Lanterns and Lace

Chapter 24

Early the next morning Jenny grasped the brass knocker and lightly rapped on Grant’s door. She could barely contain her excitement. She, Jennifer Elizabeth Martin, was an official child of God, and she felt grand. Simply grand. She’d read a Bible Casey had given her until nearly four this morning.

The Psalms were like fine poetry, and the Gospel of Luke reminded her of the stories Grandmother Martin used to tell her and Jessica. Except they weren’t stories. These were true, historical accountings. Jenny’s toes wiggled in her buttoned shoes. She had to tell Grant the news before she burst.

Maybe she’d come too early. She blinked to ward off the sleepiness while invisible slivers of wood held her eyes open. The hour couldn’t be much more than seven o’clock. But she’d been here before dawn when Mimi gave her cooking lessons. Of course, Mimi expected her then. She refrained from pounding too hard for fear of waking Rebecca. The last thing she wanted to do was to annoy Grant or Mimi. A feeling of foolishness crept over her as though she were a child excited about a new adventure. She turned to walk back to the boardinghouse, but the big door slowly opened.

“Jenny?” Grant said, obviously surprised to see her at the early hour. He stood with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand. “Is something wrong? Are you ill?”

She smiled broadly. “No, something is very right.”

He swung open the door, and she saw a grin spread across his face. He looked much like a sleepy little boy, his hair still tousled . . . rested . . . much too handsome.

“And what is very right?” He gestured for her to come inside.

“Do you want to guess?”

He hesitated and studied her face. “From the glow on your face, I think our prayers have been answered.”

“They have, Grant. I’ve come to Jesus.”

“Praise God. Praise God!”

Both of them began laughing, and her merriment brought dampness to her eyes again.

“When did all of this come about?” he said.

“I spent yesterday with Casey, and after hearing her story, I realized God brought me here for a special reason. She prayed with me. I never knew I could feel so peaceful.”

Grant’s smile extended to his voice. “And you look utterly radiant.”

Jenny took a deep breath to control emotions that threatened to drown her words. “I have another important piece of information for you.” Her pulse quickened with what she must say.

He closed the door behind her, and they walked toward the dining room with its rich oak furnishings.

“I’m waiting,” he said. “But I don’t think it can be any better than the news you’ve already given me.”

A blend of sadness and seriousness sped through her body. “I’ve said this before, but I want to say it again because I mean it with all my heart. I don’t want to take Rebecca from you. Not now or ever. I’m truly sorry for all the heartache I’ve caused you, Mimi, and everyone else.”

“And I apologize for upsetting you all those times,” he said. “I despised the quarreling. Truthfully, I never thought I had a temper until recently.” His green eyes were soft, tender.

She covered her lips to muffle a laugh. “I have a bit of a temper myself. Goodness, I’ve been incredibly selfish, but I will try so very hard not to put myself before others. I’m afraid it will take some time.”

“There’s a lot I liked about the old Jenny. I’m a firm believer that the small things in life are what we learn to appreciate the most.”

Jenny felt a peculiar sensation as she contemplated his words. She didn’t really think it had anything to do with her lack of sleep or her newfound faith. But for now, she’d be content to wait. She hoped that wasn’t too difficult to learn considering her upbringing contradicted everything she’d just adopted as her own.

“Do we have a visitor?” Mimi bustled into the dining room with a huge bowl of oatmeal and plopped it on the table. “Good morning, Jenny. My, aren’t you up early.”

“Yes, I guess so. I have something to tell you.”

“She has wonderful news,” Grant said.

Mimi struck her familiar pose: tilting her head and resting her hands on her hips. “Well, Jenny, you certainly look happy.”

“I gave my life to Jesus.”

Mimi hurried around the table and hugged her close. “Oh, we’ve been praying for you.” Tears flowed freely between them. “Now, you must stay for breakfast.”

“I really couldn’t impose. I’ve done enough of that.”

The older woman shook her silver head. “Nonsense, of course you can. We have cause for a real celebration this morning.”

“I agree.” Grant laughed. “You could help me get Rebecca up, and after breakfast I can walk you back to the boardinghouse.” He paused for a moment. “Which reminds me, I do want to discuss a matter with you.”

Jenny took a deep breath and hoped the news was good. Perhaps Aubrey had been apprehended. “All right, I’ll stay. But I insist on helping you with Rebecca and Mimi with breakfast—as long as I don’t have to cook anything.”

“Amen,” Mimi said.

The three laughed, and for the first time, Jenny understood the delightful sensation of belonging to a circle of friends. It was most pleasant indeed.

After breakfast Jenny and Grant took a leisurely stroll to the sound of singing birds and the gentle brush of a southerly breeze, not yet the stifling heat sure to come. A light, almost dizzy sensation attached to her heart.

“Jenny?” Grant began.

“Hmm, yes?”

“Would you consider moving in with Mama and the reverend?”

She glanced up and met his gaze. She laughed. “Absolutely not. I don’t mind the boardinghouse.” She refused to mention Aubrey Turner’s name. The day was too glorious to ruin it with a questionable character.

“I know, but living at the parsonage would be homey—and safe.”

She nodded, thrilled at the sound of his caring voice. “I don’t doubt that living there would be wonderful, but I’ve already paid for my room through July.” She glanced up at a cloudless, crystal blue sky. “It’s really all right. I don’t venture out in the evening, and I keep a careful watch for anything suspicious. Soon Ben will have the situation resolved, and I do have my revolver.”

Lines creased Grant’s brow. “I worry about you. Turner could easily take it, and then where would you be?”

“Thank you for your concern. But I’m perfectly contented.”

“We must plan a time to examine Jessica’s journal.”

She’d nearly forgotten the money. “Of course. I don’t want the money for myself. I’d like for it to go to Rebecca.”

“You are much too generous.”

Grant’s unexpected words warmed her heart.

“Thank you.”

“I’d still like for you to consider moving in with Mama and the reverend.”

She giggled, so totally unlike her with all the proprieties of a proper lady. “I’ll think about it, but I already know my answer. Now if God wants me out of the boardinghouse, then I’ll go.”

Grant nodded, but the tiny lines around his eyes and a slight frown stayed for the remainder of their walk.

*****

Once Grant left Jenny at the boardinghouse, he made his way to Ben’s office. A thought had occurred to him this morning—a wary thought. But before he approached Ben on the subject, he wanted to simply enjoy Jenny’s news. His prayers had been answered, and with the news came another realization. He was free to pursue her without any guilt or thoughts of displeasing God. All the crazy dreaming and lingering on images of Jenny now had meaning. They could share picnics and long walks, plan for the future, and have a purposeful life. He was free to tell her of his growing love. He could tell the whole world if he felt like it. But according to Mimi, everyone knew anyway.

He and Jenny could someday have more children who’d have their mother’s huge dark brown eyes. What a magnificent life they’d have. With all the frightening events going on in Kahlerville, he could protect Jenny for as long as they lived. Love had cast a peculiar spell on him. Some days he floated on clouds, and other days he wore gloom like a pair of spectacles.

Grant drew in a deep breath. Mindless dreams had taken over him. She no more cared for him than a cat took to swimming. To make matters worse, the idea of courting Jenny scared him to death.

I’m a fool. Never did have much sense when it came to love.

He shook off the pesky thoughts and opened the door to the sheriff’s office.

“Take a walk with me,” Grant said to Ben.

“A walk? We have privacy right here in my office. It’s already near a hundred degrees out there.”

“But I do my best talking when one leg is firmly planted in front of the other.”

“What’s this all about?”

“Our friend Turner and dear Mrs. DeMott.”

Ben’s brow rose. “For that I’ll concede to a walk in this heat.”

Grant forced a smile. Another reason why he wanted Ben out of his office was to observe how weak he’d become. With Bonnie due any day with their third child, maybe Ben would look into his failing health. If it wasn’t already too late. He wondered how his frail sister would manage on her own. But he didn’t want to dwell on that at the moment. God had the power to heal, and his was a praying family.

“What’s got you all fired up this morning?” Ben chuckled. “I saw you walking Jenny. Are you feuding less and lovin’ more?”

“Very funny. If you have to know, she found the Lord.”

Ben startled. “That is good news. I’ll be sure to tell Bonnie.”

“How is she doing this morning? When I saw her yesterday, she complained from the moment she walked through my door until she left.”

“Big as a barn and anxious for this baby to get here. But you didn’t haul me out here to talk about Bonnie.”

“No. I have a few serious things bothering me.”

The two men walked toward the opposite end of town—away from Martha’s Place.

“I’m ready to listen,” Ben said. He started to say more, but the nagging cough interrupted him.

Grant would not comment on the cough. It would only rile Ben. “Remember when Jenny said that late one night she heard Turner and a man talking outside her window?”

“I sure do. A skunk woke her up. Do you have an idea who that man was?”

Grant nodded. “And I think you do, too.”

“I could about swear on it.”

“Have you talked to him?”

“Started to yesterday when I was at the bank, but Sylvia showed up.”

Grant jammed his hands into his pockets. “I’ve seen him with Martha plenty of times when I’ve treated the girls—and that’s just between you and me. I wonder how he’s kept it from Sylvia all these years.” He shrugged. “She probably ignores it.”

“If it leaked out, Sylvia would kill him.”

“I imagine so. Do you think Turner knows more about Lester than that he’s keeping company with Martha?”

Ben tipped his hat at a passing wagon. “My guess is yes. But I’ve got to figure out what.”

“Besides destroying his marriage, losing his position as deacon at church, and folks taking their money to the next town, what do you think it could be?”

“Something big enough for him to take up with the likes of Turner,” Ben said.

“Enough to burn down a man’s business?”

“Possibly. I’ve considered Lester’s gambling, his fancy house and clothes, the trips he takes by himself . . . and Martha’s boys.”

“I delivered those children.”

“Was Lester around?”

“What do you think?”

“He and Sylvia don’t have any children,” Ben said as though thinking aloud. “Martha is a demanding woman.”

“And Lester is a demanding man. I think I should talk to her, since I know those boys belong to Lester,” Grant said.

“What do you know about the law?”

“About as much as you do about doctoring, but I figure I have a brother-in-law who could tell me what I need to ask. And Martha likes me more than she does you.”

Ben laughed. “We both know the truth in that. Martha despises me, so it’s a deal.”

What a web of deceit existed in their small town. The admittance both saddened and angered Grant. Before, he had ignored Martha and Lester’s business, but in the event of Turner creating one mess after another, he’d have to do what he could to stop it.