The Pursuit (21 page)

“And I was thinking that if we didn’t, and God asked of me, ‘Am I not worth more to you than ten sons or daughters?’ I would want to say ‘yes, Lord, You are.’ Does that make sense?”

Lizzy nodded.

“I don’t wish to make light of Hannah’s plight—she was in terrible pain—and I know that question was asked of Hannah by her husband, and not of me by God, but it’s still a good way for me to measure my attitude.”

Morland fell silent then and let Lizzy take it in.

“Thank you, Morland,” Lizzy said, her heart a mix of relief and pain. She was thankful that he’d understood without a lot of words but almost wished she could cry her eyes out in self-pity.

“Come here,” Morland said softly, holding his hand out and waiting for Lizzy to sit in his lap. She snuggled close against his chest and felt him press a kiss to her brow.

“I love you, Morland.”

“And I love you, Lizzy—more than I can say.”

Lizzy tipped her head back to look into his eyes. Before he kissed her, she saw every bit of love written there.

Blackburn Manor

“I’ve been meaning to ask you a question since Sunday,” Mary Walker said to Niki on Tuesday morning while the boys played in the yard.

“What is it?”

“Have you and Edward Steele met before?”

Niki smiled and said, “As a matter of fact, we have.”

“My goodness, Niki, what a small world. Where was this?”

“On my last illusory trip.”

Mary’s mouth opened in surprise.

“How did he know you on Sunday?”

“He knew I wasn’t a man. He saw through it.” She glanced at the boys. “He’s the first person to figure it out.”

“Did he say how?”

Niki actually laughed at the memory.

“He said he had three sisters.”

Mary laughed with her.

“
Does
he have three sisters?” Niki asked.

“Yes, and I suppose that would make some men more astute. I can believe it of Edward.”

“What’s he like?”

“He’s a dear. Walker has Bible study with his older brother, Henry—another fine man.”

“I could tell that Edward had something special, Aunt Mary. I just didn’t know how to ask him about it. He gave me a list of verses from the Bible.”

“Do you want to ask me any questions?”

“May I?” Niki looked pleased, turning a little to get a better view.

“Certainly. Should I get my Bible?”

“I don’t know.” The younger woman looked uncertain all of a sudden.

“Why don’t you ask me, and if I don’t know I can get my Bible or we can check with Walker.”

“I guess my question was over the fact that Edward studied his Bible so much. I’ve hardly studied the Bible at all. I want to, but I don’t. Why is that?”

“When you wrote to me several years ago and told me that you’d trusted Christ for salvation, Niki, what church were you and Louis attending?”

“We weren’t.”

“Then who told you about Christ?”

“A neighbor. I was miserably pregnant with the boys, and she came to visit me each week. We started talking, and she told me that I could have peace with God. She read the verses to me, and I prayed, but I don’t know if it was enough. I still don’t know.”

“Niki, have you ever heard of the phrase ‘proving works’?”

“No, never.”

“Good works do not save us. There is no number of good deeds we can do to earn heaven, but after we believe in Christ, we are changed. Good works, or proving works, are what tell others that Christ now lives in us and that we’re different.

“It doesn’t sound as though anyone has ever told you. The mighty act of Christ’s death on the cross and our belief in His act is not where it ends. It conludes with a life of devotion to Christ, a life of putting our old selves aside and becoming what Jesus Christ wants us to be. Am I making sense?”

“I think so. Would I have learned this had I gone to church?”

“I certainly hope so. You’ll learn it at our church.”

“I enjoyed Sunday,” Niki suddenly confessed. “I didn’t know there were verses that commanded children to obey their parents. There’s so much I don’t know.”

“Do you have a Bible, Niki?”

“No. I’ve traveled too much. I don’t afford myself the luxury of taking books along.”

“Having your own copy of Scripture is a luxury, but it’s also important. We need to get one for you soon. You need to understand the God you put your faith in, so you know what He expects of you. The way to know Him is to study His Word.”

Niki was suddenly back in the coach, traveling from Lisbon to Coimbra and watching Edward read his Bible. He seemed to be a man with such peace and confidence. Niki was certain the cause could be traced back to his reading of the Bible.

Ludlow

The meal for Morland’s birthday was a smashing success. The family gathered in great humor to celebrate, and the conversation turned to younger days at the Steele home.

“I don’t remember that, Edward,” Cassandra told him in no uncertain terms. “I think it was you and Lizzy who sneaked into mother’s room and tried on jewelry.”

“I would never do such a thing,” Lizzy protested, but she received no sympathy. Indeed the table erupted with laughter and disbelief.

Nevertheless, that particular episode was debated for some time. Not until there was a slight lull did Tate get a word in.

“Come now, Henry,” he urged. “You’ve not dragged any of your secrets out. I want to hear them.”

Henry smiled and said, “I was angelic, didn’t you know?”

If the laughter had been loud over Lizzy’s declaration, it nearly shook the room over this. Without missing a beat, Henry’s siblings took delight in reminding him of some of his escapades. For a such a serious child, he had been a bit wild as a young teen.

“If I recall,” Lizzy put in, “Henry got in the most trouble for being on horseback when he was supposed to be home.”

“I think you’re confusing me with our dear sister, Charlotte,” Henry said.

“Not fair, Henry,” Morland admonished. “She’s not here to defend herself.”

“Well, then, let’s trot out her deeds,” Edward suggested. “We can blame it all on her and make ourselves feel much better.”

“What I wish to know,” Cassandra interjected, changing the subject completely, “is if Charlotte and Barrington sent you a gift, Morland?”

“Yes,” the guest of honor answered.

“What is it?”

“I didn’t open it.”

Cassandra looked surprised.

“But you must!” she proclaimed, and heard her husband start to laugh. “You never mind, Tate! Now listen to me, Morland—a present that arrives by post must be opened on the spot.”

“But it came two days before my birthday,” Morland explained.

Cassandra patiently wagged her head in his direction, the pity she felt for him clearly showing on her face.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Have you not heard these rules about birthday gifts, Morland?” Tate interjected. “She has quite a number of them.”

“They never worked on Mother,” Henry reminded his youngest sister. “She always made you wait.”

“And I have forgiven her,” Cassandra said piously, putting the room into laughter once again.

Cassandra looked across at Tate, who was smiling hugely at her, her look of innocence changing to laughter with the rest of the family.

Lizzy suddenly pushed her chair back, gaining everyone’s attention.

“All this talk of gifts has made me excited. Shall we, Morland?”

He smiled by way of reply as all came to their feet with plans to exit to Ludlow’s largest salon in order to watch Morland open his birthday presents.

Newcomb Park

Henry and Edward were still at the breakfast table on Wednesday morning when Henry received a note. He read it to Edward.

“This is from Walker,” Henry said. “‘Some business has come up, Henry. Will it work for you to come on Thursday? Let me know. Walker.’”

This read, Henry looked across the table to Edward.

“What will you do?” Edward asked, squelching the disappointment he felt. Niki and the boys had come to mind several times since he’d seen her on Sunday.

“Go tomorrow. Does that work for you?”

“I think so. Should you let them know I’m coming with you?”

“I don’t think so. Although there are no guarantees that Mrs Walker or Mrs Bettencourt will be there.”

Edward shrugged a little.

“If that’s the case, you can join Walker and me.”

“Thank you, Henry.”

With that the subject was dropped, at least verbally. Edward found that the trip to Blackburn Manor lingered in his mind the rest of the day.

Pembroke

Cassandra woke slowly, trying to figure out where she might be. She blinked a few times before realizing she’d fallen asleep while reading in her room.

This was so unlike her that she sat up in surprise, looking down to where her book had fallen to the floor. She picked it up and stood stretching a little, trying to fully wake up.

Where her next thought came from, Cassandra would never know, but an odd feeling hit her so strongly that it could not be ignored. Setting the book aside, Cassandra exited her room and went to her desk in the small study she’d claimed for her own.

She studied the days of her calendar and began to smile. Unless the dates before her had her completely confused, she was going to have a baby. For a moment Cassandra sat and smiled, letting the delight of it sink in.

Her next thought was of her spouse. Tate had gone for a ride, not planning to be long. Cassandra glanced at the clock, wishing she’d known what time she fell asleep. She paced around inside for a time, hoping to hear Tate return, finally gave up, and walked outside. She’d been milling around for 20 minutes, trying not to look anxious, when she saw Tate heading her way.

“Well, this is a nice welcome,” he said gently, coming off the horse to hand the reins to a waiting servant.

Cassandra smiled up at him and asked if he would walk with her for a time.

“You don’t mind that I smell a little like that horse?”

Cassandra’s answer to that was to take Tate’s hand. She was so excited that she couldn’t look at him as they walked, but he glanced down at her often.

“I think you have something to tell me,” he guessed once they’d rounded the house and were at the rear. The foliage on that side of Pembroke was nothing short of spectacular, but Cassandra barely noticed.