Read Online Lily (Song of the River) by Aaron McCarver, Diane T. Ashley - Free Book Online Page A

Marvin. They might not react well if she defied the man’s children and the boys complained.
    All four children were glaring at each other. Jasmine made a fist and shook it at them. “You’re dreadful, mean boys.”
    “I can do whatever I want.” The younger Marvin boy took a step toward Jasmine, but the dark-haired girl stood her ground.
    “Leave my sister alone.” Camellia put a hand on his arm.
    Tamar gathered her courage. “The good Lord must be shaking His head at you boys. What are you going to do? Have a fistfight with girls?” She hoped her words would ease the tension in the room.
    The redhead looked at her, his gaze inscrutable. Then his shoulders relaxed. He cuffed his brother on the shoulder. “Put your marbles away. We’ll find something else to play with.”
    Tamar’s heart sank at his calculating expression. What was he planning to do? The younger one, whose dark curls had made her think he might have a sweet temperament, birthed a smile of pure evil.
    “Maybe over here.” Adolphus went for the shelf of dolls, pushing them onto the floor. When the shelf was empty, he looked around for another target.
    His brother mimicked him, attacking the books on the other side of the room. Soon they were in a heap on the floor.
    “Stop that!” Camellia ran after Adolphus, swatting the boy around the head and neck. He shrugged off her blows and kept up his destructive actions.
    Jasmine took a step toward them, but Samuel grabbed her arms in his chubby hands. “What do you think you’re going to do?”
    “Let me go!” Jasmine struggled to get free. “Let go.”
    Another crash sounded as Adolphus jerked a drawer loose and emptied its contents on the floor.
    Tamar’s instinct took over. She stepped forward to pull Jasmine free of the younger guest’s grasp. Jasmine must have decided to take matters into her own hands. She kicked the boy holding her. He howled and bent over Jasmine, his mouth locking onto her arm. Jasmine screamed and began crying, falling to the ground when Samuel released her.
    “Let me see your arm.” Tamar cuffed the boy before scooping Miss Jasmine into her arms. She didn’t care if she got in trouble. No one was going to hurt one of her girls.
    Startled by Jasmine’s cries, Adolphus had stopped strewing the girls’ belongings and watched, his eyes traveling from Tamar to Samuel to Jasmine. “Quit being such a baby.”
    Camellia picked up a parasol from one of the heaps on the floor and used it to attack him. “You’re a boorish oaf.” She landed several blows on his head before he wrested her weapon out of her hands. Undaunted, she pointed at him. “I hope my sister never marries your pa. Get out of my house.”
    Tamar was proud of her. Camellia was finally showing her true mettle. She watched as the two boys slunk away. “What should we do now?” She stroked Jasmine’s shoulder and whispered comforting phrases in the little girl’s ear. But Jasmine would not be comforted.
    “Do you want me to go get Aunt Dahlia and Uncle Phillip?” Camellia fell onto the sofa as though exhausted.
    Tamar shuddered at the thought of breaking up the dinner party downstairs. “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Maybe I can draw Lily away without too much commotion. She always knows how to calm Jasmine, and she can make certain the others know exactly what happened.”
    Camellia nodded. “Come here, Jasmine. Let Tamar go downstairs and get your sissy.”
    Tamar left the two of them leaning against each other on the sofa and went in search of Lily. This night could not end fast enough.

Chapter Nine
     
    A nd that’s the way I found him almost two hours later.”
    Everyone seated at the dinner table laughed at the humorous story Mr. Marvin told about his oldest son, Joshua. Lily had to admit he was a gifted storyteller who had kept them enthralled with tales of his travels and his sons. He had a self-deprecating air, as though he was grateful for whatever attention he