“I’m much obliged to you for looking after me yet again. I hope I shall not be so burdensome in the future. You really should have been resting today, not taking care of me.”
“I had plenty of sleep last night, and I’m heading to my bedchamber now, so by tomorrow I shall be all caught up on my rest. And you have never been a burden to me,” he said with a wink. “Goodnight, Sarah.”
“Goodnight, Daniel.”
Chapter 20
Daniel looked in on Sarah more than once during the night. When morning came, she was back to her usual self. Though they were both a little somber over the loss of their friend, while breaking the fast together, they spoke little about it.
Later that day, Zechariah came by with news of an appointed time to lay Elizabeth to rest. After thanking him, Daniel walked him out. When he returned, he observed Sarah right where he left her—at the table, sipping a cup of tea. Looking a little closer, he detected glistening upon her cheeks. The news had obviously brought her emotions back to the surface.
Seeing Daniel walking toward her, Sarah quickly turned away. But she soon realized he must have witnessed her tears, for he had come up behind her chair and had wrapped his arms around her.
When Sarah reached up and patted one of Daniel’s arms as a sign that she was all right, Daniel released his hold.
She turned toward him and said with a smile, “If we are going to eat today, I better prepare something for us.”
“I shall be in my study if you need anything.”
The couple parted company for a few hours. Later, when the food was ready, Sarah called for Daniel. Hearing her call, he came to the kitchen and helped her carry the food to the table. Once they were seated, they thanked the Lord for the food and for what a blessing it had been to have Elizabeth as a friend. They would both miss her.
◊◊◊
Meanwhile, at Mrs. Findley’s home, her son Simon had come for a visit. The kind woman had injured her toe. Although she could still walk, she had been having difficulty performing her chores, which hadn’t bothered her nearly as much as not seeing Sarah, owing to her injury, since Daniel’s brother-in-law had taken his leave. She wished that Sarah hadn’t sworn her to secrecy regarding the nasty way in which Mr. Hoyt had treated her during his stay.
As Mrs. Findley sat with her son, she recalled the story he had told her about rescuing Sarah Thompson from a bear. She knew she shouldn’t but she felt compelled to tell him what she had witnessed at the Thompson home.
Simon listened intently as his mother spoke. The more she said, the angrier he became at George Hoyt. “Mother, you should have said something earlier. I shall speak to Daniel at once.”
“No! You mustn’t! I promised Sarah I would not say a word to Daniel. She fears coming between her husband and his brother-in-law. Sarah explained to me that Joanna and George had been distant from each other and that Daniel was very pleased that George seemed to have softened, at least enough to come for a visit.”
“No matter. We cannot allow Sarah to be mistreated.”
“Simon, I am quite serious! You cannot say a word. If George returns, we shall decide, then, whether or not to tell Daniel.”
“I am at least going to call on Daniel and Sarah more often. That way, if he shows his face again, I’ll put the fear of God into him.”
“Well, that is fine, I suppose; but you must not tell Daniel unless it becomes necessary.”
Simon reluctantly agreed to his mother’s request. Later, on his way home, he stopped by to see Daniel and Sarah. Sarah greeted him and invited him in. Given that her countenance showed her pleasure at seeing him, he was happy he had come.
“Mr. Findley, I never had the opportunity to give you a proper thank you for saving me from that dreadful bear. I have attempted to speak with you at church on more than one occasion; however, you are usually surrounded by a group of rather eager, unmarried women. I hated to disturb you,” she said with a grin.
Simon was pleased Sarah felt comfortable in his presence, which was certainly not the case when they first met. “Yes, well, having so many admirers can be rather wearisome,” he answered with a wink.
Daniel heard voices and came to see who was with Sarah. Upon entering the kitchen, he overheard the playful bantering going on between his wife and Simon. This made him smile, for Sarah wasn’t always comfortable around men, especially of Simon’s stature. As he approached he greeted his friend.
While responding to Daniel’s welcome, Simon remembered the last time he had seen his friend. It had been when he was in town, following the incident with the bear. Daniel had thanked him, yet again, for having saved his wife. He recalled questioning why Sarah seemed so frightened of him, considering the fact that he had just rescued her. Offering little detail, Daniel had alluded to something in Sarah’s past that caused her to be ill at ease around men. Sensing at the time that Daniel had said all he intended to regarding the matter, Simon had not questioned him further.
Not wanting to state the real reason for his visit—to look in on Sarah as well as to make certain Daniel’s brother-in-law had truly left—he said, “I thought I would see how my favorite physician and his mischievous wife were getting on.”
Daniel laughed out loud at Simon’s description of Sarah. “Not many know what I have to put up with from this angelic looking woman,” he said while patting the top of Sarah’s head. His mind then went to Joanna and how, in this, she and Sarah were completely different. Joanna rarely disregarded his counsel, whereas Sarah had a tendency to ignore the guidance of others, which since their marriage had caused him some concern.
Even though Sarah knew Simon and Daniel were only teasing, she was aware that there was some truth to what they had said. She did have a tendency to get herself into trouble by not following the advice of others, and these two men were not the first to notice. Shrugging off such thoughts, Sarah trailed behind Simon and Daniel as they made their way to the parlor. Once they were seated, she stated that she would return in a few minutes with tea. Both men thanked her as she left.
Coming into the parlor a short time later, Sarah thought she observed a strange expression upon Simon’s face when he looked her way. In seeing this, she had a discomfiting thought. I wonder if Mrs. Findley has disclosed to Simon what she overheard when George was here. That thought caused her to feel uneasy, not only from the humiliation of it all, but also for fear that he might inform Daniel.
Simon quickly schooled his face so as not to give away the compassion he was feeling for Sarah at that moment. When she was in the kitchen—while he and Daniel conversed—he had been tempted to tell his friend what a scalawag his brother-in-law was. Seeing Sarah and the questioning look upon her face made him remember his mother’s warning.
Sarah poured the tea and then took a seat next to Daniel. With her eyes fixed on Simon, she listened as Daniel, after thanking her, continued on with their conversation.
Simon continued to study Sarah as Daniel spoke. He was certain she wondered what he knew of her situation with George. This was later confirmed when Daniel was called out to tend an injured woman, leaving him alone with Sarah. The physician had taken his leave with such haste that there wasn’t time for Simon to first bid the couple farewell.
Though he knew he should not stay now that Daniel had gone, there were things he and Sarah needed to discuss privately.
He began the conversation. “Sarah, I ought to take my leave, but first I would like to talk to you about something.”
With her heart racing, Sarah answered, “Indeed. What is it, Mr. Findley?” She hoped she was wrong about what he intended to discuss, and though she had no wish to hear, she forced herself to remain where she was in order to gain a promise that he would not reveal anything concerning George Hoyt to her husband, if indeed that was what his topic of conversation turned out to be.
“My mother, out of concern, shared with me what happened while George Hoyt was staying with you.”
Shaken by the fact that she had
accurately read Simon’s expression earlier, Sarah responded, “I think she may have misunderstood the situation. We had a lovely visit with Joanna’s brother.”
Simon sensed that she spoke out of fear of Daniel finding out. “Sarah, it is highly unlikely that what my mother overheard was merely a misunderstanding. I know you do not want Daniel to learn of this, but I truly believe he should be informed.”
With her heart still beating loudly, Sarah tried to think of the best way to calm the situation. “Mr. Findley, even so, he is gone now. There really is no need to bother Daniel with this.”
“Sarah, your husband would want to know.”
“It is just that while Joanna was alive, she and George had a tumultuous relationship. And now, Daniel was so full of joy at seeing George, I simply cannot come between them, which is exactly what would happen if he were to hear of this. And having their uncle come for visits shall be good for the boys as well. After all, George is their flesh and blood. Moreover, Joanna was my dearest friend. I must do what I can for her family, including her brother.”
“It is good of you to want to protect their relationship; nonetheless, you are a part of the Thompson family now. If they knew about this, they would want to protect you.”
“That is precisely why you must not say a word about this, Mr. Findley. If I have to, to shield Daniel and the boys from knowing about this, I shall just go back to Amesbury.”
Simon sensed that there was no convincing the determined young woman. Not wanting to make her run away to Amesbury, he responded, “I shall abide by your wishes, for now. But if he returns and continues to treat you cruelly, I will have no choice but to make the situation known to Daniel.”
Sarah was grateful that for the time being Daniel would not learn of George’s behavior.
With a heavy heart, Simon took his leave, still feeling as though he should not have agreed to remain silent.
Chapter 21
Over the next couple of months, Sarah and Daniel were constantly together. She rarely stayed behind when he was out seeing to those in need of his services thus the bond between them had grown even stronger.
While breakfasting with Daniel one morning, Sarah thought about George and his inevitable return. The vicious man had not been far from her mind since his last visit. And with the knowledge that he intended to send her packing when he returned, she had been lying to herself with regard to her growing feelings for her husband. Just now, it was even more difficult, for as she looked across the table at Daniel, she was certain it was no longer purely friendship she was feeling.
As Sarah kept her focus on Daniel, their eyes met, causing her face to redden. Oh, she knew he could not possibly have known what she was thinking, but she wondered if her expression had given anything away.
Daniel noticed Sarah’s face turning a deep red. “Sarah, is there anything the matter? You look rather flushed.”
This made her blush all the more. She suddenly thought of Joanna and her uneasy feeling turned to one of shame. Hoping to avoid Daniel’s question, she rose from the table, stating that she had a lot to do before they left. If I could but think of an excuse to stay at home instead of accompanying him today, she thought to herself.
Since Sarah had not responded to his question, Daniel, still wondering if something was wrong, stood to help clear the table. They both remained silent while they straightened up the kitchen. When they had finished, Daniel stated that he would be ready to go as soon as he had collected his medical bag.
Eyes lowered, Sarah replied, “Very well.” Once Daniel had left the room, she sighed with relief. These feelings I am having for him shall not do.
As Sarah expected, it was not more than a few minutes before Daniel called her name. Making her way to the door, she hurriedly scooted past him.
While they were on their way, Daniel looked over at Sarah a time or two, wishing he knew why things felt so awkward. He noticed that her eyes were roaming everywhere but in his direction. This was going to be a long day if he couldn’t discover what was troubling her.
“Sarah.” Seeing her entire body jolt at the sound of his voice, he couldn’t hold back any longer. “What on earth is going on? All I did was speak your name and you nearly jumped out of the wagon.”
In hearing his question, she realized she was going to have to answer for her strange behavior. Quickly thinking of an excuse, she replied, “Oh, I must have been half asleep.”
Daniel knew she was not being truthful, but how to call her on it, he didn’t know. “To be frank, you do not seem yourself today.”
“Oh…ah…well, I am not sure what you mean.” Her hands then began to shake. How was she to explain without sharing that she had feelings for him? They had both promised this would never happen. She was certain it would only make him uncomfortable. He might even want to send her away, which would make his brother-in-law very happy.
It seems I am not to know what is troubling her. “Perhaps it is as you say; you are merely tired.” Daniel spent the remainder of the day attempting to put Sarah at ease. By the time they were on their way home, she seemed more herself and he was glad of it.
Even though this time she had been able to hide the truth from him, she wondered how long she could continue to keep her feelings hidden. Perhaps George is right and I should go back to Amesbury. That night, Sarah tossed and turned as she thought about what to do. There were two reasons for her to leave, George and her feelings for Daniel, but when she thought about the boys, whether to stay or go wasn’t as clear. She resolved to wait it out a bit longer. In time, perhaps her feelings for Daniel would fade, taking care of one problem. And as for George, maybe he would not return or, by some miracle, have a change of heart and allow her to stay. She knew the latter would be a miracle indeed.
With the week coming to a close, there was a knock at the door. To her utter chagrin, George Hoyt had returned. As he stood there looking contemptuously at her, she knew things between them remained unaltered, and the miracle she had been hoping for would likely never come.
When Daniel realized who was at the door, he knew there wasn’t time to move Sarah’s things into his room, as they had done on George’s prior visit. As he thought about it, he wasn’t quite as concerned as he had been the last time; however, he still didn’t want his brother-in-law to learn the nature of his and Sarah’s marriage. For that reason, he quietly made his way to Sarah’s bedchamber and shut the door to hide the fact that someone was occupying the room. She could simply gather what she would need for the night when George wasn’t looking.
After setting his belongings in the bedchamber he had previously used, George made his way to the kitchen, where Daniel and Sarah were waiting. Upon entering, he observed Sarah’s troubled expression. Not wanting to give away the delight he felt at knowing how much he disturbed her, he began conversing with his brother-in-law.
Daniel hoped for another cordial visit. “George, it truly is wonderful to see you again. How long will you be with us this time?”
“I am not quite certain, but as long as necessary, I suppose.”
Daniel found this to be a strange response, but Sarah knew exactly what he meant. The vile man would stay until he had successfully forced her to leave.
That night as Sarah lay awake in Daniel’s bedchamber, she silently prayed about what to do. Should she leave or stay? She had gone over all of this in her mind so many times, but had yet to make a decision. Even if I decide that I want to stay, George will see to it that I do not, of that I am quite certain. Peering through the darkness in the direction of the daybed on which Daniel was presently resting, her heart felt heavy at the thought of leaving.
Chapter 22
The following day was Sunday. The last time George had visited, Sarah had been unable to attend church because of her injuries. This time, however, she had every intention of going, for her injuries had long since healed. Of sound body now, she could simply go off with Daniel. This thought made her sigh with relief.
A
s she entered the kitchen to prepare breakfast, she silently prayed that God would give her strength, for who could know what George might do before the day was over.
The moment the food was ready, Daniel came into the kitchen. “Good morning, Sarah. Did you sleep well? When I awoke you had already left our bedchamber.”
Sarah found it strange but also comforting somehow to hear him say “our” bedchamber. “Yes, I thought it best to rise early on this Lord’s Day. I would not wish to be late for church.”
Just about that time, George came sauntering in. He had yet to learn that this visit would be far different than his last. Sarah would not be left at his mercy this time. Not only that, but with the close of winter, his father and nephews would soon be arriving.
As George approached the table, Sarah invited him to go along with them to church. She had a twofold purpose; she wanted him to know that she would not be staying behind, but she also genuinely wished he would go. Despite their difficult relationship, she hoped he would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, for his sake as well as hers. She had seen for herself the change that comes over a person who surrenders their life to Christ.
She thought about the fact that the Bible calls it becoming a “new creation” when we are in Christ. Besides his miserable existence here, there is eternity to consider. No matter his vile actions towards me, I would not wish for anyone to spend an eternity separated from our loving Savior.
So caught up in her own thoughts was she, Sarah had not heard George’s response. As her eyes went from George to Daniel, she noticed a smile on her husband’s face. George, on the other hand, looked as though he were up to something.
Surmising that Sarah had not heard his brother-in-law, Daniel responded to George for her. “I hadn’t anticipated that you would be agreeable to the idea, George, for it is a first for you; but I am delighted you shall be joining us.”
Sarah Anne's Faithful Friends (Unshakable Faith Book 4) Page 10
