Page 31 of The Preacher's Wife
Sisters.
This was what it felt like to have a genuine family.
Winnie Landry and her husband had donated the roast, but the woman didn’t know how to cook it, so Prudence quickly stepped in and offered to make it. One man had dropped off a basket of root vegetables, which she added in with the roast, and Mr. Jericho had arrived an hour ago with two pitchers of sheep’s milk.
Prudence used some of the milk for her bread pudding and set the rest in the cellar to keep it cold until dinner. Looking at her timepiece, she saw she had enough time to get cleaned up and take care of the task that had been pressing on her mind.
Making her way to the bedroom, she sat down at her husband’s desk and pulled out a piece of paper. The words flowed easily as she wrote what was in her heart. When she was done, she looked over the letter and smiled.
Dear Mrs. Chapman,
I probably should have written sooner, but things in Sterling seem to happen in their own time. It’s one thing I had to get used to.
Time here appears to move differently. Everything is slower and more deliberate.
I wanted to thank you for stopping that day in Boston to speak with me. In hindsight, I probably looked like I was out of my head when I interrupted your conversation with your mother.
I still don’t know if it was my situation or a powerful push from the Lord, but I am thankful. Reverend Fitzgerald and I get along quite well. Though we had our trials in the beginning, the women in town assure me that is a natural part of marriage.
I was right that there was more to faith than walking on eggshells, fearing damnation and hiding myself. I even have a Bible of my own!
I hope you are well, and we would love to have a visit from you. Mrs. Holstead lives here now and sends her regards. She’s become quite the matriarch of this little town and reminds me of my mother often.
There are several men who still do not have brides here, and I have strongly urged them to write to you. Perhaps you’ll be able to find them Godly matches as well.
It’s almost time for services though, and I have written quite a bit more than I intended.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Prudence Fitzgerald
Once the ink was dry, she folded the letter and put it in an envelope, addressing it to Mrs. Ingrid Chapman. She’d have to get the address from Mama Holstead and deliver the letter to the post office in the morning. The low snick of the door pulled her eyes up to her husband entering the room.
“Are you almost ready?” He walked over to the desk.
“I just need to change my dress, and I’ll be right down.” She lifted the envelope to show him the address. “I promised Mrs. Chapman I’d write when I was settled.”
“And you’re feeling settled now?”
“I am.” Dropping the letter on the desk, she stood and slid her arms around her husband’s waist. “I can’t imagine anywhere else I’d rather be.”
“I can’t imagine having you anywhere else.” She felt his lips brush the top of her head. “Everyone is here, so come down when you are ready.”
“I will.” She moved from his arms and watched him walk towards the door. “Hubert?”
“Yes?” He turned and looked at her once more.
She closed the distance in several quick steps and pulled his head down. “I love you,” she murmured, pressing a kiss against his lips.
She could feel his face open in a smile as he pulled her close to deepen their kiss. With a light growl, he lifted his head and kissed the tip of her nose.
“I love you too, wife.” Releasing her, he took a deep breath and opened the door. “You’d better get changed because I don’t want to explain why the reverend and his wife didn’t make it to the celebration dinner.”
Prudence laughed and quickly changed into a clean day dress. She thought about her blessings as she ran a brush through her hair and put it back up in a chignon, leaving a few strands framing her face.
The Lord did answer prayers, and He was the kind Father that Hubert believed in. How else could Prudence explain her new life? She had asked for a loving husband who would protect and cherish her, and the Lord provided. She now had a new family filled with sisters and friends that looked out for each other.
Her heart was so full.
