unsettling to think someone so close to her was not above going behind her back, and she hoped Rodger would prove her misgivings to be unwarranted.
Forcing a smile, she turned back to Sarah. “Why don't we go back to my house? I'm sure Miss Eula is home by now."
Sarah glanced back toward the desk. “How ‘bout my pic-sure?"
"Your picture?” Olivia repeated. “What about—oh! Your picture. We must take it with us to show Miss Eula."
Sarah smiled and gingerly claimed the scrawled sheet of paper and held it out to Olivia. Once outside, she and Sarah found a safe place for the picture behind the buggy seat and started for home.
Halfway through town, Olivia remembered a package waiting for her at the mercantile and drew the team to a halt. She hefted Sarah down from the buggy and led her inside the store. The tiny bell jingled above her head as they stepped inside, and she nodded in acknowledgment of the shopkeeper's greeting. The store was eerily quiet, and Olivia glanced up to find at least seven or eight women staring at her in undisguised shock.
She steeled her gaze, and they all looked away, each feigning interest in some insignificant piece of merchandise. Turning her attention, Olivia didn't miss the hushed whispers and bristled at the thought of being the subject of petty gossip. The sound of someone clearing her throat startled her.
She turned to find Eugenia Jennings at her side. “My, my, Olivia, who do you have with you today?"
She didn't bother returning the woman's simpering smile. “This is Sarah."
"Matthew's little girl? Well, hello, Sarah,” Eugenia cooed. “Are you visiting with Miss Olivia today?"
The little girl backed away from her and clung to Olivia's hand. Eugenia was not at all discouraged. “She certainly seems attached to you, Olivia. Does this mean that you're going to be her new mama?"
"Of course, not,” Olivia snapped, realizing too late that her hasty denial would feed the gossip mill just as well as a confirmation.
"That's a shame.” Eugenia shook her head sadly. “Poor Matthew. All alone with a child to raise. I can't believe you'd pass up the opportunity."
She felt herself stiffen at the remark. “The matter is none of your business, and I resent your prying and insinuations."
Eugenia's eyes widened with exaggerated innocence. “Why, dear, I don't know what you mean."
"You know very well what I mean.” Olivia deliberately lowered her voice. “How dare you imply that I would use a child for such a purpose?"
"Well, Olivia, you own everything else in town. I don't see why you don't just buy yourself a husband."
"That's good advice. I'll remember it when yours brings his cotton to market."
Eugenia paled visibly, remembering too late with whom she was dealing, but Olivia didn't relent. It was her turn to smile sweetly. “After all, why should I buy a husband when I already own yours?"
Her spite found its mark, and the woman's eyes narrowed with impotent fury, but she dared not reciprocate. Instead, she returned to her friends with as much defiance as she could muster and led them out of the store before relating her version of the encounter.
Olivia glanced down at Sarah and smoothed the child's wispy curls away from her face. Try as she might, Olivia couldn't think of anything to say to alleviate the tense mood that had spoiled an otherwise pleasant afternoon. Instead, she made a feeble suggestion that Sarah peruse the sparse selection of toys Parson's had in stock.
The plain truth was that she just couldn't do this. No one would ever believe she was keeping the child for the sake of kindness alone. She would have to find a nurse for Sarah and take her back to her father. The child would still be cared for and Matthew wouldn't lose any time in the fields.
"Here's your package, Miss Olivia."
The storekeeper's voice startled her, and she was mortified to realize he had probably heard the entire exchange between Eugenia Jennings and herself. Why had she let that
Forcing a smile, she turned back to Sarah. “Why don't we go back to my house? I'm sure Miss Eula is home by now."
Sarah glanced back toward the desk. “How ‘bout my pic-sure?"
"Your picture?” Olivia repeated. “What about—oh! Your picture. We must take it with us to show Miss Eula."
Sarah smiled and gingerly claimed the scrawled sheet of paper and held it out to Olivia. Once outside, she and Sarah found a safe place for the picture behind the buggy seat and started for home.
Halfway through town, Olivia remembered a package waiting for her at the mercantile and drew the team to a halt. She hefted Sarah down from the buggy and led her inside the store. The tiny bell jingled above her head as they stepped inside, and she nodded in acknowledgment of the shopkeeper's greeting. The store was eerily quiet, and Olivia glanced up to find at least seven or eight women staring at her in undisguised shock.
She steeled her gaze, and they all looked away, each feigning interest in some insignificant piece of merchandise. Turning her attention, Olivia didn't miss the hushed whispers and bristled at the thought of being the subject of petty gossip. The sound of someone clearing her throat startled her.
She turned to find Eugenia Jennings at her side. “My, my, Olivia, who do you have with you today?"
She didn't bother returning the woman's simpering smile. “This is Sarah."
"Matthew's little girl? Well, hello, Sarah,” Eugenia cooed. “Are you visiting with Miss Olivia today?"
The little girl backed away from her and clung to Olivia's hand. Eugenia was not at all discouraged. “She certainly seems attached to you, Olivia. Does this mean that you're going to be her new mama?"
"Of course, not,” Olivia snapped, realizing too late that her hasty denial would feed the gossip mill just as well as a confirmation.
"That's a shame.” Eugenia shook her head sadly. “Poor Matthew. All alone with a child to raise. I can't believe you'd pass up the opportunity."
She felt herself stiffen at the remark. “The matter is none of your business, and I resent your prying and insinuations."
Eugenia's eyes widened with exaggerated innocence. “Why, dear, I don't know what you mean."
"You know very well what I mean.” Olivia deliberately lowered her voice. “How dare you imply that I would use a child for such a purpose?"
"Well, Olivia, you own everything else in town. I don't see why you don't just buy yourself a husband."
"That's good advice. I'll remember it when yours brings his cotton to market."
Eugenia paled visibly, remembering too late with whom she was dealing, but Olivia didn't relent. It was her turn to smile sweetly. “After all, why should I buy a husband when I already own yours?"
Her spite found its mark, and the woman's eyes narrowed with impotent fury, but she dared not reciprocate. Instead, she returned to her friends with as much defiance as she could muster and led them out of the store before relating her version of the encounter.
Olivia glanced down at Sarah and smoothed the child's wispy curls away from her face. Try as she might, Olivia couldn't think of anything to say to alleviate the tense mood that had spoiled an otherwise pleasant afternoon. Instead, she made a feeble suggestion that Sarah peruse the sparse selection of toys Parson's had in stock.
The plain truth was that she just couldn't do this. No one would ever believe she was keeping the child for the sake of kindness alone. She would have to find a nurse for Sarah and take her back to her father. The child would still be cared for and Matthew wouldn't lose any time in the fields.
"Here's your package, Miss Olivia."
The storekeeper's voice startled her, and she was mortified to realize he had probably heard the entire exchange between Eugenia Jennings and herself. Why had she let that
Similar Books
