Read Marriage by Mail (Grace Church Book 1) for Free Online

him, doubt in her eyes. “Truly?”
    He nodded. She looked at him. He couldn’t think of what to say.
    “I’m not one for writing, much,” he said, finally. “Nor am I one who has a way with words when it comes to speaking. You said that you looked forward to getting my letters. Well, I did, too. Got so I knew the train schedule like that back of my hand. I’d start looking out for the sound of the train, or the smoke on the horizon. Sometimes there’d be fog, and I’d look so hard only to be fooled. It wasn’t easy waiting for those letters. Waiting for… you.”
    “Oh,” she whispered, a blush spreading from her neck to her face.
     

Chapter Six
     
     
    Rose felt hope battling fear within herself. She wanted to believe Charles’ kind words, but feared he was trying to make the best of a bad situation and also, spare her feelings. Yet, his voice had sounded so gruff and soft at the same time, as though the words were heartfelt.
    “Most evenings, when I don’t have repairs to do, I like to read from the Bible. Would you care to read with me? Perhaps we could read aloud.” At her answering nod, he went to the bookshelf and got his old family Bible, and handed it to her. “Would you like to read something?”
    Her eyes ached horribly but she didn’t want to say anything about it. She closed her eyes and thought of one of her favorite Psalms. It had come into her mind when she was looking out at the hills earlier, feeling as though everything was so new and frightening.
     
    “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
    My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
    He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
    Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
    The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
    The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
    The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
    The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”
     
    Rose opened her eyes after reciting the psalm from memory. “That is one of my favorites. Psalm one hundred and twenty one. I was thinking of it earlier today.”
    “Do you know the whole Bible by heart?” He looked at her with admiration, and she felt her blush returning.
    “No, I’m sure I don’t,” she said shyly. “I also love poetry. Do you?”
    “Can’t say as I know any,” he admitted.
    “Listen,” she said, leaning forward.
     
    “He clasps the crag with crooked hands;

    Close to the sun in lonely lands,

    Ring'd with the azure world, he stands.
    

    The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;

    He watches from his mountain walls,

    And like a thunderbolt he falls.”
     
    Rose recited the words with quiet power. “That’s Tennyson, one of my favorite poets. The Eagle .”
    “Can you say it again?” He listened closely as Rose complied.
    “That’s poetry? I like it,” said Charles. “Reminds me of the Bible, in some parts.”
    “Yes!” Rose nodded. “I think so, too.”
    She asked what they were reading in church. He explained, and as she listened she felt exhaustion overtaking her. As much as she endeavored to keep her eyes open, her eyelids felt heavier and heavier.
    Next thing she knew, she was waking up in her own bed, the sound of a dove close outside her window. This time, she knew just where she was. She knew what day it was, too. It was Sunday. She washed and dressed quickly, putting on her best dress once again. She grimaced, trying to shake out the creases. After buttoning her shoes she stepped out of her room where the enticing aroma of breakfast lured her into the kitchen. She saw that a plate had been left for her. It was at the place on the table that she now considered hers. She poured herself some chicory-laced coffee and sat down to uncover her plate. Corn pone and fluffy scrambled eggs and some tinned