He glanced down at Mary, and she gave him a reassuring smile.
Clearing his throat, he began, “In the book of Luke, chapter 2, we read: ‘And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.’”
With every verse, Trevor’s voice felt stronger, surer. Mary had faith in him. He knew these words and he believed them. Then heread about the angels, and he began singing the carol:
“Glory to God,
Glory to God,
Glory to God in the highest;
Peace on earth, goodwill to men;
Peace on earth, goodwill to men!”
The congregation joined in song with him, and he thought he heard Lady Frederica change the last line to “goodwill towomen.”
Trevor gazed down again at Mary, whose eyes were filled with tears. She gave him a smile that lifted his heart. Somehow Mary made him feel stronger. Braver. Better.
He had never felt more invigorated or full of the Spirit. “‘But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.’”
Like Mary, he would keep these things and ponder them in his heart too. Trevor closed his sermon with a short prayer.
“Amen!”
Trevor opened his eyes to see that the person who had called out “Amen!” was none other than the Duke of Hampford. He was standing on his feet and clapping loudly as his daughters giggled merrily. Trying to hold in his own smile, Trevor moved stiffly to the back door to bid farewell to the parishioners.
He shook hands with the butler.
“Excellent sermon, Mr. Wallace,” Harper said.
Coloring a little, Trevor thanked the man and then took Mrs. May’s outstretched hand and shook it firmly.
“You have a fine voice, young man,” she said. “For reading and singing. I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a Sunday service more.”
Trevor felt pleased and hot all over. He tugged a little at his dog collar before shaking thehands of the maids, grooms, gardeners, and a female upper servant with a handsome but sharp-featured face. The Duke of Hampford’s family were the last to leave. Mary stood behind them, giving Trevor another heart-lifting grin.
Lord Hampford took Trevor’s hand into a tight grip and shook it. “Very good, young man. Very good indeed. I cannot remember ever hearing a better sermon.”
“Or a shorter one,” Lady Frederica quipped before giving him a slight curtsy. “I enjoyed it as well, Mr. Wallace.”
Bowing his head, Trevor said, “Next time I will include the ladies in my words.”
The young lady beamed at him. “Goodwill towomen.”
Helen and Becca pushed their sister out of the chapel door, and they both took one of his hands, shaking them with great enthusiasm.
“Poor Trevor,” Helen said, “your sermon was perfect. It makes me wish that I actually had poisoned old Reverend Turnip.”
“Turpin,” Becca corrected with a giggle. “Ooh, it is cold with the door open. Shall we shut it?”
Helen nodded and together the two youngest Stringhams closed the heavy wooden door to the chapel, leaving him alone with Mary. A circumstance that he did not think was accidental.
She smiled back at him and he felt hot all over again, and this time it had nothing to do with embarrassment. He only wished the Stringham sisters had placed some mistletoe near the door of the chapel; they had everywhere else.
“You were magnificent,” she whispered, taking his hands lightly in her own. “I could have listened to you speak for hours.”
He brought both of her hands to his mouth and lightly brushed his lips over the top of her gloves. “Seeing you gave me strength and courage. I felt a bit nervous at first, and I was afraid that I might cast up my accounts on the duke’s boots.”