Moonlight on the Millpond (37 page)

Seventeen

Jace looked out the window and noticed Maddie at the water pump. She pumped water into her mug and then stood outside to drink it. She drank three full mugs before she was done, and then Jace watched her hide the tin cup under the wooden partition that covered the mechanism.

Jace darted away from the window when she turned to come back inside. He didn't know why, but he was reluctant to be caught watching her. Clearly she had thought she was on her own.

Jace went so far as to go to the desk in the corner of the parlor and pull out his account book. He had some thinking to do and figured the best way to accomplish that was to appear to be busy. And it worked. Maddie came back inside, peeking around the corner at him, and left him on his own. Jace said nothing, but he did continue to think.

“A party?” Jace questioned.

Doyle and Cathy were sitting in the Randalls' parlor, and Cathy answered.

“Yes, a reception for the folks here in Tucker Mills. We spread the word.”

Both the bride and groom looked at her and then at each other.

“Are you all right with this, Jace?” Maddie asked.

“I was going to ask you the same thing.”

“It's fine,” Maddie said, hoping Jace wouldn't see how worried she was. They had things to work out. They were not a normal married couple right now. Would everyone at the party see that? Tucker Mills was famous for its nosy life on the green. Maddie did not want their marriage to be fodder for the gossipmongers.

“When were you thinking we would have this?” Jace asked, still wondering what he'd seen in Maddie's eyes.

“This Saturday night,” Cathy was pleased to announce.

“As in four days from now?” Maddie asked.

“Yes! We'll have it right at the house. We'll dance and eat for hours.”

Maddie was not overly thrilled with her aunt. Why had they not checked with them before telling everyone? She thought that if anyone would be sympathetic to the way they had been married, it would be her aunt, but clearly even Cathy thought things were rosier than they actually were. But what could she do? Word had gotten out, and folks would be coming.

Doyle changed the subject just then, and Maddie was somewhat pleased. There was no sense in fretting about the coming weekend. They would get through it one way or the other.

Maddie's gasp sounded in the room, and she almost sat up in bed. In the dream she'd fallen on the road, and a team of horses had been running out of control in her direction.

“Maddie?” Jace called to her, his voice rough with sleep.

“It was just a dream.” She had figured it out by then and turned on her side to go back to sleep. Jace was instantly asleep again, but Maddie lay there for a time, thoughts of death and heaven coming to her mind all over again.

Clara was still coming every day, and Maddie was suddenly glad of that fact. She especially wanted her to come tomorrow, because there was something important she needed to go into town and do.

“Well, Maddie,” Alison said with pleasure, opening the front door to her knock. “Come on in.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Muldoon. I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time.”

“Not at all. We heard that congratulations are in order.”

“Thank you,” Maddie said, hoping she didn't look as strained as she felt, but she was determined to see the only pastor who had enjoyed her questions. “Would Mr. Muldoon be available by any chance?”

“He certainly is. Let me get him from the office. You go right ahead to the parlor, Maddie.”

Maddie watched the woman walk away, realizing she was a good way along in her pregnancy. Maddie had not been aware of the Muldoons' pending arrival and then remembered she was new back in town.

“Hello, Maddie,” Douglas greeted, coming to shake her hand. “How are you?”

“I'm not sure,” Maddie admitted. “I was hoping to ask you some questions.”

“Certainly. Get comfortable and ask away.”

“I can't exactly remember what you said about heaven.” They faced each other across the room in their chairs. “Do you believe it's there?”

“Yes, I do,” Douglas answered.

“Why do you?”

“I'm glad you asked me that,” Douglas said, just like before. “I believe in heaven, Maddie, because I put such stock in what Jesus had to say. You see, I believe He's God's Son.”

I think so too,
Maddie thought to herself, just now realizing it.

“And Jesus Himself tells us that He came from heaven.”

“Where did He say that?” Maddie asked.

“In John 6:38. The verse says, ‘For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.' Now tell me, Maddie, why would Jesus make such a thing up? There would be no reason for Him to do so.”

Maddie thought for a moment and then admitted quietly, “He wouldn't. As you said, there would be no reason.”

“That's right. If you recall, I urged you to figure out what to do with Scripture. If you don't believe the Bible to be the very writings of God, why would you believe a word of it? Because I believe the Bible is God's Word without error, I can read those words said by Jesus Himself and know that they're true.”

Maddie nodded thoughtfully, feeling peaceful about the existence of heaven for the first time. Her face cleared, and she glanced around a bit. She seemed through with her queries, but Douglas was hoping for more information.

“Tell me something, Maddie. Are you afraid of dying? Is that why this subject troubles you?”

“No. I was baptized as a baby. I know I'll go to heaven, I just wanted to know for sure that it was there.”

Douglas felt his heart sink.

“I never baptized my children when they were infants,” Douglas told her gently, not surprised to see Maddie's eyes widen.

“You didn't?”

“No.”

“What about this new baby?”

Douglas shook his head no. “I can't find in Scripture where we're commanded to do so. The people we see being baptized in Scripture have made a decision for Jesus Christ. Jesus was baptized as an example to us, to show others that John's words about Him were true. Jesus was not baptized as an infant.”

Maddie looked at him a moment. “He wasn't, was He? I never thought about that until now, but He was baptized as a grown man by John.”

“That's right, and His example to us is huge. My three older children came to understand the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and repented to Him for salvation. Once that change occurred in their lives, they each desired to be baptized. They wanted to show others what they believed.”

Maddie nodded, but her look became distant. Douglas watched her, waiting for more questions to come, but she surprised him.

“Is this where you meet?” She was looking down the length of the parlor now. Most of the furniture was against the walls, and it struck her as odd.

“Yes, here and in the kitchen.”

“How do you handle pew rental?”

Douglas was reluctant for this change in topic but knew he needed to explain. “Actually, we don't have pew rental. Scripture teaches us to give of what God has given to us, so we leave all the giving to the hearts of the folks who worship with us. We don't charge people for coming to worship.”

Maddie had never heard of such a thing, but she thought to admit it might sound insulting. Instead, she decided to leave. After all, he'd been a great help.

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Muldoon.”

“You're welcome, Maddie. I hope we can talk again. I'd like to.”

Maddie was gone just seconds later, and Douglas stood in the middle of the parlor. Alison came to the door from the kitchen.

“I heard a little of it,” she said. “She's not ready.”

“No, she's not. I hope she won't be able to rest on the knowledge of heaven's existence, Alison. I hope she thinks more about where she's put her faith.”

“I'll pray with you, Dooner,” Alison told him, starting the moment he thanked her and went back to his study.

Jace could not have been more pleased to see his wife stopping at the mill. He watched her park the buggy and climb down to come inside, knowing he would never grow weary of the sight of her.

“Are you very busy?” she asked from just inside the wide double doors, not sure she should have stopped.

“Just getting things ready for the season. How were things in town?”

“Fine. I stopped and got the mail.”

Jace waited. There was something on her mind, and he wanted to know what it was.

“Jace, were you baptized as an infant?”

“Sure. Eden's told me all about it.”

“Did you know that Jesus wasn't baptized as an infant but as a grown man?” Maddie asked, still rather amazed.

Jace shrugged, “Maybe they did things differently back then.”

“But when did it change?”

“I don't know. I figure it's not that big of a deal.”

“But what if it is?”

Jace tried to remain tolerant. First it was heaven and death, and now she was worried about baptism.

“I don't know, Maddie. My sister has been studying the Bible lately. Maybe she would know something.”

“I got a letter from her,” Maddie remembered.

“What did she have to say?”

“I haven't read it.”

Jace nodded, not sure what else to add. He didn't have answers for her, and there was little he could do about that.

“I guess I'd better let you get back to work.”

Jace didn't try to detain her. He walked her to the buggy and helped her into the seat.

“Thank you.”

“Always a pleasure,” Jace surprised her by saying.

“What is?”

“Touching you.”

Maddie stared down at him, her heart squeezing.

“I think you might have made a terrible mistake in marrying me,” she found herself saying, but Jace only shook his head.