Read Online Heaven Sent by Alice Duncan - Free Book Online Page A

asked.
“Oh, You mean our founding fathers?”
    The little girl nodded. Aubrey noticed
how her blond braids caught the lamplight when they bounced, She
was the image of Anne, God bless her. God, being the cruel fellow
He was, had better not take Becky from Aubrey. That would be too
cruel, even for Him.
    He hadn’t been paying attention to
Callie’s answer to Becky’s question in regard to the founding
fathers, His mind swerved to the present again, however, when he
heard Becky ask, “But why don’t they talk about our founding
mothers, Miss Prophet? Didn’t the ladies come, too, along with the
gentlemen?”
    There went Miss Prophet’s smile again.
And her green eyes did twinkle quite charmingly. Aubrey wished he
hadn’t noticed. Fortunately for him, Delilah, the maid who served
the meals, ladled out a plate of soup, forcing him to drag his gaze
from Callie.
    “ The ladies came, too,
Becky, but the people who write history books generally tend to
ignore women’s contributions to progress, no matter which country’s
history they’re recording.”
    “ How come?”
    “ That,” said Miss Prophet,
smiling brightly at Delilah as she served soup before her, “is one
of the mysteries of life.”
    “ Thank you, Delilah,” Becky
said perkily as her own soup appeared in front of her. She picked
up her spoon and took a sip before she spoke again.
    “ This is delicious soup,”
Callie murmured.
    “ It’s real good,” agreed
Becky. “Mrs. Granger’s a good cook.” She set her spoon carefully on
her plate. “You know what I’m going to do when I grow up, Miss
Prophet?”
    “ No, I don’t believe we’ve
discussed that yet,” said Callie, with her beautiful smile and her
twinkly eyes. “Do you have plans?”
    After spooning up another sip, Becky
nodded. “I’m gonna write a history book about the
ladies.”
    “ What a brilliant idea!”
Callie beamed at the little girl.
    Aubrey glanced from one young lady to
the other, feeling left out, as if Becky didn’t need him anymore
now that she had Callie.
    He cleared his throat, drawing their
attention to him, and then he felt embarrassed. “I think,” he said
in a judicious voice, “that’s a very good idea, Becky.”
    Becky grinned, pleased. “You
do?”
    She sounded surprised, which made
Aubrey want to frown Dash it, the girl acted as if she were afraid
of him, and at was nonsensical. He’d never done anything to foster
fear in his child. He’d always loved her. Always. In fact, now that
Anne was gone, Becky was the most important person in his life. If
he’d been a little distant these past few months, it was only
because of circumstances.
    He caught Callie eyeing him ironically
and disliked her for it. A lot.
    *****
    As Callie helped Becky dress for bed,
she congratulated herself on surviving her first day on the job. It
had been truly hellish at times, although Becky was a darling.
Callie think she’d ever want to leave Becky.
    Becky’s father, however, was another
matter entirely. She was still amazed that he hadn’t fired her
earlier that afternoon when she’d confronted him about his
bellowing fit.
    As she folded back the bedclothes and
Becky climbed into her pretty four-poster bed with its
pink-and-white tester and counterpane, Callie said, “Would you like
me to hear your prayers sweetheart?”
    “ Yes, please. Mama used to
hear my prayers every night before bed.” Becky sighed
deeply.
    “ Did she?” Callie sighed,
too, remembering how her own mother had done the same for her,
“Does your papa ever come up to hear them?”
    Becky shrugged. “Sometimes. But most
of the time, it’s Mrs. Granger who comes upstairs with me.” A sad
look passed over Becky’s face only to be replaced seconds later
with a glowing smile. “But now that you’re here, you can do
it.”
    “ I’m very happy to be here,
Becky, and I promise to hear your prayers whenever you want me
to.”
    “ I’m happy you’re here,
too.” She wiggled into a more