Winnie Griggs (12 page)

* * *

Sunday morning dawned sunny and warm—perfect picnic weather. Daisy had been in good spirits ever since yesterday when Everett made his unexpected capitulation about the picnic. Perhaps there was hope for him, after all.

She joined Everett and Abigail as they walked to church. Almost immediately they encountered Chance, and Abigail greeted him like an old friend. “Mr. Dawson, how wonderful to see you again.”

Chance tipped his hat. “Good morning, Miss Abigail, Miss Johnson. Don’t you ladies look lovely.”

Abigail held out one side of her skirt and swished it, giving him a saucy smile. “Why, thank you.”

Daisy noticed Everett had a very big brotherly frown on his face.

“How do you like your stay thus far?” Chance asked as he smiled Abigail’s way.

“Very much, thank you.”

“And will you be here long?”

“I’d like to stay indefinitely, if I can convince my brother not to exile me back to Boston.”

“Abigail.” There was a warning note in Everett’s tone.

“Ah, big brothers,” Chance said sympathetically. “I have three of them. They seem to always think they know best—whether they do or not.”

Abigail gave him a broad smile. “Exactly!”

Everett didn’t appear amused. “Please don’t let us keep you, Chance,” he said stiffly. “I’m sure our sedate pace is a bit tame for you.”

While Everett’s tone was polite, Daisy could hear the gritted-teeth undertones in his voice.

But Chance merely smiled. “Not at all. I’m enjoying the company of the two prettiest ladies in town.”

Daisy decided it was time to give Everett something else to focus on before his expression locked in a perpetual glower. “Mr. Dawson,” she said, “I understand you have a motorized carriage.”

“Please call me Chance. And yes, I do. Let me know if either of you ladies would like to take a ride in it sometime.” He glanced Everett’s way. “And naturally, you could come along, too.”

Daisy gave a mental wince. Seemed she’d made matters worse instead of better. Trying to avoid any additional opportunity for Chance to flirt with Abigail, Daisy maneuvered things so that she and Chance walked ahead, leaving Everett to escort his sister.

Chance gave Daisy an amused, knowing look, but he went along with the plan, and the rest of the stroll passed pleasantly enough.

Later, as they exited church after the service, Everett introduced Abigail to Reverend Harper.

“I’m pleased to meet you, Abigail. Your brother has become a valued member of our community. I hope you’re here for a nice long visit.”

Daisy wondered if the reverend would one day be able to say the same about her.

“Yes, sir,” Abigail answered. “In fact, I’m hoping to make this my home.”

Home. The word resonated inside Daisy with that same longing that had brought her here in the first place. Did it mean the same thing to Abigail? Right then and there, she determined to do everything she could to support Abigail’s stand.

Everett suppressed a sigh. Why did Abigail insist on pressing the matter so publicly? “We haven’t decided the length of her stay.”

Reverend Harper looked from one to the other, then smiled indulgently. “Well, at any rate, I look forward to seeing you here again next Sunday.”

“Yes, sir, I look forward to it, as well.”

“Wonderful.” The reverend looked up and waved someone over. “Here’s my daughter, Constance. Let me introduce you.”

As Abigail and the Harper girl latched on to each other like long-lost sisters, Everett found himself looking for Daisy. Was she still with that pup, Chance?

He spied her standing alone a few feet away, eyeing him with an exasperated look. What had gotten into her now?

It didn’t take him long to find out.

“You have to quit glowering at your sister. Folks will think you don’t like her. And so will she.”

Had he been glowering? “I’m more frustrated than angry.” He took a deep breath and schooled his expression. “It’s important that she return to school as soon as possible. The longer she’s here, the more ties she’ll make.”

“Would it really be so terrible if she didn’t go back?”

“She needs to complete her education.”

Daisy gave him an even look. “There are many important lessons to be learned outside the schoolroom. Perhaps it’s time she focused on those.”

“There will be time enough for that later.” He could see Daisy still wasn’t convinced. “And she needs to learn some discipline. What sort of lesson will she learn if she gets rewarded for her reckless actions?”

“I’m not talking about rewarding her—simply listening to her and giving her what she needs, not what she wants.”

“And you think you know what she needs better than I do?”

“She needs the same thing we all do. She needs to know she is loved and wanted, that she belongs.”

Abigail came rushing up just then, cutting off any response he might have made. Which was just as well, because for once he had no words.

Chapter Twelve

D
aisy spread the blanket under a large oak while Everett took care of the horse and buggy. Abigail had run off with Kip to explore the meadow and nearby stream almost before the buggy had come to a complete stop.

As Daisy unpacked the basket of food, she smiled at the sound of Abigail’s exclamations of delight and Kip’s playful barking. These were the kind of outings a girl Abigail’s age needed, not more museums and operas. Would Everett be able to see that?

He came over and stood stiffly at the edge of the blanket.

“Have a seat,” she said conversationally. “I’ll have the food set out in a minute.”

Everett sat, but didn’t seem any more at ease. He shaded his eyes as he glanced his sister’s way. “What’s Abigail doing?”

She paused and gave him a pointed look. “Exploring. Playing. It’s what children do.”

Everett frowned, still keeping his eyes on Abigail. “She’s fifteen, not eight.”

“She’s still a child. And I’m not certain just how much playtime she’s had in her life.”

This time his gaze swung around to meet hers. “You know nothing about Abigail’s childhood.”

“And how much of it do you know?” Daisy wished the words back as soon as they left her lips. Everett’s expression didn’t change, but there had been the briefest flicker in his gaze that told her her words had hit their mark. “I’m sorry. I had no right—”

“Forget it. What are we having for lunch?”

It seemed the subject was closed. “Nothing fancy. Cold ham, cheese, bread, apples and lemonade. I also brought the leftover pecan pie from yesterday.”

“Sounds good. I’ll go let Abigail know we’re ready to eat.”

Daisy sighed as she watched him walk away. It was obvious Everett truly loved his sister. But it was equally obvious he had a blind spot when it came to what she needed.

A few moments later, Abigail and Kip came racing over, with Everett following behind at a sedate walk. “This is the most marvelous place,” the girl said as she plopped down on the blanket. “I actually saw some turtles by the stream, and Kip chased a rabbit into the brush.”

Daisy smiled. “That’s what’s so great about picnics—you never know what the day will bring.” She started passing plates as Everett walked up. “Now, why don’t we eat and then we can see what other entertainments we can find?”

Most of the conversation during lunch was led by Abigail, who kept up a constant stream of chatter about what she’d seen during her short exploration.

Daisy noticed Everett watching his sister speculatively. What was he thinking?

During a lull in the conversation, Daisy looked up at the sky and pointed. “Look, a rabbit.”

Abigail immediately started looking around. “Where?”

“Up there. See that cloud? If you turn your head just a little bit, it looks like the head and ears of a rabbit.” Then she grinned at the girl. “It’s a game I played with my mother when I was younger. We’d see who could find the best image in the clouds. Why don’t you give it a try?”

“Okay.” Abigail leaned back, bracing herself on her arms, and studied the sky. Then she pointed. “There. That one looks like a lady’s hat with a feather.”

“Oh, I can see it. Very nice.”

Abigail gave her brother a nudge. “You try, Everett. It’s fun.”

But Everett shook his head. “You ladies have your fun. I’ll watch.”

“Oh, come on, try it.”

Daisy gave in to an impish impulse. “Don’t bother your brother, Abigail. I don’t think he understands whimsy.”

Everett straightened and gave her an affronted look. She raised a brow in challenge, and their gazes locked for several heartbeats. Finally, he gave in.

“Very well. Let’s see...”

Daisy didn’t miss the pleased expression on Abigail’s face. Did Everett notice?

A moment later, he pointed. “That one looks like a rather plump maple leaf.”

“Oh, it does,” Abigail exclaimed. “See, you’re good at this.”

Daisy smiled as she slipped a morsel of ham to Kip. The smile on Everett’s face as he accepted Abigail’s praise was a fine sight, indeed.

“If everyone’s had enough to eat, I’ll put the leftovers back in the basket so the bugs don’t get at it.”

Abigail immediately straightened. “Let me help.”

But Daisy waved her off. “I can handle this. Why don’t you show your brother that turtle you saw earlier?”

“Okay.” She stood and tugged on her brother’s arm. “Wait until you see it, Everett. It was the most amazing thing. But it’s kind of small so you’ll have to look real close.”

Everett glanced Daisy’s way. There was something unreadable in his eyes. Then with a nod, he turned back to his sister and allowed her to lead him toward the stream.

Daisy watched them, pleased with the way Everett was thawing, at least in regard to his sister. If nothing else, the girl would have some very pleasant memories to take back to Boston with her.

As she repacked the basket, her treacherous mind began to wonder if this thawing would seep over into other areas of his life, as well....

* * *

Monday dawned as a gray, drizzly day. The kind of day, Daisy decided, that cried out for a hearty soup. She hummed as she chopped the vegetables to add to the chicken and broth already simmering on the stove.

She glanced over her shoulder as Abigail returned upstairs and plopped down in one of the kitchen chairs.

“Is something wrong?” she asked the unhappy-looking girl.

“Everett is in one of his more grumpy moods. He’s having trouble with the layout for the front page, and apparently my presence is a distraction.”

Daisy hid a grin. The girl was definitely not the shy, retiring type.

“Is there something I can help
you
with?” Abigail asked hopefully.

Daisy didn’t think Everett would appreciate her putting his sister to work doing things he paid her to do. “Thank you, but I have it under control.”

“That’s the same thing Everett tells me when I try to help him.” The girl sighed dramatically. “I feel so useless.”

If it wasn’t raining, she’d let Abigail take Kip for a walk. “You could always pull out one of those books of yours and read for a while.”

“I suppose.” Abigail’s tone carried a decided lack of enthusiasm. And she didn’t stir from her seat.

Daisy reached for another topic. “How are you coming with your circulating library idea?”

That drew out a bit more energy. “I mentioned it to Constance yesterday, and she was very excited. She said she’d be happy to help me set everything up.”

“So you two are getting along well?”

“Oh, yes.” Abigail sat up straighter, her expression growing more animated. “We only talked for a few minutes after church, but I can tell already that we’re going to be great friends. She invited me to join the choir so she’d have someone else her age there.” Abigail’s expression turned mischievous. “I told her I would, but she might regret the invitation. My music teacher absolutely despaired of ever teaching me to carry a tune.”

“Surely you’re exaggerating.”

“Only a little. But I like to sing, and I think it’ll be nice to have a new friend here.”

The girl was quickly going about setting down roots, just as Everett had feared. And speaking of Everett...

“Have you convinced your brother to let you go through with your plans yet?”

Abigail’s expression returned to its former gloomy state. “He still thinks I’m not up to the task.”

Daisy wasn’t sure she agreed with him, but she was reluctant to interfere. “That’s too bad. I’m sure he’s trying to do what he thinks is best for you.”

“Good intentions don’t necessarily equate to right thinking.”

Daisy agreed, but refrained from comment.

Abigail sat up straighter. “Maybe, if I got everything all set up, he’d realize how serious I am.”

Daisy kept her expression neutral. “You know your brother better than I do.” Seeing Abigail’s hopeful expression, she relented slightly. “Why don’t you take a look at the space I offered you and decide how you want to set it up? I’m sure Kip would be glad to keep you company.”

Abigail hopped up and moved to the doorway. “What do you say, Kip?” She stooped to scratch his ears. “Want to help me check things out?”

Kip stood, tail wagging enthusiastically.

Daisy smiled at the suddenly energetic pair. “I figure you can set up your library on the wall that backs up to your brother’s office. There are a few pieces of makeshift furniture in my storeroom, along with some crates that were sound enough to save from the scrap heap. The layout over there is similar to the one on this side. Help yourself to anything you think you can use.” Surely Everett wouldn’t find anything to scold either of them about if Abigail just looked around.

“Thanks.” Abigail was already moving away. “I’m sure it’ll all be perfect.”

Daisy added more vegetables and seasoning to the pot, then smiled as she heard Abigail rattle down the stairs. Everett’s sister was so excited about her venture—almost as much as she herself was about someday opening her restaurant. Come to think of it, Everett was treating his sister’s idea as dismissively as he had hers.

She frowned. Despite Everett’s best efforts, Abigail was already building ties here. And if he was going to continue to leave his sister to her own devices, then surely she had a right to find a way to occupy her time. And if that resulted in her establishing her library, then surely there could be no harm in it.

Just like there’d be nothing wrong with her opening a restaurant.

Perhaps she did have reason to interfere, after all.