Page 49 of Mail-Order Bride Substitute
“You forgot to finish.”
She hadn’t forgotten but at his interest, she continued. “I remember a verse in the Psalms that Sylvia and I memorized together. ‘He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.’”
“Nice verse…especially here.” His gaze encompassed their surroundings and stopped at her. “What prompted you to choose that passage?”
His look invited her to share about herself. Or at least she wanted to believe so. For reasons she would not allow herself to examine, she wanted to give him a glimpse of her heart.
“I had been through a difficult situation.” One that didn’t end. “I found this verse while reading Psalm eighteen. The whole chapter is full of encouragement about God being a rock, a deliverer, and our strength. To think of having the agility of a deer who escapes to high places…” Her throat closed off. She coughed a little to ease it. “He lifted me from the depths and put me on a high place.” Her voice lowered to a whisper and pointed to the scene before them. “Like this.” An unexpected burst of joy brought a chuckle to her lips.
“What’s amusing?”
“I’m amazed at how good God is. I have been freed from the situation that threatened to overwhelm me back in Kellom. He has indeed lifted me and set my feet on a high place.”
Wanting to literally plant her feet on high ground, she began to dismount. Seeing her intent, Riley was on his feet in an instant and helped her down.
She thanked him and then faced the hills that descended before her.Thank you, God. Please let this be my permanent home.Riley stood beside her, silent and waiting.
Slowly she brought her gaze around to his. His eyes had grown dark and bottomless, drawing her into the depths of his soul. The bright sun sucked the color from the background. The air between them shimmered, sparks flashing.
He lifted a hand, held it suspended between them then slowly lowered it, swallowed audibly but didn’t break off his steady look. She tried to bring his name to her tongue but there was only silence. Silence filled with a feeling she couldn’t identify. Nor did she want to. It was too fragile. To name it would be to destroy it.
One of the horses shook his head and Olivia jerked toward the animals.
“We need to move on.” Riley’s voice was hoarse.
Did that mean he’d felt it too? The tension and emotion of the moments of staring at each other? Or was she simply trying to make her dreams become real?
12
One thought chased another in Riley’s head. Doing his best to ignore the resulting confusion, he caught up the horses and helped Olivia to the back of her mount. He jerked away as soon as she was seated. Touching her only served to further unsettle him. Her story about dealing with an unhappy situation that he knew involved Gerald had made him curl his fists. But then she’d told him of God comforting her. The look on her face and the sweetness of her voice had done things to his equilibrium.
He didn’t know how to describe it and tried to remember that his heart was not available to emotions. He’d locked it tight after Nina and thrown away the key. Having done his best to convince himself what he’d experienced a few moments ago was only the effects of the bright sunshine and deep blue sky, he guided them away from the view. “We’ll ride a little farther before we stop to eat.”
He led onward to a stream of water and helped her dismount. She wavered as her legs hit the ground. “Getting a little sore?” he asked.
She stiffened and moved away from him. “Maybe, but I’m fine.”
He grinned knowing she would pay for several days for the time spent riding. He untied the sack of food. They sat on a grassy verge to eat. For a spell, neither of them spoke. He had things he wanted to say, questions he wanted to ask but hesitated. The more he learned about her, the more he liked her.
If only she wasn’t from the same background as Nina.
She finished eating and took her sketchbook from her satchel. “I’ll draw while you finish.”
He slowed his chewing and adjusted his position so he could see over her shoulder. She drew the wide scene in quick strokes then drew the tiny flowers at her feet. She sketched the remains of the lunch--the eggshells, the folded brown paper that had held sandwiches, and the last piece of spice cake.
“It looks lonely and deserted.” He indicated the picnic drawing.
“Maybe.” She added flowers and a horse standing nearby, reins hanging to the ground. “Does it still?”
“Now it looks…” He wasn’t sure how to explain how he felt. “As if there’s a person outside the page, enjoying the moment.”
“Riley, that’s amazing. Thank you.”
“Is that what you meant?”
“Sort of.”
“Hmm.” He hoped she’d say more but she turned the page and wrote the verse she had mentioned, putting a deer on a hill overlooking a valley.
