Read Rainwater for Free Online Page A

of food to eat in the kitchen while she served the Dunne sisters in the dining room. She noticed that the pastor said grace over the food before he ate. When he finished his meal, he carried the bedding in from the backyard, where it had been airing all afternoon, and replaced it in the room that was to become Mr. Rainwater’s.
    Before Brother Calvin left, he told her he would be back early in the morning to help Margaret with any other chores that needed to be done before the new boarder moved in. “By four o’clock, that room will be sparkling. I promise.”
    He kept his promise. All the work was done to Ella’s satisfaction. However, she made up the bed herself. Not only was she particular about how a bed was made but she derived pleasure from the fresh-air-and-sunshine smell of the sheets and pillowcases.
    Mr. Rainwater arrived at the appointed time. The Dunnes had gone to the lending library, which was a converted panel truck that came to Gilead only one afternoon every two weeks. Margaret was ironing in the kitchen while keeping an eye on Solly. Mr. Hastings was still out of town.
    Except for the grandfather clock in the formal parlor softly chiming the hour of four o’clock, the house was hushed when Ella unlatched the front screened door for him. They exchanged pleasantries, then she led him upstairs. Their footfalls echoed hollowly on the newly polished floor of the hall.
    He paused in the open doorway of the bedroom and looked it over. He took in every detail, including the sprig of honeysuckle that Margaret had left in a vase of water on the bureau. Then he turned to Ella. “You were right to hold to your standards, Mrs. Barron. The room is much nicer now. Thank you.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    “I realize I asked a lot of you to make it ready, but I wanted to move in sooner rather than later.”
    She merely nodded, afraid that if she said something in reference to the time frame, it would come out sounding wrong.
    He passed her a white envelope with his name printed on it in black ink. “The first week’s rent. Let me know what I owe Brother Calvin.”
    Then he carried two canvas suitcases into the room and gently closed the door.
     
    “Northeast Texas. About halfway between Dallas and Texarkana.”
    Throughout the evening meal, the Dunnes had peppered Mr. Rainwater with questions. Ella was stacking their empty dinner plates on a tray when Miss Violet inquired where he was from.
    Miss Pearl, who had been gazing dreamily across the table at him, said, “That’s good cotton-growing country up there.”
    “He knows that, Sister,” Violet said. “He’s a cotton broker, after all.”
    “I realize that,” Pearl returned with asperity. “I’m just remarking.”
    To prevent a sibling quarrel, Ella tactfully intervened. “Should I bring out cream with the berry cobbler, Miss Pearl?”
    “Oh, cream, yes, please. Don’t you think cobbler is best served with cream, Mr. Rainwater?”
    “I certainly do.” He glanced up at Ella, the corners of his lips twitching to contain a smile. “Cream for me, too, please.”
    “Coffee?”
    “Please.”
    She hefted the tray.
    Mr. Rainwater stood up. “Can I help you with that?”
    “No.”
    The word came out much more emphatically than Ella had intended, and everyone in the room, even Ella herself, was taken aback by her tone. The sisters were gaping not only at her but also at the new boarder. Apparently they were as surprised as Ella by his unprecedented offer to help.
    To hide her embarrassment, she ducked her head and murmured, “No, thank you, Mr. Rainwater,” then hastily headed for the kitchen.
    As she left the room, she overheard Miss Violet delicately clear her throat before inquiring, “What about your family, Mr. Rainwater?”
    “My mother and father are both deceased, and I’m an only child.”
    “Oh, that’s unfortunate,” Pearl said. “Violet and I have only each other. The rest of our family has died out.”
    The kitchen door swung shut,