Read Online Wounded Grace by Tanya Stowe - Free Book Online Page A

with Chloe. But now he’d waited long enough. What he had to say couldn’t be put off any longer.
    Crossing the green expanse, he stopped in front of Madison’s chair. Vivian stopped short in the middle of a sentence. Madison looked up, shading her eyes against the sun.
    He simply held out his hand.
    Madison stared at it, uncertain.
    “Well, go on,” Vivian said. “I promise he won’t bite.”
    Pink flushed Madison’s cheeks, but she took hold of his hand. Lance pulled her to her feet and tugged her toward the corner of the ranch house where he’d seen a giant oak tree with a wooden seat around its base.
    Once they were out of sight of the group, Madison tried to tug her hand free, but he held on.
    “This was a wonderful day.” He kept his tone low, not wanting to make her nervous. “It’s been a long time since I enjoyed myself like this. I wanted to thank you.”
    “I had very little to do with that, I’m sure. It’s Heart’s Haven.” She tried to loosen her fingertips again, but he had no intention of letting go. He held on and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
    “Heart’s Haven has a lot to do with it, but mainly it’s you. Madison, I’ve thought a lot about what you’ve told me of your past and your life canvas. It made me think about mine. For years, my life was a bright, beautiful picture, but the last two years, it’s been empty, completely empty. Not even dark. Just empty." He paused to draw a breath, but retained his hold on Madison's hand. "I take care of my business, my children, and my grandchildren. But I live through them. I’ve added nothing to my own canvas, and I don’t think that’s what God wants for me. I think he has more in store for me.”
    They’d come to the large oak bench around the tree. He led her to it and motioned for her to sit down, reluctantly releasing her hand while she settled herself. Sitting beside her, he reclaimed her hand with both of his.
    “I want to fill my canvas with color—like you‘ve done, Madison. I’m going to sell my place and move here. Viv could use my help around the big house, and I want to be a part of this life…this wonderful community. I think there’s work for me here.”
    Madison ducked her head and clamped her lower lip with her teeth.
    “You don’t like that idea?”
    “Of course. It’s a wonderful idea. Viv will be so pleased.”
    “But not you?”
    “It doesn’t really matter what I think. You know I can’t stay. But it pleases me to know you’ll be here once I’m gone.”
    “You can’t leave Heart’s Haven. They need you. I need you.”
    Her lovely brown eyes widened. “What do you mean you need me? Lance Dalton, do you remember who you're talking to? I’m the girl who disappointed you and betrayed your sister.”
    He released her hand long enough to pull a small black box tied with a red ribbon from beneath the bench where he’d hidden it earlier. “This is for you.”
    She stared at the box, her expression puzzled and wary. He chuckled. “Go on. It won’t bite either.”
    Finally, she took it and pulled the red ribbon. She gasped when she pulled the heavy, golden trimmed, red Fabergé egg out of its black velvet bed.
    “Oh, Lance, I’ve seen these eggs in the jewelry store window. They’re terribly expensive.”
    “You don’t like it?”
    “It's amazing! Of course, I like it. It’s just…”
    “I don’t care about the cost,” he murmured. “You deserve it. I wanted you to have a red egg. Did you know the far Eastern churches paint their Easter eggs red to symbolize the blood of Christ, which bathed us all and made us new? I’ve never known anyone who is more a living example of that than you. When I look at you, I don’t see the old Madison. I see a glowing woman full of Christ’s love, surrounded by a family who loves her.”
    Tears welled up in her eyes. No longer able to meet his gaze, she ducked her head. “You don’t know how much it means to me to hear you say that. I’ll treasure