Read Online Beside the Brook by Paulette Rae - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Paulette Rae
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courteous enough to begin a conversation with a simple hello? She had been nothing but polite to this man. What gave him the right to continue the obnoxious renderings which did him no favours?
“I came up to see her this afternoon, but you’d had taken her away.” Jamie put his brush in the jar of water set on the side table and wiped his hands on an old rag. Taken her away? Even the way he spoke about Sarah, it was as if everyone was out to get him. Everything was an accusation.
“We went on a field trip.” Kirsten straightened her skirt and tried to avoid his gaze. “I thought Sarah needed some outside stimulation.”
“Oh?” Jamie questioned.
Tyler scoffed as he moved to pour himself a drink at the bar. “Leave the poor woman alone, James. I’m sure she knows what she’s doing.”
“Well, that’s yet to be proven, don’t you think?” Jamie glared at Tyler.
“She loves writing stories,” Kirsten interjected, glancing at them both in turn. “I simply wanted to provide a little inspiration. Sarah needs to get out more, socialize and explore in order to engage her imagination.”
Jamie smirked, but Kirsten couldn’t decide whether or not it was positive, even when he spoke, “You think her family doesn’t give her enough?”
Kirsten watched him closely, wondering if it was a defensive mechanism or a test to see whose side she was on. But there was only one side to be taken here, and it wasn’t that of any man.
She steadied her gaze on him. “No, I don’t. Children need more than just their family to give them a balanced outlook on life.”
Jamie dropped his stare in defeat and continued to pack up his brushes. The light was fading over the hills and he had lost the best part of the day for painting. One all , Kirsten thought as she crossed her arms and turned back to Tyler. He stood behind the bar, a smarmy grin plastered on his shadowed face, as if he were silently cheering for Kirsten.
“You really think she can write?” he asked as he poured a double nip of scotch into a crystal tumbler.
“Well she’s only seven, but I can tell she loves it. She just needs things to write about. You know, to get her juices going.”
Tyler raised one eyebrow. “Juices?”
Kirsten laughed and whatever tension was in the air dissipated. “Don’t be rude. This is your niece we’re talking about.”
Jamie mumbled something under his breath, but Kirsten couldn’t quite make out what it was. His back was turned and it was obviously not meant for their ears so she didn’t bother asking him to clarify.
As Kirsten expected, Beth requested a word with her after dinner was over. Instinctively she knew she was in for a tow over the hot coals. Beth was silent as they climbed to her office and she closed the door behind them.
“Sarah tells me you visited the school today.” She sat on the edge of the desk and looked down at Kirsten.
“Yes,” Kirsten replied in her sweetest tone. “Did you know there was a school in the area?” She already knew the answer to the question, but hoped her plea of innocence would work to her advantage.
“Yes, I knew there was a school here. We simply chose to school Sarah ourselves. I would hope that in future you will check with me before you decide to take Sarah anywhere.”
“Before I take her anywhere?”
Beth seemed unsure whether Kirsten was questioning what she had heard or was standing up to her. Before she could say anything Kirsten continued.
“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, Beth, but I do think I know what I’m doing when it comes to caring for children.”
Beth frowned. “I’m not disputing that, my dear. But ultimately we make the decisions for Sarah, not you.”
“Nothing that happened today was about making decisions for Sarah,” Kirsten scoffed. “We simply stopped in to see what the school was like. Sarah was extremely keen to interact with the other children.”
“So you don’t think Sarah should be going to a school instead
“I came up to see her this afternoon, but you’d had taken her away.” Jamie put his brush in the jar of water set on the side table and wiped his hands on an old rag. Taken her away? Even the way he spoke about Sarah, it was as if everyone was out to get him. Everything was an accusation.
“We went on a field trip.” Kirsten straightened her skirt and tried to avoid his gaze. “I thought Sarah needed some outside stimulation.”
“Oh?” Jamie questioned.
Tyler scoffed as he moved to pour himself a drink at the bar. “Leave the poor woman alone, James. I’m sure she knows what she’s doing.”
“Well, that’s yet to be proven, don’t you think?” Jamie glared at Tyler.
“She loves writing stories,” Kirsten interjected, glancing at them both in turn. “I simply wanted to provide a little inspiration. Sarah needs to get out more, socialize and explore in order to engage her imagination.”
Jamie smirked, but Kirsten couldn’t decide whether or not it was positive, even when he spoke, “You think her family doesn’t give her enough?”
Kirsten watched him closely, wondering if it was a defensive mechanism or a test to see whose side she was on. But there was only one side to be taken here, and it wasn’t that of any man.
She steadied her gaze on him. “No, I don’t. Children need more than just their family to give them a balanced outlook on life.”
Jamie dropped his stare in defeat and continued to pack up his brushes. The light was fading over the hills and he had lost the best part of the day for painting. One all , Kirsten thought as she crossed her arms and turned back to Tyler. He stood behind the bar, a smarmy grin plastered on his shadowed face, as if he were silently cheering for Kirsten.
“You really think she can write?” he asked as he poured a double nip of scotch into a crystal tumbler.
“Well she’s only seven, but I can tell she loves it. She just needs things to write about. You know, to get her juices going.”
Tyler raised one eyebrow. “Juices?”
Kirsten laughed and whatever tension was in the air dissipated. “Don’t be rude. This is your niece we’re talking about.”
Jamie mumbled something under his breath, but Kirsten couldn’t quite make out what it was. His back was turned and it was obviously not meant for their ears so she didn’t bother asking him to clarify.
As Kirsten expected, Beth requested a word with her after dinner was over. Instinctively she knew she was in for a tow over the hot coals. Beth was silent as they climbed to her office and she closed the door behind them.
“Sarah tells me you visited the school today.” She sat on the edge of the desk and looked down at Kirsten.
“Yes,” Kirsten replied in her sweetest tone. “Did you know there was a school in the area?” She already knew the answer to the question, but hoped her plea of innocence would work to her advantage.
“Yes, I knew there was a school here. We simply chose to school Sarah ourselves. I would hope that in future you will check with me before you decide to take Sarah anywhere.”
“Before I take her anywhere?”
Beth seemed unsure whether Kirsten was questioning what she had heard or was standing up to her. Before she could say anything Kirsten continued.
“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, Beth, but I do think I know what I’m doing when it comes to caring for children.”
Beth frowned. “I’m not disputing that, my dear. But ultimately we make the decisions for Sarah, not you.”
“Nothing that happened today was about making decisions for Sarah,” Kirsten scoffed. “We simply stopped in to see what the school was like. Sarah was extremely keen to interact with the other children.”
“So you don’t think Sarah should be going to a school instead
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