there is a God—does care about the Wolvers, he will care about them in the mountains just as well as here. I fear there will be violence.”
“Then we shall turn the other cheek, Josiah. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Have you seen Beth lately?”
“She came into the store with Bull Kovac and two of her riders. She looked well, Jon. It’s a shame the two of you couldn’t make a go of it. You were so well suited.”
Cade smiled ruefully. “She was in love with the Jerusalem Man, not with the Preacher. It was hard for her, especially when the brigands raided and I did nothing to stop them. She told me I was no longer a man.”
“That must have hurt.”
Cade nodded. “I’ve known worse pain, Josiah. A long time ago I killed a child. I was being attacked; there were armed men all around me. I killed four of them, then heard a noise behind me, and I swung and fired. It was a boy, out playing. He haunts me still. What might he have been? A surgeon? Aminister? A loving father and husband? But yes, losing Beth was a deep blow.”
“You must have been tempted to take up your pistols during the raid.”
“Not once. I sometimes dream that I am riding again, pistols by my side. Then I wake in a cold sweat.” Cade stood and moved to a chest at the far end of the room. Flipping it open, he lifted clear a gun belt. “The weapons of Thundermaker.” Broome stood and walked across to stand beside the Preacher.
“They look as they always did.”
“Aye. Sometimes at night I sit here and clean them. It helps remind me of what once I was. And what, God willing, I will never become again.”
“You’re not listening to a word I say,” said Else Broome, stalking back into the living room.
“What’s that, my love?”
“What is the matter with you? I was asking if you would stand Oath for that McAdam woman.”
“Of course. Beth is an old friend.”
“Pah! She’s a troublemaker, and we’d all be better off if she were sent from the valley.”
“In which way does she cause trouble, my dear?”
“Are you soft in the head?” she stormed. “She shot at men hunting Wolvers. She speaks against the Deacon, and even her own son says she’s been seduced by Satan. The woman is a disgrace.”
“She’s a good Christian woman, Else. Just like you.”
“I take that as an insult,” Else Broome snapped, her multiple chins quivering. “You have a store to run, and I don’t think people will take it kindly if you are seen to support a woman of her kind. You’ll lose business to Ezra Feard, you’ll see. And I don’t see why it should be you who gives Oath for her. Let her find someone else who doesn’t mind being a laughingstock.”
Broome turned his attention back to the fire.
“And another thing …” began Else Broome.
But her husband was not listening. He was thinking of five dead raiders on the road and the tortured spirit of the man who had killed them.
4
The world does not need more charismatic men. It does not need more intellectual men. No, and it does not need more caring men. What it cries out for is more holy men.
The Wisdom of the Deacon
Chapter II
S ETH W HEELER PULLED the blanket up tight around his ears and settled his head against his saddle. The night air was cold, and it had been two years since he had slept out in the open. The blanket was thin. Either that or I’m getting old, he thought. No, it’s the damn blanket. Sitting up, Seth held the blanket close to him as he moved to the fire. It was burning low, just a tiny flicker of flame above the coals. There were four sticks left, and they normally would have been left for the morning. Casting a nervous glance at his four sleeping comrades, he added the wood to the fire. It blazed instantly to life, and Seth shivered as the warmth touched him. God, he had almost forgotten just how good it felt to be warm.
There were no clouds in the night sky, and a ground frost was sprinkling the grass with specks of silvered white. The wind
“Then we shall turn the other cheek, Josiah. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Have you seen Beth lately?”
“She came into the store with Bull Kovac and two of her riders. She looked well, Jon. It’s a shame the two of you couldn’t make a go of it. You were so well suited.”
Cade smiled ruefully. “She was in love with the Jerusalem Man, not with the Preacher. It was hard for her, especially when the brigands raided and I did nothing to stop them. She told me I was no longer a man.”
“That must have hurt.”
Cade nodded. “I’ve known worse pain, Josiah. A long time ago I killed a child. I was being attacked; there were armed men all around me. I killed four of them, then heard a noise behind me, and I swung and fired. It was a boy, out playing. He haunts me still. What might he have been? A surgeon? Aminister? A loving father and husband? But yes, losing Beth was a deep blow.”
“You must have been tempted to take up your pistols during the raid.”
“Not once. I sometimes dream that I am riding again, pistols by my side. Then I wake in a cold sweat.” Cade stood and moved to a chest at the far end of the room. Flipping it open, he lifted clear a gun belt. “The weapons of Thundermaker.” Broome stood and walked across to stand beside the Preacher.
“They look as they always did.”
“Aye. Sometimes at night I sit here and clean them. It helps remind me of what once I was. And what, God willing, I will never become again.”
“You’re not listening to a word I say,” said Else Broome, stalking back into the living room.
“What’s that, my love?”
“What is the matter with you? I was asking if you would stand Oath for that McAdam woman.”
“Of course. Beth is an old friend.”
“Pah! She’s a troublemaker, and we’d all be better off if she were sent from the valley.”
“In which way does she cause trouble, my dear?”
“Are you soft in the head?” she stormed. “She shot at men hunting Wolvers. She speaks against the Deacon, and even her own son says she’s been seduced by Satan. The woman is a disgrace.”
“She’s a good Christian woman, Else. Just like you.”
“I take that as an insult,” Else Broome snapped, her multiple chins quivering. “You have a store to run, and I don’t think people will take it kindly if you are seen to support a woman of her kind. You’ll lose business to Ezra Feard, you’ll see. And I don’t see why it should be you who gives Oath for her. Let her find someone else who doesn’t mind being a laughingstock.”
Broome turned his attention back to the fire.
“And another thing …” began Else Broome.
But her husband was not listening. He was thinking of five dead raiders on the road and the tortured spirit of the man who had killed them.
4
The world does not need more charismatic men. It does not need more intellectual men. No, and it does not need more caring men. What it cries out for is more holy men.
The Wisdom of the Deacon
Chapter II
S ETH W HEELER PULLED the blanket up tight around his ears and settled his head against his saddle. The night air was cold, and it had been two years since he had slept out in the open. The blanket was thin. Either that or I’m getting old, he thought. No, it’s the damn blanket. Sitting up, Seth held the blanket close to him as he moved to the fire. It was burning low, just a tiny flicker of flame above the coals. There were four sticks left, and they normally would have been left for the morning. Casting a nervous glance at his four sleeping comrades, he added the wood to the fire. It blazed instantly to life, and Seth shivered as the warmth touched him. God, he had almost forgotten just how good it felt to be warm.
There were no clouds in the night sky, and a ground frost was sprinkling the grass with specks of silvered white. The wind
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