, and they started walking down the drive together.
The last rays of the sun slanted through the tall trees as they took the woodland path. They crossed the rustic wooden bridge, then followed the path that led to where the cottage was nestled in the secluded glen a few yards away.
“It was built before Montclair,” Joy told Evan. They walked slowly around it. Fall wildflowers bloomed in colorful profusion. The flagstone path up to the little porch was overgrown, and the paint was peeling on the Dutch door with its latticed window. The tarnished brass knocker was engraved with two words.
“Eden Cottage,” Evan read out loud, then turned to Joy with a puzzled expression.
“The estate lawyer told me of the tradition that Montrose brides spent their first year of marriage here,” she explained. “Molly had the interior painted when she was down here last summer. There wasn’t enough time to do the outside. Still, its perfectly charming, isn’t it? I wonder how long this has stood empty? I wonder who was the last bride to come here on her honeymoon?”
“It might have been your mother,” Evan suggested.
“No, she was never here at Montclair. My father and she were married in California, in San Diego, where he took his helicopter training.” It made Joy sad to think of her young parents, who had never even had a real honeymoon.
They circled the house once more. They saw the small arbor overhung with a tangle of grapevines, romantic and mysterious. Within was a seat. Evan reached for Joy’s hand, and they walked in and sat down side by side. Sun filtered in through the latticework. A lovely, peace-filled quiet enveloped them.
“Joy?” Evan began slowly. “I haven’t said anything, haven’t pressured you. I’ve waited, knowing you had all this to do since you came back from France. But I haven’t changed, you know. I love you, more than ever.” He paused. “How about marrying me and spending our honeymoon here at Eden Cottage?”
Joy looked at Evan, seeing such love and tenderness in his eyes that she felt breathless. Suddenly she realized what a big part of her life he had become. His new gentleness, his patience, had been reassuring her that his inner change was real. Since she had inherited Montclair, Evan had been there for her, supportive and strong. He had offered his help, advising her on dealings with lawyers and members of the historical society, recommending his own lawyer to help her with the contracts and papers she had to sign.
It was strange that now her life, which before had been so uncertain, held a new security. Although the sale of Montclair to the historical society gave her what amounted to a small income for life, enabling her the freedom to travel and paint as she had always dreamed, suddenly that independence did not hold the same attraction. Something was missing. The same thing she had found missing when she was biking through the south of France by herself. Someone was missing from that picture of the future. That person, her heart told her, was Evan.
“Well?”
Evan’s prompting brought Joy back from her reverie. Immediately she was sorry. She had already kept him waiting so long for her answer.
“I’ve been thinking about us a great deal, Evan.”
“And?” There was a hint of anxiety in his voice.
“Yes, Evan, I will.”
“Will what?” he persisted.
She turned and looked at him, saw the anxiety in his eyes change to hope. Abandoning all former doubts, she knew deep in her heart that Evan was a man she could trust with her dreams, her future, her life. She smiled and said softly, “Marry you.”
Marriage for Joy had been something a long way off, somewhere in a distant, unimaginable future. Now that it was happening, it seemed so right that she and Evan would be spending the rest of their lives together.
They decided to be married in Mayfield at the community church where so many other Montrose brides through the years had taken their wedding vows. Montclair was now open for receptions, and Joy and Evan’s was the first to be held there.
She and Evan were going to keep Eden Cottage and its surrounding land as their own. They would spend the next two weeks there and come back as often as possible for a time of peace and privacy in what would continue to be a busy life. The exterior had been freshly painted, and Molly and Joy spent a week there getting the inside of the cottage ready. It was in all ways the perfect place to begin a marriage.
In a place of honor was Molly’s wedding gift to them. On parchment, framed in mellow wood, she had penned a wish in calligraphy—a wish that embodied all their hopes, dreams, and prayers for their life together.
The way is long;
Let us go together.
The way is difficult;
Let us help each other.
The way is joyful;
Let us share it.
The way is ours alone;
Let us go in love.
The way opens before us…
Let us begin.
Montrose Family Tree
Duncan Montrose marries Noramary Marsh
(Son) Camerson Montrose m. (1) Lorabeth Whitaker
(2) Arden Sherwood
Graham Montrose m. Avril Dumont
(They adopt his nephew)
Clayborn Montrose m. Sara Leighton (Three sons)
Malcolm m. (1) Rose Meredith
(Son) Jonathan
(2) Blythe Dorman
(Son) Jeffrey
Bryson Montrose m. Garnet Cameron
Lee Montrose m. Dove Maitland
Jonathan Montrose m. (1) Davida Kendall
(Son) Kip (Daughter) Meredith
(2) Phoebe McPherson
(Son) Fraser (Daughter) Fiona
Kip Montrose m. (1) Eteienette Boulanger
(Son) Lucien
(2) Cara Cameron
(Adopted) Nicole (“Nicki”)
Fraser Montrose m. Nicole
Cameron Family Tree
James and Jaqueline Cameron
(Son) James marries Mayrian
(Son) Logan
(Son) Marshall m. Rebecca Buchanan
(Son) Douglas m. Katharine Maitland
(Twins) Rod and Stewart
(Daughter) Garnet m. Bryson Montrose
Rod m. Blythe Montrose (Malcolm’s widow)
(Son) Scott m. Jillian Marsh
(Son) Stewart (Daughter) Nora (“Scotty”)
(Twins) Cara and Kitty
Garnet Montrose (Bryson’s widow) m. Jeremy Devlin
(Daughter) Faith m. Jeff Montrose
(Daughter) Lynette m. state senator Frank Maynard
(Daughter) Cara-Lyn
(Daughter) Bryanne m. Steven Colby
(Son) Gareth m. Brooke Leslie
(Daughter) Hope
Look for these titles in Jane Peart’s Brides of Montclair Series at a Christian bookstore near you!
Valiant Bride
ISBN: 0-310-66951-0
A historical romance about a young woman’s choice of duty over love.
Ransomed Bride
ISBN: 0-310-66961-8
In this sequel to Valiant Bride, Lorabeth Whitaker flees England and an undesirable marriage engagement.
Fortune’s Bride
ISBN: 0-310-66971-5
Graham Montrose is widowed after only three months of marriage. He becomes the guardian of a 13-year-old girl, Avril. At her coming out party, he realizes his love for his ward.
Folly’s Bride
ISBN: 0-310-66981-2
In a time of social unrest, slave rebellions, and growing political dissent, Sara, once impetuous and flirtatious, learns to overcome her pride as she comes under the influence of Clayborn Montrose, scion of the Montrose family and Master of Montclair.
Yankee Bride & Rebel Bride
ISBN: 0-310-66991-X
Against the turbulent backdrop of the Civil War, two beautiful women of strength and spirit struggle for the survival of their ideals, drea
ms, principles, and love. Their antagonism enacts the spiritual crisis of their time.
Destiny’s Bride
ISBN: 0-310-67021-7
Destiny’s Bride is the story of Druscilla Montrose.
Jubilee Bride
ISBN: 0-310-67121-3
In honor of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, the fiftieth year of her reign, Garnet invites both sides of her aristocratic Virginia family to England for a family reunion celebration.
Mirror Bride
ISBN: 0-310-67131-0
Mishap, romance, and mistaken identity are the ingredients for enlivening Virginia’s prestigious Montrose family.
Hero’s Bride
ISBN: 0-310-67141-8
The First World War is a time of testing and commitment as the eldest son goes to France to fight.
Daring Bride
ISBN: 0-310-20209-4
With the Depression clouding the present and World War II looming on the horizon, Aunt Garnet’s ninetieth birthday is a reunion time for the Montrose and Cameron families.
Courageous Bride
ISBN: 0-310-20210-8
The First World War left Niki an orphan in France. Will World War II take away everything she holds dear—including Montclair, the only home she’s ever known, and Fraser, the man she’s grown to love?
ZondervanPublishingHouse
Grand Rapids, Michigan
A Division of HarperCollinsPublishers
Westward Dreams Romance Series from Jane Peart
Runaway Heart
ISBN: 0-310-41271-4
Heroine Holly Lambeth has escaped the humiliation of a broken engagement by visiting her cousin’s family in Riverbend, Oregon. When her cousin proves less than hospitable, Holly is forced to find her own way in this very alien hostile culture.