hollows.
* * *
Ally was already up and setting out the sausages and bacon she'd cooked for breakfast when her father and both brothers came into the kitchen.
"Something smells good," Porter said, and stole a piece of bacon.
"Are we having biscuits?" Danny asked.
"Isn't this Sunday?" Ally teased.
Danny grinned. "Yes, it's Sunday, and yes, I know, we always have biscuits on Sunday. Just thought I'd ask."
"Scrambled or fried?" Ally asked, referring to the eggs she had yet to cook.
"Scrambled works for me," her father said.
Ally gave him a cool glance, then nodded. They had yet to smooth over the rough patch they'd had when she'd gone to Granny Devon's, and she wasn't going to be the first one to say "I'm sorry," because she'd done nothing for which she needed to apologize.
She began breaking eggs in the bowl as the men poured coffee, got butter and jelly from the refrigerator, as well as the salt and pepper shakers out of the cabinet, and set them on the table.
Within minutes, they were seated with plates of fluffy yellow eggs, scrambled to perfection, at each place. Gideon looked at each of his children until he had their complete attention; then he bowed his head and blessed the food. He was on the verge of saying amen when he paused and added the words, "Bless the cook that prepared it, amen."
Ally looked up to find her father's gaze upon her. She sighed. It was all the apology she was going to get.
"Porter, pass Daddy the meat," she said, then took a biscuit and passed them on.
Gideon worried all through the meal, hoping he hadn't left his little bit of news too late. It would be horribly embarrassing to have company over after church and not have a meal to offer. He poured himself a second cup of coffee from the pot on the table, then took a third biscuit and buttered it up.
"Good bread, daughter," he said quietly.
"Thank you, Daddy," Ally said, then glanced at the clock and got up from the table. "I'm going to get a roast out of the freezer and put it on low heat in the oven so it can cook while we're at church."
Gideon nodded approvingly, then slapped his knee as if he just remembered something.
"Did I tell you we're having company at
noon
?"
Ally turned. "No, and please tell me it's not the preacher because I don't have anything special baked for dessert."
"No, no, nothing like that," he said. "It's just Freddie Joe."
She frowned. "Detweiller?"
"Yes."
"Is he bringing his children?"
"No, I think they're at their granny's for the weekend. He mentioned wanting one of my bull calves to raise for a new breeding bull. I told him he'd better come pick it out before I cut 'em all."
"I'll put extra vegetables in the roast. It will be fine."
Gideon breathed a quick sigh of relief. It was a lie, but it had served its purpose. The only stock on the Monroe property that Freddie Joe was interested in was his daughter.
Gideon had almost gotten over his guilt at deceiving his daughter when they pulled into the church parking lot. As soon as they got out of the truck, they joined other members of the congregation who were moving toward the doorway. The preacher was standing on the steps, greeting his parishioners, as well as paying special attention to the children who were accompanying their parents.
Ally's focus was on one of her old classmates, who was coming to church with a new baby. While she was happy for her friend's little family, it only enforced the lack of her own. She was halfway up the steps when someone suddenly grabbed her by the forearm.
"Ally Monroe, is this you?"
"Good morning, Granny Devon," she said.
There was a smile on the old woman's face as she started to answer, then her sightless eyes suddenly rolled back in her head. She moaned, then she spoke.
"There's a man who's done evil.
There's a man who's done
* * *
Ally was already up and setting out the sausages and bacon she'd cooked for breakfast when her father and both brothers came into the kitchen.
"Something smells good," Porter said, and stole a piece of bacon.
"Are we having biscuits?" Danny asked.
"Isn't this Sunday?" Ally teased.
Danny grinned. "Yes, it's Sunday, and yes, I know, we always have biscuits on Sunday. Just thought I'd ask."
"Scrambled or fried?" Ally asked, referring to the eggs she had yet to cook.
"Scrambled works for me," her father said.
Ally gave him a cool glance, then nodded. They had yet to smooth over the rough patch they'd had when she'd gone to Granny Devon's, and she wasn't going to be the first one to say "I'm sorry," because she'd done nothing for which she needed to apologize.
She began breaking eggs in the bowl as the men poured coffee, got butter and jelly from the refrigerator, as well as the salt and pepper shakers out of the cabinet, and set them on the table.
Within minutes, they were seated with plates of fluffy yellow eggs, scrambled to perfection, at each place. Gideon looked at each of his children until he had their complete attention; then he bowed his head and blessed the food. He was on the verge of saying amen when he paused and added the words, "Bless the cook that prepared it, amen."
Ally looked up to find her father's gaze upon her. She sighed. It was all the apology she was going to get.
"Porter, pass Daddy the meat," she said, then took a biscuit and passed them on.
Gideon worried all through the meal, hoping he hadn't left his little bit of news too late. It would be horribly embarrassing to have company over after church and not have a meal to offer. He poured himself a second cup of coffee from the pot on the table, then took a third biscuit and buttered it up.
"Good bread, daughter," he said quietly.
"Thank you, Daddy," Ally said, then glanced at the clock and got up from the table. "I'm going to get a roast out of the freezer and put it on low heat in the oven so it can cook while we're at church."
Gideon nodded approvingly, then slapped his knee as if he just remembered something.
"Did I tell you we're having company at
noon
?"
Ally turned. "No, and please tell me it's not the preacher because I don't have anything special baked for dessert."
"No, no, nothing like that," he said. "It's just Freddie Joe."
She frowned. "Detweiller?"
"Yes."
"Is he bringing his children?"
"No, I think they're at their granny's for the weekend. He mentioned wanting one of my bull calves to raise for a new breeding bull. I told him he'd better come pick it out before I cut 'em all."
"I'll put extra vegetables in the roast. It will be fine."
Gideon breathed a quick sigh of relief. It was a lie, but it had served its purpose. The only stock on the Monroe property that Freddie Joe was interested in was his daughter.
Gideon had almost gotten over his guilt at deceiving his daughter when they pulled into the church parking lot. As soon as they got out of the truck, they joined other members of the congregation who were moving toward the doorway. The preacher was standing on the steps, greeting his parishioners, as well as paying special attention to the children who were accompanying their parents.
Ally's focus was on one of her old classmates, who was coming to church with a new baby. While she was happy for her friend's little family, it only enforced the lack of her own. She was halfway up the steps when someone suddenly grabbed her by the forearm.
"Ally Monroe, is this you?"
"Good morning, Granny Devon," she said.
There was a smile on the old woman's face as she started to answer, then her sightless eyes suddenly rolled back in her head. She moaned, then she spoke.
"There's a man who's done evil.
There's a man who's done
Similar Books
Deadly Dye and a Soy Chai: a Danger Cove Hair Salon Mystery (Danger Cove Mysteries Book 5)
Traci Andrighetti, Elizabeth Ashby
