During the few seconds it took him to get close enough to speak to them, Amala wondered if going out into the public today had been a good idea. Initially, following their marriage, she had chosen to remain at home with the exception of occasionally going out riding with Henry or taking long walks. But the estate was so enormous that they’d never actually left the land they owned. She was blessed to live in an efficient household where everything she needed was brought into the home by other people, and she didn’t have to face a critical public if she chose not to, and her family had made it clear that they supported her in that choice. However, Henry had repeatedly told her she shouldn’t have to feel like she had to hide. He believed she was strong enough to face anyone with confidence in her own choices and not be intimidated. Gradually his belief in her had left her feeling challenged to go into public with him, just to see if she could do it.

A stroll through the village holding to her husband’s arm had been their first outing. They had been met with many glares of disdain, which Henry had ignored, offering kind greetings in return. Amala had felt mildly upset even though she was not at all surprised. But the next time they went out, she was able to more easily ignore the way people looked at them, and with increased outings and a growing confidence in the reasons that she and Henry had made the choice to be together, she began to believe they truly were capable of teaching their children to confidently and appropriately deal with the challenges they might face by being half English and half Indian. Henry firmly believed that with time such marriages would become more common and more accepted. Amala wasn’t certain they would live to see such changes, but she still wanted to believe it was possible. And it was her father’s opinion that perhaps his grandchildren could help facilitate even a little bit of that change. Amala wanted to believe that too.

Still, with all of Amala’s growing confidence and her increasing ability to not care what people might think or how they might regard her, they had never ventured anywhere near the church—except for a rare visit to the adjoining cemetery, which until now had gone completely unnoticed. The family continued to have their Sabbath meetings at home, and worship was a high priority in their home. But in spite of all the progress she’d made, Amala felt entirely unprepared for whatever this encounter might entail, and she was grateful to have Henry at her side, knowing that he was not afraid to boldly declare exactly what he thought and that he would be efficient in whisking her away to the nearby carriage if the need arose.