The Bridesmaid by Beverly Lewis

Author:Beverly Lewis
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, Azizex666
ISBN: 9781441260390
Publisher: Baker Books
Published: 2012-09-11T00:00:00+00:00

The late-afternoon sun was still bright when Cora Jane returned home. Joanna spotted her from the kitchen window, where she was still working with Mamma. “I’ll help her unhitch the horse,” she told Mamma right quick. “And I’ll bring in that quilt, too.” She wanted to talk to her sister without Mamma or anyone else overhearing.

Cora Jane looked surprised as Joanna approached.

“Where’d ya go in such a hurry?” asked Joanna, wasting no time.

Cora Jane kept mum as she unhooked the back hold strap on her side of the horse.

Joanna unfastened the tugs, her jaw clenched. “I asked you a question.”

Cora Jane shrugged, shifting her feet. “Guess you’ll know soon enough.”

“For pity’s sake, Cora Jane, what’s gotten into you?”

“I’d say pity’s a gut way to put it.”

“Why on earth can’t ya say where you’ve been?” Joanna demanded, her stomach in nervous knots.

There was a long pause in which Cora Jane’s face turned pale. “To see the deacon,” she finally admitted.

“Whatever for?” asked Joanna.

“With proof. I think you know what I mean.”

Joanna could scarcely speak for lack of air. She struggled with what to say—how to say it. “You didn’t!”

Cora Jane nodded slowly. “You’re a baptized church member, expected to follow the rules. Ain’t so?”

“You honestly didn’t take my notebook over there, did ya?”

Together, they held the shafts, and Cora Jane led the horse out, away from the carriage.

How could she? Joanna stared at her sister.

Soon misery began to overtake Cora Jane’s countenance. Still standing next to the horse, she said, “I had no choice.” Her voice was a near whisper. “Under the Lord God, ya know.”

You little snitch!

“Is it really your job to judge—to help the Lord out?” Joanna thought of poor Mary’s Ohio cousin and her pink dress. Where would Cora Jane’s self-righteousness end?

“It’s just one more sign, sister.”

“A sign . . . of what?”

“I fear you’re walkin’ the fence.” Cora Jane frowned sadly.

Breathing a prayer for patience, Joanna shook her head. “No, Cora Jane. There’s no need to worry ’bout any of that,” she said, tears welling up. “You betrayed me, and you know it!”

Cora Jane dodged Joanna’s glare and looked toward the house with a sigh. “Preacher Yoder will drop by sometime this week to speak with you on behalf of the ailing deacon.”

“You have no idea what you’ve done. How could a sister do this to a sister?” Joanna fought back tears. “How?”

“What about the ministerial brethren?” Cora Jane said quietly. “How could you transgress against them?” With that, she led the horse up toward the stable.

Joanna’s chest felt tight as she walked back to the buggy, to the front seat, where she snatched up Cora Jane’s entire sewing bag, the story notebook tucked inside. Then, with a huff, she moved outside to the very back of the buggy and retrieved the old quilt. She made the effort to carry both the large quilt and Cora Jane’s bag across the yard.

Inside, Joanna couldn’t bring herself to make eye contact with Mamma when she hurried through the kitchen. The pain in her heart knew no bounds as she made her way upstairs, to the privacy of her room.

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