Read Online It had to be You by Jill Churchill - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jill Churchill
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he’d just read.
She finished the mopping and drying and sat down on one of the side chairs. It was so peaceful today. And they were being paid for reading the paper and sitting around. She felt guilty about it. But not too guilty. They’d both put in a lot of hard work on the previous days.
Robert set aside the paper and they both politely stood up when Miss Twibell entered the room. At least their expensive educations had drilled good manners into them. Nothing else they’d learned then had prepared them for the life they were now leading.
“Miss Brewster, would you mind going downstairs with your brother to wait for Mattie to arrive? It’s not fair to Doreen to have to leave her work to be alert to visitors at the door when she already has so much work to do. Mr. Brewster, Mattie is a strong-minded girl. She’ll want to walk up the stairs. I leave it to you to carry her up if, in your judgment, she’s too weak to do so.”
This was clearly an order but she said it so politely and gently that it wasn’t the least offensive.
As they headed out the door, Miss Twibell said, “Mr. Brewster? Your shoes?”
Robert looked down at his stockinged feet and laughed as he put them back on.
He resumed chuckling as they descended. “What’s so funny?“ Lily asked.
“You. I’d bet good money you’re still trying to find a tactful way to find out what happened at that hearing on Tuesday. You’re not going to get a word out of Betty or Miss Twibell, and I’ll bet Mr. Prinney will zip his lip as well. There’s no point in trying to pry it out of anyone who was there.“
“I’m afraid you’re right. I’ve already given up the idea. But consider this: they were back so quickly that it must have gone well. If there had been a division of opinion, it would have taken much longer.”
A car pulled up close to the front door and both of them went to help Mattie in. But it was her father bringing her. He was a big strong man who lifted her in his arms and carried her to the door.
“I’m Mattie’s dad. Who are you two?“ he said as they followed him up the stairs.
“We’re Mattie’s temporary substitutes. We’ve decided it takes two of us to replace her,“ Lily replied and gave him their names, adding, “Are you sure you don’t need my brother’s help?“
“Nope. She ain’t that heavy. She’s lost weight what with being so sickly.”
Miss Twibell was at the head of the stairs to greet them. “Thank you, Mr. Rockwell, for bringing Mattie back to us, even if she is a patient for a change. Come in and sit down while we put her to bed and examine her. You can then stay and have lunch in her room with her.”
Her father set her down. She looked pale and a little wobbly, but with Miss Twibell holding one elbow and Betty holding the other, they got her into her room and closed the door.
Miss Smith, maneuvering on her pair of canes, followed by Miss Jones, came out of their room to greet him. “It’s good to meet you again, Mr. Rockwell. We haven’t seen you for a long time. We’re so sorry that Mattie’s ill.”
He’d stood as they approached, and then helped Miss Smith get comfortably into one of the chairs and set her sticks where she could reach them easily.
When both ladies were seated, he said, “She ain’t all that sick, just a bit weak. It’s really that my wife is about to fall apart takin’ care of a houseful of our other puny kids. Mattie likes it here, and we know Miss Twibell will take good care of her.”
Lunch came along shortly and both the kitchen girl and the cook herself brought up big covered trays and set them down on the table in front of the sofa. “We got another two to bring up,“ the cook said as they disappeared.
Miss Twibell came out of Mattie’s room and lifted one of the lids. There were two plates under it. “Warmed-up leftover pot roast sandwiches from dinner last night. I think it’s always better the second time. And some nice fried potatoes.”
She sat
She finished the mopping and drying and sat down on one of the side chairs. It was so peaceful today. And they were being paid for reading the paper and sitting around. She felt guilty about it. But not too guilty. They’d both put in a lot of hard work on the previous days.
Robert set aside the paper and they both politely stood up when Miss Twibell entered the room. At least their expensive educations had drilled good manners into them. Nothing else they’d learned then had prepared them for the life they were now leading.
“Miss Brewster, would you mind going downstairs with your brother to wait for Mattie to arrive? It’s not fair to Doreen to have to leave her work to be alert to visitors at the door when she already has so much work to do. Mr. Brewster, Mattie is a strong-minded girl. She’ll want to walk up the stairs. I leave it to you to carry her up if, in your judgment, she’s too weak to do so.”
This was clearly an order but she said it so politely and gently that it wasn’t the least offensive.
As they headed out the door, Miss Twibell said, “Mr. Brewster? Your shoes?”
Robert looked down at his stockinged feet and laughed as he put them back on.
He resumed chuckling as they descended. “What’s so funny?“ Lily asked.
“You. I’d bet good money you’re still trying to find a tactful way to find out what happened at that hearing on Tuesday. You’re not going to get a word out of Betty or Miss Twibell, and I’ll bet Mr. Prinney will zip his lip as well. There’s no point in trying to pry it out of anyone who was there.“
“I’m afraid you’re right. I’ve already given up the idea. But consider this: they were back so quickly that it must have gone well. If there had been a division of opinion, it would have taken much longer.”
A car pulled up close to the front door and both of them went to help Mattie in. But it was her father bringing her. He was a big strong man who lifted her in his arms and carried her to the door.
“I’m Mattie’s dad. Who are you two?“ he said as they followed him up the stairs.
“We’re Mattie’s temporary substitutes. We’ve decided it takes two of us to replace her,“ Lily replied and gave him their names, adding, “Are you sure you don’t need my brother’s help?“
“Nope. She ain’t that heavy. She’s lost weight what with being so sickly.”
Miss Twibell was at the head of the stairs to greet them. “Thank you, Mr. Rockwell, for bringing Mattie back to us, even if she is a patient for a change. Come in and sit down while we put her to bed and examine her. You can then stay and have lunch in her room with her.”
Her father set her down. She looked pale and a little wobbly, but with Miss Twibell holding one elbow and Betty holding the other, they got her into her room and closed the door.
Miss Smith, maneuvering on her pair of canes, followed by Miss Jones, came out of their room to greet him. “It’s good to meet you again, Mr. Rockwell. We haven’t seen you for a long time. We’re so sorry that Mattie’s ill.”
He’d stood as they approached, and then helped Miss Smith get comfortably into one of the chairs and set her sticks where she could reach them easily.
When both ladies were seated, he said, “She ain’t all that sick, just a bit weak. It’s really that my wife is about to fall apart takin’ care of a houseful of our other puny kids. Mattie likes it here, and we know Miss Twibell will take good care of her.”
Lunch came along shortly and both the kitchen girl and the cook herself brought up big covered trays and set them down on the table in front of the sofa. “We got another two to bring up,“ the cook said as they disappeared.
Miss Twibell came out of Mattie’s room and lifted one of the lids. There were two plates under it. “Warmed-up leftover pot roast sandwiches from dinner last night. I think it’s always better the second time. And some nice fried potatoes.”
She sat
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