Simple Deceit (The Harmony Series 2) (22 page)

“Thank you,” she said in her small voice. “I’m so grateful for everything you’re doing for me. I’m so sorry to have caused all this trouble.”

I put my hand over hers. “It’s no trouble, Sarah. This is what friends do.” I noticed she flinched when I touched her skin. “Does your hand hurt?”

She nodded and her eyes filled with tears. “They both sting. And my feet.” She wiped a tear that snaked down her cheek. “I hope Molasses made it back to her stable. I had to release her. I couldn’t get the buggy right side up. I hoped she would find her way back and alert Papa there was a problem.”

“I’m sure she’s fine. But Sarah, why didn’t you stay in the buggy? Why were you in that field?”

“I thought I could make it to your house,” she whispered. “But I got so turned around. When the wind blew, I couldn’t see anything. I’m still not sure how you found me.”

“God led us to you. I’m convinced of it. There’s no other explanation.”

Another tear ran down her cheek. “He is too good to me. I don’t deserve…”

“I don’t believe God loves us because we deserve it. I think He loves us because that’s just who He is. I find comfort knowing His love isn’t based on my goodness…or lack of it.”

She brushed a strand of dark hair that fell across her face. “You’re right, Gracie.” She gave me a quick smile. “Your name fits you. You seem to really understand the grace of God. Sometimes I have a hard time comprehending how God can love me so much no matter what I do.”

I wanted to explain to Sarah that having a father who’d spent so many years being bitter toward people and God would certainly make it difficult for her to grasp the concept of unconditional love and forgiveness, but I held my tongue.

“Do you think Papa will ever forgive me?” The plaintive tone of her voice tore at my heart.

“Sarah, believe me, your father isn’t thinking about anything
except how much he loves you and how badly he needed to find you.”

“But after his relief lifts…” She grabbed my arm, wincing at the pain in her fingers. “How did he treat John? Did they have words? What—”

“Whoa. They were both too worried about you to be upset with each other. You might be surprised. Maybe this situation will bring them together.”

The sound of angry, raised voices took the wind out of my hopeful declaration. “You stay in bed,” I told Sarah, whose eyes had grown large with fear. “Let me see what’s going on. I’ll be right back.”

I closed the door gently behind me and hurried down the stairs. I followed the sound of shouting to the kitchen. Sweetie was near the stove, holding a pot of coffee, her mouth hanging open. Sam stood between Gabe and John, one hand on each man’s chest.

“If your relationship with my daughter is as innocent as you make it out to be,” Gabe said loudly, his face red with anger, “why did you hide in the shadows? Why did you skulk around behind my back?”

“Because your daughter asked me to keep my feelings for her secret. She was afraid to tell you. Afraid of your reaction. You caused us to sneak around. I hated it. I told Sarah more than once that we should tell you the truth, but her fear of you—”

“Fear? What are you talking about? My daughter is not afraid of me!”

John opened his mouth to lob back what promised to be another accusation, but I shouted at them to shut up. They turned to look at me, their faces masks of resentment.

“What are you doing?” I said crossly. “Sarah can hear you yelling at each other, and she doesn’t need that right now.”

Gabe pointed a finger at John. “If he’d stayed away from her, she wouldn’t be suffering now. She’d be safe at home where she belongs.”

“What are you talking about?” John’s fierce scowl signaled their argument was far from over. “It’s the way you reacted when you found out about us that drove her to run away. This entire situation is your fault.”

Gabe took a menacing step toward John, and Sam quickly pushed him back. “Stop it,” he said sharply. “Grace is right. Sarah doesn’t need to listen to you two go at each other. Sarah made the decision to jump in that buggy. She’s an adult.” He glared at Gabe. “That’s something you don’t seem to get.” His voice softened slightly. “I know you’ve been hurt, Gabe. But Sarah isn’t your ex-wife. And John isn’t the man she took off with. These are two good people who fell in love. That’s all.”

Gabe’s face blanched. “I know that. Sarah isn’t anything like Greta. She loves God. Greta only loved what she thought the world could give her.”

“Then why do you treat Sarah the way you do?” I asked. “Why don’t you give her a chance to prove she is capable of making good decisions?”

Gabe stepped away from Sam and dropped into one of the chairs at the kitchen table. “I do trust her, but she can’t have a relationship with someone outside our church. It would be an unequal yoking. I don’t want her to make a choice that will only hurt her in the end. Sarah’s faith is everything to her.” He fastened his eyes on John. “If you really knew my daughter, you’d know that. If she betrays her faith, she will be miserable. It will haunt her the rest of her life.”

“I would never ask her to give up her faith,” John said forcefully. “Why would you think that? I realize it’s part of who she is.”

“Not part,” Gabe replied. “Everything. If she married you, she
would be turning her back on scripture. It is a commandment not to be unequally yoked.”

John slid into a chair next to Gabe. “Look, I may not go to church, but I do believe in God. Anyway, I think I do. I’ll go to church with her. Maybe her faith will rub off on me. But it has to be real. I can’t pretend to believe the way she does. It would not only dishonor her; it would dishonor God.”

I sat down across from the two of them. “You’re both good and decent men,” I said tentatively. “I hope you can at least see that about each other. And if Sarah and John should take their relationship further, I pray you can have peace with it, Gabe. Going back to the way things were—locking Sarah away—not allowing her to have a life. That’s not the right way to do things.”

“I know that now,” he said. “Even if I wanted to, Sarah wouldn’t allow it. She showed me that clearly today.” He covered his face with his hands. “I’m so afraid for her,” he said brokenly. “Making this decision will bring her so much pain, and I can’t stop it.”

“I think you can’t stand the thought of losing her.” John’s comment seemed to hit home.

“You’re right,” Gabe said, taking his hands from his face. “I’m afraid to be alone, but I’d do it for Sarah, gladly, if I thought she would be happy. But believe me, marrying outside her faith won’t do that. It will destroy her.”

“Papa!” Sarah’s voice was so faint we almost didn’t hear her. She stood in the doorway, holding on to the frame for support. Her long black hair cascaded past her shoulders and fell across her chest. In my white nightgown, the contrast was startling. Even though she was still abnormally pale, she had never looked more beautiful. I heard John’s sharp intake of breath.

“Daughter, what are you doing out of bed?” Gabe rose to his feet and started toward her, but Sarah held up her hand for him to stop. “Papa, I must say something. Then I will go back to bed.”

She gazed at John, who seemed almost transfixed by her presence. There was no mistaking the naked emotion in her face. It was obvious she loved him. That’s why her next words took me by surprise.

“I’m sorry, John, but my father is right. There’s no future for us. It’s best that we end things. Besides, our relationship was never that serious. You never even kissed me.” With that, she turned and started to leave the kitchen. I noticed that she faltered, obviously still weak and unsteady.

I jumped up to assist her. “You all stay here,” I ordered the three men. “I’ll help Sarah back to bed.”

I slid my arm around her tiny waist while she leaned against me. A few times as we climbed the stairs, I worried she would fall. Finally I got her back into bed. Although she tried valiantly to look calm and resolute, I could feel her body tremble as I pulled the covers over her. Before she turned her head away from me, I saw the stark pain on her face.

“You love him very much, don’t you?”

No answer.

“Sarah, you can talk to me. Really. I won’t repeat anything you tell me.”

Her small body began to heave with sobs. I sat down on the bed next to her and opened my arms. She sat up and wrapped her slender arms around my neck. I could feel her tears falling on my skin.

“Oh, Gracie. I do. I love him more than I can bear.”

“Then why? Why would you say what you did? Surely this can be worked out.”

She shook her head. “No. No, it can’t.” She let go of my neck and put her head back on the pillow, tears running down the sides of her face. “You heard Papa. He is afraid to be alone.” She reached for my hand, and I gave it to her. Her grip was surprisingly strong.

“My father raised me after Mother left. It was so hard for him, Gracie. I know he was devastated by her betrayal. He loved her so. But he kept going for me.” Sarah stared at the ceiling, her expression resolute. “What if John and I wanted to marry? I would have to leave home. I will not do that to my father.”

I started to protest, to tell her that she couldn’t spend the rest of her life taking care of Gabe, but she put her fingers up to my mouth, softly touching my lips.

“Hush, dear friend. I know what you would say. I know the Bible talks about leaving our mothers and fathers and cleaving to our husbands. But I cannot leave him. Not yet. Not until I know he’ll be okay. Right or wrong, I know it’s what I must do.” She smiled sadly. “Maybe the day will come when things change. I don’t know. But I can’t build happiness on my father’s pain. It’s impossible.” Her eyes searched mine. “Do you understand—even a little?”

I had to bite my lip to keep the words I wanted to say inside. Sarah deserved a life. Her mother’s abandonment had hurt her, too. Her father certainly wasn’t the only victim. Yet as I gazed into her face, I knew she spoke the truth. Sarah didn’t have it in her to hurt Gabe. With her gentle spirit and loving nature, to do so would rip her to shreds. “I understand, Sarah. I’ll support you, whatever you decide.” I squeezed her hand and saw her wince. “Are your hands still sore?”

She nodded. “And my feet. They are very painful. I didn’t want to say anything.”

I stood up. “I need to check with John. He should know.”

A look of terror washed over her features. “Please, Gracie. Don’t let him come here. Not now. I—”

“Nonsense.” John’s sharp retort startled me. I turned to find him standing in the doorway, frowning at us. “I’m still the doctor here. No matter what else, I intend to take care of your physical
needs, Sarah.” He came into the room, Gabe close on his heels. Before approaching the bed where Sarah lay, he stopped and looked at her, almost expressionless. “I’ve talked to your father. I want you to know that I agree with you. Whatever we thought we had is over. I see now that it was never meant to be. I was fooling myself to think that someone like you could love me. And it was wrong to put you in a position where you would have to choose between your religion or me. You can’t give up your beliefs, and I can’t manufacture beliefs I simply don’t have. So I guess that makes our choice clear. Now I want to look at your hands and feet. As your doctor. Is that all right with you?”

Sarah was so still her nod was almost imperceptible. Her dark eyes looked huge in her delicate face, and I could only imagine her emotions as John approached her. He sat on the side of her bed and took her hands in his, turning them over and asking questions. Her response was either “Yes” or “No” to each inquiry. John moved to the end of the bed and uncovered her feet, asking her the same questions. Finally he stood up.

“Everything is fine. The tingling and pain are actually signs the skin is recovering. When you get her home, Gabe, just let her rest, and make sure she has plenty of fluids. She’ll recover completely.”

“Thank you, John. For everything.” Gabe walked over to John and held out his hand. John took it and covered it with his other one.

“The one thing I ask of you,” John said in a husky voice, “is that you don’t pull back from your friends again. It isn’t right. For you or for Sarah. Please don’t let my selfishness cause you to cut yourself off from us again.”

Gabe’s eyes widened, and he placed his other hand over John’s. “I promise. I don’t want that for either one of us. I’m sorry for the way I acted. I was just so hurt…and afraid.”

“I know exactly how that feels. But this town, and these people…well, they changed me. I want you and Sarah to be happy here, too.”

“You have my word.”

I couldn’t stop the tears that filled my eyes. I glanced over at Sam, who stood in the doorway watching. He had to wipe his own eyes. But my joy at seeing these two men find reconciliation was marred by the pain I knew Sarah and John felt. Were they doing the right thing? I couldn’t be sure, but one thing Gabe said made sense. Sarah did love God. How could she become involved with a man who didn’t? I watched as Sarah smiled, seeing her father and John make peace, yet the sadness in her eyes caught at my heart.

Sweetie’s shrill voice suddenly disrupted the quiet atmosphere. I looked over at Sam. “What’s she yelling about?”

He shrugged. “Hold on. I’ll check.” He stuck his head out the door and called loudly to his aunt.

I heard her clomping up the stairs. “I said, there’s someone outside. Looks like Dan and Dale Scheidler.”

“I’m surprised they got through,” Gabe said. He looked toward his daughter. “Will you be all right for a few minutes?”

“I’m fine, Papa. Go ahead.” The men followed Sweetie down the stairs.

I picked up the teapot on the tray by Sarah’s bed. “I’m going to get you more tea. This is lukewarm. I’ll be right back.”

“Thank you,” Sarah said. “But to be honest, I’m tired. I think I’d like to sleep for a while if it’s okay.”

I wasn’t certain whether she wanted to be alone because she was sleepy or if she just needed some time to cry, but either way, I understood. “Okay. I’ll come back and check on you in an hour or so.” I patted her shoulder. “You get some rest.”

She nodded and turned away from me, her long dark hair in
stark contrast to the white bedspread covering her. Once again she reminded me of Snow White. I couldn’t help but wonder if this beautiful princess would ever experience love’s first kiss. I left the room and closed the door quietly behind me.