Along Unfamiliar Paths Read online

  She composed a short telegram, letting her aunt and uncle know she had arrived in one piece. The young clerk took the message, eyes widening slightly as he read her name. “If you’re Raine Thomas, then I’ve got a telegram for you. Arrived yesterday.”

  She lifted her eyebrows in surprise, accepting the paper from the clerk.

  RAINE STOP RECEIVED LETTER FROM BEN STOP COPPER MINE INN STOP LOVE VIOLET

  Her heart leapt. “Where is the Copper Mine Inn, please?”

  The young man directed her to the inn, grinning and shaking her head as she tried to pay him. She hurried down the street in the direction he had pointed her, nearly running through the hotel’s doors. In a breathless voice, she asked the clerk about Ben.

  “Yes, Ma’am. Ben Thackeray had a room here. But I’m afraid he left yesterday.”

  “Left?” Had she missed him again?

  “Yes’m. Don’t know where he went. Sure left in a hurry.”

  Raine felt suddenly weary. “Do you have a room available?”

  She made sure the door was locked securely before she lay across the hard bed. It felt good to be away from the constant rocking motion of the train. Where has Ben gone, she wondered, so discouraged that tears pooled in her eyes. She tried to think where he could have headed. Maybe he found Paul, and they both left for Boston.

  She sat straight up at the thought, then slumped back down against the headboard. Surely someone would have gotten the message to me if that had happened. As it was, the telegram from Violet didn’t say anything about him leaving. Raine’s thoughts chased each other in circles until she finally fell asleep, the yearning to be held once again in Ben’s arms was her last conscious thought.

  She awoke feeling refreshed. Though her heart ached for Ben, she still felt a sense of anticipation as she prepared for the day. After all, she had come here to find her brother as well as Ben, so she might as well give it her best shot. Opening her Bible, her fingers turned directly to the often-read passage in Isaiah. Once again she gained strength as she read the promise God had given her in London. . . I will bring the blind by a way that they have not known; I will lead them in paths that they knew not. . . “Thank You for leading me thus far, Father,” she prayed. “Please continue to guide me. . .”

  She set out in determination. She sought out every place she could think of where someone might know her brother. After days of asking, she was almost ready to concede defeat. God, I thought You led me here, she cried one evening. Her feet were aching from so much walking, and the small amount of savings she had brought with her was dwindling along with her hope.

  “Here I am in a strange town all by myself, without Ben—or Paul,” she complained to the blank walls. “And with an evil man chasing me.” True, she hadn’t actually seen Red Hair since she escaped from him in London, but it had to have been him she heard that night on the train. She shuddered at the thoughts that were triggered in her mind just by recalling his voice. What were they talking about anyway? She was sure she had heard the name Oliver.

  A new thought struck her. Could Paul still be living under an alias, even all this distance from Boston? Perhaps he was so afraid of being found, he wasn’t using his own name at all. Maybe she had been going about this the wrong way.

  She began making the rounds again the next day, this time describing Paul. Most people still shook their heads, but a few thought they might know someone who looked like the man she described. After a long discouraging day, she had met a rancher named Andrew, a shopkeeper named Bjorn, and two cowboys named Charlie, all of whom were very nice, but they weren’t Paul.

  Shoulders drooping, she let the tears fall freely. I can’t hear You anymore, Father. I thought I was trusting You, but I. . . She was startled by a knock on the door. Hastily wiping away the tears, she opened the door.

  The young clerk from the telegraph office shifted nervously from one foot to the other. “Ma’am? Sorry to bother you.” He eyed her tear-streaked face. “I heard you was lookin’ for your brother.”

  She nodded.

  “Well, I might know somethin’ about him.”

  Raine’s heart leapt.

  “I heard you explainin’ what he looked like and, well, I think I’ve seen him before.

  “You’ve seen Paul?” she whispered.

  “I ain’t for sure, ma’am. But I’m pretty good at noticin’ things, and I noticed a man before that sounds like him.”

  “Why did you notice him? Is he a stranger?”

  “Nah, he’s not a stranger. He’s a rancher that lives ’round here. I always notice him ’cause of that big ol’ scar on his face.”

  Scar? Paul doesn’t have a scar. . .or does he? Her mind flashed back to the first time she met Violet . . .I was scared to death when I saw him come limping in, his head and face all covered in bandages. . .Violet had said.

  “Where did you say this man lives?” she asked cautiously.

  “Don’t know, ma’am. I jest know he lives south of here. Comes in for supplies now and then.”

  A rancher that lived to the south. Not a very big clue, but the best so far. “Thank you so much.” She smiled at the young man. “I’ll let you know if I find him.”

  The next morning found her driving southward. Setting her jaw, she stared out intently over the backs of her rented team. The man at the livery stable had objected when she asked to rent the team and wagon.

  “I’ll take my business elsewhere, then,” she said stubbornly, turning to go. The man relented, eyeing her dubiously as she clambered up onto the seat. I must look more confident than I feel, she chuckled. In reality, she had only driven a team of horses once or twice in her life. But nothing was going to stop her from finding Paul after coming this far.

  She stopped at the first ranch south of Colorado Springs, receiving a warm welcome, but no sign of Paul. The young ranch wife waved wistfully as Raine started down the road. She waved back, wishing she had time to stay and visit. It would be nice to have a friend here.

  The drive to the next ranch was interminable. Surely she hadn’t misunderstood the directions. She frowned. It was hot enough out here to be the fourth of July. September was never this hot in London, she thought as she felt the perspiration run down between her shoulder blades. Patting the moisture off her face as she finally neared the next ranch, she was startled to be greeted by shouting children, dogs yipping joyously at their heels. Why weren’t these children in school?

  She smiled at the children as she climbed down stiffly. Those wagon seats sure weren’t made for comfort. “Is your mama home?” she asked.

  “Yes’m.” The oldest girl spoke up politely. “I’ll go fetch her for ya.”

  The younger children grouped around Raine. In a flash, she was back at the Mission, surrounded by her children.

  “Are you the teacher, Ma’am?” a small girl asked shyly.

  “Naw, she’s too pretty to be a teacher, Polly.” The little girl’s brother glared at her. “She’s prob’ly a singer or somethin’.”

  Raine almost laughed out loud. “Well, I am a teacher, Polly,” she said, smiling. “But I don’t think I’m the one you’re expecting.” That’s why these children aren’t in school at this time of year, she thought, relieved. They must be waiting for a new teacher.

  “Oh, yes, Ma’am. You are the one. Mama said. . .”

  “What did Mama say?” A young woman with twinkling gray eyes and a pleasant face joined the small group.

  “Mama! This is the teacher!”

  “Oh?” The woman looked from her young daughter’s animated face to Raine’s bewildered expression. “Won’t you come in for a cool drink, Miss. . .?”

  “Thomas. Raine Thomas. Yes, I would like that.” Raine found herself drawn to the young ranch family.

  “I’m Emily Johnston.” The woman introduced herself as she bustled around the kitchen, placing a plate of still-warm cookies on the table. “There. Help yourself.” She sat down then, pushing her black hair back with a small hand. “Now,
what was Polly jabbering about? She’s my talker.” She shook her head with a smile.

  Raine responded immediately to Emily’s warm smile. “I don’t know, Emily. Your children greeted me when I pulled into the yard. Polly asked me if I was the teacher.” She wrinkled her brow. “I am a teacher, but I’m not. . .”

  Emily’s eyes opened wide. “You really are a teacher?”

  Raine nodded “Yes, but. . .”

  “Do you love God?”

  “Yes, but I. . .”

  “Then you are the teacher.”

  “What?” Raine was shocked as Emily’s eyes suddenly filled with tears.

  “I’ve been praying and praying that God would send a teacher for my little ones. He must have sent you.”

  “But I’m not. . .”

  “How did you know to come to our ranch?” Emily’s eyes were sparkling with excitement now.

  “Well, I. . .” Raine hated to disappoint the lovely woman in front of her, but. . . “Could you explain a little more of the situation to me?” she heard herself saying. What was she thinking? She couldn’t just suddenly be “the teacher.” What about Paul, not to mention Ben?

  “Yes, yes of course. I was just so excited that you’re finally here!” Emily smiled wistfully. “None of the children who live this far from town go to school, because there’s not a school close enough for them to attend. We do our best with them at home, but I’m afraid it’s not enough. We’ve all been praying that God would send a teacher to open a school close by, and here you are!”

  What? Raine blinked. All this anticipation that she’d been feeling—could it be that God had a work for her to do in this beautiful country?

  “I’ll need to come back and talk to you about it some more, Emily,” she found herself saying. “Could I come by next week?”

  “Please do, Raine. I’ll be waiting.” Emily’s face was as eager as little Polly’s.

  Raine waved as she turned to leave, the joy on the children’s faces tugging at her heart. Shaken, she stopped the wagon as soon as she was out of sight of the Johnston ranch. A shiver of excitement quivered through her as the thought took hold. Could it be possible that God had brought her all the way to America to fulfill the call she knew He had placed on her life? She sat under the shade of a tree several minutes longer, considering the idea.

  She had always sort of assumed that when she found Paul, they would both go back to England, and then. . .and then what? Paul and Christina would get married, and she would be alone. . .again. And what of Ben? Did he really love her? He had never mentioned marriage, though she had dreamed about the day she would become Mrs. Benjamin Luke Thackeray. But now. . .

  Finally climbing back into the wagon, she realized that she had not even spoken with Emily about her real reason for coming to the ranch. Shrugging, she urged the horses on, making the rounds of a few more ranches before heading wearily back to town. If Paul was anywhere around here, she would find him. God would just have to take care of the rest.

  By the time she pulled up in front of the livery stable, her backside ached so badly she wondered how she would walk the short distance back to the hotel. She handed the reins over to the stable hand, glaring at him as he flashed her a grin. She suppressed a groan as she crawled down from the wagon seat, silently thanking God the hotel wasn’t too far.

  The hot water soothed her aching muscles as she leaned back in the tub with a sigh. She hadn’t found her brother, but maybe she had found something else. The small faces of Emily’s children seemed to float in front of her eyes along with the steam. Her heart pulled her toward them, yet. . . Paul! I have to find you. I can’t just give up searching for you. Where are you? Her heart was torn. Lord Jesus, I feel Your presence, and I know You led me this far. But what do I do now?

  She crawled out of the tub and into bed, weary beyond belief. She felt like a dog chasing its own tail, her thoughts and prayers spinning in endless circles. Determined to continue the search for Paul, she tried pushing the faces of the children out of her mind. Finally falling into a fitful sleep, her dreams were filled with crying children, the faces of Emily’s children mingling strangely with those of the children she had left behind at the Mission. She sat up in bed, suddenly wide awake, gripped with the conviction that God wanted her here in Colorado, teaching.

  Dawn brightened the sky with changing hues of pink and yellow. Raine groaned and rolled over, putting the pillow over her head. She tried to tell herself that her experience in the night had been only a dream, but memories of other times that God had carefully led her flashed through her mind. She jumped up from the bed, nearly passing out from the sudden action.

  She stomped over to the mirror and glared at her reflection, then she let her gaze roam to the large window. It’s not that I don’t want to teach, but I thought You sent me here to find Paul, Father, she argued weakly. Staring out the window several minutes longer, she received no more answer than the one she already knew in her heart.

  Unable to deny it any longer, she blew out a long sigh. I’ll do it, Father, she whispered.

  ❧

  El Paso County, Colorado

  Trixie snorted joyfully as she trotted through the gates of the Crooked P Ranch. “I agree with you wholeheartedly, Trix.” Her weary rider patted her neck affectionately. “It’s been a long trip home.”

  Tom slid stiffly from the saddle, turning Trixie’s reins over to the waiting cowhand. “Thanks, Pete.” He let his eyes rove over the familiar landscape as he trudged to the ranch house. “Looks the same to me,” he muttered, disappointed. Some-how, he had expected something to be different when he arrived home.

  What is it that I keep expecting to happen? Am I going crazy? Pushing open the door with a sigh, the strange sense of urgency flooded over him again. Finally dropping to his knees, he cried out. “God, I can’t stand it any longer. What would You have me to do?”

  ❧

  A few days later, Tom sat nursing a cup of coffee at a back table in the Lantern Hotel, his thoughts a million miles away. He had gained a measure of peace since his prayer the night he returned from Santa Fe, but there was still something gnawing at him. God, what do I need to do? I can’t live with this feeling hanging over me constantly. . .

  “Heard ’bout the new schoolmarm since ya been back, Cox?”

  The booming voice jolted Tom from his reverie. He raised his eyebrows questioningly over the rim of his mug.

  “Purty little thing. Wants to start a school for the rancher’s children.” The man shook his head as he slid into the chair across from Tom. “Good idea, I reckon, but it sure seems a waste of a good woman, if ya know what I mean.”

  Tom smiled across at his friend. “Yeah, I know what ya mean, Jackson,” he said, gently mocking the older man’s western drawl. “Why don’t you just get yourself a wife? Then you wouldn’t have to worry yourself over every pretty new woman that comes to town.”

  “I’m tryin’, I’m tryin’!” Jackson peered through his glasses at Tom. “Why don’t you?” He asked pointedly.

  Tom glanced away. “Been too busy,” he muttered, even as a vision of beautiful blue eyes and golden curls grew in his mind. Pushing aside the painful memory, he stood. “Got to get back to work, Jackson. I’ve been gone too long.”

  Jackson nodded. “See ya, Cox. Watch out for that schoolmarm!”

  Jackson’s cackle followed Tom as he stepped out of the hotel door. Tom snorted. Why would I be interested in a schoolmarm? Striding into the general store, he picked up his supplies and headed back to the Crooked P, unaware of curious eyes watching his every move.

  eleven

  London, England

  Ben tapped his foot impatiently, glancing at his watch. “I can’t believe how long this is taking,” he complained to himself.

  Finally the door opened. “Mr. Rosen will see you now.”

  Ben sprang up in relief. Striding into the lawyer’s office, he plunked the packet of papers down on the desk. “Here they are, Frank. What do I
need to sign?”

  The lawyer raised an eyebrow. “I still can’t believe you’re going through with this, Ben.”

  He shrugged. “I’m not going to change my mind, Frank. Just do what you need to do to make it legal.”

  Shaking his head, the young lawyer pulled out several forms. “You’ll need to sign here. And here.”

  Ben sat back with a satisfied smile. Minutes later, he stood in front of the small house he had not seen in too many years. Tucking the papers into his breast pocket, he knocked firmly on the door.

  “Hello, Father.”

  “Ben?” The older man threw the door open wide, his face lit with one of the only smiles Ben had ever seen there. He reached for his son eagerly as if to embrace him, then ended up patting him awkwardly on the shoulder. “Come in, come in!”

  Ben stepped through the door. The house still smelled the same, a heavenly mixture of warm bread, freshly-washed clothes, and lavender sachets. Instantly he was ten years old again.

  “Where’s Mother?”

  “I’ll get her.” His father started toward the kitchen, glancing back as if to make sure his son was still there. Ben took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. Would she welcome him as his father had? He knew he must have hurt her by staying away so long. Perhaps she would refuse to see him.

  He glanced up as she flew into the room. Her outstretched arms and radiant smile erased any doubts. Lifting her off her feet in an enormous hug, Ben felt tears spring into his eyes. “I’ve been wrong to stay away for so long,” he began, looking from one parent to the other. “I’ve been bitter at you for the way I was raised.” He sketched in the details of his life since they had parted ways, ending with a heartfelt plea. “Since I’ve accepted Christ as my Savior, I’ve realized that I need to ask your forgiveness for being angry and bitter against you. Will you forgive me?”