Inspiration 59

Matthew 5:43-48 

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

I think we all know how hard it is to love our enemies. But what if they repent? What then? If they don't, what then?

Rennin--1600s

Rennin and Morgan, along with the boys, were waiting for Juan Santiago outside the magistrate's office promptly at nine o'clock as indicated by the sundial in the square. Santiago was late by half an hour. He apologized, "I am sorry to be late. My coach had a loose axle this morning."

Rennin controlled his irritation and the group entered the magistrate's office. Behind a counter sat a stern-looking, gray-haired man. The older man greeted Santiago cordially. Santiago explained Rennin's situation, and the older man examined the documents.

Speaking in Spanish that sounded a little stilted, he said, "Mister O'Rourke, these are very old papers. I am sure I have copies on file, but it might take some time to find them. Come back after lunch, and I should have found the matching documents by then." The older man started to the back with Rennin's deeds.

Rennin detained him, speaking the language with ease. "Sir, I would not like to let my copies out of my sight. I do not mean to impugn your character, but the history of these papers warrants caution." 

The older man cleared his throat. "I understand. You and Mister Santiago are welcome to help me search for copies, but since it could take a while, perhaps, Mistress O'Rourke and the children would like to do some shopping or study some lessons." 

Rennin said, "Go ahead, Morgan. I'll meet you at Señor Morales's for dinner." Morgan took the boys to her cousin's and Rennin entered the back of the magistrate's office with the older man and Juan Santiago.

In the dimly lit file room, Rennin vaguely made out a man lying unconscious on the floor before he felt a crashing blow to the back of his head and saw nothing but darkness.

Rennin awoke to cold and damp and blackness. He was bound hand and foot and gagged, and the silence around him was deafening. He strained all his senses to figure out where he was, and he felt gentle listing of the ocean. He was in the hold of a ship. Ricardo's memories flooded Rennin's brain as he struggled against his bindings to no avail.

Hours later, light filled the hold. The magistrate accompanied it. "Mr. O'Rourke, let me introduce myself. I am Victor Jordan. Did you really think you could prance in here and destroy my life? I fear you are about to suffer the same fate as Ricardo Morales. By morning you will be a wanted man because our poor old magistrate was hit a bit too hard. You killed him. In less than half an hour, you will be on your way to the auction block in Algiers. Someone as young and strong as you will bring a tidy sum."

Rennin lashed at Victor with his bound feet as his emerald eyes flashed anger. Victor continued his little speech. "Oh, do not concern yourself about your pretty young wife. Like my daughter, she will move on with her life, probably with a handsome man like Juan Santiago. He finds her fascinating. She will be fine as long as she keeps her mouth shut, but no one will believe her story. After all, she is the descendant of a witch and the cousin and wife of known murderers. It would be better for her if Pablo spirited her and her two brats away. Now good-bye, Mr. O'Rourke." Victor slammed the hatch, and a few minutes later, Rennin felt the ship lurch as it left dock. His heart sank, yet his mind prayed and his spirit called out to Morgan.

By nightfall Morgan O'Rourke was in panic. Pablo Morales had sent his servants in every direction to search for Rennin. He was nowhere to be found.

Juan Santiago said that he left Rennin at the magistrate's office to go to another appointment, but returned an hour later to discover no sign of Rennin and the magistrate dead. Both copies of the deeds were missing. The constable immediately issued a warrant for Rennin in connection with the death of the magistrate.

When Morgan saw the magistrate's body, she grabbed Pablo's arm. "That was not the man we saw this morning."

"What do you mean?" asked Pablo.

Morgan described the man she had seen that morning.

"Dear, God!" exclaimed Pablo. "That was Victor Jordan. Come home with me, Morgan. I fear for your safety. I can protect you under my roof."

Morgan and the boys moved in with Pablo, and they began their own investigation into both Rennin's disappearance and the magistrate's death.

After two days, Morgan took it upon herself to visit Victor Jordan. Victor invited her into his parlor.

"Mrs. O'Rourke, how may I help you?"

Morgan leveled a cold, icy stare at Victor. "I want to know what you did with my husband."

"I beg your pardon, Madame. I know neither you nor your husband."

"Mr. Jordan, do not play games with me. You know exactly what I mean."

Victor smirked cockily. "Mrs. O'Rourke, you are young and beautiful. I suggest you consider yourself a widow and start a new life. Your husband has gone the way of his friend, Ricardo; but this time my nemesis will not return. There is no use in your trying to prove anything, either. It is my word, the word of a respected, wealthy merchant, against yours, the wife of a suspected murderer and the cousin of a known murderer."

Morgan calmly took a step toward Victor and enunciated barely above a whisper. "Mr. Jordan, do not underestimate me. I may be small and fragile in appearance, but I am far stronger than you realize. Mayhap this is a good time to remind you that I am the great-granddaughter of both a sorceress and a wizard, and that I spent fifteen years of my life training in the black arts. Do not trifle with me." Morgan turned and walked with a measured, steady gait to the door of the parlor. Pausing, she turned. "You have exactly one month to return my husband, or I shall unleash a wrath so great you will be decimated." She left through the front door with a bang. Her heart raced, and she felt her legs to be twine. Still, she kept her pace until she entered the door of the Morales home where she sank to the floor and wept.

Victor stared after Morgan in awe. Could this petite quiet woman be that formidable in magic? He laughed nervously to himself.

Rennin--1800s

The morning dawned cold, but clear. Rennin bundled into an extra pair of flannel long-johns, wool socks, and his fleece-lined coat. Rebekah made the heartiest breakfast she could. Using some of the dried apricots, she made a pastry sprinkled with sugar and served it with venison sausage and hot coffee. Rennin left with high hopes after a kiss for luck.

Neither of them was aware a pair of eyes watched them. Neither was Rennin aware that a lone man followed him.

Rennin had a successful hunt. He bagged two turkeys and three rabbits. He could taste rabbit dumplings or maybe rabbit stew. With child-like enthusiasm, he triumphantly called as he neared the cabin, "Rebekah! Come see what I got!"

In a clump of evergreens, the solitary figure that had followed Rennin all day nocked an arrow into his bow. As Rebekah opened the door of the cabin, her sharp eye caught the glint of sunlight on the head of the aimed arrow. "Rennin!" she screamed in horror and ran toward him just as the arrow released.

"Rebekah!" Rennin dropped his game as Rebekah slumped into his arms, an arrow protruding all the way through her upper left shoulder. "Rebekah," Rennin said again desperately.

Weakly, Rebekah stammered, "At least my nightmare did not come true."

The next sound Rennin heard was a wild whoop as a lone Indian charged him with a flailing tomahawk. Rennin laid Rebekah down and flipped his assailant over his shoulder. Before his attacker could stand, Rennin grabbed the much smaller man and slammed him into the side of the barn. The Indian lay unconscious in the snow.

Rennin carefully lifted Rebekah and carried her inside where he broke the rear of the arrow shaft and lovingly removed the blood stained buckskin dress she wore. Rebekah moaned as pressure was applied to her wound, and her eyes fluttered open. Rennin covered her with a blanket and smoothed her hair as he soothed, "It's all right, Rebekah. I'm going to get the arrow out as soon as I get some hot water."

At that moment the door burst open. There stood Rennin's would-be assassin, holding the two turkeys and the three rabbits, which he flung onto the table. Rennin turned his fury on him. "Running Bear! Have you absolutely gone crazy? What were you thinking?"

"I have been tracking my brother's killers for three months. I never thought I would find you, Rennin O'Rourke!" Running Bear snarled between clenched teeth.

Enraged, Rennin pinned Running Bear to the wall with his forearm across the Indian's throat. "You think I killed Black Cloud? You fool!" Rennin released the man and held up his palm. "Black Cloud was my brother, too. I never would have done anything to hurt him. On the contrary, I killed the man who did kill him. On the other hand"—He took a steadying breath—"I swear to God, if Rebekah dies, I will kill you."

"If you did not kill my brother, what are you doing with his squaw?" Running Bear demanded to know.

"I rescued her from the man who killed Black Cloud."

"Then she has been safe with you. Perhaps I misunderstood what I witnessed this morning. I have come in search of Eyes of a Dove to take her into my lodge. Since she was raised Sleeping Fawn's sister, I have the right to take her as my wife also. Black Cloud would want her protected."

"You did not misunderstand. I love Rebekah very much, and I plan to take her as my wife. She does not wish to return to your people. Running Bear, you cannot do that to her."

Rennin boiled water as he talked to Running Bear. "She is with child. The child may not belong to Black Cloud."

"You have made her your whore?" Running Bear shouted in anger and disbelief.

Rennin ground his teeth. "Don't you ever call her that again! As long as we have known each other, you should know me better than that. I would never lie with Rebekah until she is my wife. The man, who killed Black Cloud, and his friend ravished her. She could not bear the humiliation of going back to your people. She wanted to die." He removed the water from the fire.

"Running Bear, your intentions are honorable, but how could Eyes of a Dove live if this child turns out to be white? She would be viewed as a harlot although it was not of her doing. You could not love her or her child.

"On the other hand, I do love her. I don't care who sired her baby. I will be the child's father. You have not embraced as many of the white man's beliefs and customs as Black Cloud did, but you know we were blood brothers; therefore, let me bring Rebekah into my lodge to be my wife. I will protect her and love her. I think Black Cloud would approve."

Running Bear looked compassionately at the semiconscious woman. "What if the child is Pawnee?"

"He will be my child and have my name, but I will gladly tell him of his noble father who died before he was born."

"I did not intend to harm Eyes of a Dove."

"No, I was your target. Running Bear, perhaps you should be sure of your facts before you decide to seek vengeance."

"I am sorry, Rennin O'Rourke, and I am grateful that you have avenged my brother's death. Let me help you care for Eyes…Rebekah. She will make you a fine wife."

Rennin's eyes lit up. "You are forgiven, my friend, and I would be grateful for your help. I will need to cauterize the wound as we remove the shaft. Then, we will have to pray no infection sets in."

The two men removed the arrow and cauterized the wound in Rebekah's shoulder with the heated blade of Rennin's hunting knife. Then, Running Bear took the game Rennin had shot outside and dressed it. He stretched the rabbit skins to dry for the fur would make warm gloves or boot linings.

After that, both men sat by the sleeping woman to await her recovery.

Near dawn Rebekah groaned, "Rennin?" Both men started from a light slumber. Rennin took her hand.

"I'm right here, darling." She clutched his hand.

"Running Bear?" she asked timidly.

"I am here, too, Eyes of a Dove."

Rebekah tightened her grip on Rennin's hand. He comforted her. "It's all right. Running Bear was confused when he came here, but he understands everything clearly now."

"Everything, Rennin?" Rebekah whispered.

Running Bear answered her. "Everything, Eyes…Rebekah."

Rebekah was stunned into silence as she heard Running Bear use her English name.

Running Bear continued to speak softly, without intimidation to his sister-in-law. "Rennin O'Rourke has discussed with me that he, too, is Black Cloud's brother. We have agreed that in your case, he is the better brother to take you into his lodge to be his wife. I will make it right with Sleeping Fawn's father. Do not worry. I meant you no ill will when I came. I mean you none now. It is understood Eyes of a Dove died with her husband, and Rebekah Sinclair was reborn. You are free to go with Rennin O'Rourke if that is what you want."

"It is," Rebekah affirmed. "Thank you, Running Bear."

"If the child you carry proves to be Black Cloud's, you will tell him of his father?"

"I will tell him what a great man his father was and what a generous man his uncle is. If he wishes to come to his people when he is old enough, I will not hinder him."

"You are a strong and courageous woman, Rebekah Sinclair. My brother and Rennin O'Rourke are lucky men, indeed."

Rebekah went back to sleep, and Rennin and Running Bear slept soundly for a few hours before the sun rose high in the sky. When Running Bear determined that Rebekah would recover, he prepared to leave, but Rennin asked him to stay. "Running Bear, you no longer have a quest to fulfill. Winter with us. Return to your people in the spring. Besides, you are the answer to my prayers."

Running Bear laughed skeptically. "How can I be the answer to a white man's prayers?"

"Running Bear, Rebekah is a beautiful woman, and even with all my good intentions, I am a man. The temptation to lie with her has been strong, especially knowing she would not refuse me. Your presence will help me to keep my virtue. I want to marry Rebekah. In the spring we can find a minister to marry us."

Running Bear grunted. "By spring, Rebekah will be heavy with child. Your white minister will scoff at your so-called virtue. He will assume you have committed immoral acts. He could even refuse to marry you."

"I will explain that Rebekah is a widow and that the child belongs to her husband."

Running Bear argued, "You would be better off going before Sleeping Fawn's father and letting me vouch for you."

"Perhaps," Rennin conceded, "but I still believe in miracles. I think my God will give us a way to be married before anyone can tell Rebekah is pregnant. Nonetheless, I still want you to winter with us."

Doubtfully, Running Bear said, "I will stay just to see if you get your miracle, Rennin. If you do, perhaps, I will believe as Black Cloud believed."

Cover by Christopher Chambers. juroddesigns.com

One forever enemy and one forever enemy turned friend: Victor Jordan & Running Bear