The Golden Bride

by Kimberley Woodhouse

  Faith Weber must have been such an amazing and godly woman who trusted God through being a spy, being married, having children, and surviving the war for their great country’s independence. Everything she’d read so far in the journal had dumbfounded Olivia. How did one woman remain so steadfast, strong, and positive? It was true that her family had always teased Olivia about her pessimism and sarcasm, but she now saw how she’d allowed those bits of her personality to take over and become negative traits. She’d really let it go the wrong way.

  Only through reading the journal had she thought more about her need to grow. Until Mama and Daddy had died, she’d relied on them for their spiritual guidance and direction. She’d loved the Lord and come to know Him at an early age but hadn’t taken on the responsibility of her own relationship with God. Faith’s words had helped her to see it and reminded her of so many things her parents had taught her over the years.

  One thing was abundantly clear about her great-grandmother: the woman studied God’s Word on her own and wrote down her thoughts and life applications in the journal. Olivia would be forever grateful for it. How many times had she read Faith’s notes and then looked up the scripture for herself. The passage that Olivia had read about yesterday was from 2 Timothy. She’d memorized the verse that struck her heart the most: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

  Faith had shared that passage in her journal when she’d been going through a frightening time. The war was raging all around them, and she feared for her life and the lives of her children as her husband, Matthew, fought alongside George Washington. As fear threatened to overtake her, she’d spoken the words of that verse aloud so that she and her children would remember.

  Olivia hoped and prayed that reciting that same verse would help her too. Snuggling under the covers, she read the next entry.

  October 17, 1781

  I must admit that this war has become tiresome to me. Perhaps because I am tired from the birth of our third blessed child, and I fear for the health and safety of our family not only here at the farm, but as Matthew and George fight for our independence. As discouragement and fear have threatened to overtake me, I have been thinking of all my inadequacies and shortcomings. There are numerous ways in which I have failed miserably, which gives birth to the questions: Am I enough? Why am I here? Do I have the strength to continue on? What if I fail again?

  But this morning, as I was having our scripture study time with the staff, we started the book of 2 Peter. So many things struck me as we started reading that it brought me to tears. I want to record all my thoughts here so I do not forget the insights I have learned.

  “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

  Even the greeting brought tears to my eyes. Why? Because I am of this precious faith. It’s not through anything I have done but completely through God’s righteousness. I realized how much I had come to rely on my own self yet again.

  “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

  “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

  Oh, the promises that I have! Why haven’t I been clinging to them—because by them I’m a partaker of the divine nature! My way of escape is clear through Him. The encouragement that has thrilled my heart today, I can only wish that it seeps onto this page and I am reminded of it again and again.

  “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

  “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

  I am not inadequate. All of these have been added to me through my faith in Jesus Christ. They are within me. They abound in me. Which means I will be fruitful.

  I guess it all comes back to the fact that I have been relying on my own strength yet again. No wonder I am so utterly tired. But this I know—He is within me. And He will perfect in me the work that He has for me to do. Oh Lord, help me to look forward to You—for You are at the finish line waiting for me. Do not let the distractions of this world bring me down, for I know this is not my home. My home is with You for all eternity. Whatever you have for me, my family, my household, Lord please give me the strength to endure and to continue to be fruitful for You.

  Tears filled Olivia’s eyes as she read Faith’s passionate words. How many times had she thought that she would never measure up? That she too was inadequate? But after reading the journal day after day, she now felt challenged to do better. God had a plan for her. He was with her. The feeling she’d had at the creek the day that Hezekiah died flooded her being. God would never leave her.

  While her future was still quite unclear, she knew she needed to do her best. At her new job. Even serving those oft times vulgar and unruly characters, she needed to fight for her city. Yes, this was her city. Her home. Whether she liked the town and the people in it or not, she was here. It was time for her to stand up for what was right and do things differently. Prayerfully, tomorrow could be the new birth of Olivia Brighton.

  You believe he might be up to something?” Daniel forked a piece of chicken into his mouth.

  Joseph took a deep breath and nodded. As much as he hated to say anything against someone, he had to trust his instincts. He leaned forward and put his elbows on the table. “After seeing him in that very part of town, I have to admit, I do.” He shook his head. “If I’m wrong, though, there could be grave consequences for any accusations, so I’d like to be sure. But how can I do that? And then there’s the issue of the meeting last night. Something just doesn’t set right.”

  Daniel nodded. “I agree that Banister is an interesting character. He’s good at convincing people to see things his way, but I wonder if it’s all just a facade. No one really knows this mysterious employer other than the fact that he’s extremely wealthy and provides for all kinds of things in the city. No one wants to buck him for fear that he’ll stop funding needs in town.”

  “Why do you think he doesn’t want anyone to know who he is?”

  “Because he—at least as much as Banister has said—wants to remain anonymous. He’s afraid that if people know that it’s him, he will get bombarded on the street by beggars and can’t be a ‘common man.’ “

  Joseph leaned back and shrugged. “I guess if I were to give him the benefit of the doubt, I would believe that line of thought. It’s the very reason I don’t disclose anything about my own mine, but the fact that George is his right-hand man makes me distrust this man. George loves the spotlight. He also loves to be in charge. It seems if he actually worked for a man that wanted to remain anonymous, wouldn’t he be more like his employer?”

  Daniel wiped his mouth with his napkin and pointed at him. “I’ll agree with you on that. In fact, those are some of the very thoughts I’ve had on the matter. Would a man hire and trust a man such as George if he were as good and honorable and humble as he would like to be portrayed? Or is he a wolf in sheep’s clothing? I don’t know. But it’s best that we keep our eyes and ears open.” He placed his napkin back in his lap and looked around the restaurant. “I wonder where Olivia has gotten off to? I know she said to eat without her, but I thought she’d join us by now.”

  “I hope she comes soon.” Joseph took a deep breath and gave his friend a sideways smile. “I don’t want to come across as too forward, but I have appreciated getting to
know your sister over the past weeks.”

  A smirk crossed his friend’s face. “I was hoping you two might enjoy each other’s company. What more could I ask for than for my best friend and sister to get along?” The smile slipped from his face, and he turned serious. “But I must warn you that she has gone through a lot this past year. She’s got it in her head that she can never marry again. I’ve tried talking to her about it, but it may take some time to heal these wounds.”

  The comment made Joseph furrow his brows. While secretly he’d been admiring Olivia and hoped to get to know her better, he hadn’t thought that a woman as young, bright, and beautiful as she was would ever consider remaining a widow for the rest of her days. Then there was the fact that he knew how she felt about gold mining. Once he’d admitted to her about his profession, they had gotten on just fine. He’d hoped that she would see him as Joseph and not by his occupation. At the time, he thought that would be his biggest obstacle. With a deep sigh, he looked at his friend. “Well, I’m willing to wait and be her friend for as long as it takes. Besides, there’s still so little that we know of each other.”

  Daniel gave him a slight smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Give her time. I know she admires and respects you, so that’s a good start. I’ll be praying for you.”

  “Praying for what?” The object of their conversation appeared at the table holding a thick stack of paper. Olivia’s smile was bigger than Joseph had ever seen it.

  He stood from his chair. “I’m so glad you could join us. Please, allow me.” He pulled out the chair for her.

  Daniel cleared his throat. “I was just telling Joseph that I’d be praying about a personal matter.” He waved one of the other servers over. “So, my dear sister, what kept you so long?”

  Her face lit up even more brightly. “I was counting the signatures that I’ve gotten so far on the petition.”

  “And?” Joseph couldn’t help but catch her enthusiasm. He gave her a big smile.

  “So far I have 2,122.” She plopped the stack of papers in front of them.

  “That’s amazing, Livvy!” Daniel leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Thank you … and thank you for purchasing the paper. I know it was costly.” She turned to look at Joseph. “I’d like to keep gathering them if that’s all right.”

  “Of course that’s all right. I’m thrilled.” He couldn’t help it, but he reached out and covered her hand that lay atop the papers. Their eyes connected for a brief moment that gave him hope. He lifted his hand and went back to his dinner, praying that she couldn’t see straight through him. More than anything, he wanted to give her time to grieve, to heal, and to know him. And to change her mind about remaining a widow.

  Olivia cleared her throat. “That brings me to my next question for both of you.” She folded her hands on the table in front of her. “I’ve been reading a journal from one of our ancestors, and it’s challenged me to do more. If change is going to happen, it has to start with us.”

  “Which one have you read?” Daniel’s face lit up with approval.

  Olivia looked a little sheepish. “I started with Mary Elizabeth, who came over on the Mayflower. I have to admit that I’ve read it several times. I’ve been reading Faith’s—our great-grandmother’s—the past few days.”

  “Livvy, I’m so glad this has been encouraging for you. I’ve been praying that box would be a blessing.” The brotherly look he gave his sister made Joseph wish he had family.

  “It has been. Thank you.” She looked back and forth between them. “Well, it’s given me an idea. Why don’t we start a Bible study in the afternoons? Right here in the restaurant. We have about an hour of downtime when there aren’t many customers. We could do it then. Invite other employees and customers.”

  Joseph saw the passion in her eyes and loved it. If only he could keep it there. “I think it’s a great idea. Might make it easier for people who have questions but are afraid to go to church.”

  “That’s a good point,” Daniel agreed.

  She looked at her brother. “Well … what do you think? Can we try it?”

  He paused and looked to be weighing his options. “I think we should at least give it a try and see what happens. I think Joseph’s point is a good one—it might make it easier for us to reach people, and I definitely don’t mind giving up an hour of time. There may be times when things get a little crazier here, but I’ve got good workers, so we can always figure it out. Which one of us were you thinking would lead it?”

  Olivia looked first at Joseph and then back to her brother. “I was hoping that the two of you would do it together. Or switch off, whatever works the best for you.”

  Joseph couldn’t help but smile. He glanced at his friend. “I’m game if you are. It’s not exactly like we’ve found a pastor for our church yet, and who knows, maybe this will help us reach people with the Gospel. We might be able to get a pastor out here if we have an actual flock for him to shepherd.” Laughter rounded the table, and he felt excitement at the new possibility.

  A young man brought Olivia her plate of hearty beef stew, and she talked to Daniel about how the kitchen staff adored the new stoves. Joseph watched on in pleasure. Even though he didn’t have any family left, he felt like part of the family here, and that made him burst with pride. He and Daniel had worked side by side for a good while, but something about Olivia’s presence seemed to make him feel complete. Her enthusiasm for the new Bible study was contagious.

  Besides, it would give him the excuse to spend more time with Olivia. He’d always felt drawn to her, but now there was something that captivated him even more. It was impressive really. Here she was a widow in a less-than-ideal place, but she now seemed determined to make the best of things despite living in a town she hated. It reminded him of what had drawn him to God—Daniel had that same passion for God and doing what was right.

  Maybe Olivia was beginning to heal from her wounds.

  Whatever it took, Joseph was willing to wait and to take his time getting to know the fascinating Olivia Brighton.

  “I’m afraid we’re running out of room, sir.” George’s whining was getting on his nerves.

  Of course they were running out of room—he’d just brought in two hundred more slave workers. “That’s why I’m building two more buildings. They’re not anything fancy—definitely not anything to draw attention—but enough to keep business booming.” The man reached up and made sure his neck collar was still stiff and straight. Lifting his chin, he looked down a bit at the arrogant Mr. Banister. “Please remember that your work for me does not include trying to tell me what to do.”

  His employee, who was rarely silent, sputtered for a moment before he found his words. “My apologies. In my defense, it is my place to keep you apprised of the situation.”

  “And you’ve done that adequately enough. But your real job is to keep our cover in place and my identity a secret. As much as I know it was important that an alcalde be elected, I’m trusting that you will continue to do your job on the council to keep all attention off my … less than savory business dealings. When I feel the time is right, I’ll let people know who I am and do all the charitable things that will keep my nose clean. But until then, you will be my spokesman.” He buttoned his waistcoat. “There’s another ship arriving in a couple of weeks. This time, there will be a load of children.”

  Banister’s eyebrows rose, but he remained silent.

  So maybe George had learned a bit of wisdom after all. “I can see the question in your eyes. Let’s just say that I have some clients that prefer their needs be met by some younger workers.” He turned to look into the mirror and straightened his striped ascot. “What else is going on in our quaint little town that I need to be aware of?”

  George let out a sigh. “Joseph Sawyer and Daniel Livingston have started a Bible study at Livingston’s Restaurant in the afternoons.” He chuckled. “I can’t see that they have much of an attendance, but if it keeps their atten
tion over on that side of town, then that’s better for us.”

  “Do you see any problems arising with any of the other council members?” When he’d instructed George to put all this into play, he’d hoped that people would elect slightly more shady characters. But alas, a number of moral and upright men had been chosen.

  “While there are several do-gooders on the council, I’ve managed to keep them all in line with our plans for now. I think bringing on the alcalde will be good for us. They’ll think that we’re getting a handle on crime and forming some governance, and we’ll continue to be able to keep our eyes on things.”

  “Good. I’ll continue to fund whatever you need to show that we also want the best for our city. You just make sure that no one is the wiser about our other business dealings. Understood?”

  “Of course, sir.” George stood and left the room.

  Even though Banister was his right hand, he would keep many things from his employee at this time. Or perhaps forever. It was best that way.

  If all went according to plan, by this time next year, the most powerful man in the country would be the man staring back at him in the mirror.

  Olivia’s days melted into one another, and for the most part, she had to admit that she loved her new home. The city wasn’t much to speak of. Neither were the people—who were mainly male, smelly, and foul-mouthed. But in the midst of all the things she’d thought were despicable, she found herself enjoying life for the first time in a long time.

  Work in the restaurant was taxing as day in and day out she was on her feet, taking orders, delivering food, fighting off the advances and marriage proposals of more men than she could count. But something in her heart had changed in the time that she’d been here. She’d finished the other two journals a number of times, always hoping to glean more from her ancestors’ examples. The only journal left was her mother’s, and she still couldn’t bring herself to read it. At least not yet.