Free The Visitor by Lori Wick Page B

hold her baby in such a way.
    “I’m going to send Catherine out with Sophie now so we can visit.”
    “Thank you for bringing her, Mari. It’s done my heart such good.”
    Marianne wasted no time in handing the baby off to her nanny and returning to give Anne her undivided attention. She watched Anne’s gaze as it followed the baby all the way out the door, her own heart asking God to give Anne and Weston a child of their own.

     
    Pembroke
    Cassandra arrived to read in the afternoon. She and Mr Tate had finished DeMitri’s Pomario, and were now taking time each day to read the newspaper, something they both enjoyed. She walked to the library in the usual way and began at once. Tate, however, stopped her in less then five minutes.
    “Are you feeling all right today, Cassandra?”
    “Yes, thank you. Are you all right?”
    “Are you certain?” he asked, ignoring the question she had posed to him.
    “Yes.”
    Tate sat quietly, his head turned in the usual way, his right ear toward her.
    “Shall I go on?”
    “No.”
    Cassandra didn’t expect this and for a moment wasn’t sure what to do.
    “I think maybe I should leave,” she concluded and began to stand.
    “Has something happened? Are you troubled about something?”
    Cassandra sat back.
    “How did you know I was troubled?”
    “Your voice.”
    “What does it sound like?”
    “It’s deeper than usual.”
    Cassandra said nothing to this, so Tate went on.
    “I get the impression you’ve been crying.”
    Cassandra drew in a sharp breath.
    “Cassandra, what is it?”
    “I can’t do this.” Her voice had taken on a breathless quality. “You need to be resting. This is not why I come.”
    Tate could tell she was on her feet.
    “Please don’t go,” he begged her, scooting forward in his seat, wishing he could see where she was. “Please stay, Cassandra. We won’t speak of it if you don’t care to.”
    Tate heard her sniff, glad she was still in the room.
    “Are you there?” he asked gently.
    “Yes.”
    “Come and sit down.” Tate sat back in his chair. “We’ll just sit for a time.”
    Cassandra thought how unfair it would be to leave when she was upset. That would not be restful for either of them and would make for awkwardness the next time she came. She returned to her seat but did not reach for the paper.
    “Do you think you remember the two verses from Psalm 117?”
    “I think so.”
    “Good. Sometimes when the darkness crowds close to me in a way that’s almost frightening, I start reciting verses to myself. It’s a huge help to remember how big my God is.”
    “I can see how that would be. I do remember verses, just not as perfectly as you do.”
    “I think anything that reminds us of what God has to say on a matter is helpful. What do you think?”
    “I think I need to remember that today.”
    Tate was quiet for a moment.
    “I need to say something, Cassandra, and I hope you’ll hear me out.”
    “I will, yes.”
    “If I’ve done something to upset you, I can’t rest. No matter what effect it has on my health, you need to confront me. But even if I haven’t caused an upset for you, you may speak to me. I’m not that fragile.” Tate smiled a little. “I won’t even be able to see if you blush.”
    Cassandra laughed a bit and felt herself relaxing.
    “I had to meet with someone today concerning a situation that’s painful for me. Had I known that it would have showed in my voice, I would not have come and put that burden on you.”
    “Was there resolution in the matter?”
    “No. Steps will now be taken, but the outcome is a mystery.”
    “And your heart is involved.”
    “Yes.”
    “That’s the most painful type, isn’t it?”
    “That’s certainly true.”
    “Is the situation something that you must resolve, or did you have to leave that to someone else?”
    Harriet chose that moment to walk past the library door. She glanced in but came to a complete halt when she saw that Cassandra wasn’t