Maggie's Journey (McKenna's Daughters) (25 page)

Chapter 26

Charles realized that his recovery was nothing short of miraculous. Without a doubt, when Maggie read healing scriptures over him, they accomplished what they were meant to do. He knew about the words in the Bible being alive and powerful. The speed of his return to health testified to that power, but he’d never before experienced the effects to this extent.

After only two days, here he was sitting up by the windows reading a book from Joshua’s library. But he couldn’t remember a word on any of the few pages he’d covered. His mind was so distracted. How had his life become so complicated?

He only had himself to blame. His own choices had carried him to this point. He had been so full of himself, claiming responsibility for the blessings God had given him. Even when they were in Arkansas, he had spouted Christian platitudes to Maggie at the same time that he had a firm grasp on the reins of his life, never giving a thought to what God’s will was for him.

Certainly not to pursue Georgia Long as he did.
Vanity!
His actions had been dictated by his vanity. Well, no more. God had chosen to save his life when the fall should have killed him.
Thank You, God.

The words Maggie read over him had reawakened his zeal to be a true servant of the sovereign God. To follow through on the commitment he made as a boy and all but ignored as a young man. When he was able to get out of the house, he’d be in the very next church service. He had made his true peace with God in the last two days, but he wanted to go to the Lord’s house and submit to Him in that hallowed place as well. To give more to God than just lip service.

“Charles.” Mrs. Caine’s voice summoned him from his ponderings.

He shifted in the chair until he was facing her with a smile. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Morris Tall Pine is here to see you.” She ushered his tall servant into the room and turned away.

“I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone.” Morris never was one to beat around the bush.

Charles sat up straighter and closed the book in his lap. “How did you know where to find me?”

“Mr. Caine sent word. White Dove worried when we came home and you weren’t there. Even cooked your favorite meal, but you never came home.” The older man crossed his arms over his powerful chest and shook his head. “No neighbors even knew where you were.”

“Pull that chair over here and sit down.” Charles waited until his servant complied.

By the time he finished explaining things to Morris, the older man agreed to leave Charles with the Caines until the doctor told him he could go home.

After Morris left, Charles didn’t even pretend to read. He had too many things bouncing around in his head. The chief of them was Maggie. What did she think of him since their journey together? After all, she’d witnessed him flirting shamelessly with Georgia. What a fool he must appear to her.

She had been a friend for so long, and he thought that was all he felt for her, friendship. Now he realized he wanted the two of them to have a different kind of relationship. So many things about her drew him. He loved the fact that she was interested in owning her own business. He would like to spend the rest of his life with a woman who thought about more than just what to wear and who was having the next party. Although with her interest in fashion design, she
would
take an interest in clothing. He smiled at the thought. She had so many dimensions to her. Dimensions he’d love to explore at his leisure over the coming years.

Not only that, but he was totally aware that Maggie was a desirable woman. Her childhood dusting of freckles had given way to a smooth creamy complexion with only a hint of the coppery dots he’d teased her about. Instead of girlish braids, she wore her hair in stunning updos that revealed the graceful slope of her neck. And her dresses enhanced every curve of her body.

His attraction to Maggie was so powerful it took his breath away, but it was much more than physical. His felt connected to her emotionally and spiritually as well. She too dealt with the loss of parents—even though she had never known them. She too looked to God for her strength. Why had it taken him so long to recognize what was right in front of him?

Lord, forgive me for my arrogance and self-centeredness. And for rushing ahead instead of waiting for You to show me the woman You planned.
He quieted his mind and waited in silence—what he should have done months ago when he thought Georgia was the one for him. When he felt nothing but peace, he smiled.

He needed some way to find out if the portrait she drew was a true depiction of how Maggie felt about him. But how could that happen? He couldn’t just come out and ask her. What if all of this was only in his mind? But would he feel this peace from God if it was?

And what of Joshua himself? Over the last few days, as he engaged in their business and now recovered in his home, Charles had found no reason to distrust his business partner. From what he could glean from his limited interactions with the family, Maggie had reconciled with her parents. But there was still much he did not know and could not guess about their relationship without asking directly.

At the knock on the doorpost, Charles cast a glance at his host standing in the entrance.

“Mind if I visit with you a bit?” Joshua waited for his answer.

Charles shifted in his chair. “Come in.” He hadn’t even noticed that daylight was waning outside the window. “I didn’t realize it was time for you to come home.” He started to get up.

“Keep your seat.” Joshua slid into the chair where Morris had been sitting. “Has someone been visiting with you?”

“Morris came by to check on me. Thank you for letting him know I was here. He was worried when he didn’t find me at home.”

Some unexplained emotion flitted across Joshua’s face but quickly vanished. “Think nothing about it. Have you been up all day?”

“I did take a nap earlier, but I’m much stronger than I was yesterday. I took a few turns around the room when no one was in here.” Charles held up the book. “I even made it to the library to borrow this.”

A smile split Joshua’s face. “I’m glad. You don’t seem to have any ill effects from your excursion.”

“As soon as the doctor says I can, I’ll be going home and back to work.” He laid the book on the table under the window. “The sooner the better . . . not that I don’t appreciate the hospitality.”

He wondered what his partner would think about him having feelings for his daughter.
Having feelings
was a weak description of the love that was surging through him right now.

“You look as if you have something important on your mind.” Joshua leaned back in the chair and laced his fingers across his stomach.

Charles cleared his throat. He’d never had a problem talking to Joshua, but now he felt as nervous as a college student in the dean’s office. “Actually, I was thinking about discussing something personal with you.”

Since it was cold, why were Charles’s hands sweating? He wiped them down the sides of his trousers, hoping Joshua wouldn’t notice.

“Would you like some coffee while we talk?”

“No. The women have plied me with plenty to drink today.” Charles decided to plunge right in. “Actually, I want to ask you . . . if I can court Mag, uh . . . your daughter.” He sounded like a bumbling idiot.
Why is this so hard?

Joshua laughed. “Is that all?”

“Well, yes, sir. I’d like to court Margaret.” Maybe this wouldn’t be quite as hard as he’d feared.

“Why?”

“What did you say?” Charles glanced at the man to see if he was serious. From the look on his face, this
was
a serious question to him.

“I believe I asked a legitimate question. Why do you want to court my daughter?” No censure in Joshua’s tone, at least.

Once more that lump clogged Charles’s throat. He swallowed hard. “I believe we’d make a good match.”

Joshua barked out a harsh laugh. “That is a weak answer.”

“I love her, sir, with my whole heart.” Those words tasted better than any dessert he’d ever eaten, and they forced the lump out of the way so they could emerge.

Joshua smiled broadly. “That’s what I wanted to hear, my boy. A lot of people don’t think love matters in a marriage. But it does. Soon after I met Florence, I knew I
had
to have her for my wife. Nothing and no one would stop me from winning her.” Joshua stared at Charles. “Does Maggie know how you feel?”

Charles nodded, then shook his head. “No, sir. I didn’t want to mention it until I had your blessing. And I needed to know more, sir, about you.”

Joshua looked startled. “Me?”

“Yes, sir.” His gaze raked the older man. “When we were in Arkansas, I was present when Maggie revealed how she found out about her adoption. News I can guess she has since shared with you?”

Joshua frowned and nodded slightly but remained quiet.

“I admired Maggie’s courage in dealing with this unexpected news. Certainly she has the most concern in this matter. But I do as well.”

“You don’t like that she was adopted?”

“That is not it, sir. I dislike that she was deceived.”

Joshua looked away, but not before Charles caught the deep hurt in his eyes.

Charles continued, “In both business and personal matters, I was taught to live with utter openness and honesty and integrity. And like Maggie, I found it hard to understand why you hid this knowledge from her all these years. If I am to be your business partner—or anything more—I need to feel an openness between us, and an understanding that you will never withhold anything from me that I must know. Do you agree?”

Joshua looked up. Their gazes held for a long moment, and as respect answered respect, Charles received his answer even before Joshua began to speak.

“I have deep regret that I allowed myself to be swayed in this instance. I never wanted to hide the information from her. But my wife was adamant, and I didn’t take the time to discover why.” His head bowed and he clasped his hands between his knees. “I just agreed to keep the peace, which was a coward’s way out.”

That had to have been a hard thing for Joshua to admit to him, and the respect Charles had been regaining for his partner rose even higher.

Maggie’s father glanced up. “I’m pleased to let you know that we told our daughter the complete truth, and we’ve been wonderfully reconciled. It’s more than we deserve, but God is merciful.”

Charles respected Joshua’s answer. “That He is.”

“I suppose I should tell you the rest.” Joshua straightened his shoulders. “Maggie was a triplet born on the wagon train, and her mother died. Angus McKenna was so broken up at losing the love of his life that he didn’t think he had what it took to care for three baby girls. He gave two of them to different families.”

Whoa! Maggie a triplet?
Charles could hardly believe this new revelation. “Do you know where her sisters are?”

Joshua shook his head. “We don’t. But I’m telling you right now, Maggie is going to want to find them one day, and the time could come soon. Are you prepared to face something like that?”

Charles took a long moment to ponder the question. “I believe I am.”

Joshua studied him for an extended time as well. “Since we’re being honest with each other, I have one other concern. I’ve known men to seek marriage for business reasons. I need to know if this has a bearing on your feelings for Maggie.”

Charles met his gaze without wavering. “I’d love Maggie even if we had never gone into business with each other. I’m afraid that for too long, I was blind to what was right in front of me. Maggie is a blessing from God to me.”

Joshua appeared pleased with his answer. “So tell me. Does Maggie love you?”

Charles shook his head, then nodded. “I believe she does, but we’ve been very circumspect.”

Joshua threw his head back, and his laugh rang through the room. “Circumspect. I like that.” He clapped Charles on the shoulder. “I didn’t doubt you’d treat her in an honorable way, or I wouldn’t have sent you on the journey. Now let me get this straight. Do you want to go through a long courtship, or do you want to marry her?”