Oh Lord God ... please help me. Please, Jesus. I can’t take much more...
The prayers slipped in and out of his consciousness until suddenly, the pounding stopped. Each breath was painful as he slowly, carefully unfolded himself from his protective ball.
The street was silent.
Jacob’s eyes twitched. Something trickled through his lashes down onto his cheek. He couldn’t focus, couldn’t see where he was. He rolled onto his back with a moan and coughed. Searing heat flushed his side and he eased his fingers over his chest and stomach. He managed a glance at his fingers. Blood ...
Then, mercifully, the darkness overtook him.
WEDNESDAY, JULY17, 1889
This was ridiculous. Martha hadn’t seen Jacob since Monday night and no one knew where he was. Lily Rose said they shouldn’t care, but that was her protectiveness of Martha coming through. And Lily Rose’s own prejudice. Her companion had recently confided to Martha, after the situation with Jacob, about a beau she’d had. He’d been duplicitous and had broken her heart. No wonder Lily Rose had no qualms about giving a dishonest man the cold shoulder. Still, Lily Rose’s growing boldness in voicing her opinions was concerning Martha. She bit her lip at the thought. Was that wrong? Did she not want to hear her companion’s opinion because she was ... just that? A paid chaperone? Did class matter that much to her?
Martha sighed. It hadn’t with Jacob. But that relationship was a bit less complicated than with Lily Rose.
At least, it had been.
Of course, Martha had been peeved at Jacob for not tellingthem the truth from the beginning. Not that he could have. His hands had been tied. That was plain enough to see.
But her companion had been all fired up—which had gotten Martha all fired up. However, it hadn’t done her any favors. Her emotions had been a wreck. She felt she was teetering ever so close to the edge of sanity.
Last night, she’d remembered Jacob’s words about sharing a deep connection with God. He’d said to put God first, but what did that mean? The longing that she’d had for closer relationships with her parents ... had that all been because she wasn’t allowing God to reign in her heart and mind? Was it possible?
Could God fill that need—that hole—within her?
The one person who could help her understand—she’d pushed away. And now? All this time without any word from him...
It didn’t make sense. Jacob would never go away without telling her first. Something was wrong.
Pushing all doubts about him away, she focused on what she knew.
Jacob was a good and decent man.
She cared about him more than anyone else she’d ever met.
She ... trusted him.
She shook her head. Time to stop wallowing in her fear and anger. She needed to find Jacob and fix what was broken. Whatshe’dbroken.
She searched the quarry and spotted Josiah, another lanky fellow who was quick on his feet. She called him and waved to get his attention.
He ran up to meet her. “Yes, Miss Jankowski?”
“I need you to run into town and check on Mr. Duncan. Can you do that for me?” She handed him a slip of paper with Jacob’s address. “Take one of the horses from the shed if you need to. But you mustn’t tell anyone where you’re going.If anyone asks, you’re doing an errand for the dig.” Martha paused. “I will give you a fifty-cent piece if you keep it a secret.”
Josiah’s eyes rounded. “Sure thing, Miss Martha.” He took off running.
After what seemed an eternity with no word from Josiah, she checked her watch. Only an hour had passed? She turned back to her work, only to check her watch again after ten minutes.
This was useless. She couldn’t focus on anything other than the question nagging at her mind and heart....
Had something happened to Jacob?
No use trying to work anymore. She went to stand at the top of the ridge. When she finally spotted Josiah returning, she went to meet him.
His grim face sent tremors through her.
“What’s happened?”
