Hearing the sound of boot heels clanking against the wooden stairs, Julie was ready to scold Jack when he entered the kitchen.

“I swear, Jack, you and Joe sound like a couple of mules in a tin barn. You don’t know the meaning of the word
quiet.
You’re determined to wake up Joy. I was hoping she would sleep until I got breakfast on the table.”

The scolding rolled off Jack like water off a duck. He had a wide grin on his face.

“Did ya have a good time with Evan last night? Where’d ya go? What did ya do? Ya like him, don’t you? Yeah, ya do.” He answered his own question, then added, “I can tell.”

“Yeah, she likes him,” said Joe. “She’s going out with him again.”

“No kiddin’? When?”

“This coming Saturday night,” Joe said before Julie could answer.

“Don’t be spreading that around,” Julie said quickly. “I don’t want Papa to know yet.”

“Sis, when Evan’s our brother-in-law, will you put in a good word for me so he’ll let me drive his car?” Sparks of mischief glittered in Jack’s eyes.

“Get out of here, you … you miserable rascals. Get your chores done. Breakfast in thirty minutes.” Julie waved a dish towel at them and they scurried to the door.

“Ain’t it funny how a woman gets all bossy when she’s got a beau?”

“Yeah. She’s frisky as a calf full of beans and vinegar this mornin’.” Jack let the screen door slam behind him as he trailed his brother out the door.

Julie watched them laughing and teasing each other as they headed for the barn. She loved her brothers very much and knew that they loved her and wanted her to be happy.

Lord, don’t let me make too much of what happened last night, even though it was the most exciting night of my life. Let me enjoy Evan’s company while it lasts.

A little of the happy glow left her when she remembered that she had no right to dream of a life with any man as long as Joy, Jill and Jason needed her to take care of them.

Chapter 17

J
ULIE LIFTED HER GAZE
from the pancake batter she was stirring when her father came into the kitchen.

“Mornin’, Papa.”

“Mornin’. Jack didn’t cover the milk very good when he took it to the cellar last night. A mouse fell in and drowned. I used it to slop the hogs.”

“I wish you hadn’t told me that.”

Julie knew from his tone that he was not in a very agreeable mood, and it wasn’t because of the milk. A bucket of milk was no great loss. His outing with Mrs. Stuart might not have gone well. Julie was thinking this when he left the kitchen, crossed the hall and went into the room he’d shared with Julie’s mother for seventeen years. She heard the door close.

When breakfast was ready, except for the frying of the pancakes, Julie hurried up the stairs to wake Jill and Jason. Normally she would have called to them, but she didn’t want her father to become aware that Jill had not come down to help prepare the meal.

When she left the boys’ room, she met Jill going down the stairs. After looking in to see if Joy was still sleeping, she followed Jill to the kitchen.

The first thing Jill said was, “Did you have a good time?”

“Yes, I did.”

“I like him. He’s nice and he doesn’t treat me like I was a little kid. Did he kiss you?” Jill put her hand over her mouth in an attempt to stifle a giggle and watched her sister’s cheeks turn rosy.

“That is none of your business.” Julie put her fingers to her lips. “Papa’s grouchy this morning, so don’t mention Evan.”

“He didn’t come home until after midnight. I heard the clock strike. I hope he had a miserable time.”

“Oh, honey—”

Jill tossed her head. “I don’t care.” When she said Joy’s favorite words, Julie smiled in spite of the dread that breakfast was not going to be pleasant this morning.

“Wash up. The boys will be here in a minute.”

Julie fried pancakes in a large shallow skillet while the family was settling at the table. Jethro had come in when he heard the boys at the wash bench. Julie put the platter on the table, then sat down between Jill and Jason.

“Do I have to go to church?” Jason grumbled.

“Do you have anything better to do?” Julie asked.

“Joe and Jack don’t have to go.”

“They did when they were your age.”

“When I’m sixteen, I’m not going.”

“You’ve got a way to go before then. Eat your breakfast and go get cleaned up.”

Julie glanced at her father. The only words he had uttered since coming to the table were, “Pass the butter.” Joe and Jack had their heads bowed over their plates and Jill had turned sulky. Only Jason seemed unaware of the tension. Julie tried to catch Joe’s eyes, but he evaded hers. Was he aware, as she was, that their father was wound tighter than a drum this morning?

When he had finished his breakfast, Jethro got up and filled his coffee cup from the pot on the cookstove. He sat back down and, with his forearms on the table, his big hands around his cup, looked directly across the table at Julie.

“This is my house.” The unexpected words fell into a silence. His next words were almost belligerent. “I have the right to invite anyone I want to come here.”

Julie knew that his words were directed to her. She couldn’t have said anything if her life had depended on it.

“I have invited Mrs. Stuart and her daughter to come and stay here for a while.”

Julie’s spine sagged; her heart suddenly felt as if it were going to jump out of her chest. She sat there stupidly, her emotions like a crazy seesaw. Her gaze clashed head-on with her father’s. She blinked. Oh, sweet Jesus! She took a deep breath and held it.

“I’ll remind you again that I am the head of this house, and any guest I invite here will be made to feel welcome.”

No one said anything. The others were as shocked as she was.

“This is a …surprise.” Julie’s throat was tight, and she just barely managed the words.
Surprise
wasn’t the right word. It sounded so trite, when she felt as if she had just fallen off a cliff or been hit by a tornado.

“I guess it is, but it’s done.” Jethro’s eyes roamed the faces of his children, resting longer on Jill than the others, as if daring her to question his decision.

Julie’s mind grasped the situation. He was being defensive because he knew the family didn’t like Birdie. He would have to have been deaf not to have heard the remarks made about her, not only by his family, but by the neighbors.

“We don’t have an extra … bed.” Julie’s words filled the void.

“Birdie and Elsie can have my room. I’ll take Jill’s bed and she can sleep on the canvas cot in your room.”

Julie held his gaze. She felt tears close to the surface now. How long would she be able to hold them back?

“I don’t like that girl,” Jason blurted. “She’s nasty and spoiled.”

“It doesn’t matter if you like her or not. You’ll be nice to her.” Jethro’s eyes turned on his youngest son. “And you’ll keep Sidney tied up. If he bites her, I’ll shoot him.”

“Sidney won’t bite her if she don’t hit him with a stick. It’s what she done to Blackie over at the Humphreys’.” Jason’s voice trembled and tears appeared in his eyes. Julie grasped his hand under the table and held it. She knew how much he loved Sidney and how he hated to cry in front of his brothers.

“She’s afraid of dogs like you’re afraid of lightning. You’ll keep Sidney in the barn and tied up. That’s my final word and you’d better heed it.”

“I…hate her.” Jason got up and hurried out onto the back porch.

Seeing her little brother slump down on the edge of the porch and put his face in his hands made Julie angry. She stood and braced herself. Her slender fingers whitened as they gripped the back of the chair. Her father also stood.

“When is she coming?”

“I’m going to get her and Elsie this morning. She’ll be here for the noon meal. She’ll be a help to you, Julie.” He said the last in a softer tone.

You’ll not convince me of that in a million years.

“Before Mrs. Stuart takes over your room, I’d like to take out some of Mama’s things.”

“Your mother’s been gone for nigh on five years—”

“I want her comb and brush set, her crocheted dresser scarves, her trunk and her pictures,” she insisted.

“Then take them.” He glared at her and swore. “Dammit to hell!” After surveying the others with an angry glance, he stomped out of the room and down the hall to the front porch.

Julie put her hand on her sister’s stiff shoulder when she heard the groan of pain that came from her. Jill looked straight ahead as if she were in a daze.

“Oh, honey!” Julie hugged Jill’s head to her. Jill made no response.

Joe and Jack got up from the table. “Need help, Sis?” Joe asked.

Julie nodded and led the way to the room across the hall.

“Joe, the pitcher and bowl set was a wedding present to Mama and Papa from her folks. Take it up to my room and bring down the one I’ve been using.”

Julie took the comb, brush and mirror from the bureau and opened the top drawer to get the hair saver that matched them. She placed them in Jack’s waiting arms, then folded a scarf and took two more out of the drawer. Working calmly and swiftly, she removed from the wall a picture of a girl standing beside a garden gate. She and Joe had given it to their mother the last Christmas of her life. She took several family pictures from the wall, then lifted the lid on the humpbacked trunk and placed them and the other things inside.

“Take the trunk to my room,” she instructed when Joe returned.

While the boys were struggling to get the heavy trunk up the stairs, Julie surveyed the room. The bed was unmade and her father’s clothes were scattered about. So be it; she’d be damned if she would clean it. She went out and shut the door.

Jill was still sitting at the table when Julie went back to the kitchen. She was staring off into space. It was as if all the emotion had been drained out of her. She didn’t acknowledge Julie as she began clearing the table and piling the dishes in the dishpan.

Joe and Jack came down and went to sit on the edge of the porch with Jason, who was scratching the ears of a grateful Sidney.

“Julie.” Jill’s voice came from behind her and she jumped. “I’ll not stay here. I’m going to ask Ruby May’s mother if I can stay there for a while. If I can’t stay there, I’ll run away to Iowa. Aunt Blanche would want me.”

“Oh, Jill. Don’t do anything foolish. I couldn’t bear it here without you. Wait it out with me and see what happens.” Julie blinked the tears from her eyes.

“I won’t stay here with her. She’s a rotten, two-faced bitch!” Jill went back to the table and put her head on her folded arms.

Joy came down and climbed onto a chair beside Jill and helped herself to a cold pancake.

“You want butter on that, honey?” Julie asked.

“Uh-huh. Is Jill sick?” Joy’s little face screwed up in a frown. “I don’t want Jill to be sick.”

“I don’t, either. Maybe if we don’t bother her she’ll feel better.”

Julie buttered a pancake, spread it with jelly and rolled it so that Joy could hold it. She set a glass of milk on the table and went back to stacking the dishes in the pan.

“Julie.” Jethro stood in the doorway. “I’d like to talk to you.”

Julie took her time drying her hands. She glanced at Jill, who sat as still as before.

“Eat your breakfast, Joy. I’ll be right back.”

Julie reached the porch and stood with her back to the screen door while she waited for him to turn and say what he wanted to say. When he did turn to face her, she saw anger on his face.

“Why don’t you like Birdie? Why are you acting as if I don’t have the right to invite her to my home? Birdie has no other place to go. She lost her husband, for Christ’s sake, and the Humphreys are treating her as if she and her daughter are taking the food right out of the mouths of their kids. She needs a place to stay until she can get her affairs in order.” Julie said nothing and was shocked at the bitterness in his voice when he added, “I’ve worked for twenty-five years on this farm to make a living for my family; and when I invite someone to my home, I have to take shit from my kids.”