Brides of Iowa (33 page)

The tension in Pearl’s neck and shoulders had crept up into the back of her head, and all she wished to do was disengage herself from Silas’s company. After enduring the walk back to the boardinghouse, listening to his prattle about his successful business ventures, she finally excused herself and closed her bedroom door. She slipped into her nightgown and folded the bedcovers back. Lowering herself slowly to her knees, she leaned forward on the bed and clasped her hands. “Dear Lord, it’s been quite a day. I don’t have to tell You about this pain in my heart that won’t leave me alone. But I don’t know how to make it stop other than asking You to take it away.

“Lord, folks are talking, as folks are prone to do, but I’m not used to being the topic of conversation. It doesn’t seem like there’s anything I can do about that either, so I’ll leave the gossipers to You.

“I’m not sure what to make of Silas being here. He says he has business here, and I’m asking You to help him finish whatever his business is so he can leave.” Pearl sighed and shook her head. “I don’t mean to tell you what to do, Lord. I’m sure You have a plan for Silas being here. You are a God of second chances and maybe that’s what You’re asking me to do where Silas is concerned. But I have no feelings for Silas. Never did. How can I do that when Hubert occupies my heart?” She felt an immediate check in her spirit. Was the Lord cautioning her about Silas’s intentions or allowing Hubert to remain steadfastly in her heart?

She ended her prayer and slipped into bed, but despite her weariness, sleep remained elusive. Questions still tarried on her mind and images of Hubert lingered in her very soul.

“I wish you hadn’t left the picnic, Father. People were asking me where you were.” The look Everett sent across the room at Hubert was bereft of any real annoyance but rather edged with concern.

Hubert gazed at the ebbing flames in the fireplace and took another sip of his favorite tea. He cared little what people thought, unless the one asking was Pearl. Despite the spread of delectable treats brought by the ladies of the congregation, every bite he’d eaten was tasteless.

“I’m afraid I wasn’t very good company today, and I didn’t wish to spoil the fellowship.” He angled a look at Everett. “Besides, I noticed you were keeping company with Miss Tillie, and I presumed you’d rather be alone.”

A slight blush crept into Everett’s cheeks. “She’s a delightful young woman, easy to talk to, and not flighty and giggly like some I’ve known. All in all, the afternoon was quite enjoyable.”

Hubert nodded. “I agree she’s a lovely girl.” He wondered if Everett knew her father was a farmer and Tillie herself worked in the hotel dining room. “She comes from a fine Christian family.”

Everett pulled his eyebrows into a thoughtful frown and set his teacup down. “I’ve noticed you often refer to a person being a Christian like it’s something special and unique. You sound very much like the minister back in Baltimore who came to visit Grandfather.”

A surge of hope filled Hubert’s chest. “You must understand, son, being a Christian isn’t something you inherit. You told me that you are waiting to hear from your grandfather’s attorney regarding your inheritance. You also mentioned that this minister said your grandfather
knew
Jesus.” He paused a moment to let Everett respond, but his son remained silent and simply nodded as though mulling over his father’s words. So Hubert continued.

“You might inherit money or property from your grandfather’s estate, but you cannot inherit the relationship he had with Jesus Christ. When you acknowledge the sinfulness of your heart—and all of us have sinned—and desire to accept the payment of Christ’s death as atonement for that sin, you inherit eternal life. But you don’t inherit it from your grandfather, you inherit it from God. You become His child. It’s a decision you must make on your own.”

Hubert’s heart thumped in hopeful anticipation. He’d prayed for the opportunity to share his faith with Everett. Gratefulness flooded his soul, especially when Everett didn’t respond with indignation as Hubert feared he might.

Everett sat quietly for several minutes staring at the dying fire. Finally he rose. “I think I understand what you’re saying, Father. Reverend Werner explained it much the same way. You’ve given me quite a lot to think about.” He started toward his bedroom but stopped and turned back to Hubert. “You say Tillie and her family believe this way also?”

Hubert clasped his fingers together. “Not being able to examine their hearts the way God can, I can’t say for certain. But when a person becomes a child of God, it’s usually evidenced in their life. That being the case, I think I can be relatively sure that Tillie and her family are Christians because of the testimony they live. When Jesus is in residence, a change occurs in the person’s life that’s hard to hide.”

Everett nodded. “Hmm. Well, good night, Father.”

“Good night.”

After Everett’s door closed, Hubert sat watching the glowing embers in the fireplace fade. He whispered a prayer of thanksgiving for Everett’s willingness to listen, and once again asked God to send the power of the Holy Spirit to deal with Everett’s heart. Only one thing squeezed him with regret. He wished he could share this answer to prayer with Pearl.

P
earl glanced through her mail as she exited the post office. Even the envelope with her favorite niece’s return address on it failed to stir her excitement. She glanced down the street where the mercantile doors stood open. Oh how she longed to march straight inside and tell Hubert she’d marry him no matter what Everett thought, but she’d already made her choice. There was no going back.

She crossed the street and headed toward the Feed and Seed. In order to keep the residents of the boardinghouse in fresh vegetables all season, as well as have enough to can for the winter, she needed to plant more peas, carrots, cabbage, and parsnips in her garden. The tedious work hoeing the ground in preparation for the late summer and early autumn vegetables would be a welcome diversion. Anything that kept her hands busy and her mind occupied helped to head off the melancholy moods that haunted her.

“Mrs. Dunnigan.”

Pearl looked up to see Everett coming toward her. She hesitated. Given their last conversation, the young man must have already fired every poison dart in his arsenal at her. She certainly hoped he wasn’t planning on further accusing her of any more ulterior motives. She set her lips in a tight line and waited for him to approach.

“Mrs. Dunnigan, forgive me for interrupting your day.” He glanced around. Was he afraid someone might see him speaking to her? “I wonder if you would agree to accompany me somewhere we might talk privately.”

She bit her lip to keep from blurting out what she truly wanted to say. Instead, she raised her eyes to meet his in an unblinking stare. There was little Hubert’s son could say or do at this point to inflict any more pain than he’d already done.

“I can’t imagine there being anything else you need to say to me, Everett. I fulfilled your wishes, only because I care so much for your father.” Was it her imagination or did she see a grimace flit across Everett’s features? “I will not stand in the way of you and your father growing closer. I believe I’ve proven that. Now if you’ll excuse me…”

She started to step around him, but his hand on her arm stopped her in her tracks.

“Please, Mrs. Dunnigan.”

The arrogance that had laced his tone three weeks ago was absent. Curious, but wary, she nodded. “All right.” Common sense told her to employ caution. Like one who learned by touching a hot stove, she wouldn’t be burned again. “Can’t you say whatever is on your mind right here?” There weren’t many people coming and going on the boardwalk in front of the Feed and Seed, but the noise of horses and wagons driving by necessitated the raising of voices.

“I stopped by the boardinghouse, but you were out.” Everett glanced up at the sky and shaded his eyes. “Why don’t we go someplace where we can get out of the sun? The hotel dining room, perhaps.”

Pearl wasn’t sure why she agreed, but she gave him a single nod and walked along beside him. Had he, by chance, had a change of heart? If he started accusing her again of improprieties, she would simply walk away and not dignify his outrageous claims with a reply.

He held the hotel door open and escorted her to the dining room. Too late for breakfast and too early for lunch, the dining room was nearly deserted. Everett led her to a table close to the entry but tucked into a nook. Three months earlier she and Hubert had sat at this very table the first evening he had taken her to dinner. Pearl swallowed back the tightness in her throat.

He held her chair before seating himself. She waited for him to speak.

“Mrs. Dunnigan, this is rather awkward, but I feel I must ask something of you.”

Pearl had no intention of indicating her agreement with his request until he’d spoken his mind. “You may ask, and I may refuse, depending on what it is. But I will hear you out.”

A fleeting glimpse of relief softened his eyes for a moment. He folded his hands in front of him and studied them before raising his gaze to her again. “First of all, thank you for agreeing to listen. You are under no constraint to heed anything I say.”

They agreed on that much.

He cleared his throat. “I am quite concerned about my father.”

Pearl’s defensive posture fell away and instantly her senses were piqued. Her first instinct was to immediately see to Hubert’s welfare, but she’d seen him earlier that very morning sweeping the boardwalk in front of the store, so she knew he wasn’t ill. Or was he?

“What’s wrong? Hubert isn’t sick, is he?” She tried but couldn’t modulate her voice, and concern for Hubert’s health and well-being wove its way into her inquiry.

“No, at least not physically sick.” Slight lines appeared between Everett’s brows. “That is, not yet. These past few weeks, my father seems to have fallen into a state of depression. He doesn’t eat except a bite or two. He sleeps poorly. I hear him up at night, pacing. He has dark circles under his eyes and his complexion is pale. He seems quite listless. Often his thoughts are distracted, and he is unable to carry on a conversation without asking me to repeat something I just said.”

Pearl lowered her gaze to her hands. Everett had just described her own habits for the past weeks. Her heart longed to go to Hubert, but she could not. Everett’s candid remarks revealed a transparent side of the young man she’d not seen before. If Everett was thinking of someone besides himself, perhaps he wasn’t the self-serving individual she thought him to be. Quite frankly, she didn’t understand why he was telling her these things. How did he think she could help if he’d demanded she break the engagement?

“There is talk…” Everett shifted his gaze aside. “Your new boarder, a Mr. Cain, if I am not mistaken, was once a suitor of yours.”

Heat ignited in Pearl’s middle and rose to her face. Was everyone in town gossiping about her? She clamped her teeth tightly and waited for Everett to continue.

“Mrs. Dunnigan, I don’t mean to be impertinent, but I wondered if you and Mr. Cain have renewed your courtship.”

Impertinent
didn’t begin to describe her opinion of his question, but she held her temper. No good would come of a display of anger, but she became aware that if pushed far enough, her self-control might give way. She took a deep breath.

“Mr. Cain expressed his wish to court me seven years ago, which I refused. He is a paying customer at the boardinghouse, nothing more.” She narrowed her eyes at Everett. “Not that it is any of your business. I can’t help wondering why you are asking such a personal question, and what does it have to do with Hubert not eating or sleeping well?”

A flush crept up his neck. At least he had the grace to appear uncomfortable. “Mrs. Dunnigan, despite what you may think, I care very much about my father. I am distressed to see him making himself sick. I thought perhaps, if you and Mr. Cain announced your intentions, my father could free himself of any lingering thoughts of his courtship with you being revived, thus allowing him to move past his melancholy moods.”

Outrage rushed into her chest and threatened to explode. How dare he make such a suggestion! Before she could express her offense, the waitress came to take their order.

“Hello, Miss Pearl.”

Pearl glanced up to see Tillie O’Dell’s pretty face. The girl sent Everett a shy smile and lowered her dark lashes in a demure fashion.

“Hello, Everett. It’s nice to see you again.”

Everett cast a puzzled glance toward Tillie. Pearl watched the scope of his gaze take in her apron and the tray in her hands.

“What may I bring you?” Tillie pulled a pad and pencil from her apron pocket.

The expression on Everett’s face changed from confusion to disbelief, and then to disdain. If Pearl’s vexation over his shocking and insulting suggestion wasn’t so great, she might have found his disconcertment comical.

He looked away from Tillie and cleared his throat. “Tea, please. Cream and sugar. Mrs. Dunnigan?” His abruptness took Pearl aback. This certainly wasn’t the attitude he’d displayed last Sunday at the church picnic. Quite the contrary, he and Tillie had seemed to enjoy each other’s company. So why was he now acting like he didn’t know her?