Read Online Sentence of Marriage by Shayne Parkinson - Free Book Online

those!’ she said in alarm, pointing to the elegant things. The boots were black with a high heel; the lower part looked to be made of kid while the uppers were of a strong-looking cloth. To Amy’s utter dismay they were trimmed with bows of black silk ribbon near each toe.
    Susannah looked affronted. ‘What’s wrong with my boots?’
    ‘You’ll get them filthy out there—it’s very muddy with all the rain we’ve had. Don’t you have anything sensible—I mean suitable? Or you can wear mine if you like.’ She indicated her own outdoor boots, which were standing in the porch. ‘They’re a bit big on me, so they’d probably fit you.’
    ‘I’m not wearing those things!’ Susannah said, looking at Amy’s heavy leather boots in disgust. ‘These are perfectly good walking boots—I’ve worn them all winter in Auckland.’
    ‘They do look a bit flimsy, Susie,’ Jack said.
    ‘Don’t call me that!’ Susannah flared, turning on him. Jack took a step backwards in surprise.
    ‘What’s wrong with you?’
    ‘Nothing—I just wish you’d remember my name. And this child fussing over my boots got on my nerves. I—I didn’t mean to snap.’ Susannah tilted her head a little to one side as she looked at Jack, and he took her arm with a smile. Amy felt as though she were eavesdropping.
    ‘It doesn’t matter,’ said Jack. ‘Let’s go—I want to show you the view from the top of the hill before the rain sets in again.’
    Jack and Susannah were only gone a short time, just long enough for Amy to finish her dishes and start on the dusting, and when they came back in Amy could see that Susannah was the worse for wear. Her lovely mantle was spattered with mud, and the border of her dress was wet and stained for several inches. Worst of all, when Susannah bent to take off her boots in the porch she gave a cry of distress.
    ‘Oh, look at them! They’re just ruined!’ She held a boot aloft. It was caked with mud right to the cloth upper, and the ribbon trim was bedraggled and filthy. Tears filled Susannah’s eyes. Amy left her dusting cloth on the dresser and rushed to her.
    ‘Let me take them, perhaps I can clean them,’ she said, reaching for the boot. ‘I could put some new ribbon on for you if you like—I’m afraid that one’s ruined.’
    Susannah slapped her hand away. ‘Leave them alone! And don’t you gloat over me.’
    Amy dropped her hand in surprise. ‘I’m not gloating—I’m only trying to help.’
    ‘No, you’re not ,’ Susannah hissed at her. ‘You’re just trying to say “I told you so”—I won’t have it from a child like you. Tell her to stop it,’ she said, turning to Jack.
    ‘She doesn’t mean any harm, Susie,’ Jack said, looking bewildered over all the fuss. Susannah’s face turned distraught. She dropped her boot beside its equally filthy mate and ran from the room with a sob. ‘What’s wrong with her?’ Jack asked Amy.
    ‘I don’t know, Pa,’ Amy said helplessly.
    ‘I’d better try and settle her down,’ Jack said with a sigh. He followed his wife out of the room.
    Left alone, Amy picked up the sad-looking boots and set about trying to clean them. It took her most of what was left of the morning by the time she had scrubbed them, carefully removed the ruin of the ribbon trim with her tiny embroidery scissors and then put the boots to dry near the range. She thought they would probably be wearable, but would never look quite the same again.
    John came in ahead of the other men at lunch-time.
    ‘How did Pa and Harry get on this morning?’ Amy asked, looking at the passage door to check they weren’t about to be disturbed.
    ‘I stopped them from killing each other.’ He saw Amy’s worried face and smiled. ‘No, they got on all right—I made sure I was between them most of the time.’
    ‘Thank goodness you’ve got a bit of sense,’ said Amy. ‘What do you think about it all, John?’ She waved her hand in the direction of the passage door.
    ‘I