“That poor man. I cannot believe Stuart will be allowed to get away with this,” Deborah said, pushing down her anger. “Can’t we do something?”
“You know we can’t. Our hands are tied,” her brother replied. “Albright knows that better than anyone ’cause he’s the one who tied ’em.”
“But surely we know some honest people who could help. Not everyone can be bought.”
“Christopher isn’t at the house,” Jimmy said from behind her. Deborah turned and met the boy’s shrug. “Guess he’s out doctoring like you said.”
Deborah hoped that was all he was doing. She had a bad feeling about the way things had been left between them. It wasn’t like Christopher to lose his temper and leave without a word.
She thanked Jimmy and made her way out of the church. Outside, the slight breeze made things marginally cooler than inside. Deborah was grateful she’d worn her lightest gown. The yellow gingham had been sewn into a fetching creation that brought many compliments, but at this moment Deborah would have just as soon jumped into the millpond—dress and all.
“Goodness, but if it’s this warm in May,” Olivia Huebner said as she joined Deborah, “imagine what the rest of the summer will hold in store.”
“I’d rather not,” Deborah replied. “I was just thinking of how nice it would be to go swimming.”
Mrs. Huebner nodded. “I remember days when I was just a girl. We would slip off—just me and my sisters—and strip down to our unmentionables and go swimming in the creek by our place.” She gave a nervous laugh. “I don’t suppose I would want to share that with just anyone.”
Deborah smiled. Mrs. Huebner was the epitome of propriety and, no doubt, figured such a comment might ruin her reputation. “Your secret is safe with me. I’ve been guilty of the very same thing, only it was girlfriends instead of sisters.”
Over by the wagon, Mother laughed and chased after Jonah. Olivia and Deborah seemed to catch sight of her at the same time. Mother had never seemed happier—at least she hadn’t laughed this much in a long time.
“You know, I think those children have taken twenty years of longing off your mother’s age.”
“What do you mean?” Deborah asked. She had never thought of her mother as longing for anything.
“Well, you know she always wanted more children. She could only have the three of you—oh, there was the other baby that died before you were born.”
Deborah nodded. “Yes, our sister Janna.” The infant had been stillborn, and Mother seldom talked about her. In fact, it wasn’t until Lizzie found out that she had been the twin of a stillborn child that Mother spoke openly of the matter.
“Well, she couldn’t bear any more children after you were born, and I know it bothered her a great deal. She wanted a large family, and for many years, it tormented her. I suppose now with Dr. Kelleher’s siblings, she can enjoy mothering young ones again.”
Deborah turned her attention back to where her mother was now swinging Jonah by the arms. She twirled in a circle; both of them laughed.
“I never knew,” Deborah murmured.
Mrs. Huebner waggled her finger at Deborah’s face. “Well, don’t you be tellin’ her that I told you. I wouldn’t want her to think I was gossiping.”
“No, ma’am. I won’t mention it.”
“She does seem mighty happy,” Mrs. Huebner added. “Oh, there’s Curtis. I must run along now. Try to stay cool.”
“You, too, Miz Huebner.”
Deborah watched Mr. Huebner take his wife by the arm and walk down the road toward their house. She then returned her attention to Mother. She wasn’t that old. Goodness, Deborah thought. Mother will be but forty-five at the end of June.
“You looks to be ponderin’ deep thoughts,” Sissy said, coming to stand beside Deborah.
“I was just thinking about Mama and how she’ll be forty-five next month.”
Sissy nodded. “Have to have a nice party for her. ’Course, I was reckonin’ we’d have a weddin’ in June.”
“I don’t know if that’s going to happen.”
“Is there troubles betwixt you and the doc?” Sissy asked.
With a sigh, Deborah found herself explaining to the older woman what had happened. “I think he’s more worried about my feelings than anything. He knows I have no desire to leave this place.”
“Women go where they men go. That be the way of things. Iffen you ain’t of a mind to be a wife and let him lead, you best not marry.”
Her words hit Deborah hard. “I suppose I’m afraid,” she said honestly. Speaking the truth aloud didn’t come easy. “I love him so much, but I worry that I won’t be a good wife. Especially since I’m such an unconventional woman.”
“Bah! You follow the Lord, and you be good ’nuf. It be God’s way what matters—not ours. The good Lord ne’r said you couldn’t work with your hands; fact is, He ’spects you to. But He ’spects you to trust Him first.”
“I know you’re right,” Deborah said. She gave Sissy a brief hug. “You always seem to know the right thing to say. Sometimes I feel so foolish. Here I have all this book knowledge and yet I struggle.”
“Book-knowing and heart-knowing be two different things, Miss Deborah. Bein’ smart ain’t the same as usin’ your smarts.” Sissy gave her a big smile. “I had to learn that the hard way—sounds like it be the same for you.”
Deborah nodded. “I guess so, but I’m hoping to change for the better.”
“The good Lord be all about that.” Sissy pointed. “Looks like your mama is loadin’ up.”
“Deborah!” Mara called, making her way from the church. “Hold up, please.”
“You go ahead, Sissy. I’ll be right there.” She crossed the distance to meet Mara. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just wondered if it would be all right to pay you all a visit tomorrow and discuss the plans for Rob’s birthday party.”
“Mother is just over there at the wagon. Why don’t we go ask her?”
Mara leaned closer as they walked. “I saw that Mr. Albright pulled his wife out of church before she could speak to anyone. Such a pity he’s so harsh with her.”
“I know. I’m praying things might change for the better. Jael wants a divorce, and you know what kind of ostracizing that could bring. She doesn’t even care, she’s so miserable,” Deborah said, careful to make sure no one else overheard. “Please pray for her. I don’t know for sure what God would have her do, but she’s so very unhappy.”
“We’re nearly ready,” Mother announced as Arjan helped her into the wagon. “Are you riding with us or G.W. and Lizzie?”
“I’ll come with you,” Deborah replied. “However, we have a question for you. Mara wants to know if she might visit us tomorrow and discuss ideas for throwing Rob a surprise birthday party.”
Mother beamed. “I would like that very much. Please do come whenever is convenient.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Vandermark. I’ll speak to Father and see when he might be available to bring me out.”
“You are both more than welcome to join us for dinner. We’ll eat around noon.”
“I’ll tell him. I’m sure he’d enjoy that,” Mara said. “Until tomorrow.”
Deborah gave her a brief hug, then climbed into the back of the wagon unassisted and took a seat beside Darcy. “God go with you,” Deborah told Mara.
“And with you.”
Darcy looked up at Deborah. “Do you really think God goes with us when we say that?”
The question was simple enough, but it took Deborah by surprise. “I do,” she said as the wagon began to move out. “In fact, I think He goes with us whether we say it or not. Don’t you?”
Shrugging, the girl looked away. “Who can say? We can’t order God around like that.”
Deborah smiled. “I don’t think I’ve ever considered it ordering God around, but I can understand why you might. Truly, we’re just reminding each other to walk in God’s ways, and if we do that—we know He’s with us.”
Christopher looked at the note left at his door. He had presumed it would be from Deborah; instead, he found it a summons from Stuart Albright. Christopher figured Albright was going to demand he clear out. Zed had warned him to expect it, and so Christopher had already been hard at work, crating up his personal effects. Nevertheless, he left his horse hitched outside the office and made his way to hear what the man had to say.
As he arrived at the Albright house, Christopher found Stuart sitting on the front porch. He appeared to be engrossed in a handful of papers. He glanced up and greeted Christopher with an expression void of emotion.
“Dr. Kelleher, I’m glad you could finally make it over.”
“Had to set a broken arm. What did you want to see me about?”
“I would like you out of the infirmary by tomorrow evening.”
“All right.”
Stuart’s face pinched, as though he sought to identify a foreign odor. “All right? No questions? No complaints?”
Christopher shrugged. “Would it help if I did?”
Laughing, Stuart shook his head. “No. It wouldn’t change my mind, if that’s what you wonder.”
“Is that all you wanted?” Christopher asked, turning to move back down the steps.
“As a matter of fact, it’s not. I have something else to discuss—an offer, actually.”
Christopher could hardly imagine what Albright would want to propose. “What did you have in mind?”
Stuart gave a smug smile. “Why don’t you take a seat and I’ll get right to the point.”
Apprehension washed over Christopher. He briefly reconsidered. But the worries of the future compelled him to weigh all possibilities. All night and morning he had prayed that God would show him an answer. He tried not to look too eager, however, and ambled casually over to where Albright sat.
Sitting, Christopher raised a brow in question. “So?”
“I have in mind to give you a great deal of money.” Stuart put his papers on the table between their chairs. “Does that surprise you?”
“Do you have to ask? Of course it surprises me,” Christopher replied. “You give me twenty-four hours to vacate my residence, and now you want to give me money. Why shouldn’t I be surprised?”
“Well put,” Stuart said. “I like a man who isn’t afraid to speak his mind. My proposal will make you as wealthy as you are forthright. Given that you have five other people dependent upon you for their well-being, I think you’ll find this most lucrative. Perhaps one could even say an answer to prayer.”
Suspicion tensed Christopher’s muscles. Stuart Albright had proven himself to be a man who did nothing out of the goodness of his heart. Albright wanted something—wanted it badly enough to subject himself to this conversation.
“What is it you want, Albright?”
“It’s very simple, really. I will pay you two thousand dollars to do exactly as I say.”
Christopher couldn’t imagine ever having that much money in his hand at one time. He knew the deed Albright would request for that amount would, no doubt, be dear. “Get to the point. What is it you want?”
Stuart gave a small chuckle. “Leave this area and never return.”
The demand confused Christopher. Albright had to know that with no steady work to be had, such an idea would have already surfaced in the doctor’s mind. Christopher needed to make a living now more than ever.
“And where did you have in mind that I should go?”
“I don’t care,” Stuart replied. “Take your siblings and go back to Kansas City, for all it matters.”
“And if I do that, you’ll give me two thousand dollars? Just for taking my family away from here?”
“Well, there is one other requirement.”
Of course. Christopher nodded and looked Albright in the eye. “And that would be what?”
“Break your engagement with Deborah Vandermark. Leave her and agree to never marry her.”
The words fell like a lead weight, crushing any hope that Christopher might have taken the man up on his offer. Christopher rose and walked down the porch steps. He had reached the walkway when Stuart finally called out to him.
“Two thousand dollars cash is a lot to walk away from.”
Christopher turned. “You’re quite mad, Albright. If you honestly think to buy me off so that you can perpetuate your vengeance on the Vandermark family, you have another think coming.”
“Three thousand.” Stuart’s voice bore no hint of anxiety.
“No.” Christopher started walking toward home.
Albright came to the side of the porch. “Five thousand dollars. That’s my final offer.”
It was a great deal of money, more than Christopher could ever have imagined. He looked hard at Albright and shook his head. “I’m glad it’s your last offer, because my honor and love aren’t for sale.”
Deborah had returned from swimming with the children only a few moments earlier and was still trying to fix her wet hair into a long single plait. Her heart leapt and sank when she saw Christopher ride into the yard, two large carpetbags hanging over his saddle horn. With nimble twists and tucks, she finally secured the braid and got to her feet to go to him.
Arjan greeted Christopher first and offered to take the horse to the barn for him. Deborah was glad when Christopher agreed. He took the bags from the saddle and dropped them on the ground. She wanted to ask about them immediately, but she remained silent.
He turned and gave her a sheepish smile. “I’m back.”
“I see that,” she said, returning his grin. “I missed you at church.”
“Had a broken arm to set.”
Deborah nodded and cast a glance at the bags, then back to his face. Christopher shrugged. “Albright kicked me out. I’m supposed to vacate the property by tomorrow.”
“Oh, Christopher, I am sorry. G.W. is more than willing for you to take over the cabin. You can let folks know that you’re setting up there. We’ll get the word out.”
He stepped forward and reached up to touch her cheek. “I’m sorry for the way I behaved.”
“I know. I’m sorry, too. You’ve been carrying the weight of all this responsibility and I’ve done nothing to relieve your mind. I haven’t been a very good example.”
“In what way?”
She sighed. “I haven’t exactly been allowing you to lead in our courtship. A wife should be obedient and let her husband direct their plans. I didn’t do that.”
“You aren’t yet a wife,” he replied.
“Are you rescinding your offer?” she asked, surprising herself.
Christopher appeared just as surprised. In fact, he looked almost like he’d been caught doing something wrong. Was he contemplating that very idea? Had she forced him to comment on it before he was ready?
“I see I’ve perhaps touched on a nerve.” She started to go, but he took hold of her arm.
“Don’t go. If I seem awkward in dealing with your question, it’s just that . . . well, Stuart Albright asked me to do just that not even an hour ago.”
“What?” Deborah could scarcely believe her ears. “Stuart asked you to end our engagement?”
“He did. In fact, he offered me five thousand dollars,” Christopher said, grinning. “I should have thanked him, because, frankly, it put me in a much better frame of mind.”
Deborah didn’t know whether to be offended or happy. She looked at him and shook her head. “Five thousand dollars?”
Goodness, but that would resolve a world of problems. It would be enough to set up house elsewhere and establish his medical clinic. Why, with that much money, he could afford to send Jimmy to the university of his choice.
“He must really hate me.”
“Not as much as I love you,” Christopher said. “He helped me to realize that my moping about money was foolish. Money certainly isn’t anything compared to love. Oh, a person still needs to make a wage and support his family. But I can do that without worrying about the amount
of cash it yields.”
“But that’s a great deal of money, Christopher.” What if they married and he later regretted not having taken it? Dread snaked through her veins like ice water. It left her feeling rather cold and clammy. She wasn’t a woman given to fainting, but suddenly it seemed like a possibility.
As if reading her mind, he steadied her shoulders. “Deborah Vandermark. You surprise me. You’re the one who has been trying to get me to see how God handles all things—even our financial needs.”
She drew a deep breath to clear her head. “I know. I suppose it’s just that . . . well, you were so angry at me last night.”
“No I wasn’t. You had nothing to do with it—well, very little. I was upset with myself. I was frustrated that I couldn’t seem to find a way out of this. I spent most of the night praying and asking God to reveal the truth to me—and when Stuart Albright gave me his proposal, it was like God had done just that.
“I could see the matter clearly, Deborah. It was such a freeing moment. I was wrestling with the wrong things. Remember those verses in Ephesians? The ones Pastor Shattuck preached on here a while back?”
She remembered them very well. “Ephesians six.”
“Yes, it says we aren’t wrestling with flesh and blood, but with the powers of darkness.” He shook his head. “I don’t remember the exact words, but the principle is fixed in my mind—at least it is after dealing with Albright. My battle isn’t for money or patients or a nice place to set up an office. It’s about putting the future in God’s hands and trusting that He will supply our needs.”
Deborah knew that what he said was right, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was keeping Christopher from a much-needed answer to his prayers. She looked at the ground to hide the tears that came to her eyes.
He put his arm around her. “Besides, five thousand dollars would never come close to the value of the love I feel for you. Now, if he’d offered ten . . .”
Deborah snapped her head up to meet his grin. How could he tease about something so important? Albright offered no mere pittance. Five thousand dollars was more money than most folks ever saw.
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