Heart of Gold (36 page)
Matthew wasn’t sure if he was living or dead because some of the people he saw in this dimly lit place—was it a room? was it a cave? was it heaven?— were living and some were dead. Alice was there, looking pale but happy. Todd was there, tearful and scared but trying not to show it. The reverend was there, praying for him, encouraging him. His parents were there, smiling but never speaking. The doctor was there, telling him to lie still.
And Shannon was there. Shannon was always there. Holding his hand. Wiping his brow with a cool cloth. Giving him sips of water. Whispering that she loved him.
He must be dead. He could hardly believe she would say those words if he were alive.
Shannon had stopped trying to make deals with God and, throughout the rest of the day and the long night that followed, had instead thanked the Lord time and again for sparing Matthew’s life. Now, as pink and golden ribbons of daylight began to wiggle and stretch across this room, she felt a great need for the Almighty’s forgiveness and for the power from His Holy Spirit to change.
Lord, forgive me for my willfulness. Forgive me for being so quick to judge others. Forgive my foolish, foolish temper. Forgive my pride
.
“Shannon.”
At the sound of Matthew’s voice, she straightened in the chair, her eyes flying open. “Matthew.” She took his right hand between both of hers.
“Where am I?”
“At the parsonage. In Father’s room. We wanted to take care of you, and Father thought it best that we bring you here.”
Matthew grimaced and a soft groan escaped his lips. Then, after a long pause, he said, “The driver?”
“Mr. Jefferson died.”
He nodded, as if he’d expected that would be her answer. “What about the kid?”
“Do you mean Barclay Jones?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s fine. He was wounded, too, but not terribly. It was Mr. Jones who drove the stage back to Grand Coeur.”
“And the passengers?”
She leaned closer. “We can talk about all this later. You should rest.”
“The passengers,” he said, determination in his tone.
“No one else was hurt.”
He closed his eyes for a short while, and she wondered if he’d slipped off to sleep again. But he soon opened them, this time asking, “Did the robbers get away with all the gold?”
“No.” She gave him a little smile as she pressed his hand between hers. “They didn’t get away with it. The sheriff and his posse ran them to ground. One robber was shot and killed. Three more were captured, along with the treasure. The leader and another man escaped, but not with any of the gold shipment.” She could tell him later about Joe Burkette’s involvement and how the sheriff in Idaho City had been able to give some warning of the thieves’ plans. Enough that the posse could recover the gold. Enough so that Matthew’s life was spared.
His expression softened. “I never expected it to be you who came looking for me.”
“I had to find you. I had to tell you that . . . that I love you.”
“So I wasn’t dreaming that?”
“No. No, it wasn’t a dream.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “I was such a fool. To get so angry. To not give you a chance to explain. To be so quick to judge. To let my stupid pride be wounded.”
Another twinge of pain tightened his features. When it had passed, he said, “I loved you before I knew I did. But Alice knew.” He released a sound that was part laugh, part grunt. “My sister was always smarter than me.”
“She was smarter than me too.”
“Will you marry me, Shannon? Not for Todd’s sake. For mine.”
Although her heart leapt at his words, she said, “We can talk about that when you’re better.”
“I’ll get better faster if you say yes.”
“Then yes.”
He smiled, already looking stronger. “You didn’t say that as my nurse, did you? Just to make me well?”
“No.” She returned the smile. “I said it because I love you.”
He released a breath, his eyes drifting closed. “Good.”
Words from the Bible whispered in her heart:
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened
.”
Oh, she knew those words of the Savior had far deeper meaning than giving her the desire of her heart. But she had asked for Matthew’s life, and it had been given her. Even before she’d asked, God had seen and known and designed it all so that she would find herself in this place, in this moment, loving him.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights
.”
“Thank You,” she whispered before leaning back in her chair, closing her eyes, and resting in Him.
A
UGUST 1864
Look at her, Adelyn. Have you ever seen a more beautiful bride than our Shannon?
Delaney smiled as his daughter walked down the aisle toward him.
Yes, Shannon was beautiful. But Delaney saw something much more wonderful about his daughter than mere physical perfection. He saw a young woman at peace, a young woman whose faith had been deepened and refined through testing. A young woman willing to risk love and receive love.
His prayers for his daughter had been answered, were still being answered.
He looked away from her. In the pews were their friends—friends he hadn’t known they would make when he’d prayed about coming to Idaho Territory last winter. Many were members of his congregation. Some were people without faith in Christ, Jack Dickson among them. And a few knew the Lord but were of another race—Wu Lok and Sun Jie and Sun Ling. How gratified he was that they had come. How he prayed for a world where the color of a person’s skin made them beautiful in the eyes of others. Different and yet loved the same by God.
We will make a difference here, Adelyn. Shannon and her husband even more than I because they still have their whole lives before them. We will put down roots and take care of our neighbors and speak peace into troubled circumstances.
We will most likely never again be wealthy in the things of this earth, but we will be rich in all ways that matter. We will be rich in those things that matter to God’s kingdom
.
Delaney watched as Matthew Dubois reached out and took hold of Shannon’s hand.
He was a fine man, his almost son-in-law. Matthew loved the Lord. He loved Shannon. He loved his nephew. Wherever life took this couple from today forward, they would lean into God for strength and guidance. They would trust the Lord to work all things for good in their lives. Knowing that made it much easier for Delaney to release his daughter into Matthew’s care.
Life is ever changing, Adelyn. You understood that far better than I. It’s exciting. Looking into the future, wondering what God shall accomplish
.
Delaney smiled at the couple before him. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God and in the face of this company . . .”
Nevertheless, Lord, may Thy will be done
.
D
EAR
F
RIENDS:
If there is anything I’ve learned through the years, it’s that life has a way of interrupting my carefully laid plans. When I came up with the idea for the novel that would eventually become
Heart of Gold
, I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to get it written. Not because the story would be hard to write (well, no more so than any of my previous books), but because I was in for a series of trials—shattering three bones in my ankle, an injury that would remain non-weight-bearing for several months; the death of my beloved mother at the age of ninety-six; and finally a cancer diagnosis followed by surgery and treatment. All of which laid waste to my writing schedule. To say that I learned over the course of those months to lean into God and to trust Him in a whole new way is a gross understatement.
I have long been a person who knows how to worry like a dog over a bone. I can chew and stew and fret and fuss with the best of them. But something happened to me in the aforementioned life storms—I was at peace.
Oh, it wasn’t fun to go through the broken ankle, and I certainly had moments when I wondered how I was going to pay the mounting medical bills. But even when my brain asked, “How will I manage?” my heart answered, “Trust God.” I wasn’t afraid. I pressed in and pressed on (which, not surprisingly, were the words God had given to me at the start of 2010). I pressed into Jesus and pressed on in faith.
Of course I deeply grieved the passing of my mom. She was always there for me, every moment, every step, every day of my life. She was the best example of what it means to be a woman of faith. She was also my greatest fan and cheerleader. Even in those last months of her life when she was so frail and her mind was no longer sharp, she always introduced me to others like this: “This is my daughter Robin. She’s an author. She writes wonderful books.” Yes, I will always miss my mom. And yet I had peace with her passing, for I knew without a doubt that she was and is with her Savior, free of pain and the restrictions of a physical body grown old and tired.
But the complete and utter peace that blanketed me from that first moment I heard the doctor say, “It’s cancer”—and the peace that stayed with me every moment after that—was unmistakably an act of a merciful God. So much so that there was no room left for worry and doubt to push their way in. The Comforter had come, and I could be at rest.
Well, finally and at last—and with the help and guidance of my wonderful and very patient editors—
Heart of Gold
did get written. I don’t know if it is different than the book it might have been had I not passed through those life storms in 2010 and 2011. However, I imagine it must be somewhat different since
I
am somewhat different. I hope it’s a story that you’ve enjoyed reading.
I have a couple of historical notes to share with you:
First, I took creative license in regard to the telegraph being present in the Boise Basin in 1864. Although telegraphy may have existed between towns in the territory (the Civil War was the first war where the commanders in chief received quick updates on battles, thanks to the telegraph), I was unable to rule it in or out. However, research tells me the first telegraph wires from outside the territory didn’t arrive into Idaho until 1866.
Second, I also took creative license with Confederate Captain Rufus Henry Ingram, the Red Fox. There is no historical data that I found saying he was ever in Idaho Territory. The “gentlemanly robber” did escape capture in California in the late spring of 1864 and he did reportedly make it back to Missouri. I saw no reason for him not to continue his efforts to steal treasure that was being shipped out of the gold camps in Idaho before going back to the South.
In closing, I would like to tell you how much the e-mails and Facebook messages and comments on my blog meant to me during the above-mentioned life storms. I will forever be grateful for the prayers of so many readers, especially those who make up my prayer team. You have shared wisdom and comfort and laughter with me over and over and over again. You’re still sharing all of that with me today, and I am filled with thanksgiving to God for each one of you. How very amazing that the Lord has given me an abundance of friends, most of whom I shall not meet this side of heaven.
At the end of my cancer treatments, I told some family and friends that I was looking forward to life returning to normal and that I wouldn’t even mind a period of boring. My brother told me I shouldn’t ask for boring because that would mean I wasn’t living. He’s right. Better to embrace it all as an adventure, especially since I know that God has plans for my life, plans for my future, plans that give me hope. He has wonderful and unique plans for you as well.
So now it’s time to get back to work on my next book. I must see what sort of mischief I can stir up for a particular hero and heroine. Because, after all, they need to embrace the adventure right along with you and me.
In the grip of His grace,
Robin
www.robinleehatcher.com
1. In the beginning of the story, Shannon finds herself in a place she despises. Have you ever been somewhere that you’d rather not be? How did you handle your emotions? Did you ask God to help change your attitude?
