Bit by bit the colors chased the sun's fading glow down below the horizon until all that remained was a colorless dusk that rapidly squeezed out the fading memory of light and color. The memory sank at last below the earth's edge and was lost forever.
As if on cue, Bill swept his fiance into his arms and kissed her eagerly. Molly clung to Bill as if she thought he would run away. Then she withdrew her lips and lay her head in the hollow of his shoulder. To his surprise she said, "Well, how do I compare?"
Bill tried to look down at her and got a nose full of hair. "Say what?"
"How do I compare? With Marie."
Bill scratched his head. "What do you mean?"
"As a kisser, of course. Am I as pleasant as she?" She twisted her neck and looked up into his face.
"What makes you think I kissed Marie?"
"After our little escapade I returned to the window to see if you were coming after me."
"Uh-oh."
"I got quite an eyefull. Apparently, so did you."
Bill took her by the shoulders and sat her upright. "Wait a minute. You saw the whole thing?"
Molly couldn't contain herself any longer. She burst into laughter and said, "Every delightfully embarrassing moment of it!" She clapped her hands and continued to laugh. "You should have seen yourself! Flinging yourself onto the floor to escape, writhing on your back with that woman attached to you--no sooner do you propose than I find you flat on your back, covered by a blonde!"
Bill winced. "If you saw the whole thing, then you know I wasn't there by choice."
"I know, darling. But I wanted to see you squirm a bit. The opportunity was, after all, much too good to let it slip away."
Bill started to join her laughter. "Yeah, I guess it was. Could you tell at first that I wasn't--uh, I mean--"
"The way you were groping about in the air, like a drowning man seeking the surface? Good heavens, no! I couldn't tell at all!"
Bill grabbed her by the waist. "You adorable little--" He kissed her with much the same force that Marie had kissed him. Molly started to squirm the way Bill had, but the perch they sat on was less secure than Marie's kitchen chairs. They tumbled backwards off the log and landed on a pad of soft new undergrowth.
Molly's eyes glistened in the almost-light as she whispered into Bill's eyes, "I love you so very much!"
Bill smiled and kissed her again and again. They held each other closer and closer, kissing and stroking as they lay on their sides on the soft grasses and flower buds. When Molly gently rolled onto her back and pulled Bill with her, Bill tenderly caressed her cheek and whispered, "Do you realize where we're heading with this line of thought?"
"Toward something wonderful."
"I agree. But shouldn't we have that ceremony first?"
"Must we? You've no idea how difficult it was for all those months, having you right there in the house but fearing to touch you. Now, with the world topsy-turvy, I wonder if we really need such a thing."
"It seemed like a good idea. Are you changing your mind?"
Molly just grinned. Bill cocked his head to one side and said, "Well?"
"I'm debating. Which is stronger? Desire for the man I love and have already pledged my life to, or lifelong ties to an outmoded sequence of propriety."
Bill laughed. "If I understood what you said I might be able to help."
"Egad. I'm in love with a man who doesn't understand English."
"I understand English. I just have trouble with the words."
Molly laughed. "You realize that makes absolutely no sense ."
Bill smiled. "It broke the mood, didn't it?"
She frowned. "Oh. I see. That was your intention."
"You're not mad, are you?"
"I'm debating that, also."
Bill sat up with some difficulty. "I'm sorry if you are. But I--I just wouldn't be comfortable--I mean, uh--"
"It's all right. I understand. I merely--well, that is, we don't know how much time we have, whether we'll even be able to have a ceremony, and--" She sat up and put her head on his shoulder. "As far as I'm concerned, I belong to you, body, soul and everything else. I've never been so completely devoted to anyone except the Lord before. I--I don't know what else to say. But if you sincerely feel the need to marry formally, I can live with that."
Bill put his arm around her. "I love you. And I'm as committed to you as any person can be to another person. In my mind, my heart, I've pledged my life to you with no strings attached. But, like you said, old habits and traditions die hard. At least I think that's what you said a minute ago."
Molly nudged him with her elbow. "Bloody foreigner who doesn't speak English."
Bill tickled her ribs with the hand he had around her, "Blinkin' Limey who thinks she knows it all."
Molly squirmed and giggled. She clamped down on Bill's knee with her hand. He wiggled but couldn't get loose. He used both hands and tickled her harder on both sides of her rib cage. Molly rolled away and lay on her stomach with her head propped up on her hands, puffing and laughing.
Bill stood up. "Suppose we should get back?"
"Likely. I ought to see if I can help Marie with supper."
Bill gave her a hand up and they walked arm in arm back to the car. "Does the fuel pump work now?"
"Yeah. That leather trick is great."
"I'm glad you were able to repair their tractor. They have precious little out here."
"I know. Speaking of which, we probably should move on. If the police find us we don't want Paul and Marie caught in the middle."
"I agree. They've been awfully good to us, and we've been here over two weeks."
Bill opened the car door for her. "Hey. Why don't we have our little ceremony tomorrow and have them as witnesses?"
Molly's face lit up as she climbed in. "What a delightful idea! We could hold it at that little clearing where you proposed."
"Sounds good." Bill closed Molly's door and got in behind the wheel. The engine whizzed into action and the twin headlight beams guided the couple back to the Jarnais farm.
"Yes, Captain. Tire tracks that match the size of the car. And something else."
The radio squawked and crackled as Marchand's voice said, "Well, what is it, Leblanc?"
Leblanc paused for effect, then depressed the button on the microphone. "A body. The big gendarme they spirited away. He has been shot through the head. He has been dead for some time."
The thin radio voice asked, "Did they free him and then kill him? it makes no sense."
Leblanc shrugged, even though he knew his captain couldn't see it. "Who can say how these Christians think. But it may have been suicide. The angle of penetration and some traces of powder burns seem to suggest such a possibility."
" I suppose it does not matter, Leblanc. Now you have only to deal with the big American, no?"
Leblanc laughed cruelly. "His American expression would be, 'One down, one to go.' The tracks lead south. We will follow and report as we discover anything."
"Very well. Be careful, Francois. Marchand out."
"Out." Leblanc stopped the two men who carried the stretcher from the bushes. He unzipped the body bag and exposed the badly decomposed face with its grisly wound. "Christian, you never looked better." Leblanc spat on the face and zipped up the bag.
Late spring sunshine sifted its way through the interlacing branches. The stream gurgled its jocund accompaniment. Tiny woodland creatures chirped and chattered from somewhere beyond the little glade where four people stood silent. Molly, decked in her gray pantsuit and looking as beautiful as Bill had ever seen her, held a spray of gaily-colored wildflowers, and wore a single white daisy in her hair. Bill faced her in his brown suit, his massive shoulders filling every crease of the coat. Marie, in a print summer dress, stood by Molly, and Paul, in simple slacks and plaid shirt, flanked Bill. Bill spoke.
"We're here today because, since the beginning of mankind, God decreed that a man and a woman should join themselves together before Him and pledge their eternal love to each other. Down through the ages, people have come up with a lot of different ways to do this. This is ours." He took his bride's hands in his, jostling the flowers a little. "Molly Sanders, as Jesus Christ is my witness, I love you like myself, and here and now, before these witnesses, I promise to love you, to cherish you, to protect you with my very life if need be. If you'll have me, I take you as my wife. 'Till death do us part."
Molly's eyes grew moist as she repeated the words she had arranged and rehearsed all night. "William Hall, my beloved, I give myself to you for as long as we live. Marriage, so the Bible says, is a picture of Christ's love for and devotion to His people. As we seek safety and a life for ourselves in these turbulent times, I know that the Lord Jesus has sent you to me to guide and protect me, and my fervent prayer is that I may reflect toward you that immeasurable love and devotion that our Lord so exemplified when He lay down His life for those He loved. I promise to love you, to care for you, to protect and support you, with all my heart and soul and life. 'Till death do us part."
They both knelt on the ground. Bill prayed, "Father, in your Name we pledge this marriage to you. Thank you for the love you've given us, for your protection and repeated deliverance from our enemies. Bring us to that place that you promised us, and give us the faith to follow you to the very end. In Jesus' name, Amen."
"Amen," Molly echoed. Tears coursed down her cheeks as she raised her eyes to meet Bill's. "My husband."
Bill's wide smile rerouted his own tears. "My wife," he whispered. He leaned over and kissed her softly.
As the newlyweds stood, Marie cried, "Beautiful! Magnifique! You will be very happy, I am certain of it."
Paul shook Bill's hand vigorously, then kissed Molly lightly on the cheek. "Congratulations. Both of you. You will find this place of safety. I know you will."
Marie reached in the pocket of her dress. "I have something for you, Molly." She drew out a long gold chain with a heart-shaped gold pendant on it. "This belonged to my mother. I want you to have it, since you do not have a ring."
Molly held the gift up in the light. "Oh, Marie, it's beautiful! Thank you very, very much." She hugged Marie tightly.
Paul cleared his throat. "I have something for both of you." He stepped to the car and fished a paper out of the glove box. While he returned to the scene he remarked, "I did this from memory. It took me all night. I hope you like it." He unfolded a charcoal sketch of the clearing, with Bill and Molly in the center in wedding garments.
Bill stared. "You did this in one night?"
"I am sorry it took so long. I fell asleep one or two times."
"So long? Are you kidding? If I could draw at all it'd take me a week to do a masterpiece like this. Paul, this is fantastic!" He took the picture from Paul as if it was a newborn baby. He handed it to the flabbergasted Molly and gave Paul a giant hug.
Marie clapped twice. "Come now. It is time for refreshment. Let us return to the house."
Husband and wife looked at each other. In unison they said, "Refreshment?"
Back at the house Marie set out an unbelievable buffet table laden with a host of goodies. She had baked a chicken, boiled eggs and devilled them, prepared various fruits and vegetables and dug out a bottle of wine that she forgot she had. Everyone ate themselves full and enough remained for another whole meal.
Later, the four relaxed in the living room. Marie sighed, "This has been a wonderful day." The other three nodded. "Tell me something, you two." Bill and Molly waited. "You speak of this Christian matter as if it were the most important thing in the world. Why is this?"
Molly shrugged. "I suppose because it is."
"I have been to Paris and seen the big--what are they called? Cathedrals. That is it. But when I go inside the people seemed so unhappy. They hang their heads, they mumble, they seem not to enjoy what they do."
"Some people don't," Bill said. "But that's because they don't really understand it. They think it's a series of rules and regulations."
"You see," Molly picked up, "Churches differ. Bill is from a free church tradition, where the manner of worship is less structured. I come from a more liturgical background that--oh, dear, I'm sailing right over your head, aren't I?"
"What we're trying to say," Bill began again, "Is that Christianity isn't something you do, it's something you are. It's a relationship with a person, Jesus Christ."
Marie nodded, though she still looked confused. "And this--relationship is the most important thing in the world?"
"Yes. "
"Exactly."
"Well, tell me. Who is this person, Jesus Christ? And how does one relate to him? Or her? Or whatever the matter may be?"
Bill and Molly stared at each other for a moment, then they both slowly smiled. Finally, Molly turned to Marie and said, "A long time ago in Israel a unique man walked the earth."
The story of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to earth to die and rise again to forgive the sins of anyone who trusts Him as their Lord and savior, ate up the entire afternoon. Marie listened intently, asked occasional questions, and periodically asked Molly to resort to French. Paul gobbled up every word. Just before sunset, the mother and son prayed and gave their lives to Jesus Christ.
Molly smiled through her tears. "You understand what you both have just done."
"Yes," Paul laughed. "We have made ourselves targets for the police!"
Bill made a face. "Unfortunately, that's also true. I want you to know we tried not to hold back the down side of it. If you're serious, it won't be easy. The rest of the world hates us and wants to kill us all."
Marie nodded. "We understand. But what you say is true. Eternal life and peace with God is the most important thing in the world. And I now know that I have it."
"As do I," Paul added.
Marie walked to the window. "It is dark. Perhaps you two would care to be . . .alone?"
Bill winked at Molly. "Sounds good to me."
Molly patted his leg. "Sounds positively delightful."
They exited together and snuggled closer with each step. Bill could picture the little bungalow-like affair Marie had established for them as a honeymoon suite in the rear corner of the barn. He could also picture the two of them in it in just a few moments.
A voice somewhere in the night called, "Now!" Without other warning, Bill was blind. He felt as though he was staring into a solar flare. The voice he had heard a second before, a voice that resembled an angry bear as much as anything else, said, "Stand where you are!"
Gradually, Bill became aware that he stood in a ring of car headlights. No, not a full ring. More like a half-circle. But in the shadows behind him he could see human outlines just beyond the light's horizon. He blinked furiously while he searched for their own car. Straight ahead, just past the last police car. At least he assumed it was a police car.
He whispered to Molly, "Car. Quick. Go!" He pushed her ahead of him and sprinted. To his amazement, no shots sounded. They reached the car, only to find the hood up. Wires splayed everywhere.
Bill opened the door and dove across the seat. His hand snaked under the opposite seat and came up with the gun. As he backed and spun his way out of the compartment a face greeted him with the words, "Give me an excuse, American." The barrel of a huge revolver leered hungrily at Molly's face.