A Basket Brigade Christmas (29 page)

Sarah arched her brows. She could think of nothing he would share with her that he wouldn’t tell their parents. “What is it?”

“I met a young corporal who is a patient at the hospital in Chicago. We met at a chapel service there.” Samuel reached into his pocket and withdrew the locket. “He gave me this.”

Sarah stared at the necklace, unable to believe her eyes. “My locket! I’ve looked everywhere for it.”

“It appears the clasp is broken. One of the men on the hospital train found it and gave it to Corporal Curtis. I believe you know him quite well.”

“Jacob? You met Jacob?” She reached for his hand, unable to contain the urgency swelling in her chest. “Tell me. Where is he? Did he receive orders sending him to the front?” One after another, the questions spilled from her lips until her brother finally waved her to silence.

“I’ll answer what questions I’m able to, and Jacob can answer the rest when he arrives in Decatur.”

“He’s coming here? So he wasn’t sent to the front?”

Her brother chuckled. “How can I answer if you continue asking more questions?”

“All right. I promise I’ll be quiet. Just tell me what you know.”

When he’d completed the brief tale of their meeting in the Chicago hospital, Sarah smiled. “I’m so glad that he found the locket and recognized you. It’s astounding that the two of you met. He’s wonderful, isn’t he?”

Samuel smiled. “He seems like a fine man who is growing in his faith, and I believe he loves you very much.”

Warmth spread through her when he spoke those words. She had believed Jacob loved her, but when he’d disappeared without a word, she’d begun to doubt his intentions. Her brother’s confirmation of Jacob’s love gave her comfort. Yet why hadn’t he sent word?

“Whenever Jacob wasn’t going to be on his regular route, he would always send a note with one of the other soldiers so that I wouldn’t worry. This time, he didn’t send word. I’ve been so worried about what happened to him, and I don’t understand why he didn’t send a message. I’m sure there must have been opportunity for him to do so during the past few days.”

She stared at her brother, hoping he would give her some explanation. While she could understand Samuel’s inability to communicate with his family, Jacob had only an ankle injury. He could still write a note.

“I think you should talk to Jacob about that. If all goes as expected, he should be on the train the day after tomorrow. I think he can better explain his reasons.”

Sarah had hoped for more, but she wouldn’t pursue the matter. Her brother didn’t like to be pushed.

“How are plans for the Christmas musicale? Does Miss Evans have everyone hard at work practicing their parts?”

The sudden change in topic affirmed the fact that the subject of Jacob was now closed.

When Jacob arrived at the station two days later, Sarah was eagerly awaiting him. His crutches had been replaced by a cane. He’d attempted to convince the doctor he didn’t need either but had lost the battle. His heart swelled as Sarah rushed toward him, and in spite of the many passengers on the platform, he wrapped her in a warm embrace.

“I’m so happy to see you. I didn’t expect you to be here.”

She lifted her face and looked into his eyes. “I’ve met every train coming from Chicago since the day after you left Decatur. I knew you’d be on one of them. I just wish it hadn’t taken so long or that I would have known that you were in the hospital so I wouldn’t have worried.”

A pang of guilt stabbed him and he nodded. “I know I should have sent word. I’ll explain everything.”

Sarah clung to his arm as they crossed the platform and entered the station. “I have the buggy waiting out front. I didn’t want you to have to walk far.”

Her thoughtfulness touched him. He didn’t deserve her kindness. He didn’t deserve her trust. He didn’t deserve her. Since his talk with Samuel, Jacob had spent a great deal of time in thought and prayer. While he knew he was soon going to tell her about his past betrayal and his recent confusion and pain, he had hoped to wait for just a little longer. He had planned to enjoy a short reprieve and delight in her presence before telling her why she hadn’t heard from him. But she was eager for answers to countless questions, and she shouldn’t have to wait any longer.

He leaned heavily on the cane as they crossed the station and walked outside to the awaiting buggy. A light snow had begun to fall, and Sarah tipped her head back, looked toward the sky, and stuck out her tongue. “I love to try and catch snowflakes on my tongue. When Samuel and I were children, we would sit on the steps outside the bakery doing this. Eventually the customers became familiar with our antics and didn’t think we were sticking our tongues out at them.”

Jacob chuckled and then stopped and stuck out his tongue. He waited until he felt the dampness of a snowflake before he closed his mouth. “I’m not sure I’d have had the patience to do this when I was a child. I was more interested in making snowballs and tossing them at my friends.”

“I must admit we had our share of snowball fights, too.” She pointed to his leg. “Since your ankle isn’t completely healed, are you expected to return to Cairo before Christmas?”

“No. The doctor released me from the hospital, but he signed orders that I couldn’t return to duty until after the first of the year. Even then, I have to be examined by one of the military doctors in Cairo before they’ll let me return to my duties on the hospital trains.”

“So you’ll be here with us for Christmas? How perfect it will be to have both you and Samuel at the table for Christmas dinner.”

“I’m not so sure you’ll want me at the dinner table once you hear what I have to tell you.” His voice caught when he saw the fear that shone in her eyes. “We need to go somewhere quiet where we can be alone.”

“Well, home won’t work because I know my parents and Samuel are eager to visit with you.” She hesitated a moment. “We could stop at the church. Choir practice doesn’t begin for another hour.”

Jacob nodded. The church would be the perfect place for him to reveal Laura’s betrayal as well as the recent fears and jealousy he’d harbored since receiving her locket. He’d already confessed and received God’s forgiveness. Whether Sarah would be as understanding remained to be seen. He’d done his best to prepare himself, but if Sarah walked away, he’d need every ounce of faith he could muster to carry on.

The church door creaked when Jacob pulled on the handle, but once they slipped into a rear pew, the building was eerily quiet. Sarah folded her hands in her lap and turned toward him. Detecting her fear and apprehension, he resolved to keep her waiting no longer.

As the story unfolded, he maintained a close watch on her. She pulled back when he revealed what he’d thought upon seeing the soldier’s picture inside the locket and disclosed that his bewilderment and jealousy had taken hold. “I didn’t send word because I didn’t know what to say or think when I saw the picture inside your locket.”

Jacob went on to detail all that Samuel had said in the chapel meeting at the hospital and how the message had impacted him.

“Even when I still thought Samuel was your beau, I asked God to forgive me, and I promised to accept whatever plans He had for my future. I know I don’t deserve your understanding, but I’m begging you to give me another chance.”

For several moments, Sarah remained quiet and seemed to consider all he’d told her. “Knowing what happened to you with Laura helps me understand so much of what’s happened between us. I wish you would have told me before now. It also explains your confusion and lack of trust when you saw Samuel’s picture in the locket. Still, I thought that you knew me better and believed me when I told you I didn’t have a beau.”

He bowed his head. “I know I’ve wronged you, and I apologize. If you can’t forgive me, I understand.”

Sarah reached forward and lifted his chin. “I forgive you, Jacob. I want to build a future with you, and I believe that what began as only a pinch of love will continue to grow if we are careful to leaven our union with truth and love. Please promise me there will be no more secrets.”

“You have my word.” He leaned forward and lightly kissed her lips. “I love you, Sarah. You’re the best Christmas gift any man could ever hope for.”

On Christmas Eve, Sarah, Jacob, and Samuel hurried off to the station to help prepare for the arrival of the hospital train. Sarah and the other ladies of the Basket Brigade had taken unusual care to prepare their best treats for the soldiers they would serve on this evening.

Along with sandwiches and kettles of soup and stew the ladies filled their baskets with jars of jams and jellies, a variety of cookies, and the oranges that had been specially ordered by Silas Tait. Bright red and green bows adorned the basket handles, and a few of the ladies even tied small bells to their hampers. Lucy Maddox and her group of ladies arrived with knitted socks, scarves, blankets, and quilts. Many of the items had been wrapped in brown paper and tied with colorful pieces of leftover yarn. They’d almost completed their preparations when Zona Evans and members of her singing group arrived and gathered on the platform where they would entertain the soldiers with Christmas carols while the Basket Brigade boarded the train with their food and gifts.

Excitement pulsed through the depot when the train chugged into the station and squealed to a stop. Though the doctor would not have approved, Jacob insisted upon helping Sarah deliver food to his regular car. He didn’t know any of the wounded soldiers, but feelings of gratitude assailed him as he walked through the car handing out food and delivering cheer where he could. Gratitude that he’d been assigned to this position; gratitude that he’d met Sarah; and gratitude that God had forgiven him and directed his steps toward a future with Sarah.

After completing their deliveries, they stepped back to the platform and listened as the carolers continued to sing for the men. When the train whistled to signal the departure, looks of wistfulness shone in the eyes of soldiers who had gathered near the windows. All of them remained on the platform until the train was out of sight.

Once inside the depot, Jacob reached for Sarah’s hand. “I have a special gift for you. I’d like to give it to you this evening rather than in the morning, if that’s all right.”

Sarah grinned. “I’ve never liked to wait to open presents.”

Jacob led her to the far side of the depot to the small alcove where they’d first kissed, and he reached into his pocket. “I hope you like it.”

Sarah gazed at the small box that had been tied with a thin piece of red ribbon. Instead of the gift, Jacob stared at Sarah. He wanted to gauge her reaction when she opened the gift he’d so carefully chosen for her. When she lifted the lid and withdrew the heart-shaped locket pin, her lips curved in a huge smile, and her eyes shone with delight when she momentarily looked up at him before snapping open the locket.

“I was hoping I’d discover your picture inside. It’s a wonderful gift, Jacob. Now I can keep both you and Samuel close to my heart.”

He nodded, somewhat embarrassed by her praise. “I didn’t have time to have it engraved, but I’ll make sure there’s an inscription before I go back to Cairo.”

“And what words have you planned?”

“To my future wife.”
He grinned. “Would that be acceptable?”

“That would be most acceptable.”

He leaned down, wrapped her in a warm embrace, and captured her lips with a kiss to seal their future.