Silus continued his verbal rant. “Her sheltered existence here on the farm has not prepared her for the evils that lurk outside of our sanctuary. While she is immortal, I fear she may be pulled into the claws of temptation. She needs protection and a firm hand. Loose morals could confuse and corrupt her. I do not want my wife returned to me damaged. I beg to overrule the bishop’s decision that I should remain on the farm. I must search for my wife. Her morality is at stake.”
Abraham shut his eyes and collected his thoughts. “While I understand your concern, Brother Silus, and I sympathize with your plight, I cannot overrule a direct order from the bishop—”
“But she is my wife!”
“Hold your tongue, boy. While I sympathize with you, you will not address me disrespectfully. You will remember yourself while in the presence of The Council or you will find yourself on the other side of the door. As I was saying, the bishop’s direct command cannot simply be overruled because an Order member is losing patience. It has been eight weeks. Bishop King is the eldest of all The Order. It’s foolish of you to question his ability to find your wife. His abilities are unmatched. If God has intended for her to be found, Bishop Eleazar King will find her.”
The tight bulk of Silus’s bunched shoulders proved he wanted to argue. “I have suspicions that her brother, Cain, is assisting her in hiding.”
Jonas shook his head. This was turning into a sideshow. Larissa was a bit sheltered, but she was not so naive that she would jeopardize her morality. She was a smart woman, and Jonas had complete faith in all his children to survive any challenge without sacrificing their principles. He had four good children and trusted God to protect them in all matters.
“What exactly would your wife be hiding from, Brother Silus?” Abraham asked.
There was a substantial difference between the way Jonas and Adam treated Abilene and Anna and how Silus treated Larissa. However, the same Family Law that protected them from others interfering in their marriage protected Silus.
Silus did not come to Jonas when he had asked for Larissa’s hand, an error Jonas had struggled with forgiving. Instead, the boy had gone directly to The Council to ask permission to marry his daughter. With Silus’s father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all sitting members of the Elder’s Council, he could get his wish. Holding a link to the Hostetler, Zehra, and Rocke family lines, Silus was a young male with unquestionable influence over matters of The Order.
Aside from Abilene and Jonas’s fathers’ objections to the union, the remaining four elders favored helping their lineage. No doubt experiencing pressure from the direction of three of the founding families. Jonas had been outnumbered and forced to give his eldest daughter to a man he did not trust.
“Larissa sometimes suffers bouts of delirium and confusion,” Silus claimed.
“That is a lie!” Adam stood and scowled. “Larissa is one of the sanest and most levelheaded females I have ever come across. She does not give in to rash decisions, nor does she shy away from responsibility. She’s strong, capable, and kind. I will not stand idly by while you make a mockery of her reputation in her absence. You may be my brother by law, but she is my sister by blood, and I advise you to think long and hard before you utter one more lie about her.”
“Do you see how prideful their family can be?” Silus accused.
“That’s enough, Adam,” Ezekiel admonished his grandson. “Silus, you’ve said enough. While I want to see my granddaughter returned home as swiftly as possible, I will not tolerate such lies about her character. Yes, you are her husband and have every right to be concerned. But until we have all the facts, we cannot make any assumptions. For as much as we know about the Almighty’s intentions, she may have been called to leave the farm.”
“Inconceivable!” Silus barked.
“Is it?” Ezekiel snapped back, silencing the younger male and leaning forward on his fisted knuckles. “You are not her mate. You have yet to father children with her. Do not disregard the power of God, thinking you are wiser than He. You may have laid claim to my granddaughter and been granted her virtue, but you are no more entitled to her than any other male who is not her true called mate. A smidge of temperance now may save you a pound of humiliation in the end. You blame everyone but yourself for my granddaughter’s disappearance. And you prowl around hurling accusations like a man in a glass house with a fist full of stones, careless of what you break.”
“She is my wife. I could break her neck for running and face no consequence.”
Ezekiel’s eyes narrowed. “I’m sure you wish to see Larissa returned safely, as does her family. We love her and will do anything in our power to protect her, brother. Anything.”