Free Rumors and Promises by Kathleen Rouser Page A

ceremony.
Why on earth was he thinking this way?
He shook himself from his odd reverie. They needed to get to work.
    “Warmed up a bit?” he asked.
    “I think so.” Sophie sighed and pushed a wayward curl back from her pretty face. “It’s probably time for me to familiarize myself with the church piano and the hymns you’ve chosen.”
    “Let me take your shawl.” Ian reached to take it from her.
    Sophie pulled the seat away from the instrument. With grace, she sat up straight and arranged the folds of her patched gray skirt like an aristocratic lady. He saw class in her, yet not a bit of haughtiness or arrogance.
    “It’s not a Bidershem, but it’s decent.” He probably sounded more apologetic than he needed.
    Her cheeks tinged with pink, and she looked as though she was concentrating on the hymnal in her hands, frowning for a moment. “I’m sure it’s a fine piano.”
    When Ian handed Sophie a list of hymns, her fingers brushed his. She pulled her hand back rather quickly. It was all he could do to not hold the roughened appendage in his own, transferring a message that he wanted to protect her from whatever fear held her captive.
    Why did this accidental touch catch him off guard? Somehow, when he grasped her hand between both of his own a few minutes earlier, his concentration was spent on making her feel comfortable. Yet now, Ian could barely focus on the list in front of him.
    “Do you mind if I play a few familiar pieces first?”
    “Take your time. I’ll be right here in the building if you have any questions. I need to give my nephew a bit of direction.”
    Ian turned and walked toward Philip. Her masterful use of the chords in each hymn filled his ears. His heart swelled with worship.
    “Let’s find a bucket and clean these windows to a shine.” He loved the colorful stained glass, especially when the sun shonethrough in all its glory. When spring arrived, they would be ready to receive back the winter shut-ins.
    After they pumped water into the bucket and he found a piece of chamois in the closet, they returned to the sanctuary. Ian had to stop for a moment, inhaling sharply at a beautiful sight. A rare bit of winter sun poured through the window behind Sophie and bathed her in a brilliant glow, transforming her from a helpless girl to an ethereal angel. Why hadn’t he noticed this before? Or maybe he had but wasn’t willing to admit it to himself. She wasn’t just a second chance to do justice to someone like Annie but someone he wanted to watch over.
    Ian couldn’t pull his gaze from her freckled face, framed by chestnut curls. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders. A small cleft in her chin sat below the full pink lips that she pushed together as she seemed absorbed by her task. Her hands moved with such gracefulness upon the keyboard.
    The yearning in his heart had grown beyond compassion. He blinked and swallowed. Why, this had to be the desire to protect her—that was all—and an appreciation for the beauty that God had created in her. Wasn’t it? He had to get control of such feelings. He knew so little about her, and his duty was to care for her soul, first and foremost, to earn the right to shepherd her.
    The question was how best to help her and the child. One moment, she projected an independent spirit. Yet, when she’d fainted in his arms, he’d observed a vulnerable young woman. Independence he could deal with by helping her find ways to supplement the pittance she earned from Esther, but beauty and vulnerability were dangerous territories. Ian had a calling to fulfill before he got entangled in any woman’s life, or more likely, his heart became ensnared by hers.
    She stopped playing and looked up. Their gazes locked. “I’ll start on your list now, Reverend.”

    When Sophie caught Ian’s expression, she saw an intensity that hadn’t been there before. Her heart palpitated as she became lost in the pools of his aqua eyes. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he cleared