Freedom's Light Read online

  ACCLAIM FOR COLLEEN COBLE

  “Coble (Twilight at Blueberry Barrens) keeps the tension tight and the action moving in this gripping tale, the first in her Lavender Tides series set in the Pacific Northwest.”

  —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ON THE VIEW FROM RAINSHADOW BAY

  “. . . The View from Rainshadow Bay, opens with a heart-pounding, run-for-your-life chase. This book will stay with you for a long time, long after you flip to the last page.”

  —RT BOOK REVIEWS, 4 STARS

  “Set on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, this first volume of Coble’s new suspense series is a tensely plotted and harrowing tale of murder, corporate greed, and family secrets. Devotees of Dani Pettrey, Brenda Novak, and Allison Brennan will find a new favorite here.”

  —LIBRARY JOURNAL ON THE VIEW FROM RAINSHADOW BAY

  “Filled with the suspense for which Coble is known, the novel is rich in detail with a healthy dose of romance, allowing readers to bask in the beauty of Washington state’s lavender fields, lush forests, and jagged coastline.”

  —BOOKPAGE ON THE VIEW FROM RAINSHADOW BAY

  “Prepare to stay up all night with Colleen Coble. Coble’s beautiful, emotional prose coupled with her keen sense of pacing, escalating danger, and very real characters place her firmly at the top of the suspense genre. I could not put this book down.”

  —ALLISON BRENNAN, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SHATTERED ON THE VIEW FROM RAINSHADOW BAY

  “I loved returning to Rock Harbor and you will too. Beneath Copper Falls is Colleen at her best!”

  —DANI PETTREY, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE ALASKAN COURAGE AND CHESAPEAKE VALOR SERIES

  “Return to Rock Harbor for Colleen Coble’s best story to date. Beneath Copper Falls is a twisting, turning thrill ride from page one that drops you headfirst into danger that will leave you breathless, sleep deprived, and eager for more! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!”

  —LYNETTE EASON, AWARD-WINNING, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE ELITE GUARDIANS SERIES

  “The tension, both suspenseful and romantic, is gripping, reflecting Coble’s prowess with the genre.”

  —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW FOR TWILIGHT AT BLUEBERRY BARRENS

  “Incredible storytelling and intricately drawn characters. You won’t want to miss Twilight at Blueberry Barrens!”

  —BRENDA NOVAK, NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

  “Coble has a gift for making a setting come to life. After reading Twilight at Blueberry Barrens, I feel like I’ve lived in Maine all my life. This plot kept me guessing until the end, and her characters seem like my friends. I don’t want to let them go!”

  —TERRI BLACKSTOCK, USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF IF I RUN

  “I’m a long-time fan of Colleen Coble, and Twilight at Blueberry Barrens is the perfect example of why. Coble delivers riveting suspense, delicious romance, and carefully crafted characters, all with the deft hand of a veteran writer. If you love romantic suspense, pick this one up. You won’t be disappointed!”

  —DENISE HUNTER, AUTHOR OF THE GOODBYE BRIDE

  “Colleen Coble, the queen of Christian romantic mysteries, is back with her best book yet. Filled with familiar characters, plot twists, and a confusion of antagonists, I couldn’t keep the pages of this novel set in Maine turning fast enough. I reconnected with characters I love while taking a journey filled with murder, suspense, and the prospect of love. This truly is her best book to date, and perfect for readers who adore a page-turner laced with romance.”

  —CARA PUTMAN, AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF SHADOWED BY GRACE AND WHERE TREETOPS GLISTEN, ON TWILIGHT AT BLUEBERRY BARRENS

  “Gripping! Colleen Coble has again written a page-turning romantic suspense with Twilight at Blueberry Barrens! Not only did she keep me up nights racing through the pages to see what would happen next, I genuinely cared for her characters. Colleen sets the bar high for romantic suspense!”

  —CARRIE STUART PARKS, AUTHOR OF A CRY FROM THE DUST AND WHEN DEATH DRAWS NEAR

  “Colleen Coble thrills readers again with her newest novel, an addictive suspense trenched in family, betrayal, and . . . murder.”

  —DIANN MILLS, AUTHOR OF DEADLY ENCOUNTER, ON TWILIGHT AT BLUEBERRY BARRENS

  “Colleen’s Twilight at Blueberry Barrens is filled with a bevy of twists and surprises, a wonderful romance, and the warmth of family love. I couldn’t have asked for more. This author has always been a five-star novelist, but I think it’s time to up the ante with this book. It’s on my keeping shelf!”

  —HANNAH ALEXANDER, AUTHOR OF THE HALLOWED HALLS SERIES

  “Second chances, old flames, and startling new revelations combine to form a story filled with faith, trial, forgiveness, and redemption. Crack the cover and step in, but beware—Mermaid Moon is harboring secrets that will keep you guessing.”

  —LISA WINGATE, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF BEFORE WE WERE YOURS, ON MERMAID MOON

  “I burned through The Inn at Ocean’s Edge in one sitting. An intricate plot by a master storyteller. Colleen Coble has done it again with this gripping opening to a new series. I can’t wait to spend more time at Sunset Cove.”

  —HEATHER BURCH, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF ONE LAVENDER RIBBON

  “Coble doesn’t disappoint with her custom blend of suspense and romance.”

  —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ON THE INN AT OCEAN’S EDGE

  “Veteran author Coble has penned another winner. Filled with mystery and romance that are unpredictable until the last page, this novel will grip readers long past when they should put their books down. Recommended to readers of contemporary mysteries.”

  —CBA RETAILERS + RESOURCES REVIEW OF THE INN AT OCEAN’S EDGE

  “Coble truly shines when she’s penning a mystery, and this tale will really keep the reader guessing . . . Mystery lovers will definitely want to put this book on their purchase list.”

  —RT BOOK REVIEWS ON THE INN AT OCEAN’S EDGE

  “Coble’s atmospheric and suspenseful series launch should appeal to fans of Tracie Peterson and other authors of Christian romantic suspense.”

  —LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW OF TIDEWATER INN

  “Romantically tense, but with just the right touch of danger, this cowboy love story is surprisingly clever—and pleasingly sweet.”

  —USATODAY.COM REVIEW OF BLUE MOON PROMISE

  “[An] outstanding, completely engaging tale that will have you on the edge of your seat . . . A must-have for all fans of romantic suspense!”

  —THEROMANCEREADERSCONNECTION.COM REVIEW OF ANATHEMA

  “Colleen Coble lays an intricate trail in Without a Trace and draws the reader on like a hound with a scent.”

  —RT BOOK REVIEWS, 4½ STARS

  “Coble’s historical series just keeps getting better with each entry.”

  —LIBRARY JOURNAL STARRED REVIEW OF THE LIGHTKEEPER’S BALL

  “Don’t ever mistake [Coble’s] for the fluffy romances with a little bit of suspense. She writes solid suspense, and she ties it all together beautifully with a wonderful message.”

  —LIFEINREVIEWBLOG.COM REVIEW OF LONESTAR ANGEL

  “Colleen is a master storyteller.”

  —KAREN KINGSBURY, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF UNLOCKED AND LEARNING

  ALSO BY COLLEEN COBLE

  Butterfly Palace

  THE MERCY FALLS SERIES

  The Lightkeeper’s Daughter

  The Lightkeeper’s Bride

  The Lightkeeper’s Ball

  UNDER TEXAS STARS NOVELS

  Blue Moon Promise

  Safe in His Arms

  Bluebonnet Bride

  LAVENDER TIDES NOVELS

  The View from Rainshadow Bay

  Leaving Lavender Tides Novella

  The House a
t Saltwater Point

  ROCK HARBOR NOVELS

  Without a Trace

  Beyond a Doubt

  Into the Deep

  Cry in the Night

  Silent Night: A Rock Harbor

  Christmas Novella (e-book only)

  Beneath Copper Falls

  Haven of Swans (formerly titled Abomination)

  YA/MIDDLE GRADE ROCK HARBOR BOOKS

  Rock Harbor Search and Rescue

  Rock Harbor Lost and Found

  CHILDREN’S ROCK HARBOR BOOK

  The Blessings Jar

  SUNSET COVE NOVELS

  The Inn at Ocean’s Edge

  Mermaid Moon

  Twilight at Blueberry Barrens

  HOPE BEACH NOVELS

  Tidewater Inn

  Rosemary Cottage

  Seagrass Pier

  All Is Bright: A Hope Beach Christmas

  Novella (e-book only)

  THE ALOHA REEF NOVELS

  Distant Echoes

  Black Sands

  Dangerous Depths

  Midnight Sea

  Holy Night: An Aloha Reef Christmas

  Novella (e-book only)

  JOURNEY OF THE HEART SERIES

  A Heart’s Disguise

  A Heart’s Obsession

  A Heart’s Danger

  A Heart’s Betrayal

  A Heart’s Promise

  A Heart’s Home

  LONESTAR NOVELS

  Lonestar Sanctuary

  Lonestar Secrets

  Lonestar Homecoming

  Lonestar Angel

  All Is Calm: A Lonestar Christmas

  Novella (e-book only)

  Alaska Twilight

  Fire Dancer

  Where Shadows Meet (formerly titled Anathema)

  Freedom’s Light

  © 2018 by Colleen Coble

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

  Thomas Nelson titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email [email protected].

  Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version. Public domain.

  Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Epub Edition August 2018 9780785219392

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Coble, Colleen, author.

  Title: Freedom’s light / Colleen Coble.

  Description: Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 2018.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018012175 | ISBN 9780785219385 (softcover)

  Subjects: | GSAFD: Christian fiction. | Love stories.

  Classification: LCC PS3553.O2285 F74 2018 | DDC 813/.54--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018012175

  Printed in the United States of America

  18 19 20 21 LSC 5 4 3 2 1

  For my friend Kristin Billerbeck, who always believed in this novel

  CONTENTS

  Acclaim for Colleen Coble

  Also by Colleen Coble

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Epilogue

  A Note from the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Discussion Questions

  About the Author

  CHAPTER 1

  AUGUST 2, 1776

  I forbid you to go, Hannah.”

  Hannah Thomas curled her nails into her palms, slick with perspiration. Her husband couldn’t leave her here on this rocky Massachusetts coast. He just couldn’t. Other wives followed the Continental Army troops. Why couldn’t she?

  John smiled down at her, but the strain in his eyes signaled that he was tired of her womanly vapors. He shifted his bulk and his shoulders strained the seams of his makeshift uniform, just breeches and an oversize navy coat topped by his battered cocked hat. She’d wanted to let out the seams, but he told her one good thing about war was he’d likely shed some of his corpulence. She couldn’t imagine him suffering deprivation.

  He put his large, calloused hand on her shoulder. “I’d not have you in harm’s way, Hannah. You are needed here. Keeping the light for the sailors will be your contribution to the War of Independence. The colonials must have supplies, but the British would like nothing better than to see our ships crash on the rocky shores. Ease my mind, Wife, and accept my provision for you. Promise me.”

  Her words of protest died on her lips. She was used to speaking her mind to her husband, though he was twenty years her senior, but today she could tell it would do no good. Hannah bit her lip in a vain attempt to keep the tears at bay. “I promise.”

  “General Washington has asked for all able-bodied men to agree to serve one year in the Continental Army. I must answer the call. I should have gone last year. I know you understand this and support it.”

  The Second Continental Congress had appointed George Washington as general over the newly formed army, and he needed men.

  She nodded. “Of course. I would serve myself if I could.” Hannah had heard Paul Revere’s cry, “The regulars are coming. The regulars are coming,” with her own ears the night of April 18 last year and had seen the two lanterns shining from the bell tower of the Old North Church. She’d thrilled to have witnessed that event in the struggle for independence.

  The colonists could no longer endure the endless taxation from Britain. War had come, and with it, so had many deaths. Good men, friends in Charles Town and others all across the colonies, had gone off to fight and had never returned. John had been part of the Sons of Liberty ever since she’d known him.

  Much as she favored the struggle, she didn’t want to lose him.

  Through the open window, she could see the glow from the four lamps in the twin-towered lighthouse. She had hated this lonely outcropping of land ever since John had brought her here a year ago after they were wed—the crash of the waves never left her ears and it sounded as if a storm was brewing today. Come night, she would be hard-pressed to keep the lamps lit in the lighthouse. The thought brought her no joy.

  From that first night, the lighthouse had beckoned from the carriage window. At times she hated the light and the attention it received from John. He’d wanted a son, something his first wife had failed to accomplish before she died of smallpox twelve years ago, one of nearly twenty thousand. So far Hannah had also failed to conceive a child.

  With John gone, she’d be alone without the comfort of a child to hold. She didn’t know how she would bear the isolation. His mother and sister lived over the crest of the hill, but they disapproved of everything about her. How would they treat her with John no longer around to defend her? She reached out and grasped
his hand in a tight grip.

  “Send me not with tears, Hannah,” John whispered as he thumbed a tear from her cheek. “Bid me go with a smile and a kiss. As our fellow patriot Thomas Paine said in Common Sense, ‘It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our great strength lies; yet our present numbers are sufficient to repel the force of all the world.’ I believe him, and I shall return, my Hannah.”

  She attempted a watery smile. “When will you return?”

  She knew the answer before she asked it. John didn’t know how long he would be away, or even where the battles would lead. Though Washington had asked for a year, her husband would not abandon his duty any more than she would. The British would not relinquish their colonies easily, and this war could go on for years.

  He draped his scarlet cloak over his shoulders. “God alone knows that answer, Hannah. But know that I hold you in prayer. Be strong and vigilant. When you trim our wicks, remember the ships you save bring food to our troops. Kiss me. I must be off. Harlis waits.”

  Hannah could see her brother-in-law’s shadowy figure waiting by the gate but was still reluctant to let John go. What if he never returned to her? She suppressed the foreboding and raised her face for a final kiss, clinging to his stalwart form as she inhaled the scent of him. His masculine aroma was always overlaid with the scent of sharp brine. She breathed it in deep until he pulled away. He was eager to go, and it stung a bit.

  She gave him a playful push. “Go you, then. I shall await your return.”

  John took his musket from its place under the kitchen window and strode toward the door. He cast one last glance her way, then he took his leave. Hannah ran to the window and watched him mount Reliance, his bay gelding, then follow his brother down the rocky trail toward Plymouth.

  Tears trailed down her cheeks, and she lifted her chin. She’d faced worse than this and survived. Hannah strained to see through the mist one last time, but he was gone. Though they did not share an overwhelming passion, but one of gentleness and comfort, Hannah missed him already.

  Several long moments hence she wiped the wetness from her cheeks and forced herself to go about her duties for the coming night. The Thomas family had served the light for many years, and she could do this for him.