A Mail Order Bride for Thanksgiving (Love by Mail #5)(8)

Once he reached his house he paused for a moment and took in a deep breath. Slowly he climbed up their porch, shifting the boar’s weight evenly on his back. The backdoor would have been a better choice, since the dripping blood made a mess, but the hinge had broken in the morning. John wished he’d taken the time to fix it then.

“I’m home!” he shouted.

A moment later the door opened and Betty’s plump, rosy face greeted him.

“Hi Jo-Oh!” Betty’s eyes fell on the boar on his shoulder.

“Pork for dinner!’ He grinned and pecked her on the cheek as he stepped into the house.

Betty opened the door wider for him and a familiar voice greeted him inside. “Looks like we’ll have a feast!”

Startled, he looked up to see not just one guest, but several people sat around the table. Mercy Beckett, Claire Shepard, and Pastor Nathan from Angel Creek all greeted him with a smile.

“Good afternoon,” John said. “Let me just put this in the kitchen and I’ll be with you in a minute.”

He carried his catch through the house quickly, trying not to drip too much blood around the place. Once in the kitchen he quickly washed his hands and face, and rushed back into the living room, where his wife was offering their guests chicken pie.

“It’s good to see you all again,” he said, sitting beside Betty. “How’s Cole and the kids?”

Mercy laughed. “Absolutely lovely. Grace is running all over the place!”

John recalled the toddler falling over herself, trying to get to her father, the last time he saw her and he chuckled.

“And, what brings you here, Reverend?”

“You’ve probably heard about the new pastor,” Nathan said. “I’ve actually been in touch with him for a while.”

John took a piece of the pie and nodded. He liked the sound of that. A friendly pastor would definitely be a welcome change in Fernville. If he was anything like Pastor Nathan…

“Has he arrived?” Betty asked.

“This week,” Claire said, “But as my brother mentioned, they’ve exchanged letters. He mentioned wanting to build a chapel here in Fernville. Since we managed to arrange the land for the build he was asking about volunteers in his last letter.”

John looked at his wife, before turning back to Claire with a grin. “That sounds like a great idea! I’d love to help.”

“So would I,” Betty said. “How many volunteers are there, so far?”

Mercy licked her lips. “Just a few, but we’re hoping there’ll be more when Pastor Elliot Quill comes. We did get a bit distracted today with Betty’s delicious pie…”

They all laughed. John knew first hand it was hard not to get distracted when Betty served one of her amazing meals.

“Love your house, by the way,” Mercy said, gesturing to the animal skin patches on the walls.

“Thank you,” John said, beaming. “Symbols of my Lakotan heritage.”

“I think it’s a lovely tribute,” Claire said.

“Well, we better get going. Maybe we can still find a few more volunteers today.” Mercy stood. “Thanks for the chicken pie, Betty.”

Claire and Nathan got up and bade them goodbye. When they left, Betty turned to John with a slightly worried expression across her face.

“John, I was wondering…”

“Yes?”

“Didn’t you mention just yesterday that you had some work to do out of town? When will you find the time to volunteer with all the travel?”

The carpentry work for Mr. Lourne, right… John scratched his chin. “I’m sure the job won’t take that long, and it starts in a week, while the chapel needs helping hands now. There’s always time for Lord’s work. I’m sure the chapel will do wonders for the town. I really think I should be involved with that, especially in the beginning, to help build the momentum.”

Betty frowned, but got up to clean the table.

“What’s wrong?”

She shook her head, but said, “Well… I do want us to help, too. But I’m not working, and you don’t have a steady job either…”

He smiled, stood up, stepped closer to his wife and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Remember the passage from Hebrews? ‘Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God’.”

She turned her face towards him, and he took the chance to caress her cheek. “It’ll be fine my sweet Betty.”

She smiled. “I know.”

*

“Are you sure you’ll be all right?”

John smiled at his wife. She looked so charming with the blue handkerchief he gave her tied neatly around her curls. “I’ll be fine.”

Betty looked over her shoulder at the other builders who kept glaring at them. John squeezed her arm gently. “Go, you still have to prepare for the builders’ lunch.”

She nodded and left to talk to the women gathered near the long table some feet away. The first day of the build, and it looked like no one still wanted to give John the time of day. But he hoped that after the work is done things would finally change.

“Need any help, Eddie?” He approached an old man of seventy-five, who was one of only a handful who treated John with respect.