Shadow of Hope: Book 4 - Shadow Series (3 page)

BOOK: Shadow of Hope: Book 4 - Shadow Series
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She asked herself how she really felt about Gavin.  He wasn’t as handsome as Miles, but he did have dark, mysterious eyes, and a mustache and goatee.  He was a quiet, serious man.  She felt drawn to him, mainly because he reminded her of her father.  How she missed her father! The way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, or rubbed his temples when he was in deep thought, or the way he spoke with thoughtfulness—all of these were things she noticed in Gavin, as well. Gavin never wasted words or spoke unless he had something to say, and there was little small talk where he was concerned.  They also had something in common, as they were both teachers.

 

Jonas, Caleb and George all took Zoe to the manmade pond behind George’s house. They’d hand dug it years ago where they’d discovered a spring that ran under the ground, and they’d enjoyed many hours of fishing and swimming through the years. 

Jonas stood, waist deep in the pond trying to teach Zoe how to swim.  Caleb and George had taken a dip earlier and were now sitting on the small dock George had built for fishing, giving Jonas pointers on how to teach Zoe how to swim.

Zoe was a fast learner in everything he’d ever tried to teach her, except for swimming. She just couldn’t seem to get her hands and feet to move differently at the same time, no matter how hard she tried.  If she paddled her hands, her feet didn’t, and if she paddled her feet, her hands didn’t.

Ivy came down, and sat on the dock and dangled her feet in the water. 

No one saw the intruder watching through the bushes.

 

Chapter 3

 

 

Violet needed a distraction for the summer, so she took over caring for the vegetable garden that so desperately needed attention.  Her mother had planted the seeds and plants were popping up, but so were the weeds.  Violet sat with a small spade and tried to eliminate as many weeds as she could, when she heard a buggy drive up. 

She shielded her eyes to see who it was, and smudged dirt on her face, but still couldn’t see who’d arrived.  She hoped, owing to her appearance, that the visitor was for her mother.  She knelt back to continue pulling weeds and let her mother deal with the guest.

“Violet!” her mother called in a voice that was softer than usual.  She turned, and there stood none other than Gavin McKenzie.  How did he even know where she lived in Abilene?

Surprised, she stood and walked toward her mother and Gavin. 

“Violet, this gentleman is here to see you, but I don’t believe I’m acquainted with him.”  Lavinia smiled up at the man, which served to soften her words.

“Gavin McKenzie, this is my mother, Lavinia Jeffries,” Violet said.

“Nice to meet you,” they both said in unison.

“Well, I’ll leave you two to chat.  I’ll put a kettle on, in case you want tea.”  Lavinia gave Violet a curious look before going back into the house.

“How did you know where to find me?” Violet said as she smoothed her hair and brushed off her soiled dress.

“You mentioned you attended Grace Church, so I stopped by there and the minister gave me directions.”  He smiled.  “I wish I could say that visiting you was the purpose of my visit to Abilene, but I had a meeting with the minister of Holy Cross Church over on Rock Road.  We are planning a summer program for children and it’s going to be a joint effort.”

“Oh?” Violet said.

“Yes. There’s a perfect camping area half-way between Abilene and Salina, and we’re going to arrange a Bible camp for the youth from the area churches,” he explained.  “The children will sleep in tents, explore nature, and play games during the day. And of course, we’ll plan Bible studies.”

“What a wonderful opportunity!  I’m sure some children from Grace Church would be interested, too.  I have an eight-year-old niece who would love it,” Violet said.  “Would you like to come in for tea?”  She looked down at her dress.  “You’ll have to excuse my appearance—I was gardening.”

“You look fine, Miss Jeffries, as usual,” he said, giving her a thorough look and a smile.

Violet led him into the house, where Lavinia was preparing cups and saucers for tea.  “I’ll bring the tea to the sitting room,” she said.

Violet sat on the sofa, and he chose the armchair. 

“How would you like to teach at the camp?” Gavin asked.

“I’d love to,” she said.  “When will it take place?”

“Not until the first week in July, but we have a lot of work to do before then.  Are you willing to become a team member?” he asked, taking a cup from the tray Lavinia held out.

“Team?” Lavinia asked, before leaving with her tea tray.

Violet filled her mother in on the proposed camp for children.

“That’s a wonderful idea,” Lavinia said.  “If you make up some ads, I can pass them out at Grace, too.”

“Perfect,” Gavin said.  “We’re inviting all the churches in the area.”

“Mother,” Violet said, “Gavin teaches at the same school where I teach in Salina.”

Lavinia smiled.  “Teachers are to be blessed.  Education is so important.”

“Yes,” Gavin said as he sipped his tea gingerly.  “Which why I love doing it.”

Lavinia nodded.  “I’ll leave you to plan your camp,” she said as she left the room.

“So,” Violet said, “are you planning on staying here, in Abilene, while you plan the camp?”

“No, but I’ll be here on and off.  I have a summer job as a house painter.”

“I didn’t know that.  So you really keep busy.”

Gavin nodded. “Let me treat you to dinner. I hate to eat alone.”

“I’d love to,” Violet said.

 

Once they’d been seated at Pete’s, they ordered the house special, and as usual, Violet did most of the talking.  She mainly asked questions about the camp.  She wanted to know as much about it as she could so she be able to relate the details to Ivy and Jonas.  She knew that Zoe would love the camp.

Violet nearly choked on her dinner roll when Miles walked in.  She should have remembered that he always ate there.  Since his sister Julia had married, he ate almost all of his meals at Pete’s.

Their table was situated in the corner, so maybe he wouldn’t notice them.  She watched him take a seat at a table on the opposite side of the room, but he was facing in their direction.  Gavin’s back was to Miles, so Violet tried to sit in a way that would block Miles’s view of her.  It seemed to work, at least until Gavin stood to pay his check. 

 

 

Miles read the newspaper as he ate, but when a tall man stood, he glanced up at him.  Another stranger, he noted, and was about to return to reading his newspaper when he noticed the stranger’s eating partner was—Violet!  
His
Violet! 

Violet and Miles sat, staring at each other in shock while the stranger paid the bill.  Miles bet anything the stranger was from Salina, and that he was the reason she’d broken off their betrothal.  He frowned, but no matter how he tried, he just couldn’t break the eye contact with her.

He thought about not reacting at all, but then something urged him to act, in order to show her that he wasn’t grieving over the breakup. He stood and walked over to their table, just as the stranger returned to his seat.

“Hello, Violet,” Miles said.  He noticed the stranger swing around and glare at him.

Miles’s action forced Violet to introduce her dinner partner.   His first opinion of the man was that he was much too old for Violet.  He had to be at least thirty if he was a day!  And, hadn’t Violet once told him she’d preferred clean-shaven men? 

Miles shook the man’s hand and mumbled a polite response. 

Violet quickly added, “Miles goes to my church.”

Miles frowned and raised an eyebrow at Violet.  That’s all he was to her? A fellow church member?  Miles said nothing, but turned to look at this McKenzie fellow, so Violet would have to reveal her connection to him.

“Mr. McKenzie’s a teacher in Salina.  He teaches the older students,” she explained.

“Ah, a teacher.  Will you be staying in Abilene long?” Miles asked.  He noted Violet’s slight frown when he asked.

“Since we’re planning a big event, I’ll be here on and off all summer,” McKenzie said.

Miles’s heart leapt.  Event?  Like in a wedding?  He dared not intrude further.  He’d accomplished what he’d set out to. 

Miles nodded to them both. “Nice seeing you, Violet, Mr. McKenzie,” Miles said, and he walked back to his table, and his newspaper.  He pretended to be engrossed in the newspaper while Violet and Gavin prepared to leave. 

After they’d gone he held his head in his hands.  Now he knew she was gone forever.  He hadn’t felt this empty and hurt since his mother had died.  How would he ever cope with seeing Violet and that man married?

 

 

Both Gavin and Violet were quiet on the way home. Violet was thinking about Miles and his reaction.  It certainly wasn’t what she’d expected.  She was so sure his reaction would have been different, but he seemed to be taking the breakup quite well.  She didn’t know if she should be happy about it, or hurt, because he cared less than she’d thought.  Maybe the months they’d been apart had helped to ease the pain of the breakup somewhat for him.

Violet didn’t wonder why Gavin was quiet.  He often was more a contemplator than communicator.

“Thank you for being my dinner partner,” Gavin said after he’d stopped the buggy in front of her house.

“My pleasure,” Violet said.  “Will you come in?”

“No.  I need see about booking a hotel room so that I can meet with a few more ministers tomorrow.”

“Grace’s minister is John Martin.  Will you meet with him?” she asked.

“Yes,” Gavin said, “he’s next on my list.”

“Be sure to mention my name to him as one of the team members,” she said. 

“I will.”

Since he looked anxious to be off, Violet slid from the buggy to the ground, and prepared to wave as he turned the buggy around. 

He stopped in front of her, and leaned down to say, “Would you like to accompany me to see Reverend Martin tomorrow?”

“I’d love to,” she said.

“My appointment's at eleven. I’ll stop by for you about half past ten.”

 

 

Miles lay in bed and stretched.  He loved Saturdays.  He had the whole day to…well; he’d find something to do.  With Julia married, Billy away at school, and Violet lost to him forever, he found himself lonely.  His heart still ached for Violet, but there was nothing he could do, and his mother had once told him not to fret over things he couldn’t change.

They’d announced at last Sunday’s church service that they needed volunteers to work on the new addition to the church.  He knew Caleb would be there, and maybe Quinn.  He dressed in older clothes and headed for the church.

Caleb gave Miles a warm welcome and handed him a hammer.  Quinn shouted a greeting from the roof.  Miles embraced the thought that this wouldn’t be another lonely day. 

Miles worked up on the roof with Quinn.  Caleb didn’t like heights so he worked on the flooring.  As they hammered away putting roofing material on the church addition, Miles noticed, from his bird’s eye view, a couple disembarking a buggy in front of the church.  When he recognized the couple, he jerked so quickly he lost his balance and started to slide off the roof.  Quinn grabbed his belt and yanked him back to safety.

It was Violet and that man! Of course—the event they were planning.  Miles wondered how soon the wedding would be.

Quinn must have noticed, too, for he put down his hammer, and sat Indian style along the roof peek, he turned to Miles.

“Let’s take a little break,” Quinn said.  “Are you all right?”

Miles laid down his hammer, and nodded.  He sat looking at Quinn.  “Why do you ask?”

“Miles, I heard about you and Violet.  Sometimes God gives us these trials for a reason,” Quinn said.  “When we are first faced with a hurtful situation, we don’t understand what God’s plan could be by letting us experience such heartache.  But, you’ll see.  It
will
end well.  God will see to it.”

BOOK: Shadow of Hope: Book 4 - Shadow Series
13.87Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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