Read Online When Love Calls by Lorna Seilstad - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lorna Seilstad
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younger sister aside, Charlotte opened a cupboard door and held up a can of beans. “Anyone interested in beans du jour?”
“Beans again?” Tessa moaned.
“Sorry. It’s all there is.”
Guilt tugged on Hannah, and she sank onto a chair at the table. “I know it’s hard, but we’ve used up everything Mother had canned except for a half dozen jars of jelly. And if you recall, we haven’t had beans every day. We had fish last week, remember? And Mrs. Murphy brought a housewarming supper over when we moved in. I’ll get paid at the end of the week, and we can get some groceries then.”
Tessa folded her hands. “Lord, please send us something other than beans to eat. Please, please, please.”
A knock on the door interrupted her dramatic prayer and made all three of them turn. Hannah pushed up from the table. “I’ll get it.”
The oak door groaned as she opened it. Before her, a freckle-faced boy stood, his checked cap askew atop his chestnut hair. In his arms he held a crate with “Zenith Oats: Iowa’s Choicest White Oats” displayed across the front.
Hannah smiled at the boy. “Hello, may I help you?”
“This is your delivery from Maxwell Grocery.”
“There must be some kind of mistake. I didn’t place an order.”
He shifted the crate under one arm and pulled out a sheet of paper from the top. “Are you Miss Hannah Gregory?”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s for you. My paper says it’s a housewarming gift for you and your sisters from a Mr. Lincoln Cole.”
Him again. Her blood boiled. How dare he try to appease his guilt by sending them food? Did he think they wanted his charity? She ought to march down there right now and give him a piece of her mind.
The boy shifted the crate. “So, where do you want it? The kitchen?”
“We can’t accept the order.” She took a step back, ready to shut the door.
“Lady, wait! What am I supposed to do with all this?”
“Take it back to the mercantile, please, and explain to Mr. Becker I refused it.”
The boy shifted the box again. “But it’s my last delivery, and then I can go home.”
Hannah took a deep breath. Perhaps she should return it herself. After all, it wasn’t fair to make this boy go out of his way because Lincoln Cole thought he could buy his penance.
Tessa stepped between her and the door and slipped outside. “I’ll take the box.”
“Tessa Gregory, you will not!”
“Hey, I prayed and the Lord answered. Are you gonna argue with God?”
The boy passed the groceries to Tessa’s waiting arms in the blink of an eye and was gone down the steps before Hannah could say another word. She glared at her sister. “Now what are we going to do with it?”
“I have one suggestion.” Tessa balanced the crate on her right arm, reached inside, and pulled out an apple. She bit into it with a loud crunch. With her mouth still full, she mumbled, “Let’s eat.”
Hannah tried to remove the crate from her sister’s arms, but the girl was too fast. Tessa hurried inside and deposited the groceries on the kitchen table.
Charlotte’s eyes widened. “Where did all this come from?”
“Mr. Cole.” Tessa took another bite from her apple and swiped the juices from her chin.
“And before you start making menus, we can’t keep it.” Hannah laid her hand on the box’s rough wood slats.
“Why not?” Tessa asked. “I heard the boy say it was a housewarming gift.”
“Because it’s not right.” Hannah sighed. “Mr. Cole shouldn’t be sending us gifts.”
“But Daddy always said you never know how the Lord is going to provide when you pray.” Tessa raised a can of Folgers coffee beans in the air and shook it with fire-and-brimstone furor. Beans rattled inside. “Well, I prayed and the Lord provided.” She shook the tin again. “How long has it been since you had any coffee? We all know how much you love it.”
Hannah’s mouth watered at the thought of sipping a cup of the dark brew enhanced with sugar and cream,
“Beans again?” Tessa moaned.
“Sorry. It’s all there is.”
Guilt tugged on Hannah, and she sank onto a chair at the table. “I know it’s hard, but we’ve used up everything Mother had canned except for a half dozen jars of jelly. And if you recall, we haven’t had beans every day. We had fish last week, remember? And Mrs. Murphy brought a housewarming supper over when we moved in. I’ll get paid at the end of the week, and we can get some groceries then.”
Tessa folded her hands. “Lord, please send us something other than beans to eat. Please, please, please.”
A knock on the door interrupted her dramatic prayer and made all three of them turn. Hannah pushed up from the table. “I’ll get it.”
The oak door groaned as she opened it. Before her, a freckle-faced boy stood, his checked cap askew atop his chestnut hair. In his arms he held a crate with “Zenith Oats: Iowa’s Choicest White Oats” displayed across the front.
Hannah smiled at the boy. “Hello, may I help you?”
“This is your delivery from Maxwell Grocery.”
“There must be some kind of mistake. I didn’t place an order.”
He shifted the crate under one arm and pulled out a sheet of paper from the top. “Are you Miss Hannah Gregory?”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s for you. My paper says it’s a housewarming gift for you and your sisters from a Mr. Lincoln Cole.”
Him again. Her blood boiled. How dare he try to appease his guilt by sending them food? Did he think they wanted his charity? She ought to march down there right now and give him a piece of her mind.
The boy shifted the crate. “So, where do you want it? The kitchen?”
“We can’t accept the order.” She took a step back, ready to shut the door.
“Lady, wait! What am I supposed to do with all this?”
“Take it back to the mercantile, please, and explain to Mr. Becker I refused it.”
The boy shifted the box again. “But it’s my last delivery, and then I can go home.”
Hannah took a deep breath. Perhaps she should return it herself. After all, it wasn’t fair to make this boy go out of his way because Lincoln Cole thought he could buy his penance.
Tessa stepped between her and the door and slipped outside. “I’ll take the box.”
“Tessa Gregory, you will not!”
“Hey, I prayed and the Lord answered. Are you gonna argue with God?”
The boy passed the groceries to Tessa’s waiting arms in the blink of an eye and was gone down the steps before Hannah could say another word. She glared at her sister. “Now what are we going to do with it?”
“I have one suggestion.” Tessa balanced the crate on her right arm, reached inside, and pulled out an apple. She bit into it with a loud crunch. With her mouth still full, she mumbled, “Let’s eat.”
Hannah tried to remove the crate from her sister’s arms, but the girl was too fast. Tessa hurried inside and deposited the groceries on the kitchen table.
Charlotte’s eyes widened. “Where did all this come from?”
“Mr. Cole.” Tessa took another bite from her apple and swiped the juices from her chin.
“And before you start making menus, we can’t keep it.” Hannah laid her hand on the box’s rough wood slats.
“Why not?” Tessa asked. “I heard the boy say it was a housewarming gift.”
“Because it’s not right.” Hannah sighed. “Mr. Cole shouldn’t be sending us gifts.”
“But Daddy always said you never know how the Lord is going to provide when you pray.” Tessa raised a can of Folgers coffee beans in the air and shook it with fire-and-brimstone furor. Beans rattled inside. “Well, I prayed and the Lord provided.” She shook the tin again. “How long has it been since you had any coffee? We all know how much you love it.”
Hannah’s mouth watered at the thought of sipping a cup of the dark brew enhanced with sugar and cream,
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