Woman of Grace Read Online Free PDF

that.” Ella paused. “There is, isn’t there, Hannah?”
    Suddenly, she couldn’t bear to meet Ella’s piercing gaze. A wild impulse to rise and run from the room filled her. But Hannah knew it was already too late. She looked away. “I don’t know what you mean.”
    “I think you do. You were one of the women Devlin called on, weren’t you, when he went to Sadie Fleming’s?”
    Ever so slowly, Hannah turned back. So, she thought with a curious mixture of anguish and relief, the secret was out at last. Ella did know about Devlin’s unfaithfulness.
    “Don’t you think that’s a question better asked of your husband?” Her words came out a husky whisper.
    “It is a question I must ask of him,” the red-haired woman agreed, her gaze calm, her smile serene. “But it’s also one to ask you. How else can there ever be an end to all the secrets and pain?”
    How else, indeed? Hannah asked herself sadly.
    Ella sighed. “Devlin’s been so guilt-ridden ever since
    … since he began calling at Sadie’s that summer, that he can barely stand to be near you, much less look me in the eye.” She shook her head. “I can’t begin to tell you how angry it made me.”
    “You had every right to be angry.”
    The red-haired woman gave a wry laugh. “Oh, and I was. I assure you. I’m no saint. From the first day you came here, I suspected something between you and Devlin, and it near to ate me up with suspicion and jealousy. In the beginning, though, I tried to convince myself Devlin hated you because you reminded him of his unfaithfulness—an unfaithfulness I suspected long before he finally confessed it to me. But, in time, I realized his guilt and anger at you went far deeper than that.”
    “I’m sorry so sorry, Ella,” Hannah whispered. “I never meant to hurt you. I swear it.”
    “I know.” Tears brightened Ella’s eyes. “Still, for the longest time, I had to force myself to be kind to you. Oh, how I fought to hide the bitterness and pain!”
    A single tear trickled down her cheek. “The Lord finally pierced the darkness that held me, though,” she continued at last, earnest intent now gleaming in her eyes. “I love you both. I don’t want either of you to go on suffering because of what you did. The Lord long ago showed me the only way to truly love Him was to love others as He does, and forgive them as He did.”
    Tears filled Hannah’s eyes. “After what I did to you, however unintentionally, I don’t deserve your forgiveness, Ella, much less your love.”
    “Just as none of us can ever deserve God’s forgiveness or love.” Ella took Hannah’s hand. “But that’s the mystery of grace. No matter how good we are, we’re still never worthy of it.”
    “Perhaps he offers it to people like you and Abby.” Tears clogged Hannah’s throat and, for a moment, she couldn’t speak. “But never to people like me.”
    “And who told you that?”
    “People. Many people. Even if their lips didn’t utter the words, their eyes sure did.”
    “But never God. Never Jesus Christ, who ate, drank, and associated with harlots, unclean Gentiles, and even hated tax collectors. He saw the soul of each and every person, knew their heart.” Ella squeezed her hand. “As He knows your heart.”
    Hannah managed a watery smile. “I don’t deserve a friend like you.”
    “That’s grace then, too, I suppose.”
    As Ella released her hand and fell back against her pillow, the kitchen door opened and closed. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed on the hardwood floor. Hannah glanced at the small, brass and wood clock sitting on Ella’s bureau. Noon. It must be Devlin, home for dinner.
    She rose from the rocking chair and smoothed the wrinkles from her dress. “I’d better get the table set. Devlin’s sure to be hungry.”
    “Take the children out with you and send Devlin in to me.” Ella’s mouth tightened with grim resolve. “It’s past time we set God’s grace into motion, and begin healing your