Read At Every Turn for Free Online Page B

nodded. I winced to see the pain so clearly in her face. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea.
    When we reached the dining room, her frail body relaxed into a chair, her hands searching for the table’s edge. I took Mother’s seat at the foot of the table rather than my usual place across from Grandmother.
    “Thank you, Betsy.”
    Grandmother’s head whipped toward the door, as if searching for the maid’s location. “Yes, dear. Bless you for your help.”
    The woman bobbed a quick curtsy and returned to her work as Clarissa bustled in from the pantry, skirts swishing. She set a plate of delicate sandwiches before each of us, like the ones she served for Mother’s occasional card parties. Grandmother groped for Clarissa’s hand.
    “Stay with us, dear, as we bless this good food.”
    Clarissa’s face pinked, but she stayed. I bowed my head and dashed off a prayer.
    Grandmother echoed my amen. “Thank you, Clarissa.” She squeezed Clarissa’s hand before letting her disappear into the kitchen.
    My stomach suddenly felt as empty as a summer rain barrel. I finished off three small triangles of chicken salad slathered between slices of fresh-baked bread before Grandmother managed to eat even half of one. Without waiting, I dove into my saucer of fresh blackberries and sweet cream and almost licked it clean.
    While Grandmother nibbled, I pushed my dishes away. “I talked to Father this morning.”
    Her face brightened, then fell. “About the money?”
    “Yes. It didn’t go very well.”
    “I’m not surprised.” She took a long drink of the sweet lemonade beside her plate. I watched her feel the spot before setting the glass back down again. “I suppose you’ll just have to explain it to Pastor Swan. Such a shame. But I’m sure the Lord will still provide for His worthy servants.”
    I fingered the rim of my own glass, staring at it as if it held every answer I longed for. “Maybe there’s another way.”
    “Oh?” Her face turned toward me like a flower seeking the sun.
    “I could raise the money myself.” I picked up my lemonade, let its coolness slip down my throat, which burned as if the words had scorched it on their way out. Grandmother’s face flickered through emotions, finally settling on excitement.
    “I think it’s a wonderful idea, Alyce. But what would you do? That is still a lot of money.”
    “I could ask people to donate, of course.” I chewed on my lower lip. “Although they would have to be people who don’t attend our church.”
    “That’s true. Any other ideas?”
    Twirling a short curl around my finger, I remembered the list I’d given Mrs. Tillman. Bake sale. Quilting bee. Even a picnic, complete with lemonade for sale and games set up to play at five cents each. I couldn’t take back any of those ideas. Did I have anything else to offer?
    My head involuntarily turned in the direction of the garage, even though I couldn’t see it from where I sat.
    The only other thing I knew how to do was drive.
    My back stiffened, and I sucked in a breath.
    “What is it, dear?”
    “I just thought of something. What if I hired out my services as a driver?”
    Her mouth turned downward. “Like a chauffeur?”
    “Yes. Or even a taxicab, like in Chicago.” I silently blessed Webster for watering the tiny seed that was now pushing through the ground of my mind and into the nurturing sunlight.
    “I don’t think your father would care much for that idea.”
    “Perhaps not. But he mentioned raising the money myself. I’d be acting on his instructions in the matter. Now if only I knew where to start . . .” My forehead crinkled as I demanded information from my brain.
    “Start with your friends, dear.”
    “Right.” Easier said than done. My few close friends in Chicago had no vast resources to seed my campaign. In spite of what Mother believed, I’d not befriended the society girls that came to my school to learn to run a household. I preferred the ones enrolled in