Blessed are the Merciful Read online

  OTHER BOOKS BY AL LACY

  Angel of Mercy series:

  A Promise for Breanna (Book One)

  Faithful Heart (Book Two)

  Captive Set Free (Book Three)

  A Dream Fulfilled (Book Four)

  Suffer the Little Children (Book Five)

  Whither Thou Goest (Book Six)

  Final Justice (Book Seven)

  Not by Might (Book Eight)

  Things Not Seen (Book Nine)

  Far Above Rubies (Book Ten)

  Journeys of the Stranger series:

  Legacy (Book One)

  Silent Abduction (Book Two)

  Blizzard (Book Three)

  Tears of the Sun (Book Four)

  Circle of Fire (Book Five)

  Quiet Thunder (Book Six)

  Snow Ghost (Book Seven)

  Battles of Destiny (Civil War series):

  Beloved Enemy (Battle of First Bull Run)

  A Heart Divided (Battle of Mobile Bay)

  A Promise Unbroken (Battle of Rich Mountain)

  Shadowed Memories (Battle of Shiloh)

  Joy from Ashes (Battle of Fredericksburg)

  Season of Valor (Battle of Gettysburg)

  Wings of the Wind (Battle of Antietam)

  Turn of Glory (Battle of Chancellorsville)

  Hannah of Fort Bridger series (coauthored with JoAnna Lacy):

  Under the Distant Sky (Book One)

  Consider the Lilies (Book Two)

  No Place for Fear (Book Three)

  Pillow of Stone (Book Four)

  The Perfect Gift (Book Five)

  Touch of Compassion (Book Six)

  Beyond the Valley (Book Seven)

  Damascus Journey (Book Eight)

  Mail Order Bride series (coauthored with JoAnna Lacy):

  Secrets of the Heart (Book One)

  A Time to Love (Book Two)

  Tender Flame (Book Three)

  Blessed Are the Merciful (Book Four)

  Ransom of Love (Book Five)

  Until the Daybreak (Book Six)

  Sincerely Yours (Book Seven)

  A Measure of Grace (Book Eight)

  So Little Time (Book Nine)

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the authors’ imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL

  Mail Order Bride Series #4

  Published by Multnomah Publishers, Inc.

  © 1999 by ALJO Productions, Inc.

  Multnomah is a trademark of Multnomah Publishers, Inc., and is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

  The colophon is a trademark of Multnomah Publishers, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission.

  For information:

  MULTNOMAH PUBLISHERS, INC.

  POST OFFICE BOX 1720

  SISTERS, OREGON 97759

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

  Lacy, Al.

  Blessed are the merciful / by Al and JoAnna Lacy.

  p. cm.—(Mail order bride series: #4)

  eISBN: 978-0-307-81440-1

  I. Lacy, JoAnna. II. Title. III. Series: Lacy, Al. Mail order bride series: no. 4.

  PS3562.A256B55 1999

  813′.54—dc21 99-34878

  v3.1

  This book is dedicated to Ken Ruettgers,

  our dear friend and Christian brother.

  We think the Green Bay Packers should have retired

  #75 when you left the team to enter a new field of endeavor.

  We praise the Lord that He put you with Multnomah Publishers

  to be a helper to the authors.

  Thank you for doing such a great job!

  We love you, Ken. God bless you!

  Al and JoAnna

  PHILEMON 25

  Contents

  Cover

  Other Books by This Author

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA REPORTS that the mail order business, also called direct mail marketing, “is a method of merchandising in which the seller’s offer is made through mass mailing of a circular or catalog, or advertisement placed in a newspaper or magazine, and in which the buyer places his order by mail.”

  Britannica goes on to say that “mail order operations have been known in the United States in one form or another since colonial days but not until the latter half of the nineteenth century did they assume a significant role in domestic trade.”

  Thus the mail order market was known when the big gold rush took place in this country in the 1840s and 1850s. At that time prospectors, merchants, and adventurers raced from the East to the newly discovered gold fields in the West. One of the most famous was the California Gold Rush in 1848–49, when discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill, near Sacramento, brought more than 40,000 men to California. Though few struck it rich, their presence stimulated economic growth, the lure of which brought even more men to the West.

  The married men who had come to seek their fortunes sent for their wives and children, desiring to stay and make their home there. Most of the gold rush men were single and also desired to stay in the West, but there were about two hundred men for every single woman. Being familiar with the mail order concept, they began advertising in eastern newspapers for women to come west and marry them. Thus was born the name “mail order bride.”

  Women by the hundreds began answering the ads. Often when men and their prospective brides corresponded, they agreed to send no photographs; they would accept each other by the spirit of the letters rather than on a physical basis. Others, of course, did exchange photographs.

  The mail order bride movement accelerated after the Civil War ended in April 1865, when men went west by the thousands to make their fortunes on the Frontier. Many of the marriages turned out well, while others were disappointing and ended in desertion by one or the other of the mates, or by divorce.

  In the Mail Order Bride fiction series, we tell stories intended to grip the heart of the reader, bring some smiles, and maybe wring out a few tears. As always, we weave in the gospel of Jesus Christ and run threads of Bible truth that apply to our lives today.

  AT MIDMORNING ON MONDAY, APRIL 10, 1865, Wanda Perkins left her two-story house in Boston’s affluent Beacon Hill neighborhood, humming a nameless tune. She glanced toward the Charles River, blinking at the brilliant sunlight reflecting off its rippling surface.

  As she headed up the street, she gave her parasol a little twirl. She and George had dreamed of living on Beacon Hill since he had become a senior vice president of the Massachusetts Bank and Trust Company four years ago, shortly after the Civil War began. It had been only three weeks now since they had purchased their prestigious home—an accomplishmen
t few people in their thirties who had started married life with little money could claim.

  Wanda smiled when she saw Geraldine Winkler standing in her yard, twirling her own parasol. Geraldine waved and angled across the sweeping lawn that was beginning to show some green after winter’s long months.

  Wanda greeted her and fell into step beside her.

  “Are you as excited as I am?” Geraldine asked, her eyes flashing.

  “Probably more so. At least you were brought up in a neighborhood like this. I’m breathless just thinking about having tea with a member of the family who owns Boston Clothiers!”

  “Well, I don’t know Elizabeth any better than you do, but I’ve been told by my neighbors that she’s down to earth.”

  “Mm-hmm. I’ve been told the same thing. And she’s proven it by inviting us to tea to welcome us to the neighborhood.” Wanda paused, then said, “They tell me Elizabeth has a live-in maid.”

  “That’s what I hear. And a gardener who lives in a small house behind the big one.”

  “Oh. I didn’t know about the gardener. George said just the other night that when he gets his promised raise in salary this fall, we’ll hire a maid.”

  “That’s wonderful! Clyde and I have discussed it, but I think we’re probably a year or so away from that. We used most of his inheritance from his father’s estate to buy the house.”

  They turned the corner and looked toward the Burke house at the far end of the block. It was much larger than either of their homes and had half again as much yard. They hastened their steps and soon turned into the Burke yard and headed for the wide wraparound porch. They could see the gardener working near the rear of the house, cultivating a flower bed for spring planting.

  As they lifted their skirts a bit and mounted the steps, the front door opened. A petite woman in her early twenties appeared. “Good mo’nin’, ladies. I’m Cleora, Miz Burke’s maid. She’s upstairs at the moment. Please, come in.”

  Cleora led them into the large foyer and turned to them with outstretched hand. “May I take yo’ parasols?” She placed the parasols in a small container holding a couple of umbrellas and gestured toward an antique padded loveseat. “Please be seated, ladies. I’ll let Miz Burke know you is here.”

  Wanda and Geraldine watched Cleora ascend the grand winding staircase, then let their eyes roam the richly tapestried walls and glistening hardwood floors adorned with thick oriental rugs. A crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling in the foyer, and various paintings decorated the walls.

  The sound of voices came from the second floor, and a moment later Cleora descended the stairs. She told the two women that Mrs. Burke would be joining them in a moment, then vanished down the hall toward the rear of the house.

  Within moments, Elizabeth Burke appeared at the top of the stairs, accompanied by another woman. Wanda and Geraldine rose from the loveseat and waited as their hostess made her way down the staircase toward the foyer.

  Elizabeth smiled as she approached her guests. “Wanda! Geraldine! I’m so glad you could come.” As she spoke, she reached for their hands.

  “The pleasure is ours, Elizabeth,” Geraldine said.

  Elizabeth turned to the woman standing slightly behind her and said, “Wanda Perkins, Geraldine Winkler, this is my sister, Judith Baxter. She’s visiting from Philadelphia.”

  When the women had greeted each other, Elizabeth said, “Ladies, please follow me.” As they moved down the hall, Elizabeth said, “I’m very proud of the parlor. It’s my favorite room of the whole house. I suppose that’s because it’s the only room in the house that I designed when Gordon and I had the house built.”

  When they entered the parlor, Wanda and Geraldine gasped in delight. The room was large, with an elegantly decorated fireplace. Various paintings hung on the walls, and the warm wood paneling and soft flowered wallpaper gave the parlor a mellow, welcoming ambiance.

  Cleora came into the room bearing a tray and silver tea service. She set the tea tray on an antique coffee table surrounded by overstuffed chairs and couches.

  “Elizabeth,” Geraldine said, “why, this is beautiful!”

  “That’s an understatement!” Wanda said.

  “I designed it for me to fit my needs. And it does just that. Well, I think it’s teatime.” Elizabeth gave her nod to Cleora, who stood quietly by the coffee table. Sunshine streamed through the many-paned windows, sending shafts of light off the silver tea set.

  When everyone was seated, Cleora poured the tea into dainty china cups and distributed them to the four women. Geraldine asked Judith about her husband and family in Philadelphia. She soon learned that the Baxters were among the elite in that city.

  In turn, Judith said, “Now I’d like to hear about you ladies and your families.”

  When Wanda and Geraldine had given sufficient information to satisfy the curiosity of their hostess and her sister, Geraldine said to Elizabeth, “Wanda and I are aware that the Burke family owns Boston Clothiers. We would love to hear about the Burkes, and how it all got started.”

  Elizabeth’s face tinted slightly. “I don’t want to bore you.”

  “You won’t bore us,” Wanda said. “We’re genuinely interested.”

  “But before you give us the history of the Burkes,” Geraldine said, “tell us about your husband and children.”

  “Well, Gordon is in the Union Army, and we have three children. Adam is twelve, Laura is ten, and Evelyn is eight. Gordon’s only living blood relative is his older brother. Sidney and his wife, Darlene, live over on the south side of Beacon Hill.”

  Elizabeth went on to explain that Gordon’s parents, Mitchell and Anna Burke, had come to America from England in 1822, where Mitchell had been in the clothing business with his father since graduating from Oxford University. Mitchell’s dream had long been to move to America and establish a clothing business. He started Boston Clothiers in downtown Boston, and with his experience in the business and his ambition to do well, Boston Clothiers was soon a success.

  While Cleora poured more tea around, Wanda asked, “So when did Mitchell start branching out?”

  “Well, let’s see … he opened a Boston Clothiers in New York City—Manhattan—in 1829.”

  “That soon?”

  “My husband’s father was one of those men who put himself into his business lock, stock, and barrel. He worked about seventy hours a week, Monday through Saturday. Within a year after opening the store in Manhattan, he opened one in Jersey City. Next was Cleveland; then Baltimore. By 1856, there were stores in Chicago, St. Louis, and San Francisco. Mitchell died a couple of years later, and since Sidney and Gordon were his only partners, the business became theirs. Thankfully, all eight stores are doing well.”

  “So I’ve heard,” Geraldine said. “Are there plans to open more stores in other cities?”

  “Yes, but Sidney wants to wait till the war is over and Gordon is home to shoulder the load with him.”

  “Why is Sidney not with the Union Army?” Wanda asked. “Did he decide not to volunteer because of the business?”

  “Not really. If Sidney could have joined up he would have found someone to run the business. But when the war came, Sidney couldn’t answer the call to duty because he lost a leg as a child, and the Union Army couldn’t use a man with a wooden leg.” Elizabeth smiled ruefully. “But with my Gordon, it was a different story. He’s always been somewhat of a rakish man. Don’t misunderstand me. He loves the children and me as much as it is in him to do so, but there was always a devil-may-care attitude about him. When the war started, he wanted to join up and do his part. But even more, his sense of adventure came to life inside him. According to Union politicians, the war would only last two or three months.

  “I pleaded with Gordon not to go, but when I saw how much it meant to him to do his part, I finally gave in. I love my husband dearly and feel that the children and I have been blessed to have him as husband and father. Of course, bless his heart, he set it up with Sidney befo
re he left that if anything happened to him, his half of the company would be mine. Sidney agreed wholeheartedly and even had it set up by the company’s lawyers.” Elizabeth let out a sigh. “The last time I laid eyes on Gordon was on May 31, 1861, when I stood with many other wives and watched the train pull out.”

  “Why, that’s been almost four years!” Wanda said. “That would mean that your little Evelyn would’ve been …”

  “She was only four.”

  “Does she remember him?”

  “Not much. But she’s heard so much about him from me and the other children that she talks about him as if she remembers him. Gordon was always kind and patient with the children, and the two older ones adore him. He wasn’t always able to spend a great deal of time with them when he was involved in the business, so sometimes they had to love and admire him from afar.”

  “Well, let’s hope this horrible war will be over soon,” Judith said. “Those precious children need their father.”

  Elizabeth’s eyes misted over as she said softly, “And so do I.”

  “You’ve had letters from him, I assume?” Wanda asked.

  “Not many. It’s hard to get letters through the lines. I’m so proud of him. In two years, Gordon worked himself up from private to captain. And since making captain, he’s been serving under General William T. Sherman.”

  Geraldine’s eyes got round. “Then he was in on Sherman’s march on Atlanta last year!”

  “He was. Of course we read about Sherman’s army burning Atlanta, but I didn’t hear from Gordon until it was over, and he was back in Washington for a few days before heading back to the field.”

  “Too bad he couldn’t have come home for a few days at that time, since he was as close as Washington,” Judith said.

  “He wanted to. He said so in the next letter that came, but General Sherman received direct orders from President Lincoln to head back into another campaign, and they left Washington right away. I guess he won’t get home until—”

  Elizabeth’s words were cut off by loud, jubilant shouts from the street. The women left their chairs and hurried to the window, parting the lace curtains.

  “Can you tell what’s going on?” Judith asked, trying to get a glimpse out the window. Wanda and Geraldine crowded close behind her.