Read Online Grace: A Christmas Sisters of the Heart Novel by Shelley Shepard Gray - Free Book Online

comfortable camaraderie with everyone, yet to maintain an invisible wall between them and herself, especially with new guests. People who visited the be-and-breakfast didn’t necessarily come to make friends with the Brennemans. They came to relax.
    And their inn was an inn, not a place to try to change people. Customers paid money to stay there. Money that was hard earned. They didn’t deserve to be interrogated about their private lives … just as the Brennemans didn’t care to be asked too many personal questions, either.
    She knew that.
    She also knew it wasn’t her business how Melody had gotten in her condition, or if she was married or not. It certainly wasn’t her place to judge. She should know that, too. Not too long ago, she’d been chased by regrets fromher past, and had done an awful lot to keep those regrets from meeting the light of day.
    But instead of holding true to those learnings, she’d acted on her own selfish desires. Every time she looked at Melody a little part of her brain informed her that it was time to face the truth—her erratic mood swings and tiredness had nothing to do with the busyness of the season.
    It had far more to do with something else. The fact that she was pregnant again. The fact that she was trying to keep it a secret. The fact that she still hadn’t told Jonathan and felt guilty about that.
    Fearing that any defense of her rude behavior would only make matters worse, she held her tongue and hoped her mother would let things pass.
    But obviously Anna could not. “How could Melody not have been offended?” she scolded, shaking her head in dismay. “Not only were your questions too personal, but your tone of voice was snippy, too.”
    “Snippy?”
    “Oh, you know what I mean.” Anna threw up her hands in dismay. “That poor thing came here, seeking refuge, and you’ve sent her to her room in shame.”
    Now her cheeks felt like they were on fire. “You’re right, of course. I’ll apologize to her later.”
    Anna rolled her eyes. “Oh, I’m sure that will make everything you said all better.”
    Katie’s temper flared. “Stop acting so righteous. I was wrong, but you have to admit I wasn’t asking questions out of thin air. Her situation is curious.”
    “Katie,” her mother warned. “Again, I must caution that her life is none of our business.”
    “I know. But … what do you think happened?”
    After checking to make sure no one was lurking outside the door, Winnie shrugged. “Probably the same thing that’s happened to more women than we could count. She thought she was in love and rushed her wedding night. It happens and is unfortunate, but it’s nothing to be shocked about.”
    “But why is she here?”
    “Who knows?” Anna volunteered. “Maybe she just wanted a vacation.”
    “That’s doubtful.”
    “Well, maybe she and her man are in a fight. Maybe her boyfriend will come looking for her on Christmas Day.” Anna’s eyes brightened. “Now that would be exciting, and so romantic, too.”
    Winnie sighed. “Terribly romantic.”
    Irene piped up. “The last thing I’m eager for is a commotion between two lovebirds on Christmas Day.” After another moment passed, she said, almost reluctantly, “Something tells me that her situation isn’t so rosy. What she needs is our kindness and prayer, yes?”
    “Jah.”
Holding Eli once again, Katie thought of everything that had happened to her over the last year. Just two years ago, she’d been a restless girl, sitting in this very kitchen, wishing something wonderful would happen to her. Wishing that Jonathan Lundy would one day finally notice her and come calling.
    And call he did—but not in any way that she’d imagined.The widower had asked her to help care for his two daughters while his sister Winnie was in Indiana. After some discussion, her parents had reluctantly let her go. But it had been quite an adventure.
    Jonathan’s girls, Hannah and Mary, hadn’t been all that accepting