Home > Within Golden Bands (A Home for My Heart #2)(7)

Within Golden Bands (A Home for My Heart #2)(7)
Author: Norma Gail

One glimpse out the window revealed a dreich morning. The mountain stood shrouded in dark clouds, and Kieran had dressed without awakening her. Days of rain turned the yard into a swamp. The air smelled wet. Bonny’s skin felt wet. Her eyes were never dry. Her empty arms ached more when the heavens cried with her, and rain seldom ceased on Loch Garry.

Kieran walked through the bedroom door as she stepped out of the shower. He smiled and crossed the room to embrace her. “You were sound asleep, and I didn’t want to wake you. Graeme and Janet are here.”

“I forgot they were coming. Why are they together?” Those two hadn’t been alone together since a long-ago ski weekend in Aviemore when Janet told Graeme about her divorce and her certainty that people wouldn’t accept her as a pastor’s wife. “They were in the same car together for almost an hour?”

“Hurry and we can find out, hen.” Kieran dropped a warm kiss at the nape of her neck before she pulled away and walked to the closet.

He headed for the door and she blew a kiss in his direction.

Driving rain pelted the windows, and the farmhouse juddered in the winter wind. Thunder reverberated off the mountainsides and rumbled through the glen. The history professor in her imagined cannon fire from a siege against the ancient castles that dotted the landscape. She offered a prayer of thanks for the solid, old stone house.

The warm comfort of her favorite sweatshirt with its flag of Scotland and a pair of loose, gray sweat pants were perfect for the day. Leaving her hair in wet ringlets down her back, she rubbed blush into her cheeks, applied mascara to pale lashes, and headed downstairs.

Janet’s laughter and the deep voices of the men directed her to the library. The fragrance of her favorite balsam-scented candles greeted her at the door. In spite of the violent storm, the room glowed with light, love, and laughter.

“Good morning. Sorry, I forgot you were coming. I overslept.”

“Don’t be.” Janet and Graeme rose from the couch, faces animated, eyes bright. Something was up.

Bonny hugged them and seated herself next to Kieran.

“Do you feel any better?” Graeme’s tone held concern.

“They say I’ll be tired for months. Healing is a journey filled with hills and valleys. One minute you think you’ll survive, and the next you’re positive you can’t go on.”

“Call me when you feel down.” Janet’s warmth and friendship remained constant as the rain. “Maybe I can listen in a way Kari can’t right now. When you’re up to it, we’ll have lunch in Fort William and shop like we used to when you were teaching. Fort William Christian College isn’t the same since you two left. I miss you.”

“Girlfriend time would be a real treat.” Janet’s warm invitation soothed Bonny’s heart, a true friend in her new country.

Kieran stood to sweep stray embers from the hearth. “What brings you out all this way in a storm?”

“We have a surprise.” Graeme beamed at Janet, her face reddening under his gaze.

“That’s obvious.” Kieran stood still, hearth brush in hand. “Janet, I’ve known you since we were what, five? Something’s up.”

“I’ll resign from Faith Chapel next month to become Chairman of the Department of Apologetics at Fort William Christian College when Phil MacKenzie retires,” Graeme said. Apples in autumn couldn’t glow brighter than Janet’s cheeks. “Dùghlas Cameron offered me the position while you were on your honeymoon. My doctorate is in apologetics, you know. I always planned to teach one day.”

“Congratulations.” Kieran hung up the hearth brush and sat next to Bonny again. “We appreciate your visit, but you could have told us over the phone instead of driving out here in such a storm. The single-track becomes such a mess in this weather. There must be something else.”

Graeme glanced at Janet. “Since I’ll be a professor, not a pastor, Janet’s agreed her divorce doesn’t disqualify her from a happy life. We started to see each other right after you left on your honey—”

Bonny leaped off the couch, laughing and crying, to pull Janet into a hug before he finished. Kieran followed and pumped Graeme’s hand with enthusiasm. “Congratulations.”

“No one but my mum knows for now.” Janet’s face shone with joy.

Kieran wrapped her in a hug and kissed her cheek. “I don’t know what I would have done without you these last few years. I wish you all the best.”

“You were there for me after my divorce. I guess knocking some sense into you about Bonny makes us even.” Janet laughed.

Graeme sat close to her this time and reached for her hand, his brown eyes sparkling like cairngorms, the lovely jewels found only in the Scottish mountains bearing their name. “I called Dùghlas the day I found out about Phil’s retirement. He never interviewed anyone else. When I knew for certain, I told Janet. I’ve never been more sure in my life.”

Janet’s head tipped toward his dark one, shoulders and thighs touching. It was obvious how new and exciting their world had become. “I can’t imagine Faith Chapel with another pastor. All things are possible with God, but I’ll admit, I didn’t pray like I believed it.”

Graeme smiled at her with complete adoration. “We’re telling you in strict confidence. Janet insists we not appear in public together until I step down as pastor.”

“I’ll bet your mother’s thrilled. Agnes has prayed to see you happily married.” Bonny sighed in gratitude for a moment of unexpected joy.

“Mum’s ecstatic. You know she loves Graeme. And Kieran, you can pay me back.” Janet’s voice lowered. “We hope you’ll perform our ceremony when the time comes.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “What a turnabout. The prodigal performing the pastor’s wedding. Bonny, did you ever think you’d see the day?”

“Reformed prodigal.” She kissed his cheek. “You’ll be wonderful.”

He nudged her and flicked his head toward Janet, who wiggled her fingers to loosen Graeme’s never-let-you-go grip.

“Counsel us like you would any other couple. You’ve taken the classes, and have the life experience,” Graeme said.

“He can do it.” A gust of wind shook the house, and Bonny burrowed deeper under Kieran’s shoulder, glancing around the warm room. Wood paneling, walls lined with books, green carpet, and blue-and-green MacDonell plaid furniture. Such a homey room with the roaring fire and good news almost chased away the dampness.

“You three have a lot more confidence in me than I do.” He shook his head.

“I hate to rush off, but we need to get back to Fort William.” Janet stood and crossed the room to kiss his cheek. “I can’t think of anyone I would rather have perform our wedding than my oldest and dearest friend.”

“Thank you.” He flushed red and stood. “I appreciate your confidence. We’ll stay home from church until the doctors clear us to drive. I still have headaches, and Bonny’s much too weak.”

She rose and walked toward the door with one arm around Janet. “Thank you for braving the storm to share your news. It will be great to spend time with the two of you again.”

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