FRIDAY, AUGUST9, 1889
The train rolled into the depot with a loud hiss and burst of steam. Muttering excuses and apologies, Jacob pushed his way through the crowd. He had to get to Martha. Nothing else mattered.
The entire trip had been a bust. Frustration boiled in his gut. A train ticket was expensive enough for a trip that was planned, but an unexpected trip? It was a luxury. Then to make it to Colorado Springs and find that his cousin wasn’t even present? Infuriating. The lost money was secondary in his list of frustrations, however.
Something wasn’t right.
With plenty of time on the train to think, Jacob had outlined the various situations he’d been in the last months. Andnow no cousin. A long trip taking valuable time away from the dig.
Jacob stopped in the middle of the planked pathway in front of Martha’s house.
He rubbed his face—someone wanted him away from the dig. Was that it? But who? Why? He wasn’t the one getting his name on the exhibit. It was Martha.
He shook his head. He needed to see her and maybe together they could figure this out. The thought lifted him and he pushed through the iron gate and bounded up the massive porch.
The butler answered his knock and Jacob removed his hat. “Jacob Duncan to see Miss Jankowski.”
The older man sniffed and peered down his nose. “One moment.” The oak door slammed shut and Jacob sighed. Rocking back on his heels, he sorted through the events again. There had to be something he was missing. Someone. Who would want to sabotagebothteams?
The door swung open and Martha greeted him. “Jacob!” She scowled. “What are you doing here? Don’t you know they’re looking for you?”
The anger in her voice caught him off guard. “Looking for me?” He shook his head “I wanted to let you know I was back from—”
She crossed her arms. “Back?Back?You left without a word. Left me at that café all alone. You were gone from the dig when it is absolutely critical for all hands to be available and working.” But even as she stood there, angry and upset, he noticed the relief in her eyes.
“Wait...” He took a step back. “I ... I left you a note. My cousin telegrammed and said he needed me urgently in Colorado Springs. I wouldn’t have just left you like that.”
Her face softened. She gripped the knob of the door. “Your cousin? There was no note from you, Jacob. Nothing. Theybrought me down to the police station and had the foreman of the other dig there. He told me your contract with them was never terminated. He showed it to me. He confessed that they were using you as a spy.” Her bottom lip trembled, and her voice lowered. “I can’t believe you would do this to me. After I shared my feelings with you.”
“Martha—”
“No.” Her head shook back and forth. “I’m glad you are okay, but I can’t believe anything you say to me anymore. I want you off my porch. Do not contact me anymore. You are off the dig.”
“Martha!” He stepped forward, hands spread wide. His heart raced. Why was she reacting like this, like she couldn’t even hear a word he was saying. “I’m not lying to you. I’m just as confused as you are. When I got to Colorado Springs, my cousin wasn’t even there. It’s like someone wants us to be divided. Wants us to lose focus on the dig when such a huge discovery has been made.” His hands fell to his sides. His sides still ached from the attack a few weeks ago, and right now, he couldn’t breathe. Panic clutched at his lungs, but he forced a deep breath through them. “Please let me finish and help you get your name on this exhibit.”
Martha stared at him for a long minute. “No. No. You’ve charmed me with your sweetness and kindness for the last time. For all your talk about God, you’re just as fake as everyone else. You’ve lied to me from the beginning. Spying, sabotage ... it’s all been one big lie and I can’t do it anymore. Go away, Jacob. I don’t want to see you again.”
He pushed a hand through his hair. “If you would just listen—”
The door slammed shut.
He turned and faced the street. His eyes barely registered the activity of the upscale neighborhood. All he felt was the raging emptiness inside. Where had he gone wrong? Had henot followed the Lord? Why was Martha so angry with him? Is this what love looked like?
Suddenly, he missed his family. The simplicity of their love, kindness, and hope. The wisdom of his mother and the strength of his father. His siblings and their teasing, full of good-natured ribbing. His church family and being fed the Word every week. Being out in Denver had been a trial and a test. Maybe his parents had been right. Maybe he had chosen the wrong path after all.
Martha pressed her forehead against the door for a moment then turned toward the parlor.
Gerard emerged from the shadows of the hallway. “Will you be needing anything, miss?”
He’d been their steadfast butler for as long as she could remember, but tonight his tone was softer than she’d ever heard.
“No, thank you, Gerard. I think I will retire early tonight. Can you ask Chef to send a small tray to my room for dinner?”
The old butler bowed and retraced his steps back to the kitchen.
Martha stood in the immaculate foyer, her emotions a mess. Jacob looked awful. Exhausted. She’d never seen him so unkempt. But her heart couldn’t take it. Not one more excuse. Not one more story. His cousin? She snorted then clapped her hand over her mouth. His unmannerly ways had rubbed off on her. Mother would be furious at how low-class she was becom—
Oh! Had she always thought of people and class in such a snooty way? That wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair to classify Jacob as lower than her. A verse she recently read came to mind. “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Martha sighed. She still had so much to learn, but she was coming to understand what Jacob meant when he said he was a sinner.
