Sarah Anne's Faithful Friends (Unshakable Faith Book 4)

by Cathy Lynn Bryant

  George appreciated Daniel’s honesty with regard to his response to Sarah’s invitation. “My sister was always talking about church and how much she loved it—of course, in an attempt to get me to go. It is time I see for myself what all the fuss is about.”

  George spoke the truth about wanting to see what church was about these days, wondering if it had changed since he had gone with his parents many years back; however, that wasn’t his only reason he had decided to go. If Sarah was going along as Daniel’s wife—to his sister’s church—he was going to do his best to make it a miserable day for her. There was also a small part of him that wanted to honor his sister by going this one time.

  Sarah’s eyes widened as she listened to the conversation between Daniel and George. She was stunned George had said yes to going. Even though she knew he would make her as uncomfortable as possible for the remainder of the day, she silently prayed that God would speak to his heart through the pastor’s message.

  Before long, the three were on their way. Sarah kept her eyes focused on the road until they arrived at the meetinghouse, never glancing in George’s direction. Daniel helped her down and they, along with George, made their way in.

  Sarah stayed as close to Daniel as she could, hoping to scoot in first thus placing George on the other side of Daniel. She failed in this, as George grabbed her arm, holding her back for Daniel to be seated on the bench first.

  With Sarah placed between the two men, the service began. Partway through, Daniel felt something touch his arm and looked down to find Sarah’s head resting there. He glanced over at George, who looked vexed at the sight. Not wanting his wife to be caught by the tithingman, he gently nudged her.

  Jolting awake, Sarah gasped. At this, George couldn’t help but chuckle. Daniel also had difficulty in keeping his composure. Sarah, on the other hand, felt as if she could die of embarrassment. The tithingman soon strolled past, glancing back at Sarah with a look of disapproval. With her face turning a bright red, she lowered her eyes.

  Daniel put his hand over Sarah’s in an attempt to comfort her. He felt her shift around several times during the remainder of the service. When it was over, he whispered in her ear, “Sarah, you needn’t be so upset over something so inconsequential.”

  Sarah looked up at him with appreciation. As she turned toward George, the relief she had felt only a moment ago at Daniel’s words soon fled away. His look was one of utter contempt, which was nothing out of the ordinary for him.

  Soon, some of their fellow parishioners approached to greet the Thompsons and the stranger standing with them. Daniel was delighted to introduce his brother-in-law, for many of his friends from church had been praying for Joanna’s brother for years.

  George was a little taken aback at the kind way in which everyone spoke to him. Those who had known his sister offered their condolences. Several of the ladies took the time to speak of Joanna’s virtues and stated how much she had been missed since her passing.

  Glancing in Sarah’s direction, hoping to see discomfort on her face at all of the talk of Joanna, George was surprised to find that her countenance was one of joy. He wondered how she could endure hearing such praise of her husband’s dead wife. All of this kindness, as well as Sarah’s acceptance of the admiration for the former Mrs. Daniel Thompson, caused George’s resolve with regard to his loathing of anything to do with church or the little woman standing near him to falter; however, the weak moment didn’t last long, as the man, regaining his composure, slipped past the group and out the door of the church.

  Sarah and Daniel quickly said their goodbyes and made their way out to the wagon, not wanting to make George wait too long for them. As the three in the wagon started for home, George, with an unsettled feeling, began teasing Sarah. At first he kept the conversation light, but that quickly changed, as his words became rude and insulting, at one point even questioning her reasons for attending church if all she was going to do was sleep through the sermon. He continued for a few moments, forgetting that Daniel was even there. As soon as he realized that he was showing his true feelings regarding Sarah to Daniel, he winked, hoping to make it as though the whole thing had been to amuse.

  Daniel was about to admonish his brother-in-law when he noticed the wink. He could scarcely believe the meanness had all been done in jest. And as he continued to ponder the situation until they arrived at home, he remained uncertain about what had just happened between his wife and his brother-in-law, or to be more precise, what had happened to his wife, for she had had no part in the discussion.

  George sensed that he had caused his brother-in-law concern over Sarah and decided to make up for it by treating the little woman with extreme kindness for the remainder of the day, or when Daniel was present, anyway.

  Daniel kept a close eye on Sarah, hoping she had not been hurt by George’s words. He still couldn’t quite believe George could be so cruel.

  Sarah apprehended that George had forgotten himself for a moment on the ride home, almost giving away his true feelings about her; consequently, she worked very hard not to show how unsettled the encounter had made her. When she could force herself, she even laughed with George when he attempted to alter the mood in the house with a little humor.

  That night when they were alone, Daniel questioned Sarah to be sure she was indeed all right after all that had happened—what with almost stirring the ire of the tithingman and the seemingly mean-spirited words from his brother-in-law.

  In another room, George was chiding himself for how foolish he had been in allowing Daniel to see his behavior toward Sarah. I must be careful or I shall find myself thrown out of here before sending that woman on her way.

  Not a one rested much that night. When morning came, it brought with it a wonderful surprise.

  Chapter 23

  Soon after breaking the fast together the three occupants of the Thompson home heard a wagon pulling up in front of the house. Sarah quickly made her way to a window to see who it could be. To her great joy, she saw Mr. Hoyt and the young Thompson men. She nearly ran to the door. Quickly opening it, she called out a greeting.

  Upon entering, Mr. Hoyt enfolded Sarah in an embrace, one she had longed for since he and the boys had taken leave of Boston for the winter.

  Noticing his son—though a little apprehensive—Mr. Hoyt smiled. Yes, he was pleased to see George, but he was uncertain of how his son would receive him. He had tried so many times to find a way around his son’s prickly nature, but up to now had met with little success. “George, I had no idea I would find you here.”

  By way of a greeting, George gave a slight nod. Oh, he was glad to see the family patriarch; however, he also knew their conversation would most likely be interspersed with lectures. He had always wondered if the man would have been so severe with him over the years if he had been his real son.

  George’s parents had lost their son to a premature birth. He had often wondered if he had merely been a replacement, one who never lived up to their expectations. While continuing to observe his father, George longed for the unconditional love the man had unceasingly offered his sister.

  Dan and Joseph, after quickly hugging their father and Sarah, excitedly approached their uncle. Even though their visits with him had been few, they both adored their mother’s brother. He had a way of making everything they did, including chores, enjoyable.

  Although George was pleased to see his nephews, he felt a tinge of guilt over how little time he had spent with them over the years. But he quickly consoled himself with the thought that it was his sister who had made it difficult, given that most of his visits to the Thompson home had ended in a quarrel. Now that Joanna was gone, the anger he had previously felt toward her was all but gone, leaving him in a more reasonable state of mind. Truth be told, he knew it wasn’t Joanna’s fault that he was often asked to leave, for he was always making disparaging remarks about her faith in front of her sons as well as teaching them bad habits. In spite of this, she had always sent him on
his way with the knowledge that she dearly loved him, and with never a word about the fact that they were not actually kin by blood.

  As George surveyed his nephews, he noticed how much they had grown. “Before you know it you boys will be taller than I.” He pulled each in turn into his arms.

  “When did you get here?” inquired Dan. He was old enough to comprehend that his mother, though she loved her brother, had found it a difficult relationship thus Dan was a little concerned over having his uncle there.

  “Well, let me see,” George replied while scratching his chin. “I have been here all winter, awaiting your return. What took you so long?”

  Dan and Joseph chuckled. It was the same uncle—full of humor—they had always known. The boys led their uncle to the parlor for further conversation.

  Sarah, Mr. Hoyt, and Daniel made their way to the table. Once the men were seated, Sarah set about fixing tea and something for the weary travelers to eat.

  Mr. Hoyt, in a soft voice, questioned Daniel about how the visit with George was going and what had brought it about. He was aware that when his daughter was alive his son had rarely visited.

  Daniel smiled at his father-in-law’s questions, for on George’s first visit he had been nearly as surprised as Joseph was now. “This is in fact his second visit since you and the boys took leave of Boston for the winter.”

  Mr. Hoyt’s eyes grew large at the knowledge that his son may be beginning to make visiting the Thompsons a regular occurrence. It did his heart good to think George may finally be seeking to establish family connections.

  Daniel continued. “As for how the visit is going, I would say, overall, fairly well.” Thinking back to the incident on the way home from church, he still wondered what that was all about, for to his knowledge George had been an ideal guest up until that point. Having no desire to upset his father-in-law, he decided not to mention the events of the previous day.

  Mr. Hoyt sensed there was more to the story, but he allowed Daniel to continue uninterrupted.

  “I only wish he had been so cordial whilst Joanna was alive. She carried a heavy burden in connection with him.”

  “Yes, she longed for a relationship with her brother. When they were young they were always close, but as adults their relationship was not what it ought to have been.”

  The two men looked up as Sarah approached the table. Daniel then stood to assist his wife. Once the tea and food were on the table, along with a place setting for each person, Sarah went to the parlor to inform the boys and George the food was ready.

  As everyone conversed at the table, George observed Sarah. Watching how she interacted with his and his sister’s family enraged him. As he thought about what to do next to try and force her out, he realized it would be much more difficult with his father there. The man had a knack, in nearly every situation, for uncovering the truth. When George was growing up he used to wonder if his father truly did have “eyes in the back of his head” as the older man had always joked.

  Sarah caught a quick glimpse of the scowl on George’s face and turned her head away. She would not allow him to ruin her visit with the three gentlemen she had greatly missed.

  Just as his son had recalled only moments before, Mr. Hoyt, never missing a thing, observed the troubled expression upon Sarah’s face, as well as the way in which she kept her head tilted so as not to look in his son’s direction. He made a mental note to ask Sarah about it later.

  When it was time for the boys to turn in, despite the fact that they were looking more and more like young men rather than boys, Dan and Joseph wanted Sarah to read to them, as usual. This time, since they hadn’t seen their father in months, they asked him to come to their bedchamber as well.

  Knowing it was rather late, Mr. Hoyt decided to wait and speak to Sarah the following day about what he had observed at the table that evening. As he lay in his bed, he recalled the moment he first set eyes on his beloved son. His pastor had introduced him—without exchanging names—to a young woman who had given birth out of wedlock, and as much as she wished to raise her son, she knew she could not, her parents would not allow it. He thought again about the sorrowful young woman with tears falling from her eyes as she placed her son in his arms. The last words she spoke to him were that he raise her son with love and in the faith from which she had temporarily strayed. For years, he had not been able to call to mind her face; however, just now—to his great surprise—he distinctly remembered. How much she looked like our Sarah with her small stature, blue eyes, and sweet face.

  Mr. Hoyt felt sorrow at knowing the young lady’s son had yet to accept the God she loved, and as much as he had tried to show her son he was treasured, George never seemed to fully accept it. If only he would understand that I could not love him more, even if he were the son we lost. He prayed yet again George would one day come to faith.

  Chapter 24

  Early the next morning, Mr. Hoyt found Sarah alone in the kitchen preparing breakfast. He loved the way her face always displayed great joy at seeing him. Thinking this a good time, with the boys—their uncle along—out in the barn doing chores, and Daniel having been called out, he began with a question. Leaning his back against the counter next to Sarah, he asked, “Sarah, you appeared troubled last night during the evening meal. Is there anything you wish to talk about? You must know that you may speak to me about anything.”

  Looking away, she continued preparing the food as though she hadn’t heard him. “I am sure the boys will be quite ready to eat when they come in. I best finish this. May I get you something whilst you wait? Some bread perhaps?”

  Mr. Hoyt would not be put off. He decided to be more direct. “Sarah, it is quite apparent that something is troubling you.”

  She could not fool Mr. Hoyt, who seemed to read her as easily as her father always had. “It’s nothing, only a bit of trouble sleeping.”

  “Is there any particular reason you are unable to rest?”

  “I believe it may be the heat. It has been rather warm lately.”

  “Spring has scarcely begun. I have yet to see a day one would describe as warm. Are you certain it is heat that has been stealing your sleep?”

  Sarah was ready for this conversation to end. “Mr. Hoyt, you needn’t worry about me. As you see, I am in good health.”

  Seeing that he was not getting anywhere, the older man said, “Very well, Sarah, but you know you are welcome to come to me with any problem.”

  Nodding, she continued on with her work, never looking in his direction for fear he would discover that she had been untruthful.

  Late in the afternoon, when Daniel was away and the boys had gone on a walk with their grandfather, Sarah, to her dismay, found herself alone in the house with George. How she had let that happen, she could not say. While kicking herself for not going with her husband, she tried her best to avoid eye contact with the hateful man.

  George watched with delight as Sarah did her best to avoid him. While following her from room to room and taunting her at every opportunity, he observed her hands shaking with each task. Thinking this may be his only chance to continue on with his plan for chasing her from the home, he did not waste a moment.

  “In watching you and Father, as it is with everyone else, I see that you have him under your spell.”

  While silently praying the boys and their grandfather would soon return, she endeavored to ignore the spiteful words that were being spewed at her.

  “Did you not hear me? Even if no one else in my family understands the kind of woman you are, I, for one, certainly grasp your true nature.”

  Mr. Hoyt and the boys returned to find that Sarah had laid out food for them before going to take a rest. The older man grew suspicious as to the reason Sarah had made herself scarce. If he had to guess, his son probably had something to do with it, for Sarah rarely rested in the middle of the day.

  Hoping to see Sarah later that evening to ascertain what had gone on while she was alone in the house with his son, from his ch
air in the parlor, Mr. Hoyt kept glancing toward the doorway. When it was nearly time to turn in, his son-in-law returned from tending a broken ankle. The older man quickly informed Daniel that Sarah had been in her room since mid-afternoon.

  Daniel was as surprised as his father-in-law by this. He decided to go straight to his room. As he entered, he noticed right away that Sarah seemed hesitant to look in his direction.

  Sarah wished she could have fallen asleep before Daniel returned home, but that was not to be. The only thing she knew to do was keep her eyes focused on the mending she had in her lap as she reclined on the bed.

  “Sarah, Joseph said that you have been in here for a good part of the day. Are you unwell?”

  Remaining attentive to her task, she replied, “No, I simply had some mending that needed doing.”

  Daniel knew right away that what she had said was merely an excuse. He continued to wonder why she felt the need to close herself up in their room. Since he had already eaten while at his last stop, he readied himself for bed and then climbed in next to Sarah. She was a bit startled by his presence in the bed, for he had always slept on the daybed when she was in the room. While trying to appear calm, she set aside the mending and then rested her head against the pillow, facing away from her husband.

  To gain her attention, Daniel placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder and turned her toward him. “Sarah, you always do the mending in the parlor where you can take part in the conversation. Tell me, what is going on?”

  Sarah had to think quickly so as not to be found out with regard to George and his treatment of her. “I…ah…you see…Father, yes, Father has been on my mind a good deal today, and…well…thinking of him made me a little melancholy.” She hoped her answer would satisfy Daniel and the questioning would cease. She hated lying, but she knew no other way to keep the situation with George a secret.