A Heart's Blessing - Linda Ford Page 0,61

Delcie.

It would take time to win her trust and her heart, but he didn’t mind the idea. Every moment spent with her and the children was pure pleasure.

Delcie tucked the children into bed and sat with them, prepared to stay until they fell asleep. They chattered excitedly about the kitten until she hushed them. But it was good to hear them enjoying innocent childish things. So good. When they were asleep, she returned to the kitchen. Laura had her journal open and was writing in it. Hilda’s knitting needles were busy on a pair of mittens. Delcie brought her Bible and opened it to read a few verses. But she couldn’t focus on the words in front of her.

Her life had been so full of danger and adventure the past while. And now, finally, there was hope for a peaceful future.

“It’s good to know the children are safe,” Hilda said.

“And now you can think of marrying,” Laura added.

Delcie jerked her thoughts back from wandering down the memory of the past two days. “Marrying? Why would you say such a thing?”

Hilda and Laura glanced at each other and then returned their attention to their projects.

“Seems natural to think it,” Laura murmured.

“Doesn’t seem at all natural to you two.” Both had vowed to remain single. In fact, the four of them had felt that way. It was what bound them together in their commitment to move west and start their own business. Yes, Jenny had married, but then, she was young and pretty. They never expected otherwise for her. Delcie tried not to let the subject bother her so much. Tried just as unsuccessfully to block Ryder’s face from popping into her mind.

“We all agreed we wouldn’t marry when we headed out here.” She eyed the two, wondering what was going on.

“Hilda and I have our reasons for our decision and haven’t changed our minds,” Laura said. “But we don’t have a handsome young man next door who seems to like to spend time with us.” Laura surprised Delcie with her doggedness on the subject.

“Ryder? He’s made it very clear he would like to be considered a friend. That’s all. Though I appreciate how he has helped. And his affection for the children.” She clamped her mouth closed before she said more and revealed her confused thoughts.

Yes, she’d decided to trust him. Her head said he had proven himself. But her heart wasn’t ready to believe it. Like he said, it was hard to trust when she’d been disappointed so many times.

She forced herself to read from the Bible. But she couldn’t take in anything from the words before her. Restless in her spirit, she flipped through the pages. They fell open to a familiar passage. Numbers twenty-three, verse nineteen. ‘God is not a man, that he should lie…hath He not said, and shall he not do it?’ She and Sophie had marked the verse in their Bibles.

Delcie traced her finger over the selection. They had chosen that verse to encourage them during a particularly difficult time. Sophie’s husband had passed away. Alonzo had pretended an interest in Sophie, said he knew his brother would want him to take care of her and the children. Sophie had considered his offer of marriage until he let it slip that he meant to sell the children. When she said no to him, he turned threatening.

They had shared Bible reading time and come upon this verse.

“Even God knows you can’t trust a man,” Sophie had said.

“But we can trust Him.” Delcie remembered how easily she’d spoken the words. Because at that time, she still believed Robert to be good and true.

She stared at the words. Sophie had turned out to be more correct than she could know.

“I’m going to bed,” she announced. She closed her Bible and retreated. Thankfully, the others slept in a different bedroom, so they didn’t follow.

It would be foolish on her part to forget the lessons of her past. Friends with Ryder was all she dared allow herself. Mind you, it was all he had offered.

The next few days passed quickly. She helped in the café. Made dessert and peeled vegetables. Preacher Peabody no longer needed care but said he would stay until Sunday and leave after the service.

Saturday afternoon she decided to weed the garden. The sun was hot, but she needed to be alone. To sort through her thoughts that circled and buzzed like a fly on a windowpane. Why did what she secretly long for have to be