A Vote of Confidence Read Free Page A

close to stirring
     his heart the way this place did.
    His gaze was drawn to the lodge. Four stories tall, the exterior was made of logs, giving it a rugged, western look. But the
     interior would be anything but austere. The plans called for fine wall coverings, elegant carpets, original artwork to satisfy
     the senses, and large, comfortable guest rooms. The kitchen would have all the latest innovations, a place where the resort’s
     chef would create meals for lodgers that were both healthy and delicious.
    On the opposite side of the clearing from the lodge, work had begun on the bathhouse and the two pools that would be fed by
     the natural hot springs on the property. The bathhouse was fashioned after some of the European spas Morgan had visited with
     his mother — private bathing rooms with large, porcelain tubs and two steam rooms, one for men and one for women. But there would be one major difference between New Hope and those European resorts.
     Morgan’s spa would be a place for prayer as well as for relaxation, a place for both spiritual and physical healing. In fact,
     he was sitting near where the resort’s Danielle McKinley Prayer Chapel would stand.
    “What good is physical health,” his mother had often said to him, “if one’s soul is sick?”
    God
,
I believe You gave the vision for this place to my mother. Help me make it become all that You desire.
    On the heels of his prayer, he thought of Harrison Carter. Why was the man set against him, against this resort? Was it all
     because Morgan had refused to sell the land? Surely Carter saw how the resort would benefit Bethlehem Springs. The railroad.
     Telephone lines and electrical power. All of which would benefit the people who lived here. Morgan knew he’d find a way to
     get what he needed, but it would be difficult if the town and county tied up the lands where the railroad needed to come through.
    “If I had a hand in making the laws, things would be easier for honest businessmen.”
    If I had a hand in making the laws…
    He stiffened.
    If I had a hand in making the laws.
    No, that couldn’t be the answer.
    And yet…
    If I had a hand in making the laws.
    Bethlehem Springs was gearing up for a mayoral election. From what little he’d heard, there was only one candidate — and not
     one people were happy about. Morgan was a citizen of the town. He must be eligible to declare for office.
    “The new mayor and the county commissioners must be in agreement on these matters.”
    What better way to make certain the new mayor supported Morgan’s plans than for Morgan to be the mayor. Still, that was a
     bit drastic. There had to be a better way. Besides, he had no desire to run for office. God had brought him to Idaho for a
     different purpose. He didn’t have time to devote to the day-to-day administration of a town like Bethlehem Springs. Governmental
     bodies were a necessary evil, but not one he need be part of.
    And yet…
    He cast a glance toward the sky. “Father, is this what You’re telling me to do?”

TWO
    The horse and buggy moved at a nice clip along the road toward the Arlington ranch. Gwen had removed her hat as soon as she
     was away from town, and now she enjoyed the warmth of late-morning sunshine on the top of her head and the breeze tugging
     at her hair.
    She hadn’t slept well last night. Because of her sister and Nathan Patterson, she’d had too much to think and pray about.
     Could she do it? Should she do it? Or did even considering it mean she was delusional?
    Mayor Guinevere Arlington. It did have a nice ring to it.
    Laughter bubbled up in her throat and spilled into the fresh mountain air. Oh, she must be crazy.
    At a comfortable pace, it took Gwen nearly an hour to reach her father’s ranch. From November through February, her visits
     were rare because of snow. She didn’t own a sleigh, so she had to depend on the generosity of her neighbors during winter
     weather. But the rest of the year, she tried to