Hope (27 page)

“So I’ve heard.”

The closer they got to shore, the more anxious she became. She was doing the right thing. She had to believe that if God had brought her this far, he meant for her to be with John. She’d prayed, recommitting the problem into God’s hands. She had to accept his answer, though it most certainly wasn’t hers.

No,
her heart cried.
I love Dan!

She had to face the truth. She had made her commitment to John and she had to honor it, no matter how strongly she felt about Dan. John would be good to her; God wouldn’t throw her to the lions, would he?

The boat bumped into the shore, and Dan reached out to steady her. His touch was confident, unlike her chaotic reservations.

The boatman lent a hand as she disembarked. Dan followed with the horse. They walked several yards to the edge of the road and stood looking at the hill that led into Medford.

“Are you uneasy?”

She glanced up, willing him to stop her from going. “Yes.”

“Why? John will understand, Hope.”

“I’ll . . . I’ll explain why I’m so late, and yes, he’ll understand. I’ve decided to tell him everything that’s happened. After that, if he still wants me, then . . . I suppose we’ll begin to build our life together.”

A muscle worked tightly in Dan’s jaw. “I don’t want it to end this way. Let me go with you.”

Yes, yes,
her heart cried.
Go with me; never leave me again.
“No, there’s no need. You’ve done so much already.”

She tried to memorize everything about him. The way he wore his hat, the way his eyes softened to a rich cinnamon when he looked at her, the way his hair fell in soft waves around his shoulders.

“I’ll . . . miss you.”

“Miss you, too.” She longed to reach out, take his hand and never let it go.

The silence stretched.

Drawing a deep breath, she willed herself not to cry. “I wish I could thank you for everything, but there aren’t enough words to express my gratitude.” Pausing, she took another breath, swallowing against the tight knot that suddenly crowded her throat. “Truth is, I wish—”

“I know,” he said gruffly. “I wish it too.”

She blinked back hot tears, biting down hard on her lower lip. “I know I shouldn’t say it, but I love you more than I could ever love John Jacobs.”

There, she’d said it. The admission that haunted her day and night. She could never love any other man the way she loved Dan.

“Hope—”

“Well . . . I’d best be going. Happiness is only a few feet away.” She tried to laugh to lighten the mood, but it didn’t come out right.

He nodded. “If you ever need anything . . .”

“Thanks. You too. Anything.”

Walk away, Hope. Now, while you still can.

“Well, I’ll be going now.”

She started off, refusing to look back. Tears rolled down her cheeks, blinding her vision.

Don’t let me go, Dan. Please. Don’t let me go.

Turning around, she called over her shoulder, “I’m trying hard to grow up, Dan Sullivan! But it’s not easy!”

“You’re doing a fine job, Hope Kallahan,” he called back.

She could feel his eyes on her as she walked up the long hill leading to town.

Medford was just as John had described it. A small, friendly town. Folks smiled as Hope stepped onto the wooden porch and tried to glimpse through the plate-glass window the man she was about to marry. A tall, rather ordinary-looking man with a handlebar mustache stood behind the counter, handing a wrapped package to a customer.

John Jacobs, future husband and father of her children.

She waited until the customer left before going inside. A bell over the door sounded as she entered the mercantile. The store was roomy, well stocked, and smelled of coffee and spices.

John’s back was to her. Smiling, he turned from replacing a jar of candies on the shelf.

“Afternoo—” His greeting died, his jaw dropping when he recognized her. “Oh . . . oh, my goodness.”

Summoning a timid smile, Hope said softly, “Hello, Mr. Jacobs.”

“Hope Kallahan?”

“John.” She drew a long, suffering breath. “I know I’m late, but I can explain.”

“Late?” His eyes darted to the back of the store. “Yes—yes, you are . . . quite late. Uh, I’d given up—”

“I know you must have thought I wasn’t coming,” she apologized, approaching the counter.

Dear God, let me be able to do this. I trust your will for my life, but this is so very hard.

John backed off as if an apparition was about to confront him.

“I understand your consternation,” she said, worried that he might faint. The color had drained from his angular features. “I was so afraid you’d think horrible things of me, but I can explain. You see, I was kidnapped off the coach—”

“Believe me, I . . . I had no way of knowing . . . What with the river up, and I couldn’t wire . . .”

“Oh, I know. I wouldn’t blame you for thinking that I’d decided not to come, but things got very complicated.” She smoothed her skirts, trying not to cry.
Lord, I don’t want to do this; I want to be with Dan.
“It was impossible to send a wire—though I thought about it, thought about it a lot, actually. But I couldn’t; I was kidnapped three times.”

John was apparently having a hard time grasping the explanation. “Three times?”

She nodded. “I know it sounds absurd. You see, I’m not Thomas Ferry’s daughter.” She edged closer to the counter as he continued to back away. “Luckily, there was this handsome undercover agent who knew I wasn’t the senator’s daughter, and so in order to rescue me from this horrible gang, he had to kidnap me. Then I got terribly sick, he got shot; then we had to carry his favorite saddle until he just couldn’t tote it another mile. Do you know, we swapped that perfectly good saddle—Dan’s prized possession—for a goat. Well. That goat ate everything in sight.” Rolling her eyes, she continued.

“We walked for days, well, actually it seemed more like weeks, off and on. Oh—did I say we stopped to have breakfast with an old couple, and they were fighting with kin over this stolen pig, and we nearly got shot ourselves—well, Dan did get shot when we tried to escape—but I think I’ve already said that, haven’t I?”

John nodded mutely.

“Well, I had to nurse Dan back to health because he came down with a fever. Just when he got to feeling better and we were on our way to Medford again, we stopped to help an old woman who’d hurt her leg with an ax. She was chopping wood when she shouldn’t have been. We intended to leave right away, but we couldn’t—Letty was down in bed and couldn’t see after the farm, so don’t you see, we had to stay on for a few days. By the time we got to Muddy Flats, we were wearing clothes way too big for us—why, we both looked like roosters wearing socks—we were riding that awful old mule, Cinder. Well, the moment we thought we were safe again, who should show up but that horrible Joe Davidson! Lo and behold, he kidnapped me again. Can you believe it?” She circled her ear with a finger, frowning. “Nutty as a squirrel, that one.

“Fortunately, Grunt—who’s really Dan, the government agent—rescued me again, bless his heart. And this time he arrested the gang and put them behind bars where they belong. Big Joe, Boris, and Frog are this moment in Muddy Flats awaiting Dan’s return. He’ll have to transport them back to Washington because they’re his prisoners—federal prisoners, you understand. The only good thing about all of this is that Frog made a commitment to Christ, which makes the whole ridiculous episode worthwhile, I guess. And so here I am. Finally.” She pasted on a brave grin. “Ready to get married.”

John opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

“I know,” she soothed. “It sounds like a dime novel, doesn’t it? But I swear—no, I don’t swear anymore because the past few weeks have taught me a valuable lesson. I depended on Papa’s faith, not mine. I’ll not be doing that again, thank you very much. I was too lax with my beliefs—actually I didn’t know what I believed until now—but I know I believe in the Lord and his teachings. Did you know I can recite two chapters of Genesis by heart—almost?”

John shook his head lamely.

“Well, I can, and all because of Dan—and the Lord, of course. You know—Grunt?” She smiled lamely. “He’s just wonderful . . . but I think I might have said that.”

Hope glanced up as a beautiful dark-haired young woman emerged from the back room wiping her hands on her apron. “John, you’ll need to put flour on the next order—” She paused, smiling. “Good afternoon.”

Hope nodded. “Hello.”

The young woman joined John behind the counter. “I don’t believe we’ve met. Of course, I’ve not met everyone who comes to Medford to shop.” Smiling, she extended her hand. “I’m Ginger Jacobs. Veda Fletcher’s niece.”

Hope’s smile gradually faded. “Jacobs?”

“Yes, John’s wife.” She glanced up at her husband adoringly. “We married a week ago.”

“A week ago?”

John’s face turned cherry red. He was having trouble meeting Hope’s apprehensive gaze.

“Ginger, uh—,” John began.

Hope let the words sink in slowly, gloriously.

John was married. John was married? John was married!

Praise God! John was married!

Hope stuck her hand out. “Hope Kallahan. I’m so glad to meet you, Mrs. Jacobs.”

Ginger’s eyes widened. “Oh, dear—you’re Hope?”

“I’m so sorry,” John said. “I thought—” He cleared his throat. “Well, after weeks passed, and you hadn’t arrived, I assumed—”

“Just what anyone would assume! That I’d changed my mind and wasn’t coming. I’m not angry!”

The realization that she was free—free to marry anyone she chose—left her giddy. And the man she wanted to marry most in the world was about to get away.

“It’s a long story. I’ll write you both a letter and explain it all, soon, but right now I really have something I must do—congratulations! I hope you’ll both be very happy.”

She whirled, leaving the young couple staring after her as she ran out the door and back down the hill.

Running as if her life depended on it, Hope prayed.
Please, God, don’t let Dan be gone. I know I don’t deserve your mercy the way I’ve been acting and thinking, but please, don’t take Dan away from me.

Suddenly events of the past few weeks became clear to her: She’d been accusing God of deserting her, blaming him for all her troubles, doubting that he loved her, when in fact he was only trying to help her!

When she got sick and Dan nursed her back to health in the cave, God had removed them from Big Joe’s path long enough to convince the outlaw they’d gotten away. When Dan got shot, God tucked them safely in another cave where the Bennetts couldn’t find them. If it weren’t for that old goat they swapped for Dan’s beautiful saddle, they couldn’t have traded with Letty for the mule—

She came to a skidding halt in the road, thunderstruck by the enormity of the revelation.

If she hadn’t been kidnapped, then she would have reached Medford and married John. John would have missed the love of his life, and she, most certainly, would have missed hers.

But best of all, if she hadn’t met Frog, she couldn’t have told him that God loves him—truly loves him.

Dear God! Can you ever forgive me for being such a dunderhead?

By the time she reached the boat landing, she had a stitch in her side and her hair had come loose from the pins.

Dan was standing beside his horse as she ran toward him.

“Dan!” she shouted.

Dropping the reins, he ran toward her. His boots covered the uneven ground in long, impatient strides. “Hope?”

She raced toward him, her breath coming in painful gasps. It took an eternity to reach him.

Catching her in midstride, he held her tightly, the shelter of his arms firm and strong. “What’s wrong? What’s happened?”

Hugging his neck, she laughed with pure joy. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing! For the first time in weeks, everything is fine!”

He let her slide to the ground, still holding on to her. “Where’s John?”

“With his wife.”

“With his—what?”

“John is married.”

His eyes anxiously searched hers. “Married? But—”

“I know. It’s crazy, but so is everything else that’s happened lately! Her name is Ginger, and she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. She and John got married last week, and I just know that God’s going to shine on their union.” She hugged him so tightly he stepped backward, swaying with the force. “Oh, Dan, they look as if they absolutely adore each other.”

Dan stiffened. “Wait a minute. Jacobs is married? How could he do that? He’s engaged to you.”

She laughed. This protective side of him thrilled her. “It’s all right. I’ll be forever grateful that he did! He thought I wasn’t coming—and why wouldn’t he?”

“You’re not upset?”

“No. Relieved. Ever so much relieved.”

Dan took a deep breath, then pulled her back into his arms and held her as if he’d never let her go. “That’s good, because I was coming after you.”

“You were?” Her heart sang. The Lord was just pouring out blessings! Dan Sullivan was coming after her!

His arms tightened possessively around her waist. “You bet I was. I’m not about to let another man have you, even if you had given your word. I tried—I prayed about it, and God and I came to an understanding. We agreed I had too much time invested in you to let you go. We belong to each other. Until we’re old and gray and have fifteen grandchildren.”