by Caryl McAdoo
“Son, with God, all things are possible.” The guy touched Levi’s forehead then floated skyward without the use of his feathered wings. He watched until he disappeared, then somehow fell into a bed of soft furs covered by his aunt’s quilts. Both Wallace and Uncle Henry stood guard. Real quick, he drifted off into a dreamless slumber.
A bump jarred him awake. The boat docking? A ray of sunlight sliced its way through the window’s shutters. He swung his legs over the bed’s side. Where was Wallace?
He rolled over, slipped to his knees, and bowed his head. “Lord, save me; I can’t do it anymore without You.”
Instantly, a wonderful love poured through him. It changed his heart, made it new. Joy seemed to bubble up all the way from his toes. Forgiven, he was forgiven! None of it—nothing he’d ever done—would ever be held against him.
Praise God. Tears flowed. He lifted both hands to Heaven. “Thank You, Father. Bless You.”
Why, oh, why had he resisted so long?
Chapter
Thirty-Four
The leather strap around Rose’s big toe tugged. No, it couldn’t be. How did she get to Bold Eagle’s camp? She yanked back. Refused to go. She’d kill him first. He pulled harder.
She sat up and opened her eyes. Rebecca stood at the end of the bed, her hand on Rose’s foot, shaking her big toe.
“Wake up.”
She fought her way through the sleep fog. Thank God! She wasn’t in the wives’ teepee, but where? She glanced around. The day’s light tickled the little window. Her chest tightened. Onboard a steamboat. It all came back. St. Louis. Heading there to beg her husband for a divorce.
Oh, Lord.
She swallowed hard, then forced her mouth to smile. “What is it?”
“You were having a bad dream.”
She scooted up in the bed and hugged her knees to her chest. “I was back with the Comanche.”
Rebecca sat beside her. “Want to talk about it?”
At first, the words came hard, then the more she talked, the easier telling her friend got. Her life with the people flowed out of her. From her being stolen to being traded, beaten, pregnant, raped.
Once the telling was done, Rebecca took to asking questions. She had never told anyone the whole story, not even Levi, but getting it all out was good.
Somehow, it didn’t haunt her so bad now; almost as though it all happened to someone else. The band squeezing her chest loosened some, but not completely. It would not release her until she faced Charles.
The steam whistle blew a long blast, and the boat slowed considerably.
“We must be getting close.” Rebecca grabbed her clutch and bonnet. “Get the baby up, and the two of you dressed. I’ll go see how much time we have.”
As long as she could remember, she’d always let her friend boss her around. Why stop now? “Yes, ma’am.”
Rebecca smirked at her sarcasm, smiled, then disappeared out the door. Halfway through dressing Charley, her friend popped back in. “We’re pulling into St. Louis, but we’re having breakfast on board. You need any help?”
“No, we’re almost ready. We’ll be right down.”
“Alright, see you in the dining room. Don’t worry with packing. After we eat, we’ll run back up and get everything together.”
Rose noticed the change in Levi first thing. What was it?
She held her tongue and didn’t comment on it, hoping he would volunteer, but he was being his normally tightlipped, manly self. What was it with men anyway? Well, her mama always said if you wanted to know a thing, speak up.
“You sure look good this morning, Levi. Even better than usual.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” He grinned. “Slept like a baby.”
“I not baby.”
Rose leaned out past the man and smiled at her son. “He wasn’t calling you a baby.”
“Miss Rebecca did. This morning.” He looked across the table and made his mad face. So, the little man had been awake. Oh dear, how much of her story had he heard?
Wallace waved him off. “Slip of the tongue, partner. Everyone knows you are not a baby.” He pointed his fork at him. “You spotted the bad whiskey man. Knew him right off. No, you’re a big boy, and that’s a fact. And listen here, your auntie can call me baby anytime she wants.”
A broad smile broke across Charley’s face. “You like her. You going to marry her, Sarge?”
Rebecca choked on her scrambled egg and reached for her water.
Wallace patted her on the back.
The boy’s declaration brought an uneasy silence. Levi covered Rose’s hand then scooted his chair back and stood. “We best get to packing.”
The morning flew by for Levi. How could everything change so much? He was still the same person, but so different. Inside.
A peace filled his heart; one that he would have bet all his gold and land just yesterday wasn’t possible. How could someone like him—who had shed so much blood—be redeemed?
But that’s exactly what happened that very morning.
He’d been born again. During the course of his life, he’d heard about it so many times from so many different people, but always thought it sounded ridiculous. One thing for sure, it was definitely real. He had experienced it.
He couldn’t tell anyone how, but he was a new man. All those scriptures Aunt Sue forced him to read so long ago now made perfect sense.
The impossible, the unbelievable, in one fell swoop became possible and so easy to understand and believe. For the first time in his life, peace filled his soul.
He almost blurted it out when Rose asked him at breakfast, but decided to wait until he could get her alone. He loved his Bitty Beck and Wallace. They’d both be thrilled, and so would Aunt Sue and Uncle Henry, too, when they heard.
But Rose was the love of his life, and he wanted to share his good news with her first.
All morning, he moved his little troupe from the steamer to the hotel on Broadway Street a couple of blocks from the wharf. The right moment never presented itself. Once he finally got everyone settled, dinner pulled the whole group together again.
Soon as Wallace had his boots under the fancy table in the hotel’s grand dining hall, he threw Levi a nod. “The clerk knows Nightengale, says he lives in the north part of town. I got directions.”
Levi glanced at Rose. The dread in her eyes matched what hovered over his heart, but he’d not have it. No fear. No doubt. No worry. The man had to be rational. She didn’t love him, probably never did. She’d been what? Fifteen when he stole her heart away and married her? “He say how far?”
“Better than four miles, he said about a mile past the sawmill.”
“You ask about a livery?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good man. Did he happen to mention where the closest church might be?”
Wallace snorted then smiled. “No, should I have asked?”
“Well.” Levi slipped his hand into Rose’s and smiled at her then his sister and partner. “Figured I best get baptized before we went and saw Nightengale.”
Rose squeezed his hand. “Oh, Levi, that’s wonderful.”
For the first time he could remember, his Bitty Beck sat speechless.
Wallace shook his head grinning like a kid in a candy store. “Yes, siree. I’ll find us a preacher man, we both can get dunked. Make it a two for one deal.”
Rebecca sucked in a breath. “When?” Her dazzling smile covered her face. “Mama is going to be so pleased, and Daddy, too. Oh, Levi, we’ve been praying for you for so long.”
“I know, and I thank you, Sister. Shame I was so stubborn.”
Took Wallace the better part of the afternoon to find a minister who had a full baptistery, but after he and Levi answered all the man’s questions about their respective conversions, Levi made it worth the man’s trouble.
Sure felt great, washing all his old life away. And he loved it, made the experience even better that his partner got dunked at the same time.
; After he and Wallace got dried off and changed, he took Rose’s hand and headed out of the church. He smiled at her. “You ready?”
Her mouth said yes, but her eyes said no, pleaded with him to run the other direction.
“It’s going to be fine; he’ll be reasonable.”
Rose didn’t want to face Charles, but she had to. The part of her that wanted to run away grew stronger with each turn of the rented buggy’s wheels. Wallace rolled past a big and bustling sawmill with logs everywhere. Steam belched from two different sheds, and mules pulled wagons loaded with sawed boards. The sign on the side of the building declared Nightengale Lumber.
It surprised her that Charles owned such a big operation, though she wasn’t sure what she expected. Could he have done all this in five years? Why had he ever come to Texas, anyway?
She looked down at her boy. The sign could say Nightengale and Son. If the Comanche hadn’t stolen her that morning at the Kickapoo, if she’d stayed home like Charles told her….
She glanced up at the man beside her, the strong, wonderful, generous, famous Texas Ranger who loved her—whom she loved. No, she had no regrets, not even the awful years spent with Bold Eagle, because every step along the way—no matter how bad or how hard—only led her to Levi.
How could she ever lament any of it? Her hand went to her slightly bulging belly, and the peace of God washed over her.
No, Lord, I thank You for the paths I’ve traveled that led me to this man.
Rebecca reached across and touched her knee, pulling Rose back to the day and the trip across town and its purpose. “Want me to keep Charley in the buggy with me?”
Wallace made a left and caused her to lean into Levi. He looked down and offered his reassuring smile. Rose focused. She glanced to her baby then back to her good friend. “No, but thank you. He needs to at least meet Charles; he may never get another chance.”
“Me go back Texkus, no like stinking Louie. Me ride Shooter.”
Rose reached across Levi and patted the boy’s leg. “We’ll be home soon enough, but right now, we need to get things straight with your –” She stopped herself. Charles had fathered the boy alright, but he wasn’t his daddy. Levi had been more a father to Charley than anyone. “Anyway, we need to talk with Charles Nightengale and get things settled.”
His face brightened. “Hey, that’s me.” He folded his arms over his chest. “Me settle things. We go home.”
The buggy stopped in front of a two-story sawed board house. A whitewashed picket fence guarded the front yard, and fancy little doodaddies and scrolly swirls adorned every corner, every eave. Quite fancy indeed.
Two little girls dressed in frilly dresses played with dolls on the wide wrap-around porch. Had Wallace got the directions wrong? Could Charles have such an extravagant house? And be the father of the two girls?
Bile crept into her throat. Oh no, she couldn’t be sick. Not now. She swallowed.
The door opened, and Levi climbed out. He offered his hand to her. Charley jumped out and stood beside him. Oh, how she loved those two. Rose sniffed then filled her lungs. She accepted Levi’s hand, and his strength passed into her. She stepped out.
Her heart pounded in her chest. She squeezed Levi’s hand then smoothed her skirt.
She looked to Wallace. “You sure this is the right place?” Her words came soft, barely a whisper.
“Yes, ma’am.”
The little girls stared. Levi opened the picket fence gate. The older one stood and grabbed the other’s hand. “Mama! We’ve got company.”
Rose froze in place, as though she couldn’t pass through the opening. Levi tugged her hand ever so gently. “It’ll be fine.”
Had Charles married a widow with a ready made family? She willed her feet to move. No, she could see him in the little ladies. The oldest, maybe ten, eyed them hard. The younger dropped her sister’s hand and ran inside, letting the screen door slam behind her. She had to be seven or eight.
Wait. She stopped again on the front walk. How could this be? Were they nieces? They couldn’t be his.
The oldest girl turned toward the house. “Mama! Daddy! Better get on out here.”
Rose forced one foot in front of the other. Just as she reached the first step, the front door opened. Charles Nightengale himself stood there. For a heartbeat, he stared, then his mouth dropped open.
“Sassy? How can it be?” He broke into a smile. “It is you.” Then as quickly, any pleasure he’d displayed disappeared, and his lips straightened. “What are you doing here?” He glanced over his shoulder at the girl. “Get inside, Ella.”
“But, Father –”
His tone turned harsh. “Now, Ella Mae.” She hung her head, but vanished into the extravagant home. Charles stepped on out then closed the door. “What happened, Sassy? Where have you been?”
“The Comanche…”
The front door opened again, and an older woman appeared. “Charles, dear, where are your manners? Invite these folks inside. You don’t want to conduct business out here on the porch.” She smiled at Charley. “Wouldn’t you like a glass of lemonade, young man?”
Charles spun around and faced her. “We’re fine, dear. These folks are only lost. They’ll not be staying.”
That tone. Bad memories came flooding in. Rose hated that tone. He ordered this lady around in the same way he used to boss her.
Five years with the Comanche had dimmed and softened that tone in her memory. Now it all came back clear and hot as the noonday sun. A dangerous fire burned in her belly. She looked past her husband and nodded at the woman.
She steeled herself and forced her voice to sound as calm as possible. “Good afternoon, ma’am. You the new Mis’ess Charles Nightengale?”
The lady laughed a rather nervous chuckle. “New? Hard to feel new, having birthed him four daughters in twelve years of marriage.”
The lady’s words hit Rose square in the gut. Mind spinning, she studied the woman. What reason would she have to lie? Twelve years? The wildfire inside heated and spread.
She looked to Charles. He looked away, couldn’t meet her gaze. His eyes fixed over her head with guilt written across his lying face.
“You were married? You were already married? Why you no good –” She balled her fist and stepped toward him.
Levi wrapped his arms around her. “Rose, wait. Think about it.”
She faced him. “Think about it? You tell me what there is to think about?” She whirled back and glared at the bigamist. “This no good chowderhead already had a wife! And children! When he married me!” She whirled on Nightengale again. “You’re a bad, horrible excuse for a human being!”
“What?” The lady grabbed her husband’s arm and spun him toward her. “What in the world is this girl talking about?”
“How do I know? I’ve never seen these people.”
Her son stepped forward past Rose pointing the Baby at his father. “You’re a bad man. Got a flyer on him, partner?”
“Charley, no! Put down that pistol right now! Give it to me!”
Mis’ess Nightengale squealed and herded her daughters to a corner of the porch. Charles glared at the boy. Levi stepped forward and lifted the gun from his littlest partner’s hand. “Not this one, Son.”
With his hands on his hips, he climbed the porch steps straight to his father and looked up. “You a bad man. Mama said.” He kicked him square in the shin, turned and marched down the steps taking a place by Rebecca with his arms crossed over his chest.
With her son out of harm’s way, Rose whirled back on Nightengale wagging her finger. “Charley’s right. You are bad to the core, horrible! How could you? You… You…”
“Rose, listen to me.” Levi moved behind her and gently took her elbows, pulled her back a few steps, then turned her. He took her face in both hands. “Shhh, hear me.” He kissed her forehead and spoke ever so softly. “You are not married. Never were.”
She searched the depth of his eyes. Charles’ lies, his tone, his
wife’s questions, and the little girls’ crying faded away.
Only Levi’s face remained.
His words echoed in her heart.
Not married, never were, not married.
She allowed the truth to sink in. She wasn’t married!
She threw her arms around his neck. “Levi! I’m not married. I’m free to be yours!”
He grinned. “I know. God did it! He answered our prayers in the best way! Will you marry me, Rosaleen Fogelsong?”
She burst into tears. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
Chapter
Thirty-Five
She wasn’t married, had never been. God had not only set her free, but made her brand new. Rose let Levi guide her back to the buggy. Joyful tears flowed. She would have cold-cocked that man if Levi hadn’t stopped her.
More sweet tears cooled her cheeks. She wasn’t married. Nothing—no thing—stood in her and Levi’s way. God had made a way. She could be with her ranger forever. Together.
He helped her inside the coach.
Like a wheel inside a wheel, things spun and turned in a wonderful blurry haze. Levi, Wallace, and Rebecca handled everything. She wanted to take her shopping for a dress, but Rose flatly refused.
She wanted to go straight to the church. Never would she have thought that morning when she put on her Kelly green skirt and blouse that it would be her wedding attire.
How quickly a life could change.
Her friend told the same minister who’d baptized the men earlier that morning the whole story, but he still questioned Rose. Yes, she loved this wonderful man, and no, not a reason in the world existed why she shouldn’t be married to him.
God brought her together with Levi Bartholomew Baylor, and the Lord Himself had made a way when she’d thought there was none.
“I do.” She wanted to shout the words, but kept her voice soft and strong. She loved him so much. Thank You, Father. Bless You.