The Redemption of Jake Scully by Elaine Barbieri Page B

east to school, so you could learn to be a lady.”
    A lady.
    Rosie had used that word with profound admiration, and Lacey felt her own eyes moisten. She heard herself say, “Yes, Scully did all that for me, but I could already read by the time I met him. My grandpa taught me easily enough. I could teach you, too.”
    “No, it’s too late for me.”
    “Oh, pooh! I never heard such nonsense!” Realizing she had startled Rosie with the sudden vehemence of her response, Lacey continued more softly, “I’d really enjoy teaching you to read, Rosie. It would be fun.”
    “Everybody would laugh at me. Besides, Scully wouldn’t like it if you spent too much time with me.”
    “He wouldn’t care.”
    “Yes, he would.”
    Rosie was adamant. Aware that she was losing the battle, Lacey said, “Then we don’t have to tell anybody I’m teaching you to read.”
    “That won’t work.”
    “Yes, it will.”
    A glimmer of hope shone in Rosie’s eyes as she said, “You really think I could learn…it’s not too late for me?”
    “Of course it’s not too late.”
    Rosie hesitated a moment longer, then said, “I could try—but only if I can pay you for teaching me.”
    “Pay me? Why?”
    “Men get paid for the work they do. Women should, too.”
    The light of principle shone in Rosie’s eyes—and a fragile fragment of a pride that was almost nil. Lacey could not infringe upon what little Rosie had left.
    Lacey replied, “All right, I’ll teach you to read if you’ll—” Lacey continued smoothly after a moment’s hesitation “—if you’ll make me a basket just like yours. It’s beautiful.”
    “That’s not a fair exchange.”
    “We’ll both be getting something we want. What’s fairer than that?”
    Rosie hesitated.
    “Well, is it a deal?”
    Rosie hesitated a moment longer, then nodded.
    Elated, Lacey said, “We’ll start tomorrow! You can come to my room at the boarding house when I’m done with work in the restaurant and we’ll—”
    “I couldn’t do that. Mrs. McInnes wouldn’t like it.”
    Lacey did not bother to argue the point. After a moment’s thought, she said, “In that case, I know the perfect place.”

    Lacey walked out onto the boardwalk and waited as Scully closed the restaurant door behind them. She smiled up at him, then took his arm as they began walking. Yes, the day that had started out so badly had made a complete turnaround. She’d had a lovely afternoon with Scully and had taken the first step toward helping someone desperately in need. She had simply turned her perplexity over into His hands, and the Lord had provided the way to help Rosie. All she had needed to do was listen to His response.
    Her heart rejoiced.
    Lacey’s smile briefly faded at the thought that night was approaching, and with it the possibility of the nightmares, which had increased in frequency. As pleased as she was that the situation with Rosie appeared to be headed in the right direction, she was forced to admit she had been unsuccessful in combating the shifting shadows of the terrors she faced in her dreams. Lacey glanced at Scully. Her inclination at that moment was to confide in Scully, to tell him about the nighttime anxieties she could not seem to overcome, but she was determined not to take a step backward in her independence, nor to allow fear to intrude even briefly into the beauty of the day they had shared.
    Forcing those thoughts aside, Lacey watched as Scully observed the street with a practiced eye. Her gaze lingered. His skin had darkened to a golden hue while they had frolicked in the water. His eyes, always his most outstanding feature, appeared a lighter, softer gray in comparison, and his smile more brilliant.
    She said candidly, “You’re a very handsome man, do you know that, Scully?”
    Scully looked back at her with a suddenly wary expression.
    “Well, you are. I can’t possibly be the first woman to tell you that.”
    Scully’s gaze narrowed. “No, you’re not…but,