A Truth Revealed (The Heart of Cheyenne #3)

Chapter 16

16

Laura barely slept that night. She wrestled with the idea of her birthday gift belonging to Will’s sister and found sleep impossible. By morning, she knew she would have to face her father and ask him about the necklace, but when she came down to breakfast, her father was already gone for the day.

“He said he had some important business to tend to, Miss,” Rosey told her after pouring her a cup of coffee.

Laura added some cream and slowly stirred. The aroma of the nutty brew did nothing to soothe her as it usually did. She took a sip and found it bitter in her mouth.

Rosey left and returned with a plate of eggs and bacon, as well as a rack of toast. Laura had no appetite, however. She could still see the strained look on Will’s face from the night before. What a horrible shock. How terrible he must have felt.

How had it all happened? There had to be an answer to why her father had possession of the necklace. Throughout the night, Laura had considered so many possibilities, but always it came down to the fact that her father had lied to her. He had told her he had the necklace made for her.

Nothing about him had turned out to be as she expected. She had believed him to be a stellar individual who always told the truth and, despite not wanting a relationship with God, maintained a godly sort of presence. Although, as she sat contemplating that very thought, that didn’t make sense either.

Father had never tried to pretend that he was a man of God. Even in letters, he had made it clear that he blamed God for his woes. Laura had always tried to defend God’s position. She had found God to be her only comfort. To contemplate Him taking her mother in the heartless manner her father declared it to be threatened Laura’s serenity.

“I really know nothing about him,” she murmured, still holding the coffee cup close to her lips. She sighed and finally put the cup down.

How could Father have come into possession of the necklace?

“Miss, Mrs. Murphy wants to confirm that the ladies will be coming at precisely eleven,” Rosey said.

Laura looked up to find the woman standing just across the table. She nodded. “Yes, eleven. We’ll serve them luncheon in here upon their arrival, then retire to the front room for our sewing.”

“Yes, Miss. Curtis has already set up the table and chairs.”

The anticipation of seeing her friends was the only thing Laura could find any joy in. Confusion was holding her hostage, and with her father already gone, she had no way to resolve the situation. Laura briefly considered going to the store to confront him but knew that would be inappropriate. She was upset, and her questioning would only serve to upset her father as well. It would keep. Her decision was further confirmed when Rosey brought her the paper.

“I thought you’d want to see it for yourself,” Rosey said. “The president didn’t pick your father to be the governor.”

Laura read the headline announcing John Campbell would be the first territorial governor of Wyoming. She knew her father would be livid, but it didn’t matter. She still had to get answers as to how he ended up with the necklace.

In the meantime, Laura decided to share the matter with her friends. Granny Taylor always said that sharing the load made it easier to carry, and Laura felt as if the weight of the world were on her shoulders. If she told the women about the situation, they would pray with her, and Laura knew that would offer comfort and peace of mind.

By eleven, everything had been prepared, and Laura had donned a simple but fashionable gown in which to receive her friends. Marybeth and Carrie arrived first. Carrie held a little basket and showed it to Laura like a prize.

“Dis is my sewin’,” she said with great pride.

“How nice,” Laura replied. “I’m so glad you could join us.”

“I’ve just started her on learning to sew a straight line. She’s always wanting to do everything I’m doing, and I figured before the baby arrived, it might suit us both if I started teaching her to stitch,” Marybeth said, placing her larger basket on the table by the door.

“I think you are very wise.” Laura helped Carrie take off her bonnet and little cloak. The child was very polite and cooperated in every way as Laura unfastened her buttons. Just as Carrie slipped out of the wrap, she whirled around and wrapped her arms around Laura’s neck.

“Tanks you.”

“Good girl, Carrie. It’s always good to thank someone when they help you,” Marybeth said as Laura battled not to topple over.

As Carrie let her go, Laura straightened. “It’s not any trouble. Here, let me assist you with yours.” Laura reached over and helped Marybeth with her cloak.

“I woke up feeling particularly huge,” Marybeth said, rubbing her stomach. “I think the baby is starting to drop.”

Laura looked at her swollen abdomen and nodded. “It does look that way, although Granny spends more time with you and would probably be able to judge that better than I.”

“I hope I’m half as wise as Granny is when I’m her age,” Marybeth said, reaching to take back her basket. “There isn’t anything she doesn’t know. At least I’ve not found it yet.”

“She’s probably delivered her fair share of babies over the years. I learned midwifery at college, but I’ve only helped deliver one baby.”

“That’s one more than me,” Marybeth replied. “I never thought of a school teaching such things.”

“They wanted women to have practical educations.”

Just then, a light knock at the door drew their attention. Laura quickly received her guests and found the others had come together.

“I’m so glad you’re all here.” Laura helped them inside. Once the coats, gloves, and hats were dealt with, she motioned them to the front room. “Everything is ready for us. Feel free to set up your place for sewing.”

“Miss Laura, luncheon is served,” Etta announced from the doorway.

“Well, perhaps just leave your baskets and we can set everything out after lunch.” Laura hadn’t expected the announcement quite so quickly, but when she glanced at the clock on the mantel, she saw they had already kept Mrs. Murphy waiting fifteen minutes.

“Tell Mrs. Murphy we will shortly be assembled in the dining room.”

The ladies made their way to the table, and as had happened before, Etta offered to take Carrie with her to the kitchen where she could eat separately and the mess would be easier to clean up.

“We saw that your father didn’t receive the appointment to governor,” Granny said.

“I’m sure it is a disappointment to him, but I haven’t had a chance to even see him this morning.” Laura shrugged and gave a little shake of her head. “Let’s pray.”

Prayers were offered up, and Laura waited until the soup course was served before saying anything about her troubled heart. She had intended only to ask the ladies to pray for her to have wisdom in dealing with a pressing matter, but Granny wouldn’t hear of such an abbreviated request.

“I knew from the minute I came through the door that something was troubling you, Laura. Why don’t you just share it with us while we eat?”

“I didn’t want to cause anyone discomfort. It’s not a pleasant topic.” Laura looked down at her soup.

“Does it have to do with the governor’s position?” Granny asked.

Laura put down her spoon. “No. Something happened last night. I’m so disturbed by it that I can hardly make sense of anything.”

Everyone stopped eating and looked at Laura.

She lowered her voice and leaned in. “I don’t want the staff to overhear.”

“Perhaps it should wait until we are assembled to sew,” Granny suggested. “There’s more privacy there.”

“I agree,” Faith said, nodding.

The other women did likewise, and Laura leaned back. “Of course you’re right. We’ll wait.”

Luncheon was rather hurried and silent after that. The women seemed to understand the urgency of the matter, and when it was suggested that dessert be served after sewing, everyone agreed.

They adjourned to the front sitting room, after which Laura dismissed Rosey and closed the pocket door. Thankfully, Carrie was still busy eating in the kitchen. Laura joined her friends at the table, wondering how they would receive her story. No one had even bothered to retrieve their sewing.

“My birthday was on the tenth, and my father gifted me a locket.”

Laura omitted the details of their dinner and went right to her visit with Will. As she concluded with the basic details, Granny held up her hand.

“The obvious question is, Have you spoken to your father?”

“No. I had hoped to approach him on the matter but had no opportunity. He wasn’t here when I got home last night and was already gone this morning when I came down to breakfast.”

“Then fretting over it and making supposition here won’t do a bit of good. Matter of fact, I’ve seen far more harm come from taking up a subject and imagining all the bad possibilities without any of the actual facts. I suggest we pray for comfort and resolution, but that we don’t waste our time trying to figure out what happened. When your father comes home, sit down first thing and ask him what you need to know.

“But don’t do it in anger or accusation. Simply explain what you know—how Will recognized the piece. Don’t make a fuss over the fact that he lied to you about having the locket made. You can discuss that later,” Granny continued. “What’s important is to find out where he got it.”

“I agree with Granny,” Melody said, rubbing her stomach.

“Well, there is one other thing I wanted to ask,” Laura said, looking at each of the women. “Should I give the necklace back to Will? I feel like that would be the right thing to do, but I don’t want to cause him even more pain.”

“I don’t think it would cause more pain,” Marybeth answered. “If it belonged to my sister, I would want it back.”

The others nodded, but it was Faith who spoke up. “I wondered what was going on with him. I expected him to be happy when he returned last night because I knew he’d seen you. Instead, he went straight to his room and hadn’t come out by the time I left this morning. He didn’t even join us for breakfast. No doubt this has been very upsetting to him.”

“I’m sure it has left him overwhelmed,” Laura replied. She gave a heavy sigh. “Poor Will. It seems the worst is still upon him.”

“Let us pray,” Granny said, bowing her head.

Will sat staring at the wall. He’d never even gone to bed. He couldn’t have slept if he’d wanted to. He kept seeing Sally’s necklace hanging from Laura’s neck. Why did she have it? How had it come into Granite Evans’s possession?

A knock sounded on his door, and he glanced at his pocket watch. It was nearly two. He got up slowly and went to see who it was.

He opened the door just a bit. “Yeah?”

“Will, it’s Reverend Cather. I stopped by to see you, and Mr. Cooper said you weren’t feeling well.”

Will opened the door a bit more. “He’s right. I’m under the weather.”

“Could I come in and pray with you?”

“I don’t know if that would be a good idea. I ...” Will let the words trail off. He wasn’t physically ill, at least not in a sense that would infect the man. “Come in.”

He backed away from the door, and the reverend entered. Will motioned to the chair, then went to sit on the edge of his bed.

“What seems to be wrong, Will?”

“Everything. Just when I think I’ve managed to get my heart and mind back on the right track, something comes along to send me careening off the rails.”

“How can I help?” the older man asked.

“Besides praying for me, there’s nothing you can do to fix it or help me.”

He had tormented himself all night, imagining the necklace being torn from his sister’s throat. Had she still been alive when it was taken, or had the thief pulled it away after shooting her in the heart? Had there been blood on the tiny gold links? On the heart-shaped locket?

“I’d say prayer is the best of all we can do for one another, Will.”

“I want to believe that too.” He put his hands on either side of his head and squeezed. “I can’t get the terrible images out of my mind. I keep thinking of how it happened.”

“The death of your loved ones?” the pastor asked.

“Yes. That and ...” He heaved another sigh. “Something happened last night, and it brought everything to the forefront once again.”

“Would you like to talk about it?” the reverend asked.

Will looked at him for a long moment. “Not really, but I suppose it might help.”

After the pastor had gone, Will felt a little better. He knew he needed to speak with Laura’s father. If anyone could answer his questions, it would be that man. Only he would know how he came by the necklace.

But what if he didn’t know the origins? What if the necklace had changed hands many times? What if the Indians had traded the things they stole to someone else, and then that person had brought it to Granite Evans? Or they might have sold it to another store, and Evans, needing a birthday gift for Laura, had purchased it from them.

Laura.

He thought of how frightened she’d looked when she’d run from the woodshop. Will had caused that fear. He knew he hadn’t been able to mask his shock. He had been so happy to see her. He was finally to a place where she stopped reminding him of his mother’s and sister’s deaths, and then the necklace had ruined it all.

A part of him wished he could go to her first and offer an apology, even comfort. But frankly, Will wasn’t sure he had anything to offer. He went to the window and raised the shade. It was a beautiful spring day outside, but even that couldn’t cut through the darkness in his soul.

“Why, Lord? I know I keep asking that question. I’ve asked it since I first got here and couldn’t seem to coordinate with the government. I just wanted to serve You, but nothing would come together. I’ve asked You why over and over these last few weeks, and You remain silent.”

Will’s eyes went to the billowy white clouds overhead. “Where are You, Father? You feel so far away. I thought I’d found my way back. I felt Your presence when I prayed, but right now I feel alone again.

“I don’t doubt Your existence. I don’t even doubt that You have a plan in all of this. I guess I just doubt ... No, that’s not even the right word. I just feel like it’s all too much. You’ve required too much of me. Given me more than I can handle.”

Give it to Me. It was as if an audible voice spoke in his head.

Will closed his eyes and heard the words again. Give it to Me.

“I want to, Lord. I want to turn it all over to You. I want to trust that You will show me the way—that I won’t bear any of this alone.”

Will leaned against the wall. He felt so weak, so depleted of any real strength. He dropped to his knees.

“Take it, Lord. I give it to You.” He thought of Jesus on the way to His death, carrying His cross through the streets of Jerusalem. Even He had needed help.

“I can’t carry this alone.”

Laura looked at the clock for the tenth time in as many minutes. It was nearly nine o’clock. Soon she’d have no choice but to go to bed and wait until morning to speak to her father.

But she didn’t want to wait. Didn’t feel that she could wait. This was far too important to let another night pass without answers. Where was Father?

She needed to see her father and hear him tell her the truth, but he was nowhere to be found. After the women had finished sewing and went home to get supper on the stove, Laura went to the store, hoping to find her father in his office. But he wasn’t there, and no one seemed to know where he was or when he’d return.

Then she made her way to his men’s club. There she was told in no uncertain terms that women were not allowed to bother the men once they entered the walls of their sacred club, and the doorman could not tell her if Granite Evans had taken refuge there. She gave the man a dollar, at which point he told her that her father had been there earlier but now was gone. She hoped it was the truth but couldn’t be sure.

There had been no other choice but to return home and await his arrival. But what if it turned out to be another late night? What if he decided his business dealings were so important that he couldn’t come home until the wee hours of the dawn?

Laura paced in front of the fireplace and looked again at the clock. She had to speak to him. She had to have answers. This was a matter of greatest importance. Will had a right to know how the necklace had gotten into Granite Evans’s hands.

And Laura had a right to know why her father had lied.