Page 87 - The Last Gift

300 miles away to a wedding chapel. It was a
nightmare. They were married by a justice of the
peace with no family present. She had paused
when she was asked if she would take Matthew
as her husband, but his hand clenched her arm
tightly, scaring her into saying yes.

After the ceremony was even worse. She
felt used and dirty. Matthew thought of her as
nothing but an object for his pleasure. She didn’t
love him, and she knew he didn’t love her.
Though her parents seemed resolved to what had
happened and tried to accept him as their son-in-
law, it was hard for them because he was so
disrespectful and mean to them. And he seldom
let her visit her family.

Unlike Jacob, who was extremely
industrious, Matthew wouldn’t work for

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