Read Calico Bride for Free Online Page B
Authors: Jillian Hart
moving when she talked. "He looks small for his age."
"He took a bad case of diphtheria last year. I remember his mother feared losing him."
"The scrawny ones have a hard time being adopted." The frown lines dug deeper on either side of her mouth. "Come along, boy. I don't want any nonsense from you."
"No, ma'am." He glanced over his shoulder but Mrs. Dunlap simply nodded as if he were to go with this stranger. The minister clapped him on the shoulder and walked away. Everyone left except for the man with the shovel tossing dirt into Ma's grave.
Blistering heat scalded his eyes and felt likely to peel away his flesh. He took one step with the black dressed lady and all light faded from the sky, all color from the earth. There was only darkness as he died inside. No longer his ma's little boy, his pa's only son, his sister's baby brother, he was nothing at all.
Chapter Four
T he morning felt unnaturally quiet as Lila splashed in the washbasin in the corner of the bedroom. Maybe it was the early hour, that's what she tried to tell herself as foreboding trembled through her. Outside the curtained window, no birds sang, no shadows moved, even the wind held its breath as if waiting. She knew, because she'd peeked between the closed curtains. Clouds stood ominous in the sky, heavy like black wool and pressing on the air.
"Lila!" Lark punched her pillow and groggily yawned. "What time is it?"
"It's daylight." She dropped her toothbrush into the holder, gave a final glance in the mirror, fluffed her bangs with her fingers and spun on her heels. "Don't worry, I'm done. Just be glad you're not old enough to work in the store yet."
"I wish, but Eunice doesn't trust me to." Lark yawned again, hauled the covers over her head and muttered incomprehensibly. She didn't move, drifting back to her dreams.
Lila quietly closed the door, her skirts rustling as she tiptoed down the hallway. The house was silent, the kitchen dark, the cookstove unlit. Looked like the coast was clear. Eunice wasn't up yet to thwart her morning mission. She intended to check on Burke and nothing would stop her. Not even the terrible tight sick feeling digging deep into her stomach.
She was afraid for him. She had lain awake half the night listening for any sound that might hint to her how the deputy was doing. The doctor did not leave, no one came to assist him and the downstairs remained silent as she descended the stairs. She avoided the squeaky spots and pushed through the door into the store.
Dr. Frost stood at the front counter, rolling down his shirtsleeves, his medical bag on the floor beside him. Exhaustion lined his grim face and his shoulders slumped as if with defeat. Had Burke died? Her knees gave out and she clutched the door. Cold horror breezed though her, leaving her unable to speak.
"Lila. Good." The doctor reached for his bag. "I've got another patient to check on. Will you stay with the deputy?"
"You mean he's alive?" The words rasped out of her tight throat and her dry mouth.
"His fever broke an hour ago. The worst is over."
Thank You, Lord. Her knees felt firmer. "He lost so much blood. He will recover, won't he?"
"He's otherwise healthy and in his prime. I don't see why not." The doctor managed a small smile. "I have other patients to tend to. I won't be long. Keep watch over him, Lila, will you?"
"With my life." Her attention rolled back to Burke. She couldn't help it. Her fingers tingled as if unable to forget the memory of touching him. It was an odd sensation that was part lovely and part sweet.
The front door opened with the chime of the bell, but her attention was on the storeroom. Faint light filtered into the small hallway from the single window. A thin muslin curtain did its best to hold
"He took a bad case of diphtheria last year. I remember his mother feared losing him."
"The scrawny ones have a hard time being adopted." The frown lines dug deeper on either side of her mouth. "Come along, boy. I don't want any nonsense from you."
"No, ma'am." He glanced over his shoulder but Mrs. Dunlap simply nodded as if he were to go with this stranger. The minister clapped him on the shoulder and walked away. Everyone left except for the man with the shovel tossing dirt into Ma's grave.
Blistering heat scalded his eyes and felt likely to peel away his flesh. He took one step with the black dressed lady and all light faded from the sky, all color from the earth. There was only darkness as he died inside. No longer his ma's little boy, his pa's only son, his sister's baby brother, he was nothing at all.
Chapter Four
T he morning felt unnaturally quiet as Lila splashed in the washbasin in the corner of the bedroom. Maybe it was the early hour, that's what she tried to tell herself as foreboding trembled through her. Outside the curtained window, no birds sang, no shadows moved, even the wind held its breath as if waiting. She knew, because she'd peeked between the closed curtains. Clouds stood ominous in the sky, heavy like black wool and pressing on the air.
"Lila!" Lark punched her pillow and groggily yawned. "What time is it?"
"It's daylight." She dropped her toothbrush into the holder, gave a final glance in the mirror, fluffed her bangs with her fingers and spun on her heels. "Don't worry, I'm done. Just be glad you're not old enough to work in the store yet."
"I wish, but Eunice doesn't trust me to." Lark yawned again, hauled the covers over her head and muttered incomprehensibly. She didn't move, drifting back to her dreams.
Lila quietly closed the door, her skirts rustling as she tiptoed down the hallway. The house was silent, the kitchen dark, the cookstove unlit. Looked like the coast was clear. Eunice wasn't up yet to thwart her morning mission. She intended to check on Burke and nothing would stop her. Not even the terrible tight sick feeling digging deep into her stomach.
She was afraid for him. She had lain awake half the night listening for any sound that might hint to her how the deputy was doing. The doctor did not leave, no one came to assist him and the downstairs remained silent as she descended the stairs. She avoided the squeaky spots and pushed through the door into the store.
Dr. Frost stood at the front counter, rolling down his shirtsleeves, his medical bag on the floor beside him. Exhaustion lined his grim face and his shoulders slumped as if with defeat. Had Burke died? Her knees gave out and she clutched the door. Cold horror breezed though her, leaving her unable to speak.
"Lila. Good." The doctor reached for his bag. "I've got another patient to check on. Will you stay with the deputy?"
"You mean he's alive?" The words rasped out of her tight throat and her dry mouth.
"His fever broke an hour ago. The worst is over."
Thank You, Lord. Her knees felt firmer. "He lost so much blood. He will recover, won't he?"
"He's otherwise healthy and in his prime. I don't see why not." The doctor managed a small smile. "I have other patients to tend to. I won't be long. Keep watch over him, Lila, will you?"
"With my life." Her attention rolled back to Burke. She couldn't help it. Her fingers tingled as if unable to forget the memory of touching him. It was an odd sensation that was part lovely and part sweet.
The front door opened with the chime of the bell, but her attention was on the storeroom. Faint light filtered into the small hallway from the single window. A thin muslin curtain did its best to hold
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