Chapter Twenty-Eight
Adam
Grace's abrupt shift hours earlier had caught me off guard and left me struggling to bury the feelings of frustration and confusion. I had quickly donned the black pants and white shirt, and headed out to the barn hoping to work off my frustration by cleaning stalls. I'd gone over the entire morning in my mind several times, but couldn't figure out what had happened that had caused her to pull away so fast. I'd finally given up and lost myself in the task of sweeping stalls and then refilling them with the bales that were stacked out behind the barn.
I had just pulled out my phone and deleted three more messages from my mother while wondering why I still hadn't been able to get a hold of Bugsy, when two buggies pull into the drive. I pocketed the phone and hollered, "Grace! You've got visitors!"
I recognized the first buggy as belonging to the Miller family. It took a moment for the second driver to come into view, but when he did, I knew there was going to be trouble. Perched on the seat holding the reins was Bishop Miller accompanied by his wife and two sons, and none of them looked happy.
Verity pulled the buggy up to the barn, casting a nervous glance toward the house as she swung down from the driver's seat and said something to Danny and Honor. They both quickly began unhooking Titan from the buggy and then led him into the barn as their sister approached the Bishop's buggy.
Grace appeared in the doorway a few seconds later, smoothing her dress and checking to make sure her hair was tucked into the white cap on her head. She gave me a nervous smile as she stepped out and called, "Uncle, it's so good of you to stop by!"
"Grace Miller, what have you done?" Bishop Miller boomed as he swung himself down off to the buggy and swiftly crossed the drive.
"What do you mean?" she asked as she descended the steps and met him halfway.
"You know perfectly well what I mean," he said casting a glance in my direction. "You've brought this English into your house. What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that he'd been injured in an accident and that we're doing the Lord's work," she said in a voice that I could see belied her nervousness. "It's what Mamm and Dat would have done."
"Your parents would be ashamed of you!" Bishop Miller scolded. "This man does not belong here!"
"I'm not doing anything wrong!" I shouted. "You're just mad because—"
"Silence!" the bishop roared. "You are not part of this conversation!"
"The hell I'm not!" I yelled back.
"Adam..." Grace said giving me a look that could only be described as beseeching. "Let us talk. Please?"
"Fine," I grumbled stepping back, but staying within earshot.
"Uncle, we're not doing anything wrong," Grace said calmly. "Mr. Wallace is staying in the guest room while his injuries heal and he waits for his car to be fixed."
"This is unacceptable, Grace," the bishop replied. His face was barely masking the fury that vibrated under the surface. "We are an upstanding community and we do not condone this kind of impropriety. You are bringing shame on your family with this impulsive act, and there will be consequences."
"What are you talking about?" Grace asked genuinely surprised. "Are you threatening me and my family?"
"No, of course not," he said unconvincingly. "But you need to understand that you cannot behave this way and expect that there will be no consequences for your actions."
Grace stared up into her uncle's stony face until suddenly she burst out laughing. The bishop's expression went from angry to surprise and then confused as Grace laughed loudly. I turned and looked at her, perplexed by her reaction to the situation, but said nothing.
"Oh, I get it," she said as she unsuccessfully tried to control her laughter. "You're still mad at Dat for marrying Mamm and for becoming more successful than you in business."
"What is this nonsense?" Bishop Miller said, narrowing his eyes.
"You know, Dat always joked about how you were the angry brother, but I always thought he was doing it in good humor," Grace said chuckling. "I thought since we were all close and could tease each other, Dat must have learned this growing up with you."
Bishop Miller's face began to turn red as he listened to Grace recount the various stories she'd heard about how he and her father had competed for Rebekah's affections and how Eli had finally won.
"You see, I thought it was simply a mythic tale that Dat had woven to entertain us as children," Grace said as her voice took on a hard edge. "Little did I know there was truth in it, and that you would end up being so petty once he was gone."
"Young lady, I think your time away from Corner Grove has turned your mind toward things that are incredibly un-Christian," the bishop hissed.
"No, that would be you," she spat back. "You're a small, petty man who rules with an iron fist and a hardened heart, and I won't have it."
"GRACE MILLER!" the bishop roared. "You have been welcomed here as a guest in our community and tolerated because your parents pleaded your case, but this is beyond the pale, young lady. You are no longer welcome here. You will pack your things and return to the city of sin you call home or I will have you forcibly removed."
"You can't do that, Uncle," Grace smiled. "This home was left to me and my brother and sisters; it's private property, not community assets. I'll stay here if I need to in order to make sure that my family is taken care of."
"Ah, yes," the bishop said as a sinister smile spread across his lips. "But I'm sure you understand that your family is still part of the community, therefore subject to the rules of the community."
"They have nothing to do with my choices," Grace said defiantly.
"That may well be, but they will suffer the consequences of your impulsive acts," the bishop said, pulling himself up to his full height as he tugged on his long scraggy beard before leaning in toward Grace as he spoke. "You are a disrespectful young woman and if you do not leave the community, your entire family will be shunned as punishment for your impulsive acts."
"You can't do that!" Grace protested.
"Oh, but I can," the bishop smiled. "And I will."
He stared at her for a few moments before turning on his heel and striding back toward his buggy where his wife and sons sat staring at Grace with disgust. The bishop swung himself up into the driver's seat, grabbed the reins, and turned the buggy toward the road.
"You know, for someone who claims to be a man of God, you sure are acting in an un-Christian manner!" I shouted before Grace grabbed my arm and shook her head. I looked down at her and said, "What did he mean when he said you have to return to the city of sin?"
"Just don't, Adam," Grace said as she let go of my arm and ran inside the house.