by Lilah Rivers
And how could he explain that God had turned that lie around and used it for good? So often in the Scriptures, God took people’s sins and their mistakes and turned them around. Sure, they had to pay the consequences, but he was still merciful.
Amos wanted to continue hiding. He didn’t want them to know that he had heard them because it would be so uncomfortable for all of them, himself included. He would have to face the consequences of the lie all over again.
He shuffled a little further into the corner.
“I don’t know, I just don’t think you can call yourself a man of faith and do something like that,” Randall said again.
But whatever temptation Amos had to hide, he knew it wasn’t wise. And listening to these things was hardly constructive.
Instead, he stepped out and revealed himself so that they saw him.
Randall and Dillon’s jaws dropped and they both looked at one another, red-faced and embarrassed that they had been caught.
For a moment, Amos simply stood there and let them see him. He wasn’t quite sure how to jump into everything he wanted to say. But letting them see him was a start.
“Oh-uh…we were just talking about a friend that we know,” Randall said.
“Please don’t lie,” Amos said. “It’s not good for anybody.”
Randall looked instantly ashamed, but Amos didn’t want him to feel bad.
“You’re both right. I made a huge mistake. I don’t deny that. It was a poor representation of my faith and it made me look bad. It ruined my reputation with the two of you and possibly others,” he said.
“I wish I hadn’t lied to you all, or at the very least that I had told you the truth sooner. I think for a long while I had already wanted to have a wife brought from England so instead of lying about it, I should have just done that.
“To be honest, I really care for Gemma and I think that God was merciful in bringing her to me, even if it was through such a stupid situation as my lie,” he said.
“I’m really sorry we were talking about you,” Dillon said.
“Don’t be. I’m glad you were. If I hadn’t heard that, I would have gone on thinking that we were all good and my consequence was over. I wouldn’t have known that you were both still thinking these things about me,” he said.
“But I have asked the Lord for forgiveness. Whether the two of you ever let go of my mistake is up to you. He has forgiven me and that is what matters most,” Amos said.
“You’re right. And we shouldn’t have questioned that,” Randall said.
“It’s okay. I’m not confronting you guys in order to scold you. I’m telling you that I understand I made a mistake and I want to undo it but I can’t. I can only be forgiven and move on. That is what I have chosen to do,” he said.
“That’s the wise move,” Randall agreed.
“But I really do mean it when I say that the Lord used this situation, my lie and my mistake, to bring a wonderful woman into my life. I am happy and thankful that God can turn around any man’s mistake like this. He brings himself the glory when he does that,” Amos said.
“I suppose he does,” Dillon agreed.
“So anyway, whatever the two of you think of me now, I don’t mind it. I have found someone who makes me so happy and I trust that God meant for us to be together, even in the midst of my errors and sin,” Amos said.
With that, he went to his little desk and got to work. He began with the papers that he needed to work on and then started on some calculations for a few clients.
There was a lot of work that needed to be done and he was glad that he was able to let go of the fact that he had heard Dillon and Randall that morning. He was not going to allow it to ruin his day, or his friendship with them.
Amos saw a few customers at the bank and handed them the various things that they needed, whether a form that he had put together or money that they were withdrawing. It was a normal day. A boring day, even. And one that he had chosen to see through with integrity.
By the time work came to an end, he was looking forward to going home and spending time with Gemma.
When he walked in the door, he went straight to the living room where she was sitting, chatting with Justine.
“You look happy,” Justine said.
“I am,” he replied.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“Actually, would you mind if I have a moment alone with Gemma, please?” he asked.
Justine smirked and nodded as she stood.
“I suppose I had better accept that I’m the sister living with a married couple and I gotta get out of the way sometimes,” she said.
“You know that I love my sister. But yes, sometimes she needs to get out of the way,” Amos teased.
Gemma was smiling at the two and their banter, but Amos saw that she was also anxious to see what it was that he wanted to say to her.
Once Justine was gone, he took a seat across from her and smiled.
“Gemma, I don’t mean to bother you and I’m sorry for interrupting your time with Justine,” he said.
“Please, think nothing of it. What is on your mind?” she asked.
“Well, I had a morning that could have gone pretty badly,” he said.
“Oh, no! I am so sorry. What happened?” she asked.
“That hardly matters. What matters is that it brought up the fact that we didn’t marry for the reasons that most people do and the fact that I told a lie in order to make people believe that we had,” he said.
“You have not put that behind you?” she asked.
“Oh, no. I have. But there are others who reminded me of it and I do not blame them. They have every reason to be annoyed by my decisions and the fact that I told them a lie,” he said.
“But you have been forgiven. Besides, what does it have to do with anyone else? Is our marriage not between you, me, and God?” she asked.
Amos’s heart warmed to hear her say that.
“It absolutely is. Thank you for keeping that in perspective. And I am not telling you all of this to make you feel sorry about the fact that others still have a problem with it. I am not bothered by that. What I mean to say is that it gave me an opportunity to tell them something else that is on my heart,” Amos said.
“And what is that?” Gemma asked.
“It is the fact that whatever lies brought us together, I am really thankful that my mistake brought you into my life. I know that we spoke about it some last evening, but I wanted to tell you that again because I really do care about you and I am glad that we are together,” Amos said.
He could see that she was happy, but Amos didn’t know if Gemma felt as strongly about the whole thing as he did. Did she appreciate God’s work on their marriage like he did? Was she happy? Was she thankful that, of all men, she was brought to him?
“Amos, I am glad as well. I thank the Lord for a husband who is humble and compassionate, generous and kind,” she said.
Amos was relieved. He looked at her and noticed that something was different.
“What are you wearing?” he asked.
Gemma began to laugh.
“This is the dress that Justine and I had made for me. So that I could look like an American,” she said.
The color was…different. It was something that Justine would wear, but not anything that he had ever imagined for Gemma.
“Well, you certainly do look like an American lady. I guess I’m just surprised,” he said.
“Do you like it?” she asked.
“I like for you to be comfortable. So if you like this dress, you should wear it. But I don’t want you to ever be ashamed of the gowns that you brought with you,” he said.
It was about as diplomatic as he could possibly be and he saw in her face an amusement.
“Anyway, I guess dinner is probably coming soon?” he asked.
“It is already prepared. We just need to warm it up a bit,” she said.
Daniel arrived soon after and they sat down to eat. Wh
en the meal was over, they all made their way back to the living room, the four sitting together with their Bibles open.
“Who wants to pray?” Amos asked.
Daniel opened them with a prayer of thanksgiving for their time together and for the love and happiness in the room.
Amos really was filled with both of those things. He could not be happier that God had brought everything to fruition and that his life was going so beautifully.
Everything was turning out for the good, and when Amos looked at Gemma, he realized that it really was love that he had been feeling for her all along.
As she had adapted to American society, she had grown more humble and peaceful, and that was something he had hoped to see in her. He still worried about her sometimes and hoped that she would be comfortable enough with him to tell him all of the things that were holding her captive.
But for now, when he saw the smile on her face and heard her talk about the Scriptures with his sister and his best friend, Amos was content.
After their time studying, he walked her up the stairs and to her room.
“I hope you have a wonderful night, Gemma,” he said.
“Thank you, Amos. I hope that you do as well,” she replied.
Amos reached out and gave her hand a soft squeeze. The look of surprise on her face almost took his breath away. But Amos turned and made his way to his own room, trusting that God would bring the two of them closer in his own timing.
Timing that he was more than willing to wait for.
Chapter 21
Gemma felt like she was floating. Everything around her, everything in her, her very skin. It was as though everything was aglow.
Humming a lullaby that her mother sang her as a child, Gemma was tidying up. She stacked a few books into a neat pile, since the three of them all enjoyed reading and were often reading more than one book at a time.
She put away some of her stitching, a hobby she had brought from England and was surprised to find was not a popular thing amidst her new American friends.
She spun about the room, delighted that she was able to enjoy herself. Everything was better than she had been anticipating. Her husband was starting to show his affections more, and Gemma could not deny that she was feeling strongly for him as well.
But whatever love she might be starting to feel, Gemma didn’t want to be foolish and throw herself into it all too quickly.
She had to give herself time and patience to adjust to everything. She had to remember that she could still lose it all if she was not careful.
Justine was in the kitchen, cooking lunch. Gemma could smell it and was starting to feel hungry. But Amos would not be home until closer to dinner and she would have to wait to see him until then.
She was no longer surprised by the fact that she was sad when she was not with him. She missed him.
Gemma heard the sound of a knock on the outer door.
“Come in,” she called, knowing that it was Justine.
“Hey there,” Justine said, somberly.
“Why did you bother knocking?” she asked.
“Well, I…uh…” Justine said, trailing off.
Gemma eyed her and as Justine pushed fully through the door, there they were. The unmistakable roses. A new bouquet that must have only just arrived.
Gemma took in a ragged breath and then clenched her jaw tightly.
“Where did these come from?” she asked.
“I was going to ask you that very same question,” Justine said.
Gemma glanced away, ashamed and horrified that there were more flowers. But nothing was stronger than her fear. She knew that there was a note. There was always a note.
“Gemma, you need to be honest here. What is going on? Who are these roses from?” Justine asked.
“May I see the note that accompanied them?” Gemma asked.
“You know for sure there is one?” Justine asked, her hand on her hip and an eyebrow raised in accusation or, at the very least, suspicion.
“There is always a note,” Gemma said, her voice dull and forlorn, near to giving up.
Justine handed it over.
You can run from an admirer, but he will always find you. And he will drag you back if he has to. Do not make him angry.
Gemma handed the note to Justine once she had read it, gesturing for her to do the same.
Justine’s eyes grew wide and upset by the words that she was reading.
“Gemma, who would write such a disturbing note to you?” she asked.
“There is only one man that I know of who would do this. Only one man has ever sent me flowers and they are always accompanied by a mild threat. This threat is not so mild, however,” Gemma said.
“What man? Who would do this? Who is threatening you?” Justine asked.
Gemma released an anxious and tight breath from her lungs.
“His name is Lord Linton. He is the very man my parents arranged for me to marry, the one they insisted that I wed. It was to escape him that I came to America,” Gemma confessed.
“What do you mean?” Justine asked.
“He was always very threatening and cruel. A horrible man. I never wanted to marry him and he has a dreadful reputation among young ladies in London,” she said.
“Is he this cruel and threatening with everyone?” Justine asked.
“Only the young women he has courted. Many of them escaped his clutches and some were even believed by their mothers and fathers. But I was not. He was very clever, you see. I was unable to escape his clutches because I was not believed,” she explained.
“But if the other young women were believed by their parents, why doesn’t everybody know about him already? Doesn’t he have a bad reputation?” Justine asked.
“Sadly, no. You see, he is wealthy and titled. Men like that may get away with nearly anything. They may do as they please and no one will stop them because they are able to cover their lies or convince others that they may benefit somehow by staying quiet,” she said.
“How? How would they benefit?” Justine continued in her questions.
“By having him as an acquaintance, they may be seen as better or higher in their own esteem,” Gemma said with a shrug.
“I can’t believe a system like that exists. Don’t get me wrong, there are class divisions here too. But for someone to be able to buy everyone off and escape being known for who they really are when they are such a bad person? I didn’t know that something like that was even possible,” Justine said, shaking her head in dismay.
Gemma scoffed.
“Possible? That is the entire functioning of London,” she said.
“Then I guess I understand now why it is that you ran off and left it behind. It sounds absolutely horrible,” Justine said.
“Yes, I suppose is it. But, alas, here I am. I made it to the Americas and now I am married and have you as a friend. I am happy. I only need to ensure that I can escape Lord Linton,” Gemma said.
