knowing you are unhappy here. Will you excuse me from dinner again tonight? I don’t know if I can look at our cousin without weeping. His very presence is a constant reminder that Papa is gone along with every bit of our joy.”
“You can look at him without weeping. You are a Meriweather, and we do what we must.”
“But I don’t have your steadfast heart or your unfailing faith.” Catherine shuddered and drew away. “I am angry that God took Papa and left us in this appalling situation.”
“God sees more than we can. He is there even when we feel most alone.” Sophia sighed silently. How many times had she and Catherine had this conversation? She empathized with Catherine’s pain, for she felt it herself, but she had found comfort in knowing that her father was in heaven, enjoying the reward of living a good life.
She hoped her words would ease her sister’s heart but Catherine moaned, “I hate this. If Papa were here...”
“But he is with God, Catherine. We cannot be selfish and wish him back when he suffered so.”
“He would not wish for us to suffer either.” She clasped and unclasped her hands as if unsure what else to do with them. “Forgive me, Sophia. Maybe if I had your faith, but I don’t. Not any longer. Do you know that I prayed that our cousin would stay away forever, and we could continue on as we have?”
“I know.” Sophia put her hands around her sister’s. She half thought of suggesting that Catherine close them in prayer, but scolding her sister might serve only to drive Catherine further from God.
“And what do I get for the answer to my prayer? He is here.”
Frustration curled Sophia’s hands in her lap. Before her sister had surrendered to despair, Catherine had been like a skylark, filled with song that she had to share with the world. Each person she’d met in the small village of Sanctuary Bay had been left smiling after having spoken with her. Sophia wished she knew how to revive that joy in her sister, but had no idea.
Sophia said, “Yes, Cousin Edmund is here, and Papa would expect us to be gracious.”
Catherine took a deep breath, then let it sift out past her clenched teeth. “We must not do anything that reflects poorly on Papa’s memory.”
“I agree.” Sophia relaxed, because the tempest within Catherine had quieted once more. It would return, even though her sister recognized the futility of railing against circumstances they could not change. “Please reconsider not coming down to dinner. I would appreciate your company while supping with the gentlemen.”
“Oh, my heavens!” Her sister’s face turned pale, then reddened. “When I declined to come downstairs, I never thought of what that would mean for you. I am sorry.”
“You need to stop saying that. If sisters apologized for each time we step on the other’s toes, we’d say nothing but I am sorry all day long.”
They laughed together, and Sophia was pleased when the conversation turned away from Cousin Edmund and his friends. She was amazed how soon a knock came at the door along with an announcement that the midday meal was about to be served in their mother’s room. The hour had passed in a heartbeat.
It was time to join Cousin Edmund for tea. Sophia sent a message with the maid that she would be there soon, then stood. As she turned to go to the door, her sister called her name. Sophia looked over her shoulder to see her sister’s face was again taut.
“Will you wed our cousin if he asks, Sophia?” she asked.
Sophia flinched, but replied as she had to herself each time the question came into her mind. “Yes. It is my duty.”
Catherine opened her mouth to reply, but Sophia hurried out the door. There was nothing else to say.
* * *
Sophia paced in the foyer, glancing up the stairs. Where was Catherine? They were going to be late for the Sunday service.
Again.
Each time Reverend Fenwick had forgiven them, but Sophia had run out of excuses and had no interest in
“You can look at him without weeping. You are a Meriweather, and we do what we must.”
“But I don’t have your steadfast heart or your unfailing faith.” Catherine shuddered and drew away. “I am angry that God took Papa and left us in this appalling situation.”
“God sees more than we can. He is there even when we feel most alone.” Sophia sighed silently. How many times had she and Catherine had this conversation? She empathized with Catherine’s pain, for she felt it herself, but she had found comfort in knowing that her father was in heaven, enjoying the reward of living a good life.
She hoped her words would ease her sister’s heart but Catherine moaned, “I hate this. If Papa were here...”
“But he is with God, Catherine. We cannot be selfish and wish him back when he suffered so.”
“He would not wish for us to suffer either.” She clasped and unclasped her hands as if unsure what else to do with them. “Forgive me, Sophia. Maybe if I had your faith, but I don’t. Not any longer. Do you know that I prayed that our cousin would stay away forever, and we could continue on as we have?”
“I know.” Sophia put her hands around her sister’s. She half thought of suggesting that Catherine close them in prayer, but scolding her sister might serve only to drive Catherine further from God.
“And what do I get for the answer to my prayer? He is here.”
Frustration curled Sophia’s hands in her lap. Before her sister had surrendered to despair, Catherine had been like a skylark, filled with song that she had to share with the world. Each person she’d met in the small village of Sanctuary Bay had been left smiling after having spoken with her. Sophia wished she knew how to revive that joy in her sister, but had no idea.
Sophia said, “Yes, Cousin Edmund is here, and Papa would expect us to be gracious.”
Catherine took a deep breath, then let it sift out past her clenched teeth. “We must not do anything that reflects poorly on Papa’s memory.”
“I agree.” Sophia relaxed, because the tempest within Catherine had quieted once more. It would return, even though her sister recognized the futility of railing against circumstances they could not change. “Please reconsider not coming down to dinner. I would appreciate your company while supping with the gentlemen.”
“Oh, my heavens!” Her sister’s face turned pale, then reddened. “When I declined to come downstairs, I never thought of what that would mean for you. I am sorry.”
“You need to stop saying that. If sisters apologized for each time we step on the other’s toes, we’d say nothing but I am sorry all day long.”
They laughed together, and Sophia was pleased when the conversation turned away from Cousin Edmund and his friends. She was amazed how soon a knock came at the door along with an announcement that the midday meal was about to be served in their mother’s room. The hour had passed in a heartbeat.
It was time to join Cousin Edmund for tea. Sophia sent a message with the maid that she would be there soon, then stood. As she turned to go to the door, her sister called her name. Sophia looked over her shoulder to see her sister’s face was again taut.
“Will you wed our cousin if he asks, Sophia?” she asked.
Sophia flinched, but replied as she had to herself each time the question came into her mind. “Yes. It is my duty.”
Catherine opened her mouth to reply, but Sophia hurried out the door. There was nothing else to say.
* * *
Sophia paced in the foyer, glancing up the stairs. Where was Catherine? They were going to be late for the Sunday service.
Again.
Each time Reverend Fenwick had forgiven them, but Sophia had run out of excuses and had no interest in
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