“Besides, it isn’t Meagan that worries me—” Josh wiped the back of his neck with his hanky “—it’s Ruth Somers.”
“Has she heard the organ playing too?” Will asked innocently.
Josh gave his friend a dirty look and continued. “Ruth stops by here right often. A bit too often, if you ask me. It was different when Lily was alive. Lily enjoyed entertaining and couldn’t seem to get enough of it, but with both Meagan and me off in the fields it’s kinda unnerving to come home and find Ruth sittin’ here waiting.”
“What does she want?”
“Far as I can see she just wants to make trouble. She says she wants to make sure Meagan is doing her job and hasn’t run off, but she’s sure got a funny way of doing it. Guess I kind of resent Ruth playing God as far as Meagan’s concerned.” Josh rubbed his neck again. “You don’t suppose she knew the girl from somewhere before, do you?”
“I wouldn’t know where it could be, but I’ll surely see what I can find out.”
“That will be fine,” Josh agreed. “I doubt that there’s anything to it, but it just doesn’t make sense that a woman could harbor so much hatred toward another. Seems like it should almost be the other way around. I mean, if what Meagan claims is true, she should be mad at Ruth for getting her convicted for something she says she didn’t do.”
Will could hardly avoid showing the satisfaction he felt on hearing Josh’s words, because Will had never believed Meagan was guilty of the crime. He had expressed his opinion openly until it became obvious that championing Meagan was costing him clients among the women who liked and believed in the stalwart Ruth Somers. Ruth was one of the cornerstones of the widespread community and given a great deal of credibility by the other members.
“I’ll let you know if I learn anything,” Will promised. “Ruth has always been something of a busybody.”
“It’s just that she seems to have a real mean streak when it comes to Meagan and I don’t want the woman hanging over our heads like a nesting vulture when Abbie comes home.”
The comparison of Ruth to a vulture caused Will to burst into laughter. Josh joined him and they were both in the throes of jocularity when Meagan joined them.
“Is it a private joke?” she asked.
Josh wiped his eyes. “We were just talking about Ruth Somers.”
“There must be something I missed about the woman,” Meagan said in confusion, “because I swear I’ve yet to see anything funny about her.”
This sent the men into another gale of laughter. Exasperated, Meagan started back toward the house. “I’ll get you both something to eat. Unless I miss my guess, you’ve already had enough corn whiskey.”
“Do you think we should tell her?” Will asked as the door closed.
“No use worrying Meagan over something she can’t do anything about. Ruth hates her, and that’s a fact. And I don’t think anyone but Ruth knows why.”
“Well, we’ll see what we can find out,” Will promised as he followed Josh back to the house where the scent of fragrant stew permeated the air.
Abbie Daniels proved to be a very precocious little girl, with a sharp mind and insatiable curiosity. However, she could not be described as a beautiful child.
Meagan liked children, and Abbie was no exception. But to say that the child’s appearance came as somewhat of a shock would be an understatement.
Having lived in close proximity with Josh Daniels for the better part of the summer, Meagan recognized the fact that he would be considered a handsome man. His features were strong and even. Nothing about him seemed out of proportion.
Meagan was the first to admit that she had not seen Lily Daniels at her best; still, Lily had been a woman who, even in death, had held exceptional beauty. So Meagan was prepared to welcome an attractive child.
To her amazement, the little girl was small for her age, with a pensive, intelligent face. Otherwise her features were unexceptional. Her hair was pulled back so tightly her eyebrows looked to be permanently raised above her blue-gray eyes. But it wasn’t until the child removed her bonnet that Meagan realized she was indeed faced with a challenge.
The afternoon was warm and while Josh and Will talked on the dogtrot, Meagan, Abbie and Will’s wife, Phoebe, went into the house.
Meagan was happy to see the woman who had given her shelter during the time before and during her trial. Phoebe had been a bulwark against adversity and despair, and Meagan was pleased that she had come to help break the ice with Josh’s daughter.
“Are you the new hired girl?” Abbie asked bluntly.
“You could call me that.” Meagan caught Phoebe’s eye and gave a sigh of relief. Obviously the child hadn’t been apprised of Meagan’s true situation. “Actually I am going to be helping you with your lessons as well as helping your father with his work.”
“That’s good.” The child nodded. “Papa needs help sometimes and I’m too small.” She poked around the room as Meagan prepared tea. She peered, prodded and finally decided that there had been no major changes of which she didn’t approve.
Phoebe was telling Meagan about the trip she and Will had taken to Albany when Abbie settled herself at the table.
“Would you like some tea?” Meagan asked as the little girl looked at her expectantly.
“I’d rather have buttermilk,” Abbie told her.
“There’s some in the ice house,” Meagan replied. “Can you carry the pitcher by yourself?”
“Of course,” Abbie said importantly as she dashed out of the room.
Meagan watched the child from the window, making certain she was able to manipulate the heavy door that Josh had built to keep in the cold. A few minutes later, Abbie returned. She placed the pitcher on the table and brushed the perspiration from her forehead.
“It’s warm today, isn’t it?” Meagan remarked as she poured the thick liquid into a cup. “Why don’t you take off your bonnet? There’s no need to wear it in the house.”
Phoebe uttered a gasp of protest, or perhaps it was a warning. Regardless, it came too late, for the child pulled the ribbons of her heavy cotton bonnet, jerked it from her head and handed it to Meagan. Then Abbie lifted the cup of buttermilk to her mouth, closed her eyes and began to drink.
Meagan’s hand went to her lips as she saw the reason why the child wore the heavy bonnet, for Abbie’s ears stuck out on either side of her head like two foreign appendages.
Before the child finished her drink, Meagan turned away, denying the child any glimpse of her face.
“Why don’t you go and see if your father wants some buttermilk?” Meagan suggested.
Abbie wiped her mouth on her forearm and ran out the door. Meagan turned to Phoebe.
“Why didn’t someone tell me?” she asked.
“I’m sorry, Meagan,” Phoebe apologized. “I just assumed that Josh would tell you about Abbie’s…ears. It didn’t occur to me that you didn’t know until you told her to remove her bonnet.”
“Does she wear a bonnet all the time?” Meagan asked, her heart going out to the little girl.
“I’ve seldom seen her without one.” Phoebe fiddled with her teacup. “Lily thought it was a hopeless case. The only thing the doctors could suggest was to keep tight-fitting bonnets on Abbie’s head and hope her ears would somehow benefit from the pressure.” She shook her head. “I don’t think it helped a bit, but Josh has always insisted she wear them.”
Before