Read Christmas at Harmony Hill for Free Online

she would celebrate if Sophrena was tripped up by the malaise spreading through her.
    “It has been a long year,” Sophrena said. “With much sorrow. It wears on one knowing the world outside our village borders is in upheaval with armies of neighbors shooting and killing one another.”
    “You should not listen to the news if it is going to send you into a season of melancholy.” Sister Edna’s eyes, never very wide, narrowed even more as she looked at Sophrena. “Besides, the war has nothing to do with us. We do not pick up weapons of destruction.”
    “Yea,” Sophrena agreed. “But all are not Believers. Surely you remember the echo of cannons from a few years ago when the armies met at nearby Perryville intent on destroying one another. Each blast meant mayhem and death. Such is still going on even if our ears can no longer hear the noise.”
    “I well remember that time and a sorry time it was.” A frown flashed across Sister Edna’s face. “Those soldiers coming through here like locusts eating our food. We did nothing but cook day and night for too many days to name. I feared we would starve come winter.”
    “Our food stores are plentiful now. It has been a good harvest.” Sophrena regretted speaking of the war to Sister Edna. She was sorry of the necessity of speaking anything to Sister Edna, but such was not acceptable thinking. She managed more words. “We can feed any who come.”
    “As our Mother Ann instructs. Turn none in need away.”
    “It is good to have a generous heart.” Sophrena agreed in hopes Sister Edna would be satisfied and turn back to her own kitchen tasks. There was nothing generous about the sister’s heart. Or seemingly, her own this morn.
    Even now, she sensed Sister Edna was seeking the proper words to be sure Sophrena realized which of them had the better spirit. Sophrena didn’t care. They had long been sisters together here at Harmony Hill. They were to have love for one another. It was so ordered, but proper love could not always be forced into one’s heart. Some sisters were harder to see kindly than others. Sophrena started to turn away from Sister Edna to check on the biscuits. She had no need to hear more of her words. Or to reveal any more of her own malaise to this sister. It was Eldress Lilith who must hear Sophrena’s confessions of wrongs done, whether of thought or deed.
    “Perhaps the Ministry should forbid you to receive mail if it is going to cause you to surrender to worries of the world,” Sister Edna said. “Just as they forbade you to write in your journal when it was noted you were straying from the proper path of simple living.”
    “Perhaps so,” Sophrena murmured without looking at Sister Edna. She pulled the first tray of biscuits out of the oven, taking no care to keep the pan from clanging against the oven sides. She hoped to attract the attention of Sister Nora, whose duty it was to keep all on task in the kitchen, but she did not seem bothered by the noise or the needless chatter.
    So Sophrena turned and looked directly at Sister Edna. “The bell will soon toll for us to carry the food to the dining area. I must see to my tasks.” Sophrena let a ghost of a smile touch her lips. “As I am sure you must as well.”
    “You needn’t worry about me faithfully performing my duty, Sister Sophrena.” Sister Edna’s voice lost any hint of warmth as she glared at her. “It is you who appears to be in need of proper attention to your tasks. It’s ever been so since you let that former sister step too close to you. The Ministry should have barred everymemory of her from our village instead of allowing her letters to you. Now I hear she’s sent you a book with her name upon it. Why ever did they not send it back at once?”
    “That is a question best asked of the Ministry. It is not my place to try to divine their thoughts.” Sophrena should have let the matter rest there, but she could not. Their former sister had ever been a splinter