AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"The earth dress is pretty. You should wear it. My dress is going to be pretty and I'm wearing mine."
"It's a 'Worth,'" Megan said, closing the armoire and sitting next to the girl. "He's a famous dress designer in Paris."
"Worth," Bonnie repeated. "Doesn't he want you to wear your dress?"
He might, Megan thought, but probably not in Kansas. She smiled. "I'm sure he does. But not to the social."
Bonnie seemed to accept that. "You can wear your pink dress, then. We'll be pretty together."
"Yes, we will." Megan leaned over and hugged her close. Bonnie clung to her.
Deep in her chest she felt a sharp pain. She tried to ignore the cause, but she couldn't. She loved her job at the store. It made her happy and kept her from going slowly mad from being trapped in this big house. For the last few years she'd told herself the store was enough. That she was [lucky to be able to work. Most women couldn't. Their children or society kept them at home. But as Bonnie snuggled closer, Megan realized she'd been fooling herself. Just as being home all the time wouldn't please her, the store by itself wasn't enough, either. She'd been lonely for a long time.
As she straightened, Megan wondered what she was supposed to do about that. She wanted the normal joys of womanhood. A family and husband. But how? And who? Since age sixteen, there had been only one man in her life. And in a year, that man would be leaving.
Chapter Eight
4 i
1 don't want to be here," Justin mumbled under his breath.
Bonnie, skipping along at his side, glanced up at him. "Megan says there's singing at church," she said, as if that made it all right.
"I know." The singing was the least of his problems but it sure didn't make it all right with him. He tugged on his collar and adjusted his string tie, then pulled at his black jacket. He didn't give a damn about how he looked. He wanted to be anywhere but fifty feet from the white clapboard church in front of him. The townspeople were starting to assemble. He'd hoped to get to church early and find a seat in the back so he and Bonnie wouldn't be noticed. However, more people were out than he'd thought. If having to go to church wasn't bad enough, afterward there was going to be a social.
The old-timers hadn't forgotten who he was and why he'd been run out of town. Most of them were offended by his investigation into Laurie Smith's death, despite the fact that he hadn't found out a damn thing. The new settlers didn't care who or what he was as long as he got the job done, but they would hear the talk today, if they hadn't already. He didn't care for himself, but Bonnie was another matter.
He glanced down at the girl. Alice, the maid, had come in early and done Bonnie's hair in ringlets. Her new blue dress with its big lace collar was the exact color of her eyes. She was beautiful, and almost a replica of her mother. If nothing else cast a pall over the social, the men who had
visited Laurie were bound to be unnerved by Bonnie's likeness to her. It was going to be a long day.
As they approached the church, Justin noticed several clusters of people talking. One by one they grew silent and stared. Bonnie gripped his hand tighter. She clutched her doll to her chest and crowded him.
Mr. and Mrs. Greeley were closest to the path. Justin nodded.
"Morning, Sher—" Mr. Greeley stopped abruptly when his wife elbowed him in the ribs.
The sun was shining brightly in the morning sky. Birds swooped down from budding trees. The collection of fancy dresses and hats, men in suits and children giggling in their Sunday best should have made him feel welcome. It didn't. He wanted to turn on his heel and walk away. He couldn't. Because it was important to have Bonnie accepted by the town. Although he was starting to wonder if that was ever going to happen.
"Good morning, Sheriff."
He turned toward the familiar voice. Mrs. Dobson walked in his direction from the side of the church. Her large, feather-covered hat bobbed with each step.
"Mrs. Dobson." He tipped his hat.
The large-bosomed woman bent at the waist. "Bonnie, don't you look pretty."
The girl dimpled. "Megan made this dress for me 'cause it matches my eyes."
"It does indeed. You have very pretty eyes." She straightened. "Justin Kincaid, I'm very unhappy with you."
