Honoring Faith: Locket of Love Series, #2

By Sandra E Sinclair

To honor her is to love her. 

Left at the altar, humiliated and alone, Faith is beside herself with embarrassment and the looks which said I told you so. Never would she expect her salvation would come in the form of a piece of jewelry from a stranger, and her school yard tormentor.

Tobias/Toby Lloyd has always liked Faith when growing up, but she never gave him a second thought no matter how hard he'd tried to get her attention. Now she was in trouble and he was the only one around able to help her.

However, redeeming Faith from shame and ridicule left him open for further criticism from his father. Did his action honor Faith for her or himself?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sandra E Sinclair
• Release date: Feb 28, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386053729

Book preview

Chapter 1

Tears of humiliation slipped down Faith’s cheeks as she huddled motionless in a corner of the back room of the church. It was as cold and unforgiving as the ice curled around her heart. How could he do this to her, trick her into thinking he loved her and would make her his wife? The pain of it was all too much, turning her into the sniveling ball of unloved, unwanted flesh, seeking refuge in a dusty corner.

The snickers she could hear in the other room did nothing to make her feel any better about her situation. Her refusal to leave the church had frustrated her father. He’d wandered off somewhere, probably to find the scoundrel who left her at the altar, to shorten his life.

Faith’s father had never trusted Daniel. He’d tried many times without success, to change her mind about marrying him. When she wouldn’t listen, behind her back he’d told Daniel, Faith had no dowry. The effect being to make Daniel Speed—like his name—speed out of town. It left Faith at the church without a groom, although she’d been unaware of it then.

There were a few people in the audience outside who had also told her, in no uncertain terms, that Daniel was no good and was only after her money. He had a lot of gambling debts, and she was his ticket out of them. 

Even though she’d believed them, she couldn’t stop herself from thinking no one would want her because she was homely-looking, tall, and plain, with not enough curves to entice a possible suitor. She’d hoped with Daniel she would one day be a mother, and their love would grow naturally, as it had for her own mother and father.

How she wished her mother was alive to advise her. She would have seen through the lies. When Faith had told Daniel she’d had her doubts about getting married, he’d fallen to his knees, declaring his love and inability to live without her. Daniel’s reasons he wanted her as his wife had silenced her father’s words, and everyone else’s.

Being courted by Daniel had also freed her from the gnawing thoughts in her mind, that she would remain a spinster, living with a hoard of cats, once her father passed on. The thought had terrified her. So she opted for the first man who had shown some interest in her as a woman, to quiet her doubts and fulfil the dream she’d harbored her whole life, to be a mother herself one day. Her needs were simple. Unlike Chastity, her best friend, who was beautiful, clever, and talented. Away at finishing school, she couldn’t get back in time for Faith’s wedding, as Daniel hadn’t wanted to wait.

On the ride to the church, her father said, Seems I may have been wrong about Daniel. I didn’t think this day would ever come. I felt sure he would leave you alone after I told him there was no monetary gain to be had marrying you as your dowry was already spent.

Faith’s head had snapped to attention and she glared at her father. Why would you do such a terrible thing? Do you find me so atrocious that you think no man would want to claim me?

I think no such thing. You’re beautiful, the image of your mother. There is nothing wrong with the way you look, Faith. I wish you could see that.

Then why lie to him?

I heard rumors of an unsavory nature, and I only wished to dispel them and see you married to the right man.

It all seemed so long ago, as she’d sat waited in the back room of the church to start her wedding. A well-wisher had finally come forward, knocked on the door, and whispered to her father that Daniel had eloped with the storekeeper’s daughter, some girl four years her junior. It was clear to her now why he’d wanted to bring the wedding forward. It had been fear of discovery, for she’d hasn’t been the only woman Daniel had been courting.

However, her dowry had been rumored to be quite substantial and it was, compared to that of the storekeeper’s daughter. Her father telling him it was all gone, had made him act rashly and run away with the naive younger woman.

That was two hours ago. The service of worship had taken place in the nave. The priest, although sympathetic to her plight, asked her father how much longer they would be wanting the room because it was booked for Eugene Collart-Acus and his new wife to have their marriage blessed. Without a glance in her direction, nor a word to the priest, her father had stepped past the priest and left the room.

Faith’s heart had sunk. She’d been praying to stay until the last person had left the church. Then she could slip away unseen, to lick her wounds in private in her own bedroom, away from prying eyes, sympathetic stares, and unkind snickering—the latter being the worst of the three evils.

If her father returned, she would leave with him. At least with him at her side, some of the onlookers would be too afraid of reprisal to even glance in their direction, least of all make comment. Resolved to accept her humiliation, head held high, she wiped her face clean, pulled herself from the ground and returned to her seat on the armchair.

This was where her father would find her when he came back. Pained but unbroken, Faith folded her hands together in her lap and stiffened her back. She was made of sterner stuff, she was her father’s daughter after all. Her breakdown was a mere hitch in her resolve and she would mend it.

Did she wish things were different? Of course, she did. Were it in her power to have a different outcome, she’d have jumped at it. But it wasn’t to be. She would sit quietly and wait for her father to escort her from the room.

The door opened, and a young woman walked in. This had to be Eugene’s wife. Seeing the other woman looking so beautiful and happy, made something snap inside Faith. Jealousy for the other woman’s good fortune gnawed away her manners. She tried stopping it and squashing her resentment. She didn’t know this woman, they had never met. Faith had no good reason to harbor any ill will toward the stranger.

This room is occupied, she said, looking away from the other woman in her finery, regretting the harshness of her tone. She hadn’t meant to sound rude.

I know it is. I just want to see you and to give you something I think might help you to heal and move past what happened here today.

Faith stared at her in disbelief. Why would you care?

Eugene says you’re a friend and any friend of his is a friend of mine. Before I met Gene, I was engaged. He left me and married someone else too. I know what you’re feeling. I felt it too, not so long ago. I have something that helped me, and I think it will help you too. I don’t know how, but I’m at my happiest right now and feel it’s time I passed it on.

I don’t know what you’re talking about.

I know, and you have no reason to trust me. Amy removed the locket from round her neck, stepped closer to Faith and placed it over her head. It’s yours now. When you are at your happiest, pass it on.

Faith fingered the oval shaped metal around her neck and gasped. This is very lovely, but it looks expensive. I can’t take it, I don’t know you, and I’m suspicious of anyone one who would give something this precious away and not ask for something else in return. Faith struggled between the desire to keep the gift or return it. If it could change her luck and make her happy, why shouldn’t she keep it? Because it doesn’t belong to you, her inner voice chastised her.

It’s not my wish to make you uncomfortable, but I can’t see any other way to explain this in the amount of time we have now. I promise you, it will change your life as it did mine. My name is Amy. Come and see me at the ranch tomorrow, and I will explain everything to you then. For now, simply trust I mean you well and help me get ready.

Bemused, Faith did as the other woman asked, fixing her hair and making sure the veil she wore was set properly. Then they tackled her makeup and powder. Although in Faith’s eyes, the other woman needed no enhancement. She was already quite lovely. When they had finished, Amy kissed her cheek and left.

Fingering the locket, Faith returned to her seat to await her father’s return. She slipped the locket under her collar and it settled over her heart. There was a knock at the door. Thinking it was her father, she told the caller to enter. Her chin hit the floor when in walked her worst nightmare, Tobias Lloyd, her childhood tormenter. He’d probably come to gloat, or laugh in her face, now they were grown, and he could no longer pull her hair.

Chapter 2

Toby stared at Faith , his mouth as dry as the Arizona desert. He hadn’t thought it through when rushing in here to see if she was all right. She was his first and only love, and she hated him. Being so young when he first had designs on her, he hadn’t known how to act around her, and all he did was make her mad at him.

Her lip appeared to have grown over those teeth which used to protrude out of her head. The other children would make fun of them, but he liked that she looked different, and how her teeth made her speech sound unusual, as if she were drinking a glass of water as she spoke. It would melt his insides when he heard it.

But he’d been mean to her, trying to gain her attention, making fun of the things he found most adorable about her. Now she was in front of him, all grown-up and looking better than ever, still just as beautiful in his eyes as she ever was. 

However, the look on her face showed no affection. In fact, it sent him back in time to the way she used to look at him right before she’d attacked him, her little fists coming down hard all over him. He never fought back. He loved every slap she gave him, knowing he’d deserved every last one. It meant she noticed him, and he would walk home torn and battered, but happy.

Gene never understood why he antagonized her so and had often warned him to leave her alone. If you like her, just tell her, Gene had said on more than one occasion.

But Toby had been too shy around her. He wasn’t so sure he wasn’t feeling shy right now. His stomach was doing all sorts of weird things as he stood looking at her, trying to find his voice and praying nothing unsavory came out of his mouth, as it used to when they were younger. The cold edge to her voice ripped right through him.

What do you want? she asked, her gaze narrowing as she glared at him.

He licked his lips. I heard what happened and came to offer my assistance. He