The Shadows Series OMNIBUS Books 1- 5: A Christian Romance

An inspirational romance, a story of passion and love, and of God’s inexplicable desire to free people from pasts that haunt them so they can live a life full of His peace, love and forgiveness, regardless of the circumstances. Book 1, “Lingering Shadows” is set in England, and follows the story of Lizzy, a headstrong, impulsive young lady from a privileged background, and Daniel, a roguish Irishman who sweeps her off her feet. But can Lizzy leave the shadows of her past behind and give Daniel the love he deserves, and will Daniel find freedom and release in God?

North-East England 1981

Marrying Daniel O’Connor was a risk, no two ways about it. Lizzy still didn’t know why she’d agreed to marry him, but tomorrow at midday, come
what may, she would be saying “I do”.
Although impetuous, she was also loyal, and while her actions were highly irregular, she would see it through, and she would be a good wife to Daniel, regardless of what anyone thought. And she’d prove her father wrong.
She would also ask God to bless their marriage, even though Daniel didn’t yet share her beliefs.
The past week had been busy, keeping her mind off tomorrow, and now she had to collect Sal, her best and most loyalist of friends, from the
station. Lizzy glanced at her watch and tapped her fingers on the steering wheel as the traffic stalled in front of her.
“Come on, you lot! I don’t want to be late. Move!” She thumped the
wheel, and then sped around the car in front that had completely stopped and was going nowhere.
The train pulled into the station just as she entered the carpark. She zipped into a spot someone had just vacated, jumped out of the car, slammed the door, and sprinted to the entrance, taking the stairs two at a time. People of all sizes and shapes were already piling out of the train onto the platform, but Sal’s carrot red hair stood out amongst the crowd, making her easy to spot.
“Sal!” Lizzy waved and called out, not worried in the slightest what the people around her would think. Running down the stairs against the general flow of traffic, she bumped into anyone who wasn’t fast enough to get out of her way, and almost knocked Sal off her feet when, finally reaching her, she threw her arms around her best friend with uncontrolled abandon.
“I’m so glad you could make it, Sal. It’s great to see you!” Lizzy whirled her around and hugged her again.
“Wow Liz! It’s great to see you too, but it’s only been three
months!” Sal drew her eyebrows together and tilted her head slightly, curiosity
loitering in her smile as she searched Lizzy’s face. “Are you okay?”
Lizzy pulled back, annoyed at Sal’s perception. “Of course. I’m okay. What makes you think I’m not?”
“Oh, you just seem a little on edge.”
Lizzy’s eyes narrowed and her lips flattened into a thin line as
she picked up Sal’s dark brown carry all.
“I’m fine.”
“Okay then.” Sal glanced at Lizzy from the corner of her eye before tucking her arm through the crook of Lizzy’s elbow as they walked back
along the platform. “I still can’t believe you moved all the way up here. Couldn’t you have gone somewhere just a little closer?”
“You know why I did.” Lizzy breathed in deeply. “Oh, but Sal, I do miss home.” Lizzy fought back the sudden tears that pricked her eyes, and then turned her head to Sal, a forced smile planted on her face. “But enough of that. Tell me everything that’s been happening.”
All the way to the car, the girls chatted like two long lost
friends, and Lizzy’s mind was taken off the events of the morrow yet again.
The traffic hadn’t lessened, and as she pulled out of the car park, Lizzy turned on the wipers. A wet day. Great. That’s all I need. She slammed on the brakes as a car pulled out in front of her and blasted the horn while she shouted at the driver. A futile exercise, but it made her feel better. Her nerves were a little on edge.
“You haven’t told your parents yet, have you?”
Lizzy bristled and held the steering wheel a little tighter. Why did Sal have to bring my parents up?
She shook her head without looking at Sal.
“Don’t you think you should?”
Lizzy clenched her jaw. Why can’t she let things be? Maybe
asking her to come was a mistake. But Sal was her best friend.
She put her foot down to beat the lights that had just changed to amber. “No. And I don’t feel bad about it. They’d never agree to me marrying
him, so I’m just going to do it. I know they’ll be angry when they find out, but it’ll be too late to do anything about it then. They shouldn’t have been so horrible to him.”
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing, Liz? Have you prayed about it?” Sal’s eyes bored into her.
Lizzy wasn’t game to look. Maybe I should tell her how I’m really feeling. But if she knew the truth, Lizzy
was sure that Sal would try her best to stop her from marrying Daniel, and it wasn’t worth the risk. Having set her path, Lizzy was determined to stick to it. She’d actually contemplated calling it off a few times over the past couple
of weeks, but the prospect of being alone again made her banish those thoughts
immediately. It had to be better to be with someone than to be lonely.
Lizzy took a deep breath and calmed herself. “Yes, I’ve prayed about it. And yes, I do love him. I know what I’m doing, Sal, even if you think
I don’t.” She slowed down to take the next corner. “He’s a bit of a lad, so different to Mathew, but I love him. He makes me laugh and smile. I feel happy when I’m with him.” She turned her head and glanced at Sal. “I know what you’re thinking, and you might be right. I probably am marrying him on the rebound,
but you know what? I don’t care. I can’t handle being on my own any longer.” She wiped the tears from her
eyes and hoped Sal hadn’t seen them.
Sal looked at her intently. “I hope you’ll be happy, Liz. I really do.”
They sat quietly the rest of the way to Lizzy’s apartment on the outskirts of town. The streetlights had come on early, and the drizzle had
increased to light rain. The windscreen wipers were doing their thing, and their squeak reminded Lizzy she needed to get new blades.
“This is it. Home sweet home.” Lizzy pointed to the block of
apartments on the left as she reversed into a small gap on the narrow street lined with cars. Four storeys high, and spanning half a block, the complex’s only redeeming feature was the garden that ran between the brown brick walls and the footpath. “It’s better on the
inside,” she said as she saw the look on Sal’s face.
“I would hope so!” Sal raised her eyebrows. “A bit of a come down, Liz. “Are you going to live here once you’re married?”
“For a while. It really is much better on the inside.” Lizzy
opened the car door and climbed out. She zipped her jacket and covered her head
with its hood before grabbing Sal’s bags out of the boot and directing her up the flight of stairs. Opening the door to the apartment, she held her breath as she waited for Sal’s reaction.
“Wow, Liz! You weren’t wrong! This really is nice!” Sal entered
the living room and fell onto the new sofa Lizzy had picked up recently at a sale. “You always did have an eye for nice things.”
“Thanks Sal.” Lizzy’s face expanded into a broad grin. “I’ll just put these in your room and then make us a drink.”
Lizzy placed Sal’s bags in the spare room, and then busied herself making a cup of tea. She glanced at the clock. Daniel would be here any minute.
* * *
“Liz! I know you told me he was good looking, but you didn’t tell me how much!”
“Shh! He’ll hear you!”
“Okay, I’ll just sit here and drool.”
“He is pretty cute, I have to agree.” Lizzy laughed and glanced over to where Daniel was standing at the bar, and her heart warmed. Maybe she
did love him after all.
“Here you go, my lovelies! Two shandies with flair!” Daniel placed the glasses on the table and winked at Sal.
“Daniel! You shouldn’t do that! What will she think!” Lizzy said with a laugh in her voice.
“Oh, go on,” he said in his best Irish accent. “I was just having
a bit o’ fun!”
“It’s okay, Liz.” Sal patted Lizzy’s leg and then looked up, a warm smile on her face. “Thank you, kind sir.”
“My pleasure.” He bowed, and then took his seat beside Lizzy. He placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She didn’t resist, instead, she snuggled closer.
“Good of you to come up for the wedding, Sal,” Daniel said.
“Lizzy’s told me a lot about you.”
“Has she just?” Sal glanced at Lizzy with a glint of mischief in
her eye. “And what exactly has she been saying?”
“Oh, only good things,” Daniel replied.
“I’m pleased to hear that!” Sal said.
“And what has she told you about me?” Daniel raised his eyebrows.
Sal hesitated and stole a glance at Lizzy before replying. “Only good things!”
Both girls burst out in laughter at Sal’s attempt to copy his
accent. Lizzy sat up and smiled at Daniel. As their eyes met, a tingle of excitement ran through her body. Cheeky he might be, but he was also lovable.
And he was going to be her husband.
“Come on you two! You’ll have enough time for that tomorrow!” Sal said.
Lizzy turned her head and grinned at Sal. “Yes, you’re right. Let’s order, shall we?”
As Lizzy laughed and reminisced with Sal over dinner, her heart lightened and her anxiety over her forthcoming wedding lessened. For a while at least.
When she climbed into bed a few hours later, however, her active mind kept her awake. Did she really know what she was doing?