Read Online Last Bride, The (Home to Hickory Hollow Book #5) by Beverly Lewis - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Beverly Lewis
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can’t let them be for too long without tending to them. They’ll break down and weaken . . . and, in the case of a piano, lose their ability to stay in tune.” Maryanna glanced up from cutting squares of strawberry Jell-O in a large pan.
“Lookin’ after each other is important,” Tessie agreed softly, saying the words more to herself than to anyone.
Other women had interesting anecdotes, too, including Rebecca Lapp, known all over the hollow as a storyteller. Oh, could she ever grab your interest, particularly with hilarious childhood tales, which soon had the women cutting up and laughing.
Tessie looked over at the already raised wooden walls of the barn, trying her best to locate Marcus. There were so many men, most wearing their black work jackets because the day was chilly, although some of the younger fellows had shed theirs.
She sighed. There was no way to pick out which of the menfolk might be Marcus. And in that moment, she felt farther from him than ever.
———
Tessie was counting out plastic utensils with Mandy in the large dinner tent when she heard a collective gasp. She looked up to see men scrambling down from their locations on the beamed barn walls.
“What’s happened?” Mandy glanced toward the rush of men.
Tessie held her breath. The atmosphere was hushed . . . too still.
O Lord, don’t let any of the men be hurt, she prayed, recalling other times when injuries had occurred.
Cousin Emmalyn rushed to them suddenly. “It’s Marcus King. He’s fallen!”
Tessie’s legs locked, and she felt she might faint. Oh, but she couldn’t let herself do that when she wanted to dash across the field to go to him. But no one knew of their intimate relationship. “Is he hurt?” she whispered as fear gripped her heart, but Emmalyn didn’t know.
Mandy turned to wrap her arms around Tessie Ann, holding on to her or holding her together—Tessie wasn’t sure which. She saw two young boys race toward the phone shed.
I should be with Marcus. . . .
Terror overwhelmed her, yet she could not turn and weep in Mandy’s arms—could not, would not cause a scene. Marcus himself had refused to allow their marriage to be known till the time was right, so she must try to honor him even now.
The knot of men in black suspenders and work trousers crowded in closer, the swarm ever increasing as more workers rushed to gather near fallen Marcus. As she watched, incapable of breath, every muscle in Tessie’s body felt stiff . . . hard as the nails Marcus had used this day.
Then, one by one, the men respectfully removed their straw hats. A siren wailed in the distance.
No, no, no! Tessie screamed silently. And she broke free of her sister and dashed across the wide green field, running and crying, not caring who saw her as she burst through the throng of men, hurrying to her husband’s side.
Chapter 9
M andy gasped as Tessie dashed off in the direction of Marcus and the workmen.
Emmalyn and her mother stood near Mandy, watching . . . waiting. Mamm wrung her hands as she stepped closer to Mandy. Her sweet face had turned bright pink, and though Mandy offered soothing words, she was unable to settle her mother down. “What’s Tessie doin’ over yonder?” Mamm asked, then babbled something in Deitsch about Tessie Ann and Marcus’s recent breakup. None of it made sense.
“There, there,” Mandy said, unable to grasp her mother’s concern over that at such a fragile time. Yet, as beside herself as Mamm seemed to be, it wasn’t Mandy’s place to explain that Tessie did indeed love Marcus King. She’d seen the evidence weeks ago, and her sister’s bold action now reconfirmed it.
“He’s going to be okay, isn’t he?” Mamm craned her neck to see.
Mandy touched her mother’s back. “Let’s be in prayer . . . not say more.”
“Jah.” Mamm’s frown was etched on her brow, and her chin quivered as the ambulance pulled up and paramedics emerged with a long stretcher. The
“Lookin’ after each other is important,” Tessie agreed softly, saying the words more to herself than to anyone.
Other women had interesting anecdotes, too, including Rebecca Lapp, known all over the hollow as a storyteller. Oh, could she ever grab your interest, particularly with hilarious childhood tales, which soon had the women cutting up and laughing.
Tessie looked over at the already raised wooden walls of the barn, trying her best to locate Marcus. There were so many men, most wearing their black work jackets because the day was chilly, although some of the younger fellows had shed theirs.
She sighed. There was no way to pick out which of the menfolk might be Marcus. And in that moment, she felt farther from him than ever.
———
Tessie was counting out plastic utensils with Mandy in the large dinner tent when she heard a collective gasp. She looked up to see men scrambling down from their locations on the beamed barn walls.
“What’s happened?” Mandy glanced toward the rush of men.
Tessie held her breath. The atmosphere was hushed . . . too still.
O Lord, don’t let any of the men be hurt, she prayed, recalling other times when injuries had occurred.
Cousin Emmalyn rushed to them suddenly. “It’s Marcus King. He’s fallen!”
Tessie’s legs locked, and she felt she might faint. Oh, but she couldn’t let herself do that when she wanted to dash across the field to go to him. But no one knew of their intimate relationship. “Is he hurt?” she whispered as fear gripped her heart, but Emmalyn didn’t know.
Mandy turned to wrap her arms around Tessie Ann, holding on to her or holding her together—Tessie wasn’t sure which. She saw two young boys race toward the phone shed.
I should be with Marcus. . . .
Terror overwhelmed her, yet she could not turn and weep in Mandy’s arms—could not, would not cause a scene. Marcus himself had refused to allow their marriage to be known till the time was right, so she must try to honor him even now.
The knot of men in black suspenders and work trousers crowded in closer, the swarm ever increasing as more workers rushed to gather near fallen Marcus. As she watched, incapable of breath, every muscle in Tessie’s body felt stiff . . . hard as the nails Marcus had used this day.
Then, one by one, the men respectfully removed their straw hats. A siren wailed in the distance.
No, no, no! Tessie screamed silently. And she broke free of her sister and dashed across the wide green field, running and crying, not caring who saw her as she burst through the throng of men, hurrying to her husband’s side.
Chapter 9
M andy gasped as Tessie dashed off in the direction of Marcus and the workmen.
Emmalyn and her mother stood near Mandy, watching . . . waiting. Mamm wrung her hands as she stepped closer to Mandy. Her sweet face had turned bright pink, and though Mandy offered soothing words, she was unable to settle her mother down. “What’s Tessie doin’ over yonder?” Mamm asked, then babbled something in Deitsch about Tessie Ann and Marcus’s recent breakup. None of it made sense.
“There, there,” Mandy said, unable to grasp her mother’s concern over that at such a fragile time. Yet, as beside herself as Mamm seemed to be, it wasn’t Mandy’s place to explain that Tessie did indeed love Marcus King. She’d seen the evidence weeks ago, and her sister’s bold action now reconfirmed it.
“He’s going to be okay, isn’t he?” Mamm craned her neck to see.
Mandy touched her mother’s back. “Let’s be in prayer . . . not say more.”
“Jah.” Mamm’s frown was etched on her brow, and her chin quivered as the ambulance pulled up and paramedics emerged with a long stretcher. The
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