Be Still My Soul: The Cadence of Grace, Book 1 by Joanne Bischof Read Free Book Online Page B

the muslin shawl on Lonnie’s shoulders. She wanted to pull it tighter, but it would have been no use. If only she had her coat. But brides didn’t wear coats. Or so her ma had mumbled as she had knotted the white fabric gently, her eyes awash with unshed tears.
    The gray light dimmed, the landscape no more than a blur of fog and mist. Lonnie held tight to Addie’s hand as they made their way down the path. With baby Charlotte swaddled in a threadbare quilt, her ma and pa strode a holler ahead. Dressed in matching white shirts, Sid and Oliver trailed behind, their black ties slightly askew.
    Lonnie stepped carefully in her polished boots. Clasping her gingham skirt, she held it away from the mud. She remembered her ma the day before—on her knees, pins stuck between her lips as she hurriedly lowered the sky-blue hem of Lonnie’s best dress. Lonnie stepped over a rock and skirted a small puddle. She’d walked this path every Sunday of her life. If only today weren’t so different.
    Sure it’s worth the effort, Maggie?
Her pa’s words stung as much today as they had only hours ago. He’d circled her, his boots hollow and menacing on the wood floor as he eyed her. Lonnie had also studiedhim, the air thick and silent between them. She waited for some flicker of emotion to show that his soul wasn’t as black as his burnished boots. Recalling the rumors that surrounded his past, she searched his face for a fragment of the truth. She held his gaze until he finally gave up and walked away. A surge of satisfaction had warmed her belly. She was almost out from under his grip.
    Lonnie clutched the hem of her dress in one hand and held Addie’s small fingers in the other. She tried to focus on the path in front of her.
Lord, be my strength
. The day ahead seemed impossible, the months and years even more so.
    Heads lifted and eyes probed as her family stepped into the churchyard. Familiar faces turned.
    “Folk in these parts never miss a wedding,” her pa mumbled under his breath. He smoothed his hand across a freshly shaven jaw. “They could care less who was gettin’ hitched, long as they get a free meal and a drink of whiskey.”
    Her eyes roved the churchyard that would have held tables and a spot for dancing had the wedding been planned. Wanted. With a flick of his head, her pa led the family closer to the church. He smoothed the damp strings of his hair, streaked with silver and still wet from a bath, and tucked them behind his ears.
    A few familiar faces smiled and offered a friendly wave. Yet others, their mouths covered and eyes averted, whispered among themselves.
    Her pa glanced over his shoulder and smirked.
    Lonnie tilted up her chin. A few more hours and she would no longer be his. If it took a wedding to sever his hold on her, so be it. He glanced away from her pointed look and hooked a thumb into his belt. His grip on her was fading. Her freedom was so close.
    No
. It was slipping away. Lonnie glanced around for signs of Gideon.
    Her ma straightened Addie’s bonnet. “Doesn’t look like Gideon’s family is here yet …” Her voice trailed off.
    Lonnie surveyed the faces, seeing no sign of the O’Rileys. Hope tickled her senses.
Might he not show?
She knew how his ma disliked her family. Had the woman poisoned Gideon’s mind against her? Hope budded inside her. If Gideon had indeed changed his mind, she would be free. The whispers continued. Some took no care to hide their heated opinions. Ignoring them, Lonnie flicked a piece of lint from her dress. If Gideon changed his mind, she would not become his wife today—but with her tainted reputation, she may never be anyone’s wife. Lonnie tipped her chin. That was just fine with her. She could live with Aunt Sarah, and they could spend their days on the porch making soap and laughing about the bright future ahead. Lonnie nearly smiled until her pa’s sour voice brought her from her thoughts. “I’d like to see that boy try and skip on outa here.”