Read Online Chastity by Elaine Barbieri - Free Book Online Page A

complicated morass of incidents that had deposited her in    Sedalia two days earlier would soon be settled. She had her ticket. The train was leaving in two hours, and she had finally made the decision to do exactly what the Reverend Reed Farrell had asked her to do from the firstleave him alone.
        She remembered the sense of well-being with which she had emerged from the bathtub. She had felt clean and refreshed, and donning her new underclothes, she had forcibly ejected the hard-eyed parson from her mind and begun brushing her damp hair free of snarls.
        That feeling of well-being had dropped the first notch when she had then donned the simple frock she had purchased earlier. Looking at herself in the mottled mirror Sally had provided, she had winced at the color. Aunt Penelope and Aunt Harriet had disliked light shades. They would have frowned their disapproval of the pale blue cotton, and of the square neckline that allowed a modest glimpse of the feminine flesh beneath. They would have called it undignified. As she struggled with the buttons on the back of the dress, however, she began to realize that the garment's color was not her only problem.
        Chastity raised her chin defensively at the direction of her thoughts. She certainly was not to blame for the fact that she had grown to the towering mark of seven inches past five feet. Nor was she to blame that because of her height, the selection of clothing available to her in Sedalia's only store was limited. And she surely could not assume responsibility for the   manner in which her womanly proportions, usually so carefully disguised, strained at the bodice of the dress, calling attention to rounded breasts which she had always considered too large for the otherwise slim line of her body.
        Chastity inwardly groaned. She had then looked again at her black dress. She had picked it up, determined to put it back onbut it had reeked beyond redemption and she had tossed it aside in despair.
        Reaching into the pocket of her simple frock, she had consoled herself by withdrawing the rail ticket she had put there, and by telling herself that she would soon be free of this disaster-laden situation into which she had somehow stumbled. It was when she had sought to confirm the departure time stamped on her ticket that she first missed her glasses. A few minutes of frantic searching had followed, after which she had quickly secured her damp hair at the back of her neck and started out onto the street to retrace her steps. She had been searching ever since.
        Chastity looked up at the hotel entrance as she approached. She swallowed with discomfort. The train would soon be departing. She could not leave without her glasses, and there was only one other place they could be.
        Chastity glanced toward the stairs as she entered the hotel lobby. She turned at the sound of Sally's voice beside her.
        ''The reverend's waitin' for you."
        She doubted it.
       "He ate real good . He's feelin' a bit better, but his mood ain't too fine."
        It never was.
        "He's good-looking', that man of yours."
        Chastity's smile was wan.
        Sally took a confidential step closer. "But he ain't got the eyes of a preacher. I'd keep a close watch on him, if I was you."
        Chastity paused at the foot of the stairs.
        "I'm sorry. I have to leave." His lined face sober, Dr. Carr regarded Reed for a few silent moments before continuing, "She's been gone over two hours. I'll check around town to see what I can find out, if you like."
        "That won't be necessary. She'll be back."
        "You're sure of that, are you?"
        "Yes, I am."
        Dr. Carr regarded Reed for a silent moment longer. "Well, I hope you aren't disappointed. In any case, Sally will be bringing you something to eat again soon. If you need anything, you can let her know."
        Remaining silent until Dr. Carr closed the