For Such a Time as This: A Women of Hope Novel by Ginny Aiken

Author:Ginny Aiken [Aiken, Ginny]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Fiction / Christian / Historical, Fiction / Christian / Romance, Fiction / Romance / Western, Fiction / Romance / Historical / General, Fiction / Historical
Publisher: FaithWords
Published: 2012-08-14T04:00:00+00:00

Shortly after she’d returned from the farm, Olivia had a surprise. Cooky’s daughter Kate, who had recovered from her burned arm and recently returned to her regular duties, entered Luke’s room, where Olivia and the children had been discussing their day.

“Missus Whitman,” she said, “your papa’s here to see you. I showed ’im into the parlor.”

How odd, Olivia thought. Papa in town this late? Here?

“Thank you, Kate. I’ll be right down.” She turned to the children. “Please excuse me for a while, but do keep on with your lessons. Especially that arithmetic, Luke.”

On her way to the parlor, Olivia couldn’t ignore the sharp pang of apprehension. Why hadn’t Stephen Moore gone straight home after he’d finished his business?

Had he finished his business?

Or had his business concerned her?

“Hello, Olivia.” The much-loved bass voice welcomed her into the parlor.

Launching herself into his arms, Olivia swallowed hard against the knot in her throat. “Oh, Papa… it’s wonderful to see you. I went to the farm and I missed you, even though I spent the day with Mama, the girls, and even saw the boys for a bit.”

Papa’s arms grew slack at Olivia’s words. He stepped away and walked to the front window, his back toward her. “I’m sure your mother told you I had business in town.”

“Of course, but I could figure that out when you weren’t in the barn taking turns to spoil that calf with the boys.”

A brief grin danced over Papa’s lean face as he glanced over his shoulder. But then he turned his attention back to the darkening street outside. “You’re right. I much prefer spending my days in the barn. A serious matter brought me to town today.”

Her heart leaped into her throat. “And…?”

He released a deep, troubled sigh. “And things did not go well.”

“Please tell me about it.”

“I’m afraid that’s why I’ve come to interrupt your evening,” he said. “I’m terribly sorry about that, Olivia, but I believe you might be able to help.”

“Me?”

Instead of responding, Papa handed her a single sheet of paper. As Olivia unfolded the page, she breathed a prayer. But with every word she read, more blood seemed to drain from her head. She dropped onto the settee, hands chilled and shaking.

“This can’t be,” she whispered. “There must be some mistake.”

Papa shook his head. “No mistake, my dear. I came into Bountiful to see what I could do about it. As you can see, the letter demands repayment of the mortgage we had to take out on our land by the thirty-first of December. If we fail to meet that deadline, the bank will take the farm. You know I don’t have the money. Won’t have it until I can bring in a new harvest.”

“Did you ask for more time? Until that next harvest?”

“Of course. But the answer was the same. New Year’s Eve by closing.”

“If you don’t pay…?”

“We’ll be turned out.”

“Where will you go?”

Papa shrugged and faced the window again.

Silence grew. A vise clamped over Olivia’s heart. “Did you…?” She paused, afraid of the response to her burning question.

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