Bespoke by Amanda Dykes

Author:Amanda Dykes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: happily ever after, inspirational romance, musical fiction, historical christmas, english chanel british island, holiday christmas christian romance, novelette novella short story quick read holiday, second chances forgiveness redemption rebirth transformation, village small town, whimsical charming sweet lyrical
Publisher: Amanda Dykes

Aria wrapped a third blanket around herself that night, teeth chattering in the dark as she pulled back her father’s heavy velvet bed curtain to check on him. It wasn’t snow that had come tonight, as James had mused. Just a coldness so dry and fierce it crackled against the windowpanes of Father’s bedchamber. One of the many things James had been wrong about today.

Father lay so still, Aria’s knees almost buckled at the sight of him. But there—she spotted a tiny exhale escape his mouth, a white cloud against the frigid air. And another after that. Shallow and raw each breath came, steady enough that she found her own strength once again.

He’d sat up far too late after his rehearsal with the small orchestra at the church. She’d known he needed rest, but he seemed so alive, telling her about the way the farmer played the violin without a bow, and how a boy had come in late for rehearsal, smelling of salt air and fish, and piping out the clearest tune he’d ever heard on a fife. “This may be my greatest performance yet, Aria,” he’d said. “But the cellist needs rosin. His bow sounds like a deplorable screeching cat. And I need to transcribe a few things…” he’d rattled on, handing a list to their manservant and insisting that Barnes take the evening steamer to Guernsey for supplies.

But now here Father lay, even his heavy bed curtains doing little to keep any warmth in. He was so cold…

Aria fed the last log into his fire, then took herself downstairs. What a fool she was. No more wood in the house, and the coldest part of the night yet upon them. If she’d sent word for more wood yesterday, as she’d meant to. But then she’d gotten carried away with her bicycle plans and forgotten.

There was only one place she could think to find ready-cut wood this time of night. The warmest place on the island…and it mattered not that the man inside was the last person she wanted to talk to right now. Father needed firewood, and that was that. She took herself across the green, shivering beneath her thin shawl.

In hushed tones, she explained to the bed-tousled blacksmith, trying hard not to notice the dark circles beneath his blue eyes, or the way he started gathering logs from his own stack before she’d even finished talking. Trying not to wonder why he’d answered his door before she’d knocked even three times.

She followed him back to the Silent House, fairly running to keep up with his long strides, and led the way to Father’s bedchamber. She passed him dry twigs for kindling and with deft hand he coaxed the embers into a fire so toasty the room warmed in minutes. Before she could thank him, he was out the door, across the green, and back again with a second armload of wood. Despite his hushed protests she took to stacking it, and he vanished for a third trip.

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.