A Quiet Strength

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Authors: Janette Oke
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you’re sleeping,” he whispered. “I could hardly make myself wake you up.”
    “Are you just getting to bed?” Virginia asked, blinking sleep-filled eyes.
    He laughed in response. “No, sugar. It’s another day.”
    Virginia pushed up onto an elbow and looked at the window behind her. Sure enough, the world outside was washed with morning sun.
    “It’s morning already?”
    Jonathan laughed softly.
    “Did you get any sleep at all?” Virginia wondered with concern.
    “I did. Oh, not much, but at least enough to get me through another day.”
    “How’s the mare?”
    “I think we’ve made it. She lost the foal. But I think that, thanks to Danny, I have saved the mare.”
    Virginia knew that though the news was better than it could have been, it also was not good news. “You were counting on that foal, weren’t you?”
    He leaned over farther and drew her into his arms. “I was. But when you’re raising stock, you know better than to count too much on any one thing. Hopefully she will live to bear more foals.” Then he said, “Now, how about a good-bye kiss?”
    “Good-bye? You’re just saying hello.”
    He chuckled softly. “Well … sort of. But I am also saying good-bye. I should have been out to the farm long ago. Grandma fixed my breakfast. I think she rather enjoys fussing over me.” He wrinkled his nose and grinned.
    I’d enjoy having a chance to fuss over you, too , thought Virginia, but she quickly put aside all such thoughts as she was being thoroughly kissed.
    “Will you be late again?” she asked when Jonathan allowed her to catch her breath.
    “I don’t know. I could be. Don’t wait supper for me. No need for you and Grandma to endure empty stomachs.”
    Jonathan, it is not my stomach that concerns me , Virginia wanted to protest. It’s you I miss—not the supper . But she said nothing, just clung to him as he kissed her again.
    “Sorry to waken you so early, but I couldn’t bear the thought of not saying good-bye before I left. Lay back down and catch a few more winks. You don’t have to be up for another hour or so.”
    But Virginia was not able to go back to sleep after the bedroom door closed on Jonathan’s tall figure. She lay there, staring at the door, wishing he could have stayed or she could have gone with him. That they could be together.
    At last she gave up and crawled from the bed. She dressed slowly, deep in thought as she slipped on her blouse and skirt. Surely with the mare better Jonathan would not need to stay as late at the farm. Surely he would be able to come home at a decent hour and get some much-needed rest.
    When she entered the kitchen, Mrs. Withers sat at the table, her Bible opened before her. “You’re up early,” she said with a smile.
    Virginia nodded. “I couldn’t sleep.”
    “I told Jonathan that he should leave you be, but oh no. He had to go and wake you up.”
    “I’m glad he did,” Virginia was quick to assure the older woman. “I would have been miserable all day if I’d not even been able to tell him good-bye.”
    The woman nodded her head, then went back to her reading. “The porridge is on the back of the stove,” she said without looking up.
    “ Thank you,” replied Virginia, but she had absolutely no intention of choking down another bowl of morning porridge.

CHAPTER  6
    T he days fell into a kind of routine. Jonathan always woke a sleepy Virginia to bid her good-bye even before the dawn had broken. Virginia then rose and dressed for work, washed up from breakfast, and tidied the rest of the house. She usually left for the post office early enough that it meant a leisurely stroll. There was no reason to delay leaving the house; Jona? than was not there.
    The mare did live, Virginia was thankful to learn. The prized animal would be able to contribute to the income of the farm in subsequent years. She shared Jonathan’s disappointment about the foal, but they were both relieved not to lose the mare, as well.
    But

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