Redeeming Gabriel (29 page)

“Wait a minute.” The sentry grabbed the near horse’s bridle. “
Magnolia Princess
is that way.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

“Yeah, but we got a delivery to make first.”

The sentry hesitated for an excruciating moment during which Gabriel desperately practiced his new-found prayer life.

At last the fellow stepped back, releasing the bridle. He cursed as he stepped into a deep puddle of water. “All right. Give the general my regards.” He executed an ironic salute and let them go.

A few minutes later, Camilla looked up. Her wet face was ashen. “I think I’m going to throw up.”

“We don’t have time. When we get outside the city, you can have all the hysterics you want.”

Camilla sighed and sat up. “If this is your idea of an adventure, I’m finding a new partner.”

Before they reached the western outskirts of town, Gabriel was required to show the pass three more times. Camilla had stopped shivering, but her anxiety and sorrow at leaving behind all she held dear had not faded. They were still not out of the woods, either literally or figuratively. Old Government Street had become a meandering track that skirted several miles of farms and pastureland, then gave way to pine and oak forest dripping in the rain.

Sometime around six o’clock the sun began to smear thick, oily shades of orange and crimson across the heavens, providing enough light to reveal Gabriel’s frowning profile. His worry tightened the knot in her stomach. They were still half a day from Pass Christian. Her prayers continued a familiar plea for rescue.

Lord, may we never forget where our help comes from.

Gabriel had stopped the wagon. Jolted from her thoughts, she looked around. The road was empty in both directions. Only the sound of birdsong broke the stillness. “What’s the matter?”

“I was going to wait until we reached Union lines, but I can’t…” He heaved a sigh. “Camilla, we have to settle something.”

Heaviness pressed on her heart. She’d known it was coming. Harry had warned her.

Gabriel’s a rolling stone. He’s got a way with women, and he’s brilliant at getting what he wants.

Yes. Better now than later.

She gave him a bright smile. “Oh, Gabriel, I know it was just playacting to get through the fix we were in. Don’t give it another thought.”

Those handsome brows pinched even farther together. “Huh. Well, maybe I should show you something before you shove me completely out of the boat.”

“Show me…what?”

He reached into his coat, removed a sheet of paper and unfolded it.

She plucked it out of his hand. “That looks like a page from Lady’s journal.”

He nodded. “It was folded in the pass Harry gave me.”

Camilla scanned the fragile sheet. “It’s a passage copied from the book of Ruth.” Puzzled, she looked up at Gabriel. “What does it mean?”

“It’s a cipher, the same type I used for my reports to Farragut. I think your grandmother must be the one who devised the code.” He licked his lips, his expression inscrutable. “It gives me new orders. But they…rather depend on you.”

“Me?” Camilla’s heart bounced. “Why?”

“I’m to escort you as far as New Orleans to wait out the war. Apparently the admiral thinks I’ll be more useful to the navy as a physician. I’m to complete my training at the medical college at government expense.”

“Ah.” She took a breath. “I’m thrilled for your opportunity, Gabriel.”

He swallowed, playing with the reins in his hand. “And she says if we spend a night on the road, we’re to report immediately to a minister and make our betrothal a marriage.”

Camilla stiffened. She couldn’t look at him. “Don’t be ridiculous. The conventions don’t apply in these circumstances. Not a soul in New Orleans will know or care if we’ve been together alone. I certainly won’t hold you obligated to protect my reputation. Please. Don’t give it another thought.”

“Camilla.” He wrapped the reins around the hook on the seat and caught her hands, warm in his. “I didn’t say what I’ve wanted to say. You know I’ve made a disaster of every chance I’ve had to tell you. Please, love, look at me.”

She shook her head and tried to disengage her hands. “It’s not necessary. Besides I’m already—”

“If you tell me you’re engaged to Harry one more time, I just may shoot myself.”

She looked at him, startled.

He smiled. “You and I both know your cousin is no more capable of keeping you from bolting headlong into trouble than Byrd can keep his mule from eating paper. At least if you accept me, the world may be a safer place.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but the diffident expression in those onyx eyes made the back of her nose sting. She looked down and twisted her pearl ring. “Lady really wishes us to marry?”

He shrugged. “Only if you want to.”

Why wouldn’t he grab her and kiss her as he’d done before? Why wasn’t he shouting that he loved her?

This entire procedure was too civilized. Too sterile.

She stood up. The wagon lurched as she leaped and landed lightly on her feet. She began walking toward Pass Christian.

“Camilla!” She heard springs creak behind her as Gabriel jumped to the ground.

She began to run.

“Camilla! Come back here!”

He caught her as she jumped over a puddle in the muddy road and hauled her back against him.

She pushed at his arms folded around her middle. “I wouldn’t marry you if you were Boaz himself!”

“Which is a good thing, since as I understand it, he was pretty taken with Ruth.” His hold gentled as he laughed in her ear. “Camilla, I adore you. I can’t make it through medical school without you. Please quit kicking my shins.”

She laid her head back against his shoulder. “Did you say you adore me?”

He seemed to catch on. He nuzzled her ear, and she went liquid. “I’m not an easy fellow to love, but it looks like the Lord has charged you with reforming me.”

Turning in his arms, she caught his face, rough with a day’s beard, between her hands. She stared into the dark eyes. “I love you as you are, Gabriel. I love your intelligence and your wit and the way you follow me into trouble. And I love the man the Lord is making of you.” She offered him her lips and came up breathless a minute or so later. “And I
do
want to marry you, if you please.”

He picked her up and carried her back to the wagon, kissing her all the way.

Dear Reader,

When my son Ryan was in the fourth grade, I chaperoned his class on a trip to the Museum of Mobile. Our city, settled by French explorers at the turn of the eighteenth century, has quite rich Colonial, Civil War and World War II histories. I’ll never forget staring at a replica of the submarine
Hunley,
the first known working underwater vessel. A submarine had been developed in New Orleans before the outbreak of hostilities between North and South, but it was scuttled when Farragut’s navy invaded the city. The Confederate financiers of the submarine moved their enterprise to nearby Mobile, Alabama, where the
Hunley
was successfully tested and eventually sent to Charleston, South Carolina. There it sank a Union gunboat—but because it got too close, it sustained enough damage in the explosion that it failed to emerge, drowning its crew. The
Hunley
was raised off the coast of Charleston in 2000 and is now in a conservation process supervised by the U.S. Navy and Clemson University.

Beyond the historical and technological fascination of the vessel itself, I became interested in the Civil War history of Mobile. There is, of course, a dark side—the evil practice of human bondage. I tried to imagine what it would be like for abolitionist Christians who lived during that time and would have faced the apathy and antagonism of their neighbors and family. For them and their black brothers and sisters it had to have been a time of testing, a time that demanded faith in God and hope in His eventual deliverance. As I read and researched, characters came to life and would not go away. Espionage, romance and spiritual quest…I hope you’ll enjoy the adventure.

Blessings,

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. When the story begins, Camilla turns eighteen years old and considers herself quite grown, capable of making decisions for herself. Did you find yourself sympathizing with her? Why or why not?
   
2. Which character do you find yourself identifying with most? Why? What is it about that person’s spiritual journey that strikes a chord with you?
   
3. Can you think of a modern equivalent to the issue of slavery? Do you see any similar justification for tolerating social evils? What does the Bible have to say about it?
   
4. Does reading a story about people of faith who have cultural “blind spots” toward social wrongs make you uncomfortable? Why or why not?
   
5. Gabriel’s desire to find and destroy the submarine is motivated by more than pure loyalty to the Union. What are his more selfish motivations, and do you think they’re justified?
   
6. Is there a clear villain in this story? If so, who would it be?
   
7. Have you ever had a “friend” like Fanny? What are some biblical strategies for dealing with people like her?
   
8. Camilla begins to fall in love with Gabriel before he surrenders his life to the Lord. How would you counsel someone like her? What does the Bible say about marrying an unbeliever?
   
9. At what point in the story did you see Gabriel beginning to soften toward God? What specific events or crises brought him face-to-face with his own sin and shortcomings?
   
10. As you followed Gabriel’s journey toward God, did you find his surrender to faith believable? Why or why not?
    
11. What were some unique elements of the setting that you particularly enjoyed?
    
12. Is the resolution of the story hopeful for all characters? Just for fun, predict what you think will happen to each one.
    

ISBN: 978-1-4268-2466-1

REDEEMING GABRIEL

Copyright © 2008 by Elizabeth White

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