Read Online Rainy Day Dreams: 2 by Virginia Smith, Lori Copeland - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Virginia Smith, Lori Copeland
Tags: United States, Fiction, Romance, Historical, Literature & Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Christian fiction, Christianity, Christian Books & Bibles, Religious & Inspirational Fiction
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way to the back table where Jason had been seated across from Captain Baker. Jason followed, and gave Kathryn a searching look as he slid into his chair.
A warm flush crept up her neck. How embarrassing to faint as though she were one of those ridiculous females whose behavior she had always found so annoying. They pretended a fragility they did not feel merely to appear weak and helpless before the men they hoped to entice. She had no patience for women like that.
On the other hand, the pronouncement of an impending attack by savage Indians directly after the shock of learning that she was stranded here until the arrival of the next ship was enough to make anyone’s head spin.
With a smooth gesture, Evie scooped up the captain’s and mate’s half-eaten dinners and whisked them away. “Noah, you sit there with David. I’ll fetch some plates.”
David gave her a grateful nod. “Louisa and the children will be along any minute. When the word came, she sent me ahead.”
The smile Evie turned on Kathryn held a touch of strain, understandable given the circumstances. “You’ll get to meet my friend.”
When she bustled toward the stove, Kathryn rose. She couldn’t sit there like a pampered lady and watch Evie work.
Beside her, Jason looked up with an expression of polite concern. “Are you sure you shouldn’t sit a while and rest?”
She found his conciliatory manner irritating. “I’m fine,” she answered pertly, and turned away with her head high. From the corner of her eye she saw him shrug and focus his attention on the men seated across from him.
Evie answered her offer of assistance with a grateful nod. “If you don’t mind, fetch clean plates and forks from that storage room.” She gestured with a tilt of her head while she scraped food scraps into a bucket. “Might as well grab a dozen or so. When word gets around, I expect people will start showing up to find out what’s happening.”
Kathryn headed for the doorway. “So your restaurant is a kind of public meeting hall or something?”
“It was the first business in town, so I guess people got used to gathering here.” She gave a delicate shrug. “And we have plenty of seating.”
That made sense. Kathryn stepped into the storage room and took a minute to get her bearings. The room was a lot bigger than she expected, and judging by the freshly-cut look of the floor slats, a recent addition to the original building. A lamp burned on a table by the door, and she picked it up to shed light on the deep shelves that stood against all four walls. Most were piled high with jars, bulging bags, and containers covered in oiled cloth. She found dishes stacked on a low shelf and retrieved a dozen or so along with a handful of utensils. The aroma of freshly baked bread permeated the room, and she discovered the source beneath a white linen cloth on the table beside the lamp. Another dozen loaves lay waiting to be served.
She arrived back in the dining room at the same time a woman closed the main door, one hand clutching that of a little girl perhaps three or four years old. Several of the men called a greeting to “Miz Louisa.” When she turned, Kathryn saw Evie’s friend was well along in pregnancy.
David leaped up from his seat and dashed toward her to take herarm and help her to a seat. A smile curved her lips, and her eyes sparkled above round cheeks.
“I’ve just walked all the way down the street with a child at each side, and you act as if I can’t make my way safely across the room.” Teasing laughter tinged her tone, but she indulgently allowed him to guide her toward a chair and hold her arm as she lowered herself into it.
Had Kathryn not glanced at Evie at that moment, she would have missed a look of intense longing that flashed across her face. Not jealousy of the attention her friend received from her husband. She had seen an equal amount of love in Noah’s eyes when he looked at her. Desire for a child, then?
“Auntie
A warm flush crept up her neck. How embarrassing to faint as though she were one of those ridiculous females whose behavior she had always found so annoying. They pretended a fragility they did not feel merely to appear weak and helpless before the men they hoped to entice. She had no patience for women like that.
On the other hand, the pronouncement of an impending attack by savage Indians directly after the shock of learning that she was stranded here until the arrival of the next ship was enough to make anyone’s head spin.
With a smooth gesture, Evie scooped up the captain’s and mate’s half-eaten dinners and whisked them away. “Noah, you sit there with David. I’ll fetch some plates.”
David gave her a grateful nod. “Louisa and the children will be along any minute. When the word came, she sent me ahead.”
The smile Evie turned on Kathryn held a touch of strain, understandable given the circumstances. “You’ll get to meet my friend.”
When she bustled toward the stove, Kathryn rose. She couldn’t sit there like a pampered lady and watch Evie work.
Beside her, Jason looked up with an expression of polite concern. “Are you sure you shouldn’t sit a while and rest?”
She found his conciliatory manner irritating. “I’m fine,” she answered pertly, and turned away with her head high. From the corner of her eye she saw him shrug and focus his attention on the men seated across from him.
Evie answered her offer of assistance with a grateful nod. “If you don’t mind, fetch clean plates and forks from that storage room.” She gestured with a tilt of her head while she scraped food scraps into a bucket. “Might as well grab a dozen or so. When word gets around, I expect people will start showing up to find out what’s happening.”
Kathryn headed for the doorway. “So your restaurant is a kind of public meeting hall or something?”
“It was the first business in town, so I guess people got used to gathering here.” She gave a delicate shrug. “And we have plenty of seating.”
That made sense. Kathryn stepped into the storage room and took a minute to get her bearings. The room was a lot bigger than she expected, and judging by the freshly-cut look of the floor slats, a recent addition to the original building. A lamp burned on a table by the door, and she picked it up to shed light on the deep shelves that stood against all four walls. Most were piled high with jars, bulging bags, and containers covered in oiled cloth. She found dishes stacked on a low shelf and retrieved a dozen or so along with a handful of utensils. The aroma of freshly baked bread permeated the room, and she discovered the source beneath a white linen cloth on the table beside the lamp. Another dozen loaves lay waiting to be served.
She arrived back in the dining room at the same time a woman closed the main door, one hand clutching that of a little girl perhaps three or four years old. Several of the men called a greeting to “Miz Louisa.” When she turned, Kathryn saw Evie’s friend was well along in pregnancy.
David leaped up from his seat and dashed toward her to take herarm and help her to a seat. A smile curved her lips, and her eyes sparkled above round cheeks.
“I’ve just walked all the way down the street with a child at each side, and you act as if I can’t make my way safely across the room.” Teasing laughter tinged her tone, but she indulgently allowed him to guide her toward a chair and hold her arm as she lowered herself into it.
Had Kathryn not glanced at Evie at that moment, she would have missed a look of intense longing that flashed across her face. Not jealousy of the attention her friend received from her husband. She had seen an equal amount of love in Noah’s eyes when he looked at her. Desire for a child, then?
“Auntie
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