A Second Chance Page 4

Chapter Four

  Benjamin couldn’t believe that Hannah was as beautiful as ever. Secretly, he envied her husband for ending up with a rare jewel. Although he tried to put it all out of his mind, he regretted not standing up to her father and fighting for her so many years ago. He wasn’t sure it would’ve helped, but at least he wouldn’t feel like such a failure. In any case, he resolved that it was too late to think that way now; she was a married woman and it was over. Benjamin closed his eyes and with the help of his pain, drifted off to sleep.

  The next day when Benjamin went shopping at the local marketplace, he ran into Hannah again. This time he was excited; twice in two days was unbelievable.

  “Well, we meet again,” Benjamin said.

  “So I see,” she said. “Do you come here often?”

  “Oh, I’m just picking up a few things for my aunt.” Benjamin looked around and seeing that she was alone, offered to help her with her bags. “Let me give you a hand with that.”

  Hannah’s eyes seemed to dance in the sunlight. “That’s awfully sweet of you; thanks.” Hannah led him to her carriage.

  Benjamin placed her bags into her carriage, and then gave her a hand in climbing into it. “I couldn’t let you wrestle with all of that by yourself, not as delicate as you are.”

  Her hands were just as soft as he’d remembered. Get a hold of yourself; she’s a married woman, he thought.

  Hannah looked into Benjamin’s eyes and dreamed for a moment that things were different. Experiencing his kindness brought back memories of how it used to be between them, the long walks, the lingering glances, and the intense conversations. They’d courted in a buggy once. She recalled being squeezed up beside him, content as could be, as they rode through the quiet village.

  It had all been so romantic until her father confronted her about his promise to another man. Instead of defying her father, she chose to honor her father’s wishes, turned away her true love, and married her husband. Although her husband had been good to her, her father died only a few months after the marriage. Why had her father required so much of her? And why did it seem her Heavenly Father was requiring so much of her now?

  It had all been buried but now it was all rising to the surface. “Thanks again,” she said as she hopped into her horse carriage and drove away. She couldn’t show any signs of what she had been thinking.

  “He is a married man. Help me Lord, with my temptation.” she prayed.