“First, I will want to discuss it with you because you and I will probably live in this house together for a while before we purchase the next one. After that, I make an offer. Normally, you offer less than they wish to sell it for, factoring in what it will take to repair the house. The folks selling the house tend to ask more than what the true value is. However, in this case, I will want to inspect it more closely before I put in a bid. I want to check for termite damage. I did not see any, but that could be the reason the price is so low. I probably won’t dicker much on this price. I will check the survey records and the reasons the house is up for sale. How many people have owned the house? How long since someone has lived in it? Were they tenants or owners? Those kinds of questions will help me determine whether this is a sound investment or not.”
“So, if the house has had a lot of owners, why is the house always up for sale and will that hurt your chances of selling it for a profit.”
“Precisely.”
Bryce helped her into the buggy. He guided the horse and carriage back onto the street and headed toward his house.
“What is the asking price, if you don’t mind? I mean, Father never spoke of financial matters with Mother, so I understand if you don’t want to involve me.”
“I have no problem speaking of our finances with you. The house is on the market for seven thousand. It is easily worth ten and a half, possibly up to twelve. It all depends on the amount of land.”
“And what about your current house?”
“I purchased it for sixty-five hundred. I spent two thousand in materials and another thousand in labor, which means I have to sell for over eleven to make a real profit. I am asking twelve. I won’t go below eleven and a half. The location is ideal. The carriage house and the corner lot all help with the value.”
“Jessie and Jeff Turner are willing to pay the twelve?”
“No, he wants it for eleven. I cannot go that low. I can wait for a while to see if I have any other buyers. I would like to help the Turners out, but I have to be firm on the profit margin.”
Holly’s back stiffened. “You know they are with child?”
Bryce glanced at her then back at the road. “Honey, I am sorry. This has to be about business. I cannot get personal with regard to business. I will never make a profit if I don’t keep that focus.”
“Forgive me if I’m not understanding correctly, but if you sell the house for eleven you still make a profit of fifteen hundred, don’t you?”
“Yes but...”
“You have a goal of earning at least two thousand off of the purchase of each house?”
“Well, yes. Five houses, five years, a profit of two thousand and we can purchase a ten-thousand-dollar home with no mortgage.”
Holly nodded. “I understand.”
The business side,
she said to herself.
But are you missing the human side?
she wondered.
“Thank you, it means a lot to me to have your favor.”
Holly groaned. “I am sorry, Bryce. I understand. I don’t necessarily agree with you.”
“Oh.” They continued the rest of the trip in silence.
She’d done it again. Opened her mouth and inserted her foot. He’d said he wanted her input. But she did have a tendency for saying things straight and to the point. “I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be. Learning to work with each other in matters like this will help us deal with the bigger issues that will come our way while raising children. That will be tougher than any financial matter. You have given me something to think about and I will.
“Honey, I was not angry with you. I was analyzing your point. You know that I always have a plan, a goal. Am I inflexible? Do I need to be more flexible with these kinds of matters? Or do I need to stay firm in order to make the profit necessary to achieve our goals? These are just a few of the questions that were going on in my mind.”
Relief washed over her. “Then let me add one more question into the mix. I’ve been struggling with God ever since Mother’s death. And yet when you told me your plan for our future and your financial desire to purchase a house outright in five years, where was God in that decision? Shouldn’t you consult Him, too?”
Bryce sighed. “You are right. I need to give this matter further thought...and prayer. However, I have other business to attend to. I shall drive the buggy back to my place and get my horse. You can go on to your home from there.”
Holly smiled. “I would like that.”
Bryce pulled the buggy to the side of the street and dashed off into his carriage house.
And what about you, Miss Holly Elizabeth Landers? Where is God in the decisions you’ve been making about your future?
Chapter 14
B
ryce scanned the sides of the road. Whit Butterfield should be heading this way soon. In an effort to help Whit and his family out, he’d hired him to do some work on the plantation.
“Are you all right?” Holly asked.
“Fine,” he lied. “I am remembering the last time we took a ride along this road.”
“Ah. Well, the rifle is loaded and I see you have your revolver on.”
He grinned. “We need to be careful until those guys are caught.”
“Agreed. I need to confess something to you. My challenging you with regard to the Lord in your decision-making is because I’m having trouble doing the same.”
He placed both reins in his left hand and put his right hand on top of her folded ones. “I know you are struggling with your mother’s death and God’s allowance.”
Holly nodded.
“But you were right. I can get caught up in my business agenda and not seek God’s favor. Tell me how you are feeling about God and the death of your mother?”
“I know in my head and in God’s Word that everyone has a time to live and a time to die. It’s appointed by God. However, it doesn’t seem fair when you consider what others go through. Look at me, for example. All the pain of the loss of my mother, the supposed death of my father, who I didn’t know then... I don’t know... I guess I’m just frustrated with the fact that I cannot ask my mother questions, compounded by the very real hurt of not being able to speak with her again about anything. She won’t be there when I get married. She won’t be there for my children. They won’t have a grandmother. Well, they will with your mom, of course, but...”
“They will have three grandfathers and two grandmothers.” Bryce smiled.
Holly paused. “I suppose that is so. But they won’t know my mom, and she was a special woman.”
“Yes, your mother will never get to love our children like other grandmothers do. However, they will know your mom through you and me. We will tell them stories about her, share some of the things she has done. They may not know her here and now but they will know her.”
Holly laid her head on his shoulder. “You’re right. They will have an opportunity to know her. Father will certainly tell stories, and so will their aunt Tiffany and their uncles.”
“And do not forget my brothers and sister. Together, the entire lot of us will continue her legacy. And what about your fancy Irish lacework that you learned from your mother? If we have a daughter, I suspect you will be teaching her as your mother taught you and your mom’s mom taught her.”
“That’s true.”
Bryce slipped his hand off of Holly’s.
“Problem?” she whispered.
“Stay alert,” he whispered back. “It is probably just an animal but I want to be careful.”
She reached into her purse. “I have a gun, too,” she whispered.
A man jumped out of the bushes with his rifle aimed at Bryce. “Well, looky here, you survived. And aren’t we all cuddly and romantic.” Two men jumped out from the opposite side of the road.
“What do you want?” Bryce asked.
“Your money and your horses. And this time we’ll take the girl, as well.”
Holly sat ramrod-straight.
“I don’t believe you want to do that,” Bryce warned.
“Oh, no? And why is that?” The lead bandit spat to the ground.
“Because in just about a minute there will be several other men coming up alongside us.”
“Sure, and the Pope ain’t catholic, either.”
Bryce toed the rifle from the footboard and positioned it for a quick release. Holly’s hand slid deeper into her bag. His right hand curled around the handle of his Colt 45. “I will give you the horses. I will even give you the buggy. But you cannot have the lady.”
An evil laugh whistled through the man’s teeth. “And who’s going to stop me? You?”
“You ain’t recovered from the last bullet I planted in ya.” One of the men from the side snickered.
The cocking of a gun from behind them echoed through the woods.
“The man said scram.” Whit Butterfield’s voice boomed. “Me and my own say drop your weapons.”
Bryce pulled out his Colt. Holly did the same. The three men dropped their weapons.
“Tie ’em up, Bryce. I’ll keep an eye on them. If they so much as blink I’ll put a bullet through ’em.” Bryce jumped down and left his .45 on the buggy’s bench seat. He walked back to his horse and cut a length of rope hanging off the saddle horn.
He first tied the man who had admitted to shooting him. Then he moved on to the lead man who had made the initial contact.
Chad approached as he was finishing the knot around the second man. “Need a hand, big brother?”
“Sure, get that one.”
“Will do.” Chad dismounted and grabbed a leather strap from his saddle. “These the same guys?”
“Yes.” Bryce glanced back at Holly. She was pale but breathing well. “Whit, are you and Chad up to bringing these guys in? Tell the sheriff I will come by this evening and write out my statement.”
“Be my pleasure,” Whit said.
“And here I was planning on taking a day off. I suppose I can help with this,” Chad teased.
“I know, I am such a burden sometimes.”
“And don’t you forget it. You still owe me for all those chores I did for you while you were nursing that gunshot wound. You’d think you were dying or something.”
Bryce laughed. “Or something.” He turned back to Holly. Her mouth gaped open then she smiled. “I need to take Holly home then take care of your chores at the plantation.” He turned to Whit. “Thank you for your diligence. Are these the same men you overheard the other night?”
“They are. I should still be able to give you a hand for a few hours today, if you’re still interested in hiring me.”
“When you can, come in. I will be there. It is going to take me a bit to take Miss Landers home.”
Whit smiled. “Thank you again for the job.”
“You are welcome. And thank you for your help today.” Bryce looked back at the three bandits. “I appreciate it.”
“My pleasure.”
“All right,” Chad interrupted, “enough of the gushy stuff. Time is a’wasting. I have plans with a pretty young lady and I don’t want to keep her waiting.” Chad smiled.
Bryce laughed. “Priorities, little brother. Priorities.”
“You betcha. Come on, guys.” Chad pointed his rifle at them and encouraged the men to start walking toward town. Whit climbed back up on his horse and rode beside Chad.
Holly’s wide eyes darted between him and the other men. “Did you set this up? You told the men that there were people coming. I thought you were just posturing. But you knew?”
“No, I did not set it up, but I knew Mr. Butterfield would be coming along fairly soon to meet me at the plantation. And I knew Chadwick had planned an early afternoon visit with a certain young lady in town. I am thankful they arrived when they did.”
“You and me both. I’m still shaking.”
“I know, honey. I am sorry you had to hear such dreadful things. I would never have let them take you.”
“I know, but there were three of them and...” The floodgates opened and Holly crumpled into his arms. “Oh, Bryce, I was so scared.”
“I know. It is all right now. The Lord protected us.” Bryce silently prayed his thanksgiving to the Lord for their protection. He wrapped her in his arms and held her until she calmed.
Holly eased out of his embrace. “Thank you. I’m okay now.”
“We have had quite a day, haven’t we? First your memory of falling into a well and then this. I am glad those bandits were caught. Now I will not be so nervous with you driving back and forth from the plantation to the city.”
* * *
Holly rubbed her arms and tried to concentrate on their surroundings rather than on the unsettled feelings that had emerged since the bandits had appeared. It brought back the night Bryce had been shot and the fear she’d felt of being buried deep in the earth. She could almost picture it. The taste of the dirt and the smell of the damp stale air swirled around in her memory.
“Holly?” Bryce’s voice penetrated her thoughts. She wanted to answer him but she couldn’t speak, not yet.
“Holly?” His voice quivered.
Holly pointed her index finger toward heaven.
Give me a moment, please,
she silently pleaded.
Bryce nodded and took the reins. He snapped them lightly and the buggy eased forward. He kept a slow pace.
Holly started to count. One. She took a breath, eased it out. Two. She repeated the process. Three. Her chest heaved slightly then relaxed. “I’m recalling more of the incident when I was a little girl, very young. I felt alone and trapped. I’m fairly certain I fell down a well of some sort.”
Bryce reached over and took her hand. “What else do you remember?”
“They are more feelings than actual memories. I can almost taste the dirt. That’s it. The smell of the yard when we walked out of the house... There was something similar in that backyard that smelled like the well I was in.”
Bryce caressed the top of her hand with his thumb. He didn’t speak. She sensed he was waiting on her, on the memories. “I was cold, damp, even wet. It was like I was sitting in a puddle. Which makes sense if it was an old well.”
He nodded and waited. Her love for him grew even more. “You’re incredible, do you know that?”
He winked. “Let the memories flow.”
“I think the fear of the bandits, combined with the earlier memories, are helping them come to the surface. I remember something like a bucket being lowered to me. But it wasn’t a bucket. It was larger. Darker. As it came toward me it blocked all the light. I started to scream, I think. I’m not sure. It’s all so confusing.”
“You are doing fine, Holly.” He gave a light squeeze to her hand.
She glanced over at his honey-brown eyes. Warmth spread through her heart to every part of her body. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He smiled. “Do you think the bucket was a person coming down the well to help you?”
“It must have been. I was so scared, terrified. Wait...” Gooseflesh rose on her skin. “I know the voice. It was my dad, Emmett Landers. He rescued me. He called my name. He said, ‘Holly, pumpkin, it’s Daddy. I’m here to rescue you.’ It wasn’t John Graham. It was Emmett. I must have seen him when I was little. Perhaps when he came to reclaim Mother and me. But why would I have been in a well? And where was my father?” Then another image appeared. “I was brought out of the pit, or the well, in Emmett’s arms, but I reached for John. Then I heard Emmett say to me, ‘I’m your daddy, Holly, but John is your father.’ He kissed me and handed me over to John. Both my fathers were there. They worked together to save me.”
Bryce smiled. “Amazing! Not only in that moment, but in all aspects of your life they have been working together. Granted, Emmett went back to Tennessee but he never stopped loving and caring for you. He did just as he said. He gave you up for your sake. He recognized John as the man given the task to raise you, being your father.”
“That has to be why I stopped calling John ‘Daddy.’ The day of Mother’s funeral when I met Emmett, my body reacted. It’s as if I knew who he was without knowing.”
“You recognized his voice and probably him, but could not grasp how you knew him. You just reacted.”
The memory resurfaced in full color. She saw herself wandering off, going somewhere she wasn’t supposed to and falling into an old well shaft. She had no idea how long she had been down in that hole, but it had been awhile. “I wonder where this happened.”
“I am sure your father will remember.”
“More than likely. I wonder why we never talked about it.”
Bryce leveled his gaze at hers. “And bring up the fact that you had another father?”
“Ah,” Holly moaned. “I must have decided not to call John ‘Daddy’ because I had another daddy who saved me. But there was a peace being in John’s arms, as well. I’ve always found comfort in my father’s loving arms.”
They pulled up in front of the Graham plantation house but neither got out of the buggy. Bryce turned and took her hands in his.
“The conversation he and you had the day after you were shot?”
“You heard?”
“Yes. So, you have John Graham’s blessings to marry me.”
Bryce chuckled. “Yes, I do. However, I have not asked you to marry me, yet.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
Holly giggled. “True, but I also have not accepted because you have not asked. And who is to say whether or not I will accept. After all, you still haven’t kissed me and...”
Bryce pulled her into an embrace. His lips were a fraction of an inch from hers. He shifted his head and leaned toward her ear. “I will kiss you when the time is right. Besides, you know who is holding that kiss up. It isn’t me, is it?” he whispered.
A shiver sizzled down her spine. “But I want to kiss you.”
“And you shall, when you are ready. How is that harness on your heart, now that you have recovered this memory?” He leaned away from her but fixed his gaze.
They were silently speaking with one another. She examined her heart. The tightness was disappearing little by little. Frustrated, she pulled away. “It’s still there.”
He caressed her shoulders. “But is it smaller than this morning?”
“Yes, but don’t you think kissing me might dissolve it altogether?” Holly crossed her arms and exhaled.
“Possibly. Let us deal with this new memory. Then we can discuss your commitment to me or not.”
He turned to face her and grasped her hands in his. “Honey, no doubts can be present when we commit to one another, not even a slight one. There will come days when we question why we would want to marry one another. It is all a part of growing in love. I want us to have a firm foundation to build our marriage on. Please bear with me about this kiss. We will both know when the time is right. My passion is strong for you, and I would like nothing more than to sweep you in my arms and kiss you. But my commitment to you the night of your mother’s funeral is more important. I gave you my word. You need to know without a doubt for our future that I will keep my word even when I want something so very much. You are the one I will commit my life to. And while kissing you would be easy, we cannot afford to.”
Holly glanced down at their hands intertwined together. “Thank you for being a man of your word and not giving in to my foolish desires.”