Tracie Peterson (3 page)

Zandy recognized the longing in her question. “It isn’t so much attending church, although I can’t imagine being without Christians to fellowship with. It’s the love of God in your life. It’s being forgiven for all the wrongs you’ve ever committed. It’s knowing that you have a friend, a Savior, in Jesus Christ, and that you never have to be alone again.”

“Truly?” Pamela’s childish snobbery fell away for the first time.

“Truly.”

“And how can you be sure it will work for everyone that way?” Pamela asked sincerely.

“Look at Riley. God completely changed him. Riley was as hopeless as a human being could be, but God found him worth saving and didn’t let go until He had him securely in the fold.”

“I just don’t know,” Pamela said, shaking her head. “I’ve never heard tell of such things. I know from the talks we’ve had in the past that God is important to you and Riley. I remember your telling me about the peace God gives you but, Zandy, can He honestly take away the pain?” There were tears in Pamela’s eyes. “I hurt so much.”

Zandy smiled sympathetically. “I know. And, yes, He can take that pain away. Perhaps more important, though, is He will stay with you through the bad times. And, if you let Him, He’ll fill the void in your heart with peace and love that is born of Him.”

Pamela sobbed softly into her napkin and nodded her head across the table. “Then, do show me how I can be like you.”

“Not like me,” Zandy replied softly, “like Him.”

Three

T
he first of March roared in like a lion, and icy snows pelted everything in sight. The next day, the sun came out and melted the frozen wonderland until all that remained was a brown, muddy mess and the fervent hope of spring.

It was during this time that a letter was delivered to Zandy and Riley that caused them much concern. Burley Stewart, Zandy’s father and current mayor of Dawson, Colorado, wrote to tell his daughter and son-in-law that things were not as they should be. He cited complications with the miners and an onslaught of lawlessness that put him in fear of even letting the children walk to school.

Riley read over the letter, handing each page to Zandy after he’d finished. She, in turn, devoured the news with fear and apprehension for her family.

“This is awful, Riley,” she said, glancing up from the last sheet of paper. “Father says that a gang of outlaws continues to elude capture, and they’ve even harmed some miners in order to steal their silver.”

Riley nodded somberly, knowing full well what the letter said.

Zandy quickly finished reading and handed the pages back to her husband. “What are we going to do about this?”

“I don’t know.” Riley’s tone took on the weight of the world. “I’ve been unhappy for some time about the reports Burley sent. There has been a continuing downward spiral in the quality of our little community. While all mining towns have their share of disorder and lawbreaking, my heart tells me we shouldn’t be a part of it any more than we have to.”

Zandy waited for Riley to say more but, when he fell into a thoughtful silence, she eagerly picked up the conversation.

“Perhaps God is directing us to get out of the business of silver mining. Mining always attracts a rowdier group of citizens, what with the saloons, gaming houses, and such. Someone is always looking for an easy way to make money. The proof is in the fact that this outlaw gang seems to hold the town hostage at times.”

Riley grimaced and stretched his long legs before him. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully while contemplating Zandy’s words. “I think we should go to Dawson,” he finally said.

Zandy’s eyes lit up. Not because she wanted to see Dawson, Colorado, but because going would mean seeing her father and stepmother, not to mention her young siblings.

“I think that would be wonderful!” she exclaimed. “How soon could we leave?”

Riley smiled at Zandy’s enthusiasm for a family visit, but his heart was heavy with the conviction that he was contributing in a big way to the destructive lifestyle of Dawson. God had tested him sorely over the last year and a half and now it was almost as though Riley was being brought full circle. Once again, he had to face how the choices he’d made as a godless young man still affected his life.

“I see no reason why we can’t leave right away. Say, maybe in the next day or two. You do realize we may have to stay for some time? This isn’t the kind of problem that’s going to resolve itself overnight.”

“I’ll get us packed,” Zandy stated, brushing aside his concern, and hurried off to coordinate the effort.

❧

The trip was set for the day following the next. They would take the stage, then the train. Zandy figured they’d be in Denver by the end of the week, then another day on the narrow-gauge mountain railroad before they’d finally reach Dawson. It was hard to imagine standing in her Missouri home one day, knowing that within a matter of just a few days, she would be hundreds of miles away in Colorado. Modern progress was a wonder!

Pamela was devastated by the news when Zandy came over to visit her at the Charbonneau house. Claudia kindly agreed to watch over their home while they were away, greatly relieving Zandy.

Pamela sat in silence, toying with a long blond braid.

Waiting until Claudia had left the room for some trivial matter, Pamela asked suddenly, “Zandy, could I accompany you to Colorado?”

Zandy was so shocked at Pamela’s forward request that she could say nothing before Pamela continued.

“You know how I detest this town and, since my parents are determined to keep me separated from Bradley, why not add several hundred miles to that separation? I need desperately to get beyond these walls, and perhaps in Colorado I could forget about my heartache and start over.”

“Colorado is hardly a solution to your broken heart,” Zandy mused. “You would be more lonely than ever.”

“I would have your friendship to get me through, and maybe you could introduce me to some of your old friends there.”

Zandy had to smile at the remark. She had no friends in Dawson, save her family. In fact, the more she thought about how busy Riley would be with her father and how Ruth had their three-year-old daughter, Molly, to keep up with, the more Zandy thought it might be nice to have Pamela along for the company.

“I promise I won’t be any trouble,” Pamela said, taking Zandy’s hand.

“I never thought you would be,” Zandy replied. She wondered silently how she could talk Riley into allowing her to bring Pamela with them. “But how in the world would we convince your grandmother that such a trip would be in your best interest? After all, she’ll no doubt miss you terribly.”

Pamela smiled confidently.
“Grand-mère
will be happy for me to accompany you, especially if she knows that it will meet your needs.”

Zandy scarcely realized the deception Pamela was pulling her into as Claudia rejoined them.

“
Grand-mère
, Zandy was just telling me that she longs for a traveling companion on their trip to Colorado. I have offered her my services, but we thought perhaps it would be wise to seek your approval on the matter.”

Claudia narrowed her eyes slightly before turning to Zandy. “It is true that you wish Pamela to accompany you to Colorado?”

“I would very much enjoy her company,” Zandy answered honestly. “I would, however, still need to approach my husband on the subject.”

“I see,” Claudia remained thoughtful for a moment, then turned to her granddaughter. “I believe it would be a good thing for you to travel. As I said when you first arrived, you’ve seen nothing of the world and perhaps with a better view of it, you won’t pine away for that gold-digging dandy in Kansas City.”

Pamela grimaced at her grandmother’s reference to Bradley but then offered a sweet smile and nodded. “I know it would ease my suffering considerably.”

“Very well,” Claudia replied. “Alexandra, I’ll have a draft prepared to pay for Pamela’s ticket and travel needs.”

And so it was settled, at least as far as Pamela was concerned. Zandy, however, knew she had a monumental task ahead in approaching Riley and winning him over to the idea.

❧

The next day, Riley, Zandy, and Pamela boarded the stage for Kansas City. Riley hadn’t liked the idea of Pamela’s joining them but, because his mind was so preoccupied with the problems in Colorado, he gave in easily, only telling Zandy that should any problem result from the matter it would be on her head. Zandy wanted to comment on her husband’s words, but she was so relieved to have Riley’s permission to bring Pamela that she let the issue drop.

Pamela was elated and in a better mood than Zandy or Riley had seen her
since her arrival in town. Zandy could only imagine that the younger girl had contented herself with a change of scenery. Still, it didn’t stop Zandy from praying the trip would be a quick and easy one
.

It was not to be, however. A washed-out bridge made it necessary for the stage to detour, not once, but twice, and finally the road weary travelers picked up the train in Lawrence, Kansas.

Riley found the ride irritatingly slow and took to pacing from car to car on a daily basis. It was during one of his strolls that he happened upon none other than Horace Tabor, the infamous Leadville Silver King and newly elected legislator from Colorado. He had added to his notoriety, Riley learned in conversation, by divorcing his wife and wedding his mistress, Baby Doe, in a hotel ceremony in Washington, D.C. They were on their way back to Denver, where they would set up housekeeping and start their new life together.

Tabor was a likeable enough man with a drooping mustache and gray at the temples of his receding dark brown hair. His easygoing manner instantly seemed to put Riley at ease and, in talking, the men learned they had a great deal in common. Riley didn’t return to the ladies until nearly two hours later, and it seemed that when he did his heart had been lightened considerably. Tabor had a real interest in the town of Dawson. Perhaps, Zandy thought, he would offer them a way out of the dirty game of mining towns and outlaw gangs.

❧

Pamela’s sullen spirits could do nothing to spoil Zandy’s excitement as the train pulled into Dawson, Colorado. She hadn’t seen her family in over a year, and suddenly it seemed the most important thing in the world.

“Look, Riley,” she exclaimed, leaning across him. “There’s Father and Ruth!”

Pamela followed Riley and Zandy from the train to the loading platform and waited grimly while Zandy fussed over each of her family members.

“I can’t believe how Molly’s grown,” Zandy said of her little sister. “She was just a baby when I left Dawson. And just look at you,” she said, turning to her thirteen-year-old brother. “Why, Joshua, you’re nearly a man.” This caused the boy to swell with pride. In spite of his younger brothers’ laughter, he felt Zandy had bestowed a high honor upon him.

Eleven-year-old Bart and nine-year-old Samuel took hold of either side of Zandy’s wrinkled traveling dress and began tugging on her skirts.

“Guess what, Zandy,” Bart began.

“We had a bank robbery,” Samuel finished for his brother.

Zandy cast a worried glance at her father, while Riley barely caught the words as he returned with their bags.

“What’s this about a bank robbery?” he asked, coming alongside his wife.

“It’s true,” seven-year-old George exclaimed. “Those bad men rode into town just big as you please.”

Zandy had to suppress a smile at the little boy’s recitation. Her heart had always held a soft spot for George, as he had been the baby for four years before Molly’s arrival.

“George has that right,” Burley stated. “But they only managed to get away with several thousand dollars instead of the hundreds of thousands that had been there the day before. We had just decided at the last minute to send the money out on an early train to Denver, and it’s a good thing we did.”

“God was looking over us once again,” Ruth added. Molly began fussing at all the ruckus and attention, so Ruth motioned them to join her. “Let’s get out of the cold and head home for something warm to eat. I would imagine you all could use a good rest before we have much more conversation.”

Pamela had remained so quietly fixed in the background that Zandy had near
ly forgotten her. Noticing her blank stare as she surveyed the town around them, Zandy quickly reached out to pull Pamela into the circle of family.

“This is Pamela Charbonneau,” Zandy introduced. “She’s a good friend of Riley’s and mine, and I invited her to come along with us. I hope you don’t mind the fact that we didn’t let you know ahead of time that she’d be joining us, but we were so anxious to get here.”

“Any friend of yours is welcome,” Ruth said, shifting Molly in order to shake Pamela’s hand. “We’re pleased to have you. Fact is, it’s Riley’s and Zandy’s house anyway. We just take up space there and do our best to keep things running smoothly.”

“Don’t let her fool you,” Riley said with a grin. “This woman is pure organized energy. If you don’t believe me, just ask her husband.” Everyone, including Ruth, laughed at this, while Pamela forced a weak smile to her lips.

“I’m pleased to meet you,” she murmured and followed the entourage to their waiting carriages.

❧

Pamela was still miserable even after soaking in a hot bath and eating a hearty meal of the most succulent roast pork she’d ever tasted. She found herself in the company of Zandy and Ruth after the children had been dismissed to play. The housekeeper came and whisked Molly off for a nap, leaving the women to catch up on all the latest news.

“I knew Riley and Burley would be office-bound the minute you got here,” Ruth began. She poured tea for Zandy and Pamela before sitting down to her own cup.

“So did I,” Zandy remarked. “That was one of the reasons I was glad for Pamela’s company. This whole town mess has Riley completely consumed. His spirit is bothering him something fierce, and I know that God is trying to help him put it all in order.”

“Riley has certainly changed,” Ruth said, then glanced hesitantly at Pamela.

“Oh, Pamela knows all about Riley,” Zandy assured her stepmother. “In fact, it was Riley’s coming to God that gave Pamela the courage to take the same step.”

“Truly?” Ruth questioned, rather surprised.

Pamela ventured into the conversation only half-heartedly. “Yes. I felt moved by the things Zandy told me.”

“Pamela is having a most difficult time,” Zandy went on. “She had hoped to marry her young man in Kansas City, but her parents are rather overprotective and separated the two. They fear he’s just after Pamela’s inheritance.”

“But it isn’t true,” Pamela jumped in. “Bradley would never do such a thing. He loves me.”

Ruth smiled sympathetically. “I’m sure he does, but you must bear with your parents. We tend to fret and worry over our children, hoping and praying for the very best. I’m sure your mother is no different.”

“My mother is a snob, Mrs. Stewart,” Pamela promptly answered. “She is only concerned with what the Kansas City newspapers will say the morning after.”

Ruth was taken aback by the young girl’s bitter words, and Zandy tried to smooth the matter over. “I’m sure I’ll be just as protective when my baby comes.”

“What?” Ruth questioned. Her eyes widened in surprise. “Are you telling me what I think you are?”

Zandy smiled and nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! I’m going to have a baby in September.”

“Oh, Zandy!” Ruth exclaimed and set aside her tea to embrace the younger woman. “How marvelous. What did Riley say?”