Read Online Beloved Counterfeit by Kathleen Y'Barbo - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kathleen Y'Barbo
Ads: Link
explain it, though knowing my sister’s mother-in-law, I shouldn’t be surprised. Maybe I’ll start taking my lunch over at the churchyard, too.” Emilie dug into the stew with a gusto that told Ruby she’d forgotten her reluctance to intrude on lunch. “This is delicious, by the way,” she said when she’d swallowed a bit.
“Thank you.” Her stomach’s protest overpowered Ruby’s need to rest, giving her the strength to spoon up a portion of the gravy along with a tiny bite of meat. She looked down at the watery dregs in her bowl, the remainder after all other hungry mouths had been fed. “Stew and soup.” Ruby chuckled. “Stewp.”
The schoolteacher looked up from her meal. “I’m sorry?”
Ruby’s chuckle became a giggle that, by degrees, dissolved into tears she was nearly too tired to cry. “Stewp,” she said as the events of the day, the week, and the years came rolling down her cheeks. “I’m eating stewp.”
Chapter 8
“Home?” Viola shook her head. “Why would I want to go back home, Remy? I have a wonderful life right here, but—please understand I mean no offense—it doesn’t include being bullied by Papa and Henri.”
Her brother seemed to study her for a moment. “Tell me about your wonderful life, Vivi.”
“I’d be happy to,” she said, “though might we leave Emilie’s gate? I’ve a lovely little home in town that I’d like to show you.”
“Would you, now?” He held up his forefinger then bounded up the walk to the porch. There he hefted a small trunk to his shoulder and retraced his steps. “Show me this lovely little home, then.”
“Is that trunk heavy?” she asked after they’d gone a few steps. “I can send someone back for it.”
Her brother laughed, and the sound sent her mind reeling back to childhood days. “I’m not a child anymore,” he said. “I’ll manage.”
“No, you’re not a child,” she said. “Tell me what I’ve missed.”
“It’s more what I’ve missed, actually, and that’s you.” He glanced down at her. “Though I must admit I’m not at all displeased that you didn’t marry Emilie’s brother.”
“You never said so,” she countered.
They walked in silence through the heart of town, and more than once, Viola waved to a familiar face. As they passed the courthouse, she saw Micah Tate and Josiah Carter deep in conversation. When neither looked her way, she went back to talking. “It’s just ahead,” she said when they reached her block.
“You didn’t ask.”
Viola paused at her gate and shook her head. “What?”
“About Andre. You never asked my opinion. To offer it unasked would have been disloyal.”
She thought a moment as she struggled with the latch. When it finally gave and the gate swung inward, she shrugged. “Yes, I suppose that’s true. And you were always loyal to me. I thank you for that.”
“Brothers are loyal,” he said, “or at least they should be.”
“I’m thankful all the same.” Viola stepped ahead of Remy to open the door. “Here we are,” she said. “This is my home.”
“Why is there a bell on your porch? Has your cow gone missing?”
“Very funny. I am a midwife, and that bell is for emergencies. While I might miss a knock in the dead of night, I’ve not yet slept through a ringing of that bell.”
“Nor, I wager, have the neighbors.” He reached for the bell and gave it a jangle. “Indeed, a handy alarm. Perhaps I should keep it at my bedside in case I have need of coffee or breakfast in the morning.”
She gave him a playful but gentle elbow to the ribs. “Put that down. Your height might proclaim you to be an adult, but I’ve just seen evidence that the little brother I left still exists.”
“Long may he live.” Remy shifted the trunk into his arms and then set it on the floor. Stretching his arms over his head, he grinned. “So—a midwife? This is very much the home of a woman, Vivi. Is there no husband? No man in your life?”
How to
“Thank you.” Her stomach’s protest overpowered Ruby’s need to rest, giving her the strength to spoon up a portion of the gravy along with a tiny bite of meat. She looked down at the watery dregs in her bowl, the remainder after all other hungry mouths had been fed. “Stew and soup.” Ruby chuckled. “Stewp.”
The schoolteacher looked up from her meal. “I’m sorry?”
Ruby’s chuckle became a giggle that, by degrees, dissolved into tears she was nearly too tired to cry. “Stewp,” she said as the events of the day, the week, and the years came rolling down her cheeks. “I’m eating stewp.”
Chapter 8
“Home?” Viola shook her head. “Why would I want to go back home, Remy? I have a wonderful life right here, but—please understand I mean no offense—it doesn’t include being bullied by Papa and Henri.”
Her brother seemed to study her for a moment. “Tell me about your wonderful life, Vivi.”
“I’d be happy to,” she said, “though might we leave Emilie’s gate? I’ve a lovely little home in town that I’d like to show you.”
“Would you, now?” He held up his forefinger then bounded up the walk to the porch. There he hefted a small trunk to his shoulder and retraced his steps. “Show me this lovely little home, then.”
“Is that trunk heavy?” she asked after they’d gone a few steps. “I can send someone back for it.”
Her brother laughed, and the sound sent her mind reeling back to childhood days. “I’m not a child anymore,” he said. “I’ll manage.”
“No, you’re not a child,” she said. “Tell me what I’ve missed.”
“It’s more what I’ve missed, actually, and that’s you.” He glanced down at her. “Though I must admit I’m not at all displeased that you didn’t marry Emilie’s brother.”
“You never said so,” she countered.
They walked in silence through the heart of town, and more than once, Viola waved to a familiar face. As they passed the courthouse, she saw Micah Tate and Josiah Carter deep in conversation. When neither looked her way, she went back to talking. “It’s just ahead,” she said when they reached her block.
“You didn’t ask.”
Viola paused at her gate and shook her head. “What?”
“About Andre. You never asked my opinion. To offer it unasked would have been disloyal.”
She thought a moment as she struggled with the latch. When it finally gave and the gate swung inward, she shrugged. “Yes, I suppose that’s true. And you were always loyal to me. I thank you for that.”
“Brothers are loyal,” he said, “or at least they should be.”
“I’m thankful all the same.” Viola stepped ahead of Remy to open the door. “Here we are,” she said. “This is my home.”
“Why is there a bell on your porch? Has your cow gone missing?”
“Very funny. I am a midwife, and that bell is for emergencies. While I might miss a knock in the dead of night, I’ve not yet slept through a ringing of that bell.”
“Nor, I wager, have the neighbors.” He reached for the bell and gave it a jangle. “Indeed, a handy alarm. Perhaps I should keep it at my bedside in case I have need of coffee or breakfast in the morning.”
She gave him a playful but gentle elbow to the ribs. “Put that down. Your height might proclaim you to be an adult, but I’ve just seen evidence that the little brother I left still exists.”
“Long may he live.” Remy shifted the trunk into his arms and then set it on the floor. Stretching his arms over his head, he grinned. “So—a midwife? This is very much the home of a woman, Vivi. Is there no husband? No man in your life?”
How to
Similar Books
