Rexanne Becnel by Thief of My Heart Read Free Book Online

course of action, for it was hard to tell just what Frederick’s brother was up to. Still, it helped to have Ada in her corner. Lacie took some courage from her friend’s silent support.
    “Nina, perhaps you’d like to say grace tonight.”
    The little girl smiled a gap-toothed grin, then frowned and began in a solemn voice: “Thank you, Lord, for our supper. And our dinner and our breakfast. Thank you for everything you give us every day.” She darted a quick look at the tall man at her left. “And especially thank you for sending someone to help Miss Lacie, now that Mr. Frederick is gone to heaven.”
    It took all Lacie’s effort to give Nina an approving smile. But when she saw Dillon Lockwood’s amused grin, her smile became more of a grimace.
    “Would you care for stewed tomatoes?” Ada murmured tactfully as she forcibly handed the blue-and-white-pottery bowl to Lacie.
    Tomatoes, mustard greens, potatoes and onions, and slices of smoked ham, as well as pan bread, fresh butter, and milk, made up the fare. Yet Lacie had no appetite and put very little on her plate. Dillon Lockwood, by contrast, filled his plate generously and even took a glass of milk. Ada had suggested wine or at least a bottle of Frederick’s homemade beer for their guest, but Lacie had decided against it. She did not want him to get too comfortable. Let him drink milk, or else water as they did.
    “You ladies certainly set a fine table. Do the students eat this well the year round?”
    “Oh, yes,” Ada said with a nod.
    “No—” Lacie interjected at the same moment.
    At the two contradictory answers, Dillon’s brow lifted wryly. He regarded the two embarrassed women curiously. “Yes? No? Perhaps you just have differing opinions on what constitutes a good meal?”
    “What Ada means—what I mean is that although the girls always get healthy meals, there is seldom the—the surplus that there is tonight. Funds are limited, and we must stretch every dollar we have to keep the girls fed.”
    “Yes.” Ada nodded so vigorously that her blond curls shook. “Yes, the meals are always nourishing, but tonight’s supper is especially good.”
    After that there seemed no topic for conversation, and a silence began to build. Although Lacie squirmed uncomfortably at the awkward situation, she didn’t know how to rectify it. Even light chatter seemed quite beyond her tonight.
    Dillon Lockwood, on the other hand, did not appear the least perturbed by the dreadful silence. In fact, he seemed to enjoy the chaos his presence at Sparrow Hill School was causing, and he was clearly enjoying the meal as well. When he caught Nina’s shy gaze, he gave her a quick wink that brought a smile to her little face. It was she who finally broke the oppressive quiet.
    “Are you going to be the new headmaster for our school?”
    Dillon leaned back in his chair. “I don’t believe that I’m the right sort of person for that position,” he replied. His gaze moved momentarily to Lacie. “Besides, I have a number of other ventures that require my attention. Now I have a question for you. Why have all the other girls gone home and yet you are still here?”
    “My daddy’s late because he’s waiting for another baby to be born. So he said I could stay with Miss Lacie for a little while.”
    “It would be no trouble for me to bring her home, Lacie,” Ada spoke up. “I’ll be going right through there.”
    “You’re leaving also?” His dark brows arched slightly in what seemed to be only polite interest. Yet Lacie felt an ominous foreboding.
    “Why—um…yes. My great-aunt is visiting my parents, so—so I’ll be going to meet them all.” Ada shot an apologetic look toward Lacie. “But I won’t be gone long,” she hastened to add.
    “And you’ll be taking Nina?”
    “No.” Lacie folded her hands to keep her fingers from trembling. “Nina is going to stay with me until her father comes.” She tried to smile encouragingly at Nina, but she knew