The Daughter of Lilith | A Story of Love and Power in the Shadows

Part 4

The Bolton family never recieved many visitors. Customers or traders, sure. But visitors? Never. 

It was Sunday evening and Leo was enjoying the last few hours of rest before bed. His family was always big believers in resting during the the Sabbath, so he spent his free time around the house. 

He was grateful for these days were he could relax his muscles, and spend time with his sister and father. 

Leo sat by the window, looking out at the road, his stomach was full and he was clean. His body was saying it was almost time to head to bed, although the sunset was still approaching. 

Outside, from where he was sitting, he could hear wood scrapping as his father worked in his carpentry area. The last few weeks had been hard on Father. Leo knew how stressed out he probably felt with preparation of field work and the condition of his mother. 

His mother was still in bed, where he was, he could hear her ragged breathing. He had gone in to see his mother earlier. She didn't stir when he grabbed her hand, and dabbed her forehead. The only sign of life was her beating heart. Otherwise she looked lifeless and the stillness of his mother made him squirm. 

He didn't stay for long. 

Leanne sat by the fire with a bundle of clothes she was mending. His work clothes were always torn either by working, or the fabric was worn out. 

He was nearly ready to announce his decision to head to bed, when he heard the quiet sound horse hooves. He heard his father's scrapping stop. 

Leanne lifted her head, her eyebrows raised. Leo peeked out the window, and saw a tall man getting off his horse. He saw his father emerge from his shed and go to greet the mysterious person. 

"What's going on. Who's here?" Leanne asked. 

Leo got up from his seat and went to the door. "I'll check," he reassured her before he left the house. 

The man and his father were conversing in low tones when Leo entered. He recognized the man immediately. "Minister Gilroy," Leo greeted him curtly.

Minister Gilroy was the leader of their church. He was a short man- only as tall as Leo's shoulders- with graying brown hair and cloudy gray eyes. By the look of his face, he looked pleasant with wrinkles etched around his eyes and mouth. 

Leo wondered why he was here. He had never seen him outside the church before. 

The minister smiled cooly at Leo. "Good evening," he replied to Leo, despite his stature his voice was low and meaningful. "I pray this isn't too late of an hour for a visit." 

Leo didn't respond, instead he looked to his father for his answer. It was hard to read his father's expression. "Of course not," his father said, commanding the man's attention back to him. "What do we owe the pleasure?"

"Nothing, of course," the minister said. "Some community members were expressing concern over your wife and urged me to come visit." Leo's father's lips pursed and he shifted uncomfortably. "And pray for her, so she has a swift recovery," the minister finished. "We've missed you in church..." 

Leo looked between the two men, feeling oddly uncomfortable. There was something being communicated between them without words. Leo waited silently for a response. 

His father stared at the man, Leo imagined a million responses he had for the man. Finally, his father nodded, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Alright. Leo..." His father nodded towards the house.

Some of the tension dissipated at the approval of his father, although not all of it, he knew. Leo obeyed his father and led him in the house where his mother lay.