so early in his quest, knowing that she could be the one person to expose him, she would also be a great asset. People might say that Elias Bellingham’s weakness was his concern for others, but George was grateful his father had passed on that trait to him. He wouldn’t feel right leaving Pierre until his father had been found, and Flora’s help would make it easier for George to help Pierre and accomplish his own mission. As long as he could keep Flora from learning his real reason for being in the camp.
Though he hoped to find Pierre’s father quickly, George was going to enjoy every moment he spent in Flora’s company until then.
Flora was able to slip away to the creek to wash after her baby-minding disaster. Though how she was going to accomplish a good cleansing and change her dress out in the open, she had no idea. The place was private enough, or so some of the other ladies had said. But was this another of their tricks, like Lindsay Carmichael goading her into bringing her best dresses instead of work clothes?
Not that she had anything that could be considered work clothes. Flora sighed. Perhaps it had been a mistake to think that redemption would come to someone like her.
“Flora?” Rose Jones walked down the embankment carrying a bundle. “I heard you’d come this way.”
Of course it would have to be Rose. Flora sighed. Of all the people she’d injured with her thoughtless words, Rose had been hurt the worst. And though Rose had said she’d forgiven Flora, and was polite, if not kind, to her, Flora always wondered if she could truly count on Rose as a friend.
“I was hoping to wash up. My dress smells.” Flora pointed at her soiled silk gown, a yellow stain spreading across the pale pink fabric. It was probably ruined.
Rose looked around. “It’s private enough with most of the men at work, but I wouldn’t come here much later in the day. And you shouldn’t be here alone. As much as Uncle Frank has done to keep us safe, you have to remember that many of the people here don’t have the same regard for the law and civility as we do.”
Flora stared at the ground. She’d only wanted to clean up, but it seemed there was fault in that as well.
“It’s all right,” Rose said softly, stepping forward. “You haven’t been up to the camp before, and I suspect that Lindsay didn’t give you good instructions. I’d hoped to orient you myself, but Milly was ill, so I’ve only just arrived.”
“What’s wrong with Milly?” One of Flora’s many mistakes, and ways she’d wronged Rose, had involved Rose’s stepdaughter, Milly. Before Rose married Silas, Rose had been Milly’s nanny, but because Milly’s grandparents disapproved, Flora had assisted them by trying to take over as Milly’s nanny. When Milly’s grandparents took Milly away without Rose’s permission, Flora helped them, thinking she was doing the right thing. During that time, Flora had developed a genuine affection for the little girl. Still, what Flora had done was wrong, and it was only the mercy shown by Rose and her now-husband, Silas, that had kept Flora out of jail.
Flora turned away. “I’m sorry, I don’t have the right to ask.”
“Of course you do.” Rose stepped in front of her and smiled. “I’m grateful that you care so much about her. It was just a little cold, and she’s fine now. She remained behind with Maddie, our housekeeper, but when I see her again, I’ll pass on your good wishes.”
Another friendly smile. Rose held out the bundle to Flora. “I brought you a dress. The one you’re wearing is too fine for being up here, and from the giggling I heard from the others, I suspect everything else you brought is just as nice.”
Flora gaped at Rose. Why was she being so kind to her? True, after the situation with Milly’s grandparents, part of Flora’s restitution was to help with the ministry. And Flora had worked side by side with Rose several times in the months since.
But that didn’t mean Flora deserved any sort of kindness from Rose.
“I also brought a blanket. I’ll hold it up so you can have privacy to wash up and change. You’ll have to wash quickly, but it’s better than the alternative.”
Another bright smile.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” Flora made no move to accept the dress Rose held out.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
Flora shrugged. “I could list a thousand reasons. I’ve been horrible to you since you came to Leadville. I don’t deserve your kindness.”
With a long sigh, Rose sat on a nearby rock. “You’re right. You’ve made my life difficult in a number of ways. But you’ve apologized and I forgave you. I’ve seen the change in your behavior over the past few months, and I know that you’ve let the Lord work in your heart. The Lord has been kind to me. How could I not be kind to you?”
“You sound a lot like Pastor Lassiter,” Flora said, meeting the other woman’s eyes. “He’s been telling me the same thing.”
“And now I know why he specifically asked me to come on this trip.” Rose smiled again, and because Flora was observing her eyes, she could see the warmth lurking there. “After my scandal of having my son out of wedlock, I thought I’d accepted the Lord’s forgiveness. I did my best to hold my head up high, knowing that God didn’t hold my sin against me. But it seemed like there were so many who were constantly reminding me of my sin.”
“Like me,” Flora said, hating the way she could still remember how she smiled as she gossiped about Rose’s misfortune. One more thing Rose should hate her for.
Rose shrugged. “You weren’t the only one. But that is exactly my point. I’ve forgiven you. It’s time for you to forgive yourself.”
She made it sound so easy. Perhaps because she didn’t know all the details of what Flora had done. Things only Flora and God knew. Even so, everyone else in town made certain to remind her of all the reasons she didn’t deserve forgiveness.
“The rest of the town doesn’t seem to agree with you.”
“It doesn’t matter. Chasing after their approval is never going to bring you happiness. What matters is that your heart is aligned with God’s, and that you live out the forgiveness He’s offered you.”
Flora let out another long sigh. What Rose said made sense, but she didn’t understand how hard it was to put into action. “But people aren’t actively shunning you or laughing at you.”
“Not in our church.” Rose stood and held out the bundle. “But there are still homes I’m not welcome in, people who make snide comments in the mercantile. Just the other day, I was at the milliner’s, and one of the ladies there noticed me and said that if they were catering to fallen women, she wouldn’t shop there anymore.”
“But that’s ridiculous. You’re a respectable woman.”
Rose shrugged. “I still had a child out of wedlock, and for some, that’s a fact they can’t get past. But I’ve dealt with my sin. God forgives me. And if others can’t move on, that’s their problem, not mine.”
Rose continued. “Now let’s hurry and get you washed and changed. I’m sure they’re missing us.”
Doing as Rose asked, Flora quickly hid under the blanket provided, cleaning up the remaining mess. When she was ready, she emerged from the blanket and held up her soiled dress.
“Is it so terrible that all I want to do is burn this dress I once begged Mother for?”
Rose smiled. “When we get back to town, we’ll have Maddie take a look. If anyone can salvage it, she can.”
As blind as Flora had once been to Rose’s warmth, she couldn’t ignore it anymore. “You really are trying to be my friend, aren’t you?”
“I