Chapter 107

A bead of sweat traveled slowly down Elizabeth's back under her thick wool dress as she sat stiffly with her brother's family on the cramped wooden pew. The heat of the many bodies crammed into the small church heightened the sweltering conditions of the already unseasonably hot October day. She felt glances from around the room as she focussed on appearing intently fixated on the minister's sermon. The vivid descriptions of the certain fiery damnation that faced the sinners amongst them were accentuated by the surrounding sizzling atmosphere. It seemed her fellow parishioners did not have the same qualms about ignoring the minister as Elizabeth, the young new widow from Virginia. She felt their judgmental stares boring into her from every direction, even the minister himself gawked her way for a substantial portion of the sermon.

Elizabeth had been married to Henry for two short years. They had had a quiet and peaceful existence that was pleasant and comfortable, if somewhat