Moonset Child by Jill Penrod

Author:Jill Penrod
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Christian romance, Christian fantasy, historic fantasy
Publisher: Jill Penrod
Published: 2014-06-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

ALEX WAS CONCERNED and wished he understood what had really happened in Staghorn. Yes, it would have been better if the stable hadn’t burned, but Faraday hadn’t burned it on purpose. He just wanted to protect his friends.

Now, though, over a day had passed, and both Faraday and Valerie had fallen into a painful silence, one that seemed to swallow the entire group, and he wasn’t sure why.

When the tent was closed and the mule packed, Alex sat on a log near their fire and wished he had more energy. The illness had taken a toll, and he knew he needed another couple days to rest, but he wasn’t going to ask for it. They needed to get home, because until they did, he had no hope of seeing Evie again, and his heart yearned for her. He’d had no idea a separation from her would be so painful. He’d worried about her missing him, but he missed her enough to find tears in his eyes when he thought of her.

“Alex, are you okay?” Faraday asked, sitting beside him. “And please don’t lie to me.”

“I’m tired. Not much energy yet.”

“Should we still be traveling?”

Alex paused a moment.

“You’re trying to decide if you should lie to me,” Faraday said with an amused quirk to his lips.

“I could use a day or two of rest. But I had no idea it would be so hard to be away from Eveline. The faster we get home, the faster you can send someone to retrieve her.”

Faraday looked at his hands. “Do you still hate me for separating you?”

“No. I said I understood, that I forgave. I didn’t lie.”

“But that was then.”

“Well, it’s still true now. I joined you on this journey knowing it might not be easy. Don’t take responsibility for everything, Faraday. You know, I thought marriage would help you. I thought you would smile more.”

Faraday smiled.

“Yes, like that.”

“I love being married, Alex. I do. But this journey and the fear I have about going home keep me from smiling.”

“Then we need to keep traveling and finish this.”

“If you can’t travel, you’ll tell me? No, don’t answer that. You’ll only lie to me. Alex, I don’t pull rank often, and I don’t give orders, but if you need to rest, you tell me. And that’s an order.”

Alex laughed. “Yes, sir.”

When they started that morning, Harmony, Valerie, and the mule walked ahead. Alex loved to watch Harmony walk, her skirts swaying about her slender form. With Valerie she was completely at ease, and the pair laughed and talked without pause for a good part of the morning. Faraday, though, was quiet, and Alex longed for conversations. Once they’d had conversations. If anything, this trip had taken him closer to the man Alex had first met than ever before.

“Faraday, I know I sound like a girl, but please, talk to me.”

“About what?” Faraday said shortly.

“Nothing whatsoever. Just words, an acknowledgment that I am here at your side, alive and walking down this road, and you are my friend.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.