OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 2 FREEBIES FOR YOU!
Grab my new series, "Guns and Justice in the West", and get 2 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!
Portland, Oregon
Two years later
“I have loved you with all my heart, Esther.”
Sebastian Carr bent over the prostrate form of the dying woman and took her pale hand in his. He pressed it to his lips and closed his eyes devoutly.
This protestation caused the woman to open her eyes and shoot him a dry look. “Nonsense,” she snorted. “You married me for my money, and you’ve slept with every woman you could behind my back.”
Sebastian looked startled. “Why the idea, my darling! I couldn’t look at any woman but my Esther.”
The dying woman sighed. “Oh, give it up, Sebastian! I’ve lived with you for two years. You’re not nearly clever enough to put that over.”
He leaned back, stung. “Well then,” he stammered, “if that’s what you believe—and I’m not for an instant saying it’s true, mind!—then why did you stay with me?”
Esther glanced up at him with amusement in her dim eyes. “You made me laugh,” she replied simply. “You were fun to live with, in spite of your fickle heart. There is good in you, Sebastian,” she added softly, and squeezed his hand. “If only you’d listen to your better angels! But you’re so obsessed with doing the wrong things that you miss the best things in life.” She sighed and shook her head. “Promise me something?”
“Anything, cara mia.”
She gave him a look of resigned affection. “Be honest with the next woman, and stop taking those blasted opium pills. If I knew you’d do that, it’d be worth all my money.”
“I swear it.” He bent to press another kiss into her hand.
The woman sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “I suppose that will have to do,” she murmured. “Now go away and send in my nurse. I won’t have you seeing me take my last gasp.”
Sebastian bowed reverently, kissed her brow, and walked out of the room. But as soon as he closed the door, he adjusted the velvet collar of his expensive jacket, brushed a speck of lint off his sleeve, and skipped down the ornate staircase to go out for the evening.
By the time he got back to their mansion, there was a black ribbon draped across the door. He took off his hat and walked in softly. A maid was sniffling in the foyer.
He raised his brows. “Maria, is your mistress—”
She nodded and wept, “Yes, yes, Mrs. Carr passed away an hour ago!”
Sebastian cast his eyes down and sighed heavily. “My poor Esther,” he mourned. “Well, I’m going to need a black suit for the funeral. Send my butler up to my suite, Maria.”
“Yes, Mr. Carr.”
Sebastian walked up to his suite and pushed the big double doors open. He breezed through his parlor and into his bedroom and sank down into a leather chair to slip off his shoes and prepare for bed.
There was a soft knock at the door, and he turned his head to call, “Come in, Porter.”
His butler padded in soundlessly and offered him a brandy on a silver tray. Sebastian lifted the glass to his lips and took a contemplative sip.
“May I offer my condolences, sir.”
“Thank you, Porter. I’m devastated, of course.”
“Of course, sir.” The butler withdrew discreetly and pulled the doors shut as he left. Sebastian stared at his magnificent, velvet-draped bed without really seeing it.
Esther had been a good woman. She’d had uncommonly good sense, too. Perhaps he should make some effort to…honor her wishes. He knitted his brows and tried to remember. What had she said, exactly? Something about his better angels.
He wasn’t aware that he had any angels, but he searched his memory. He didn’t know very much about being good, or even making an effort to be good. But he’d once met a man, on his way out to Oregon, who might be able to explain it.
Sebastian took another sip of sherry. Perhaps he could go look him up after the funeral.
Of course, going to see him would be uncomfortable for a man who owned three gambling halls and was in the process of opening another. But somewhere, somebody had said that love involved sacrifice. Something to that effect.
And if he could survive the horrors of a wagon train journey, he could certainly endure any comments questioning his choice of investments.
Or his marriage to a woman twice his age.
Or his…indulgent lifestyle.
Sebastian knocked back the last of the sherry, smacked his lips, and shouldered out of his jacket.
Yes, he’d have to go look him up.
* * * * *
A month later, Sebastian found himself outside the Baptist Mission on the other side of town. He’d argued with himself all the way over. He wasn’t an especially religious man, and the thought of returning to a poor section of town took him back to memories he didn’t want to relive.
The neighborhood alone was enough to make him change his mind. The mission was tucked into a seedy, rawboned row of clapboard houses jostling one another all the way down the narrow street. It was as far away from his own comfortable mansion as it was possible to get in the same town.
But it had something he’d been told he needed.
Angels.
So he climbed out of his carriage, told his driver to park nearby, and walked to the front door. It was Sunday morning, and when he opened the door, the sound of music rolled out to meet him. The congregants were singing.
“Here I raise my Ebenezer
hither by thy help I’m come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.”
Sebastian entered the church, took off his hat, and took a seat on the back row. Some of the worshipers glanced at his opulent clothing in surprise, but he smoothed his jacket and settled in as the people sang.
Sebastian craned his neck, the better to see the young pastor. A familiar face was behind the rough pulpit, and as he stared, he saw Richard Holley’s eyes brighten in recognition at the sight of him, and a look of joy pass across his face.
Sebastian’s eyes moved to the front row. Jennifer Holley was sitting there, and from what he could see of her profile, she was just as radiant and beautiful as ever. A pang of longing pierced his heart, but he couldn’t begrudge her happiness. It was evident from her smiling face that she was happy.
Their little dark-haired daughter sat in the pew beside her, and Jennifer was holding a baby in her arms. She couldn’t keep her eyes off it, and she fussed over its little blanket constantly.
Sebastian sighed and smiled to see it, then turned his attention back to Richard. To his surprise, the pastor was still looking at him. As he watched, the pastor nodded to the right slightly, and Sebastian’s eyes followed the direction of his gaze.
He frowned. It looked like…yes, he was certain of it, it was his old wagon master, Mr. Ward sitting on the front row. The fellow’s hair was as shaggy as ever and even more streaked with gray than before. But there was something different about him, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
Mr. Ward was sitting up ramrod-straight, and his shoulders were square and proud. Yes, that was it. He looked…much more confident. He was better-groomed, better-dressed.
Almost like a different man.
He was holding a little girl in his arms.
Sebastian frowned, because he thought he recognized another face. Surely it was…yes, it was the boy who’d helped Mr. Ward sitting beside him. He’d grown a lot in the last few years. He looked more like a man than a boy now, and there was a pretty girl sitting on the pew beside him.
A slow smile curled Sebastian’s lips. It seemed his old friends from the wagon train had banded together in their new home.
Richard Holley smiled as the singing wound to a close and announced, “I see some new faces here this morning. Or at least, new to this congregation. Let’s give our visitors a warm welcome.”
To Sebastian’s surprise, the congregation stood, and the people around him turned to smile and offer their hands. He took them with a courtly bow.
As they settled in again, Richard said, “Welcome to all our visitors, and…to all our old friends.”
Sebastian pulled his mouth down and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to dab his eyes. He was a sentimental man, and it was good to see familiar faces again after living in a town full of new people.
Richard stood at the podium and told the congregation, “I’m reminded this morning of the journey I and my family made to our new home. We traveled almost the entire width of the country to be here. Like the writer of the hymn, we survived many hardships and dangers to come this far. But we have all come a long way to be here this morning. Some in miles, and others…in experience.” He smiled.
“But for whatever reason, I believe that everyone here this morning is fulfilling a divine appointment. I can put it no plainer than to say that God wished us to be here this morning. This is where he wants us. All in harmony. All together.” A softer mood seemed to fall on him, and he added quietly, “Let’s rest from wandering. And let’s sing the last stanzas of the hymn, shall we?”
The congregation stirred and sang:
“O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.”
Sebastian dabbed his eyes again as the music swelled around him. He wasn’t at all sure that he could fulfill his promise to Esther, but he was glad to meet his old companions again. That was a start.
He stuffed his handkerchief in his pocket and noticed that Richard was smiling at him, and that Mr. Ward had turned to smile at him, too.
”Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart; O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.”
OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 2 FREEBIES FOR YOU!
Grab my new series, "Guns and Justice in the West", and get 2 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!
Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed my new western adventure story and the extended epilogue! Let me know what you think below.
A man looking to forget his memories of the past, of his brother tormenting him by killing anyone around him. By realizing that he needed to get sober in order to protect the people he lead in the wagon train. He took on the care of a little three year old girl who’s parents were killed in an attack.
Thank you, Darlene! That is exactly it! Hope you enjoyed it!
Thomas was a man who had many bad memories and a dangerous brother searching for him. Following a tornado that took many lives of the wagon train he was leading, there was a 3 year old little girl who was orphaned. He realized that he needed to get sober and stay sober. Thomas was a good man and wanted to do what was right. This is a great story with action to keep you turning pages!
This is the first book I’ve read by Johnnie Burns. It won’t blast!
Fantastic, Janie! Thank you for your kind comment and your support! Hope you will enjoy more of my stories.
It was a great read!
Great, Donna! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for reaching out!