Read Online Autumn Winds by Charlotte Hubbard - Free Book Online
Authors: Charlotte Hubbard
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anger. “Some fellas have no place to call home because they’re out seekin’ what God’s been tellin’ them to find.”
“Well, you won’t be finding it here in Willow Ridge!” Hiram blurted. He drew in a deep breath, trying to regain control of himself—and their conversation. “I strongly suggest that you complete the farrier work you’ve promised, and then move on.”
Ben shrugged. “If you’d rather I didn’t shoe your Belgians tomorrow—”
“This is ridiculous!” Miriam looked from one man to the other, peeved by this flare-up of temper. “‘Wherever two or more are gathered in Christ’s name, there He’ll be also,’ ain’t so? Yet I think the gut Lord’s none too happy with the way you’re actin’ like boys pickin’ a fight in the schoolyard. Or two dogs scrappin’ over the same bone.”
Hiram raised one imperious eyebrow. “I believe you and I were having a serious conversation when this man, who was obviously hiding—eavesdropping on us—had the audacity to—”
“No, Hiram, I told you this conversation is over. And my answer is no .” Miriam’s heart pounded. Ben’s presence had given her the confidence to speak up, but nobody talked back to the bishop without apologizing or asking his forgiveness. She had nothing more to say to him, however.
After a tense silence, Hiram looked pointedly at Ben Hooley, gesturing toward his carriage. “All right, I’ll go. But you’re leaving, too, Hooley. I can’t in good conscience let Miriam be alone with you while—”
Desperate for a solution to this situation, Miriam turned toward the house—and then grinned. Rhoda and Rachel were coming down the steps. One of them carried a pitcher of lemonade and an old quilt while the other gripped a picnic basket. As they smiled and waved, Miriam thought they’d never looked more like angels.
“The girls are home with me, Bishop. At twenty-one, they’re watchin’ after their mamm ’s welfare, keepin’ an eye on Mr. Hooley—and on you, as a matter of fact,” Miriam added pointedly. “Go and do what ya need to do, Hiram. I see no point in you and Mr. Hooley discussin’ your differences in front of my daughters.”
Had she really dismissed the bishop? Miriam’s chest tingled with discomfort at her brazen behavior. And had she just given Ben Hooley a chance to further beguile them with his serpent’s tongue?
The bishop’s chin stiffened. He glanced at the girls, who were still several yards away. “We’ll talk again, Miriam. You’d better think about what I’ve told you.” He turned and strode toward his carriage.
“My answer’ll still be no, Hiram,” she called after him.
“Bishop!” Rachel called out as the two of them approached. “We were just bringin’ out a little picnic supper. Can’t ya stay for a bite?”
Hiram turned, his frown souring. He hopped into his carriage and then steered his horse in a wide circle so he was pointed toward the road.
Miriam shielded her eyes from the sunset, walking back the way she’d come. “Well, here ya have it—the bishop’s cake, full of holes on top, like maybe we spoiled his birthday.” She picked it up, chuckling now that the storm had passed—for the moment, anyway.
“ Gut !” Rachel proclaimed. “After the way he’s been actin’, well—we don’t want him gettin’ ideas about hitchin’ up with ya, Mamma. He’d probably expect ya to make a coconut cake for your own wedding, too.”
Chapter 7
“Why, Ben Hooley! What’re you doin’ here?” Rhoda gaped at him until Ben wondered if she might drop her pitcher of lemonade. “We thought Mamma was alone with the bishop—”
“And we’re mighty glad she wasn’t, no matter how ya happened along,” Rachel joined in. “We whipped up an excuse—and this basket of food—as fast as we could, but even with the two of us showin’ ourselves, I’m not sure he would’ve let up. And it’s gettin’ outta hand, I can tell ya.”
“Obnoxious!” Rhoda
“Well, you won’t be finding it here in Willow Ridge!” Hiram blurted. He drew in a deep breath, trying to regain control of himself—and their conversation. “I strongly suggest that you complete the farrier work you’ve promised, and then move on.”
Ben shrugged. “If you’d rather I didn’t shoe your Belgians tomorrow—”
“This is ridiculous!” Miriam looked from one man to the other, peeved by this flare-up of temper. “‘Wherever two or more are gathered in Christ’s name, there He’ll be also,’ ain’t so? Yet I think the gut Lord’s none too happy with the way you’re actin’ like boys pickin’ a fight in the schoolyard. Or two dogs scrappin’ over the same bone.”
Hiram raised one imperious eyebrow. “I believe you and I were having a serious conversation when this man, who was obviously hiding—eavesdropping on us—had the audacity to—”
“No, Hiram, I told you this conversation is over. And my answer is no .” Miriam’s heart pounded. Ben’s presence had given her the confidence to speak up, but nobody talked back to the bishop without apologizing or asking his forgiveness. She had nothing more to say to him, however.
After a tense silence, Hiram looked pointedly at Ben Hooley, gesturing toward his carriage. “All right, I’ll go. But you’re leaving, too, Hooley. I can’t in good conscience let Miriam be alone with you while—”
Desperate for a solution to this situation, Miriam turned toward the house—and then grinned. Rhoda and Rachel were coming down the steps. One of them carried a pitcher of lemonade and an old quilt while the other gripped a picnic basket. As they smiled and waved, Miriam thought they’d never looked more like angels.
“The girls are home with me, Bishop. At twenty-one, they’re watchin’ after their mamm ’s welfare, keepin’ an eye on Mr. Hooley—and on you, as a matter of fact,” Miriam added pointedly. “Go and do what ya need to do, Hiram. I see no point in you and Mr. Hooley discussin’ your differences in front of my daughters.”
Had she really dismissed the bishop? Miriam’s chest tingled with discomfort at her brazen behavior. And had she just given Ben Hooley a chance to further beguile them with his serpent’s tongue?
The bishop’s chin stiffened. He glanced at the girls, who were still several yards away. “We’ll talk again, Miriam. You’d better think about what I’ve told you.” He turned and strode toward his carriage.
“My answer’ll still be no, Hiram,” she called after him.
“Bishop!” Rachel called out as the two of them approached. “We were just bringin’ out a little picnic supper. Can’t ya stay for a bite?”
Hiram turned, his frown souring. He hopped into his carriage and then steered his horse in a wide circle so he was pointed toward the road.
Miriam shielded her eyes from the sunset, walking back the way she’d come. “Well, here ya have it—the bishop’s cake, full of holes on top, like maybe we spoiled his birthday.” She picked it up, chuckling now that the storm had passed—for the moment, anyway.
“ Gut !” Rachel proclaimed. “After the way he’s been actin’, well—we don’t want him gettin’ ideas about hitchin’ up with ya, Mamma. He’d probably expect ya to make a coconut cake for your own wedding, too.”
Chapter 7
“Why, Ben Hooley! What’re you doin’ here?” Rhoda gaped at him until Ben wondered if she might drop her pitcher of lemonade. “We thought Mamma was alone with the bishop—”
“And we’re mighty glad she wasn’t, no matter how ya happened along,” Rachel joined in. “We whipped up an excuse—and this basket of food—as fast as we could, but even with the two of us showin’ ourselves, I’m not sure he would’ve let up. And it’s gettin’ outta hand, I can tell ya.”
“Obnoxious!” Rhoda
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