Echoes of the Heart Read Free Page A

Hanford
estate.”
    Overhearing her
father’s gentle words, tears began to sting her eyes while she felt her cheeks
burn.   A knock on the door brought her
upright and hearing her brother’s voice at the door, she cringed.
    Seeing Tom when
the door slowly opened, she hid her face in the pillow, hearing his muffled
footsteps over the thick Persian carpet as he neared the bed.
    “What’s the
matter, Rae?”   He knelt by her bed and
stroked her hair gently.   “Tell me what’s
wrong.”   He had always been a kind
brother, protective when she allowed.
    Wiping her eyes on
the kerchief he offered, she sat to face him.   Her face felt swollen and hot from sobbing out of control.   Tom reached for her and she went into his
arms for comfort and solace.   He had
always been there for her.
    Tears rolled
slowly down her warm cheeks.   “Oh, Tom, I
don’t know what’s happening to me.   I
just feel empty inside”
    “Well, it’s
understandable, Rae.   You will be leaving
the family and I’m sure you will miss them.   I had a little adjusting to do myself.   However, you will have your own family now and you’ll be happy.   It’s the way things should be, you
know.”   He released her and peered into
her watery eyes.
    “You’re probably
right.   I just feel like something is
missing, something vital.   Do you
understand what I mean?”   She dabbed her
eyes with a handkerchief as she spoke.
    “Not
exactly.”   He drew away with a frown.   “Tell me, do you love Chris?”
    “Well...I think I
do.   He is really a good man and will be
a great provider for his family.   Oh, I
don’t know, maybe I’m just crazy.”   Her hands
formed small fists and she dropped them into her lap.
    “I don’t know,
sweetheart.”    A look of concern crossed
his face.   “If you don’t feel like you
love him as a wife should then maybe you should reconsider.”
    “Oh, God, Tom, I
could not embarrass the family, and Christopher would never forgive me.   I’m going through with this.   I made a promise.”   She stood and began pacing, wringing the
handkerchief in her hands while he continued to stare directly at her.
    “Of course, it’s
up to you.   Nevertheless, you know I will
love you no matter what happens.   I
certainly don’t want to see you unhappy for the rest of your life.”   He stood to leave and she rose to give him a
hug.
    “Thanks,
Thomas.   I just needed someone to talk
with.   I feel much better now,
really.”   Hoping she hid her ambivalence,
they walked arm in arm to her door.
    “Okay, I’ll see
you soon and dressed in my finest.”   His
smile warmed her and she watched him walk down the hall toward the staircase.
    On tiptoes, she
crept to the end of the hall to listen to the conversation below.   “Raeden is fine.   She just needs some sleep.   Maybe it would be best to leave her alone
until morning.   I’m sure she will feel
better tomorrow.”
    Grateful Tom had
postponed any further confrontations, she listened quietly while they discussed
her.   She heard Tom’s voice while he
talked to Margaret.   “I think Raeden has
a problem with this marriage,” he confided as he assisted her through the
doorway.   “I sure hope she’s not making a
mistake.”
    When footsteps
echoed across the floor below, she hurried to her room and quietly closed the
door.
    She began to feel
faint and breath came short.   Her room
felt stifling.   Discarding her clothing,
she pulled on a loose-fitting, blue silk nightgown.   It would be a long night.   With all this on her mind, how could she
possibly sleep?   A full moon shown
brightly through her window, a round silver orb casting shadows around the
room, giving her a sense of warmth as she sank into the softness of her thick
featherbed.   The sounds of cicadas in the
trees outside her window temporarily relieved her mind of the emerging
dilemma.   It did not take long however,
for the thoughts to reemerge and she cried