throw off antiquated conventions, the dictates of ceremony and social structure, and just be yourself.”
Though she’d never have found such elegant words to describe her feelings, it seemed as though Annie had peeled back a layer of her skin and peered right down into her soul. She nodded dumbly.
“And tell me, little Bertha Maye, that you don’t long to skip just because you feel like it, to dance a jig when no one’s looking, and to run barefoot through the town square, sans bonnet, corset, or shawl.”
Bertha felt undressed before Annie’s wisdom and insight. “However did you know?”
Annie tapped her chest. “Because I recognize you. We’re kindred spirits. And now that we have it all settled, answer my question, please. What’s this all about? Why did you bring me here?”
Bertha ducked her head. “Well, you see, there’s this boy. . . .” She looked up to find a knowing smile on Annie’s face.
“I might’ve guessed. It’s always a boy.” She patted Bertha’s hand. “Honey, you don’t need my help on that subject. Why, look at you. You’re lovely. Any man who can’t see how wonderful you are, inside and out, doesn’t deserve you.”
Bertha shook her head. “I don’t know what Thad sees, and that’s the trouble. I go all trembly inside at the sound of his voice orthe touch of his hand. But I can’t tell how he feels about me.”
Annie settled back and regarded her with soft gray eyes. “Well, if he’s not mad about you, he’s a fool.”
Bertha shook her head again. “He’s anything but a fool, but I don’t think he wants me. I’d give anything to be like you, Annie. To have your enticing effect on men.”
Annie released Bertha’s hands and turned away. “Don’t ever say that.”
“But why? It’s true. You’re a splendid creature. Just looking at you makes people feel special.”
Annie’s laugh sounded harsh and hollow. “Is that a fact, little chicken? Well, not men. Looking at me makes men feel something else.”
Warmth spread to Bertha’s toes. “I know what you mean. Desire.”
The lines of Annie’s beautiful face turned to carved stone. “No, more than that. They feel the need to possess. To control.”
It pained Bertha’s heart to imagine what misdeeds had caused Annie to say such a thing. “Not all men. My papa would never treat a woman like that.”
Annie smiled, but it didn’t erase the hard lines. “Then I need to meet your papa. If it’s true, he’d be the first of his kind I’ve run into.”
“There are a lot of good men in the world. Thad’s one of them.”
Annie chuckled and held up her hand. “Don’t be so hasty. He’s too green to determine that yet. Let’s give him a few years. Now tell me about your Thad.”
They dwelled at length on Bertha’s favorite topic. She described Thad in glowing terms–tall, with shoulders so broad she couldn’t see around him, dark brown eyes, and sandy hair. A quick smile and rumbling laugh. She told Annie she’d been in love with Thad since the day Abel and Leona Bloom moved him into Jefferson. She shared that she longed to be his wife, said she knew in her heart he felt the same but something held him back.
“And I’m running out of time. He’s leaving town.”
“Leaving? Why?”
Bertha broke eye contact and stared at the ground. “College. He’s going away to school.”
“Oh, Bertha. When?”
Her voice broke when she answered. “I don’t know for sure. Soon.”
Annie picked up her hands and squeezed them. “I have no quick answers for you, honey.” Annie’s sincere gaze pierced Bertha’s heart. “But I promise you this. I’ll do my best to come up with a plan.”
A strong breeze kicked up, howling through the cut below and sweeping over the face of the water in a fury. Bertha watched it sway the oak and tangle the tops of the pine overhead while the branches complained aloud with ghostly groans and creaks. The brisk wind was the sort that ushered in a hard rain, so
Though she’d never have found such elegant words to describe her feelings, it seemed as though Annie had peeled back a layer of her skin and peered right down into her soul. She nodded dumbly.
“And tell me, little Bertha Maye, that you don’t long to skip just because you feel like it, to dance a jig when no one’s looking, and to run barefoot through the town square, sans bonnet, corset, or shawl.”
Bertha felt undressed before Annie’s wisdom and insight. “However did you know?”
Annie tapped her chest. “Because I recognize you. We’re kindred spirits. And now that we have it all settled, answer my question, please. What’s this all about? Why did you bring me here?”
Bertha ducked her head. “Well, you see, there’s this boy. . . .” She looked up to find a knowing smile on Annie’s face.
“I might’ve guessed. It’s always a boy.” She patted Bertha’s hand. “Honey, you don’t need my help on that subject. Why, look at you. You’re lovely. Any man who can’t see how wonderful you are, inside and out, doesn’t deserve you.”
Bertha shook her head. “I don’t know what Thad sees, and that’s the trouble. I go all trembly inside at the sound of his voice orthe touch of his hand. But I can’t tell how he feels about me.”
Annie settled back and regarded her with soft gray eyes. “Well, if he’s not mad about you, he’s a fool.”
Bertha shook her head again. “He’s anything but a fool, but I don’t think he wants me. I’d give anything to be like you, Annie. To have your enticing effect on men.”
Annie released Bertha’s hands and turned away. “Don’t ever say that.”
“But why? It’s true. You’re a splendid creature. Just looking at you makes people feel special.”
Annie’s laugh sounded harsh and hollow. “Is that a fact, little chicken? Well, not men. Looking at me makes men feel something else.”
Warmth spread to Bertha’s toes. “I know what you mean. Desire.”
The lines of Annie’s beautiful face turned to carved stone. “No, more than that. They feel the need to possess. To control.”
It pained Bertha’s heart to imagine what misdeeds had caused Annie to say such a thing. “Not all men. My papa would never treat a woman like that.”
Annie smiled, but it didn’t erase the hard lines. “Then I need to meet your papa. If it’s true, he’d be the first of his kind I’ve run into.”
“There are a lot of good men in the world. Thad’s one of them.”
Annie chuckled and held up her hand. “Don’t be so hasty. He’s too green to determine that yet. Let’s give him a few years. Now tell me about your Thad.”
They dwelled at length on Bertha’s favorite topic. She described Thad in glowing terms–tall, with shoulders so broad she couldn’t see around him, dark brown eyes, and sandy hair. A quick smile and rumbling laugh. She told Annie she’d been in love with Thad since the day Abel and Leona Bloom moved him into Jefferson. She shared that she longed to be his wife, said she knew in her heart he felt the same but something held him back.
“And I’m running out of time. He’s leaving town.”
“Leaving? Why?”
Bertha broke eye contact and stared at the ground. “College. He’s going away to school.”
“Oh, Bertha. When?”
Her voice broke when she answered. “I don’t know for sure. Soon.”
Annie picked up her hands and squeezed them. “I have no quick answers for you, honey.” Annie’s sincere gaze pierced Bertha’s heart. “But I promise you this. I’ll do my best to come up with a plan.”
A strong breeze kicked up, howling through the cut below and sweeping over the face of the water in a fury. Bertha watched it sway the oak and tangle the tops of the pine overhead while the branches complained aloud with ghostly groans and creaks. The brisk wind was the sort that ushered in a hard rain, so
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