The Rescue (19 page)

The Manse

“Are you nervous?” Judith asked quietly.

“Dreadfully,” Anne admitted, feeling a bit ill.

“He’ll be here soon.”

“Was I early or is he late?”

“You were early,” Judith told her and then smiled. “Nerves must have made you cover the distance in half the time.”

Even Anne smiled a little over this and then noticed her friend’s own worried brow.

“Where are the children today?” she asked to distract them both.

“Shopping in town. They’ve been asking to do just that for several weeks, and today seemed to be the right time.”

Anne nodded, noticing Judith still looked tense.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done, Judith.”

The older woman looked at her in surprise.

“What have we done, Anne?”

“Tried to see me happy and cared for.”

It was too much for the pastor’s wife. Tears rushed to her eyes, and she moved swiftly to Anne’s side. She took Anne’s cool hands in her own and gripped them firmly.

“At times I think I would do anything to see you fall in love and be loved in return, Anne, and someday you might be, but my deepest heart’s desire is that you be cared for. I hope you understand how much I’ve prayed for that. We can only do so much. It never seems enough. So when Mr Weston came along, I naturally began to dream about the security he could give you. I’ve wanted it for you so desperately, but not at the expense of your happiness, Anne. If you have any doubts, you must say no. Tell me you understand, for I know I’ve been rattling on.”

Anne put her arms about the older woman.

“Thank you, Judith. I understand completely. It will be all right,” she reassured her. “Either way, everything will be fine.”

Judith looked into Anne’s eyes, seeing wisdom born of experience, but also a weariness. On top of that, the hands she’d been gripping were work-roughened. If Judith let her mind roam, she would be in tears all over again.

A knock at the door brought both women’s heads around. It was Pastor Hurst.

“He’s here. Are you ready, Anne?”

“Yes.”

The pastor smiled at her and waited for his wife to hug her one more time. The couple exited together, and a moment later the door opened and Mr Weston walked in.

Chapter Ten

“How are you, Miss Gardiner?” were the first words from Weston’s mouth, his eyes not missing the tense way she stood before the long davenport.

“I’m well, Mr Weston. How are you?”

“Very well, thank you. Until I received Pastor’s note, I wasn’t certain if we would meet or not. He must have told you of my proposal.”

“He did, and I was hoping we could speak of it.”

“As do I. Are there any questions I can answer for you?”

“Yes.” Anne heard the breathlessness in her voice and tried to calm the frantic beating of her heart. “Would you mind telling me, Mr Weston, how you came to Christ?”

“Not at all. I was a lad,” Weston began before he realized they were both still standing. “Maybe we should sit down.”

“Oh! Of course. I’m sorry.”

Weston smiled as she took a seat on the davenport, and he then took the chair opposite. He began his story in a quiet voice, and Anne found herself captivated.

“It wasn’t complicated or dramatic, unless you take into account the very work Christ did on the cross. Then that changes everything. That was dramatic and full of conflict, but because I was only five, I wasn’t able to understand the full measure of what God did for me. However, when my father spoke to me about how my sin would stay with me forever if I didn’t let God remove it, I became fearful.

“We had gone riding on a well-used path in town. Failing to concentrate once too often, I lost my seat. Unfortunately, I landed in horse droppings. I couldn’t believe how badly the smell lingered on my skin and clothing, and my father used that as an example of sin before we have forgiveness. I was so taken by it that I knew I must do something. I repented that day and asked Christ to be Lord of my life. I didn’t begin to study and take the Word seriously for several more years, but I believe with all my heart that that was the moment my name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

“Thank you for telling me,” Anne said sincerely.

“Will you return the favor, Miss Gardiner? I would love to hear your story of salvation.”

Anne was certainly glad to oblige. Her own account began with her mother.

“My mother often read the Bible in the evenings to my father and me. My father rarely commented about what was read, so whenever I had questions, I would go to my mother. I can’t remember a time that she didn’t open her Bible and have an answer for me. I was so impressed with her knowledge of Scripture that I wanted to read God’s Word for myself.

“I told her of my plan, but she shocked me by saying that Scripture was personal. I was rather stunned, but she went on to say that God’s Word is for His children and that unless I was God’s child, I shouldn’t expect to know and understand all the words. I naturally wanted to know why I wasn’t His child, and she explained that it doesn’t just happen. She said that when I was old enough to understand what sin was, then I had a choice to make.

“I told her I knew that sin was committing a wrong against God, and our conversation progressed from there. She explained to me in detail about Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. I wasn’t able to take it all in, but like you, I knew I wanted the forgiveness that came with His death.

“That’s the day that lingers in my mind. That’s the day God has used to keep me going when I lost my mother and then watched my father lose everything. I know that’s the day eternity was settled for me.”

Weston smiled as she finished, thinking about her as a child and wondering if she was always this sweet.

“Thank you for telling me. It’s always amazing to me how the Lord works in different hearts.”

Anne nodded, feeling a little embarrassed. She had more questions for this man, but right now she was too shy to ask.

“What else can I tell you?” Weston asked when Anne remained quiet.

“Oh, well, I don’t wish to be intrusive.”

“I appreciate that, but I have no qualms about sharing. If we’re going to be married, I think having things out in the open is the only way it’s going to work.”

“I’m sure you’re right. I have never considered marriage before, and I’m not quite sure how to go about it.”

“Even if you were sure, our situation is unusual. We might have to do things differently.”

“In light of that very thing, Mr Weston,” Anne volunteered as her tongue began to relax, “I guess I would like to ask you why you offered. Pastor told me what you said, but perhaps I could hear it from you.”

“Certainly. I’m very aware of how the situation between us has changed your life. I’ve been able to go about my business, but you’ve suffered greatly for my taking you to Brown Manor. The thing I need to make more than clear to you, Miss Gardiner, is that no matter how much you might have suffered, if you had not been a woman that my own pastor could recommend as a wife, I would not have offered for your hand.

“I have things that I want to share with the woman who becomes my wife—many things—but most importantly her faith in Christ and her commitment to Him. Nothing would have induced me to propose had your faith not been established. I would have still regretted my course of action, but I would not have tried to repair it, at least not in this way. The second thing I wish you to know is that I only began with those thoughts. Since then I’ve observed you under various circumstances, and I can see for myself what a warm, caring person you are. That we would start our marriage on unfamiliar ground is not lost on me, but we both would care about each other, and that seems to be more important.”

“But do you not wish to marry for love, Mr Weston?” Anne couldn’t help but ask. “Is there not a woman who has claimed your affections?”

“I was engaged more than a year ago, but that’s over.”

“Is the woman’s name Henrietta?” Anne asked on a sudden memory.

“Yes, it is. How did you know?” Weston’s face showed all the surprise he felt.

“Someone visited the last day I cleaned at Brown Manor, and you said that name.”

“I’d forgotten about that. Yes, that was Henrietta.”

“Things didn’t work out to restore the relationship that day?” Anne asked, even knowing it was obvious.

“No. Henrietta had broken our engagement over someone else. When things didn’t work out with that man and I didn’t immediately welcome her back, I saw another side of her. Not until that moment did we talk—as we should have before—about salvation. Henrietta hadn’t a clue as to what I was talking about. I assumed she was saved because we grew up in the same church and we both read the Bible and often discussed it, but I completely misread things. Even my mother was fooled. The time away had changed Henrietta, and when I tried to speak to her of spiritual things, I saw how wrong I had been.”

Anne nodded, sure she understood. He’d been disappointed in love and naturally didn’t wish to repeat that experience. By taking a wife he wasn’t emotionally involved with, there was no risk.

“May I ask you a question?” Weston ventured.

“Certainly.”

“If my suit is acceptable to you, will you wish me to speak with your father?”

Anne smiled at the question, thinking him most kind.

“In truth, Mr Weston, I think it might complicate matters.”

“It’s best that he’s completely forgotten me?” Weston guessed.

“As a matter of fact, he hasn’t,” Anne surprised him by saying. “He mentioned you by name this very week.”

Weston stared at her.

“Is that normal?”

“Not in the least. I was rather taken aback.”

“So you spoke of the wedding?”

“No, he wanted to know if my husband—he even called you Mr Weston—liked the dress I was wearing at the time. He’d no more asked when his mind drifted elsewhere, but I was still very surprised.”

“I can see how you would be, but if I may be so bold as to suggest that your father might see something that you do not.”

“What would that be?”

“That I might take better care of you, that my situation might lend itself to better care for his daughter than he is able to give.”

Anne had to process this for a moment, and when she did, only one question came to mind.

“Do you believe, Mr Weston, that it’s right for me to marry you to save my name or make my life comfortable?”

“That’s only where we start, Anne,” he said, using her name for the first time, his tone warm. “The possibilities of where we go from there are nearly limitless.”

Anne had not expected this and found she could say nothing. Clear thoughts refused to form in her head, but somewhere in a small recess of her mind she could picture herself married to this man.

Brown Manor

Weston began his letter Monday morning.

Dear Mother,

I have asked and the lady has answered. The banns will be read this Sunday, and then a quiet ceremony will take place in the manse on Monday, 12 August.

Thank you for your prayers. We will visit after we’ve taken a few weeks to settle in, probably when the August heat has cooled. I am looking forward to seeing you and introducing you to Anne.

Lovingly,
Robert   

Weston read the letter over before folding it for the post. He was quite certain that his levelheaded mother would not have sentiments about attending the ceremony. She would be more concerned with the life they were going to lead. A visit to London in late August or early September would be a nice outing for Anne, as well as provide an opportunity for his mother to meet his bride.

It was true that Weston himself was being rather levelheaded about the whole matter, something he found easy to do whenever he was not in Anne’s presence. When that lady was about, he wasn’t quite so calm.

Dismissing it as a normal reaction in light of their upcoming wedding, Weston gave it little thought. He readied the letter for Mansfield and then decided to go for a ride.