Read Online The Hawk and the Jewel (Kensington Chronicles 1) by Lori Wick - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lori Wick
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Regency, England, Love Stories, Religious, Christian, INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE, captivity, Survival After Airplane Accidents; Shipwrecks; Etc, Arab Countries
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stopped when she saw a look of total confusion cross Sunny's face; she'd said it all wrong. If only Sunny were staying longer in their home, they would have a chance to show her what their marriage was like. Cheryl opened her mouth to try and repair the damage, but John chose that time to call her from downstairs.
"Come on, Sunny, the men are looking for us. Maybe we can talk later."
Sunny didn't seem at all put out by the interruption and moved down the stairs with a carefree step. Cheryl would have been alarmed
to learn that responding as soon as her husband called only proved to Sunny that her belief was correct-Freeport, England, Darhabar; they were the same. Men ruled all, especially the women.
"How many horses do you have?" Sunny's face shone with enthusiasm, and John smiled.
"Why don't we head out, and I'll show you."
Sunny was out of her chair so fast the adults laughed. All rose to accompany her, and when they reached the back door, Cheryl spoke.
"Go ahead with John, Sunny. I'll be along in just a moment."
The two did as she bade, and when Brandon would have followed, Cheryl stopped him with a hand to his arm. He glanced at his hostess and then at Sunny and John before quietly shutting the door again.
"If you were able to stay longer," Cheryl began, "I would not interrupt you right now, but I think you should know about the conversation Sunny and I had upstairs."
Brandon listened quietly, his face serious, while Cheryl relayed nearly every word of the exchange she'd shared with Sunny. "I don't think I handled it very well, Hawk, but she's cynical, and rather resigned to the way she believes life is. I'm sorry if the things I said have only made the situation harder."
Brandon's hands came to her shoulders, and he bent and kissed her cheek. "There is no reason to be sorry. Sunny adores you, and it's done her a world of good to be in your company. Hopefully she'll feel free to question me about the Bible now. I've been hesitant to say too much, hoping that the first questions would come from her."
"In Sunny alone you're going to be dealing with what John and I encounter every day-a distorted view of God. The first thing Sunny needs to understand is that God does not view women as second-class citizens."
They were walking toward the stables now, and Brandon thought, not for the first time, what a gem John had for a wife. Brandon voiced his sentiments.
"I hope John knows what a find you are. It's too bad I didn't meet you first," Brandon teased.
70
Cheryl laughed. "Well, there's Judith, but Dex has snapped her up."
"I could wait for Lynn," Brandon teased, referring to Cheryl's youngest sister.
"She's only nine," Cheryl laughed.
"True," Brandon said with a charming smile. "But I'm not ready to tie the knot just yet. At least with your father's money I'd know she wasn't marrying me for my own."
There was something in his tone that caused Cheryl to stop just outside the stable door. "Is it as bad as all that?"
Brandon shrugged, but his eyes were pained. "That, and the title I'm in line to inherit, seem to make me quite a catch." Brandon's voice turned sad. "No one seems to be interested in finding out that I prefer tea to coffee, that I love walking in the rain, or anything else about me as a man. I certainly don't want a wife who dotes on my every whim, but I'd sure like a woman who would love me even if I were penniless or without a title to my name."
Cheryl touched his arm but remained silent. There wasn't anything to say. They were dose enough, however, that there really was no need.
the wind caught at sunny's hair and tugged at the skirt of her dress. Her bare feet were cold on the deck, but she took little notice. Today she was 14. She smiled into the wind for just an instant.
Brandon had been out of the cabin early so she had dressed slowly. She now took careful inventory of her body. Her chest was still as flat as it had been ten weeks ago when she stepped aboard the ship, and there was still
"Come on, Sunny, the men are looking for us. Maybe we can talk later."
Sunny didn't seem at all put out by the interruption and moved down the stairs with a carefree step. Cheryl would have been alarmed
to learn that responding as soon as her husband called only proved to Sunny that her belief was correct-Freeport, England, Darhabar; they were the same. Men ruled all, especially the women.
"How many horses do you have?" Sunny's face shone with enthusiasm, and John smiled.
"Why don't we head out, and I'll show you."
Sunny was out of her chair so fast the adults laughed. All rose to accompany her, and when they reached the back door, Cheryl spoke.
"Go ahead with John, Sunny. I'll be along in just a moment."
The two did as she bade, and when Brandon would have followed, Cheryl stopped him with a hand to his arm. He glanced at his hostess and then at Sunny and John before quietly shutting the door again.
"If you were able to stay longer," Cheryl began, "I would not interrupt you right now, but I think you should know about the conversation Sunny and I had upstairs."
Brandon listened quietly, his face serious, while Cheryl relayed nearly every word of the exchange she'd shared with Sunny. "I don't think I handled it very well, Hawk, but she's cynical, and rather resigned to the way she believes life is. I'm sorry if the things I said have only made the situation harder."
Brandon's hands came to her shoulders, and he bent and kissed her cheek. "There is no reason to be sorry. Sunny adores you, and it's done her a world of good to be in your company. Hopefully she'll feel free to question me about the Bible now. I've been hesitant to say too much, hoping that the first questions would come from her."
"In Sunny alone you're going to be dealing with what John and I encounter every day-a distorted view of God. The first thing Sunny needs to understand is that God does not view women as second-class citizens."
They were walking toward the stables now, and Brandon thought, not for the first time, what a gem John had for a wife. Brandon voiced his sentiments.
"I hope John knows what a find you are. It's too bad I didn't meet you first," Brandon teased.
70
Cheryl laughed. "Well, there's Judith, but Dex has snapped her up."
"I could wait for Lynn," Brandon teased, referring to Cheryl's youngest sister.
"She's only nine," Cheryl laughed.
"True," Brandon said with a charming smile. "But I'm not ready to tie the knot just yet. At least with your father's money I'd know she wasn't marrying me for my own."
There was something in his tone that caused Cheryl to stop just outside the stable door. "Is it as bad as all that?"
Brandon shrugged, but his eyes were pained. "That, and the title I'm in line to inherit, seem to make me quite a catch." Brandon's voice turned sad. "No one seems to be interested in finding out that I prefer tea to coffee, that I love walking in the rain, or anything else about me as a man. I certainly don't want a wife who dotes on my every whim, but I'd sure like a woman who would love me even if I were penniless or without a title to my name."
Cheryl touched his arm but remained silent. There wasn't anything to say. They were dose enough, however, that there really was no need.
the wind caught at sunny's hair and tugged at the skirt of her dress. Her bare feet were cold on the deck, but she took little notice. Today she was 14. She smiled into the wind for just an instant.
Brandon had been out of the cabin early so she had dressed slowly. She now took careful inventory of her body. Her chest was still as flat as it had been ten weeks ago when she stepped aboard the ship, and there was still
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