Read Online Wings of a Dove by Elaine Barbieri - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elaine Barbieri
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question halted Mr. Smith in midsentence. Suddenly realizing the futility of pursuing the subject, he shrugged. "All right, Delaney. I hope you know what you're doing."
Dismissing Delaney with a wave of his hand, Mr. Smith watched as the hard-eyed boy turned and walked toward the hotel. He knew what those farmers had seen in the boy. A keen intelligence was reflected in that boyishly handsome face, and there was strength in his slim, youthful frame and in shoulders already excessively broad for a fellow his age. But there was something else that Mr. Smith found difficult to pinpoint. Was it determination, ambition, a sense of purpose? Or was it plain ruthlessness? He had the feeling the boy had already committed himself to something, but he had no idea what it was.
Shrugging his narrow shoulders once more, Mr. Smith raised his hand as the first of his charges reached the front steps of the American House.
"Stop here, children!"
Delaney Marsh dismissed from his mind in the presence of more pressing matters, Mr. Smith hurried forward.
As he caught up with the others, Delaney gave a short, harsh laugh. Mr. Smith had said he was incredulous that he had turned down offers from both those farmers. Well, he was incredulous, too. He supposed it was ironic that his antagonist, Sam, had been offered and had taken the contract that Farmer Grimsley had first proposed to Delaney. As far as the other farmer was concerned, he had never considered his offer for a minute.
He had countedsixteen from their group had gone off to their new homes. As it turned out, that number had come mainly from the ranks of the oldest and the youngest in their party.
Delaney felt a surge of anger. Damn that Allie Pierce! She had no right to look at him the way she did, burdening him with her trust. She was a stupid, gullible little girl who still believed in fairy tales. Well, she had made a mistake when she had included him in them. She had no right.
Getting a glimpse of a small, pale head midway down the line, Delaney gave a low snort. Her mother, whoever she was, had done the girl a real disservice, but the harsh realities of life would soon wipe all that foolishness about "the Lady" from her mind. Admittedly, he had made a mistake, too, encouraging the girl with his medal, but it had all seemed harmless at the time.
Delaney's well-drawn lips twitched in annoyance. Well, he had learned two things the hard way, the way he had learned everything else in his life. The first thing was that he was not helping the girl or himself by putting off the inevitable. The girl would have to face the truth about "the Lady" sooner or later.
The second thing he had learned was that he was not as smart as he thought he was. He had forgotten the basic rule that had helped him to survive in a hard world: Survival was for the smartest, the strongest, the fastestthe man who put himself first. He had turned down Farmer Grimsley's offer today, but he would not make the same stupid mistake again. The girl was Mr. Smith's responsibility.
The pale head midway down the line turned unexpectedly in his direction. He frowned as he looked at the small face dominated by those intense brown eyes, and the small head snapped forward once more as the line began moving up the steps to the hotel.
Mr. Smith began an earnest conversation with the proprietor, who met him at the door. Within moments the line was moving inside the hotel, with Mr. Smith in the lead. Allie Pierce, however, remained stationary while the other children filed past her. When Delaney came abreast of her, she turned in his direction.
His disagreeable stare caused a momentary dimming of the girl's tentative smile. Obviously unwilling to be overheard by the others as a few curious heads turned their way, she whispered softly, "I'm sorry those farmers took Sam and Tucker instead of you, Delaney, but you'll find
Dismissing Delaney with a wave of his hand, Mr. Smith watched as the hard-eyed boy turned and walked toward the hotel. He knew what those farmers had seen in the boy. A keen intelligence was reflected in that boyishly handsome face, and there was strength in his slim, youthful frame and in shoulders already excessively broad for a fellow his age. But there was something else that Mr. Smith found difficult to pinpoint. Was it determination, ambition, a sense of purpose? Or was it plain ruthlessness? He had the feeling the boy had already committed himself to something, but he had no idea what it was.
Shrugging his narrow shoulders once more, Mr. Smith raised his hand as the first of his charges reached the front steps of the American House.
"Stop here, children!"
Delaney Marsh dismissed from his mind in the presence of more pressing matters, Mr. Smith hurried forward.
As he caught up with the others, Delaney gave a short, harsh laugh. Mr. Smith had said he was incredulous that he had turned down offers from both those farmers. Well, he was incredulous, too. He supposed it was ironic that his antagonist, Sam, had been offered and had taken the contract that Farmer Grimsley had first proposed to Delaney. As far as the other farmer was concerned, he had never considered his offer for a minute.
He had countedsixteen from their group had gone off to their new homes. As it turned out, that number had come mainly from the ranks of the oldest and the youngest in their party.
Delaney felt a surge of anger. Damn that Allie Pierce! She had no right to look at him the way she did, burdening him with her trust. She was a stupid, gullible little girl who still believed in fairy tales. Well, she had made a mistake when she had included him in them. She had no right.
Getting a glimpse of a small, pale head midway down the line, Delaney gave a low snort. Her mother, whoever she was, had done the girl a real disservice, but the harsh realities of life would soon wipe all that foolishness about "the Lady" from her mind. Admittedly, he had made a mistake, too, encouraging the girl with his medal, but it had all seemed harmless at the time.
Delaney's well-drawn lips twitched in annoyance. Well, he had learned two things the hard way, the way he had learned everything else in his life. The first thing was that he was not helping the girl or himself by putting off the inevitable. The girl would have to face the truth about "the Lady" sooner or later.
The second thing he had learned was that he was not as smart as he thought he was. He had forgotten the basic rule that had helped him to survive in a hard world: Survival was for the smartest, the strongest, the fastestthe man who put himself first. He had turned down Farmer Grimsley's offer today, but he would not make the same stupid mistake again. The girl was Mr. Smith's responsibility.
The pale head midway down the line turned unexpectedly in his direction. He frowned as he looked at the small face dominated by those intense brown eyes, and the small head snapped forward once more as the line began moving up the steps to the hotel.
Mr. Smith began an earnest conversation with the proprietor, who met him at the door. Within moments the line was moving inside the hotel, with Mr. Smith in the lead. Allie Pierce, however, remained stationary while the other children filed past her. When Delaney came abreast of her, she turned in his direction.
His disagreeable stare caused a momentary dimming of the girl's tentative smile. Obviously unwilling to be overheard by the others as a few curious heads turned their way, she whispered softly, "I'm sorry those farmers took Sam and Tucker instead of you, Delaney, but you'll find
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