Read Online Last Bride, The (Home to Hickory Hollow Book #5) by Beverly Lewis - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Beverly Lewis
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Amishmen parted to make room.
In a few short moments, Marcus was carried off the field to the waiting emergency vehicle, covered with a stark white sheet. Tessie’s head bowed low as she walked next to the stretcher.
Mandy clenched her jaw, trying not to cry as she watched her poor, dear sister place a hand on Marcus’s heart for a moment, then step back as he was carried into the ambulance and the doors were closed. The vehicle pulled out onto the road, but the siren was as still as the young Amishman inside.
By the time Tessie arrived home with her sister and mother, she felt not only stunned but sick. Neither Mandy nor Mamma had posed a single question about her behavior on the hushed ride back from the barn raising, and for this she was thankful, not knowing what she would have said anyway.
When they pulled up to the stable, Mandy kindly offered to unhitch the horse for Mamma and urged Tessie inside. Tessie went into the house and up the stairs, going to her room to lie facedown on her bed, inconsolable. Oh, she wished her tears might come now that she was alone! But they remained locked away inside her as she helplessly replayed her last precious,loving hours with Marcus. She had to cling to those memories, for they were all she had.
Eventually, Mandy came into her room, closed the door, and lay down on the bed. When she felt her sister’s arm slip around her, Tessie’s tears finally began to flow, mingling with Mandy’s own.
“How can I ever live through this?” Tessie whispered, sobbing. “How?”
“You must have cared for him very much.” Mandy’s voice was soft and soothing.
“More than anyone knows.” More than anyone will ever know, Tessie thought.
Mandy stroked her back until, sometime later, Tessie gave in to deep and numbing sleep.
“After supper, let’s talk a bit,” Sylvan said to Mandy when he came into the house to change out of his work clothes soon after her return from her parents’. He stood in the doorway of the downstairs washroom and indicated he’d heard some surprising things at the barn raising today prior to Marcus King’s fatal fall. “I wouldn’t have said anything, considering, but it seems like everyone but your husband knows ’bout your boldness,” he said before closing the door. “How can that be, love?”
I worried it might come to this , Mandy thought, her conscience pricked.
“Honestly, I tried to tell ya,” she whispered. “I don’t want to turn back now.” Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. It had been enough today to witness the aftermath of Marcus’s shockingfall from the pinnacle of the barn rafters . . . and Tessie’s devastation. And now this.
When Tessie awakened to a knock, she called out sleepily. “Come in, Mamma,” she said, seeing Mandy was gone. Her whole body ached as she attempted to rise from her snug spot on the bed.
“Sorry to bother ya, but this just came in the mail . . . for you,” Mamma said, looking at her apprehensively.
“Denki.”
Her mother was quiet as she paused at the door. She stood there, eyeing Tessie, as if she wanted to say something more.
Tessie Ann wished for a consoling embrace that would not come, because her mother did not know the terrible truth that Tessie had just lost her husband. “I’ll be down to help with supper soon,” she finally offered, wishing she could lie down for the rest of the day. Or month.
“All right, then.” Mamma closed the door.
Tessie looked down at the envelope. “From Marcus,” she murmured, tears springing to her eyes again. Her hands shook as she quickly opened it. She savored his final words to her, then was suddenly befuddled. Had he intended for her to retrieve the journal someday?
Did my darling think he was about to die?
Moving to the window, she raised the letter to her lips and stared out, looking up the long road toward the house, just out of view, where they’d planned to live together. The thought ripped her heart anew.
“Mandy knows I
In a few short moments, Marcus was carried off the field to the waiting emergency vehicle, covered with a stark white sheet. Tessie’s head bowed low as she walked next to the stretcher.
Mandy clenched her jaw, trying not to cry as she watched her poor, dear sister place a hand on Marcus’s heart for a moment, then step back as he was carried into the ambulance and the doors were closed. The vehicle pulled out onto the road, but the siren was as still as the young Amishman inside.
By the time Tessie arrived home with her sister and mother, she felt not only stunned but sick. Neither Mandy nor Mamma had posed a single question about her behavior on the hushed ride back from the barn raising, and for this she was thankful, not knowing what she would have said anyway.
When they pulled up to the stable, Mandy kindly offered to unhitch the horse for Mamma and urged Tessie inside. Tessie went into the house and up the stairs, going to her room to lie facedown on her bed, inconsolable. Oh, she wished her tears might come now that she was alone! But they remained locked away inside her as she helplessly replayed her last precious,loving hours with Marcus. She had to cling to those memories, for they were all she had.
Eventually, Mandy came into her room, closed the door, and lay down on the bed. When she felt her sister’s arm slip around her, Tessie’s tears finally began to flow, mingling with Mandy’s own.
“How can I ever live through this?” Tessie whispered, sobbing. “How?”
“You must have cared for him very much.” Mandy’s voice was soft and soothing.
“More than anyone knows.” More than anyone will ever know, Tessie thought.
Mandy stroked her back until, sometime later, Tessie gave in to deep and numbing sleep.
“After supper, let’s talk a bit,” Sylvan said to Mandy when he came into the house to change out of his work clothes soon after her return from her parents’. He stood in the doorway of the downstairs washroom and indicated he’d heard some surprising things at the barn raising today prior to Marcus King’s fatal fall. “I wouldn’t have said anything, considering, but it seems like everyone but your husband knows ’bout your boldness,” he said before closing the door. “How can that be, love?”
I worried it might come to this , Mandy thought, her conscience pricked.
“Honestly, I tried to tell ya,” she whispered. “I don’t want to turn back now.” Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. It had been enough today to witness the aftermath of Marcus’s shockingfall from the pinnacle of the barn rafters . . . and Tessie’s devastation. And now this.
When Tessie awakened to a knock, she called out sleepily. “Come in, Mamma,” she said, seeing Mandy was gone. Her whole body ached as she attempted to rise from her snug spot on the bed.
“Sorry to bother ya, but this just came in the mail . . . for you,” Mamma said, looking at her apprehensively.
“Denki.”
Her mother was quiet as she paused at the door. She stood there, eyeing Tessie, as if she wanted to say something more.
Tessie Ann wished for a consoling embrace that would not come, because her mother did not know the terrible truth that Tessie had just lost her husband. “I’ll be down to help with supper soon,” she finally offered, wishing she could lie down for the rest of the day. Or month.
“All right, then.” Mamma closed the door.
Tessie looked down at the envelope. “From Marcus,” she murmured, tears springing to her eyes again. Her hands shook as she quickly opened it. She savored his final words to her, then was suddenly befuddled. Had he intended for her to retrieve the journal someday?
Did my darling think he was about to die?
Moving to the window, she raised the letter to her lips and stared out, looking up the long road toward the house, just out of view, where they’d planned to live together. The thought ripped her heart anew.
“Mandy knows I
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