Before the Dawn (Truly Yours Digital Editions) Read Online Free Page A

and tossed it lightly into the air. “This could prove to be mighty interesting. Dave won’t know what hit him. I hope you know what you’re doing.”
    Matilda sighed and closed her eyes, leaning her head to the side to rest on Jesse’s arm. “I have no confidence that I know what I’m doing, but we can’t keep on as we are.”
    After chasing ideas and posing possible scenarios for another hour, Jesse finally sent everyone to bed.
    Karen went through her nightly ablutions, her head and heart heavy, but once under the coverlet, sleep eluded her. Everything they’d talked about tumbled around in her head, and she sifted through what David’s blindness would mean to her.
    She searched her soul long and hard. Though she had given Matilda her assurance that David’s condition made no difference in her love for him, she examined her heart to make absolutely certain. Could she spend her life happily married to a blind man? Would he give her the chance?
    Flipping back the covers, she prowled the confines of her room, crossing and re-crossing the moonlit carpet, praying, wrestling, arguing, and praying some more. The limitless questions came from every corner of her mind, until at last she hit on the one question that answered the rest. It wasn’t a matter of would she be able to live happily with David, but rather would she be able to live happily anywhere without him.

THREE
    In his dreams David could still see. Colors so vibrant and motion so vivid and beautiful it almost hurt. Sunshine bathed every flower and mountain peak in golden light. Every leaf and blade of grass stood out in crisp, glorious detail. He felt strong and steady, grounded and yet ready to soar like a bird. Karen stood before him in a flowing golden gown. She held an armful of pink roses, and her face glowed with love. She held out her hand to him, beckoning him to take it and walk with her along a creek bank where diamonds of light shattered off the water. His fingers touched hers, and warm, white brightness surrounded them.
    Then he opened his eyes.
    Dreams and sight vanished, swallowed by perpetual dark. Reality sat on his chest like a grinning stone gargoyle.
    He ignored the door opening and the light footsteps tapping on the study floor, burrowing his head into the pillow and resigning himself to another dark day. His ankle knocked the end of the settee. He probably should sleep in his own bed instead of this narrow sofa, but that would mean navigating the house, and he preferred the safety and familiarity of the study.
    “David, get up. It is after ten.” His mother’s voice cracked like a twig breaking.
    He groaned and flexed the fingers of his mending arm.
    She prodded his bare shoulder. “Get dressed. You have ten minutes. Your presence is required in the parlor. A family meeting.”
    David grimaced at her brisk tone. “Have it without me. You don’t need me there.”
    “Nonsense. You’re the guest of honor. I suppose, if you force us, we could hold the meeting in here with you in your current state of dishevelment.” She marched across the room and closed the door before he could muster another protest.
    Stung, David moaned and tried to untangle his legs from the blanket. The clock ticked as he cradled his forehead in his good hand. He had no doubt Mother would make good her threat to hold a family meeting here with him in his nightwear should he fail to appear in the parlor.
    He groped for his clothing, his head pounding so hard he could almost hear it. Biting down the bile rising in his throat, he castigated himself for being too proud to ask for assistance in taking his pain medications the night before. Though he would have welcomed the relief from the headache, he couldn’t bring himself to ask for help after throwing everyone out of the study. His conscience pricked at behaving so poorly, but he quashed it.
    David managed to dress, and after a fumbling search, found his boots. Unshaven and in yesterday’s clothes, he must look