She scanned the lines long enough to get the generalpoint. Her father had apparently promised an endowment but withdrew it at the last minute due to some scandal with members of the hospital board. The man who had written the missive begged her father not to deny those in need of the facilities and help that could be had at their hospital. He pleaded with him to reinstate the endowment, as thousands of people were counting on the improvements.
Yet another mark against her father’s character.
She searched on through the next few drawers, and nothing seemed out of place. Laura had just closed the last drawer when there was a loud crash from downstairs, quickly followed by a stream of expletives.
“Father is home!” Laura said, looking to Etta.
Etta waved her to the door. “Go to your room. I’ll take care of things here.”
Laura didn’t question the housekeeper and made a mad rush for her bedroom, knowing she’d have to cross the top of the stairs. If her father was coming up, he’d easily spot her.
Thankfully, she heard him head off down the hall, evidently going to his office. Laura hurried to her room and stood just inside her open door. She had already decided she would step out as her father came upstairs. If he came up.
He did.
“Why, Father, what are you doing home? I thought you’d be gone until this evening.” Laura came down the hall toward him from her room.
“I forgot something, and now I’m going to be late,” he all but growled. He stomped off to his room with Laura following close on his heel.
“Can I help you find it?”
He stopped with a frown at his open bedroom door. “What’s going on here?”
Laura could see that Etta had knelt down in front of the fireplace. “Looks like Etta is cleaning.”
“You don’t ever clean on Sundays. I had a hard time getting you to even work Sundays,” he said, moving toward the housekeeper. “What are you doing?”
“It was quite chilly last night, sir. I presumed, correctly, that you had kept a fire going. I had to clear the ash because tonight might be just as bad, and you would have a mess on your hands if you went to lay a fire. However, it is true that I hate to work on the Sabbath.”
“Bah!” he huffed and went to his desk. He threw open one of the drawers and then another. Finally, he took up one of the small ledgers Laura had seen. It was a book full of numbers, and she had wondered what the figures represented.
“Is that what you came for, Father?” Laura asked, trying to sound cheery.
“Yes.” He headed back for the door and paused. Looking back at the two women, he frowned. “Lock the door when you’re done, Mrs. Duffy.”
“Yes, sir. I will.” Etta stood and then picked up the ash bucket. “I’ll just go dump this and bring back some wood.”
Laura’s father gave a curt nod and headed back downstairs. The front door slammed shut, and Laura hurried to the window. Father climbed into the landau, and Mr. Grayson drove him away. It wasn’t until the carriage was out of sight that Laura and Etta both fell back against the nearest wall. The bucket was still in Etta’s hands.
“That was too close. If he’d come upstairs first instead of going to his office, I would have been hard-pressed to explain why I was in his room.”
“I know,” Etta replied. She seemed out of breath and pale.
“Are you all right?” Laura asked, coming to where the housekeeper stood.
“Yes, but he frightened me so. If you hadn’t been here, I’m sure I would have fallen to pieces.”
Laura gave her a one-armed hug, then hurried to the door. “Let’s go. I’m no good at this game, and I won’t see you in jeopardy again.”
The heavy storm clouds passed just in time for the Easter service. As the sun came out, the afternoon took on a glorious glow, cheering Laura considerably. She was anxious to speak to Will but waited until after the service. The pastor had already been speaking for some time, and she found it impossible to pay attention. When he spoke of concluding, she straightened and forced herself to listen.
“This is the day we celebrate the risen Lord,” the pastor told the congregants. “We celebrate the defeat of sin and death.”
Granny Taylor, by whom Laura was sitting, gave a resounding “amen,” as did others. Laura couldn’t help but smile. Despite the terrible things going on in her life, she had complete confidence in God. Her earthly father might be guilty of all manner of sin, but her heavenly Father was steadfast and faithful. He was unchanging. She hadn’t misjudged His character.
“You’ve heard the teaching over and over from the pulpit. A world full of sin was in desperate need of a Savior. A Savior who could bring man into an acceptable accord with God Almighty. A Savior who would become the ultimate sacrifice for all sin. Once for all.
“How precious is the sound of that. Once for all. Each andevery soul has only to come to Jesus for salvation from their sins. I urge you today to repent of your sins. Repent and be saved. Come up from the grave of sin. Be raised from death and be victorious with Christ.”
