Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson

Author:Tara Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / Christian / Historical, FICTION / Romance / Clean & Wholesome
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Published: 2018-06-30T16:00:00+00:00

Keziah blinked, hurt drowning the heady euphoria she had been swimming in mere moments before. Her lips still burned from his passionate kisses. And her spinning emotions . . . she’d never known a feeling like it. His touch and his passion had undone her completely.

And now he recoiled, his shoulders slumped, face filled with shame. Was she so repugnant? Or was it something else entirely?

It didn’t matter. He’d spurned her, pushed her away. She wanted to collapse in on herself, flee to some place where she could not be hurt, where the deep knife of rejection could not shred her apart.

But it was too late already.

Scrambling away from him, she fumbled through the narrow space to find the way out. His hoarse plea only fueled her desire to flee. “Kizzie, wait—”

Just ahead. She pulled herself up, free of the cramped space, and plunged into the dark tunnel, shivering against the temperature, the dampness of the stone-and-earth passageway. Only blackness surrounded her. Her body trembled as she felt her way along the grimy wall, hurrying as fast as she dared. Away from light. Away from the cold slap of rejection. Away from him.

A soft glow illuminated the tunnel ahead. Her steps scraped against the gritty floor. She lurched forward only to halt suddenly when she turned the corner and nearly collided with Rose.

“Land’s sakes, child! You done near scared me outta ten years!” The woman’s wide smile belied her scold.

“Forgive me.”

“Kizzie?”

Micah’s soft call from farther down the tunnel made her stiffen, an action Rose was clearly shrewd enough to note. Her dark eyes became knowing, perhaps even a tad amused. Before Keziah could make her excuses and thank the woman for her care, Micah appeared, his face creased with angst.

A burning hurt rushed through her veins, and she turned away from his gaze. “I must leave soon or risk being found out. Thank you, Rose.”

The woman nodded, her face gleaming in the lamplight. “Thankful I am to Providence that he kept you and the others safe. Yes, you best get going. Dawn is just beginning to lighten the sky.”

Alarm slammed like a door in her chest. “What?” Her breath thinned. It was far later than she’d supposed. Even later than the night she’d ended up at Ma Linnie’s. She would surely be discovered by her parents and accused of some late-night dalliance. Regardless of what they’d suspect, her reputation would be in tatters.

Feeling as if she might cast up her accounts, she barely heard Micah’s soft directive. “Don’t fret. I’ll escort you home.”

She shook her head, her mind spinning. “No! That will look far worse!”

He reddened slightly and handed the spent candle to Rose. “I have a plan.”

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