Before the Dawn (Truly Yours Digital Editions) Read Free Page B

aren’t. You’re doing it for you. You’re too proud for your own good. You want folks to think you’re making a noble sacrifice by not tying Karen to a blind man, but the real truth is you are just plain scared. You’re scared she won’t love you anymore. You’re pushing her away before she has a chance to hurt you. You’re trying to act like you’ve stopped loving her.” He paused. “Have you? Stopped loving her, I mean?”
    Trust Sam to ferret out David’s deepest fears and pull them out for casual inspection. “You know I still love her. I’ve loved her since the moment I first saw her. I will always love her. That’s why I have to break the engagement. I love her too much to tie her to a cripple.” A giant fist grabbed his heart and squeezed until he couldn’t breathe, trapping him as effectively as the cave-in.
    “Don’t you think Karen should be the one to decide what she wants? I’m not saying it would be easy, and I’m not saying things won’t be different than you’ve planned, but you’re not even going to try? I want to know why.”
    “I won’t be the object of her pity. One would think, after all we’ve been through, that my own family would support me in this decision. I was foolish enough to mention Frank and Bernice to Father, and he still can’t bring himself to talk about them. He shut me down.”
    Sam emitted a low whistle. “That was either brave or stupid, or both. You’re lucky he didn’t punch you. Anyway, you’re not comparing Karen to Bernice, are you? That’d be plain foolish.”
    David rose on stiff legs. “You’re meddling in something that is none of your business. I’ve made my choice. I’d like you to leave now.”
    “Running me off won’t change anything. You’re scared, and you’re shoving people aside before they have a chance to reject you or make you feel less of a man.” Sam’s words hammered like a rock drill, hitting places so raw and fragile it took David’s breath away. “You’re afraid you’re not man enough to marry Karen and let her love you.” The chair creaked, and Sam’s voice came from higher up. “Don’t throw away everything you have with Karen. She still loves you. She can help you through this. We’d all like to help.”
    “I don’t want to need your help. Can’t you understand that?” David flung wide his arm, lost his balance, and toppled. He crashed into a marble-topped table, hit the glass lamp standing on it, and sent it to the floor. The smell of kerosene enveloped him just before his head hit the rug, exploding bright, white stars in his brain.
    “David?” Sam’s hands reached for him. “Are you all right?”
    David shoved aside his brother’s help. Sharp pain stabbed up his broken arm. Gasping for breath, he held his good hand to his head. “Just leave me alone. Why don’t you just get out of here?”
    ❧
    Karen jumped when the lamp broke, covering her mouth and gripping the edge of the study door.
    Sam motioned her to be quiet. “At least let me help you get up. You don’t want to cut yourself on this glass.”
    When David stood upright, cradling his injured arm to his middle, Karen exhaled and bit her lip.
    Sam brushed at David’s clothes, until David shoved his hand away. “Go away, Sam.”
    Karen jumped when someone touched her arm. Buckford stood at her elbow. She drew him away from the door to whisper, “A lamp got broken.”
    “I’ll see to it.”
    Sam edged through the doorway, glanced at Buckford’s retreating back, and then met Karen’s eyes. Everything she’d overheard watered her parched heart. Tears blurred her vision, and pain, sweet and sharp, flowed through her chest.
    David still loved her.
    She swung from hope to despair. What good did his still loving her do if he remained adamant about not marrying her? And who were Frank and Bernice, and why hadn’t she heard of them before?
    All through dinner—at which David did not make an appearance—she played the what-if game. What