The Holy Warrior by Gilbert Morris

Author:Gilbert Morris [Gilbert Morris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781441233738
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2004-10-31T20:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“I’VE ALWAYS LOVED YOU!”

By the time Chris had been home six months, Missy knew that she was in love with him. She also realized bitterly that he would never think of her as anything more than a young girl he was very fond of—and she withdrew from him in a manner that confused and hurt him. Trying to smooth things over, he began seeking her out quite often. Usually he would appear on his big bay, saying, “Let’s work these horses out, Missy.” They would say little during those rides, but she was aware of a change in him.

He was gone most of the time, preaching—with some success—in the most backward parts of Kentucky. Worn thin and dusty he would appear from time to time at the Greenes’ home. They all noticed that at those times Ellen Jennings managed to be very much present, sitting in the front row of Dan’s church where Chris was always asked to preach, leaning forward attentively as he spoke.

“She’ll get him, for sure,” Martha Shipton said. She was Missy’s close friend, a lively girl of seventeen. “Mark my words, he gets a little closer every time he comes here! Did you see them with their heads together at the social last night? If they’d been any closer, they’d have been wearing each other’s clothes!”

Missy had to smile at the way Martha put it, but she had not failed to notice that Chris spent much of his free time with Ellen. “I don’t think he’ll ever marry,” she said finally. “He lost his wife and baby, you know, and once he told me that he didn’t mean to have another family. Too hard when you lose them, he said.”

“Bosh! Men talk like that, but you just watch, Missy—they’ll be married in six months. Then he’ll be made pastor of some rich Methodist church—and that’s about the last we’ll see of Rev. Chris Winslow!”

“I’ve got to go home, Martha.”

“How’s your mother?”

“Not well.” Missy rubbed her forehead wearily. “She’s not able to get out of bed at all now—and with Caroline so busy helping Father with the church, I have to take care of her.”

“I’ll help you,” Martha offered instantly. “Why don’t I come over tomorrow?”

“It’s good of you, Martha, but Mother’s gotten a little... hard to please. Maybe when she’s better.”

She returned and took care of her mother’s needs, then cooked supper for herself and Asa. He was subdued, fearful of what his mother’s sickness might mean, and for once he went to bed early without argument.

Missy was washing the dishes when she heard a horse leave the road and come to the house. Drying her hands, she went to the door and opened it to find Chris there. “Why, I didn’t know you were back,” she uttered in surprise. “Come in—supper’s still warm.”

“Maybe just a cup of coffee, Missy,” he replied. He followed her to the kitchen, sat down wearily in a chair and sipped the hot black coffee. “How’s your mother?”

“She was better last week, but yesterday she had a bad spell.

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