think I'm going to be sick."
Teresa closed her eyes. It pained her to hear the despair in Melody's voice. They had all thought Pea was Melody's trial to atone for her sin, but this changed everything. Or it seemed to. They wouldn't know for sure until Duncan made a judgment. Melody would be no good to anyone if she panicked so Teresa soothed her.
"No. No. She did this to herself. That's different, Melody. No one did it to her, so she can't be for you."
"And it's not her face, is it? I can't tell if she has a beautiful face. I think she does, but it's hard to tell the way she's beat up." Melody's voice trembled. "What if she has demons? That must be why she cut herself, right? She has demons. Or, what if. . ." Melody's eyes widened in horror. "What if she's the devil?"
"Hush," Teresa said. "We don't have time for nonsense. Pick up her hand. Pick it up, Melody. It can't be what you're thinking. Pick up her hand, put on this nightgown without holding her arm. It distresses her. Go on. Do it."
Melody hesitated, shot one more pointed look at Teresa, and then threaded the nightgown over Hannah's arms, trying not to touch the scars.
"Good girl," Teresa mumbled. "Now, over her head."
When that was done and they were working the gown over her body, Melody said: "We need to tell Duncan before Pea does."
"Pea won't have anything to say about this."
"You're wrong, Teresa. Pea has a say in everything. But you might as well tell me now. What is it you think I should know?"
The women looked toward the door to see Duncan standing there. Neither of them had heard him come up the stairs or into the room. Melody blushed and buttoned the high neck of the nightgown, moving her own body to shield Hannah's nakedness from him.
"She's scarred, Duncan. Teresa says she did it to herself. It's different because she did it to herself, isn't it?"
He was so close that Melody rushed to finish her chore, pulling the long gown down over Hannah's feet. Before she could arrange the bedding, Duncan put his hands on her shoulders.
"It's alright for me to see her, Melody. Haven't I seen you and Robert and all the rest? Haven't I looked upon all your infirmities without judgment? If Hannah is in need, I should know." He squeezed Melody once, twice, a third time to coax her to his way of thinking. "Show me what you've seen. Please show me, so I can help her."
"It's her arms, Duncan. She's cut her arms. There are scars and she doesn't want them touched," Teresa said.
As she spoke, Duncan put Melody behind him and moved closer to the bed. His eyelashes fluttered. He took the tips of Hannah's fingers between his own and raised up her hand as though he might kiss it. Instead, he unbuttoned the cuff and slid the sleeve up gently. Hannah did not open her eyes. She did not tell him to stop. He rotated her arm and looked at the scars.
"How sad," he sighed.
"If she has demons, Duncan, why didn't they save her?" Melody asked.
"They would be no match for Robert's faith," Duncan answered. "But I think her demons are long gone. These scars are old. I think she is for you, Melody. Don't you think so Teresa?"
Not wanting Melody to carry a heavier burden then she already did, Teresa chose her words carefully "Possibly. Maybe you should ask Pea."
"Pea spoke of upheavals and tests. Isn't that why we are all together? To test our resolve, and our faith, and earn our way back into God's good grace? I would say what happened today is an upheaval. I would say this girl is particularly suited as a test for Melody."
"You might be right." Teresa agreed, albeit reluctantly. In this flock, they were all impressionable, but Melody was a kind and sweet soul. She was the most impressionable of all and there was only so much she could take. Still, Teresa had no right to tell Duncan anything. She had no rights to Duncan at all anymore.
"What about the boy? What about Billy?" Teresa asked.
"Perhaps he's for me," Duncan said. "I'm thinking he's my challenge."
"But, what is
Teresa closed her eyes. It pained her to hear the despair in Melody's voice. They had all thought Pea was Melody's trial to atone for her sin, but this changed everything. Or it seemed to. They wouldn't know for sure until Duncan made a judgment. Melody would be no good to anyone if she panicked so Teresa soothed her.
"No. No. She did this to herself. That's different, Melody. No one did it to her, so she can't be for you."
"And it's not her face, is it? I can't tell if she has a beautiful face. I think she does, but it's hard to tell the way she's beat up." Melody's voice trembled. "What if she has demons? That must be why she cut herself, right? She has demons. Or, what if. . ." Melody's eyes widened in horror. "What if she's the devil?"
"Hush," Teresa said. "We don't have time for nonsense. Pick up her hand. Pick it up, Melody. It can't be what you're thinking. Pick up her hand, put on this nightgown without holding her arm. It distresses her. Go on. Do it."
Melody hesitated, shot one more pointed look at Teresa, and then threaded the nightgown over Hannah's arms, trying not to touch the scars.
"Good girl," Teresa mumbled. "Now, over her head."
When that was done and they were working the gown over her body, Melody said: "We need to tell Duncan before Pea does."
"Pea won't have anything to say about this."
"You're wrong, Teresa. Pea has a say in everything. But you might as well tell me now. What is it you think I should know?"
The women looked toward the door to see Duncan standing there. Neither of them had heard him come up the stairs or into the room. Melody blushed and buttoned the high neck of the nightgown, moving her own body to shield Hannah's nakedness from him.
"She's scarred, Duncan. Teresa says she did it to herself. It's different because she did it to herself, isn't it?"
He was so close that Melody rushed to finish her chore, pulling the long gown down over Hannah's feet. Before she could arrange the bedding, Duncan put his hands on her shoulders.
"It's alright for me to see her, Melody. Haven't I seen you and Robert and all the rest? Haven't I looked upon all your infirmities without judgment? If Hannah is in need, I should know." He squeezed Melody once, twice, a third time to coax her to his way of thinking. "Show me what you've seen. Please show me, so I can help her."
"It's her arms, Duncan. She's cut her arms. There are scars and she doesn't want them touched," Teresa said.
As she spoke, Duncan put Melody behind him and moved closer to the bed. His eyelashes fluttered. He took the tips of Hannah's fingers between his own and raised up her hand as though he might kiss it. Instead, he unbuttoned the cuff and slid the sleeve up gently. Hannah did not open her eyes. She did not tell him to stop. He rotated her arm and looked at the scars.
"How sad," he sighed.
"If she has demons, Duncan, why didn't they save her?" Melody asked.
"They would be no match for Robert's faith," Duncan answered. "But I think her demons are long gone. These scars are old. I think she is for you, Melody. Don't you think so Teresa?"
Not wanting Melody to carry a heavier burden then she already did, Teresa chose her words carefully "Possibly. Maybe you should ask Pea."
"Pea spoke of upheavals and tests. Isn't that why we are all together? To test our resolve, and our faith, and earn our way back into God's good grace? I would say what happened today is an upheaval. I would say this girl is particularly suited as a test for Melody."
"You might be right." Teresa agreed, albeit reluctantly. In this flock, they were all impressionable, but Melody was a kind and sweet soul. She was the most impressionable of all and there was only so much she could take. Still, Teresa had no right to tell Duncan anything. She had no rights to Duncan at all anymore.
"What about the boy? What about Billy?" Teresa asked.
"Perhaps he's for me," Duncan said. "I'm thinking he's my challenge."
"But, what is
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