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human. Maybe God realized that Bradley would only bring you heartache and grief. Maybe God has someone better for you. A Christian man who will love and honor you, as he loves and honors the Lord.”
    “I can’t believe that God would be so cruel to me,” Pamela said, jerking her hands away from Zandy. She got to her feet and smoothed back the loose pieces of blond hair that had pulled out of her stylish chignon. “I don’t want another man, Christian or no. I want Bradley, and if I can’t have him I’ll have no one!”
    With that, Pamela stormed out of the room and from the house. She had a full head of steam and an elongated step by the time she reached the Dawson gardens.
    The sky had faded into deep purple twilight, and stars were already visible in the velvety folds. Pamela forced herself to slow down and rethink her words. Zandy hadn’t meant any harm, and Pamela knew that full well.
    “Oh, Bradley,” she whispered against the night skies. Just then someone grabbed her from behind, and Pamela felt steel-like arms pull her tight, while a leather-gloved hand fell across her mouth.
    “Don’t cry out,” the hoarse voice sounded. “I’ve come to rescue you.”
    Pamela was nearly beside herself with joy. Bradley had come for her! She tried to turn and speak, but the arms held her tight.
    “No, just stay quiet. I’ll explain everything later. Just remember, this is for your own good. Now, do what I say.”
    Pamela nodded mutely, and the hand dropped from her mouth. The man pulled her backwards through the garden to an awaiting horse. Ominous black shadows kept Pamela from getting a good look at the man, but in her heart she was content to believe it was Bradley. After all, he had said he was there to rescue her. An ordinary kidnapper would never say such a thing.
    The man hoisted her into the saddle of his horse, coming up behind her at the same time. Pamela settled into the seat and leaned back against the warmth of the man’s chest. Yes , she thought to herself, this is my Bradley, and he’s come to take me home.
    They rode for hours, sometimes at a steady pace along the well-worn mountain road and other times more slowly, in order to avoid disaster in the pitch black that had become night. Eventually, the rhythmic ride caused Pamela to lose her grip on the saddle horn and fade into a weary sleep. She was safe and warm in the arms of the man she loved. What more could she want?
    Pamela dreamed of Bradley’s gallant rescue even as she slept. She saw herself laughing at how they’d fooled everyone and escaped the tyrannical rule of her parents. Bradley was gallant and dashing, and Pamela was happier than she’d thought possible. Bradley had saved her from loneliness, and that was all she knew.
    The wind picked up and roared down through the tall ponderosa pines, giving a moaning cry that woke Pamela from her happiness. Stretching a bit, Pamela suddenly realized that she was no longer on the back of the horse. Opening her eyes, she was greeted with a warm, crackling fire and the unmistakable aroma of coffee.
    Pamela sat up and rubbed the sleep from her face, and that was when she saw it. Two harsh, angry, unyielding eyes, glowing across the fire from her. The man who stared back at her was not Bradley! Nervously, Pamela scoot ed back a bit before demanding to know the man’s identity.
    “Who are you? Where’s Bradley?” she asked as forcefully as she could.
    The man did nothing for a minute. He just kept staring at her with eyes that would yield nothing more than something that closely resembled hatred. His lean, angular jaw was clenched tightly, so tightly in fact that Pamela could see a noticeable ticking in his cheek.
    “Well?” she pressed for an answer.
    “I might ask you the same,” the deep voice sounded from across the flames.
    “I presumed you knew. Didn’t you help Bradley rescue me?” Pamela asked innocently.
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lady.” The man sprung to