Rumors and Promises (42 page)

T
he heading read
“Mystery of Missing Piano Heiress.”
If Sophie believed that she could’ve felt her heart leap into her throat, it seemed possible at that moment. She read on intently.

Sophie barely contained her trembling. She folded the paper and returned it to its place on the desk. Then she wiped the smudges of ink from her fingertips onto her apron as though wiping blood from them. Stepping back, she turned and began spreading the fresh sheet over the mattress with shaky hands. Fiancé? Lead? The bile rose in her throat to think that Charles might have any idea where she was. She was so tired of running.

Fury almost crowded out the realization that her parents wanted to see her. But she wondered if her father still wanted to press her
into a union with the cold-hearted ogre who had pretended to care for her. Charles “heartbroken”? Only over the loss of marrying into money.

The other question was what to do with the paper. Had James marked the page for that article? Or another? Had
he
given Charles the lead? “No, it couldn’t be.” Sophie shook her head against such cynicism and suspicion. Perhaps Stone Creek was a bit too close to Detroit. Had a past acquaintance seen her? One of her father’s associates may have had business in the area, when all along she thought she was relatively safe.

What do I do now, Father?
Silence answered her. She waited, and as gently as a summer breeze rustling the leaves, in the tree outside the window, the words
Go to Ian; humble yourself
, impressed themselves on her heart. Sophie finished her work as fast as she could. She planned to splash some cool water on her face and change her shirtwaist, then go where she should have originally taken her concerns. The man she loved. Ian.

Sophie nearly ran all the way to the parsonage, having awakened the napping Esther to watch Caira. But when she reached the steps, Sophie stood still, gasping for breath. Ian hadn’t spoken with her in days. Would he even want to see her?

“Could you make some lemonade, Mother?” Philip’s voice carried through the screen door.

Sophie couldn’t quite understand Maggie’s reply perhaps from the kitchen. What made her think she would be welcome? She couldn’t imagine what Ian might have told his sister about her. The white clapboard house had been like a second home to her. She’d dared to hope these people might become her family. But did she belong here anymore? Though humid air enveloped her, she hugged herself and purposely slowed her breathing.

Ian pushed one foot in front of another as he made his way home from the church through the wave of heat. Deep in thought, he clasped his hands behind his back. He’d been avoiding Sophie completely since his conversation with Elisha, not sure where to take back up with her. Ian had definitely made peace with the Lord over the situation, yet he wasn’t sure how to tell Sophie the story. But hadn’t she finally trusted him? Given him everything by revealing her secret shame? He’d judged her wrongly. He owed her the truth of his own secrets.

Forgiveness was the order of the day. He didn’t want to avoid making peace with her out of misplaced guilt as he’d done with God for the past two years. Hopefully, he’d learned something. As Ian turned the corner onto his street, he saw the sweet form of his beloved standing in front of the parsonage.

Sophie turned to face him, her eyes widening. She stepped backwards and stood still, reminding Ian once again of a deer preparing to bolt.

“Sophie!” Ian picked up his pace, turning onto the flagstone path. “I’m so happy to see you here!”

She reached toward him, her posture growing more relaxed as he grew closer.

Ian took her hands into his, but it wasn’t enough. He engulfed her in an embrace, drinking in the lavender scent of her hair, the softness of her form against him. Her vulnerability overcame him, and he wanted more than ever to be her protector, her husband. “I’m sorry, dearest. I have been wrong.”

Her golden-brown eyes searched his face. “But I was wrong too. Whom else should I share my deepest sorrows with? And I realize now that what my mother told you put you in an awkward position. Still, I wish I’d known sooner.”

Ian shook his head and placed a finger on her alluring pink lips. “But I haven’t told you all of the truth. I have my own secrets and had no right to expect you to share all of yours when I wasn’t willing to tell you mine.”

“You, Ian?” Sophie continued to search his face, clinging more tightly to him. “I can’t believe a good man like you has anything in your past to hide. I was sure that my secrets would shame you. You are so perfect, so concerned about others.”

He moved his hands to grip her by the elbows with gentle firmness. “You must not think me unflawed. I’m a man, filled with faults, like any other. I let a young woman down—”

“Maggie mentioned something had happened.” Sophie bowed her head.

“What?”

“When you went to the home … you know … for fallen women. She didn’t say much.”

Ian’s ragged sigh hung on the humid air. He told her the story of the shortcoming that had torn at the fabric of his conscience and heart for the last two years. “And when they found Annie dead, it was obvious she was with child. I felt responsible for not one, but two deaths.”

Sophie’s eyes grew dewy. “But Ian, you’re such a kind man. You would never mean for anyone to be hurt like that. How could I ever judge you, with my own sin before me? I know I must eventually come clean of it publicly. I should have told you sooner.” She twisted an escaped ringlet of hair around her fingers, looking as sweet as an innocent little girl. “And you were there when Caira and I needed help the most.”

Ian hurt for Sophie, wishing he could have been there to protect her from the blackguard who had stolen her innocence. He clasped her delicate hands, with their long fingers, in between his. “When I met you, I confess you and Caira seemed like a project. I believed your story, but you seemed friendless and in need of charity.”

Sophie tried to tug her hands away, but he held them more secure. “But if I were honest, I would tell you there was more pulling at my heart than your situation. I could see the beauty you tried to hide, the loveliness of the person you are, your character as you cared for Caira. I know you meant no harm by your ruse. It took courage to confess, and I’ve waited and prayed for the moment you would tell me.”

Her crooked little half grin appeared. “I did need you, Ian, but

I didn’t appreciate your meddling charity at first.”

Ian chuckled in spite of himself. “I’m sorry, Sophie. Know that if anyone is a charity case, I am. You showed me how empty my life was without your love to fill it. And Caira sweetened the deal.”

Sophie leaned against him then, resting her head on his chest and despite the blistering air surrounding them, Ian held her closer.

“I’m frightened, Ian.” She shook.

“Don’t be afraid, dearest, I am here.”

“Caira’s father, Charles Warner, may be looking for me. He’s dangerous. And James Cooper may know my true identity.” Sophie pulled away enough to look earnestly into his eyes as she explained what she’d found in the young man’s room.

“We’re going to give this to the Lord, and we’ll weather this storm together.” He meant it. Somehow Ian had never felt so sure. The God who healed their hearts would surely protect them. He prayed aloud for them both. “Heavenly Father, you made us from the dust to which we’ll return someday, but right now this little bit of dust needs your wisdom, your help, and your shielding power from those who work against us. We need you to take our fears and give us courage … help us sort this out.” The Lord’s peace spread over Ian’s heart like a blanket. Of course, it didn’t hurt that the one he loved most dearly was close to being his.

After the Sunday morning service, less than a week later, Ian closed the heavy oak doors of the church behind him and strolled toward home. The gray sky threatened a thunderstorm in the ominous stillness of the humid air, which pressed on Ian. He hoped his visitors would arrive before the cloudburst.

A vision of Annie’s lifeless, cold body, washed up on the shore of the river chilled him for a moment. Did he really have the right to marry his beautiful, talented Sophie? But Ian shook it off. He remembered the encouragement that Elisha had given him to rest in the Lord and His forgiveness, as well as Sophie’s love and acceptance. Ian had been forgiven, but it was only after the head elder’s counsel and prayer that he had become free from crippling remorse.

How ironic that his desire to help Sophie and Caira had started partially because he felt that he owed it to God to help the downtrodden. This was a debt he could never repay. He had let both Annie and God down. Yet God had given him the desire of his heart and would never let him down.

“I will be the best husband and father I can possibly be, with your help, if you allow me to marry Sophie, Lord.” A light breeze stirred the moist air.

Maggie met him at the front door. “It’s about time you got home. Your company should be here any minute.”

“Yes, Maggie, I’m aware, but may I say that whatever you made smells wonderful?”

“Well, I wasn’t going to make a roast in this weather, but I did bake some biscuits to go with our cold ham and salad. And I made a blueberry cobbler for dessert.”

“I appreciate your hard work.”

Maggie dabbed her eyes with the corner of her apron. “As much as I’ve complained that you need a wife, I will miss taking care of you, and Philip will miss having a man around.”

“What are you talking about? We’ll still need you.”

“No, no. Sophie needs to be the lady of the house. I will gladly help her, but I’ve made arrangements for Philip and me to stay at Apple Blossom Cottage. Asa and Gloria have offered it to us. It’s a cozy place.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“No, I must.” She blew her nose on a clean handkerchief that Ian handed to her.

“With the fortune Robert left you, you could go anywhere.”

“I came to Stone Creek to be near family. You’re the only family we have. This will give me time to think about where I want to live. I’ll find my own house eventually.”

“And someone to help you care for it?”