Read Linda Ford for Free Online Page B

widow. I’ll be alone the rest of my life.”
    “God has a plan for your life. He says His thoughts toward us are of peace, and not of evil.” She spoke of a verse she thought to be in Jeremiah.
    “I’ve seen little reason to believe God wants to do me good.” Cassie’s voice shook. “Until I see otherwise, I think I’ll trust my own resources.”
    “What is your opinion?” Linette asked Eddie. Even if he’d received her letter and agreed to a marriage of convenience, she’d made up her mind not to marry until she was certain of his convictions. He’d expressed his faith in his letters, but she wanted to hear it firsthand. She still wanted to hear it, though marriage now seemed but a distant possibility. But no, she would not abandon hope that God could work a miracle over the winter.
    He gave his answer some consideration. “I believe God honors those who honor Him.”
    “Yes. I agree.”
    “And how do you suggest we do that?” Cassie demanded.
    “I can’t answer for everyone,” Eddie said. “For me, it means doing my duty. Honoring my father and mother. Being charitable.”
    A man of honor, just as she’d guessed from the first. Surely she stood a chance of finding favor in his eyes. She tried to signal her relief to Cassie. But the other woman only stared at Eddie.
    “So you think if we do what is right, God will treat us fairly?”
    “That’s my belief.”
    “So what did I do wrong to lose a husband and two babies? They were born beautiful and whole but never drew breath.”
    “I can’t say. That’s between you and God.”
    “Oh, no,” Linette protested. His words sounded condemning, as if Cassie harbored secret sins. Linette found such reasoning to be flawed. “You can’t reduce God to human intelligence and emotions. There are circumstances we aren’t aware of. We don’t see the big picture, but God does. That’s where trust comes in.”
    Cassie made a sound of raw disbelief. “When you’ve lost everything, then you can talk to me about trust. Until then, it’s only childish wishing.”
    Linette ached for Cassie’s pain, but the woman was stronger than she realized to have survived such hardship. However, Linette couldn’t imagine enduring such tragedies without God’s help. “Whatever happens I will trust God.” She wondered what Eddie thought and met his gaze, felt a jolt in her lungs at the way he studied her.
    “I hope you never have occasion to believe in anything but the goodness of God.” Did he sound just a little doubtful? As if he considered it possible? This situation was about as bad as things could get. And her faith had not faltered.
    “‘He will never leave me nor forsake me.’ Now I’m going to make tea.” She clapped her hands to her knees, startling Grady, who whimpered and buried his face against her shoulder. She put the toys on the floor, took his hand and drew him after her toward the sack.
    Eddie jumped to his feet and accompanied her. “Cookie wasn’t sure what you would want. She says if you need anything, just trot on over to the cookhouse.”
    “There’s another woman on the place?”
    Eddie chuckled at her delighted surprise. “Yup. Cookie.”
    Linette stepped past the sack to peer out the window. “Which is the cookhouse?”
    Eddie stood close to her, bending a little so he could see out the window. “Can’t miss it. It’s the two-story building right across the road. Cookie—Miz Liza McCormick—and her husband, Bertie, live on the upper floor, but mostly you’ll find both of them cooking and feeding the crew.”
    “Liza? Pretty name. How many are in your crew?”
    “During the summer, there’s twelve men, give or take, plus me and the McCormicks. Less once winter sets in. Six or eight men. Right now most of them are up in the hills, edging the cattle down. And best call her Cookie.”
    “Another woman. Isn’t that nice, Cassie?”
    Cassie showed marginal interest. But it didn’t dampen Linette’s relief. The place