Philip grinned up at Jeremiah. “See what happens when yer nice to her. Take a lesson.”
When she glanced at Jeremiah, a red tinge darkened his cheeks. Was he blushing? She’d never noticed a man do that before. And she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Why would Philip’s joking cause this reaction in Jeremiah? He should be used to it after all the years they’d spent together.
Something else to ponder.
Jeremiah couldn’t get out of there quickly enough. He didn’t want anyone to guess what he was thinking. That he’d like a hug and a kiss from her too. The heat in his cheeks told him they were probably red. He hadn’t blushed like that since he was a young whelp.
Watching how the stress of the meeting affected Madeline, and enjoying how she relaxed in the company of friends, opened his heart to her more than ever. The very idea of a future with her caused a longing inside he couldn’t quell, no matter how hard he tried. Philip is one lucky man, no doubt about it.
After he had Philip on the seat of the wagon, Jeremiah drove up the bumpy road.
“Good service today, wadn’t it?” Philip grinned wider than the mouth of the mine he’d owned.
“Uh-huh.” Jeremiah didn’t want to talk about anything out here in the open. His questions were better asked in privacy.
“So what was so all-fired important that you, Sam, and Madeline lit out after church?”
“Sam wanted us to talk to the prisoner.” Jeremiah clamped his lips together. He sure hadn’t wanted to take her down there, but he wasn’t about to let her go without him.
“That so?” Philip’s brows drew together. “Cain’t imagine why.”
“I’ll tell you all about it after we get inside.” He tried to keep his words from sounding harsh.
Philip nodded as they arrived in front of his house.
Jeremiah helped him inside and got him settled in his favorite chair. “I really want to have a serious talk with you.”
“Good.” Philip nodded. “I knowed ya would someday.”
“Oh, you did, did you?” How could Philip have known when he didn’t know it himself until today?
He pulled a chair close in front of Philip and dropped into it, leaning forward. “I’m not sure where to start.”
“The beginnin’d be good.” Philip set his chair in motion but didn’t take his eyes off Jeremiah.
The old man’s gaze probed into the depths of Jeremiah’s mind. He hoped Philip couldn’t read the thoughts residing there.
“I’ve told you a lot about my raising…or the lack thereof.” He paused, trying to decide what words to use. “Some things I’ve never told anybody.”
“Don’t tell me anything ya don’t wanna.” Philip looked relaxed.
Jeremiah felt wound as tight as a watch spring. “It’s kinda hard to talk about personal things. I’m not used to doing that, but I need to. Since Ma died, I haven’t had much use for…God. I thought He wasn’t there for me when I needed Him.” He shifted in his chair, trying to find a more comfortable position. There wasn’t one. “You’ve talked a lot about the good Lord, and I passed all of it off as the ramblings of an old man.”
A smile teased the corners of Philip’s lips, but he didn’t say anything.
“I’ve come to know Sam Oldman and Carlos more while they’ve worked on my house. I trust them and think they might have something I don’t. The sermons I’ve heard Sam preach have picked at my thoughts a lot. I can’t seem to keep them from intruding.” He scratched an itch on one cheek but couldn’t touch the itch inside his mind. “That one today was really something.”
“Sure was a mighty fine sermon.” Philip stopped the chair’s rhythmic movements. “What’s that got to do with you, Sam, and Madeline talkin’ to the prisoner?”
“You know how the man treated her before she came here, and how he was when he first arrived. Well, last night he asked Sam to pray with him to become a Christian, and Johnstone told him he wanted to beg Madeline’s forgiveness in person. I really didn’t want her to go, but it wasn’t my place to stop her. So I went along with them…just in case.”
That must’ve pleased Philip because he grinned and set the chair back in motion.
“I wanted to be sure the man didn’t do anything to hurt Madeline.” At least that’s what he told himself.
“Ya didn’t think Sam and the sheriff could protect her?” Philip had a way of cutting through a subject to get right to the meat of it.
Jeremiah cleared his throat. “Yeah, they could. I guess I just wanted to be there.”
“So what happened?” Philip’s color had improved, and he was more animated than Jeremiah had seen him in quite awhile.
Maybe he hadn’t been coming to see Philip often enough. The old man needed to be involved in what was happening with the people who were important to him. Jeremiah would make sure he came by more often simply to shoot the breeze.
“Johnstone explained what he’d been doing when he tried to force Madeline to marry him.” He told Philip all the details he could remember.
He left out how much he’d been watching Madeline and her responses to what the man said. This discussion wasn’t about how he felt, but about what Madeline went through while they were there.
“She told Johnstone she didn’t feel like forgiving him, but she chose to because that’s what the good Lord wanted.” He laughed. “She sounded just like you. I’m not sure how either of you know what God wants you to do, unless it’s something you heard in a sermon.”
“Lots more to it than that.” Philip stopped the chair and gazed squarely into Jeremiah’s eyes, compelling him to listen. “Sermons and things like that er good and all, but there’s a lot more to knowin’ the Lord. He’s a real person. Ya havta ask Him into yer life. When He comes in, ya git to know Him real good.”
To break the strong visual connection between them, Jeremiah stood and paced around the room. “I went to church with my ma, but all those preachers did was shout about hellfire. Sam doesn’t do that.”
“’Course not. God wants to love ya into heaven, not scare ya outa hell.”
That’s what those preachers had been doing—scaring everyone with all their shouting and harsh preaching. How does God love a man into heaven? Jeremiah didn’t realize he’d voiced the question until Philip answered.
“He loved ya so much, He sent Jesus to die on the cross fer all yer sins.” Philip settled back. “The book a-John in the Bible tells about it. Chapter 3, verse 16. ‘Fer God so loved the world, that He give His only b’gotten Son, that whosoever b’lieveth in Him should not perish, but have everlastin’ life.’ God said whosoever. He meant everyone who’d b’lieve in Jesus. I have. Madeline has. Whosoever means you too, Jeremiah.”
Jeremiah turned that thought over and over in his mind. He’d celebrated Christmas and knew it was about Jesus being born on earth. He’d heard about Jesus dying, and he’d been around people who celebrated Easter, when Jesus rose from the dead. But he’d never put it all together.
“Let me get this straight. God did all that to love people into heaven?”
Philip gave a vigorous nod. “Not just people. You, Jeremiah. God did that to love you into heaven.”
He dropped back into the chair facing the old miner. “I’m beginning to understand. And I’ve seen how different your life, and Sam’s, and Madeline’s are from mine. You all have a quietness and peace about you. That come from knowing God?”
“Sure does.”
He was glad Philip wasn’t pushing him faster than he wanted to go with this. The man just waited for Jeremiah to think over every point. “I got a hankering for that peace. How do I get it?”
Philip’s eyes closed, and his chin dropped to his chest. Jeremiah was afraid he’d died or something. He didn’t want that to happen before he found out what he needed to know about all this. Then he noticed Philip’s lips moving. The man was praying. Like to scared me to death.
After raising his head and opening his eyes, Philip’s gaze cut toward Je
remiah. “That’s the question I’ve been waitin’ a long time to hear. All ya havta do is ask Jesus into yer heart. Give Him control of yer life. I’ll introduce ya to Him right now.”
They bowed their heads, and Philip prayed a prayer that included an introduction of Jeremiah to Jesus. Then he told Jeremiah to just talk to the Lord.
“Well, Lord, uh…” Jeremiah began to talk haltingly to Jesus, but soon the words almost stumbled over each other in their haste, like a clear mountain stream tumbling over rocks, rushing down to the valley. He poured out all his sins and asked Jesus to take them from him. “And that’s about all I’ve got to say, Lord.” He sat in silence…waiting.
A miracle happened.
He felt as if everything had been cleansed from his past. He was a new man in a way he didn’t really understand, but he liked the feeling.
He raised his head with tears in his eyes. “I couldn’t imagine how this would work, but it’s real. I’m different.”
“’Course ya are.” Philip swallowed and blinked his eyes. Then he pulled out his handkerchief and swiped at his cheeks. “Thank Ya, Jesus, fer answerin’ my prayers.”
Jeremiah started laughing, and he couldn’t stop for a few minutes. Soon Philip joined him. Their merriment filled the room. And for some reason, it felt as if someone else was there with them. That You, Lord?
Yes, My child.
How he’d heard that soft voice through all the noise, Jeremiah didn’t understand, but he’d heard it clearly. As if the Lord stood beside him, whispering in his ear.
Finally, the laughter died down, and Jeremiah could talk. “I’ve still got a question. What about that forgiveness thing? I haven’t ever forgiven my father and my uncle for what they did to me. Don’t know if can.”
“Ya can do just like Madeline did.” Philip’s wise words were a balm to his spirit. “Choose to forgive ’em here and now. Ya don’t havta see ’em to do it.”
“I’m not even sure if they’re still alive.”
“Don’t matter. Forgive ’em. More fer yourself than fer them.”
Jeremiah stood and stretched as tall as he could. He raised his eyes and arms toward the ceiling. “I choose to forgive my…father and my uncle for…all their cruelty.”
Flashes of the harsh faces, loud voices, and leather strap filled his head, and pain shot through his heart as if he were in a fierce gun battle. Then, like an eraser on a chalkboard, the visions began to disappear, and peace settled like a mourning dove on his heart. A final weight lifted from his shoulders. He felt ten pounds lighter.
“I’ve waited years fer this to happen, Jerry.” An occasional tear made its slow way down Philip’s cheek. “I’ve been hangin’ onto my life. Couldn’t let go until it did.”
What did Philip mean by that?
“Now I’ve gotta tell ya some other things.” Philip wheezed out a breath, followed by a cough. “When I sent fer Madeline, God wanted me to rescue her. But more than that, He wanted me to bring her here so you could have a wife.”
“What are you talking about?” This time Jeremiah couldn’t keep the question inside. “I thought you asked her to marry you.”
“I did, but not fer me.” Philip sucked in a deep breath. “Showed me how ya feel ’bout her. Was hopin’ ya wouldn’t like it. Boy howdy, it made ya mad. Ya didn’t think I noticed, did ya?”
Jeremiah shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck. Philip hadn’t caused this pain in his neck in a long time, but right now the muscles knotted like an old rope.
“And I noticed how you been lookin’ at her lately, when ya didn’t think anybidy was watchin’. Don’t have much longer in this life.”
Jeremiah scooted closer and took the old man’s hands in his. They felt like thin parchment stretched over a skeleton. “Don’t talk like that. We’re going to take care of you.”
“Nothin’ ya can do, Jerry. Don’t know how much time I’ve got, but I plan to spend it with the people I love.” Philip squeezed his fingers. “That’s you, Madeline, and Pearl. Ya need to start courtin’ Madeline. Maybe I’ll dance at yer weddin’ if’n the good Lord’s willin’.”
Jeremiah hoped so. Maybe the old coot would live long enough to see their children. What am I thinking? He didn’t know if Madeline would even consider letting him court her, much less marry her. And here he was thinking about children.
“Ya don’t havta worry none about what Madeline feels. She watches ya a lot too.” Philip punctuated that sentence with a cackle that turned into a cough.
After he and Philip visited a little longer, the older man looked like he could nod off to sleep. Jeremiah helped him into his room to take a nap.
When Jeremiah stepped into the afternoon sunlight, everything looked different to him. Brighter…cleaner somehow. Did knowing the Lord change the world around him, or was he just seeing it with new eyes? And what relationship did Philip’s revelation about Madeline have to do with the way he saw everything?
He leapt up on the wagon seat and drove down toward the livery. A horse was tied out in front of the hotel. He recognized it as one from Los Cerrillos. Evidently another stranger had come to town. After he turned the wagon in to Swede, he mounted Lightning and rode over to the sheriff’s office.
“Bill, I’m glad you’re still here. One of the livery horses from Los Cerillos is tied up at the hotel. I’m going to check on who rode it in. Want to come with me?” He wasn’t sure whether his friend would go or not, but Bill stood and stretched.
“I’ll just walk up there. Won’t take me much longer than it will you.” Bill snagged his hat from the corner of his desk and settled it on his head.
Jeremiah rode up the cobblestones. When he tied Lightning’s reins to the hitching rail, he could hear, through the swinging doors, a woman crying softly. Without hesitating, he hurried inside and spied two people in the parlor. The man, dressed in a fancy Eastern suit, had his back to Jeremiah, but the crying woman was Madeline. Whoever he was, the man wasn’t going to get away with hurting her.
No matter that Jeremiah had just accepted the Lord into his life. No man should make a woman cry…ever. And he wasn’t going to stand by and let anyone else hurt the woman he loved. He stomped through the doorway and raised his voice. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Chapter Twenty-six
While dabbing tears from her cheeks, Maddy stared at Jeremiah, who had burst through the doorway like a raging bull. What is wrong with him? She arose and stood beside her visitor.
The fierce frown on Jeremiah’s face didn’t alter one bit. He looked as if he might take a swing at poor Mr. Sanderson. She had to stop him.
“Jeremiah?”
Finally he looked at her instead of her visitor.
“You haven’t met my father’s solicitor, Mr. Isaiah Sanderson. He’s come all the way from Boston to see me.” She didn’t take her eyes from Jeremiah’s face, willing him to relax.
Mr. Sanderson thrust out his hand, but Jeremiah ignored it, continuing to study her.
“Jeremiah Dennison owns a ranch near here, and he’s a good friend of the man who sent the letter to me.” Maddy expected Jeremiah to shake the proffered hand, but he just stood there and stared at it as if it were holding a gun aimed at his heart.
What had happened to Jeremiah after he’d left with Philip? She couldn’t imagine any reason for him to act this way. She frowned at him, then noticed over his shoulder that the sheriff had entered the lobby behind him. Maddy couldn’t believe a meeting between herself and her father’s lawyer would cause such a ruckus.
“Sheriff Brown, this is my father’s solicitor, Isaiah Sanderson, from Boston.” She smiled at the lawyer. “And this is Bill Brown, our sheriff.”
At least Bill reached toward the man and shook his hand. Then he stepped back. “What seems to be the problem?”
Maddy glared at Jeremiah. “I don’t know of any problem, but Jeremiah seems to have one.”
He had the good sense to turn his attention toward the floor and keep hi
s mouth shut.
“Mr. Sanderson was telling me that he came to give me a copy of my father’s will. Remembering my loss made me cry, and Jeremiah burst in on us. He may have thought something else was going on.” She gave the sheriff a tremulous smile.
Bill looked from her to Jeremiah and back. “Do you want me to stay? Do you think you need protection?”
“Not really, but I need a friend. Frank and Sarah have taken Pearl over to the Hendersons’. Sarah is visiting with Martha, and Frank is helping Hank deliver their mare’s first foal. I would like someone here with me during the reading of the will.” One more tear made its way down her cheek, and she swiped it away before stuffing her hanky into her sleeve.
Bill doffed his hat. “I’d be glad to stay, Madeline.”
Jeremiah removed his too, turning his gray Stetson round and round in his hands. “I’d like to stay if you’ll allow me…after the way I burst in here.” Sincere regret shone from his eyes and colored his tone.
She nodded and took her place at one end of the sofa. Mr. Sanderson sat beside her. Jeremiah and Bill chose two wingback chairs across from them.
Mr. Sanderson cleared his throat. “I was just getting ready to apologize to Miss Mercer. I’m afraid I’ve contributed to many of her problems without realizing I had.”
Maddy couldn’t imagine what the man was talking about. He’d always been more than kind to her.
“When we read the will, you’ll find that your father did bequeath Mr. Johnstone a one-fourth portion of the business for his faithful service. When Mr. Johnstone told me to not read the will for you until he said it was time, I thought he had that authority. He kept putting off the actual reading, even though I wanted to proceed.” He took out his handkerchief and wiped the perspiration from his forehead.
Maddy felt the warm temperature too, but large drops of sweat streamed down Mr. Sanderson’s face. She wondered if he couldn’t take the heat so well or if he were bothered by his confession.
“At that point, Mr. Johnstone took over doling out the money to you. I didn’t know until Mr. Sneed came by my office that Johnstone was actually withholding the money. I tried to get him to change what he was doing, but he threatened my family with grievous harm. And there were all those rumors of horrible deeds the man had done. I couldn’t put my family at risk.”
Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico Page 23
