Tangled Betrayals Read Online Free Page B

help some, too.”
    As Mary heard Minnie exit she felt her heart breaking into a million pieces. How much pain could one person endure? Somehow she would survive this. She had to. But could she ever stop loving James?
    Mary could almost hear her mother speaking, “ Mary, stay strong . You can get through this, no matter what .”
    “Oh Mother, what a fool I ’d been. I don’t think I’m strong enough to overcome this pain. I don’t. The cost was much too high . ” Mary didn’t care how foolish she sounded talking out loud. Nothing mattered to her especially her pride.
    M ary knew she would have to handle this bitter disappointment alone. If she didn’t want people to pity her, she couldn’t pity herself.
    “ Tonight, Mother, I shall look for the brightest star. I’ll seek your comfort. If only you were here. I need you now more than ever. Why did you leave me so long ago?” Mary sobbed uncontrollably.

C hapter Six
     
    Ten years earlier
    London 182 0
    Mary sat quietly by her mother’s bed moving her small fingers as if she was playing a piano. For the last year she sadly watched the light fading from her mother’s eyes. Those same eyes which once shone brightly and laughed so easily as Mary told her silly stories or Thomas mimicked different animals and their sounds. Their mother would laugh until she cried with pleasure at their antics, until she became too ill to respond.
    Now, the light in her eyes grew dim and her words came out barely audible. She’d lost weight and could barely eat. The physician said she had some type of disease for which there was no cure. Most of the people who had fallen ill from this dreaded disease had died within a year. He told her there was nothing more he could do.
    When Mary looked once again to her mother’s face, she was surprised to see she had awakened from her sleep and was watching her.
    “Mary, do you move your fingers to try to stay awake so you can linger longer? You need your sleep, darling. Please, don’t look so sad. Your father and brother will take good care of you. You’ll be safe and loved. I wish it didn’t have to be this way. Yet, I am thankful you, your brother and your father seem to be immune to this dreadful disease.
    “ When this is over, Mary, anytime you wish to speak with me, all you’ll need to do is look out into the evening skies and I shall be the brightest star you find. I’ll always be there for you, Mary; all you have to do is look.”
    Mary saw the tears her Mother refused to let fall. No one had to tell her it was close to the end. Even as little as she was, she could sense it. She’d not allowed her mother to see the tears she saved to shed at night after she crawled into bed. She had to keep a brave front so her mother could pass with the knowledge she could manage without her.
    But she was only a child of eight. She wanted her mother to still give her hugs and kisses. Who would read her bedtime stories and tuck her into bed? As it was now, she went to bed by herself. She pretended she didn’t mind, but that wasn’t true. So many nights she cried and cried until there were no tears left to shed.
    Mary tried to be brave. Deep down she wasn’t sure how life could go on when the one person you loved the most dies.
    When her mother first became ill, s he prayed for God to spare her. But like so many others, her mother would be another death caused from this deadly outbreak that went through London.
    “Mama, I don’t want you to leave . But I promise to be good for Papa. When you’re gone, I’ll talk to you every night so you’ll know we’re all right. I shall tell you everything Thomas and I are doing. You’ll always be a part of our lives. I’ll even tell you if Thomas or I have done something bad.”
    Mary saw her mother ’s weak smile. Her mother nodded but said nothing. Mary knew she should leave for her mother was very tired and needed her sleep. Yet, she feared, as she had for the last few days, when she left her