A Beauty Refined

by Tracie Peterson

  Her escape seemed to take forever given her slower gait. Each step took a great deal of effort, but Phoebe found the movement actually helped relieve a bit of the stiffness. By the time she’d exited the building and reached the path that would take her to Mutter’s cottage, Phoebe’s eyes welled with tears. Everything had changed in coming to America. Her life would forever be altered. Hopefully for the better, but who could say?

  She reached her mother’s little house and knocked on the door. It took several moments, but finally Mutter came. She turned on the lights and opened the door. Her hair was still mussed from sleep, and her robe was yet untied.

  When she got sight of Phoebe’s face, the older woman burst into tears. “Oh, Phoebe! I feared that monster would do something like this.” She put her arm around Phoebe and gently led her into the house. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I should have insisted you stay with me.”

  “I was asleep when he finally came back to the hotel.” Phoebe felt as if her mouth were full of cotton.

  “Don’t try to talk. Believe me, I know how hard it can be.” Mother led her to the bedroom. She took the bundle of clothes and Phoebe’s purse and set them aside before helping Phoebe into the bed.

  Phoebe made no protest. The bed was still warm from where her mother had slept. There was a faint scent of lavender on the pillow. The scent reminded Phoebe of when she was a little girl. Mutter had insisted all of their bedding be perfumed with lavender, believing it did much to soothe a person and aid their sleep.

  “Now you rest, and later you can tell me more about what happened. Your father won’t find you here, so you’ll be safe.”

  Phoebe nodded and felt the exhaustion and misery of her ordeal overpower her. She closed her swollen eyes and let out a long sigh.

  The first thing Elizabeth did was dress. She threw on her clothes in a quick, haphazard manner and barely took time to brush and pin her hair into some semblance of order. While Phoebe slept, Elizabeth went quickly to the hotel manager and explained the situation. She needed someone to go to town and get word to Georgia Harper. She wanted the older woman to know what had happened. There was no telling what Frederick might do once he rallied for the day. She wrote a hasty note, then handed it over to the man.

  He glanced at the paper and nodded. “I’ll send a boy right away.”

  “Thank you.”

  Elizabeth hurried to the ice house, arranged for one of the men to bring a block of ice to her cottage, and then returned to check on Phoebe. She was still sleeping, and Elizabeth couldn’t help but take the opportunity to just gaze upon her.

  It had been such a surprise to find her here, and yet the years seemed to just wash away with each conversation—each stolen moment together. Her daughter had been such a precious part of her life, and had she not been pregnant with Kenny, nothing would have taken her from Phoebe’s side.

  “I would have borne the abuse to stay with you,” she whispered.

  But now Phoebe was the one abused. Her bruised face brought back all of the pain and suffering Elizabeth had endured over the years. A tear escaped her as Elizabeth gently pushed back a strand of her daughter’s blond hair.

  “This was never yours to bear.”

  An hour later Elizabeth had just finished chipping ice into a bowl when she heard Phoebe stir. She found Phoebe sitting on the side of the bed, looking around as if trying to remember why she was there.

  “How do you feel?”

  “Terrible.” She smiled and winced. “Especially my face. I suppose I look quite horrible.”

  “You have bruising and swelling, but you could never look horrible. Do you think you could eat something?”

  “If it doesn’t require much chewing. I don’t think my jaw is broken, but it does hurt.”

  “Of course. I have some oatmeal. We can add cream and make it soupy. You should be able to very nearly drink it. I also have some ice for your face.”

  Phoebe nodded in a slow, cautious manner. “Can you help me dress?”

  “Are you certain you wouldn’t like to just remain in bed for the day? I can send someone to retrieve your things, and you can live here with me and . . .” Elizabeth fell silent.

  “Kenny?” Phoebe asked.

  Elizabeth nodded. “So you know.”

  “I figured it out yesterday. I don’t know why I didn’t see it sooner. He’s so precious. I’m glad you left Vater in order to save him.”

  Elizabeth nodded. “I couldn’t let your father take his life. I still mourn the unborn children he took from me, but I know I’ll see them again one day.”

  “In heaven?”

  “Yes.” Elizabeth waited for Phoebe to say something.

  Finally Phoebe rose. “I want to know more about that. You see, when Vater was beating me, I actually prayed. I don’t know that I did it right, but I didn’t know what else to do.”

  Elizabeth smiled and put her hand to Phoebe’s cheek. “God doesn’t require certain words. He hears the cries of those who would have Him save them.”

  “Well, I certainly needed saving. I think in that moment I knew that the things I’ve heard about God and His love for us bore further consideration. I remember going to church as a child and not really understanding what it was all about. Now I want to know what’s required.”

  Elizabeth helped Phoebe from her robe and gown and explained as she helped her daughter dress. “God sent Jesus, His Son, to earth because He wanted to be reconciled with us. The Bible says that it’s through His grace and mercy that we are saved.”

  “Must we do something special to get that grace?”

  “No, sweetheart. It is a gift from God. We cannot earn it.”

  She helped Phoebe into her clothes while she continued. “A lot of people think it’s enough to just live a good life and do good things, but we will never be perfect enough to be without sin, and we can never do enough good to earn salvation.”

  “I remember hearing a pastor speak at the Fourth of July celebration. He talked about sacrifice and why Jesus was the perfect one. Ian . . . Ian Harper explained it to me.” She flushed a bit as if embarrassed.

  “Ian is a wonderful young man. He and his mother have been good friends to me . . . to Kenny.”

  “I know. At least I do now. I thought at first he was Kenny’s father because he showed such tenderness and kindness toward him.”

  “Ian is just that way with most folks.” Elizabeth smiled and buttoned her daughter’s waistband. “He’s a very special man.”

  Phoebe nodded ever so slightly. “I know.”

  Just then a knock sounded on the cottage door. Elizabeth gave her daughter’s arm a gentle pat, hoping it wouldn’t cause pain to the bruises she’d seen before helping Phoebe into her blouse.

  “That may well be him now. I sent a message to Georgia. I asked her to send Ian and Kenny.”

  “Don’t you think it’s dangerous to bring Kenny here?”

  “It is a risk, but a necessary one. I need to explain to Kenny about all that has happened. And I couldn’t very well leave you.” She gave Phoebe a sad smile. “He doesn’t realize that you are his sister, and he knows nothing about his father. You may listen from here, and when I am through telling him about your father, then you may join us.”

  Elizabeth left Phoebe and went to answer the door. Just as she had presumed, it was Ian with Kenny. Kenny threw himself into his mother’s arms.

  “I’ve missed you, Mama.” He hugged her tight around the neck. “Can I come home now?”

  “Not just yet. You know those bad people I told you about?”

  He pulled away. “The ones that might hurt you?”

  “Yes. Well, they hurt Phoebe, and she’s come to stay with me.”

  Kenny frowned and took a step back. “Did the policemen take the bad men away?”

  Elizabeth knelt beside him. “No. Kenny, you need to understand something, and I know it will be very hard. However, I need for you to be strong.” Elizabeth glanced up to Ian. She could see in his e
xpression that he was angry at the news that Von Bergen had hurt Phoebe.

  “I can be strong, Mama. I’m almost ten years old.” Kenny’s sober expression left Elizabeth no doubt that he would do his best. He’d always been such a level-headed child.

  “The bad man I told you about . . . well . . . he’s your father.” Kenny’s eyes widened, and his mouth formed a silent O. Elizabeth hurried to explain. “Long ago, your father hurt me. He hurt me a great deal. Now Phoebe has a blackened eye and swollen lip—you’ll see her in just a few minutes. I’m telling you this so you won’t be so surprised. Your father hit her because she didn’t tell him that I was here.”

  “Then how does he know?” Kenny asked.

  “Because I had a meeting with him yesterday. Remember, I told you I had to go to a meeting, and then later I came back and had supper with you and Grandma Harper and Ian?”

  Kenny nodded. “You went to talk to my father?”

  “Yes.” Elizabeth chose her words carefully. “You see, Kenny, he didn’t know about you. I left—I ran away in the night because I was afraid he would hit me again. You were inside of me, not yet born, and I knew that if he hit me, you might never be born. I know this is hard for you to understand, but one day I will explain everything better. For now, you just need to know that your father is very angry and wants to take you away from me. That’s why I need for you to stay a little longer with Ian and Grandma Harper.”

  “I won’t let him take me away from you,” Kenny said, again throwing his arms around Elizabeth’s neck. “We can go away again.”

  She pulled him back so she could see his face. “We aren’t going to worry about that just yet.” She looked at Ian and then back to her son. “Kenny, Phoebe is going to live with us.”

  He smiled for the first time since she’d begun to tell him about his father. “I love Phoebe. She can be my sister now.”

  “Kenny”—Elizabeth paused to draw a deep breath—“Phoebe is your sister. That’s why your father beat her. She knew about me and figured out about you, but she said nothing to your father because I asked her not to tell him. After our meeting he realized she knew about me, and that made him very mad—so mad that when he came back here to the hotel he hurt her.”

  Phoebe stepped slowly from the bedroom just then. Elizabeth heard Ian’s sharp intake of air and rose to see if her daughter needed any help.

  “I know I look a sight,” Phoebe said, trying to smile. She winced and lowered her face. “I don’t want you to worry, though. I’m really all right.”

  Kenny started for her, but Elizabeth took hold of him. “You can’t hug her like you did me. She might have broken ribs.” She looked to Ian, who had just let out a heavy breath.

  Ian crossed the room and offered Phoebe his arm. “You should probably sit down.”

  Phoebe didn’t look up, but neither did she refuse his offer. Ian helped her into the rocking chair, and Kenny came to sit at her feet while Elizabeth looked on.

  “We’ll take good care of you, Phoebe. You’re my sister, and I always wanted a sister or a brother.”

  “Well, you have a brother too,” Phoebe replied. “But he lives in Germany, and he’s a lot like our father.”

  “Then I don’t want to know him.”

  Kenny’s matter-of-fact statement made Elizabeth realize that perhaps she hadn’t handled this matter as well as she could have.

  “Kenny, I don’t want you to hate your father or Dieter—your brother. Hate isn’t what God would have us do. You need to pray for them. They don’t believe in God, and because of that, they don’t know how to love.”

  Phoebe put her hand out, and Kenny let her take hold of him. “Hate,” she said, “only ends up hurting the person who’s doing the hating. Mutti . . . Mama is right. We need to pray for them.”

  Ian smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Elizabeth knew he’d come to care for her daughter, and right now the anger he felt toward Frederick was battling with the truth he knew about God. Ian had to know God wouldn’t have him resolve this matter in aggression and rage. That was Frederick’s way—not God’s.

  “Do you want Phoebe to come stay with us?” Ian asked.

  “I thought it might be best, and that’s why I sent for you,” Elizabeth replied. “I would hate for Frederick to do anything more to harm her.”

  Ian nodded, but Phoebe lifted her face. “I’m not leaving you to face him alone, Mutter. I will stay here with you, and I believe we need to face him together. After all, he’s the one who separated us for all those years. I won’t let him have that power again.”

  “But you’re in no shape to endure his rage,” Ian declared.

  “I’m surely sore, and yes, my face is damaged, but I already feel stronger after rest and Mutter’s care. I’m certain together we’ll be better able to deal with Vater.”

  “You should take her to the pool,” Elizabeth suggested. “The waters have done much to cure people of their ails. It would do her a wonder of good to soak for a long while in the warm waters. Frederick—if he reacts the way he did in the past—will sequester himself away for most of the day to sober up. By evening he will act as though nothing happened. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about running into him before then.”

  “I’ll take her to the pool as soon as we leave you,” Ian promised.

  “Ian can start teaching you to swim,” Kenny said. He withdrew his hand from hers and reached up to touch her bruised cheek. “I’m sorry you got hurt, Phoebe.”

  “It’s going to be all right,” Phoebe replied. “It was worth everything to get you as my brother and to have Mutter back in my life. I would do it all again.”

  “But you won’t have to,” Ian declared. “I’ll see to that.”

  Elizabeth smiled at his words. Once when she had first met Ian, she had wished that Phoebe might meet a man as worthy and honorable. Wished that they would fall in love and marry. Now she saw that there was a great possibility her wish would come true.

  “Can you walk to the natatorium?” Ian asked.

  Phoebe nodded. “I think so. As I said, I’m doing better.”

  Elizabeth smiled. “I’ll come along and help you change into one of the swimming suits.”

  Phoebe didn’t know when anything had felt so good. She sat on the steps in the shallow end of the pool and relished the warmth of the water. Kenny sat beside her holding her hand and reassuring her that he wouldn’t let her float away.

  “It would do more good if we got you completely immersed,” Ian said as he waded through the water to reach them. “Do you trust me to see to it that no harm comes to you?”

  His gaze met hers, and Phoebe felt her heart skip a beat. She nodded, knowing that Ian would do whatever was necessary to protect her. He held out his hand to her, and Phoebe let him take hold of her.

  He pulled her from the steps toward him and then to the side of the pool. “We’ll take it slow. You can hold on to the edge.”

  Phoebe did just that while Ian put his arm around her waist. His nearness left Phoebe almost breathless, but her sore muscles quickly reclaimed her attention. Kenny moved in from the other side and treaded water beside her. He looked so funny bobbing there that Phoebe couldn’t help smiling. She looked at Ian, their faces only inches apart.

  “You’ve done a good job teaching him.”

  “I told you he was part fish.”

  Phoebe watched his lips as he spoke. When she glanced back into his eyes, she could see the longing there—longing that matched her own. Ian leaned toward her just a bit, and she realized he was about to kiss her.

  “Do you like it, Phoebe?” Kenny asked.

  Phoebe trembled. “I like it very much.” Her words were barely a whisper.

  “I knew you would.” Kenny pushed off from the wall and swam a semicircle around Phoebe and Ian. He rolled over on his back. “Since you’re gonna stay, Ian will have lots of time to teach you to swim.”

  Phoebe realized Ian had pulled away from her just a bit. She wa
s disappointed that there would be no kiss, but also relieved. She didn’t fully understand all the emotions coursing through her, but she knew without a doubt that she had somehow managed to fall in love with Ian Harper. The thought delighted her and made her feel all the better. She’d never been in love before now, and given all she’d been told over the years, true love was a curative for many ills.

  “This feels glorious. I wish I’d come here sooner.” Phoebe let go of the pool’s edge and smiled. “Now I’m completely in your hands.”

  Ian nodded with just a hint of a smile. “I think I like that idea.”

  19

  Ian attempted to work on Von Bergen’s stones later that afternoon. He and Kenny had returned to the house after seeing Phoebe safely to her mother’s cottage, but the image of her face and the things Von Bergen had done to her haunted him. He’d much rather throw the stones back in the man’s face and then punch him square in the nose. In fact, he wanted very much to cause Von Bergen the same amount of pain as he’d inflicted upon Phoebe.

  You know that wouldn’t solve anything.

  Ian sighed. His logical thinking had argued with his emotional heart ever since he’d learned what had happened. Even now, he couldn’t even facet without the stone blurring into an image of Phoebe’s injured face. She had been so misused.

  The waters had done wonders, and Phoebe had declared herself much better. On their walk back to Elizabeth’s, she had even seemed more surefooted and less stiff. Of course, her bruises wouldn’t fade as quickly, but she was quite resilient, and Ian felt confident she would recover quickly. Then all he’d have to worry about was keeping her safe from it ever happening again.