Leah had never danced with anyone except her dance instructor, but she found it to be enjoyable with different partners, all of them male and seemingly struck with her beauty. She laughed when she was supposed to, smiled at every ill-witted comment, and always kept an eye out for the one she wanted to dance with most. At first, she loved the attention, but as midnight drew closer, her desire for it was waning as her aching feet begged for a break and her aching heart begged for her butler.

Where was he? Her disappointment was great that he would not be able to see her dressed as she was. She imagined the look he would have upon seeing her and giggled.

Her dance partner's arms tightened around her waist, rousing her from her daydream, and with horror, realized he had mistaken her giggle and smile as an invitation. She flicked him a surprised look when the distance between them closed further, pressing her bosom tight against his chest.

Oh fiddlesticks, she thought and with as much grace as she could muster, slid her hand down his shoulder to his chest and pushed. Hard. The young man stumbled back several steps, their bodies disconnecting though her hand still remained in his. A spark of anger reflected in his eyes, but she smiled and moved back to his arms, only with an appropriate distance between them.

"I'm sorry, but you should know I love someone already. Please, don't assume I was making advances; I apologize I put such ridiculous thoughts in your head." Leah kept her tone sweet but the man's cheeks tinted red.

"I see. And, is this person Charles?" The man's voice was deep and she cast him another startled look as irritation tinted it.

"No, It isn't Charles."

Surprise flashed across the man, but Leah offered no more excuses or answers. They finished the dance with some discomfort before she begged a break. It was granted her with a stiff smile.

The night never seemed so welcoming as the young heiress slipped through the mansion doors. She blushed upon interrupting a couple sharing an intimate kiss; Laughing and waving a hand to hide her embarrassment, she hurried past them into the night, a new energy pumping her feet around the side of the mansion and to the back. If she wasn't able to see or dance with her butler, then at least she could hold his gift to her.

Her heart beat with excitement as she lifted the latch to the little wooden gate and hurried through. The music from the mansion had become faint, giving the rose garden a peaceful aura. Funny, how in the past, she hated this garden. But after making such a wonderful memory with her butler, it had risen to one of her favorite places. As she neared the bench, outlined faintly in the dark, she smiled as memories of snuggling against Wren's side filled her love-struck mind. Yep, the garden carried an entirely new meaning for her.

"Leah, wait up!"

The young heiress nearly groaned as a familiar voice reached her. She cast a desperate glance at the bench, before turning in a huff to face Charles's figure as it morphed from the darkness.

Be nice, she thought as he stopped in front of her, panting from running. After all, he had planned a ball for her birthday.

"What are you doing out here?" He straightened, releasing another huff of air before settling into a more normal breathing pattern.

"Oh," Leah opened her mouth to lie, but stopped. Hadn't she just apologized for lying? Something inside nudged her to be honest. "I was coming to get something left for me."

"I see." To her relief, Charles seemed distracted. So much so, she wondered if he had even heard her response. "I'm glad I caught you out here. I've been wanting to speak with you alone."

"You have?"

"Yes." Leah found her hand gripped, though how he located it so easily in the dark was beyond her. "I wanted to tell you how sorry I was for treating you so badly. I haven't been able to be around you, I've felt so terrible."

Leah shook her head. "That seems so long ago to be honest. Let's forget about it. I forgive you." She tried removing her hand but it was stuck fast. She smothered a groan.

"Thank you for forgiving me. Have you considered my offer? About...being my girlfriend?"

"Charles, I - "

"You asked for time and I've given it to you," His desperation was noticeable. "I want an answer. I - I need one. If I wait any longer, I know I'll lose you for good."

Leah dropped her head as guilt gnawed at her. Her irritation vanished. Charles standing here, holding her hand, was no one's fault but her own.

I should have told him the truth long ago. Sighing, she tugged her hand and when Charles's grip still refused to budge, she reached out, putting light pressure on his arm. He hesitated, then released her. "Charles, you're an amazing friend and I love you. I always will. But, not in the way you desire. I'm sorry. I love someone else."

"What?" His tone hardened. "You mean you think you are in love with Wren? Right?"

Leah frowned at his spiteful attitude. She didn't need the sun to see it. "I don't think it. I know it! And, yes. I love Butler Wren. I'm sorry, but that's how it is."

A sardonic laugh escaped the wealthy man. "Don't be a fool, Leah. Wren Adams is nothing but trouble waiting to happen." He stepped closer, his movements earnest as he gripped her elbows. "Please, be with me. Your father has already given permission to date. We have his support but he would never support you and that butler!" He spat the word 'that' with venom.

Scowling now, Leah glared at his silhouette. "I don't care. I love him! He's good and kind and - Godly. I want a man who will help me draw closer to Jesus now that I'm a Christian. He will do that."

Charles released her as if he had been burned. "What? A - Christian?"

"Yes. I became a Christian today. I have much to learn still but -"

"You can't be serious," Charles interrupted her. He paced away before returning. "Why would you do that?"

Not quite understanding the question, Leah's frown turned to one of uncertainty. "Because Jesus loves me. I wanted forgiveness and the peace Wren has and -"

"Peace? A lot of good all that peace did for your mother! But, I guess she could run off and ask forgiveness for it later. Is that the way it works?"

Leah nearly doubled over as her gut twisted at his words. Tears sprang to her eyes. "What do you mean? Why would you mention my mother..." Her breathing went shallow as understanding dawned. "Wait - was my mother a Christian?"

A groan from Charles was her answer. "I shouldn't have said that, Leah. You weren't supposed to know..."

"And how do you know?" Desperation made her the one to latch onto her friend this time. "Why would you say that? How do you know something about her that I don't?"

A second groan was her response.

"Charles? Tell me."

"Stop overreacting. I was older than you, okay? I remember lots of things. Her being a Christian was one of them. Don't you remember her singing that song to you every night? You used to sing it constantly when we played." Charles was using her strong grip on him to his advantage, but Leah's racing mind didn't notice his free arm slipping to her waist.

"Song? What song?"

"I don't know what it was called. Something about how great God is."

Leah gasped. "'How Great Thou Art!' Is that the song?"

"Yes, that's the one. Do you remember it?"

Leah didn't answer. Her heart sang and cried. Her mother had sung to her every night! Surely, that meant she had loved her, even if just a little. And, it was a song about God being great? Her mind raced further to her father's disapproval of Christianity, church - well, anything related to God.

"It all makes sense," She whispered. Her pain resurfaced. "Do - do you know why she left?" All sense of awareness returned as she lifted her head to look up at him. With a little cry, she squirmed out of his embrace she was wrapped in. "Stop that!"

To her dismay, the wealthy man laughed. "You always were an airhead. You need to pay more attention to your surroundings." When Leah didn't respond with even a giggle, he sobered with a heavy sigh. "Fine. I guess I'm not getting out of this. I don't know why she left. I remember hearing them argue. Your mom said something about 'another woman' but I was too young to pay much attention. A couple days later, I came to see you and she was gone."

It took the heiress a few minutes to wrap her mind around the new information. She had always put the entire blame on her mother for leaving, but never once considered her father held a portion of the responsibility. "He cheated..." She whispered.

"I don't know that for sure, Leah. We were just kids so don't hold it to me. But, I do remember clearly she professed to serve Jesus. She would tell me Bible stories when I stayed the night."

Her knees wobbled with weakness, but there was nowhere to sit. The last thing she wanted was Charles being a part of her moment as she opened Wren's gift, so the bench in the distance was out. Since plopping in the dirt and ruining her dress wasn't an option either, she forced strength into her limbs and continued standing.

"Thank you, for answering my questions. I - I would like to be alone now."

Another sigh. He took a step to her, but she took one back, the movement more of a stagger. "No," she said, her voice firm; she wasn't sure where she found her strength.

Jesus, help me.

"I'm sorry, Charles, but nothing has changed. I will not date you. I will not marry you in the future. My heart belongs to another. Forgive me." Her last sentence ended in a whisper. "Please, leave me alone."

When Charles finally spoke, her heart bled further as hurt laced his voice. "Be sure to return to the party soon. Your father has a surprise planned at midnight. You won't want to miss it."

Leah nodded, then corrected herself as she remembered heavy night masked most of their movements. "Okay. Thank you."

With relief, she listened to his retreating steps, the sound of the gate, and finally, silence. She lifted a questioning gaze to the sky, noting the brilliance of the stars. Wren had been right that night at the fountain. When away from all the yard lights, the stars glowed with vibrancy.

"I don't understand," She whispered to One she strangely felt was watching her.

I'm with you.

Her eyes widened and on instinct, a hand rested over her heart. Had she imagined God's voice? It hadn't been a literal voice, rather a calming thought that wasn't her own. Her entire being responded to it and somehow, she knew it was Him. Peace replaced some of her pain and she smiled despite the few tears trailing wet streaks down her cheeks. "Wren said I would never be alone again. I guess he was right. I have so much to learn about You."

To an onlooker, the girl would have been considered crazy, speaking to the darkness. But they couldn't see the warmth or the invisible connection she now held to the King of Kings.

Leah waited a moment, half expecting the conversation to continue. But, only silence greeted her further, so she walked to the bench, eyes searching with desperation. The outline of a box greeted her and with a new burst of excitement, she slid onto the wooden bench, lifting and placing it on her lap.

For the first time, she wished the garden had a yard light, but she settled with slipping her phone from her pocket of her gown, thankful Fiona had insisted she keep it on her, ball or no! Turning on the flashlight app, she shone it on the box, admiring the pink wrapping and sparkling bow. Had he wrapped this himself?

Pulling one string to loosen the bow, she gasped as she removed the lid, setting it on the bench. Gently, reverently, she pulled out a small Bible. Golden letters of Leah Kingsley stared at her from the bottom corner of the cover and she traced a finger over the purple leather, feeling the indentions of the swirls engraved over its face for a dainty detail. It was beautiful! She struggled for a moment to remove the box from her lap and then replaced it with her Bible. Tears resurfaced as she lifted the front flap and read the small note he had written her.

Princess,

Happy eighteenth birthday. You said you wanted to know more about God and there is no better way than reading these wonderful pages.

Your friend and butler,

Wren

A happy laugh filled the empty garden as the heiress set her phone aside and pulled the precious book to her chest. Truly, there was a greater gift than a ball.