The Affectionate Adversary (40 page)
“Delacroix!” Sarah exclaimed, nearly as shocked at the mention of that name as she was at the sight of the man who sat beside her. “Delacroix has gone off with your coins? You trusted him?”
“I did. I do. He very much wishes to restore the financial security of his estate, and I have agreed to assist him. He writes to me from Casablanca, saying that brisk winds and amiable seas make his journey a pleasure. I shall expect his return within two years. In the meantime, I have purchased the property adjoining my father’s house on Threadneedle Street, and we begin the plans for our warehouse and shop. I shall build my enterprise, tithe from the increase, see that my employees are treated well and fairly paid, do all in my power to ease the lot of those who suffer, and—yes, Sarah, your sister Mary and my father were wise in what they suggested—I mean to use my position to influence the wealthy, the aristocracy, politicians, all with whom I meet, to benefit the kingdom of God.”
“Oh, Charles,” Sarah managed, her eyes swimming. “I must tell you that … that I am very happy for you. I truly am. So much has happened since our first meeting. I was certain I understood God’s intention for the rich, but I have come to see … oh, I amashamed at how carefully I read the Scriptures but failed to understand … even now. I confess I am not quite sure I fully comprehend how it is all meant to be.”
“‘We see through a glass darkly,’” Charles reminded her. “I, too, find it difficult to fathom the workings of our Father. He unfolds His will rather slowly … and with an odd sense of humor … and to purposes I cannot always discern. I have had to be reminded that God sees the world from quite a different place than I do. Thankfully, to assist me in this, I have been given another gift.”
Now Charles turned and motioned to a table at the farthest edge of the deck. Sarah’s eyes widened. “It is Mr. Martin,” she whispered as the lad doffed his hat at her. “Your Danny.”
“Young Danny Martin has quite a future before him. I believe he may become the rudder by which Locke & Son is guided, for his loyalty and wisdom continue to astonish me. Sarah, Danny is the one who helped me to see that God has been leading me along a path blessed by these gifts.”
He touched each item he had laid upon the table—his parents’ portraits, the gold coin, the letters of commitment—and then his hand covered hers. “I believe,” he said, “that God brought you into my life too. I believe that He opened my heart to love you before I knew anything about your title or your fortune, and that He taught you—who were so sure she could never love—how to love me. And I am certain, Sarah, that no matter what your sisters might think or what London’s
ton
might whisper or what—”
“Wait! Charles, please, I beg you.” Drawing her hand from beneath his, Sarah pushed back from the table and stood. He did not move as she walked to the edge of the deck and leaned on the damp rail. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply of the sea air and felt the sun’s warm rays heat her cheeks. Overhead a seagull cried, and below, the waves splashed against the hull of the ship.
Charles had loved her … searched for her … found her … loved her still. He would not give up; she understood at last. She could no more run from Charles than she could run from God, who loved her far more. Yes, she had been hurt, abandoned, mistreated, used. She had known the underbelly of the world—the attic of a boarding school, the chill of an empty marriage bed, the flattery of shallow acquaintances, and the poverty and anguish of the blind and starving who suffered far more than she could ever comprehend.
But God had laid out a path for her, just as He lays one out for every Christian. She had been given parents, sisters, a fortune, widowhood … what next? Where was she to go? How was she to use the life she had been handed?
Knitting her fingers together tightly, Sarah opened her eyes and studied the lapping waves and the distant shoreline of England. Then she turned and crossed the deck to the table where Charles sat waiting for her.
Taking her chair, she looked into his eyes. “Mr. Locke,” she said with a gulp. “Mr. Locke, will you marry me?” She blurted out the words in a rush of breath. “Please do be reasonable.”
Throwing back his head, Charles laughed out loud. “Oh, no, Mrs. Carlyle, that will never do! Never, never—for I have asked far too many times to have you turn the tables on me at the last moment.” Leaving his chair, he dropped to one knee and took her hand. “My darling Sarah, will you marry me?”
“I have already answered you, sir. At Trenton House.”
“Answer me again.”
“Yes, Mr. Locke. I shall marry you. I shall marry you every day of my life from now on. But—” she winked at him—“will you marry me?”
He chuckled. “Yes, Lady Delacroix, I shall marry you. Every day of my life from now on.”
“Good. Then I suggest we dispense with it at once, before I can be persuaded otherwise.” Taking the gold coin, she stood and lifted Charles to his feet. “Let us find the captain and see if this will suffice for the fee.”
“What, get married here? now?”
“Absolutely,” she said. “Unless you mean to change your mind, sir?”
“Absolutely not!”
Laughing, she led him across the deck toward the table where Danny now was rising awkwardly to his feet. “Mr. Martin,” Sarah addressed him. “I have proposed marriage to Mr. Locke, and he has kindly accepted. Will you be so good as to fetch the captain of this ship and ask him if he can take the time to perform a wedding?”
Danny’s mouth dropped open as he gawked at Charles. “She proposed? to you?”
“Aye, and I proposed back, and we have both accepted each other—which means we are desperately in need of a wedding. At once, lad!”
Charles tossed the coin through the bright blue sky, and Danny caught it with one hand. Hop-skipping away, he flipped the gold up and down as if it were nothing more than a tuppence.
“My beautiful Sarah,” Charles said, turning her toward him and taking her into his arms. “You have made me so very happy.”
“Do you know, sir,” she whispered, standing on tiptoe to reach his ear, “I have done nothing but think of you day and night since first we met aboard the
Queen Elinor
. When you opened your eyes and I looked into them, I was lost to you at once.”
Drawing her close, he kissed her cheek. “Lost to me?” he murmured as his lips brushed softly across her mouth. “Dearest lady, it was at that moment we both were found.”
After reviewing the tale of the affectionate adversary and the wealthy widow, please peruse Miss Pickworth’s ponderings. She has a quantity of questions, and she wonders if you, dear reader, may come to any clever conclusions.
1. Why did Sarah’s father treat her as he did? Did he see her only as a tool to accomplish his own aims? Or did he believe he was actuall y going to help her in the long run?
2. What do you suppose happened to Sarah’s mother? Why did she cooperate with her husband in his mistreatment of their daughters? Do women ever do this kind of thing today?
3. Do women today use marriage in the same way they did during England’s Regency period? How do we look at marriage in contrast to the way Sarah, Mary, and Prudence viewed it?
4. Was Charles just trying to please his father in starting the tea company—or was that really his own ambition? Is ambition always a bad thing? Can it be good? How?
5. Do you think God puts people like Charles and Sarah together in unexpected circumstances—or are such meetings simply coincidence?
6. What do you think of the way Charles explained God’s will to Danny Martin? Does God have a set path for our lives? What should we do when a barrier drops in front of us—especially when we think we’re doing God’s will?
7. Charles considers several different plans for his life. Do you think he finally chose the best one? Do you believe this was what God wanted for him—or did he manipulate the circumstances to fit his own desires?
8. Sarah felt sure that money was the source of all her unhappiness. Can money bring true joy? Why or why not? Had money made Sarah unhappy—or was it something else entirely?
9. What did Prudence believe about money? What did Mary believe? Did they have their focus in the right place? Did Sarah influence them … or did they influence her?
10. Read the following several Bible passages that speak about money and riches. What does God say about wealth?
Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world! High and low, rich and poor—listen! For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight…. Why should I fear when trouble comes, when enemies surround me? They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches. Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God. Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough to live forever and never see the grave.
(Psalm 49:1-9)
Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness. But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love. I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people.
(Psalm 52:7-9)
Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.
(Proverbs 22:1)
Wisdom is even better when you have money. Both are a benefit as you go through life. Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life. Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked? Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
(Ecclesiastes 7:11-14)
Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food.
(Isaiah 55:1-2)
This is what the LORD says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the LORD, have spoken!”
(Jeremiah 9:23-24)
On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”
“Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house.
But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?”
“They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied.
“Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”
(Matthew 17:24-27)
The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.
The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.
After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, “Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.”
The master was full of praise. “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!”
The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, “Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.”