Read Dorothy Garlock - [Wabash River] for Free Online

right. Maude passed on what news she had.
    “Florence Thompson didn’t last long after Harriet ran off with that peddler man. He was a Jew fellow and real smart, so George says.”
    “He couldn’t be too smart if he took up with Harriet,” Amy murmured.
    “Harriet wasn’t really so fat and lazy after George clamped down on her,” Maude said. “Florence didn’t change. She was a bigot until the day she died. I’ve heard that George is courting a widow in Vincennes.”
    “I hope he can be happy. I believe he was embarrassed when Florence acted as if she was so much better than the rest of us. Do I have enough places set at the table?” Liberty asked. “I’d better count again.”
    “There’ll be ten of us,” Maude said. “Have you heard from Willa and Colby Carroll lately?”
    “They’re still at Carrolltown. Farr thinks Colby wants to come back to Quill’s Station and build a gristmill.”
    “A gristmill? Wouldn’t that be grand? My my, when I think how fast time has gone by. Only a few years ago there was nothing here but a small house and a storage shed. Now you’ve got five rooms with real glass windows and a town growing up around you.”
    Liberty laughed. “Farr couldn’t wait to tear down that stockade. He hated being fenced in. The town just seemed to sprout after he built the merchandise store. Now we have the sawmill and the inn. Farr could run the sawmill twenty-four hours a day if there was daylight. Everyone wants sawed boards.”
    “Have you ever counted the people who have moved in here since the war?”
    “Over one hundred and fifty. I have eleven children in school not counting our own. But at times I think it’s getting to be too crowded here for Farr. I’ve seen him standing on the porch looking off toward the west.”
    “Heavens! He wouldn’t pull out and leave you here. He thinks you’re the sun and the moon.”
    “Of course he wouldn’t. If he should decide to go, I’d go with him.”
    “You couldn’t do that, Libby,” Maude scoffed. “You’ve got the school to think of.”
    “I’ve got my husband to think of, Maude. He comes first, last and always with me.”
    Maude passed out gaily wrapped packages before they sat down to Christmas dinner. Elija had carved an elaborate whistle with two finger holes for different sounds for Zack and a turkey-calling whistle for Daniel. Maude had made a bonnet for Mercy, the brim edged with lace and ribbons. Mercy put it on and danced over to Amy so she could tie ribbons beneath her chin. There was a bean bag for Mary Elizabeth, handkerchiefs for Liberty and Amy and knitted socks for Farr.
    Whenever Amy glanced over at Tally Perkins, he was staring at her as if he could not believe, draw breath, move or speak. His mouth was agape as if he were catching flies. Amy could scarcely suppress the desire to stick out her tongue, put her thumbs in her ears and wiggle her fingers at him. Compared to Rain Tallman, Tally Perkins was a milksop. She wouldn’t have him if he were served up on a silver platter with a silver ring in his nose, she thought angrily. He was the most boring person she had ever known.
    Amy regarded her sister and Farr. Farr had paused behind Liberty and was nuzzling her ear with his nose. He wasn’t ashamed to show love for his wife. He never passed her without touching her. It was as if he couldn’t help himself. Liberty turned to look at him and between them passed a unity of thought, a rapport cemented in love and friendship. Amy looked away quickly, afraid she would cry. When a man looked at a woman the way Farr looked at Liberty, she had everything, Amy thought.
    Suddenly Amy was swamped with despair, and dark thoughts vied for possession of her mind. Oh, God! What if it was her lot to spend the rest of her life with someone like Tally Perkins? She wouldn’t do it! She wanted a love like Liberty and Farr shared. She could have it with Rain. She knew he would be changed when he came back for her, but she knew