Caleb’s face took on a blank expression. “And? She’s trying to solve a problem with her father’s farm, and Timothy was his best friend. Sounds logical to me that she would write to him. Your rift with him doesn’t pertain to her.”
Luke stared at his friend, suddenly realizing what a complete fool he had been. His actions had been nothing but irrational and unfair, and he felt terrible for it. He’d been aware of all the things Caleb said, but he had let his negative emotions get the better of him. This would have to stop. Today.
“You’re right,” he admitted with a weak smile. “They don’t deserve to be treated this badly. I should protect them, not yell at them.”
“Amen to that!” Caleb said. “I will pray for you, my friend.”
“Thank you,” Luke said, and he was surprised to feel no resentment toward that notion.
There had been a time when Luke had talked to God himself, when he had been grateful for his life and for his family. He had praised the Lord every day for it.
Madelaine’s beautiful face appeared in his mind again, joined by a boisterous Simon and sweet little Belle, and his heart felt full. It was something he hadn’t felt in a long time. Something inside of him cracked wide open, and it filled his heart with warmth, gratitude, and affection. The emotion was so strong a thick lump lodged in his throat.
Maybe Godhadbrought these people into his life to help him, after all. And maybe, just maybe, hedidneed God to heal.
Chapter Nineteen
Luke’s Ranch — Early afternoon
Madelaine had been cleaning the house frantically to get rid of her anxiety and outrage, while Evelyn was kind enough to play with Belle and Simon in the dining room. They were putting together some simple little ornaments with items they’d found in the yard, such as sticks, acorns, and pinecones, tying them together with leftover ribbons and twine.
It didn’t matter how much Madelaine scrubbed and swept and cleaned—she could not shake the tension that had gripped her body since the big fight earlier. She felt an undeniable urge to get out of this house, into the cold, crisp air, to clear her head.
It had stopped snowing, and the sun was peeking through the light fluffy clouds more and more. By the looks of it, the day was turning out to be beautiful.
“Do you think you could look after these two a little longer, Evy?” she finally asked when she genuinely felt that her head might explode if she stayed in this house a second longer. “I would like to get some fresh air and take Tinsel for a ride. Would that be all right?”
Evelyn was watching intently as Belle tried to tie her first bow, so she didn’t look up when she replied. “Of course! We’re having a great time here,” she said with a smile at the little girl, who’d scrunched up her face with utmost concentration. Madelaine could truly say that she loved Evelyn like another sister.
“You are the best!” she said as she gave Simon a kiss on his brown curls while he built some strange-looking creation, a pile of sticks held together by numerous pieces of twine. He was lost in his own little world, so Madelaine didn’t want to interrupt him.
“I promise I won’t be long. I will stay close to the tree line,” she said, suddenly feeling a burst of excitement coursing through her body. It had been too long since she’d gone for a ride, but with the weather being so bad and Tinsel’s injury, she’d been forced to wait it out. However, when she’d gone to the barn before breakfast to bring her mare some extra grains, she’d briefly talked to Alvarez, and he had reassured her that Tinsel was as good as new, and she could be ridden again.
Wrapping her shawl around her hair and shoulders, Madelaine stepped out into the beautiful wintery sun and inhaled deeply. Just as she imagined, the air was crisp and refreshing, and the excitement reached new heights when she felt the warm sunlight on her face.
In the barn, Madelaine walked Tinsel out of her stall to examine her leg in better light. The wound had healed amazingly well, the slight pink streak was barely visible. She carefully put the saddle on Tinsel’s back, and the mare immediately began her happy dance. Madelaine laughed—it was something Tinsel had always done, so it was a great sign.
“You’re as keen to get outside as I am, huh?” she said to the mare, and Tinsel bobbed her head as if she was agreeing. Madelaine stepped into the stirrups, swung herself onto the saddle. Tinsel whinnied, and Madelaine laughed when she reared up a little. The pure joy of the horse transferred to her, and she instantly felt better. Clicking her tongue, Madelaine steered Tinsel behind the barn to where the fields opened up to the valley. It was a stunning scene with all the snow-covered hills and treetops.
Madelaine kept her reins loose and let Tinsel decide her own pace. She fell into a soft trot as she went along the other side of the pasture, where Madelaine led her closer to the trees. The area was mainly made up of soft meadows, so it wouldn’t be too harsh for Tinsel.
Another benefit was that the wind had blown a lot of the snow deeper into the woods, so it wasn’t all that deep where they were riding. Tinsel broke into a full-blown gallop when Madelaine clicked her tongue just once.
“Yeeeeeeeehaaarrrrrr!” Madelaine yelled, laughing. Being out here in the sun felt so very good. “I thank You, Lord! For this beautiful day! For this glorious sunshine! For keeping Belle, Simon, and Tinsel healthy and well! I thank You, Lord! With all my heart!” she called out into the sky.
They rode along a gurgling river, partially covered by ice, so they made sure to stay clear of it. A small group of deer burst out of the woods in front of them, and Tinsel came to an abrupt halt, turning both her ears in all directions to listen for potential danger. There wasn’t anything, so she kept going, almost chasing the deer in front of them.
Every outburst of laughter created white clouds in front of Madelaine’s face, mimicking the ones from every breath Tinsel took. She seemed to be back to her old self, which filled Madelaine’s heart with so much gratitude.
Despite what Madelaine had promised Evelyn, they didn’t turn around until the sun began to disappear behind the trees. Belle and Simon were in great hands, so she didn’t worry. She’d needed this time alone more than she’d thought.
Madelaine dreaded going back to the house, and she hated the feeling. It reminded her of the way Phineas had made her feel in her own home. Her heart told her that Luke wasn’t at all like Phineas, but in reality, his behavior had been almost exactly the same. It bugged her a lot. Had she made a mistake bymarrying him? Had she done it just out of spite, to show Phineas that he couldn’t control her? Wasn’t Luke trying to do the same?
Madelaine released a heavy sigh. “Don’t be silly, Maddie,” she said to herself. “Don’t forget, he didn’t marry you out of love! Don’t ever forget that.” To the trees, she said, “This is a marriage of convenience. Maybe I shouldn’t have touched Isabelle’s embroidery. Maybe she was the love of his life, and I am just…”
A loud whistling sound echoed across the valley.
Madelaine stopped Tinsel on the spot when she saw a lone rider galloping toward them. Given that this rider came straight from Luke’s ranch, Madelaine wasn’t immediately alarmed, and it didn’t take very long before she recognized Luke’s Stetson.
