by Jill Maguire
When Faith had almost reached the front pew, Patience gasped and gave a little cry. All eyes turned to her and Hayes knew in a moment that Patience outburst had nothing to do with being caught up in Faith’s beauty. Something was wrong. Patience gripped the pew tightly and looked up at Warren before calling out Faith’s name.
“Faith, I think it’s time. I think the baby is coming,” Patience moaned.
Faith froze and looked at Patience with great fear as if her friend had suddenly turned into a grizzly bear right before her. “Faith please, help me,” Patience reached out a hand to Faith as Warren arrived at her side.
“Baker, can we take her into the office for some privacy?” Warren asked the reverend. Mr. Baker nodded, a little startled, and Warren picked up his wife and carried her into the small church office.
“The baby is coming now!” Patience said to Warren. “We need Faith to help deliver the baby.”
Faith stood frozen in the aisle of the church. She was paralyzed with fear and haunted by the images of Grace Knowles’s delivery.
“Faith,” she heard Hayes’ soft voice in her ear. “Patience needs you. Her baby needs you. You’re the only one who can help.” For some reason, hearing Hayes’ confidently urging her on, helped bring Faith out of her hypnotic state. She bolted into the church office and reached out with a shaking hand to smooth Patience’s hair away from her forehead.
“Warren, can you find linens or hot water? Anything?” Faith asked with urgency in her tone.
“This baby is coming too fast,” Patience yelled. “Warren won’t be able to bring anything in time. We just have to - ooooh,” Patience’s words were swallowed by a groan of deep pain and Faith felt herself began to panic. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t get enough air, and she was shaking all over.
“I – I can’t do this, Patience,” Faith said suddenly through her shallow gasps for breath.
“Yes you can Faith, and what’s more, you have to. No one else here can help me. Please, the baby is coming right now!”
Tears slid down Patience’s cheeks and Faith knew she owed this to her friend. She pushed the fear aside as best as she could and lifted Patience’s skirts. Patience had been right, the baby’s head was well on its way and there was no time to lose. Faith carefully untied Patience’s apron from around her protruding waist to catch the baby.
“One more push, Patience. That’s it.”
That was all it took and the baby slid into Faith’s waiting hands. When his piercing cry filled the small room, Faith closed her eyes in thankfulness. “Oh, blessed is the Lord,” she murmured as she let out a deep breath. “It’s a boy, Patience. He looks, and sounds, very healthy.”
Patience cried tears of joy as Faith wrapped the baby in the apron and placed him in her arms. Patience looked in awe at her new baby boy and kissed his forehead before meeting Faith’s relieved eyes.
“Thank you,” Patience said, grabbing one of Faith’s hands. “Thank you. Oh, but we’ve ruined your wedding!”
“No, no, perhaps just postponed it a bit,” Faith smiled down at the precious new life. “What will you name him?”
“I don’t know yet. I want to see what Warren thinks, but I like the name Jeremiah.” Patience couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of her new son but did so only briefly to order Faith back into the church. “Now go, get back in there and marry that man,” Patience ordered teasingly.
“You need to rest,” Faith looked at Patience, who was obviously exhausted.
“Warren will take me home after the ceremony, so go,” Patience smiled warmly at Faith. “Next time I see your face, you better be Mrs. Faith Morgan.” Faith’s eyebrows rose and her eyes widened as she stood up -- being someone other than Faith Decker was going to take some getting used to.
When Faith stood, Patience gasped causing Faith to look down at her in concern.
“Look, your dress is spotless after all this,” Patience smiled up at Faith. “Praise God!” she giggled. Faith shook her head slightly and exited the small office.
When the door to the office opened, Hayes looked up from his hushed conversation with Warren. Faith looked a little disheveled but still radiant.
“Warren, you have another son,” Faith beamed at Warren who received a few pats on the back from the friends around him.
Chapter 15
“I guess I better go meet my son.” Warren couldn’t help but grin as he walked toward the office door. Faith and Hayes stood looking at each other, not quite knowing what to do next.
“Shall we proceed with the ceremony?” Mr. Baker asked with a kind smile.
“I suppose we shall,” Hayes agreed, offering his arm to Faith who took it with a smile as the two made their way to the front of the church.
When Reverend Baker finally pronounced Hayes and Faith as man and wife, Hayes stared into Faith’s eyes. His heart felt full with the fulfilled promises of God. He had prayed for a wife for so long and he knew God was answering his faithful prayers in Faith.
After the ceremony, Warren whisked Patience home to recover and those who had attended the wedding dispersed. Hayes and his new bride walked back home and upon reaching the sitting room, Hayes put a hand out to touch Faith’s arm. Faith looked up at him with an openness and joy that surprised him and filled him with hope.
“You’ve had quite a long day. First you were threatened by a strange man, then you delivered a baby, and then you were married. How are you feeling after all that?”
“I’m a little tired, but I feel good. Especially about that last part,” Faith grinned.
Without another second’s hesitation, Hayes pulled Faith close and leaned over until his lips met hers. He wrapped both arms around Faith’s waist and picked up her small frame as her soft lips melted against his. Hayes felt blissfully content.
Weeks later, as Faith washed the dishes and hummed softly to herself, she thought about how right her marriage to Hayes felt. She was finally free and the joy that filled her was stronger than she had ever experienced before. Hayes’s unabashed love for her always made her feel safe and wanted and it pointed Faith to the love God had for her as well. She loved caring for her home and her husband, and she spent lots of time with Patience and her boys.
With Patience’s encouragement Faith had decided to care for a few women in the community who were expecting babies, leaving past fears behind her and embracing life again. She felt full and she was happy.
Faith turned as the door to the blacksmith shop opened and shut again. In a moment Hayes’s arms were around her and she was receiving his sweet kisses. Then she noticed something in his hand.
“What is that?” Faith asked as Hayes hugged her tight.
“It’s a letter for you,” Hayes handed her the envelope. “Who’s it from?”
“I don’t know.” Bewildered, Faith opened the envelope and scanned for the name at the bottom of the letter. “It’s from Grace Knowles.” Faith had finally told Hayes the story of delivering Grace’s still-born baby, and of Rex’s fury and blame. She sat down at the table to read Grace’s letter.
Dear Faith,
It has taken me longer to write to you than I had planned, but please know that I think about you often. I heard the frightening news that Rex came to find you and I can’t tell you how sorry I am for his actions. I thought you should know that he left me when he found out I was with child again. Please don’t think too harshly of him. He is a good, honest man at heart but after the death of our first baby, Rex lost his way and took to the bottle to drown his grief. He became intolerable then and the news of another baby was too much for him to bear. I don’t expect you to feel pity for him or for me, but I wanted to reach out to you. I miss our friendship dearly and wish you were here with me now that my new baby has arrived. He is a healthy baby boy and I have named him Noah. I love him deeply, but I must admit that I’m frightened of being alone. I hope you are well, Faith, and have found peace and happiness.
Your friend,
Grace Knowles
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Faith stared at the words in disbelief. She never thought she would hear from Grace again, but now that she had, she wanted desperately to help her old friend. But how?
Faith pondered over the letter for a few moments before turning to Hayes, looking at her husband questioningly.
“Sheriff McCabe. He isn’t married is he?”
“Not anymore,” Hayes answered.
“Do you think he would consider marrying again? Perhaps a mail-order bride?” Faith’s mind was churning with ideas. Emmett McCabe was a very respectable man, honorable and brave, and perhaps just the kind of man Grace needed to start a new and happy life as Faith had done.
“I don’t know,” Hayes said with confusion. “Why, what’s happened?” he asked curiously.
“Grace is a wonderful woman, far better than Rex deserved. He’s left her and she’s all alone and needs a fresh start. I think Emmett could be just the right man for her.”
“Whistle Stop saves another lone damsel?” Hayes teased and drew Faith close.
“I don’t see why not. So far it has worked out pretty well for me,” Faith smiled up into her husband’s handsome face.
“Well, maybe we will have to talk to Emmett about it. See what he thinks. I’ll invite him over for dinner tomorrow,” Hayes said. Faith nodded.
“Poor Grace.” She looked back at the letter. “She deserves a better life than the one she’s been living.”
“Married to a man like Rex, I am sure you’re right,” Hayes agreed.
“She would do very well with Emmett. He’s a good man,” Faith said. “Like you,” she said softly.
Hayes brought a hand up and cupped the back of Faith’s head as he bent over to kiss her inviting lips. “I think I’m in love with you, Mrs. Morgan.”
“Well, you sure better be,” Faith teased. “Because I’m quite smitten with you as well, Mr. Morgan.”
Hayes scooped his wife off her feet and carried her into their tiny bedroom where they spent the afternoon celebrating their new found marital bliss.
The End
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Finding Faith
Copyright 2015-2016 © Jill Maguire
Prairie Wind Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted by any means - electronic, mechanical, photographic (photocopying), recording, or otherwise without written permission from the author/publisher.
Guarding Grace
Copyright 2016 © Jill Maguire
Prairie Wind Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted by any means - electronic, mechanical, photographic (photocopying), recording, or otherwise without written permission from the author/publisher.
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Table of Contents
Copyright
See What We’re Up To
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
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Copyright
Chapter 1
Grace Knowles bit her bottom lip nervously. Tears threatened to spill again, but Grace had become an expert at holding them back. Noah’s cries wrenched her from her anxious thoughts and back to the present. She went to his crib and picked him up, holding her tiny boy close as she nursed him. When his sobs turned to a peaceful suckle, it quietly began to soothe Grace’s worried mind. It had been weeks since she had sent the letter to Faith in Whistle Stop and although she checked the post anxiously each day for a reply, she knew the post would take much longer.
Grace could only wonder what Faith thought of her letter. In it, she had explained how Rex, her husband, had left her once and for all when he found out she was expecting their second child and how his departure had left her feeling utterly alone and distraught. Admittedly, a small part of Grace was glad to see him leave and she was sure Faith would feel the same -- especially after the way Rex had treated her, forcing her from her home. Grace had no idea what to expect in response from her friend, if any response came at all.
As she rocked Noah to sleep, Grace’s closed her eyes and recounted with horror the day her first baby boy was born with the cord wrapped around his tiny neck. Grace had been consumed with grief, rocking the still baby for hours, but Rex had replaced his sorrow with fury. He turned on Faith, blaming the helpless midwife for the baby’s death. He was relentless in his accusations of guilt, turning the entire town against her and eventually driving Faith away. He even went so far as to threaten her life.
Grace felt her stomach lurch into her throat. Faith had been a true and trusted friend, but Rex had destroyed everything. After Faith had left town, Rex turned to the drink to drown his own grief, leaving Grace’s spirits and hopes spiraling downward.
Grace also found herself the victim of Rex’s drunken rages and when she discovered she was pregnant again, she nearly collapsed with fear. She was fearful of her husband’s reaction to the news, but more so for her unborn child. What if the same thing were to happen again? What if the baby didn’t survive childbirth?
She tried to hide her blossoming belly from him as long as possible but when Rex finally found out about her condition, he became irate and left her. Grace mourned little for her husband; her life was more peaceful without him. But being without him meant she was on her own, forced to eke out a living however she could. She managed to scrape by on what she could, but she knew she could not carry on for long. Loneliness had engulfed her life.
Then her beautiful baby boy was born. Grace was surprised at the joy he brought to her each and every day and for the sake of her son, and for her own well-being, Grace decided she needed to make a change. That’s when she decided to reach out to Faith. Now, she waited, rather impatiently, and prayed that God would see fit to reconnect her with her old friend.
Grace finished feeding Noah and rocked him back to sleep. She suddenly felt inspired to check the post again. Perhaps today would be the day that she would receive a response from Faith. Grace bundled Noah up and walked with purpose to the small white building with the crooked wooden sign dangling from a rusty wire.
When Grace stepped up onto the porch, the postmaster met her with a warm smile. “Today is the day!” He held out an envelope to her and Grace’s heart almost leapt from her chest. Her eyes filled with grateful tears as she carefully took the letter from the old man’s hand.
“Thank you! Thank you,” she said before hurrying back down the steps. Grace tried to calm the thoughts racing through her mind and the tumultuous emotions erupting in her heart. She could not guarantee that there was an offer of sanctuary in the lines of this letter, nor even any helpful suggestions, but the touch of the envelope gave her an odd sense of hope. Grace walked home quickly and settled onto a kitchen chair with Noah sleeping in his basket beside her. She ripped open the envelope, took a deep breath, and began to read:
My dear Grace,
How good it is to hear from you! Though the contents of your letter fill me with sorrow, I am hopeful that there is a solution for you if you are willing to consid
er what I am about to offer. First, I want to share with you how much happiness I have found in Whistle Stop, though all of it came in the most unexpected ways. I was abandoned at the train station by my prospective husband upon my arrival in Whistle Stop, but that lonely path led to me to my husband, Hayes, and my dear friend, Patience. These are joys I had not imagined for myself when I set out in fear from my old life and the horrifying circumstances that ripped me from you.
Grace, I want you to consider coming to Whistle Stop. Hayes and I can provide shelter for you and your baby for a short time, as our house is quite cozy and we don’t have a lot of room to spare. Hayes has agreed that you would be quite welcome here. You can start a new life!
We will pay for your train ticket to Whistle Stop, but please be aware dear friend, that all of this comes with one condition. We would like you to allow us to find a suitable husband for you in our community. Don’t be afraid. We know the community here very well and I know we can find a wonderful man that will provide for, and protect, you and Noah. I hope you will come. I hope you will trust us and trust God that this is the right choice.
Let me know what you decide as soon as possible so we can make the necessary arrangements. I hope to hear from you very soon Grace.
Sincerely your friend,
Faith
Grace needed no more encouragement than this and hurriedly wrote back for Faith to send the ticket right away. Grace picked up Noah in his basket, carefully so as not to wake him, and set out for the post office again.
As she walked home after delivering her letter, Grace slowed her thoughts long enough to think about what she had just agreed to. The prospect of entering into another marriage, and with a man she didn’t know, felt frightening to Grace. Even in the best of circumstances it was hard to tell how a man really was -- Rex was a perfect example of that. In the beginning of their relationship Rex had been very sweet and loving and Grace felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Soon after they were married though, his true nature began to show itself. Rex’s temper flared up occasionally in ways that scared Grace and as time went on, his fits of rage occurred more and more frequently. Grace began to live in fear of her own husband and although there were still good times, times when Rex would revert back to his loving ways, Grace was in a constant state of terror and worry. Losing the baby had been the last straw, for both of them.
