Miriam.”
“You tryin’ to convince me or yourself?” Bryce got up and dusted off the seat of his britches.
Gideon ignored the question. “While I go to town today, I want the area between Daniel’s and the house leveled. It needs to be ready for Friday.”
“Fair enough.”
After Bryce sauntered off, Gideon recalled last night’s supper. His brothers were big teases, and Hannah never appreciated their rowdy ways at the table, but Miriam didn’t seem upset in the least by chuckles and jibes…except when it came to the kiss. The gal’s face went redder than a cardinal when Polly asked her about the kiss. I don’t know what came over me, letting the joke go on . But Miriam didn’t get snippy. Light and quick as a butterfly, her lips grazed his temple, and she’d flitted off. The gal has gumption .
Titus’s early morning growl of a yawn and Paul’s deep chuckle came from inside the house. Threaded among those was a foreign sound. Gideon strained for a moment, then closed his eyes as the hymn Miriam sang so quietly reached him.
“When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.”
Paul joined in, “On Christ the solid rock I stand….”
Gideon couldn’t recall the last time anyone sang. Well, yes, he could. Titus had a habit of humming and whistling—but not singing. Hannah used to hum to Polly every now and again. Before that, Mama sang. In fact, she had a special fondness for this particular hymn. Mama couldn’t sing worth two hoots. Miriam actually made listening a pleasure. Come to think of it, Paul had a decent voice, too.
Funny how even after not having heard this hymn for years, Gideon still recalled the lyrics. He had plenty to do, but he just stayed put and let the song play out.
The door to Daniel’s cottage opened. Polly scampered across the yard, her hair a tangled mess. I wouldn’t have noticed that fact before Miriam came .
Daniel held Ginny Mae and strode over. She seemed a mite unhappy, and he kept patting her on the back. “If you’re going to town, get some paregoric. I can’t tell whether she’s teething or colicky, but she was up half the night.”
“Breakfast is ready,” Miriam said from the kitchen door. Polly already clung to her skirts, and Miriam tentatively reached for Ginny. “Food’s on the table. Why don’t you go ahead and enjoy a hot meal?”
Shifting Ginny to his other side, Daniel clipped, “Only takes one hand to eat.” He shoved past Miriam and went inside.
“Daddy gots two hands,” Polly said as if it were an important fact.
“Yes, he does.” Miriam playfully tapped her on the nose. “So do you, and yours need washing before you eat.”
Gideon went to the table and gave Daniel a dark look. This situation was going to come to a head sooner or later, but now wasn’t the time. Paul bowed his head and said grace. It was short and to the point, but it was the first time any of the brothers had communed openly with the Almighty in well over a year.
Forking four thick slices of French toast onto his plate, Gideon declared, “This smells terrific.”
“Do we got bacon today?” Polly climbed onto her chair. She poked at the bacon on her plate. “Daddy, see? It’s not burned.”
Daniel’s face remained impassive.
A few minutes later, Polly shoved her plate away. “I don’t like it. It’s yucky.”
Everyone looked to Daniel to handle his daughter’s rudeness. He simply picked up his coffee and took a long swig.
“I like it just fine.” Gideon reached over, speared a bite from her plate with his fork, and ate it.
“Me, too.” Titus and Paul did likewise.
“I want sumpin’ else.”
“What you’re going to get,” Gideon said very quietly, “is time in the corner. Naughty little girls aren’t allowed to sit at the table.”
“Auntie Miri-Em sits at the table. Daddy said she’s bad.”
Abruptly all movement and noise ceased at the
“You tryin’ to convince me or yourself?” Bryce got up and dusted off the seat of his britches.
Gideon ignored the question. “While I go to town today, I want the area between Daniel’s and the house leveled. It needs to be ready for Friday.”
“Fair enough.”
After Bryce sauntered off, Gideon recalled last night’s supper. His brothers were big teases, and Hannah never appreciated their rowdy ways at the table, but Miriam didn’t seem upset in the least by chuckles and jibes…except when it came to the kiss. The gal’s face went redder than a cardinal when Polly asked her about the kiss. I don’t know what came over me, letting the joke go on . But Miriam didn’t get snippy. Light and quick as a butterfly, her lips grazed his temple, and she’d flitted off. The gal has gumption .
Titus’s early morning growl of a yawn and Paul’s deep chuckle came from inside the house. Threaded among those was a foreign sound. Gideon strained for a moment, then closed his eyes as the hymn Miriam sang so quietly reached him.
“When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.”
Paul joined in, “On Christ the solid rock I stand….”
Gideon couldn’t recall the last time anyone sang. Well, yes, he could. Titus had a habit of humming and whistling—but not singing. Hannah used to hum to Polly every now and again. Before that, Mama sang. In fact, she had a special fondness for this particular hymn. Mama couldn’t sing worth two hoots. Miriam actually made listening a pleasure. Come to think of it, Paul had a decent voice, too.
Funny how even after not having heard this hymn for years, Gideon still recalled the lyrics. He had plenty to do, but he just stayed put and let the song play out.
The door to Daniel’s cottage opened. Polly scampered across the yard, her hair a tangled mess. I wouldn’t have noticed that fact before Miriam came .
Daniel held Ginny Mae and strode over. She seemed a mite unhappy, and he kept patting her on the back. “If you’re going to town, get some paregoric. I can’t tell whether she’s teething or colicky, but she was up half the night.”
“Breakfast is ready,” Miriam said from the kitchen door. Polly already clung to her skirts, and Miriam tentatively reached for Ginny. “Food’s on the table. Why don’t you go ahead and enjoy a hot meal?”
Shifting Ginny to his other side, Daniel clipped, “Only takes one hand to eat.” He shoved past Miriam and went inside.
“Daddy gots two hands,” Polly said as if it were an important fact.
“Yes, he does.” Miriam playfully tapped her on the nose. “So do you, and yours need washing before you eat.”
Gideon went to the table and gave Daniel a dark look. This situation was going to come to a head sooner or later, but now wasn’t the time. Paul bowed his head and said grace. It was short and to the point, but it was the first time any of the brothers had communed openly with the Almighty in well over a year.
Forking four thick slices of French toast onto his plate, Gideon declared, “This smells terrific.”
“Do we got bacon today?” Polly climbed onto her chair. She poked at the bacon on her plate. “Daddy, see? It’s not burned.”
Daniel’s face remained impassive.
A few minutes later, Polly shoved her plate away. “I don’t like it. It’s yucky.”
Everyone looked to Daniel to handle his daughter’s rudeness. He simply picked up his coffee and took a long swig.
“I like it just fine.” Gideon reached over, speared a bite from her plate with his fork, and ate it.
“Me, too.” Titus and Paul did likewise.
“I want sumpin’ else.”
“What you’re going to get,” Gideon said very quietly, “is time in the corner. Naughty little girls aren’t allowed to sit at the table.”
“Auntie Miri-Em sits at the table. Daddy said she’s bad.”
Abruptly all movement and noise ceased at the
Similar Books
