The Parson's Christmas Gift (23 page)

December 1870, Montana

J
ourney stepped from the lukewarm water and toweled herself dry. She donned her dressing gown and brushed her damp hair back to dry in the heat of the fireplace. Tomorrow would be Christmas Eve, and the last of the patients had been sent home a couple of days ago. The epidemic had hit the town hard, but Doc Ferris thought it might have been worse. Another note of praise in the joyous season.

Curling onto the rocking chair—Miss Rose’s rocking chair—she thumbed her Bible open to read. She’d been working through the Gospel of John on Zane’s suggestion.

There was so much to learn, so much she didn’t understand. But each week she’d take her questions to Zane. And each week he’d shed more light.

She read for an hour, maybe more judging from the way the fire’s flames had subsided. She stood and stretched, then pulled on her long coat and twisted her hair under her shapeless hat. The bathwater would be cool enough by now to dump.

Dragging the metal tub through the back door, she tilted it into the snow. Her gaze scanned along the moonlit ridge as a shadowed form of horse and rider appeared on the rise above the kitchen. Zane.

She returned the tub to the pantry and buttoned her coat over her robe, then moved to meet him at the front door.

He pulled up short next to the porch, and she saw another horse tethered behind Malachi when Zane dismounted. He nudged his Stetson from his head just enough to peer up at her. “Evening, Journey,” he said.

“What brings you out this time of night?”

“I apologize for the hour. I meant to get by earlier but got called over to the Hamlers’ to help shore up the barn roof. Can we talk?”

“Do you want to come in?”

His eyes caught the light and a grin tugged on his lips. “‘Avoid every appearance of evil,’ Journey. I can’t. You come here.”

Her cheeks grew warm as she moved down the steps. She fished a crumbling lump of sugar from her pocket and offered it to Malachi, scratching his nose as he ate it. “I’m sorry I don’t have any for your friend,” she told the horse. “What’s her name?”

“Actually, she hasn’t been named yet,” Zane said, speaking of the mare. “That’s up to you.”

She turned to face him, almost knocking into his broad chest. She stepped back to a more comfortable distance. “What do you mean?”

“Merry Christmas, Journey. The mare is yours, if you want her.”

She looked at the sturdy little horse with surprise. “For me?”

He nodded. “I didn’t have anything ready at the time, but I do feel kind of responsible for your horse. I mean, there’s not a thing I could’ve done different to save it, but I felt bad that it had to be done, just the same.”

“I was angry at you for a long time because of that, you know.” She smiled, moving toward the tethered horse. Her honey-gold coat shone, brushed carefully over sleek muscles.

“Even yet?”

“No. There have been a lot of changes in me since September. But you didn’t have to do this. Homer’s mine now, I guess.” She shook her head, blowing softly on the mare’s nose. “I still can’t believe Miss Rose left this whole place to me. She was a good woman.”

Zane looked toward the barn and nodded in agreement. “That she was.” A moment passed. “I wanted to talk with you, Journey, about your plans.”

“Plans?”

“You know, now that you’ve been cleared of charges. Now that you’re free to come and go as you please without watching over your shoulder.” He shrugged. “I know you’ve been waiting for spring so you could move on. I guess it’s…well, is that still the case?”

She stroked the horse’s tawny hide. “I hadn’t really considered it much. I’ve been sorting through things, trying to move on without Miss Rose here. Learning more about God and what He wants from me. I’ve spent most of my life running from something or other, Zane. I guess I’m trying to learn how to sit still.”

“So you’re staying?”

She concentrated on the horse’s dark mane. “How important is it to you?”

His hand on her shoulder turned her to face him. He stared hard a moment, his gray eyes looking almost black in the darkness, then drew her close. Sweeping the hat from his head allowed the moon to create a halo of light on his brown hair. He ducked, tilting her chin so he could slip under the wide brim of her hat.

She closed her eyes as the warmth of his lips melted hers. Their pressure brushed along her cheek to her ear, into her hair as her hat slipped back, letting several heavy curls escape. He smelled of leather and wintergreen, filling her senses. Her body relaxed and she leaned toward him only an instant before he pulled away.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, but somehow he didn’t sound completely sincere. “This isn’t the order I meant to take.”

She squeezed his arms, pulling him in to kiss his cheek. “What are you saying?”

He smiled and placed his hat back on his head, adjusting hers as well. “I learned a lot since September, too. I learned that I love you more than I wanted to admit. I learned that I can do that without forgetting Sarah. I want—that is, what I’m trying to say is—”

“I love you, too.” She smiled, happy tears blurring her vision.

Zane laughed, a deep, rolling sound. “So now, for my Christmas present—will you marry me?”

Joy filled her. But…]“What about my past? There’ll be those who aren’t so willing to forgive as you. What will Mrs. Decker say? She’s had you picked for her son-in-law for a long time.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll preach a series of sermons on gossip and forgiveness, and we’ll work through it. Just say you’ll have me and that you won’t leave.” He gathered her in his arms and held her close. She heard his heart pounding at her ear, strong and true.

It felt like home.

“Yes,” she said. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

His arms drew her tighter, his chin caressing her head. Would she ever begin to comprehend God’s goodness?

She stood with him in the moonlight, happy in the love she felt. Never had Christmas meant more, knowing Christ’s heart, and that of this wonderful man. A sudden thought brought her back to peer into his eyes, teasing. “Why bring the horse? Is it a bribe?”

“Not exactly.” He sighed. “I didn’t want your not having transportation away from Walten to be an excuse for marrying me.”

She giggled. “You’re saying taking this horse and heading west might be a smarter option?”

“That could well be.” He laughed. “But she won’t love you like I do.”

His arms slid from her and she shivered in the sudden chill. His hand gripped hers. “So have you come up with a name for your mare?”

She hugged his arm, leaning against him as they looked the horse over together, standing under the light of the Christmas moon shining down over the crests of snow on the ridges around the ranch.

“I think I’ll call her Dweller, Zane. Because we’re both here to stay.”

Dear Reader,

Thanks so much for taking time during this busy, joyous season to read
The Parson’s Christmas Gift.
I hope you’ve been blessed by the reading, as I have been in the writing of it.

Journey and Zane both had to surrender their pasts to the Lord in order to find a new beginning with each other. What a blessing to serve the God of Second Chances (and Third, and Fourth…).

This is my first journey into the world of publishing, and I pray there is a long road ahead. I’d love to hear from you at [email protected].

In Christ,

Kerri Mountain

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Fear is a big motivation for Journey. In what ways is fear helpful to her? How does fear hinder her? Is there a place for fear in a Christian’s life?
   
2. What evidence do we see that Zane’s faith has grown through the death of his wife and child? How does this prepare him for the test of his faith with Journey?
   
3. Journey’s accident changes her very general plans of heading as far west as possible to a very specific set of circumstances that are unwanted. Can you think of a time where a bad situation focused your choices toward a better path?
   
4. How does Zane’s need to protect Journey initiate his attraction to her? How does that same protective nature cause him conflict when it is directed toward the town?
   
5. Journey agrees to help Hank because she feels she has no choice if she wants to protect her friends from her secret past. Is this true? How does she come to see that the Lord’s way is always best?
   
6. Zane is suspicious of Hank and his relationship with Journey. What place does a skeptical attitude have in a believer’s life?
   
7. Contrast Zane with Hank. How do they exemplify the two worlds Journey is caught between?
   
8. How do Zane’s dealings with Hank during his illness show not only his Christian compassion, but also his love for Journey?
   
9. How does Miss Rose’s influence serve to lead Journey toward a decision for salvation? What can we learn from her methods to help us bring others to Christ?
   
10. What are Hank’s redeeming qualities? What keeps him from accepting Christ? What do we learn about Zane in his decision to stay with Hank rather than follow after Journey?
    
11. How do Miss Rose’s final words serve God’s purpose for Journey and Zane?
    
12. What motivates Zane to give Journey a horse for Christmas? How does this deepen their relationship?