by Lori Wick
Charlie rose from the bed and stood clutching the front of her nightgown, not wanting to face what she had feared from the moment Patrick left town. She walked out to the kitchen on limbs that were stiff with dread, limbs that came alive with action when she spotted the note on the table.
Charlotte,
I’ve gone to Duncan’s. Hartley has been in touch, but he’s gone now. I’ll be home soon, so stay where you are. Stay out of the livery, and for my peace of mind, don’t even answer the door.
Sean
Charlie read the note through twice before running to the bedroom with plans to disobey her husband’s every word.
“About what time did you hear the noise?” Duncan asked Sean.
“It was just beginning to get light, so I guess around 4:30.”
Duncan consulted his pocket watch. “It’s been two hours; there’s no point in trying to track him now.”
“Do you think he’s hit the bank?”
“No. I’d have heard by now. You don’t seem overly surprised, Sean, that he was able to track you down.”
Sean’s eyes narrowed in thought for a moment. “I guess it’s because I know Hartley so well. I can’t say as I’ve ever felt that Charlotte and I were being watched, but the man has eyes everywhere, if you catch my meaning.”
“Connections?”
“Right.”
Lora put a plateful of food in front of each man, and Sean was opening his mouth to say he couldn’t stay, when all three heard a horse approaching at high speed.
Charlie burst into the kitchen without even knocking, her hand going to her mouth and her eyes closing in relief when she saw that Sean was all right. The young husband rose from the table and took her into his arms. They stood for a few moments in silence, unaware of the older couple watching them, and then Sean led Charlie to the table.
He put her in the chair next to his own and brushed a stray curl from her cheek. He spoke tenderly and without rebuke.
“I know you read the note or you’d have never found me. You also knew I wanted you to stay home and out of the livery.”
“Would you have stayed if I’d left you the same note?”
“No,” Sean admitted without hesitation, and leaned to press a kiss to her forehead.
Charlie still had hold of Sean’s hand when she began to calm down enough to look at the other people in the room. She looked across the table to find Duncan grinning at her.
“Good morning, Charlie.”
Charlie couldn’t help but smile back. “Hi, Duncan.”
A moment later she had her own plate of food, as did Lora, and Duncan was saying grace as though having people interrupt their breakfast was an everyday occurrence.
“Father in heaven, I thank you for this food and for Lora’s work; please bless our bodies this day. I would also ask Your guiding hand on our plans concerning Hartley. Protect us, Lord, in Your will, that we might glorify Your name. In Christ’s name I pray. Amen.”
Charlie ate and listened in silence as the conversation between Sean and Duncan continued. She learned that Sean had heard a noise outside at daybreak. He had gone out dressed in nothing more than his jeans to find Hartley standing by their well.
In the space of a few seconds Hartley told Sean that Rico had been killed in a bank robbery in Los Angeles, and Hartley needed to pull another job because he was out of money. He wanted Sean’s help to hit the Visalia bank.
Before Sean could make any reply, the two men heard noises on the street. Hartley left quickly, but told Sean where to meet him on Sunday night, only three days away, so they could make plans.
“He fascinates me, Duncan, because he seemed genuinely shook when he told me about Rico, and then he went on to tell me where I was to meet him, assuming I’d be a part of his gang again.”
Duncan shook his head. “He doesn’t fascinate Witt. Did you see which way Hartley headed?”
“No, he went around the house.”
“But this place where he wants to meet you is only about a 30-minute ride?”
“Right. He didn’t give me a time, so I’m going to head out when there’s still plenty of light.”
“You can’t be serious?” Charlie said softly, but no one acknowledged her.
“If he doesn’t show, I’ll leave him a note and maybe we can still trap him. I still can’t believe I went outside without the gun. When Witt finds out he’ll be furious.”
“You can’t be serious?” Charlie’s voice, although still an incredulous whisper, was louder this time and heard by everyone. Sean looked at her with great compassion and then explained softly.
“Duncan is not pushing me into this, Charlotte; I volunteered. Hartley would have hit the bank here whether I’d been with him or not, but the truth is, I was with him, and now I want to do something to bring him to the law.”
Charlie was silent. She stared at Sean as though seeing him for the first time. Without thanking Lora for breakfast or bidding anyone goodbye, she rose from the table and walked out the door. The Duncans and Sean stayed in their places even as they listened to her ride away.
“We’ll be praying for you, Sean,” Duncan finally said. “And if you change your mind, there will be no hard feelings. I won’t talk to Witt until I hear from you.”
Sean thanked both husband and wife after those words and went back to the livery to try to reason with his wife.
On their own once again, Lora rose from the table to pour more coffee for Duncan. She would have returned the pot to the stove, but he moved his chair out and patted his knee invitingly. Lora, never needing to be asked twice, sat in her husband’s lap. It had been their special way of cuddling since the day they had been married.
“What were you thinking just now as you poured the coffee?”
Lora sighed on the question.
“Don’t want to tell me?” he questioned as his arms settled around her waist.
“I guess I don’t because it means admitting how faithless I am.”
“Charlie,” Duncan said in instant understanding. Lora nodded.
“I know all about fears, Lucas, and if she would just turn to God, He would comfort her,” Lora said with tender conviction.
“You don’t sound very faithless to me.”
“My faithlessness comes when I see the complete lack of hope on her young face. She’s not the hard person I always believed her to be, but at times she seems so closed to spiritual matters.”
“We’ve got to look at how far she’s come already,” Duncan told her assuredly. “When you think how quickly they’ve made their situation livable, it does make you want to see it as the miracle of which Sean talks.”
Suddenly Lora hugged him back. “Thank you, Lucas. I needed to hear that.”
Still wrapped in one another’s embrace, they took a moment to pray, each thanking God for bringing the Donovans into their world and for whatever purpose He had in doing so.
thirty-five
Charlie had not touched or spoken ten words to her husband since leaving the Duncans. Sean tried to bring her out, but she refused to talk to him.
By Friday night Sean was at the end of his tether. He knew Duncan was waiting for his answer, and even though he wanted to please his wife, this was something he had to do. If only she would talk to him.
Sean pulled the double doors in the front of the livery shut and went to his wife, who was making an expectant mare comfortable for the night.
“Charlotte, can we please talk?” Sean had started the conversation just that way on many occasions, and as before, Charlie ignored him. But Sean had had enough. When Charlie moved away from him he reached for her, but Charlie had second-guessed him and begun to run. A second later she found herself tackled in a stall full of sweet-smelling hay.
She struggled under her husband’s weight, but he held her easily. In fact, he simply captured her hands within his own, buried his face in the side of her neck, and waited for her to stop struggling.
It took a little time, but
Sean began to feel the tenseness leave her body. The hands he held began to hold him back and Charlie angled her head so that she could kiss her husband’s forehead.
“Please don’t go,” she finally whispered.
“I have to.”
“Then let me go with you.”
“That’s out of the question.”
Sean heard her sigh. “Sean, I’m afraid you won’t come back alive.”
“I know you are,” Sean said simply.
Charlie fell silent again. “You’re not afraid of death, are you?”
“No. I’ve settled my eternity with God.”
Charlie began to struggle this time so suddenly that Sean let go of her. He watched in surprise as she sprang up and faced him, her hands doubled into fists at her sides.
“I wish someone would tell me what that means!” She was a picture of frustration, and Sean could only gawk as she turned and stormed from the livery.
All this time he had been expecting her to show interest in the things of the Lord, waiting for her to ask questions, when she hadn’t even understood what she had been hearing.
Sean would have liked to have taken a few days to pray over this new revelation, but he didn’t have time. Charlie was right; he might not come back alive. He had to be certain that Charlie understood before he left. Maybe she wouldn’t make a decision, but he had to map it out for her. He would start by apologizing for not explaining in the first place.
“Instead of working on your spelling words tonight, Charlotte, I’d rather we talked.”
“About Hartley.” Charlie’s voice was flat.
“No, about something more important than Hartley.”
Charlie looked over at Sean from her end of the sofa, only to find him watching her. She couldn’t take her eyes off him as he began to share.
“First of all I want to tell you how sorry I am that I haven’t explained my faith to you, and how sorry I am that I took for granted you would understand. I’d like to explain now, if you’ll let me.”
Sean waited for Charlie’s nod and then began.
“When I was four I memorized my first two verses from Scripture—John 3:16 and 17: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.’ I could say the words both frontward and backward but I didn’t understand that they applied to me personally until I was six.
“When I was six I began to notice for the first time that my sisters and I looked different from the Hawaiian children with whom we were growing up. I remember asking my mother about it, and she told me it was because we were from a different background. I, of course, wanted to know where all the other people like me were. When she explained, I then wanted to know why we even lived in Hawaii in the first place. When she told me that we were there to tell people about the love of Jesus Christ so they could believe in Him, I told her I’d never prayed and told God I believed in his Son.
“To my surprise she told me she had known that all along, but she never worried because she was certain that as soon as I understood, I would believe, and then I would make that step. She was right. We knelt right there on the sand, and I told God I was a sinner who believed He sent His Son to save me, and Charlotte, that’s what I was trying to do with you.
“I was certain that as soon as you heard the words from me or Pastor Miller, you would make a choice for Christ. I lost sight of the fact that I grew up hearing words like ‘saved’ and ‘eternal life,’ forgetting that not everyone understands.” Charlie was taking in every word, so Sean continued.
“I need to tell you why I believe. First of all, belief is a choice. One of the first acts of faith is believing that the Bible is God’s Holy Word, and that the words inside can be trusted and need to be obeyed.
“The Bible tells us that our life on earth is not forever; everyone’s physical body dies, but there is life after death. It also says that all men sin and sin separates us from God, but Charlotte, honey, I honestly didn’t know how to tell you any of this.
“I’ve been so afraid that you would think I was saying I’m better than you are, so I held back. I didn’t want you to think my love was conditional. Am I making any sense?”
Charlie could only nod, and Sean moved on.
“The Bible teaches that this life on earth is temporary, and following this life is eternity. I know you’re not certain that God is there, but I believe with all my heart that He is. And when the time comes for you to die you can either meet God as your Savior, as I will, or you can meet Him as your judge. If you meet Him as your Savior, then you will spend eternity in heaven. If not, then you will spend eternity in hell, separated from God. I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. That’s what I meant when I said that my eternity is settled.
“Should I die on Sunday, I know without a doubt that I’ll go to be with God. That’s why I’m not afraid. I’m not wishing that I’ll die, but I’m not afraid either. You can make that choice also, so you don’t have to be afraid, Charlie, for yourself or for me.”
It was the first time he had called her by her nickname, and it was said so tenderly that it made Charlie tremble.
“Please hold me, Sean,” she whispered.
Sean was more than happy to comply. He knew he had given her a lot to think about, and she obviously needed time to take it in. All he could do for the moment was pray that he would be there when she needed him most.
thirty-six
Charlie spent the night wrapped in her husband’s arms. Even in sleep she clung to him. In the morning, Saturday, Sean told her he had to meet with Duncan and Witt. Charlie was proud of herself when she didn’t argue or cry.
She walked over to Duncan’s with him. While the men talked in the kitchen, she stayed in the living room with Lora and tried not to think about the conversation in the other room. She wasn’t denying what was to come, but she didn’t think she could handle hearing plans that were certain to lead to her husband’s death.
“I want us to head out around 4:00. Since I’m sure he won’t be there until after dark, I’ve written a note to leave him. I want to play things my way, so the note tells him where we can meet again in a few days.”
“I still think we should go after dark,” Witt interjected.
“Then tomorrow night would be our only chance, and I don’t like those odds,” returned Sean. “My way is better. When he finally arrives, he will see tracks made by three horses and know that I’m not coming alone.”
Witt was frustrated. “Where is your meeting place for Tuesday night?”
“It’s only 15 minutes outside of town, but it’s far enough away from the bank that he will be lulled into a false sense of security.”
Duncan agreed wholeheartedly with Sean’s plan, and between the two of them they won Witt over to their way of thinking. The men continued to plan their actions of the next few days with careful precision.
Sean was the first to leave, and Duncan and Witt were able to discuss something that had been on both of their minds. When Witt finally left, Duncan sat down and wrote a letter to the judge who had sentenced Sean to hang.
Charlie tried to act normal at Sadie’s house on Sunday, and in fact fooled everyone at the dinner table except the man who loved her. Sean could see the strain in her face, and prayed that she would turn to God for comfort.
Sean knew his life on earth held no guarantees, so he didn’t dare tell Charlie he would be back. He was confident, however, that they would not see Hartley this day. Still, he said nothing.
In fact, they had barely said a word to each other on any subject when Sean realized it was 20 minutes to 4:00. With a heavy heart he moved toward the livery to saddle Buddy, their best mount. He dreaded leaving Charlie when she was so upset, but he could not for the moment see any help for it.
Charlie stood at the window as Sean tied Buddy’s reins to a tree li
mb and came inside. He wasted no words, but came directly to Charlie and took her in his arms.
“Charlie,” he again used her nickname, and she loved the sound on her ears. “If you find you have time on your hands in the next few hours, I want you to do me a favor.”
“Lora invited me over.”
“I know she did, and I could tell when you thanked her that you didn’t plan to go.”
“That’s true. What did you want me to do?”
Sean reached down to the kitchen table for his Bible. “If you stay here and feel restless, start reading in the book of John.” Sean turned to the first chapter and left the Bible open on the table.
“Take down a few notes if something confuses you, and we’ll talk about it when I get back.”
“Will you be back, Sean?”
“If it’s within my power to be here, nothing will keep me away.” Charlie thought she would drown in the emotional depths of her husband’s eyes.
“I love you,” he whispered before his lips covered hers. Charlie clung to him.
When they both heard the approach of other horses, they exited the house together. Sean climbed on his mount and stared down at his wife. He dragged his gaze from hers and stared out in the direction of the meeting place. A second later he leaned from the saddle and pulled Charlie up to his lap. He kissed her long and hard, and then set her back on the ground. This time he didn’t look in her direction as he heeled his horse and went with the other men.
Charlie paced for 15 minutes before she picked up the Bible and carried the precious Book to her bedroom. She lay down on the bed, snuggled into Sean’s pillow, and began to read the first verses.
Charlie made an effort not to get slowed down by unfamiliar words. Reading steadily, she came to John 3:16 and 17 and remembered Sean reciting them to her. Several times her eyes focused over each word before continuing.
Time ceased to exist as she read about Jesus and Nicodemus. Her eyes devoured the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman, and then on to the sick boy in Capernaum whom Jesus healed, sight unseen.
