Two weeks passed before things began to happen again. A week ago, Hannah had insisted that she get up from bed, saying that she wasn't any use to the Howards there. She insisted that she help Anne behind the counter, giving her solemn vow not to do more than she was able. Of course she lied. It was the only way to be able to do anything. Anne's mother was a kind soul, but she worried all together too much, Hannah thought. Finally at the end of the week, Hannah eyed Anne's father and his men as they loaded a wagon. She walked up to Anne's bedroom and knocked gently. After obtaining permission, Hannah walked in quietly. The sight in front of her surprised her.
Anne stood in front of a mirror, tieing a delicate silver-cloth choker around her neck. Her dress was also of silver, but in different light changed to a shimmering light blue. It was a stunning dress and it was accentuated by Anne's hair, which was done up in curls. Anne turned around to face Hannah, her eyes shining. "Well, what do you think?" She asked, a smile on her blushing face. Hannah cocked her head to the side and nodded. "It's beautiful. But I don't understand. Here you are, dressed for a ball, and your father and some others are loading a wagon full of supplies. I don't understand Anne." Anne squealed excitedly, surprising Hannah. "What in the world? Aren't you grown up now that you've outgrown squalling like a pig?" Hannah asked. Anne rushed up to her, her face flushed and her smile stretched wide. "Oh Hannah! I'm going to be married!" She said excitedly.
Hannah smiled and placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Congratulations! Is it that one boy from the butcher shop? Adam Bishop? He's a nice boy." Hannah said. Anne laughed. "No! Gabriel! I'm going to marry Gabriel!" Hannah started and took a step backwards. "But how can you do that Anne? You don't even know where he is. No one does. He hasn't sent any letters with even clue." Anne blushed deep red and her smile faded. "Well, actually. I do know where he is." Hannah gazed at her intently. "And there have been letters." Hannah's face paled and her eyes flashed. "Then how is it that I know nothing, while you know everything?" She asked, her voice taut and unfeeling. "Oh Hannah! Gabriel and Benjamin and the children are at Gullah Island! They've been there all this time! I told Gabriel what happened to you and he didn't want to bother you." Anne said, her words rushing out like a flood.
Hannah's blue eyes narrowed. "He didn't want to bother me? I thought he could have been lying somewhere dead! He, oh, he, they've been there all along? So we're going to this place that I didn't even know they were at, to celebrate a wedding that I didn't even know was going to exist, you expect me to be excited?" Hannah seethed as she paced the room angrily. Anne looked at her uneasily. "I'd hope that you were excited. You are my friend." Hannah ceased pacing and looked at Anne. "I will go, make no mistake. But that doesn't change my anger for being kept in the dark all this time." Hannah walked out of the room quietly, leaving Anne alone to finish preparing.
Hannah didn't speak at all during the whole trip to the island. She merely took in her surroundings. Anne didn't speak either, but the glow in her eyes was unmistakable. There was nothing that could upset her. She was going to be married. It was this glow that made Hannah turn away and gaze intently on the forests around them so that her own tears would not fall. "There it is. Gullah Island. I think I see Benjamin." Mr. Howard proclaimed as they pulled along the rocky beach. At that Hannah turned from the side of the wagon and squinted her eyes. There sitting on a rock beside the seashore were Gabriel and Benjamin. They were watching them, she could tell. Mr. Howard stopped the wagon a moment to secure a package in the front, Hannah leaped from the wagon and began to sprint along the seashore. The rocks pierced her delicate slippers but she didn't care, she kept running, running for what she had been longing to see forever and a day.
It was Gabriel who stood and Benjamin who began to half run, half walk to meet her. Hannah fell nearly at Benjamin's feet, but picked herself up and dusted the sand off her hands. Benjamin stood in front of her, his smile tentative, as if he was unsure of what to do or say or how to react. It was then that Hannah remembered the letter he had sent. She lifted her eyes to his blue ones and smiled. "Don't feel sorry or uneasy about the letter. I'm glad you told me." She whispered. Benjamin smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder. Hannah ignored his hand and instead rushed into him, embracing him hard. Benjamin's hands slowly came around her in an embrace and as her tears began to fall, he began to rock her gently.
She had missed the children, she had missed Gabriel, but most of all she had missed the touch that only a parent could give. She had been neglected for so long and to feel a man who was a father hold her gently, it was a feeling that Hannah welcomed with open arms. As he rocked her back and forth, she remembered the times her father used to do the same when she was worried or frightened. It was during these times that Hannah felt that strength and comfort flowed from her father's loving hands. It was the same now. Benjamin was not speaking with words, but with the love of a parent. That was a language that was native to Hannah and all children. It was a language she understood and had longed for for so long.
She finally drew away and smiled a teary smile. She saw Gabriel behind Benjamin looking at her eagerly and at the same time with a look of uncertainty. Anne was talking to him, most likely telling her of Hannah's displeasure and that was what had caused his uncertainty. Anne drew away from Gabriel and walked away with her mother as Hannah approached Gabriel. "Hello Gabriel. You are well?" She asked, thinking herself sounding stiff and unfeeling. Gabriel repressed his excitement at her stern tone and spoke simply. "Very well thank you. I'm glad you could come. Are you well?" He asked. "I am. The bullet in my shoulder is long gone and it only hurts at times." She replied casually. "That's good." There was silence between them for a long time. During this time Gabriel would sneak glances at Hannah's face, and she would do the same.
"I apologize for not sending you any letters or anything. I thought they would upset you." Gabriel blurted out all of a sudden. Hannah looked up sharply. "They wouldn't have upset me they would have set my mind at ease. I would have been glad to hear of where you were and if you were well no matter what my condition. Don't ever do such a thing again!" She said. Gabriel nodded. "I won't I promise. Am I forgiven?" Hannah finally smiled. "You are forgiven ten times over. I didn't come here to dampen your wedding. Congratulations." She said, her eyes twinkling. Gabriel grinned and crooked his arm. Hannah took it gladly and he led her to the center of the village.
When they reached it, Hannah stopped midstride. On the sandy ground with a few colored children, were Nathan, Samuel, Margaret, William and Susan. They were playing with small rounded stones and laughing and giggling. All of a sudden, Nathan turned his face upward, laughing hard and heartily. He stopped laughing, the smile leaving his face, a look of shock replacing it. He leapt to his feet and ran as fast as he could to her. The other children looked up and saw as well, following him. Nathan ran to her and she held out her arms, pulling him to her as he approached her. After a few moments she pushed him away and held him at arms length. "Look at you! You've grown so much!" She said fondly. It was true. He was now a good three inches taller than she and his face fuller and less like a child's. His eyes shone as he took her in. "We didn't know what had happened to you! No one knew! I'm so glad you're well!" Nathan said, the other children surrounding Hannah and saying much of the same. Hannah eyed Gabriel and he gave a bashful smile and looked away. "I need to teach you proper communication skills." She remarked wryly. He smiled and looked away.
Anne stood in front of a mirror, tieing a delicate silver-cloth choker around her neck. Her dress was also of silver, but in different light changed to a shimmering light blue. It was a stunning dress and it was accentuated by Anne's hair, which was done up in curls. Anne turned around to face Hannah, her eyes shining. "Well, what do you think?" She asked, a smile on her blushing face. Hannah cocked her head to the side and nodded. "It's beautiful. But I don't understand. Here you are, dressed for a ball, and your father and some others are loading a wagon full of supplies. I don't understand Anne." Anne squealed excitedly, surprising Hannah. "What in the world? Aren't you grown up now that you've outgrown squalling like a pig?" Hannah asked. Anne rushed up to her, her face flushed and her smile stretched wide. "Oh Hannah! I'm going to be married!" She said excitedly.
Hannah smiled and placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Congratulations! Is it that one boy from the butcher shop? Adam Bishop? He's a nice boy." Hannah said. Anne laughed. "No! Gabriel! I'm going to marry Gabriel!" Hannah started and took a step backwards. "But how can you do that Anne? You don't even know where he is. No one does. He hasn't sent any letters with even clue." Anne blushed deep red and her smile faded. "Well, actually. I do know where he is." Hannah gazed at her intently. "And there have been letters." Hannah's face paled and her eyes flashed. "Then how is it that I know nothing, while you know everything?" She asked, her voice taut and unfeeling. "Oh Hannah! Gabriel and Benjamin and the children are at Gullah Island! They've been there all this time! I told Gabriel what happened to you and he didn't want to bother you." Anne said, her words rushing out like a flood.
Hannah's blue eyes narrowed. "He didn't want to bother me? I thought he could have been lying somewhere dead! He, oh, he, they've been there all along? So we're going to this place that I didn't even know they were at, to celebrate a wedding that I didn't even know was going to exist, you expect me to be excited?" Hannah seethed as she paced the room angrily. Anne looked at her uneasily. "I'd hope that you were excited. You are my friend." Hannah ceased pacing and looked at Anne. "I will go, make no mistake. But that doesn't change my anger for being kept in the dark all this time." Hannah walked out of the room quietly, leaving Anne alone to finish preparing.
Hannah didn't speak at all during the whole trip to the island. She merely took in her surroundings. Anne didn't speak either, but the glow in her eyes was unmistakable. There was nothing that could upset her. She was going to be married. It was this glow that made Hannah turn away and gaze intently on the forests around them so that her own tears would not fall. "There it is. Gullah Island. I think I see Benjamin." Mr. Howard proclaimed as they pulled along the rocky beach. At that Hannah turned from the side of the wagon and squinted her eyes. There sitting on a rock beside the seashore were Gabriel and Benjamin. They were watching them, she could tell. Mr. Howard stopped the wagon a moment to secure a package in the front, Hannah leaped from the wagon and began to sprint along the seashore. The rocks pierced her delicate slippers but she didn't care, she kept running, running for what she had been longing to see forever and a day.
It was Gabriel who stood and Benjamin who began to half run, half walk to meet her. Hannah fell nearly at Benjamin's feet, but picked herself up and dusted the sand off her hands. Benjamin stood in front of her, his smile tentative, as if he was unsure of what to do or say or how to react. It was then that Hannah remembered the letter he had sent. She lifted her eyes to his blue ones and smiled. "Don't feel sorry or uneasy about the letter. I'm glad you told me." She whispered. Benjamin smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder. Hannah ignored his hand and instead rushed into him, embracing him hard. Benjamin's hands slowly came around her in an embrace and as her tears began to fall, he began to rock her gently.
She had missed the children, she had missed Gabriel, but most of all she had missed the touch that only a parent could give. She had been neglected for so long and to feel a man who was a father hold her gently, it was a feeling that Hannah welcomed with open arms. As he rocked her back and forth, she remembered the times her father used to do the same when she was worried or frightened. It was during these times that Hannah felt that strength and comfort flowed from her father's loving hands. It was the same now. Benjamin was not speaking with words, but with the love of a parent. That was a language that was native to Hannah and all children. It was a language she understood and had longed for for so long.
She finally drew away and smiled a teary smile. She saw Gabriel behind Benjamin looking at her eagerly and at the same time with a look of uncertainty. Anne was talking to him, most likely telling her of Hannah's displeasure and that was what had caused his uncertainty. Anne drew away from Gabriel and walked away with her mother as Hannah approached Gabriel. "Hello Gabriel. You are well?" She asked, thinking herself sounding stiff and unfeeling. Gabriel repressed his excitement at her stern tone and spoke simply. "Very well thank you. I'm glad you could come. Are you well?" He asked. "I am. The bullet in my shoulder is long gone and it only hurts at times." She replied casually. "That's good." There was silence between them for a long time. During this time Gabriel would sneak glances at Hannah's face, and she would do the same.
"I apologize for not sending you any letters or anything. I thought they would upset you." Gabriel blurted out all of a sudden. Hannah looked up sharply. "They wouldn't have upset me they would have set my mind at ease. I would have been glad to hear of where you were and if you were well no matter what my condition. Don't ever do such a thing again!" She said. Gabriel nodded. "I won't I promise. Am I forgiven?" Hannah finally smiled. "You are forgiven ten times over. I didn't come here to dampen your wedding. Congratulations." She said, her eyes twinkling. Gabriel grinned and crooked his arm. Hannah took it gladly and he led her to the center of the village.
When they reached it, Hannah stopped midstride. On the sandy ground with a few colored children, were Nathan, Samuel, Margaret, William and Susan. They were playing with small rounded stones and laughing and giggling. All of a sudden, Nathan turned his face upward, laughing hard and heartily. He stopped laughing, the smile leaving his face, a look of shock replacing it. He leapt to his feet and ran as fast as he could to her. The other children looked up and saw as well, following him. Nathan ran to her and she held out her arms, pulling him to her as he approached her. After a few moments she pushed him away and held him at arms length. "Look at you! You've grown so much!" She said fondly. It was true. He was now a good three inches taller than she and his face fuller and less like a child's. His eyes shone as he took her in. "We didn't know what had happened to you! No one knew! I'm so glad you're well!" Nathan said, the other children surrounding Hannah and saying much of the same. Hannah eyed Gabriel and he gave a bashful smile and looked away. "I need to teach you proper communication skills." She remarked wryly. He smiled and looked away.