Heart of Stone by Jill Marie Landis

Author:Jill Marie Landis [Landis, Jill Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, General
ISBN: 9780310395768
Google: XNbcafkpeRYC
Amazon: B003774XJM
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2010-02-22T16:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

On Sunday morning, Brand stood behind the lectern. A quarter of his congregation was missing and those who were there looked uncertain.

The people he’d been closest to since coming to Glory had shown up—rancher Joe Ellenberg, his wife, Rebekah, and their brood; Joe’s mother, Hattie; Hank and Amelia Larson; the Cutters; and more. They filled the front pews, lending him strength and reaffirmation of their faith in him.

Charity and the children were in the first pew. Sam and Janie were more somber than he’d ever seen them. They were aware that Jesse’s appearance had set off this upheaval in their lives, but he was at a loss as to how to explain. Nor did Brand know how to spare them any concern.

He kept his sermon short and to the point, speaking as much to himself as the souls gathered to hear him. He told them what the Lord told Jacob—to forget the past. Only by turning their lives over to God would He lift them up.

Brand made no mention of Jesse’s appearance. It was impossible not to feel responsible for the members who had chosen to stay away. Because of him they were not taking part in the morning’s service.

As he spoke, his gaze continually went to the front door. Though Laura wasn’t among those who had come to support him, he hadn’t lost hope of seeing her. He had avoided going to see her all week, stayed away because he didn’t want the gossip surrounding him to taint her standing in town. He avoided her place because of Jesse too.

Everyone knew that his son was still working at the boardinghouse. Brand feared another confrontation might cause Jesse to leave town, destroying any hope of ever healing their past.

By the time the service ended, Laura still had not appeared. As Brand stood on the church steps thanking all those who had attended, bidding them good-bye, he wished he could see her again.

Though the Larsons and the Ellenbergs invited his family to dinner, he had declined their invitations. Charity had put her all into making stew and it was simmering on the stove. As the four of them walked down the street together, Brand couldn’t help but notice that instead of running ahead and taunting each other, Sam and Janie stayed somberly beside him and Charity.

“Papa, when are we going to go see Mrs. Foster and Jesse again?” Janie wanted to know.

“Maybe we should invite them to supper.” Sam scuffed his feet as he walked along the dusty street. “Do we have enough stew, Aunt Charity?”

“There’s always enough, but today might not be the best day. I’m sure by now they have other plans,” she said.

“That’s a very charitable notion, though,” Brand said.

“If he’s our brother, how come Jesse lives at Mrs. Foster’s and not our house?”

Brand looked up at the cloudless sky. He had resorted to silencing Sam by telling him that he would understand when he was older.

Janie practiced skipping. “Mrs. Foster has the prettiest house. And the best cookies.

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