Return to the Misty Shore by Bonnie Leon

Author:Bonnie Leon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, family, historical, christian, alaska, village, strong women, elopement, primitive living, aleutian
Publisher: Ashberry Lane Publishing

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Luba found Nicholas sitting on a piece of driftwood at the beach.

He’d planted his spear in the ground between his feet, and his palms spun the shaft while he stared at the earth.

Quietly Luba approached him. When she placed her hand on his shoulder, he didn’t acknowledge her. She knelt beside him. “Nicholas, it was not your fault. You could not know about the dog.”

He raised tortured eyes. “Everyone laughed. You laughed.”

Luba met his steady gaze. “I did not.”

“I saw you.”

“You only saw a smile from a wife who loves you and knows you would have done far better if not for the dog.”

Nicholas set his jaw. “It is not right for a wife to dishonor her husband by laughing at him.”

Luba placed her hand on his thigh. “Nicholas, I did not laugh at you. I would never do that.”

He brushed her hand away and stood. He stared at the bay, his jaw twitching in anger. Without another word, he walked away.

“Nicholas …” But he would hear nothing she had to say. Olean had been right. Luba should have waited. When would she learn to listen?

Nicholas didn’t come home that day. He had probably found a secluded place to get drunk. He drank often and too much. The evening passed, yet still Nicholas hadn’t returned.

That night when she climbed into her empty bed, she touched the blankets where her husband usually slept. Please be safe.

She hated waiting for him, wondering what would happen when he got home. When he drank too much, he got angry and unreasonable. He never hit her, but sometimes he would grab her roughly, and she didn’t know how far he would go.

She shuddered as she pulled her blanket over her. For a long while, she stared into the darkness, listening for the sound of him returning. Many hours she lay alone. He would come back when he was ready. Fatigue outweighed her concern and finally she slipped into a restless sleep.

The crash of something being overturned, followed by an oath, jolted Luba awake. “Nicholas, is that you?” She peered into the darkness.

“Yesh, it ish me,” came a slurred reply.

Luba cringed.

“Where are you?” he asked, as he stumbled again and fell beside the sleeping mat.

“Right here.”

Nicholas reached for her and pulled her to him. “Luba, Luba. I need you. I love you.” He tried to kiss her.

Had the family heard? Her insides burned with humiliation.

The smell of liquor repulsed her, and she turned away.

“Do not pull away from me.” He gripped her arms tightly, then grabbed at her gown.

“Nicholas, you are drunk.”

“Is that a reason to reject your husband? Would you deny Michael?” he demanded as he sought her mouth.

“Please stop.”

“How will we ever have a son if you will not love me?” He crushed her beneath him.

Luba tried to wrench herself free, then pushed against him until he fell away. She waited for another assault, but he didn’t move. “Nicholas?”

He didn’t respond.

“Nicholas, are you all right?” She knelt beside her husband and laid her hand on his chest.

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