Anaisa was overwhelmed by the attention of her new mother-in-law and sister-in-law. Their expressions of profound surprise and, as expected, pity, had quickly shifted into a muted excitement.
"I have two dresses that don't fit since I had children and hadn't yet gotten around to altering," Sarah was saying as she dug through a trunk, "I bet they'll fit you!"
Trace's mother was carefully going through a small box of items and finally pulled out a simple ring.
"If you want something new, I will understand, but since you're part of the family, I thought you might like to wear an heirloom as a wedding ring." She smiled softly down at the circle of gold in her hand. "This was my grandmother's. If you like it, it can be yours."
She held out the delicate band of gold in her palm for Anaisa's examination. Some unnamed emotion closed the younger woman's throat.
Jewelry?
Her mother's jewelry had all been taken by Barnabas, and was likely being sold even now since he had no wife to adorn with them. The beautiful things would possibly never be within Anaisa's reach again. She had barely a possession in the world, and yet her new mother in law was offering her something incredibly precious.
Anaisa's fingers trembled as she reached out to touch the simple ring.
"Are you sure?" She whispered. Guilt flooded her. She should reject the offer outright, even if it offended the woman.
"Of course I am. You're my new daughter!" The older woman held her hand out a little further and placed it in Anaisa's hand.
Gently picking up the ring, Anaisa slipped it onto the proper finger. It fit as if it were made for her. No one had ever been so kind to her, except Katia. Did these women truly consider her to be part of their family so quickly?
"I call her Mom, like Trace and Seth do," Sarah smiled. "I'm sure she won't mind if you do the same."
"I wouldn't mind a bit, but I don't want to intrude on the memory of your own mother or make you uncomfortable if you don't want to." Trace's mother assured Anaisa.
"May I be excused?" The younger woman recalled her manners before she bolted from the room. "I need to step out for a moment."
"Of course you may," Mom assured her. "We don't stand on ceremony here."
Anaisa nodded once and fled, making her way outside with deep breaths. She was drowning in unfamiliar emotion, and needed space immediately.
Leaning against one of the porch's supports, she sank down and sat for a moment, trying to absorb what was going on. What she was feeling. Why her head felt like it might explode.
Guilt was the primary emotion. She made a mental note to make sure to leave the ring with Trace when she ran away. The family was too kind. She didn't want to hurt these people. These women. They didn't deserve what was going to happen.
Of course, Anaisa hadn't deserved to be ousted from her home and stripped of everything.
The whole world seemed unreal around her, from the moment she'd woken up in Trace's home. Their home, he called it. A husband that was kind and generous with what he had, a family that accepted her willingly–enthusiastically!--a home where she didn't have to hide from a drunken father or his abusive friends, or sneak away when she wanted to go outside the walls.
All things she'd never had before. Never dreamed of having. Because she wanted her own life and inheritance back.
Terror and hope warred in her for Katia.
Part of Anaisa refused to believe these people could be this kind. They were acting, but for what purpose? For the sake of harmony?
Her eyes drifted to the gold band on her finger, and she tried to calm her mind. They would not give something valuable to someone unless they wanted something from in return. That wasn't kindness, it was simply bartering.
A far-off chorus of children's laughter took her thoughts in a new direction.
Perhaps they wanted more grandchildren, to fill their family with descendants? And yet, that wasn't an exceptional thing to ask of a daughter-in-law; it was practically guaranteed that when a marriage occurred, children would follow sooner or later.
Her face burned. She would be long gone before that was a possibility.
"I told you, I don't know, Dad," Trace's voice drifted around the side of the house. "I may tell her, eventually, but does she really need to know?"
"That's a big secret to keep," His father warned, and Anaisa froze. "A good marriage is founded on honesty. I'm not saying you both need to know everything about each other right away, but it's part of what makes you who you are."
"I've kept it for so long," Trace sighed. "I don't want it getting out. I'm only beginning to see how much damage it can do, and I don't want anyone else getting wrapped up in it. I also don't know Anaisa well, yet. What if she's a gossip?"
The mention of her name startled the woman out of her eavesdropping. Despite her intensifying curiosity over her husband's apparent secret, she didn't want to get caught listening in when she clearly wasn't meant to hear.
"Does she seem to be a gossip?" Trace's father asked as Anaisa quietly stood and tiptoed back toward the front door. The men were around the corner of the house and just out of view, but she didn't want to make a sound that would attract attention.
She lingered just long enough to listen to Trace's answer.
"No. No, she seems wonderful." He replied.
Anaisa's stomach clenched. Was that what he honestly thought? She wasn't wonderful. If he only knew how she'd been disgraced and declared a fraud by the king, and weakly been cast out of her home, he would despise her. If he knew she was using him for food and shelter while she planned to get back at Barnabas, he would never want to see her again.
Perversely, she was glad he had some kind of dark secret to keep from her. It made her feel a little less wretched. If this kind family knew everything about her, they might have Trace throw her out in the street and hope she died so that he could marry someone better.
Perhaps he would have no qualms about doing it himself. After all, he had been a soldier. He should hate a deserter's daughter more than anyone else. Maybe telling him was an option so that she could leave without so much guilt. He would be better off without her.
Anaisa moved back to the bedroom where the other ladies had been showing her things, and Sarah brightened when she re-entered the room.
"Anaisa! Is everything all right? We're sorry we overwhelmed you." She seemed chagrined. "We don't get visitors every day, let alone new family. We were over-excited."
"No need to apologize," Anaisa replied with a small smile. "This is all just very different than what I'm used to."
"What are you used to? You don't need to tell us everything, but of course we do want to know you better." Trace's mother appeared to be folding clothing into a bag.
"I.." Anaisa hesitated. She had told Trace she didn't want to talk about her upbringing, but these people were so kind. It felt like lying to them in the extreme to pretend like she was better than she was. "My mother died when my sister and I were little and my father cared nothing about us. When he died near the end of the war, we were left destitute. Katia and I had to volunteer as brides because we had no food and no home, and could not find work."
She left out the most shameful part of the story, but everything she had told them was true. That should have been plenty to discourage her new family from liking her too much. To them she would appear as an urchin, a worthless, poor, creature of the streets.
If she disappeared, they would not be too sorry for their son. 'Good riddance' would likely be the attitude all around.
"Oh, you poor, poor thing." Trace's mother had tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry you went through all of that!"
"We'll make sure you're never left hungry," Sarah said firmly. "Neighbors here are great about looking out for each other, and family's even better."
That wasn't the reaction Anaisa expected at all. Why didn't they react how she anticipated?
"That, you are," Trace said from the doorway, making Anaisa jump. "Anaisa and I need to get going now to get some shopping done, but we'll stop by again another day for you ladies to all get to know each other better."
"Of course, of course." His mother finished putting clothing into the bag and handed it to him. "Here are some things that should fit her, we think, but you didn't stay long enough to see if they need altering."
"Next time, we can stay longer," He assured her, but he was looking at his wife.
"Next time," Anaisa heard the words leave her mouth like a promise she was sure she didn't want to make.