“You never gave up on me, Uncle,” Brandon whispered.
Eden’s eyes misted over, and the tears rolled down her cheeks. She turned away, unable to speak, while Brandon said his farewell to his uncle. As they left, Quentin called out, “Be of good cheer, Nephew, and you, lady, trust in the Lord, for his mercy endureth forever!”
When they were out in the open, Eden turned to Brandon. “I can’t bear to think of it! He’s such a good man!”
“He is—and I believe that God is going to deliver him.”
“How can you believe when everything is so dark?”
“That’s what faith is, Eden. It’s believing God when all seems hopeless.”
The two walked on, and when they reached the carriage, Brandon helped her in and then joined her. He did not pick up the reins however, but turned to her and said, “Eden, this is a terrible time, but I must tell you that I love you with all my heart and I always will.”
Brandon’s hands closed upon hers, he leaned forward and kissed her, and she gave herself to his caress. His arm went around her, and he held her tight. Eden knew that whatever terrible thing might happen, there was one true man who loved her with all his heart.
“I love you too, Brandon,” she whispered.
“We’ll love each other, and we’ll see what God can do with all those he loves.”
The date for Quentin’s execution was set for November 18. Time seemed to fly for Eden, for she had found a great love in her heart for Quentin Winslow. She thought often of how his words had led her to seek Jesus Christ and prayed for his release with a fierce intensity. She had opened her heart with her father and mother, telling them of her love for Brandon, and they had accepted him. They had always been grateful to him for returning Eden from her captivity and putting her back into their arms again, and now they both agreed that the young man’s life was changed.
Eden stayed at home for a few days, but then she couldn’t bear it. A restlessness troubled her, and she knew she had to be with the Winslow family. She asked her parents if she could spend some time with the Winslows, accompanied by Mrs. Taylor, and they readily gave their permission. She went to Stoneybrook that very day, only a day’s journey, and both Heather and Stuart welcomed her as, of course, did Brandon. “I had to come,” she told Heather. “I can’t do anything, but I need to be with you.”
“Why, you are family now, Eden,” Heather said warmly. “I’m glad that you’ve come.”
“Do you really believe that Quentin will live?”
“It looks so dark, and in the natural way of things it’s impossible—but with God all things are possible.”
“I know that, but sometimes I become so frightened. Terrible doubts come to me, and I can’t believe with my whole heart.”
“I think all God’s people go through that, my dear. When you read the book of Psalms, you can see that David, a man after God’s own heart, was often tormented with doubts and fears. He was God’s favorite, but at times he had to walk through the dark valley of doubt. He even cried out many times, ‘God, where are you? Have you forsaken me?’”
“It seems wrong. I feel that I’m doubting God.”
“We have an enemy, the Devil, who can put thoughts into our minds. I found many years ago that some of my thoughts were not mine but thoughts put there by Satan.”
“That frightens me, Heather,” Eden said. “Is there any way I can avoid such thoughts?”
“Perhaps it’s impossible to block such thoughts, but there is a way to avoid letting fears and doubts harm you.” Heather took Eden’s hand and her eyes were glowing. “When fear comes into your heart, speak to the Devil! Give him the Word of God. When this happens to me, I say, ‘Satan, the Scripture says, “God has not given us the spirit of fear!” In the name of Jesus, leave me alone!’”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing!”
“It’s what the Lord Jesus did, dear. When he was alone in the desert and Satan came to tempt him, Jesus simply quoted Scripture to him. When Satan urged him to turn stones into bread, Jesus said, ‘It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God’. And the Devil had to flee.’”
“I don’t know enough of the Bible to do that.”
“You have a good memory, Eden, so we’ll find some scriptures that teach us that God is to be trusted. You can memorize them, and when the Devil brings doubts and fears into your mind, you can rebuke him with the Word of God.”
From that moment, Eden began memorizing scripture with Heather’s help. She discovered two things. She had a gift for memorization, and she discovered to her great joy that when she grew fearful or troubled with doubt, speaking the promises of God aloud brought relief. More and more she gave herself to prayer and to the Word of God.
On the morning of November 17, Princess Elizabeth was sitting on a bench under an old oak tree outside her country house at Hatfield, reading the Bible in Greek. It was cold, and more than once her ladies had tried to get her to come in, but she had ignored them all. A message had come the night before:
The queen’s health is failing. She cannot last the night.
Elizabeth heard the sound of horsemen approaching. Trembling, she stood up. Four horsemen drew rein some twenty-five yards away. She recognized several of the members of the Privy Council. Sir Nicholas Throckmorton separated himself from the rest. Elizabeth waited. When Throckmorton knelt before her as did the others and held out his hand, she saw Mary’s ring in his palm.
“Will you, Your Majesty, please to accept the throne and rule of England?” Throckmorton said loudly.
Elizabeth took the ring and knelt down in front of Throckmorton. “Now God be thanked!” she cried. “For this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes!”
She rose to her feet and went to those who knelt as she came. One of those was John Fairfax. When she paused before him, he looked up and said, “Your Majesty, I beg you to show mercy on those who are awaiting death in the Tower.”
“You speak of Quentin Winslow, do you not, John?”
“He is most on my heart, but the others deserve mercy too.”
“And I will grant it,” Elizabeth said. She said, “Go to him, John, and give the jailers your queen’s command that Quentin Winslow is to be released at once into your keeping.”
The Winslows had stayed up all night in a small room, praying for Quentin. Eden was sitting beside Brandon, holding his hand. She felt exhausted. It was a new experience for her to seek God in this fashion with all of her heart. She said to Brandon, “I am so tired, but my spirit isn’t tired. It’s only the flesh.”
“I know. I am the same.”
Heather had fallen asleep in Stuart’s arms. He held her gently and tenderly, looking down into her face.
Eden glanced across the room, where Stuart and Heather sat on a couch. They were both asleep, but she noted that Stuart held her in a close embrace. “They love each other so much.”
“They always have.”
The two held onto each other, and finally, fifteen minutes later, they heard the sound of voices in the hall. Stuart and Heather woke and came to their feet. “Who can that be?” Stuart said.
Brandon cried with a loud voice, “Quentin!”
It was indeed Quentin! He was wearing the same filthy clothes he’d worn in prison, but his eyes were alight. He took in the four of them with one quick glance and cried with a loud voice, “Thanks be unto God for his delivering power!”
Stuart and Heather stumbled to him, and he caught them in his arms. They were joined by Brandon and Eden. Everyone was weeping for joy.
Finally Stuart managed to ask, “How did you get free, Brother?”
Quentin said, “The queen is dead. Long live Queen Elizabeth. She set me free.” He took Eden’s hand. “Your father asked the queen to have me released at once, and she granted his request.”
They all then joined together. Quentin was hugged and kissed and squeezed and touched until finally H
eather said, “We’re going to smother him. Come and tell us how it all happened.”
“It was a miracle,” Quentin said, “but there are precedents. I am rejoicing over the others that are going to be released.” For a moment sadness came to him, and he said quietly, “I grieve for Queen Mary and I trust that she has the peace now that she never had on this earth.”
“Will all the prisoners be released?” Brandon asked.
“Yes. Queen Elizabeth has given her word that there will be no one punished for their faith.”
Brandon said, “It’s a marvel how God has used Providence to save you, Uncle Quentin. If Eden had not been captured, I wouldn’t have rescued her and her father would not have known me and would never have begged the queen for your life.”
“When she realized she was queen, Elizabeth said, ‘This is the lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.’ That’s the one hundred and eighteenth psalm,” Quentin said, “and I believe it.”
“So say we all,” Stuart Winslow said. “Now God be thanked for his tender mercies.”
26
England received its new ruler with great joy. Noisy crowds thronged the streets of London when Queen Elizabeth made her first appearance. Peal upon peal of church bells scored the air, and beacons blazed, sending the news of the accession from hilltop to hilltop all across the land. Servants were breaking out firkins and hogsheads of liquor, and cheering revelers were breaking the bright, clear air with shouts of praise. One song Elizabeth heard clearly:
When these poor souls were put to death
We prayed for our Elizabeth,
When all these souls were done to death,
God sent us our Elizabeth.
When Christmas came, there were the usual celebrations with a new feeling of joy. There were masques and mumming, with colors so bright that they were almost painful to the eye. Music was stirring throughout the land, and everyone seemed to be singing. That Christmas and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth would never be forgotten by those who experienced it.
On the day of her coronation, January 15, 1559, Elizabeth paraded to Westminster, then to the palace, then to the old abbey where her father and her father’s father had been buried. Then past Saint Paul’s, down Ludgate Hill. The roar of the crowd and caroling choirs and bells calling from every steeple and cannon thundering like the crack of doom all filled the air wherever she went.
Elizabeth was carried high for all the people to see. She wore a gown of gold and silver and was drawn in a golden coach under a rich canopy of gold—and sat on a rich nest of white satin. Almost a thousand horses followed in the parade. The people cried out her name for hours.
“Long life and joy! Joy to good Queen Elizabeth!”
And Elizabeth called back, “Bless you all. You may have rulers that will rule you more wisely, but you will never have a ruler who loves you more!”
“What would you like for a Christmas gift, Philemon? Now, have faith! Ask for something big. I’m in the mood for giving.”
“Well, sir, since you asked,” Philemon responded, “I’d like to have a new suit of clothes. Not a servant’s suit, but one like you wear. Lots of gold lace on the doublet and gold thread everywhere. And a fur hat like the one you wear. And a fancy pair of shoes with pointed toes, real leather ones.”
“You shall have them!” Brandon said heartily. “But why this sudden interest in fine clothing? You never cared about dress before.”
“Ah, sir, but I’m going courting.” Philemon nodded, his eyes gleaming. “Courting the Widow Maddox, don’t you see? She’ll make a fine wife for a deacon, sir. All broke in, so to speak.”
“Broke in? What do you mean by that?”
“Why she’s been wife, and her late husband, bless his soul, gave her good training. He was strict on that verse that says, ‘Wives be obedient to your husbands.’ And she took to the training fine, sir.”
“How do you know that?” Brandon asked, amused at the turn his man’s life was taking.
“Why, I investigated, Mr. Winslow.”
“You engaged in some sort of intrigue to find out about her life?”
“Not on your life, sir! No, I listened to the gossip at church. Wonderful place to find out about people. Some of it is a bit malicious, but on the whole, if you sort it all out, you can get the real truth. Oh, she’s a fine woman, sir, got a pot of money her husband left her, and she’s fond of me.”
“You shall have the suit, Philemon. And may God bless your union with the Widow Maddox.”
“Thank you, sir. And may God prosper your own self with a good wife.”
Winslow was well aware that Philemon was aware of almost every aspect of his private life. He gave him a suspicious look, but the bland features of Philemon revealed nothing. “You’re a scoundrel, Philemon!”
“No doubt, sir!”
Eden had rejoiced in the accession of Elizabeth to the throne, but something had come into her life that disturbed her. She had spent the Christmas season partly with her own parents but the latter part with the Winslows. She and Brandon had walked together through the snow. They had ridden in a sleigh. They had laughed. They had feasted. They had exchanged gifts.
But Brandon had said not a word about marriage.
Eden had expected marriage to come at once, and she could not but feel that something was standing between her and the man she loved. She could not ask him, and she tried not to show it, but that was difficult. She loved all the Winslows and entered into the festivities, but on December 25, after almost everyone had gone to bed, when she was sitting in front of the fireplace in the lesser hall, she heard her name called and turned to see Brandon.
“All alone? Why, that won’t do.” He sat down beside her and put his arm around her. “It’s been a wonderful time. A new queen and a good Christmas here with the woman I love.”
He pulled her around, and Eden saw that his smile faded as he studied her. “My girl seems sad tonight.”
“No, I’m not sad at all. It’s been a wonderful Christmas.”
“But something’s not right. I can see it in your eyes, sweetheart, and in your lips. I can read you better than I can read a book. You’re not happy. Something is missing. Tell me what it is.”
“There’s nothing missing,” Eden protested. But her voice was unsteady, and she wondered why he was holding himself away from her.
“Well, I have a Christmas gift for you.”
“You’ve already given me a gift, more than one, Brandon.”
“But nothing like this one.”
Eden saw that he was smiling then and felt his hand on her hair. She had always loved that. “You’re going to like this gift, I hope.”
“Well, what is it?” She tried to summon enthusiasm for what? A bracelet? Or a jewelled pin? But Brandon gave her a mischievous grin.
He pulled her to her feet and held her tightly in his arms. “Eden, I offer you this Christmas”—he knelt before her, holding her hands in his—“I offer you my undying love. I wish I had a better gift, but if you’ll have me, you can make a better man of me. Please, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
Eden felt a sudden rush of joy. He rose to kiss her. She felt secure, and she put her arms around his neck and held him close. “I accept your gift, Brandon Winslow.” She put her head back, put her hands on his chest, and tried to push him away, but he held her tightly. “I accept your gift on two conditions.”
“And what are they?”
“One, that you love me as much as your father loves your mother.”
“That’s asking a lot, woman! Those two love each other more than any human beings I’ve ever seen. All I can say is that I’ll do my best to love you as Father loves Mother. Now, what’s the other condition?”
“The other condition is that every day of our married life you will tell me that you love me.”
“Even when I’m attracted to other women?” he teased.
Eden laughed. Joy was filling her. “I know how to keep you at home.�
� She pulled his head down, kissed him again. “I won’t let you stray far.”
“That’s right. You won’t, and I never shall.”
They stood lost in their love, and then Eden whispered, “We’ll marry next week. The first day of 1559. Then you can never forget our anniversary.”
“I will forget my own name before I forget that day.”
The two stood there, and Brandon held her tightly. “I’ve got the whole world in my arms,” he said.
“And you are my whole world, Brandon Winslow,” Eden replied.
The next Gilbert Morris novel in
The Winslow Breed Series will be
The Winds of God
to be published in 2011.
We have included an excerpt from the
upcoming book for a sneak peek into
The Winds of God.
May 15, 1581
Dr. Regis Perry, physician, and head of the College of Physicians, the most powerful medical organization in England, resembled a butcher much more than he did a doctor. He was a thickset man with a square head set on a neck so short he did not seem to have one. His arms were bulging with muscle, and in farmer’s clothing he could easily pass for one of that group. Perry had a bulldog face with a lantern jaw, and small eyes set rather close together. They were a muddy brown, but when he grew angry they glowed as with a subterranean heat. His eyes at the moment were able to hide that anger, for he was unable to release it because his visitor was powerful with influence and dangerous to antagonize.
William Farley, the Right Honorable Viscount Withington, was not a large man, at least when he stood next to Perry. He had a tall, slender frame, dark hair and penetrating gray eyes, and there was something imposing about his attitude. He was a man of great discernment, and he could tell in a glance that Dr. Perry was angry. He glanced over at the third man in the room, Dr. John Chadbourn, the head of Oxford University. Chadburn was a small man with mild, delicate features, and he was at all times anxious to avoid confrontation. He seemed caught between the upper and the nether millstone, for the two powerful men who flanked him were both dangerous and influential, and not men to antagonize.
When the Heavens Fall Page 26
