Read Online Desperate by Sylvia McDaniel - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sylvia McDaniel
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contemplated marrying on the matrimony road of integrity. She knew what they carried beneath their skirts, and those little persuaders carried enough kick to make any man sit up and take notice. One shot would be all that was necessary to get him back in line.
“He’s handsome,” Ruby exclaimed with a grin on her face.
“A sheriff’s wife. I think that fits you,” Annabelle said with a smile. “I made a buttermilk pie for dessert.”
Meg stared at her sisters. Sure, there were times she wanted to strangle her two siblings for their constant nagging and fighting, but then there were times when she didn’t know how she could live without them. They were always there for her. They were her family.
“Thanks, girls. This means a lot,” Meg said.
Zach came out of their parent’s bedroom, holding up his hands like a two year old. “I washed up.”
“Let’s eat,” Meg announced.
He pulled out her chair, and she sat at the end of the table. “Please, Zach, you’re our guest of honor. You sit in Papa’s place.”
He frowned, but he pulled out the chair she gestured at and sank down.
“How about a slice of ham?” Annabelle invited.
“Thank you.”
Ruby smiled at him. “Annabelle baked a buttermilk pie for tonight. We haven’t had pie in ages. She hates to use all the eggs for pies.”
Meg frowned at her sister. He didn’t need to know how desperate they really were. He didn’t need to know how much they needed a man who could make a living for them.
She cut into the ham and took the first bite. It was succulent and moist, and she had to chew extra hard when she thought of how she’d acquired the meat. Someday she’d repay the Moore’s for the stolen property. Someday she’d have enough money that she wasn’t worried about starving. Someday she’d earn enough money from her dressmaking designs to live a good life.
Zach took a bite of his ham. “Where did you get this ham? This tastes really good.”
“It was given to me.” For a moment, Meg almost choked on the lie she’d told.
“Ho Chinn gave it to Meg,” Annabelle said.
“He’s not far from the Moore’s, is he?”
“His business is about three doors down,” Meg said reluctantly, not really wanting to confirm what she could see were suspicions forming in his mind.
Zach stared at Meg, and guilt washed over her, causing her insides to cringe with the knowledge that he knew. God, she hoped it didn’t show on her face. She was serving the sheriff a stolen ham. Could she go to jail?
Zach stared with disbelief at Meg, his forehead in a crinkle like he didn’t quite understand. “Tom Moore is known for his smoked hams and turkeys. This tastes so much like what he sells.” He paused and shook his head “He reported one stolen today. Said he stepped into the house to get another ham, and when he came back, the one he’d left cooling was gone.”
Meg swallowed and smiled. Her food sat like a rock in her belly as cramps rippled from her intestines. “Oh, no. I hope he finds out who took it.”
Zach laughed and stared at Meg, his brown eyes knowing. “Ho Chinn doesn’t give anything away. I think I know who took the ham, and they won’t be taking another one, will they?”
Meg tried to smile, but her face felt stiff. Her lips refused to work, and her tongue felt glued to the roof of her mouth. Oh, God, he knew she’d stolen the ham, and now her sisters would know of her thievery.
Annabelle looked at Zach and then at Meg. “Meg McKenzie, what is he saying?”
“You didn’t get this ham from Ho Chinn, did you?” Zach asked.
“Please tell me we’re not eating stolen food,” Annabelle declared.
Meg looked at her sisters and then at Zach. She sighed, closed her eyes and confessed. “We were hungry. Ho Chinn hasn’t paid me yet, and I didn’t want to fry up another hen tonight.”
Ruby threw down her fork, making a clattering noise on the plate. “Papa would not have approved. I think you need to take the rest of
“He’s handsome,” Ruby exclaimed with a grin on her face.
“A sheriff’s wife. I think that fits you,” Annabelle said with a smile. “I made a buttermilk pie for dessert.”
Meg stared at her sisters. Sure, there were times she wanted to strangle her two siblings for their constant nagging and fighting, but then there were times when she didn’t know how she could live without them. They were always there for her. They were her family.
“Thanks, girls. This means a lot,” Meg said.
Zach came out of their parent’s bedroom, holding up his hands like a two year old. “I washed up.”
“Let’s eat,” Meg announced.
He pulled out her chair, and she sat at the end of the table. “Please, Zach, you’re our guest of honor. You sit in Papa’s place.”
He frowned, but he pulled out the chair she gestured at and sank down.
“How about a slice of ham?” Annabelle invited.
“Thank you.”
Ruby smiled at him. “Annabelle baked a buttermilk pie for tonight. We haven’t had pie in ages. She hates to use all the eggs for pies.”
Meg frowned at her sister. He didn’t need to know how desperate they really were. He didn’t need to know how much they needed a man who could make a living for them.
She cut into the ham and took the first bite. It was succulent and moist, and she had to chew extra hard when she thought of how she’d acquired the meat. Someday she’d repay the Moore’s for the stolen property. Someday she’d have enough money that she wasn’t worried about starving. Someday she’d earn enough money from her dressmaking designs to live a good life.
Zach took a bite of his ham. “Where did you get this ham? This tastes really good.”
“It was given to me.” For a moment, Meg almost choked on the lie she’d told.
“Ho Chinn gave it to Meg,” Annabelle said.
“He’s not far from the Moore’s, is he?”
“His business is about three doors down,” Meg said reluctantly, not really wanting to confirm what she could see were suspicions forming in his mind.
Zach stared at Meg, and guilt washed over her, causing her insides to cringe with the knowledge that he knew. God, she hoped it didn’t show on her face. She was serving the sheriff a stolen ham. Could she go to jail?
Zach stared with disbelief at Meg, his forehead in a crinkle like he didn’t quite understand. “Tom Moore is known for his smoked hams and turkeys. This tastes so much like what he sells.” He paused and shook his head “He reported one stolen today. Said he stepped into the house to get another ham, and when he came back, the one he’d left cooling was gone.”
Meg swallowed and smiled. Her food sat like a rock in her belly as cramps rippled from her intestines. “Oh, no. I hope he finds out who took it.”
Zach laughed and stared at Meg, his brown eyes knowing. “Ho Chinn doesn’t give anything away. I think I know who took the ham, and they won’t be taking another one, will they?”
Meg tried to smile, but her face felt stiff. Her lips refused to work, and her tongue felt glued to the roof of her mouth. Oh, God, he knew she’d stolen the ham, and now her sisters would know of her thievery.
Annabelle looked at Zach and then at Meg. “Meg McKenzie, what is he saying?”
“You didn’t get this ham from Ho Chinn, did you?” Zach asked.
“Please tell me we’re not eating stolen food,” Annabelle declared.
Meg looked at her sisters and then at Zach. She sighed, closed her eyes and confessed. “We were hungry. Ho Chinn hasn’t paid me yet, and I didn’t want to fry up another hen tonight.”
Ruby threw down her fork, making a clattering noise on the plate. “Papa would not have approved. I think you need to take the rest of
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