Chapter Thirteen
Louisa pulled Ellie into a tight hug on the train platform in Lawrence Junction, tears in her eyes as she pulled back to stand beside Isaac.
Beside her, Callie placed a hand on Ellie’s shoulder.
“The Lord goes before you,” Callie said softly.
“No matter how things go, remember that. He goes before you, and He won’t leave you. ”
The verse she’d recently covered with Louisa from Deuteronomy promising as much cemented itself in her mind, giving her something to grab hold of in the hardest moments.
"And the LORD, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” It had brought her great comfort, and she’d immediately written it down to memorize.
“Thank you for coming to see us off.” She and Micah would be gone for ten days realistically, quite possibly more.
It would take three days to get from Texas to California, then another day to get from Los Angeles to the mining town her grandfather more or less started.
The thought of how deeply he and his wishes had entrenched themselves into life there sent hawks flapping in her belly, but Micah’s hand at the small of her back brought her back to the present.
“Yes,” Micah said to both Callie and Louisa, as well as Isaac, Jacob, Abe, Hal and Florence Day.
“Thank you all for seeing us off. Your support means more than you know.” Pastor Jim had stayed back with the children since the ride to Lawrence Junction and back would take half a day, but he’d been sure to wrap her in one of his bear hugs and pray with her before they’d pulled out that morning.
Hal removed his hat and gestured for them all to gather in a group.
“Let’s take a moment and pray over Micah and Ellie.
” As he did so, Ellie felt the Lord’s peace wash over her once more.
He and Florence had stepped in as guides in the Sutton boys’ lives over the years after their mother had died and their own father had proven himself worthless.
“Lord, we know You already know the outcome of all Micah and Ellie set to do in California. We ask You to protect Micah and Ellie no matter who or what they encounter, and bring them home safely. If it’s Your will Ellie should come back with her inheritance, then we give You the glory and ask You to guide her in how to use it.
If not, then we glorify You for that as well, and ask You to give her peace in the disappointment.
Either way, remind her of her home here regardless of the outcome. ”
As he finished praying, specifically asking God to give Micah the wisdom and grace to be her strength and encouragement, Ellie felt some of the burden lift from her heart.
He was right, and so were Callie and Louisa.
The Lord already knew the outcome because He’d already gone before them.
However it all ended, He would walk the road with them.
Micah wrapped his arm around her waist, and she allowed herself to sink into his side and draw on his strength as Hal finished praying.
By the time the conductor began calling for boarding, she’d been given no fewer than five more hugs from Louisa and laughed at Abe’s attempts to diffuse any tension with humor.
Before they moved to get in the boarding line, Isaac approached her and smiled in the way only a man who’d all but raised four younger brothers and knew all about growing up too quickly could.
“Not a day will go by we don’t pray for your journey, Ellie, but know your worth on our ranch will never be measured by money.
Y’all hurry home so we can get on with the rest of our lives.
Louisa and Callie have weddings to plan, and I heard a rumor you’ll be standing up with both of them. ”
It was true. In the days prior, both Louisa and Callie had asked her to stand with them for the wedding.
Louisa would also be standing with Callie and vice versa.
It was something she’d never imagined for herself after life in California had been so lonely and devoid of friendship, but the Lord had given her truer friends than she could ever imagine. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”
With that, Micah took their bags in one hand and her hand in the other and guided them toward where the conductor took tickets.
He’d purchased a sleeper car for them so they wouldn’t have to sit on the uncomfortable benches for three days, but either option would’ve been better than the cargo car she’d arrived in.
As the conductor took their tickets and gestured to the right where the sleeper cars were numbered, Ellie followed Micah in a little bit of a daze.
This was it. They were really going to California to see if the judge would forego the child stipulation for her trust. If he did, she and Micah would return far more wealthy than they’d left.
Micah held the door to car number four, the one labeled on their ticket, and gestured inside.
“Your chariot, m’lady,” he said with a soft grin.
Sobering a little, Micah placed their bags on the ground and returned to her.
He placed his hands on either side of her arms and ran them up and down, calming her once again. “How are you feeling about all this?”
The sleeper car wasn’t fancy, with a bench on one side and a bed large enough for two on the other.
Micah had already told her he’d tried to get one with bunks but they were sold out.
He’d offered to sleep on the bench, but there was no way Ellie would let him.
No, she could swallow her fears of nights on the trail with Brent for a few nights so they’d both arrive well rested in California.
“I…I’m not sure. I never thought I’d return to California.
I don’t really want to now, but it’s my only choice.
” Still, while she had far more bad memories than good on the West Coast, she did have a few positive memories.
Looking for seashells with Mama at the beach.
Falling in love with art with Miss Lutken.
Was there some way to redeem the bad memories by returning with Micah and somehow share the good ones with him?
Micah pulled her into his arms, his hand softly running up and down her back and leaving chills in its wake.
“You are the strongest woman I’ve ever known, Ellie, and I’ve had the pleasure of knowing some strong women as my future sisters-in-law.
You deserve the closure of trying, and I’m with you every step of the way.
” He paused, pulling back enough to look her in the eye with the slightest mischievous twinkle there.
“Besides, are you really going to deny me the pleasure of punching your grandfather’s business partner in the nose after they concocted this ridiculous scheme for the sole purpose of dangling it in front of your face before snatching it away? ”
He chuckled, and Ellie joined in. He wouldn’t actually punch Percival, at least she hoped he wouldn’t, but she wouldn’t lie and say the idea didn’t sound appealing.
Then, her stomach growled and reminded her she’d been too nervous to eat breakfast that morning.
“Did the conductor say something about a concession car?”
Micah’s grin widened. “He sure did. Why don’t you get settled, and I’ll go see what I can scrounge up for us for lunch before we head out?”
She agreed and spent the next few minutes unpacking their bags and making things as comfortable as possible.
No matter what, the Lord would go with them, and He’d given Micah to journey alongside her.
As Louisa often said, the Lord was kind, and the strong cowboy who would look wholly out of place in her grandfather’s mansion in California was exactly who she needed for this trip and this life.
The Lord knew better than she did, and she’d do well to remember it.
Later, as Micah had managed to track down some concessions, the two of them sat on the bench in their car and ate in relaxed silence.
At least, until Micah broke it. “So, can you give me a better idea of what we might be facing in Cartwright? I’ve never been anywhere but Texas, and I can imagine a town named after him will give us some… complications.”
He didn’t look nervous, just curious, and Ellie sighed.
“It might. My grandfather started the town years ago when he took over the mine his father had established. By that point, it was quite profitable, and he felt a thriving mine needed a strong town alongside it. For a while, he ran it like a mill town where folks lived there but didn’t really own anything and paid back into the company store, but later he realized he’d get more wealthy folks in to invest if he allowed people to buy their own property. ”
Plenty still rented from him, but some who’d been there a while owned. “Grandfather has associates and cronies in all corners of operations in Cartwright. Even with him dead, I’m certain Percival James has continued on his…legacy, I suppose.”
Micah reached over and placed his hand on hers. “I’m going to do everything in my power to protect you, Ellie, and I’m not afraid of some suits with power.”
Turning to face him, Ellie wondered if it was a bit of a naive view.
No, as his eyes blazed with righteous anger over all that had happened to her, it felt less like foolishness and more like Gideon facing down the army of thousands with only three hundred men.
He was sure, because he knew who was on his side. “You may have to keep telling me that.”
Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Micah managed to calm her whole body with one touch. “Gladly.”