A Heart for Home by Lauraine Snelling

Author:Lauraine Snelling [Snelling, Lauraine]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: ebook, book
ISBN: 9781441214171
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2011-01-07T23:00:00+00:00

17

Thorliff helped his family into the buggy and turned to Astrid. “You want to ride?”

“No. I’ll walk with Mr. Landsverk.”

“You are sure?”

Astrid leaned closer to lower her voice. “I think this is necessary.”

“No blood, now.”

“Thorliff!” She whispered his name, but the rebuke was obvious. Turning to the man waiting a few feet away, she nodded. “Let’s wait and let the dust settle a bit first.”

They paused with neither one saying a word, the silence not one of comfort, at least not on her part. It’s a good thing one can pray in silence, she thought as she pleaded for God to give her the right words.

“I thought maybe you were going to stay in South Dakota for the whole summer,” Joshua said.

Astrid let that comment pass. “Our trip was longer than I’d anticipated.” She started off down the lane.

“But you were able to save lives.”

“As Mor would say, ‘Thanks be to God.’ ” She fought to find something to say. “I hear your brother has arrived.”

“He has. I’d bring all my family here if I could, but my older brother and my sister have decided to stay in Iowa. He has the family farm to run.”

Astrid tried to think of something else to say, but everything she thought of would bring up their past.

“Miss Bjorklund, er, Dr. Bjorklund . . .”

She could feel her hackles rising, so she took a deep breath and kept on walking.

Joshua cleared his throat. “I know I have an apology to make.”

Surprise caught her and stopped her in her tracks. She turned to watch him.

“I know I was out of line concerning your trip to the Rosebud Reservation. I . . . I’m sorry for getting so angry.”

She watched his face, recognizing the strength it took for him to say that. “Mr. Landsverk, I accept your apology.”

“Then we can go back to where we were and talk of . . . of ma – of courting?”

Astrid heaved a sigh. “I’m afraid not.” She paused. Never had she intentionally wounded a man, but at the look on his face, she’d done it now. “I’m sorry, but I do not believe we are meant for each other. You need a woman who will give you her whole heart, who will think . . .” She stumbled. “I . . . I am just not that woman. My first calling is to be a doctor. Many female doctors never marry for this very reason. Others regret it and the marriage dissolves. Mr. Landsverk, I know there is the perfect woman for you somewhere, but it is not me.”

When Joshua stared into her eyes, she could see both fury and sorrow.

He gave a brief nod. “I think you are wrong, but I will not mention this ever again. Good evening, Doctor Bjorklund,” he said, emphasizing the word doctor, turned, and strode off toward town, his feet pounding the dirt, raising dust.

Astrid swallowed the tears and turned to stare at the setting sun, shimmering instead of clear. Why was life so hard at times? She thought of calling him back.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.