Max had never known a time when he enjoyed himself more. He hadn’t been one to seek the company of his peers, nor to attempt to better his acquaintance with members of the feminine set. But today was clearly proving to him what he had missed.
Despite the fact that everyone was younger than him, Max found they were all rather perfectly suited. Carl Knutsson was twenty-five and a lawyer like Evan. He worked for a different firm, but the two men had been lifelong friends, and both were serious-minded and mature.
Evan was clearly interested in Carl’s younger sister. The two watched each other constantly and seemed inseparable. Carl and his fiancée, Amelia Bronson, likewise had eyes only for each other. That left him and Evie with more than ample timeto get acquainted and talk about whatever came to mind. And there was plenty on Max’s mind as they sat on the shoreline while the others canoed.
“I find the way you speak about your faith to be most compelling. For the entirety of my life, religion has held little interest. As a child, my mother and father never seemed to stress its importance, although my governess did take great stock in her faith.”
“It’s a pity they weren’t interested in spending more time with you. My parents were extremely busy but have always made time for us each day. The only exception was when they had to travel out of town. Even then, they left letters for Nanny to read to us.” Evie smiled at the memory, and Max loved the way her entire face lit up.
“Teaching us about their faith in God was of the utmost importance. Mother made it clear that one day we would have to decide for ourselves what to believe in. She stressed that no matter who you were, you would choose something to believe in, and she felt strongly it should be the one true God.”
“How could she be so sure that hers was the one true God?”
“Faith. My parents believe without any doubts that the Bible is a true account from God, told to man and written down for all of us to have. They believe that Jesus came to earth as a baby to grow into a man who would know all our sorrows and trials. And He took on our sin as His own, even though He was sinless as God’s only begotten Son. This was told to me over and over again as a child.”
“Didn’t that seem daunting to you?”
“I suppose there were those times when I struggled to understand, but it comforted me greatly to know there was someone out there bigger than me or even my parents. Someone who had ultimate power to make everything right.”
“But it’s not really right. Not at this point.”
Evie met his gaze and nodded. “It will be one day. God has His reasons and timing, and I believe one day all the world will be made right and sin will be no more. I can’t begin to imagine how glorious that will be, but I do look forward to it.”
Max drew up his knees as they sat on the blankets alongside the lake. He wrapped his arms around his lightweight linen trousers as if he were a boy. “I always believed there was a God in charge. A vicious and tyrannical ruler who watched us constantly to make sure we didn’t upset Him.” Max shrugged. “I suppose that sounds silly. I didn’t honestly think He cared about us all that much but somehow figured He was keeping score against us.”
“I think a lot of people feel that way. They can’t seem to believe in the love He offers and focus instead on judgment. I honestly think that our concept of God is often determined by the experiences we have with our earthly fathers.”
“That would certainly account for my attitude. My father and I are not close. We are more suited to the employer and employee relationship. He’s had so little to say or do with me as a father to a son.”
“I find that very sad. My father is intricately tied to each of us. He has always made time for his children, even making an effort to spend time with us individually. He was very close to his father, and he said it made all the difference in the person he became as an adult.”
Max stared off across the water. “Then there isn’t much hope for me.”
“Oh, but there is. You have your heavenly Father to guide you. You needn’t be alone in any of this, Max.”
He turned to look at her. She was quite serious and not at all condemning. “I’ve never met anyone quite like you. Your thoughts are so much deeper than those of the women I’ve known. My stepmother, for example, is all about her fashions.She worries about knowing the best of society and being important to them. You seem far more concerned with bettering other people and sit on the ground at the lakeside like a farm girl.”
Evie laughed. “I’m definitely not a farm girl, I must admit. My folks bought a couple farms to give poor war veterans a place to live and something to do. We went out there often in the early days, and I learned such a life wasn’t for me. The country offers a nice diversion for a short time, but I much prefer the city. I love the excitement and variety of things to do. I would love to explore the world’s larger cities. London, Rome, Paris. A lady of leisure walking the various art galleries and historical sites.”
“Yet hard work doesn’t seem to worry you.”
“No, I’m not afraid to work with my hands. We often accompanied our parents on trips to visit the poor and needy. We would patch up broken windows and structures, sew and mend clothes, and clean houses. I’ve never been encouraged to turn down any task. It’s like I said before, doing for other people has a way of filling a great void within. I believe it’s because Jesus did so much for us and our hearts just naturally cry out to do likewise.”
“And we’re back to issues of faith.” Max smiled. “I can see that for you that is the natural order of your life.”
Evie nodded, her expression quite serious. “You would benefit from such order in yours, Max. I assure you, that restlessness within you is the yearning of your soul to set things right.”
8
Max sat across from his father’s large ornate oak desk, listening as he read from an updated report that came from Max’s brothers just a few days earlier. The economic news continued to worsen. Additional banks had collapsed, and the largest of the New York banks were resorting to using scrip and clearinghouse certificates to satisfy the needs of customers. If something didn’t give soon, they feared a complete collapse of the financial institutions in America.
“They also point out that large corporations are shutting down or pulling back on previously agreed upon arrangements. Expansions have come to a halt, and some businesses are stopping manufacturing altogether.” He put down the letter. “The time has come to make some very difficult decisions.”
“Such as burning down the sawmills?” Max couldn’t help himself. He knew his father’s business cronies were searching for the easiest solution.
“It wouldn’t hurt anyone,” his father said, trying to make the idea sound like a reasonable option. “We’ve long paid premiums and deserve to get our money back.” He leaned back in hischair and steepled his fingers. “I’m telling you, Max, everyone is considering the possibility. We aren’t the only ones to find ourselves in this precarious situation.”
“It is illegal to set fire to your sawmill, Father. They call it arson, and it’s very much against the law.”
