Silence in the Dark (43 page)

Later that evening, Bailey walked through the village, enjoying the peace and tranquility that had not been there before. Even the men seemed more friendly. Too bad it was a good-bye walk.

With deliberate steps, she made her way out of town and to the cemetery, where she stood at Elena’s grave again. She wished she had a bouquet of flowers to leave.

Bailey knelt beside the grave marker. “I feel I failed you,” she whispered. “I hope you can see what you started and how it’s grown. Your friends are doing so well, I don’t think I’m needed here. So I guess this is good-bye.”

She slipped the ring box from her pocket and opened it. The diamond glittered against the velvet, and she took it out of the box. Peace filled her heart. She took a deep breath and slipped the ring on her finger. No doubts plagued her. She sat quietly for a while longer, then stood and brushed the dirt from her knees.

She turned and gasped. “Danny?”

She must be seeing things. She blinked to clear her eyes, but he was still there, walking toward her. She ran to him, and he opened his arms.

“I hope you’re not upset, but I couldn’t wait another day to see you.”

She lifted her face. “I would never be upset with you. I’m so glad you’re here.”

Danny’s gaze slid to her hand, and his breath hitched. He looked into her eyes. “Are you sure?”

Bailey bit her lip and nodded. “I love you, and I would be honored to be your wife.”

His lips captured hers, and she slid her arms around his neck, kissing him back with all her heart.

Acknowledgments

A
s always, to God, who gives me the words.

To my family and friends, who believe in me.

To my editors at Revell, Lonnie Hull DuPont and Kristin Kornoelje, thank you for making my stories so much better. To the art, editorial, marketing, and sales team at Revell, thank you for your hard work. You are the best!

To my agent, Mary Sue Seymour, thank you for believing in me.

To my readers, thank you for taking a chance on a new writer and then coming back for my other stories.

Patricia Bradley
is a published short story writer and is cofounder of Aiming for Healthy Families, Inc. Her manuscript for
Shadows of the Past
was a finalist for the 2012 Genesis Award, winner of a 2012 Daphne du Maurier Award (first place, Inspirational), and winner of a 2012 Touched by Love Award (first place, Contemporary). When she’s not writing or speaking, she can be found making beautiful clay pots and jewelry. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America and makes her home in Corinth, Mississippi.

Books by Patricia Bradley

L
OGAN
P
OINT

Shadows of the Past

A Promise to Protect

Gone without a Trace

Silence in the Dark

www.ptbradley.com

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