Read Online Tenacious Love (Banished Saga, Book Four): Banished Saga, Book Four by Ramona Flightner - Free Book Online
Authors: Ramona Flightner
Ads: Link
Vaughan and Bouchard. “That is the best part about no longer working in the library. Not having to deal with them. Not having to maneuver around their backward plans nor manipulate them.”
“I think Pester could use a friend. The sisters are throwin’ their weight around.” He shared an amused glance with Clarissa.
“Which is considerable,” she muttered, causing A.J. to laugh.
Mr. A.J. pushed away his bowl and gave a dramatic sniff. “Can I have my pie now?”
She giggled, her irritated mood lifting. She brought over a piece of cherry pie for him, and he sighed with appreciation. “Ah, perfection.” His eyes, now somber, met her gaze. “Why’d ye come by today, Missy?”
“I’m traveling to Butte tomorrow with Savannah. I wanted to visit with you before we left. I’ve barely seen you since I returned from Washington, DC.”
“Runnin’ away again?” He smacked his lips, either with delight at the delicious pie or with disgust at her upcoming travels.
Clarissa shook her head and closed her eyes.
“No peace with that man o’ yours?”
She stilled and shook her head again. “No, no peace. He ran away from me when I tried to talk with him recently.”
“When ye ambushed him,” Mr. A.J. said with a grunt.
She blushed and nodded.
“Missy, after all this time, ye gotta learn that men don’t like bein’ pushed.”
She sighed but was unable to prevent a tear from leaking out. “I don’t know what to do,” she whispered. “I’m filled with such anger at him, and yet I miss him.” She gave a mirthless bark of laughter. “Which is ironic because we live in the same house.”
Mr. A.J. held out a gnarled hand to her, gripping her fingers as tightly as he could although unable to hide a grimace of pain at his action. “I never was blessed with children. I have no idea how ye feel,.” He gave her hand a slight squeeze before letting go. “But I can’t imagine holdin’ yer pain to ye like a shield will make anythin’ better.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I don’t know what to do.” She lowered her head as a few more tears trickled free. “I’m afraid, if I don’t have my anger, if I can’t blame Gabriel, that I’ll have nothing.”
Mr. A.J. traced away her tears on one cheek, the skin of his fingers almost as soft as a baby’s. “Ye have to decide that replacin’ the anger with forgiveness, understandin’ an’ love is worth the pain of finally mournin’ what ye lost.”
* * *
O n their arrival in Butte , Clarissa searched the platform for Jedediah Maloney but failed to see him. It had been twelve years since she’d been in Butte, but she’d hoped to see his familiar face. They instructed their porter to bring their trunks to the Finlen Hotel and boarded a streetcar.
“We could hire a cab,” Savannah said.
“I know, but this was how I first traveled in Butte when I fled Boston, hoping to reunite with Gabriel. I’m feeling nostalgic.”
Savannah squeezed her hand as she recalled the letter Clarissa had written, describing her journey to Butte all those years ago, only to find Gabriel had moved. “I just wish you would tell me why we had to travel to Butte today of all days. The real reason.”
Clarissa shook her head, unable to hide a smile. When she met Savannah’s gaze, she saw her arrested, shocked expression. “What?” Clarissa asked.
“For an instant, you looked happy. Like the old Rissa. And it made me sad.”
“Sad?”
“Because I know the happy Rissa is fleeting and the new Rissa will be back soon.” Sav sniffled and turned away, staring out the window as the streetcar trudged up a steep hill. “I always forget how ugly it is here.”
The streetcar passed rows of brick multistoried buildings, the late-season snow covered in a fine covering of gray coal dust. The gallow frames in the distance dotted the horizon, while ash and coal spewed into the sky from tall smokestacks. The only flashes of color were on the signs painted on the sides of
“I think Pester could use a friend. The sisters are throwin’ their weight around.” He shared an amused glance with Clarissa.
“Which is considerable,” she muttered, causing A.J. to laugh.
Mr. A.J. pushed away his bowl and gave a dramatic sniff. “Can I have my pie now?”
She giggled, her irritated mood lifting. She brought over a piece of cherry pie for him, and he sighed with appreciation. “Ah, perfection.” His eyes, now somber, met her gaze. “Why’d ye come by today, Missy?”
“I’m traveling to Butte tomorrow with Savannah. I wanted to visit with you before we left. I’ve barely seen you since I returned from Washington, DC.”
“Runnin’ away again?” He smacked his lips, either with delight at the delicious pie or with disgust at her upcoming travels.
Clarissa shook her head and closed her eyes.
“No peace with that man o’ yours?”
She stilled and shook her head again. “No, no peace. He ran away from me when I tried to talk with him recently.”
“When ye ambushed him,” Mr. A.J. said with a grunt.
She blushed and nodded.
“Missy, after all this time, ye gotta learn that men don’t like bein’ pushed.”
She sighed but was unable to prevent a tear from leaking out. “I don’t know what to do,” she whispered. “I’m filled with such anger at him, and yet I miss him.” She gave a mirthless bark of laughter. “Which is ironic because we live in the same house.”
Mr. A.J. held out a gnarled hand to her, gripping her fingers as tightly as he could although unable to hide a grimace of pain at his action. “I never was blessed with children. I have no idea how ye feel,.” He gave her hand a slight squeeze before letting go. “But I can’t imagine holdin’ yer pain to ye like a shield will make anythin’ better.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I don’t know what to do.” She lowered her head as a few more tears trickled free. “I’m afraid, if I don’t have my anger, if I can’t blame Gabriel, that I’ll have nothing.”
Mr. A.J. traced away her tears on one cheek, the skin of his fingers almost as soft as a baby’s. “Ye have to decide that replacin’ the anger with forgiveness, understandin’ an’ love is worth the pain of finally mournin’ what ye lost.”
* * *
O n their arrival in Butte , Clarissa searched the platform for Jedediah Maloney but failed to see him. It had been twelve years since she’d been in Butte, but she’d hoped to see his familiar face. They instructed their porter to bring their trunks to the Finlen Hotel and boarded a streetcar.
“We could hire a cab,” Savannah said.
“I know, but this was how I first traveled in Butte when I fled Boston, hoping to reunite with Gabriel. I’m feeling nostalgic.”
Savannah squeezed her hand as she recalled the letter Clarissa had written, describing her journey to Butte all those years ago, only to find Gabriel had moved. “I just wish you would tell me why we had to travel to Butte today of all days. The real reason.”
Clarissa shook her head, unable to hide a smile. When she met Savannah’s gaze, she saw her arrested, shocked expression. “What?” Clarissa asked.
“For an instant, you looked happy. Like the old Rissa. And it made me sad.”
“Sad?”
“Because I know the happy Rissa is fleeting and the new Rissa will be back soon.” Sav sniffled and turned away, staring out the window as the streetcar trudged up a steep hill. “I always forget how ugly it is here.”
The streetcar passed rows of brick multistoried buildings, the late-season snow covered in a fine covering of gray coal dust. The gallow frames in the distance dotted the horizon, while ash and coal spewed into the sky from tall smokestacks. The only flashes of color were on the signs painted on the sides of
Similar Books
