A Blessed Song for Their Love by Olivia Haywood
Chapter Seventeen
The cattle grazed in the hot afternoon sun. Thomas was tending the herd, making sure that none of them were suffering any lasting effects from their illness. He was still completely amazed at the speed of their recovery as he examined them closely. Rosaline had prayed for a miracle and it had happened.
He felt a fluttering in his chest at the thought of Rosaline twirling and laughing with Robbie in the barn. His feelings were getting away from him where Rosaline was concerned. Would that be the worst thing in the world? he heard a quiet voice ask in his heart. Had his wife not given him permission to love another? He didn’t need to feel guilty for loving someone else.
Rosaline was a kind, beautiful woman who had an inner light that shone just as bright as Mary’s had. He felt a release in his chest that brought a faint smile to his lips. Thoughts of his wife had usually sparked a rage in the past, but now he felt at ease. He couldn’t bring her back or change how he had reacted to her passing. He could only make peace with the past and attempt to mend fences.
“How is the herd doing, son?”
Thomas turned to see his father leaning against the corral fence. He picked up a cloth that had been laying in the pail where he had been examining the cattle and wiped his hands. “Doesn’t seem like we will have to worry about any residual damage.” He gestured towards the rest of the herd lazily grazing in the field. “They are all in fine fettle.”
“Thank you, Lord,” Arthur smiled, and turned his face towards the sun with his eyes shut.
Thomas finished wiping his hands and threw the dirty cloth back into the pail His father had stopped trying to work around his faith now that Rosaline was a member of the family. He strode over to his father and kicked his boots against the fence to dislodge some of the mud. “I owe you an apology, Pa,” he said when his father opened his eyes and looked at him.
Arthur folded his arms and shifted all of his weight onto the fence.
“You’ve been so patient with me.” He looked around at the cattle. “It’s my fault we are struggling the way we are. If I hadn’t turned to gambling and drinking we wouldn’t be in this mess,” he said apologetically.
“It’s true you went astray for a while, son, but I see the effort you’re putting in and I couldn’t be more proud of you. It takes a big man to stay on the right path in the face of trials.” He smiled warmly and looked earnestly at Thomas. “It takes an even bigger man to admit he was wrong and attempt to get back on the path.”
Thomas looked down in an attempt to hide his emotions. It was true that he was trying to do better and that he was coming to terms with the passing of his wife and mother, but he wasn’t certain if he could trust God again. There was still an inner turmoil that festered in his soul.
“Sometimes it helps to talk through your feelings and gain another perspective,” Arthur encouraged gently.
Thomas saw the understanding in his father’s eyes and decided to open his heart. “I don’t know if I can trust Him again, Pa. I prayed so hard for God not to take her away from me and then she died,” He sighed and kicked at the mud. “I can’t see why God took her.”
Arthur looked thoughtful for a moment. “I won’t pretend that I have all the answers and that I know the mind of God. I’m just a man like any other. I do know that we serve a God of love who makes all things work for the good of those who were called to His purposes, but I won’t say that I know why God took her away.”
Thomas felt the anger rising in his chest again.
“I will say that God will equip you to face whatever challenges he places in front of you. He never calls us to a battle He doesn’t strengthen us to fight. God has already begun a new work within you, and you better believe that He will carry it out to completion.” Arthur straightened himself with some effort and placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Give God another chance, son. Lean into the new path that God has brought into our lives. Perhaps instead of asking why and trying to reason it out with our limited understanding, just trust that God knows His own plans, and we don’t have to know all the reasons.”
He felt the anger in his chest subside. “I’ll try, Pa.”
Arthur beamed from ear to ear as he clapped his son on the back.
“I’ll try and give God another chance, for the sake of my family,” He paused and looked at his father in all honesty. “That includes Rosaline. I’m going to try and do what is right by her.”
“That’s the best news I’ve had in a very long time. I’m not going to pretend I haven’t been praying for this,” Arthur chuckled heartily. “Rosaline is a good woman and God had a plan in bringing her here. I don’t want to pry too much, son, but did something happen to make you change your mind?’’
Thomas wasn’t ready to confide in his father about his growing feelings for Rosaline. He wasn’t even sure himself that it was more than a fond affection. “Mary wrote me a letter while she was dying.”
Arthur seemed surprised. “I didn’t know. It must have been while Buena was tending her at the start of her illness. She knew how quickly the illness could progress. I’m glad she had your future in mind.”
“She told me to move on with my life and not be afraid of loving another,” Thomas admitted.
Arthur had tears welling in his eyes as he choked back the tears. He hesitated for a moment. “Would you like to pray together, son?”
Thomas shifted uneasily, not yet willing to jump right into prayer after so many months of silence, but the pure hope and joy that he saw in his father’s eyes made him push his hesitation aside. He closed his eyes and bent his head as Arthur began to thankfully pray for a new beginning with God.
Thomas felt at peace when his father was done praying, yet something was nudging his spirit and making him restless. He lifted his head and smiled at Arthur. “Thank you, Pa.”
“God will always be waiting for you, son. Whenever you are ready, invite God back in.” Arthur frowned. “Is something the matter?”
“I just feel uneasy. Did you see Rosaline and Robbie when you left the house?”
“She was busy with the washing when I left, and Robbie was down for a nap.”
Thomas stepped back and furrowed his brow in concern. “I think I’d better go and check on them. It’s probably nothing. I’m done here, so I’ll go and check.”
“By all means,” Arthur gestured for Thomas to leave. “I have a few things I wanted to check here, you go on ahead.”
Thomas nodded and hurried to where his horse was lazily grazing under a nearby tree. He hopped into the saddle and nudged the horse into a trot. He couldn’t explain the growing urgency he felt in his chest, but he urged the horse into a gallop and sped towards the house.
***
Thomas galloped his horse to the stables and dismounted in a hurry.
One of the farmhands was shoveling hay and looked up in surprise when Thomas rushed in with his horse. The boy ran forward and took the reins. “Is everything alright, Sir?”
“I’m not sure. Is everything in order here?”
“Yes, sir. I’m almost done with the feed and Tommy was busy mending the fence by the house when I left him.”
Thomas nodded and turned to leave as the boy took the horse. “Carry on, I’m going to check on things at the house.” He broke into a jog as he left the barn.
He neared the fence where Tommy, the other farmhand, was attempting to calm the cattle. “What’s going on here?” Thomas asked hurriedly as the cattle crowded and bumped into each other in a growing panic.
“There was a snake, Sir,” Tommy yelled. “I managed to drive it off, but I can’t get the herd to settle!”
Thomas jumped the fence in one fluid motion and hurried towards the cattle. “I’ll try and calm them on this end. You make your way to the other side and make sure they don’t break through the fence!” he yelled to Tommy.
Nodding and grabbing onto his cap, Tommy pushed past the bustling herd and disappeared into the throng.
The cattle were thrashing wildly against each other amid the growing unrest. Their eyes were wild and frightened as Thomas attempted to calm the biggest bull. If he could just calm one, the herd would settle.
“Sir! I can’t hold them back!” Tommy yelled out from somewhere at the back of the herd.
A crash of wood let Thomas know that the cattle had broken through the fence as they started to stampede. Jumping out of danger, Thomas stood back and assessed where the cattle had broken through. His heart fell into his stomach when he noticed that the cattle were now on a direct trajectory to the wash house.
“Oh Lord, no,” he breathed as he broke into a ran past the stampeding herd.
Thomas saw Rosaline looking bewildered as she came out of the washhouse holding a basket of clothes. He tried to scream for her to move out of the way, but his voice was lost in the thunder of stampeding hooves and panicking cattle.
The herd had now formed a barrier between them as Thomas saw Rosaline press herself against the wall of the building. A thrashing cow ripped the basket from her hands as she let out a scream. There was nowhere for her to run.
Thomas thought quickly and bolted through a gap in the herd. He was getting closer to Rosaline when his attention was drawn to the largest bull who was rushing towards Rosaline with his head down.
His breath was burning in his chest as he sprinted the last few paces towards Rosaline and dragged her out of the way just as the bull’s horns broke through the already brittle wood of the old washhouse.
A cloud of dust enveloped everything as the herd rushed past the collapsing building.
Rosaline sobbed as Thomas held her tightly in his arms. Her face was buried in his chest as she cried.
“I’ve got you,” Thomas whispered tenderly as he stroked her hair. “I’ve got you.”
“I thought I was going to die,” she cried.
Thomas gently pushed her away from him and examined her. Her face was streaked with dirt and tears. “Are you hurt anywhere?” His voice was low and gruff.
Rosaline stopped sobbing as Thomas’ hands firmly gripped her shoulders. “I don’t think so.”
“Oh, thank God.” Thomas pulled her into his arms and held her trembling frame tightly against him.
“Thank God I got to you in time,” he said into her hair as her arms went around his neck.
He lifted her lightly off her feet as he held on, her face pressed against his neck. Thomas thanked God that she was safe. He felt an overwhelming sense of security and thankfulness as she clung tightly to him. He didn’t want to let her go for fear of something else happening to her.
When the dust had settled after a few minutes she gently drew away and looked up at him.
Thomas looked down into her frightened eyes. A few loose hairs were clinging to her tear-stained cheeks. He let go of her and gently brushed them back with the tips of his fingers. Her breathing was heavy as he tilted his head and drew her closer once more, his lips hovering just a few inches from hers.
“Did anyone get hurt, what happened?” Arthur came galloping into the yard.
Thomas drew away as his father’s panicked voice jolted him back to reality. It had felt like they were the only two people alive. “The herd broke through. I didn’t see what happened to Tommy,” Thomas called to his father and gently pulled himself away from Rosaline.
“He’s securing a few stragglers that broke away, we will have to go after the rest. I’ll go on ahead.” Arthur clucked his tongue and urged the horse forward.
Thomas nodded as his father galloped past him after the herd. He looked back down at Rosaline who had crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m going to help,” he whispered tenderly and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “You go and check on Robbie, he was probably startled from all the ruckus.”
She closed her eyes as he caressed her cheek and nodded silently in response. “Please be careful,” she managed to say through shaky breaths.
“I will.” He drew her into his arms and pressed her against his chest before quickly hurrying away.
***
Thomas stood beside Rosaline in the church as the congregation sang the hymns. The look of utter surprise in her eyes that morning, when he had asked if he could accompany them to church, had tugged at his heart.
They hadn’t had a moment alone since the incident of the day before. He gently brushed up against her as everyone sang Amazing Grace.
“Amazing Grace, How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.”
His heart felt light and thankful. He had had a surge of strength the day before when he had attempted to reach Rosaline. He knew in heart that it wasn’t under his own strength that he had reached her in time.
“I once was lost, but now I am found,
Was blind, but now I see.”
Rosaline looked up at him in surprise as he raised his voice and joined in the singing.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved.”
Thomas smiled down at her and sang as his heart jumped in his chest.
“How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.”