Adriana sighed, figuring she might as well be honest with him. They walked behind the church building so no one would overhear. “I heard some of the women talking about me inside, saying how I should leave because someone is trying to kill me, and it’s dangerous for me to be here. They think my amnesia is an act. I think they’re figuring it out. Do you think they know what’s going on? Should I leave?” The words tumbled out faster and faster as her panic grew. She also explained what Margaret had said to her.
“It’s okay,” Dominic said, pulling her into a hug. “It’s just gossip. And Margaret means well, but she doesn’t know what’s best for us. Right now, the best place for you is right here.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
The sun radiated through the blinds, making Adriana squint. Was it morning already?
Adriana rubbed her eyes, giving up on sleep. There was so much on her mind, she’d tossed and turned all night, then had finally fallen asleep about an hour ago. Yesterday, she’d called Mrs. Clement, only to find out that the housekeeper had still not found the new will or evidence. Henry was ignoring Megan for the most part.
After quietly getting up and getting dressed, Adriana went out to the barn to talk to the animals. That always made her feel better.
Her decision made, she turned around to see Damaris a few steps away from her.
“Why are you out here so early?” Damaris asked.
“Couldn’t sleep.”
"Can I talk to you?"
“Sure. About what?" Adriana asked quietly.
"My brother."
"Damaris, I..." she started saying, but Damaris interrupted her.
"Just listen. I have to say something. You should leave him now because all you are going to do is break his heart and he will have nowhere to go to.”
"What are you talking about? I would never break Dominic's heart. I love him. And what do you mean by him having nowhere to go to?"
Damaris sighed and looked at her. "About six years ago, when he was nineteen, during Rumspringa, Dominic left the community before he got baptized into the church. He fell in love, and he did not return. A year later, he got married to Eliza. He got a job in law enforcement. He was happy; they were happy. Two years later, they were in a terrible car crash. Eliza died, but Dominic survived. Did he ever tell you any of this?"
Adriana gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth. Why hadn’t he told her this?
“No. Margaret said yesterday that something had happened, but I didn’t get the chance to ask him yet. I figured he’d tell me when he was ready.” Adriana’s brow furrowed. It wasn’t really Damaris’ place to be telling her all about Dominic’s past like this. “Don’t you think he should be the one to tell me all of this?”
Damaris held up her hands. "Snow, I’m only trying to help. He doesn’t like to talk about it, so who knows how long it would take for him to finally tell you? It’s time you know.”
Adriana crossed her arms but let Damaris continue.
“My brother was devastated, and he returned a broken man, a young widower. The community accepted him back. He was ready to be a part of the church, and he was baptized into it, committing to remain Amish for life. I admit that ever since then, my brother has been going about his days without feeling. I doubted that he would ever be happy again. But he found you, and he is happy again.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” Adriana asked, filled with confusion. Was this why Damaris was telling her about all this?
From the look on Damaris’ face, that couldn’t be it. As Adriana took in Damaris’ intense and accusing expression, dread settled in her stomach.
Adriana hated confrontation. At the thought of it, at the thought of her being in the wrong, she began to tremble.
Damaris continued, “Maybe right now, but not long-term. You come with uncertainty—lots of it. Right now, you think you love him, but who's to say when the truth is revealed about your past, you won't hurt him? Who's to say you won't leave him as well? He will follow you and leave the community, but when you realize that you don't love him or that you’re already married, you will break up with him. Because he’s been baptized into the church, he’d be shunned for leaving, and he might not want to come back again. He might not get another chance, Snow. Let my brother go. If you care about him, leave us."
Adriana shook her head as tears rolled down her face. "I love your brother and that will never change. My heart belongs to Dominic." She whipped around and hurried towards the house, leaving Damaris behind. She burst through the kitchen door to see Constance chopping vegetables for a stew. Wiping her tears, Adriana collapsed at the kitchen table, her body shaking with sobs.
Why had Dominic’s sister said such things to her? What had she ever done to her?
“My dear, what is wrong?” Constance asked, dropping everything to sit beside Adriana.
Adriana told her everything that had just happened with Damaris.
"You can't leave, Snow. You know he loves you," Constance told Snow. “You are making my son happier than I’ve seen him in years. If you leave, I fear he may go back to the man he was before.”
"And I love him, too, but maybe Damaris is right. I think me leaving is what is best for him," she said as she wiped tears from her eyes.
"How can this be best for him? How can you leaving be best for the both of you?"
"The world outside is very dangerous for me. Those people who hurt me are still out there, and they are not going to stop until I am dead. I do not want him to deal with my problems." When she saw the questioning look on Constance's face, Snow added, “Especially, if something happens to me.”
"But you can fight the odds together," Constance insisted. “And maybe you could live here together. With us.”
Adriana smiled and hugged Constance tightly. "Thank you for taking a complete stranger in and accepting me into your heart and your life. I will forever be grateful.” As she was about to step out the door, she stopped and turned. "There is something you should know. My name is Adriana. I should go. Again, thank you."
She walked out the door before Constance could protest or stop her.
When she was almost at the woods, she heard her name being called.
“Adriana!” Dominic ran toward her.
"How did you—" Adriana stopped, turning to face him.
"My mother told me you're leaving. We agreed to do this together, Snow.”
"Your family would be devastated if you left here to be with me. I can’t do that to you or them. I have to do what’s best for Megan, and that might mean living with her at my sister’s estate. I have to put her first. And why didn’t you tell me about Eliza?" Hurt filled her again at the thought of how he hadn’t felt comfortable enough with her to share that part of him.
"Damaris told you, didn’t she?” He didn’t wait for Adriana’s reply but shook his head, taking a deep breath. “I didn’t tell you because I thought it might make you tell me you don’t want to be with me so I don’t make the same mistake twice. I thought that maybe if you knew what had happened, you’d tell me you didn’t want to be with me in order to protect me, so I wouldn’t leave my family again and get shunned. But this is my choice to make, Snow. I mean…Adriana. Sorry. I’ll have to get used to that.” Dominic smiled a bit, then turned serious. “If you and Megan want to live at the estate, then you should. I am ready to leave here again to be with you. I would rather take a chance on our love than stay here for the rest of my life wondering what could have been, going back to the empty man I was. You’ve awakened my frozen heart, Snow. It’s like I’ve been sleepwalking all these years, but your love woke me up from the spell I was under.”