Her Rebel Heart by Shannon Farrington Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shannon Farrington
visit the house and to sit in your family pew," he said. "It will not happen again."
She opened her fan, hoping her voice was smooth and calm. "Thank you, Samuel."
"You are welcome. Good day, Julia."
He turned and walked up the aisle, through the doors and out into the warm May sunshine.
After he had gone, her parents were ready to depart as well. Julia followed them to the carriage. A chill had now settled over her.
"Did you bring your sewing basket, dear?" her mother asked. "We can drop by Sally's on the way home."
"Oh," Julia said absentmindedly. "No. I did not. I completely forgot about the sewing circle."
She was still mulling over what Samuel had said. Part of her felt relieved, the other struggled with the finality of it all. Why did she suddenly feel so guilty?
This is what I wanted. I will not marry a man like him.
"Well, then," she heard her mother say. "We will just drive home. You can walk back to Sally's after you gather your things."
"Perhaps I will stay home this week," Julia said.
"Why is that?"
"I don't feel much like visiting."
Every week, she and her neighborhood friends met together for conversation and needlework. The real reason she did not wish to attend today was that the girls were scheduled to begin the lace for her wedding gown. The white dress had already been sewn. All that was needed to complete it was the finishing trim. Julia had not yet told any of them about the broken engagement.
She dreaded doing so.
Some of them, like her closest friend Sally Hastings, would understand. Her brother Stephen had left for Virginia the same time Edward did. Sally had even at one time had eyes for Edward. The woman could sympathize with Julia's pain.
Prissy, opinionated, Rebekah Van der Geld would not. Rebekah had recently expressed disdain for the growing secessionist movement.
"It is treason," she'd said flatly, "and anyone who fights for the Confederacy deserves to be hanged."
Julia sighed. She had once considered Rebekah a friend but did not any longer. She wondered how the girl continued to come to their group when she clearly held such an opposing view.
Why must politics invade every aspect of life? Why can't we just go on living?
Her mother spoke. "I talked with Sally briefly yesterday at church. She told me she was hoping you would come today. I think she misses Stephen terribly."
Julia's agitation was replaced with concern for her friend. She knew what Sally was feeling. She wanted to comfort her and perhaps, if they had a moment in private, she could tell her about Samuel. It would help to have a friend's blessing when her guilt over the broken engagement came calling.
"Perhaps I will go," she said to her mother, "but are you sure you want me to?"
"Life must continue, Julia, despite hardship, despite grief. The best thing we can do for Edward, for all of us, is to pray and then go on living."
"
When Julia arrived at the Hastings home, Sally met her at the front door. She gave her a hug.
"I am so pleased that you came," she said. "We must catch up when the others have gone."
"Yes," Julia said. "I would like to."
Sally took her hand and ushered her into the parlor. The other girls were all there, sisters Trudy and Elizabeth Martin, Emily Davis and sour-looking Rebekah Van der Geld.
The girls smiled. Rebekah stared. She sat with her back straight and rigid as though she was ready to pounce on any subversive political idea. The black bonnet she wore was too big for her head. Julia thought she looked ridiculous.
"We weren't certain that you would come," Trudy said. "We heard about Edward." Her voice was sweet and genuine.
Julia liked her and her twin sister. Their older brother George was considering enlistment. She sat down next to them. "Has
She opened her fan, hoping her voice was smooth and calm. "Thank you, Samuel."
"You are welcome. Good day, Julia."
He turned and walked up the aisle, through the doors and out into the warm May sunshine.
After he had gone, her parents were ready to depart as well. Julia followed them to the carriage. A chill had now settled over her.
"Did you bring your sewing basket, dear?" her mother asked. "We can drop by Sally's on the way home."
"Oh," Julia said absentmindedly. "No. I did not. I completely forgot about the sewing circle."
She was still mulling over what Samuel had said. Part of her felt relieved, the other struggled with the finality of it all. Why did she suddenly feel so guilty?
This is what I wanted. I will not marry a man like him.
"Well, then," she heard her mother say. "We will just drive home. You can walk back to Sally's after you gather your things."
"Perhaps I will stay home this week," Julia said.
"Why is that?"
"I don't feel much like visiting."
Every week, she and her neighborhood friends met together for conversation and needlework. The real reason she did not wish to attend today was that the girls were scheduled to begin the lace for her wedding gown. The white dress had already been sewn. All that was needed to complete it was the finishing trim. Julia had not yet told any of them about the broken engagement.
She dreaded doing so.
Some of them, like her closest friend Sally Hastings, would understand. Her brother Stephen had left for Virginia the same time Edward did. Sally had even at one time had eyes for Edward. The woman could sympathize with Julia's pain.
Prissy, opinionated, Rebekah Van der Geld would not. Rebekah had recently expressed disdain for the growing secessionist movement.
"It is treason," she'd said flatly, "and anyone who fights for the Confederacy deserves to be hanged."
Julia sighed. She had once considered Rebekah a friend but did not any longer. She wondered how the girl continued to come to their group when she clearly held such an opposing view.
Why must politics invade every aspect of life? Why can't we just go on living?
Her mother spoke. "I talked with Sally briefly yesterday at church. She told me she was hoping you would come today. I think she misses Stephen terribly."
Julia's agitation was replaced with concern for her friend. She knew what Sally was feeling. She wanted to comfort her and perhaps, if they had a moment in private, she could tell her about Samuel. It would help to have a friend's blessing when her guilt over the broken engagement came calling.
"Perhaps I will go," she said to her mother, "but are you sure you want me to?"
"Life must continue, Julia, despite hardship, despite grief. The best thing we can do for Edward, for all of us, is to pray and then go on living."
"
When Julia arrived at the Hastings home, Sally met her at the front door. She gave her a hug.
"I am so pleased that you came," she said. "We must catch up when the others have gone."
"Yes," Julia said. "I would like to."
Sally took her hand and ushered her into the parlor. The other girls were all there, sisters Trudy and Elizabeth Martin, Emily Davis and sour-looking Rebekah Van der Geld.
The girls smiled. Rebekah stared. She sat with her back straight and rigid as though she was ready to pounce on any subversive political idea. The black bonnet she wore was too big for her head. Julia thought she looked ridiculous.
"We weren't certain that you would come," Trudy said. "We heard about Edward." Her voice was sweet and genuine.
Julia liked her and her twin sister. Their older brother George was considering enlistment. She sat down next to them. "Has
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