NO ENGAGEMENT RING

Chapter 14

The next morning, she woke in high spirits. There was a lilt in her step. Even Emily, who

was hanging up washing, commented on it.

"Morning, Hannah! You look so sprightly. Have you changed your hairstyle?" Emily

questioned thoughtfully.

"Good morning, Mrs Garrick! No I didn't but I do feel different today. Must be something

in the air." Hannah smiled secretively.

Emily nodded absently before Hannah disappeared to the bus stop. School was a breeze.

She sailed through everything with more enthusiasm than before.

Jonathan sat in his office and watched the clock. It was still four hours before Hannah was

done with her class. It was killing him not to go to her. Several times, he thought he would

just pitch up at her class and have her excuse herself, just so that he could get a straight

answer from her.

But that would be selfish not to mention against school policy. So he bided his time. Alas,

time was not his own. During the waiting period, he was inundated with calls, crisis and ad

hock meetings. By the time he was ready to see Hannah, it was already three o' clock.

He went in search of her but did not find her in the classroom. Sarah was not sure of

Hannah's whereabouts either but she promised to let Hannah know that she was sought.

Although he played it cool when asking for her, Jonathan suspected that Sarah read more than

she was letting on. Sarah, he suspected, knew from the very beginning that romance was

inevitable between him and Hannah.

It was five o'clock when a knock sounded on his door. Hannah popped her head in and

said with a mischievous glint in her eye, "You were looking for me, pastor Chandler?"

Jonathan rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Yes! Please come in." He sounded very

much the pastor. His secretary who was listening, didn't voice her opinions. Instead she closed

the door to his office behind her after stating that she was leaving and would see him

tomorrow.

After sharing with each other, yesterday, he expected her to be less intimidated but still

she kept her distance. He started to doubt what he thought her parting words were.

"About yesterday," she began ruefully. His heart sank. "I am not usually that teary." She

was looking directly at him as she usually did but this time he had the feeling she was looking

for something within him. "I'm sorry if I came across as weak."

"Oh, gosh, Hannah, not all! You are the bravest person I know, even if you don't look it."

He smiled affectionately. She looked at him blankly but didn't pursue it. "Hannah what you

did yesterday took guts. I'm assuming that you spoke to no one about it before yesterday?"

She nodded gravely. "I'm sorry that you had to keep all that in. We were never designed to