Hattie's Preacher by Sherry Derr-Wille

Author:Sherry Derr-Wille
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: inspirational, church, historical romance, minister, christian romance, preacher, book series, faith in god, pianist, hatties preacher, sherry derr wille, chuch pianist, in love with a preacher, law career, outlaw series, restore faith
Publisher: Melange Books, LLC

Chapter Thirteen

July’s stormy weather gave way to August’s hot dry days and sultry nights. For Hattie, the heat of late summer meant listening to Sammy as she played in the back yard.

Having Thad helping in the shop made her days go faster. At times, it seemed as though Abe’s spirit was smiling down on her. He’d never meant for her to have to shoulder the load alone.

As for Thad’s work, it was as good as either she or Abe ever did. Her customers were equally impressed and displayed their pleasure with more orders than Hattie ever saw in the past years.

In the evenings, she enjoyed playing the piano as she always had in the past, only now she tutored Thad and Sammy first.

The only thing to mar Hattie’s new life was Thad’s insistence on evening devotions. It all started innocently, with Thad sitting at the piano holding Sammy on his lap. He read to her from the worn Bible Hattie had found packed with his clothes, as though he was reading her a bedtime story. Not only did he read the passages, he explained them to Sammy so she could easily understand their meaning. As he told Hattie, he always read ahead after Sammy was asleep so he would have time to consider how to bring the story to life for his little girl the next evening.

At first Hattie tried to tune out Thad’s voice by concentrating on her novel. She soon found Thad’s explanation of the ancient words intriguing and started listening. Against everything she’d ever told herself, Hattie began to enjoy Thad’s reading of the text her father often used to belittle her.

When David learned of Thad’s evening devotions, he started dropping by to join them at least three times a week. His presence thrilled Thad and made Hattie uneasy.

She knew David would love nothing more than to see her embrace the God he preached about on Sunday morning.

“It’s time for bed,” Thad said once he finished the evening’s reading.

“Do I have to?” Sammy protested.

Hattie smiled at the familiar exchange between father and daughter. The night would begin with Sammy going to bed in the pink and white room where she willingly took her naps. Sometime in the night, Sammy would make her way to the bed where her father slept.

Hattie knew why the little girl preferred her father’s bed to her own. Memories of the nights she cried herself to sleep after Laura married and Hattie spent her nights alone in the loft were renewed by Sammy’s night fears.

“She’s in bed,” Thad announced when he returned to the parlor. “It’s anyone’s guess as to how long she’ll stay put.”

“I can understand her not wanting to sleep alone,” David said.

His statement took Hattie by surprise. In the weeks she’d known David, he’d spoken only of his parents, leading her to believe he was an only child.

“What do you mean?” Thad said, while Hattie still contemplated David’s strange comment.

“I had an older brother He was twelve and I was eight when he died.

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