ask Him to save you and give you peace. I’m no better than you, I never was, we’re all sinners. It’s just that you have to realize, like I did, that having good manners and going to church and not breaking society’s rules doesn’t mean that you’re righteous in the Lord’s eyes. We’re all of us terrible, hopeless sinners. When I realized that, I fell to my knees and begged forgiveness, and asked the Lord Jesus to come into my heart and save me from my sin. And when He did that, He also saved me from bearing the hurt of other people’s sin. He gave me love, and He gave me peace.”
“But how can you have peace? How, when you can’t be with the man that you love?” Julienne cried.
“Because I trust in the Lord Jesus, and my Father God. I know that He will bless me, no matter what happens. Who knows what will happen tomorrow, Miss Julienne? No one does, anything can happen, we may not even live through this day. But I know that every minute I walk and breathe is right alongside my Lord Jesus. And there’s no earthly comfort that can compare with that.”
She rose then and went to pick up the breakfast tray. “I’m going to go get you some more hot tea, Miss Julienne. You just please think about what I’ve said.”
“I am thinking about it, Tyla,” she said, throwing aside the covers and climbing out of bed. “I’m going to wash up and dress and then I’m going to go talk to Papa. I know he’s been poor-mouthing for awhile now, but that’s just Papa. And I can’t believe that he can’t talk Mr. Moak into selling Matthias. They’ve been friends forever, and I know if Papa just explained the situation to him, an arrangement could be made.”
Julienne was still talking when Tyla left the room, her face filled with sorrow.
WHEN JULIENNE WENT DOWNSTAIRS, still bubbling over with her plans to unite Tyla and Matthias, she found only her Aunt Leah in the family sitting room. “Good morning, Aunt Leah. Where is my mother? And Papa?”
“It’s afternoon in this hemisphere, my dear. Your mother is resting before dinner. Your father has gone to the plantation. He thinks he may have to stay for a few days.” She answered calmly, never looking up from her knitting. She was much like her brother, Charles Ashby, a slightly older feminine version of him. She was tall, with thick white hair and brown eyes. Although her proud posture was forbidding and her demeanor was stern, she was actually a good-humored woman with a dry sense of humor.
Julienne threw herself onto the sofa, slumped back, and crossed her arms. “Why does he have to go out to that silly plantation all the time? I need to talk to him.”
Aunt Leah glanced up, a mere flash of her dark eyes. “Julienne Rose Ashby, I hope never again to see your back touch the back of a seat. You look like one of Carley’s rag dolls, and that is unfortunate, considering they’ve all been buried, or drowned, or used for fish bait, or hung by the neck until dead. Now, your silly plantation is your family business, and your father is needed there. In fact, I was going to go with him except that he asked me to stay, and the reason I need to stay is because I must look after you.”
Julienne, now sitting up straight in a ladylike manner, asked, “Me? Why should I need looking after?”
Dropping her knitting and gazing at Julienne directly, she replied, “Because your father knows you’re going to New Orleans in two weeks, and he said you were talking away about your spring wardrobe. Listen to me, Julienne. The family is going through a very difficult time financially right now. Though I suppose he’s tried, Charles hasn’t seemed to be able to make you understand. Or Darcy, or even Roseann. There is no money, Julienne. You cannot order an entire new spring wardrobe.”
“What! What in the world am I supposed to do?” Julienne said petulantly.
“That’s why I’ve stayed. Tyla and your mother and I will all be able to rework your clothes from
“But how can you have peace? How, when you can’t be with the man that you love?” Julienne cried.
“Because I trust in the Lord Jesus, and my Father God. I know that He will bless me, no matter what happens. Who knows what will happen tomorrow, Miss Julienne? No one does, anything can happen, we may not even live through this day. But I know that every minute I walk and breathe is right alongside my Lord Jesus. And there’s no earthly comfort that can compare with that.”
She rose then and went to pick up the breakfast tray. “I’m going to go get you some more hot tea, Miss Julienne. You just please think about what I’ve said.”
“I am thinking about it, Tyla,” she said, throwing aside the covers and climbing out of bed. “I’m going to wash up and dress and then I’m going to go talk to Papa. I know he’s been poor-mouthing for awhile now, but that’s just Papa. And I can’t believe that he can’t talk Mr. Moak into selling Matthias. They’ve been friends forever, and I know if Papa just explained the situation to him, an arrangement could be made.”
Julienne was still talking when Tyla left the room, her face filled with sorrow.
WHEN JULIENNE WENT DOWNSTAIRS, still bubbling over with her plans to unite Tyla and Matthias, she found only her Aunt Leah in the family sitting room. “Good morning, Aunt Leah. Where is my mother? And Papa?”
“It’s afternoon in this hemisphere, my dear. Your mother is resting before dinner. Your father has gone to the plantation. He thinks he may have to stay for a few days.” She answered calmly, never looking up from her knitting. She was much like her brother, Charles Ashby, a slightly older feminine version of him. She was tall, with thick white hair and brown eyes. Although her proud posture was forbidding and her demeanor was stern, she was actually a good-humored woman with a dry sense of humor.
Julienne threw herself onto the sofa, slumped back, and crossed her arms. “Why does he have to go out to that silly plantation all the time? I need to talk to him.”
Aunt Leah glanced up, a mere flash of her dark eyes. “Julienne Rose Ashby, I hope never again to see your back touch the back of a seat. You look like one of Carley’s rag dolls, and that is unfortunate, considering they’ve all been buried, or drowned, or used for fish bait, or hung by the neck until dead. Now, your silly plantation is your family business, and your father is needed there. In fact, I was going to go with him except that he asked me to stay, and the reason I need to stay is because I must look after you.”
Julienne, now sitting up straight in a ladylike manner, asked, “Me? Why should I need looking after?”
Dropping her knitting and gazing at Julienne directly, she replied, “Because your father knows you’re going to New Orleans in two weeks, and he said you were talking away about your spring wardrobe. Listen to me, Julienne. The family is going through a very difficult time financially right now. Though I suppose he’s tried, Charles hasn’t seemed to be able to make you understand. Or Darcy, or even Roseann. There is no money, Julienne. You cannot order an entire new spring wardrobe.”
“What! What in the world am I supposed to do?” Julienne said petulantly.
“That’s why I’ve stayed. Tyla and your mother and I will all be able to rework your clothes from
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