Read Online Like Gold Refined by Janette Oke - Free Book Online Page A

Virginia could have said. But her mother already knew that. Virginia decided to return to the original piece of information.
    “So when is he—are they—to arrive?”
    “Next Thursday. He thinks they will be here on Thursday.
    They have so much to do before leaving, and they will depart directly from here.”
    “How do they go?”
    “They take the train to New York—then catch the ship.”
    Virginia drew in a deep breath. “Well … they certainly will have lots of experiences to share when they get back home.”
    “Yes. Yes, they will. I told him to be sure to keep a diary. He said that will be Alvira’s job—while he’s out tracking animals.”
    “I guess it will give her something to do.”
    “Oh, she’s going to take her sketch pads with her. She is quite good at it, you know. Says she will enjoy having some new material to work on.” Her mother barely stopped to catch her breath. “Well, I must ring off. I want to phone Clara.”
    Virginia said good-bye and stepped back from the phone. She wasn’t sure whether to rejoice with Danny over his upcoming adventure or pray with every waking breath—maybe both.

    The Miss Groggins from the city who was considering the live-in position with the Davises arrived on the same train as Danny and Alvira. They all had hoped to give Danny and his wife their undivided attention for the few days the two would be with them. Instead, several members of the family were tied up with ongoing discussions and negotiations, trying to impress a city woman with the fact that country living was neither impossible nor unsatisfactory. She was not responding with much enthusiasm.
    “You will have your own room, of course,” Belinda informed her as she showed her about the house. Virginia, who had gone out to the farm with her mother for moral support, stood back and observed. The woman’s face had not brightened.
    “In fact,” Belinda went on in her cheeriest voice, “you may have your pick of the bedrooms upstairs. The folks have their bed in the living room now.”
    “I noticed,” said the woman, her tone indicating that she was not particularly taken with beds in living rooms.
    Virginia was glad that her grandparents were not at home. Belinda had wisely arranged for Uncle Clare to take them for an afternoon drive. They, as yet, knew nothing about the proposed new arrangement. “There will be plenty of time to inform them of the plan when we know it’s going to work,” Belinda had stated. “No use stirring things up for nothing.” Virginia had secretly wondered, but she had not contradicted her mother.
    Now, as Virginia stood and studied the straight-backed, stern-faced Miss Groggins, she half hoped that her grandparents need never know of the plan. She was not at all taken with the woman. In fact, she didn’t like her at all. Miss Groggins was too stiff, too superior, too self-imposing, to her way of thinking. Why, she would take all the fun out of the household. Her grandparents would not survive without their little jokes, their teasing, their sense of humor. Her grandmother had always maintained that a sense of humor was as necessary to get one through life as a strong back or a right hand. Miss Groggins appeared not to share the sentiment in any way.
    “Will I be expected to do the cleaning?” she asked brusquely.
    “A woman comes in twice a week for the laundry and cleaning.”
    The woman’s eyes did not even flicker. “And the cooking?”
    “Mama still does the cooking.”
    No glimmer.
    “You say your father has only one lower limb?”
    Virginia was not used to hearing one’s leg referred to in that impersonal manner.
    “Yes.”
    “So I’m expected to be a nurse?”
    “No. He is self-sufficient—still.”
    What is this woman supposed to do? Virginia found herself wondering. No cleaning, no cooking, no nursing care. What do we need her for?
    “I do have a cat. Cleopatra goes everywhere with me.”
    “A pet would be welcome.”
    The woman studied