Lucy's Faith (Faith To Victory Inspirational Historical Romance 1) Read online

  Mail Order Bride Lucy’s Faith

  Brothel Grown Believer and

  the Clueless Childhood Penpal

  Book One Faith To Victory

  Inspirational Historical Romance Series

  By Jackie Marie Stephens

  Copyright 2015 Jackie Marie Stephens

  Digital Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Mail Order Bride Lucy’s Faith copyright © 2015 by Jackie Marie Stephens

  Stephens, Jackie Marie (2015-12-15). Mail Order Bride Lucy’s Faith: Brothel Grown Believer and the Clueless Childhood Penpal (Faith To Victory Inspirational Historical Romance Series Book 1) Kindle Edition.

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1 – Lucy’s Plea Rejected

  Chapter 2 – Edward’s Friendship Questioned

  Chapter 3 – Lucy Gravely Ill

  Chapter 4 – Edward’s Anxiety

  Chapter 5 – Slow Recovery and A Job Opening

  Chapter 6 – Proposal Thwarted

  Chapter 7 – Two Extremes

  Chapter 8 – Deception Turned Up

  Chapter 9 – Hope Dashed Again

  Chapter 10 – Faith Rewarded

  Author’s Note

  Chapter 1 – Lucy’s Plea Rejected

  October 19, 1891

  Bilobo County, New York

  All Lucy remembers from her early childhood is that she was an only child in the countryside, that Papa died and that she and Mama have lived in a brothel ever since.

  She always knew there was something wrong with the setting. At first Mama would tell her about God and His Son Jesus and how they would protect and save her and Lucy one day. But as the years rolled by, Mama grew cold and distant, the light in her eyes began to fade and she didn't speak of Jesus any more.

  But Lucy never forgot Jesus and never stopped thinking that the brothel was not a good place. As she grew older and attended Sunday school behind her mother's back, she learned to read and discovered that a brothel was a place of lust, of greed and of vice. Mama would hear nothing about it.

  “But Mama, we can't live here.” Lucy insisted.

  “We have nowhere else to go, Lucy.” Mama replied. “There is nowhere else that can have us.”

  “God would protect us if we walked free from here.” Lucy insisted. “He wants us to leave and to save ourselves.”

  “If God wanted that for us, he would have saved us.”

  “Mama, you can't work here, you can't do this job and expect God to save you. You need to help yourself.”

  Mama looked at Lucy with angry tears in her eyes. “I am helping you, Lucy. For two years I worked as a maid and as a washerwoman on the side, trying to make enough money to feed and clothe us both and pay our rent. With all of that, I couldn’t earn enough. We kept falling more and more in debt until I owed so much, the landlord threatened to throw us out one cold winter. That’s when all of this started. It was the only way to keep you warm with a roof over our heads. You already had a bad cold and I had no money for medicine. He gave it to me. He was my first ‘boyfriend’. I’m so sorry you are ashamed of me, Lucy. But I washed and cleaned and did every type of work I could find. If God wanted us to be happy, we would be.”

  Lucy shook her head. She couldn't believe that. She knew that God was good and powerful and loving. She knew he would forgive Mama for the life she had to lead. But she also knew her Mama loved her and she hugged her tight. “It will be all right, Ma. It will be all right. I know you work so hard to take care of me. Ever since Papa died you have worked so hard. And I’m so sorry it’s so hard. But I know God will give us a way, Mama. God will help us. We just have to believe and be humble enough to receive forgiveness. God will forgive you, Mama. Mary Magdalene was a prostitute and she was forgiven. We can all be forgiven.”

  “And what use is His forgiveness to me, Lucy. Back when I believed, faith did not put food on the table nor protect me from cunning men. God did not help me find shelter or good work that paid our bills and forgiveness won't put food on the table now.”

  “It might do, someday...” Lucy muttered. But she couldn't stand it anymore. She knew her mother was a good woman no matter what work she had to do to take care of them both. She knew her mother hated her work. If God would only help Lucy to find a job, she could help pay the bills and her mother could go back to cleaning and washing. She hugged her mother tight one last time, then went and cried in her bedroom.

  Once her tears were dry she wrote a pained letter to her childhood sweetheart, Edward Cortez. Edward was a man of distant Portuguese descent whom she had known when they were both very young.

  He moved away to the West long before Papa died and Mama ran out of options. They had always kept in contact via letters that she painstakingly learned to write, despite her lack of formal education.

  He was a truly Godly man, hardworking and respectful. Lucy had asked him before whether he had any jobs open at his home, but he never seemed to get the hint.

  She wrote the letter three times before she felt comfortable sending it. She had always lost friends when they discovered that she lived in that unholy place and that her mother worked as a prostitute, so she didn't want to confess it to him.

  She just enjoyed exchanging letters with a kind, Godly, intelligent man. It was the only innocent interaction she had outside of Church. She couldn't ruin it by sending him a letter that was too revealing.

  “Dear Edward,

  I am so glad to hear that you are feeling better. Your dog must have given you quite a scare when she leapt out in front of your horses! I hope she doesn't give you any more trouble.

  I am not so happy as of late. Mother refuses to leave this dreadful place and I have no means of getting us away on my own. Times are so hard and I hope and pray every day for something to change but so far we have had no luck. Mother still believes God has deserted us and it pains me that she can't be persuaded otherwise.

  I am sure that soon we will be away from here. But I only wish it would be sooner.

  How have you been? Have you had any luck finding a replacement for your watch?

  I await your response eagerly,

  Lucy”

  She still wasn't sure she was happy with how it sounded. It felt so impersonal and it lacked so much of what she wanted to tell him. But, at the same time, how could she tell him? She couldn't stand to lose her childhood sweetheart and last remaining true friend. He couldn't know. He mustn't know.

  She sighed and sealed the envelope, searching everywhere for a stamp.

  “Those cost money, you know.” Mama remarked as Lucy found one and, licking it first, pressed it down onto the sealed paper.

  “I just want to send anothe
r letter to Mr. Cortez.” Lucy replied. “You know how fond I am of his letters.”

  “Unless he plans on marrying you, I can't see what use such a distant suitor is.” Mama replied with a sigh. “You would do better putting yourself to work somewhere.”

  Lucy’s slightly good mood vanished completely to give way to her constant worry. She knew nowhere would take her. She was a young woman with no social standing, no education, no connections and no skills. What could she possibly do? “I'll just go and post this, Mama.”

  “Just be sure and be back on time to make dinner. Mama has a lot of work tonight and I can't afford to keep house as well.”

  “I’ll be back right away, Mama.”

  She almost ran down to the post office and pushed the crinkly paper through the letterbox, listening to hear it fall before making her way back home. By then Mama had gone to work.

  She slipped into an apron and looked around the tiny, dingy, damp room. The wallpaper was peeling from every wall, the furniture was worn and stained, a pile of dirty crockery sat in the sink.

  Lucy set to work washing the dishes before she put some vegetables to boil and looked around the room again. She wanted to find something, anything, that would make their tiny little room more hospitable. Anything at all she could change to make it cozy and nice.

  If only they could find a way out of their terrible life. But they had nothing at all. She had no job, no matter how hard she tried to get one. And her mother had a job that was not pleasing to God or to them. Lucy held on to the counter for strength and bowed her head in prayer.

  “Dear God, please help Mama and I. We need to get away from here. We need to get away from this life of sin. Please help me to find a good job that pays enough for Mama to leave her horrible work and to get Godly work cleaning and washing like she used to. If we both have jobs, we can leave this place, God. Please help us. Please. Amen.”

  Lucy straightened up and went about the room, tidying and humming a favourite hymn she learned years ago at Sunday school. It always made her feel strong and girded up with God’s strength and perseverance.

  Chapter 2 – Edward’s Friendship Questioned

  October 24, 1891

  Haymlich, North Dakota

  Edward Cortez woke up early to collect his post and his newspaper. He always read before having his breakfast and was pleased to see Lucy's handwriting on the usual thin, crinkly envelope on top of the pile.

  Walking back into the house in his warm robe and slippers, he looked around to make sure the cleaners had been doing their job. Surely enough, though the staircase was clean and the marble ornaments were shining, there was also dust and staining on the shelves that held his favorite books.

  Edward made a mental note to find out once and for all who it was who was making such a dreadful mess of the cleaning. It was probably the new girl, though. It was always the new girl.

  Just as he was about to turn into the dining room for his breakfast, his sister Suzanne greeted him excitedly.

  “There you are!” She exclaimed. “Breakfast is getting cold.”

  “I was fetching the post.” Edward replied, glancing at Lucy's letter again.

  “Can't you, for one morning, just eat breakfast without covering the table in papers and notes?”

  Edward laughed. “I could, I suppose, but I wouldn't enjoy it.”

  His sister had her quirks but he was happy to look after her until she found a husband. A prospect that looked less and less likely every year. Something about her personality seemed to put most suitors off and Suzanne had no intention of working on any of her numerous flaws. No, she was going to be a permanent fixture in her brother's home. Thank goodness they had enough space.

  Edward sat down at his seat and opened the newspaper, skimming over an article before glancing at Lucy's letter again out of the corner of his eye. He put the paper down and read the letter instead.

  “You know,” Suzanne interrupted as he was reading, “you always get this look on your face when you're reading her letters. I can tell right away it's from Lucy.”

  Edward laughed. “Is that so?”

  “You'd think she was your fiancée.”

  Edward grunted and lifted his paper artfully to hide his slightly reddened face. “Well, I do enjoy talking to her.”

  “I don't see why.” Suzanne replied, filling her mouth with toast as she talked. “She was a baby girl when we moved house. I mean, for all you know she's an absolute dog of a woman by now.”

  “I just find her pleasant to talk to, that is all. She is a dear friend.”

  That said, he had to admit to himself that he felt a slight thrill when he re-read her letter after breakfast. He felt the need to pen his reply so urgently that he didn't even get properly dressed. Instead he sat in his pajamas, robe and slippers at his desk, writing a carefully crafted response.

  “Dearest Lucy,

  I am so glad to hear back from you. But it is very unpleasant to me to hear that you are not happy.

  It is dark times indeed when one of mine, a close friend like you, is in such a dire situation. I cannot imagine what it must be like for a good, respectable woman like you to be living surrounded by women of loose morals and men of bad habits.

  I pray for you every night and hope someday God will free you from your troubles. Trust me, one of these days all this will be behind you and you will look upon it as a bad dream.

  I have found an excellent replacement for my pocket watch and I trust that it will serve me for many years. Someday I will find a good watch for a good young lady and send it to you. Please do not forget to remind me.

  So far, everything else here is uneventful. The cold is dropping and soon we will most likely have snow, which I am looking forward to eagerly. It looks amazing on the garden when the snow, frost and icicles descend, especially from a warm vantage!

  Yours truly,

  Edward.”

  He wanted to find out so much more about Lucy and her situation. But he couldn't think of a polite and decent way to ask. He had his suspicions about a decent, moral woman and her daughter living in the den of sin where Lucy did. But he couldn't say anything openly or ask anything too directly, for fear of losing her.

  Edward had never had much of a connection with women. Lucy was the only one he didn't grow tired of after a few hours or a few letters.

  And speaking of women... Edward turned to face the door. He could distinctly hear two female voices in the lounge outside the study. Suzanne and someone else. A maid, perhaps? A visitor?

  Cautiously opening the door a little, he spied his sister sitting and talking with a finely dressed young lady in the lounge. Why were they there when Suzanne knew perfectly well that the lounge was the only way out of the study and that he was not dressed yet?

  Edward adjusted his robe so that he looked as respectable as possible before walking out, letter in hand.

  “Good morning, ladies. You are having a lovely early visit. You must have many exciting things to speak about, Suzanne and Miss…”

  “Green. Paloma Green, may I introduce my poorly dressed brother, Edward. Edward, this is my dear friend, Paloma Green.” The woman blushed deeply as Suzanne introduced her, looking Edward up and down a couple of times before glancing away and giggling.

  Edward paused. He remembered that name. He furrowed his brow and had to resist scowling. This was one of Suzanne's friends, who she was endlessly trying to pair him up with.

  Edward knew that eventually he would have to marry and that he would inevitably wind up marrying one of his sister's high-class friends. But he could do without seeing them night and day for now.

  “I am going to post a letter.”

  He marched out of the room and headed upstairs, not fully understanding why he was so angry at his sister for bringing Paloma into their home as a marriage prospect for him.

  Chapter 3 – Lucy Gravely Ill

  The cold was beginning to set in at the brothel as well, but unlike Edward's mansion, they di
dn't have strongly insulated walls, draft-proofed windows or good central heating. Newer buildings in the more affluent areas did but not in their old run-down part of town.

  As the drafts blew across the floorboards and from around the window frame, the little coal heater puffed angrily, desperately trying to raise the temperature of the room.

  Lucy lay in bed, face red and sweaty. Mama sat over her, sponging the sweat off her skin and feeding her slightly warm water and bread rusks.

  “Don't worry, Mama. It's just a light head cold. I'll be better soon and I can get back to tending the house and you can get back to work and we'll be fine.”

  Mama sighed. “You just focus on getting better, Lucy. That is what matters right now.”

  Lucy could tell that Mama wanted the best for her but she also knew that they were both incredibly afraid.

  “How much money do we have in the box?” Lucy asked.

  “A few days' worth, probably,” Mama smiled. “But we can use our savings again if we need to. It's no trouble.”

  “But they're for getting us out.” Lucy frowned. “We need that money.”

  Mama shook her head. “This is an emergency. In fact, I will go and get you some medicine so you can heal faster. Then we will be able to get me back to work and then everything will be fine again.”

  “Mama, don't...”

  “Sorry Lucy, but you can't just stay ill.” Mama poured another glass of warm water before moving to put her coat on. “You rest here. I'll be just a moment and then you'll have some good medicine to make you better.”

  Lucy lay back in bed as Mama left. The second the door was closed she took out Edward's letter and read it again. It made her feel warm and happy and light inside. It gave her some hope. When she gathered some strength she would reply to him. That would make her feel better.