“Yes. Or family and close friends. We’re neither.”
“I wouldn’t mind being close friends. Which is why I’m here.” They reached the garden path, and Roman paused. “I know there’s been trouble between our families.”
“I know that as well. I’ve read the documents and ledgers my grandfather kept at the time.” She was surprised to hear herself confess this to Roman.
“Aunt Mary told me she explained things to you as well.”
Judith couldn’t look away from his intense gaze. “Yes. She did. I’m so very sorry to hear what happened. My grandfather was quite ruthless with people. Not just your father, although perhaps he wronged him more than most. I’m deeply ashamed of what he did.”
Roman looked at her oddly. “I wanted to hate you as much as I hated him. When I learned he had a granddaughter, I suspected you must be just like him, despite having met you years ago. But you, Judith Stanford, are nothing like him. You’re a woman of God, and generous to a fault. You care deeply about people and put action to your words. I cannot hate you.”
“Well, thank the good Lord for that grace,” she said, giving a nervous laugh.
He grinned, and it seemed to light up his eyes. “When I first met you, I must say I was rather captivated. I’ve thought a lot about you over the years.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’ve thought about you as well.”
His eyes narrowed just a bit, and his expression grew quite serious. “I believe God orchestrated that meeting.”
She nodded. “I do, too, and for so many reasons.”
“Tell me.”
His voice sent a tingle up Judith’s spine. “I don’t think I can, at least not all at once. But ... well, I don’t know if your aunt told you or not, but I intend to make amends for my grandfather. Not just with your family, but all the others as well. If my grandfather makes me his heir as he’s said he means to do, then I will use his wealth to at least set things in motion to make financial amends. Obviously, I cannot turn back time and change what happened, but I will do my best to rectify the wrongs he’s done others.”
“That would take a great deal of money. You’d probably be left with nothing.”
“It’s not my money anyway. I live quite well on what my father left me. I’ve been praying for God’s direction on this, and I know He will show me what is to be done. My grandfather is having me study his business arrangements so that we might discuss his desires and plans. He just doesn’t realize that I’ve taken it to a deeper level, and I’m doing what I can to keep track of the people he swindled. In time, I will return what I can to them.”
“You are beyond all expectations. I have never met anyone like you.” His expression betrayed honest admiration.
Judith felt her cheeks warm at his praise. She looked to the ground. “I desire only to do God’s will. I see so much wrongin what my grandfather did, not only to the people here,” she said, looking up again, “but in how he treated my father and mother. I know it hurt my father terribly that my grandfather cast him out. Still, my father never spoke against him. He taught me that to hate him would only eat away at my heart.”
“As it did mine. I’m determined, however, that it is time to allow the Great Physician to heal me of my wounds. I’m resolved to forgive James Ashton.”
“As am I. For years I was determined to have nothing to do with my grandfather, even after my folks passed on. Now, I see that God has brought me here for a purpose, and that purpose is to set things right. And perhaps be an example of Christian charity to the one man who needs it most.”
“If your grandfather finds out that you want to right his wrongs, he might well disinherit you.”
She smiled. “I know. That’s why I’ve said nothing to anyone save Mary, and now you. I’m not even sure why I told you, except that there is something about you.” She studied him. “I know this will sound odd, but in some ways, I feel as if I’ve known you a very long time. Not just because we met four years ago. It’s something deeper.”
“Does that mean we can be friends? Perhaps even more?”
For a moment, Judith thought her heart might have stopped beating. She forced breath into her lungs. “Yes.” She barely whispered the word, but it was enough.
“May I call you Judith?” he asked, and she gave the slightest nod. “And you will call me Roman?”
She nodded again, uncertain she could even form words. She had felt something similar when Alden had come into her life. Similar, but not at all the same. Roman Turner had just demolished the wall she’d kept so closely guarded around her heart. What in the world was she to do now?
14
Roman wasn’t at all sure what had come over him. He wasn’t sorry for having said the things he’d said. Nor was he sorry for implying that he wanted more than friendship. Still, he knew how very forward he’d been and could see by the look on Judith’s face that she was uncertain of what had just happened.
“I must apologize,” he said, looking around rather than at her.
“Would you like to sit?”
“Yes, let’s sit for a moment. I’d like to collect my thoughts.”
