A Place Called Home

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  "Aren't they a bit tight?" Christine stood in front of the full-length mirror in Mac and Julia's bedroom, scrutinizing her jeans-encased legs.

  As she pulled on a boot Julia answered, "Maybe a little. But with no one around to see us, I wouldn't worry about it."

  Christine shook her head, her voice rueful. "Even if someone does see us, it's better than riding in a skirt!"

  "Oh, I heartily agree. My brother thinks I'm rebellious, but he's never worn a riding habit." / "How does Mac feel about pants?"

  "If I go right over to the ranch and back, I can go alone. If not, I have to ride with someone and stay on MacDonald or Cameron land."

  Once mounted and ready to go, Julia knew a moment's pricking in her conscience. She knew she had stretched the truth, but she shoved her guilt aside, not wanting to spoil the day.

  Christine and Julia moved past the MacDonald cornfields, ready for the harvest. They rode in silence, taking in the beauty around them. The horses' sturdy legs ate up the acres as the crisp October air surrounded them.

  The fall days brought cool mornings and brisk nights, but by ten in the morning the sun was warming things up to a comfortable temperature that didn't call for sweaters or coats.

  Julia pulled her horse atop a small mound and Christine followed suit. Below them sat the Cameron ranch. The house was a single-story rectangle about a hundred feet from the stable, a low-ceilinged structure set at the edge of a well-built corral area.

  Christine's eyes took in the horse barn. It seemed enormous to her. "How many horses do they have?"

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  "I think the three that just arrived made it 26, but the stables will hold well over 30."

  Julia sat still for a spell, letting Christine take in the beauty of the ranch setting. After they turned their horses away, Julia led them down along the creek. They let the animals rest and graze, each woman taking a rock and getting comfortable in the morning sun.

  "How did you meet Mac?" Christine asked. For the first time in her life the relationships between men and women weighed heavily on her mind.

  "He came to the ranch to see my father. Well, actually, it was the first time I had seen him in many years. He had left home when I was still quite young. But when Mac's dad got sick, he came home to work the farm. I was only 13 but already showing signs of being tall, and Mac was so big and acted so grownup.

  "He was 18 at the time, and very kind. He never told me to get lost like Luke and Silas did." Julia laughed softly. "I used to lie awake at night and think about him. Because of his size, I would dream he would come and take me away and then beat up my brothers when they were mean."

  Christine laughed at this before asking, "When did he first notice you, I mean..." she grew flustered and silent.

  "You mean as a woman."

  At Christine's nod, Julia continued. "The summer I turned 151 had gone into town one day to shop. Mac was in the store and we talked. Later he walked my things out to the wagon for me, and I swear I was head over heels in love. That night after supper he came to call. We sat on the porch and laughed and talked for over an hour. By the time he left I was sure I was in love."

  "After Mac left, my father told me I couldn't see him socially again. I remember crying and crying.

  "But why, Julia?" Christine's voice was aghast.

  "Oh, Christine-I'm sorry. I forget sometimes that you weren't raised around here. Mac and his family were not Christians," Julia explained gently. "And the Bible is very

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  clear on its guidelines for a Christian courting or marrying a non-Christian."

  A week ago Christine would have been angry at such a statement. But now she realized it was another of God's truths she needed to learn.

  "I best finish the story. I obeyed my father and told Mac I couldn't see him and why. It nearly broke my heart when he accused me of thinking I was too good for him. I didn't see him for quite a few months after that, but I prayed every day that he would trust Christ and understand why I had to obey my father.

  "I didn't know until much later that while he had been away, working in the South on a plantation, the plantation owner's daughter used him. She flirted with him and made promises she had no intention of keeping before she up and married another plantation owner's son. She told Mac after the wedding that he would never have been good enough for her. He was very bitter, to say the least." Julia's voice was sad with remembered pain.

  "But he did eventually get saved." Christine broke through her friend's melancholy.

  Julia beamed at her. "Yes, he was saved. About six months later he came to church. He sat in the back and didn't talk to anyone. It went on like that for some time. Then my father did something that surprised us all-he asked Mac to Sunday dinner. After that the pattern changed. Mac would sit with us, come to dinner after church, and stay until near dusk.

  "It was one of those Sunday afternoons when Mac was over that he and Paul, who was only 13 at the time, were talking on the back porch. Paul went over the plan of salvation with him, prayed with him, and helped lead him to the Lord.

  "It wasn't long after that my father died. I don't know what I would have done without Mac at that time. He was there for all of us. Less than a year later his own father died.

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  It was a rough time, but we grew closer to God and to each other because of it.

  "Mac asked my grandfather for my hand when I was 17. Grandpa said yes but that he wanted us to wait until I turned 18. So we were married in the fall of 1879, eight years ago this month."

  Julia's eyes were filled with tears, her wonder at God's goodness not at all dimmed after all these years.

  Christine, caught up in the miracle of Mac and Julia's courtship, asked, "Do you think, Julia, that God has someone for me?" Her voice was wistful, her eyes also filling with tears.

  "Oh, Christine, I don't know exactly what God has for you, but I promise it will be wonderful!" They embraced, cried, and talked nonstop for the next hour. The sun was high and Christine's stomach growled, or else they might have been there all day.

  "Do you plan to expand anytime soon, Luke?"

  "Expand?" Luke's questioning gaze swung to Caroline.

  "Well, yes, I simply assumed with all this land you would be building more stables and adding to your stock."

  "Silas and I have no plans at this time to add on," he told her patiently. "We're about to our limit as to what we can handle ourselves."

  "Oh, but you just need to hire some help..." she was off again. It was as if she hadn't heard a word he had said. Luke was beginning to wonder if the morning would ever end.

  For being a horseman's daughter, Caroline didn't ride very well. She was too busy trying to keep her riding habit in perfect order. Straighten here, brush off there. And that hat! It was a useless little number that caused her to keep her head at an odd angle in order to ensure that the hat was in the exact place she wanted.

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  They had been out for nearly two hours, and as yet Caroline had not stopped talking or giving advice. Luke was getting hungry and his patience was wearing thin.

  Caroline was so busy explaining about the way her father had built up with additional stables and help (evidently forgetting Luke had been there) that she failed to notice the two other riders moving in the direction of the MacDonald farm.

  Without conscious thought Luke adjusted his direction and speed. Caroline innocently followed his lead, talking all the while. "Why, a man from Europe came to see Father's horses. His reputation is flawless, you know." The sound of approaching hooves finally put a halt to Caroline's chatter.

  "Hello!" Julia called a greeting as the four riders came together in a small circle.

  "You ride in blue jeans?" Caroline's voice was outraged.

  Undaunted, Julia just smiled and said, "Oh, Caroline, it's unbelievably comfortable, and we didn't expect to see anyone." Julia's eyes took in Caroline's slightly rumpled appearance, her hat a bit askew and rather
dusty.

  Christine only saw the flawlessly-made blue riding habit and how it accentuated Caroline's blonde hair and blue eyes.

  Luke, on the other hand, had completely forgotten there was a Caroline Chambers. Julia and Christine had raced away from the creek. Julia's pins had held, but Christine's hair, thicker and falling past her waist, had pulled free. It moved with the breeze gently around her face and shoulders. Luke could only stare.

  Christine at that moment became aware of Luke's perusal. She made an attempt to bring a little control to her hair, but without pins it did little good. She gave up and let it go. Christine felt her cheeks grow warm under his steady regard, even as a tiny feeling of pleasure began to stir within her.

  Luke sat there feeling hypocritical. All these years he

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  had objected to Julia in pants on horseback, and here he was thinking that Christine looked beautiful.

  In all fairness to Julia, he knew she was careful of where she rode, and often Mac was with her. She and Christine would not have seen anyone today if Luke hadn't maneuvered it.

  It occurred to Luke just then why Mac never protested to Julia about her riding astride: He liked the way his wife looked in pants. His wife. The words seemed to echo loudly in his ears until Julia spoke.

  "Have you seen our new niece, Luke?"

  He smiled, "Last night."

  "Isn't she precious?"

  "She is that," Luke agreed with her. "What do you think of her, Christine?"

  "I think she's beautiful." Luke's breath caught at the smile on Christine's face when she thought of the baby.

  "You were in town last night and didn't stop at the hotel?" Caroline's stringent voice cut through the air like a knife. A brief moment of uncomfortable silence ensued before Julia spoke.

  "Well, we're starved and headed for home. We'll see you tomorrow." Luke and Caroline watched them ride away.

  In a rare moment of maturity, Caroline watched Luke as his eyes followed Christine's departure. It became crystal clear just then: Luke Cameron was not the man for her. Never once had he hung on her every word the way the boys back home did. And the look in his eyes when he had seen Christine today! Caroline had to admit to herself that she wouldn't know what to do if Luke ever looked at her with that same intensity.

  The couple returned to the ranch in silence, Luke feeling regretful. It was never his intent to hurt Caroline. He wished he had known how to handle things better.

  Caroline, knowing she had made a fool of herself one too many times, also kept silent.

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  "Mama's back! Mama's back!" Charles' cry was excited and it brought Mac out of the barn.

  Both of Julia's sons hung onto her legs after she dismounted and bent to kiss them.

  Christine, in watching the little boys at Julia's legs, missed the tenseness that passed between husband and wife.

  Once in the barn, Christine moved to unsaddle her horse for a rubdown, but Mac stepped in. "Here, Christine, I'll get that. Boys, take Christine out and show her the puppies."

  Christine had no time to protest as each little boy grabbed a hand and dragged her outside.

  Julia could feel Mac's eyes resting upon her. She stopped her work and met his eyes over the dividing wall between the stalls. "I'm sorry, Mac."

  "Why, Julia? We have an agreement. Why did you break it?"

  "I wanted to be alone with Christine so she would feel free to open up with me."

  "The boys and I were gone all morning. You could have talked here at the house."

  "But she loves to go riding. I thought it would be relaxing for her and she would want to talk."

  "Those are all excuses, Julia, and well you know it!" Mac's voice was stern but not angry. "Does Christine know you broke our agreement?"

  "I lied to her." Julia began to cry. "I told her I had to ride with someone if I went further than the ranch, and not specifically with you or one of my brothers. I'm sorry, Mac, so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry!" Julia was engulfed in Mac's embrace, his arms holding her tightly against him.

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  'I've

  got to talk with her," Julia hiccuped. "I've got to tell her I was wrong and ask her forgiveness. You forgive me, don't you, Mac?"

  "You know I do." The words came out just as he covered Julia's lips with his own.

  This was the scene that Christine, Charles, and Calvin came upon when they returned to the barn. Christine held back, but the boys, evidently accustomed to such sights, ran directly to their parents. Mac and Julia each bent to scoop up a child, the four of them sharing a family hug.

  Julia broke away and came toward Christine. Upon seeing the wetness on her cheeks, Christine became concerned.

  "Julia?"

  "We'll talk later," she assured her with a smile. "Come on, we'll change clothes and get lunch on the table."

  The MacDonald kitchen was small but cheery. Christine listened with a bit of awe as first Charles and then Calvin thanked God for the meal. To know Christ at such a young age was wonderful.

  The conversation around the table turned to the topic of the weather.

  "We'll have snow next month, won't we?" Calvin asked.

  "I don't know, Cal. It's getting colder every day, but there's no sign of snow." Mac answered.

  "Well, it's got to snow in November," Charles stated.

  "Why is that?" his mother wanted to know.

  "Mama! You can't have Thanksgiving without snow! How would you go sledding?" His young voice was incredulous, as if he couldn't believe his mother didn't understand such important details. The adults all hid amused smiles at this declaration.

  After the meal the boys begged Christine to swing with them. Christine hesitated, but Mac spoke his encouragement. "Go ahead. I'll help Julia with the dishes."

  Later, as they washed, Mac looked out at the three at play. "Christine looks enough like you to be a sister."

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  "Considering her face and figure, I'll take that as a compliment, but today I don't believe Luke was thinking of her as a sister."

  J Mac became instantly alert, his hands going still on the cup he was drying. "Julia, are you matchmaking?"

  "No." His wife turned to him with wide, innocent eyes. But Mac looked skeptical. "Honest, I haven't said a word." Mac only shook his head in resignation and went on drying.

  Julia watched out the window a moment. "I must admit, I did think of what a good-looking couple they would make, but 1 wasn't going to say anything."

  "Just remember, the Holy Spirit doesn't need your help." Mac felt the need to remind his well-meaning wife.

  Julia watched again as Christine pushed first Charles and the Calvin. All three were laughing. The boys shouted at the air as they swung up higher and higher.

  Julia sighed. "They would have made such a cute couple. It seems so romantic."

  Quietly, so quietly that Julia almost missed it, Mac said, "I think so too."

  Julia looked over to see her husband taking special pains with the dish he was drying. Julia moved until she was standing directly in front of him, her height allowing her to look directly up into his face. Mac finished with the dish and reached for another, but Julia's hand stayed him. "Did you picture Luke and Christine together as a couple?"

  "It did cross my mind," he reluctantly admitted.

  Julia stood there until their eyes met and they both began to laugh. Throwing her arms around his neck, Julia said, "I love you, John MacDonald."

  "And I love you, Julia MacDonald."

  Once again Christine came upon the embracing couple. This time without the boys, she withdrew quietly to give them privacy.

  Moving through the house, Christine went into the parlor and took a comfortable chair. Seeing this happy Christian family caused Christine to feel discontented.

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  Unbidden, Luke on horseback, handsome and masculine, flashed through her mind. She shoved the picture aside as she also saw Caroline, lovely and dainty
in her blue riding habit, on the horse beside him.

  Christine was still praying for she knew not what when Julia joined her. "I really should be getting back to Grandma Em's."

  It was tempting for Julia to simply agree to this and take Christine back, but she knew it was best to get it out right now.

  "I wanted to talk to you before you go." Christine, remembering Julia's tears in the barn, waited quietly. "I did something wrong this morning, Christine, and I need to tell you and ask your forgiveness."

  Christine's eyes widened but she kept her peace. "Earlier I told you when I rode further than the ranch I needed to go with someone. I was not completely honest. My agreement with Mac is that I ride with either him or one of my brothers." Julia stopped, her eyes on the clenched hands in her lap, too ashamed to even look at Christine.

  "You're my new sister in Christ. And instead of being an example and a help to you, I lied to make myself look important and to impress you. I would ask you, Christine, from the bottom of my heart, for your forgiveness."

  "It's all right, Julia..."

  "No." Julia cut her off. "Christine, it's not all right and I don't want you to say that it is. Saying it's okay would be condoning what I did. Saying you forgive me would tell me you understood I've done wrong, but you accept my apology and we can forget it and go on. Can you forgive me, Christine?"

  Christine saw the truth and importance in Julia's words and was thankful for them. She took Julia's hands in her own. "I forgive you, Julia. I love you and thank you for coming to me. You have been a wonderful example to me today. More than you'll ever know."

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  "Thank you, Christine. I couldn't have asked God for a more special friend."

  All four MacDonalds took Christine home that afternoon and stayed to share a light supper with her and Grandma Em. Mac, Julia, Charles, and Calvin hugged Christine as they left, thinking that their lives were a bit sweeter with the presence of Christine Bennett.

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  Since it was too soon for Sue and the baby to be out, Sunday dinner was at their home. Sue stayed up in bed, allowing one visitor at a time, but Elizabeth was brought downstairs and she made the rounds.