Sarah Anne's Faithful Friends (Unshakable Faith Book 4) Read online

  “That makes two of us,” Sarah chuckled. “But to look at this, one would never guess. It is just wonderful,” she responded while continuing to study the quilt.

  Daniel came in then and found his two favorite ladies having a marvelous time together. Sarah stayed a few minutes longer before slipping out, leaving the couple alone.

  After making her way to her bedchamber, she gathered up her Bible and a small lap quilt. She then headed to the old, familiar bench under the lovely shade tree, which was nearly in full bloom. From there, she listened to the flowing water in the stream a few yards away. If anyone inquired as to her favorite place on the earth, she would surely say it was where she was presently sitting.

  With the wind blowing through her hair, Sarah was reminded of another windy day, the day Alexander found her in that very spot. She had been gone from home for many months. Following an attack by Matthew Raymond, she learned that she was with child. When Alexander discovered her whereabouts, he came for her and made known his deep love for her and the child—whom he assured he intended to raise as his very own. She recalled how stunned she had been that he would accept her child as his own.

  All of a sudden, Matthew Raymond’s fierce face flashed before her. Sarah shivered at the thought of the despicable man who had not only forced himself upon her, but had also caused the death of her child when she gave birth prematurely. As if to rescue her from the dreadful image, Alexander came to mind. She then thought about how terrible her husband had felt for leading the despicable man straight to her. He had learned, after his arrival, that Matthew Raymond had followed him from Amesbury to Boston.

  Glancing over at the trees along the edge of the yard, she recalled Matthew Raymond hiding there watching her with her husband. At this remembrance, the comforting images of Alexander and the peace she had always felt while sitting on this particular bench suddenly slipped away. Unable to shake off the memory of that day, she envisioned her captor creeping up behind her while she was alone on the bench, after Alexander had gone into the house. She could almost feel his rough grasp as she thought about how he seized her for a second time.

  Tightly closing her eyes, Sarah attempted to push the images from her mind. But try as she might, they continued. She saw herself falling out of the back of her captor’s wagon. She could almost feel the pains that began soon after the fall. Her mind then carried her to the room in which her son was born and, shortly after, died. By this time, she felt wetness on her cheeks.

  A feeling of deep sadness settled over her, making it difficult to remain where she was. She decided not to give in to her grief, as it had a tendency to be all consuming. Reading from the Psalms had always served to lighten her mood thus she thumbed through her Bible until she came to where she had last read. After a time, she felt a calmness pervade her being. Growing tired now, she leaned back against the bench and closed her eyes, allowing the few rays of sun that were peeking through the greenery from the shade tree to warm her face.

  While peering out the window, Daniel observed Sarah resting in her favorite spot. At the sight of her, his thoughts went to a similar place as Sarah’s had only moments before. He recalled what had happened the last time she was on that very bench—Alexander speaking with her for the first time in months, and Matthew Raymond abducting her for a second time. As he stood there, his heart ached over all that his young friend had suffered. How one so small and delicate could have so much courage, I shall never know. It had to be in God’s strength that she endured it all. There truly is no other source for that kind of fortitude. “Lord, help her stretch here to be a time of healing, as it was once before.”

  Chapter 3

  The Thompson boys worked alongside Sarah in their mother’s garden for most of the day, weeding and planting. Sarah felt that in doing this, the house would remain quiet for the boys’ mother to rest. She had also reasoned that it might relieve her friend’s mind that her garden was being tended. Just as she was about to go in, Mr. Hoyt called out to her. Hastening in to see what he needed, she found that Joanna’s pains had begun.

  “We came none too soon, Sarah. Here it is only the third day since our arrival, and already the birth of my third grandchild is upon us.”

  Sarah smiled at the delight in her elderly friend’s eyes.

  Late in the day, Daniel came home to find that Joanna’s labor had been going on for some time. Sarah informed him that if he had been much longer, she would have sent Mr. Hoyt to fetch him. His wife had insisted that there was plenty of time, knowing the visit he had to make that day was necessary. With their boys, her labor had been quite long. Unbeknownst to him, however, as the hours passed, Joanna had begun to grow a little restless, sensing that something was different than the other two times. Her heart was beating so fast that she felt short of breath.

  Daniel and Sarah kept vigil throughout the night, both hoping the child would come before daybreak; however, as the sun peeked through the window the following morning, an exhausted Joanna—still with child—seemed to be struggling for every breath. Daniel was concerned that something was dreadfully wrong. He recalled that ever since she had been ill with a high fever a few months earlier, she seemed to tire easily. He had hoped it was merely the fact that she was with child. He had seen instances where, after just such an illness, the person suffered from a weakened heart, often permanently.

  A few hours later, his concerns were validated when his wife began to have pains, not only what was normal for birthing a baby, but discomfort in the region of her chest and left arm as well. Once she finally brought forth the child, the physician-husband’s heart sank when he realized the baby had died. The umbilical cord was tightly wound around her tiny neck. He may have been able to save her had the delivery not taken so long, but there was nothing he could do now.

  His wife, very weak, with tears streaming down her cheeks, held out trembling hands to him. She wanted the child placed next to her. As Daniel studied his wife, he saw that her lips appeared a bluish color and she could scarcely talk or even breathe.

  Sarah had slipped out the moment she realized the child was gone. Though her concern for her friend persisted, she knew the couple needed to be alone with the lifeless child. And at the remembrance of her own baby, she could not manage another moment in that room. It was all too reminiscent of what she had suffered.

  As she closed the door behind her, the tears began to flow. She remained on the other side of the door to take a moment to pray for her friends. She then made her way to the parlor to be with Joanna’s father and boys, hoping they would not ask about the baby, for she had no intention of revealing that the little girl had died. It wasn’t her place. She would also keep her concerns for Joanna to herself.

  In Daniel and Joanna’s bedchamber, Daniel struggled to save the life of his beloved wife. As he prayed, he heard Joanna’s faint voice whispering to him. She told him what she suspected, that she was dying, and that she wanted to discuss her family’s future with him. He knew once she revealed what was on her mind, she would then allow herself to grieve the loss of their child, whom they both believed she would soon follow.

  “Daniel, if…I pass from this life—” Joanna had to catch her breath before she could continue.

  Barely able to hear his wife, her voice was so weak, Daniel strained to listen. He needed to stay focused on what he was doing, but he also wanted to know what his wife had to say. “Joanna, I am listening, my love.”

  “There is something I want you to know before it is—” With great difficulty, she continued, “too late.”

  “What are you trying to say, Joanna?”

  Looking intently at her husband, her voice faint, Joanna said, “Daniel…I want you to consider…taking Sarah as your wife. The boys will need a mother. Sarah loves them deeply, and they…her. I know she will,” continuing to struggle for air, she went on, “take great care of them. And you shall also need a—”

  Joanna then fell silent. Daniel noticed her head had fallen against the pill
ow and her eyes were fixed as though observing something above her, but of course she was not able to see a thing. She was gone. Grabbing her wrist, he checked for a pulse. Finding none, he attempted to revive her. When he realized there was nothing he could do, he leaned his head on her chest and wept. His wife and baby daughter had passed in the space of less than an hour.

  In the parlor, both Sarah and Mr. Hoyt thought they heard Daniel weeping. Mr. Hoyt tilted his head toward the doorway for Sarah to take the boys out.

  With tears in her eyes, she complied, not knowing if it was for the baby alone that Daniel wept, or if something had happened to Joanna as well. After what she had seen while she was still in with her friend, she thought it was a real possibility they had lost them both. She had never seen anyone with lips as blue as Joanna’s, who also seemed to be having trouble breathing.

  Once they had made their way out, the boys questioned Sarah. Having heard their father crying, they wondered what was happening in their parents’ room. They were very frightened and in need of comfort. Sarah walked them toward the bench at the far end of the yard. The last time she had been seated there, she had been overcome with dreadful memories. She would not allow that to happen today. Taking a deep breath, Sarah continued to guide Dan and Joseph to the bench, where they then seated themselves on either side of her. Grasping their hands, she began to pray.

  After a time, Mr. Hoyt, with red eyes, came out to fetch his grandsons and Sarah. With one look at her elderly friend’s face, Sarah knew that, just as the baby had, Joanna had died. At least she was fairly certain that was what had happened. In confirmation of her questioning expression, Mr. Hoyt slowly nodded his head. After taking a quick glance at Joanna’s sons, Sarah closed her eyes, wanting to shut out the truth of the situation. She knew the pain the boys would experience when they learned what had happened to their mother.

  Chapter 4

  It had been a week since Daniel lost his wife and daughter. He had shared with his father-in-law the last conversation he would ever have with his wife; consequently, without revealing the reason for his request, his father-in-law had asked Sarah to remain in Boston for a while, knowing that if she returned home, Joanna’s dying wish would likely never happen. Although his father-in-law, as with everyone else, was still in shock over what had happened, he had clearly understood his daughter’s concern for her family, knowing that she would not be there to look after them. He told Daniel that if he had anything to say about it, he would make certain her last wish was fulfilled.

  Daniel, on the other hand, had no intention of following through with what Joanna had requested. His wife had only been gone a week. He couldn’t fathom taking another wife at this point, or ever for that matter.

  Furthermore, if he were to marry Sarah Swyndhurst simply to honor his wife’s wish for their sons to have a mother, he would be putting the young woman in another marriage that was merely for convenience. He could not bring himself to do that to her. She had already had a marriage of that nature with Alexander—at least it was at the start. Sarah had once informed him that she and Alexander had wed to honor her father’s last request, not for love. Oh, he knew that the couple had come to love each other deeply, but that would certainly not happen with them, of that he was sure. Joanna had been his one and only, and Sarah was much the same as a little sister to him.

  Sarah had been helping out with the cooking and cleaning for the Thompson men and Mr. Hoyt. Though her heart was breaking over the loss of her friend and the Thompsons’ baby, she had pushed all of that aside to be there for Joanna’s family. She knew she could not stay forever, but until Mr. Hoyt was prepared to leave, she would continue looking after everyone. She had also been thinking about how lonely she would be when she returned home. When she was last in Amesbury, she had been able to correspond with Joanna by way of missives. Her friend was gone now. When she returned to Amesbury, she would not be coming back. It wouldn’t be appropriate to pay the Thompsons a visit without Joanna there. With all of this in mind, she was in no hurry to go.

  ◊◊◊

  Daniel was grateful Sarah had stayed on for a time looking after things. Since that terrible day, he had not been much good for anything, other than going out on house calls. His father-in-law had not pressed him with regard to fulfilling Joanna’s wish that he marry Sarah, but Daniel knew Joseph thought it was a good plan. Whenever he had observed his sons clinging to Sarah, he wavered a little with regard to the marriage idea, wondering how they were going to manage without her; nonetheless, he knew he had to prepare himself and his sons, for she would not be staying on much longer. His father-in-law had mentioned remaining for only a few more weeks. When the time came for the older man to go, Sarah would be returning with him to Amesbury.

  ◊◊◊

  A month had passed without alteration. Sarah and Mr. Hoyt were still at the Thompson home looking after things. The distraught physician continued to do little more than see to the needs of the townsfolk.

  Daniel had not pressed church attendance with his sons so upset over the loss of their mother, given that he was in much the same state, but he knew it was time they resumed their attendance. He had also struggled with the idea of going for the reason that there would likely be well meaning people coming up to speak with him about Joanna and the baby. He was not prepared for that. Truth be told, he probably never would be; nonetheless, he and his sons could not stay away from church forever.

  The next Lord’s Day, with his sons, Sarah and Mr. Hoyt in tow, Daniel set off for church. Designated seating had recently eased. People now sat wherever they wished. Upon their arrival, Daniel made his way to the far end of a bench. His sons followed. Mr. Hoyt then ushered Sarah in and took a seat next to her on the opposite end of the bench from his son-in-law.

  Sensing that many eyes were fixed upon her, Sarah felt uneasy. She had also heard whispers she knew were about her, given that a couple of women actually pointed in her direction. At the end of the service, she couldn’t get out of there fast enough. On her way out, she overheard one woman say that she was trying to win the good physician, and this with his wife’s body scarcely in the ground; as a result, Sarah nearly ran to the wagon.

  Mr. Hoyt had also heard what the woman had said about Sarah. As he watched her sitting stiffly in the wagon on the trip home, he knew he had to share what was on his mind with his son-in-law, as well as what he and, he was quite certain, Sarah had overheard.

  As soon as they had arrived at home, Sarah alighted from the wagon and went directly to her bedchamber. She had already prepared the food for the family’s afternoon meal. Knowing they could manage serving themselves, she remained in her room. When Mr. Hoyt knocked on the door for her to come and eat with them, she declined—stating that she was not feeling well. Reluctantly, the elderly gentleman left her to herself and returned to the kitchen.

  Once the meal was over, the boys went to the barn to set about doing their chores. While Mr. Hoyt and Daniel were alone, the older man explained what had happened at church. Daniel felt terrible. He had been wondering why Sarah seemed rather quiet on the ride home. After hearing this, he could not blame her.

  Mr. Hoyt decided it was time to discuss the matter of the marriage between his son-in-law and Sarah. Daniel quietly listened as Joseph made a case for going along with Joanna’s wish. From the start, the grief-stricken man had decided against it. He reasoned with himself that Joanna could not have known what she was asking. But after listening to his father-in-law, he was seriously considering it. What could be so terrible? We would go on as we have been—just friends, living under the same roof with her caring for the boys and the home. Having Sarah here would be the best thing for the boys. And it would break their hearts if she were to leave. And she has no one to go home to, other than her servants.

  After mulling it over, Daniel told Mr. Hoyt he would think on it awhile longer before making a decision. He was astonished at himself for even considering the arrangement.

  Mr. Hoyt warned that
he not wait too long, for he had a feeling that after what had happened at the church, Sarah would want to return home very soon.

  Chapter 5

  Following his conversation with his father-in-law, Daniel had difficulty sleeping as he pondered the idea of wedding Sarah and how he would go about asking her. Additionally, since his wife’s passing, he hadn’t as yet grown accustomed to sleeping alone. After making his way to the kitchen, lamp in hand, he caught a glimpse of something, or someone, moving in the shadows by the window. Lifting the lantern higher so he could see more clearly, he found that it was Sarah.

  “Sarah, what are you doing up at this hour? Were you having trouble sleeping?” he inquired with concern. He then observed her head quickly turn away from the glow of the lantern, but not before catching a glimpse of tears spilling from her eyes.

  As she stared out the window at the moonlit yard, she softly replied, “Yes, just a bit. I didn’t mean to wake you.” Unaware that he had already detected that she had been crying, as she spoke she surreptitiously wiped her tears on her sleeve, hoping to dry her face before he noticed. She was up trying to think of the best way to let the boys and Daniel know that she needed to go home. Her heart felt so heavy at the thought of leaving, she had been sobbing for some time now. The Thompsons were like family. With the passing of her friend, her connection to the Thompsons had come to an end.

  “Let us sit awhile.” Moving towards her, he gently took hold of her arm and directed her over to the table. When they had each taken a seat, he grasped her hand. “What is it, Sarah?”

  Hoping to maintain her composure, she cleared her throat before responding. “Daniel, I need to go home. I feel terrible leaving the boys, but it cannot be helped. My being here is bringing shame upon us both.” Not wanting to bring up that it was no longer appropriate for her to be there with Joanna gone, in particular with gossips everywhere, she merely said, “In the circumstances, it is best that I take my leave as soon as possible. What is more, I shall not be returning. I hope that whenever you are in Amesbury to visit Mr. Hoyt, you will bring the boys to see me.”