“Why do you say that?” Pearl looked at her in disbelief. “The Bible says love covers a multitude of sins, and the only sins in this situation are the ones that were committed against you. I believe the Bible is speaking of God’s love for us, but it can easily translate to Isaac’s love for you.”
Addie shook her head. “Nothing can cover this, nor wipe it away and give me a clean slate. I need to find a way to make it clear to Isaac that we cannot have a future together, and it breaks my heart.”
9
Isaac sat at the desk in his sister and brother-in-law’s library and wrote out his letter of resignation to the school district where he currently worked. That morning a message had come from the University of Washington telling him he had been chosen as the new instructor for the history department. Everything was falling into place, and his dreams were coming true.
Even finding Addie again fit into that plan. He had been so excited when he’d first seen her, and even though she was keeping him at arm’s length, Isaac knew they were meant to be together. And if that took time, he could be patient.
He paused in his letter and put the pen aside. But why was she acting the way she was? He could see in her eyes that she had longed to speak—to say something more. She had acted as though their being together didn’t matter, but he knew otherwise.
“You look awfully deep in thought. Should I leave?” his sister asked from the doorway.
“No, stay. Please, I need to talk to someone, and you would be perfect.”
Elizabeth smiled and came to where he was sitting. “Well, why don’t we go and sit on the sofa together? The fire looks inviting on this damp, cold day.”
“That’s why I made it,” Isaac said, smiling. “Summer isn’t supposed to be quite this chilly.”
“That’s the way it is in the Pacific Northwest. You can never tell what you will get. We’ve had very hot days in June and very cold days. It just doesn’t seem to follow any logic. You’ll get used to it.”
“And of course, there is always the rain.”
“In all its various forms from mist to deluge,” Elizabeth replied and chuckled. “Still, I love it here. The flowers are beyond beautiful. They take on their own special quality, as do the garden vegetables and fruits. The dampness of our climate is a blessing.”
Isaac got up from the desk and followed her to the sofa. “I’ve been writing my letter of resignation for the school district.”
“I’m so happy for you to teach at the university. I know you’ve wanted this for a very long time.”
“I have. I love the minds of young adults. They aren’t afraid to think in a different way—to explore possibilities that might never have otherwise been considered.”
“I can’t imagine such thinking being all that useful in history, but I’m glad you’re happy.”
“Well, of course it can be useful in history,” Isaac countered. “It is important to consider why things happened the way they did. People are always trying to avoid digging deeper when it comes to the reasonings behind choices in the past. It makes them uncomfortable to find out perhaps someone they admired had a wrong mindset for the deeds they performed.”
Elizabeth took a seat on the edge of the sofa and straightened her lavender skirt. “I still fail to see why you would care. It won’t change things at all.”
“But it does have the power to alter the way we look at history, and sometimes that affects the present. And in truly bad situations, it can sometimes help us not to make those mistakes again.”
She smiled. “I’m glad you enjoy it, and I’m very happy you’ll be sticking around the area.”
“Me too.”
“And what about Addie, now that you’ve found her again?”
Isaac sat and stretched out his legs in front of him. “That’s a problem. I have wanted to talk to you about it, but then I’d think surely I can figure it all out myself.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Addie doesn’t want to be with me. At least that’s what she’s said, but her eyes tell me another story. She was never very good at lying.”
“Why are you so sure she’s lying? Maybe the years have changed her feelings for you.”
Isaac shook his head. “She’s been through a lot, that much is true. Her family treated her like a slave. If I could have taken her with us when we left Dawson, I would have. She deserved so much better.”
He folded his arms. “She’s so strong. I never admired a woman more, unless it was you or Mother. You are a strong woman like Addie, and I’ve always held great respect for you. You don’t let the problems of life defeat you.”
Elizabeth laughed. “If I did, I would be long gone by now. Problems abound from every side of life. Even for those whohave a decent situation in life. The poor are hardly the only ones who face difficulties.”
