In Human Bonds (The Horrors of Sobolton Book 8) by Amy Cross

Author:Amy Cross [Cross, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blackwych Books Ltd
Published: 2024-06-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Soboltonland, The New World – 1757...

Sitting alone, shunned by the rest of the community, Thomizen stared at the dead ashes of the previous night's fire. A chill wind blew across the clearing, rattling the loose timbers in a nearby building, but Thomizen paid no attention as she continued to stare at the dull gray ground.

“My child,” a voice said finally. “I would speak with you now.”

She looked up at him, and the stark morning light caught the tracks of half-dried tear tracks running down her face.

“I hope,” Father Oliver continued, having made his way over from the church, “you have spent the morning thus far in quiet contemplation.”

“Nobody will talk to me,” she stammered, her voice sounding so pained and thin. She turned and saw a few other men and women nearby, although they all quickly averted their gazes. “They look at me as if I am a whore. Do you think they are right?”

“It pains me to say so,” he replied, “but if they call you a whore, then this is a fate you have entirely brought upon yourself.”

“I tried to resist,” she explained. “You have no idea how hard I tried to stop myself, but it was as if some other force had taken control of my body. I was powerless as I saw -”

“You were not powerless,” he said firmly. “Do not make such excuses, Thomizen. They will not help you in this moment. I thought better of you.”

“As I thought better of myself,” she said softly, sounding utterly defeated as she looked down once more at the dead fire. “I did not mean to excuse my actions, Father, merely to try to account for them. Ever since he arrived, something about Nathaniel Wood seemed somehow to be drawing me ever closer. I only wish that my will had been stronger, so that I might have better withstood such temptation.”

“It is done now,” he told her.

“Yes, I know.”

She swallowed hard.

“They are right, then,” she added. “I am a whore.”

“We are a community of good people,” he continued. “God-fearing people. We have all made a commitment to live in a certain way, and if we break that commitment then there must be consequences. I have already banished Nathaniel Wood and made it clear to him that he is never to return.”

“I -”

“Not only did the pair of you fornicate, but you did it in the church,” he added before she could get another word in. “You did it on the altar.”

“I know,” she whimpered, as fresh tears ran down her face. “Father, how can I ever be forgiven? How can I make this better?”

“There is only one way,” he told her, “although I must admit, Thomizen... this pains me so very deeply.”

***

A short while later, Father Oliver stood with several of the others next to the steps in front of the church. Together, they watched as Thomizen disappeared into the forest with a simple cloth bag slung over her shoulder.

“Must it really be so?” Arthur Warner asked.

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