Woman of Grace (37 page)

After a time he continued. “If I had died, it would have been worth it in trying to rescue you.” Devlin’s mouth lifted in a wry, sad little smile. “I know it may come too late to mean much, but I love you, Hannah. I love you, and want you to be my wife.”

Ah, the pain, she thought, of hearing those longed for words now! Now, when she finally realized there was no hope for them, unless their love also encompassed the Lord.

Hannah closed her eyes. “Devlin,” she whispered, “love isn’t always enough.” She sighed, the mournful sound wrenched from deep within her. “You still have so much pain and anger in your heart. I don’t think I’m the woman who can help you. Indeed, I don’t think any
person
can.”

“But God can.”

“Yes,” Hannah agreed softly. “Yes, He can, if only you would let Him.”

“I
have
let Him.” Devlin laid a hand on her arm. “He came to me, spoke to me, in the midst of the snowstorm. And, for the first time in my life, I truly understood what Ella meant when she told me how important it was for me to accept full responsibility for my actions, and to forgive. That forgiveness, though, didn’t just encompass my forgiving you. I had to forgive myself, too. And I couldn’t do that until I first asked the Lord’s forgiveness.”

Hannah opened her eyes and turned to him. Wild hope warred with disbelief. It couldn’t be. Yet the unmistakable confirmation of his words burned now in his eyes.

At last, she thought, the joy swelling in her. Thank You, Lord. Thank You.

“It’s a miracle, I know. One just as glorious as me finding you out here in these mountains.” Devlin’s gaze was warm and full of certitude. “But, as you once said, there are miracles aplenty every day. The miracle of dreams long sought and finally fulfilled. The miracle of forgiveness, which you and Ella taught me with the example of your lives. But most of all,”—Devlin’s eyes brimmed with tears—“there’s the miracle of you, loving me, and of me, loving you. And that, I think, is the greatest miracle of all.”

“No, my love,” Hannah whispered achingly, reaching up to stroke his cheek. “The greatest miracle of all is God’s grace and unconditional love. They have saved us both, and made us whole at long last. And that, I think is all the miracle anyone can ever hope to need.”

Epilogue

With a sigh, Hannah leaned back in the wicker rocker on the main house’s front porch, and tugged the knit afghan lying across her lap a bit tighter. It was a glorious Indian summer day for the first week of October, the sky an intense fall blue, the air temperate, the breeze mild. She still had yet, though, to recover from her sense of perpetual chill. Most likely, Hannah mused wryly, that problem would subside once she had a bit more meat on her bones.

The front door opened, then slammed shut. Beth, bright of eye and eager of countenance, hurried over. “Do you need anything?” she asked, peering down at her. “Abby said to come and check.”

Hannah smiled and shook her head. “No, I’m just fine.” She paused to examine the red polka-dotted dress the girl wore. “That’s quite a pretty dress, Beth. Did Abby make that for you?”

The girl’s chest swelled visibly with pride. “No, ma’am. I sewed it myself.”

“You’ve got a fine eye for detail,” Hannah said, noting the intricate smocking and lace trims. “Have you ever thought of becoming a seamstress?”

“Not in the way most folk might imagine.” Beth grinned. “I favor the stitching up of people more than cloth. I think I’d like to be a doctor.”

“A doctor, eh?” She cocked her head. “That’s an ambitious plan.”

“Pa always said we should never limit our dreams.”

“No, we never should,” Hannah concurred with a quick, resolute nod, “no matter how hard it may seem at first to achieve. Your pa’s a very wise man.”

“Yeah, he is.” A sudden memory clouded the girl’s eyes. “Sure wish, though, he could’ve known what to say to keep Evan here. I miss him.”

Evan … Abby had reluctantly broken the news of Evan’s departure to Hannah soon after she and Devlin had returned. Even now, Hannah’s heart twisted every time she thought of him. Poor Evan. Would he never find the peace and happiness he so ardently sought?

“I miss him, too,” she whispered, “and say a little prayer for him every night.”

“Pa says he’s down in Texas, working some cattle drive. Maybe Evan will come home after he’s done with that.”

“Yes, maybe he will.” Somehow, though, despite all their prayers, Hannah feared Evan wouldn’t be home any time soon. He wouldn’t be home, this time, until he had found what he was seeking.

Once more the front door swung open and Devlin walked out. His glance met Hannah’s and a tender smile lifted his lips. “Beth,” he said, “Abby’s wondering when you’re coming back. Seems there’s something about a cake needing icing …”

The girl’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, yes. I’d forgotten.” She turned back to Hannah. “If you want anything, just send Devlin in for it, okay?”

“Okay.”

She watched Beth depart, then turned to Devlin, who had pulled up a chair to sit beside her. “Is Bonnie finally asleep?”

He laughed wryly. “Yes, finally. I had a devil of a time getting her to take her nap, though. She insisted on getting up to play with Jackson, who had already fallen asleep. I don’t know how many times I caught her just as she was toddling over to wake him.”

“Guess we could move Jackson in with Devlin Jr.,” Hannah mused. “That way we could separate Bonnie and Jackson for naps.” She twisted in the rocker. “Do you think Devlin Jr. would mind sharing his room?”

Devlin grinned. “On the contrary. I think he’d be thrilled to have his brother bunking in with him. Of late, he’s been complaining long and hard of feeling outnumbered by his sisters.”

“And for good reason,” Hannah agreed with a laugh.

The first thing Devlin had done when they’d arrived back at the ranch was to announce that he and Hannah would be married at Thanksgiving, and to officially claim Jackson as his son. His fears about how Devlin Jr., Mary, and Bonnie would take the news had been unfounded. In typical childlike fashion, once the two oldest children had confirmed that Hannah would now also be their mother and had finally finished cheering, they had gone back to playing their game of cat’s cradle.

Yes, Hannah thought in contentment, it seemed as if all her dreams had finally come true. She had a good home blessed with many friends, a father for her son, and soon a husband for herself whom she loved and who loved her. She had rebuilt her life from the shattered pieces of her past, and rebuilt it into something beautiful and fulfilling. But above everything else, she had found the Lord and would strive to do His will for the rest of her days.

Once, she had wondered how anyone knew for certain when it was God’s will manifesting itself in one’s life, and when it was just one’s own selfish, misguided desires twisting things to seem so. Hannah realized now that for those who loved and truly tried to follow Him, God made His will manifest in all things that really mattered. Things like love, forgiveness, dying to self, and storing up one’s treasures in heaven rather than on earth.

At long last, Hannah knew and understood this. During those dark days when Brody Gerard had taken her away, she had thought God was asking her to give up everything, to relinquish all that was truly precious to her. But now she knew her deepest desire had always been for Him. He had, in truth, asked for so little. He had asked only that she give up everything that kept her from Him, and from her truest heart’s desire.

God was so very, very good.

Devlin laid his hand on hers. “You seem full of thoughts today. Is anything bothering you?”

Hannah shook her head and smiled. “No, nothing’s bothering me. Everything is finally perfect, just perfect.”

He squeezed her hand and nodded, his eyes brimming over with love. “Yes, yes it is.”

Dicussion Questions for Woman of Grace

1. Grace—God’s second chance and “the pearl of great value”—is the most wondrous miracle any of us could ever hope to experience. In
   Woman of Grace
   , both Devlin MacKay and Hannah Cutler desperately needed to discover that grace. What does it take to accept God’s grace? What are some effects God’s grace has had on your life?
   
2. Hannah, which means “given to much grace,” is the heroine of
   Woman of Grace
   . Though you likely haven’t experienced the sort of life she did prior to coming to Culdee Creek, perhaps there are still aspects of her spiritual and personal journey that resonate with you. What might those be? Have there ever been parts of your life that were shattered and needed rebuilding? In those dark times, what did the Lord ask of you? How did you respond?
   
3. Though Devlin truly loved his wife, Ella, a part of his life was a hypocritical lie. What kept him from facing his sin and owning up to it? Have you ever been tempted by—or even fallen into—the same traps that ensnared Devlin’s heart and soul? What part did the Lord play in freeing you? What part did others play in your eventual redemption?
   
4. Were there any other characters that touched or inspired you? If so, which ones and in what ways?
   
5. Repeatedly, Devlin hurt Hannah deeply. How did Hannah’s budding faith enable her to overcome her hostile feelings toward him? Have you ever been in a situation where you couldn’t avoid someone who caused you pain? How has your faith not only gotten you through those difficult times but perhaps also helped you make a positive impact on that person?
   
6. Ella MacKay’s deep religious faith prompted her to bring healing to all who needed it, sometimes even at the expense of her own happiness and desires. Do you know people like that? What impact did their example have on you and others? What can you do to become more like those kinds of God-filled people?
   
7. What themes, besides the great treasure that is God’s grace, did you discover while reading
   Woman of Grace
   ? Was there one in particular that struck home more forcibly than others? Why?
   
8. If you could ask the author any question, what would it be?
   

Lady of Light

by Kathleen Morgan

Also check

out Book 3 in the

Brides of Culdee Creek

series

The Village of Culdee Highlands of Strathnaver, Scotland May 1899

Even before he opened his mouth, Claire knew the tall, dark-haired stranger with the unusually wide-brimmed, black hat wasn’t a native Scotsman. Something about him had caught her eye as she swept the parish church steps. Something she noted even while he was only halfway up the winding road leading through Culdee to the seven-hundred-year-old stone church at the top of the hill.

Perhaps it was his fine dark suit. Dust-coated as it was from his long walk from the coach stop just outside the village, it accentuated his broad shoulders and skimmed his long, lithe legs. Then again, perhaps it was the way he moved, his stride smooth, effortless, powerful. Or perhaps, just perhaps, Claire thought as the stranger finally reached the base of the church steps and paused to squint up at her, it was his sheer masculine beauty—from his tanned face and strong jaw to his straight nose and striking, smoky blue eyes.

One thing was certain. She had never seen a more handsome, physically impressive man.

“Do ye think, lass,” a rusty old voice rose unexpectedly from behind her, “ye might do well to greet our guest? ’Twouldna speak well o’ our fine village to gape and stare overlong at every stranger who comes our way.”

“Och, Father MacLaren! I didna hear ye come up,” Claire cried, losing her grip on the broom as she wheeled about to face him. In that same instant she realized her error. With a gasp, she spun back around and grabbed for it, just missing the wooden, wheat straw implement. End over end, the broom tumbled down the long course of steps to land at the stranger’s feet.