Daughter of Deceit by Patricia Sprinkle Read Free Book Online

chair.
    “Nothing important,” said Bara.
    Posey didn’t mind explaining. “We’re talking about Bara framing her daddy’s military medals for little Chip. I think it’s a great idea. Katharine has offered to help her identify what he earned each one for.”
    Katharine opened her mouth to protest, but Rita Louise was first to the mark. “Oh, my dear!” she objected. “That was so long ago! Surely you have enough on your plate to worry about right now.”
    “Besides, I really don’t know a thing about—” Katharine had gotten that far in her refusal when two things stopped her. One was the look Bara gave her: that of a drowning woman clutching a slender plank in a dark and desperate ocean. The second was the realization that she had greatly enjoyed the research part of two genealogy investigations she’d been involved in that summer.
    She hadn’t enjoyed all the investigating, of course. Parts had been downright dangerous. But how much danger could be involved in investigating military medals?
    “I can try to find out something about them,” she capitulated, “but I’m not sure I can succeed.”
    “Of course you can,” Bara encouraged her. “You are an intelligent woman.” Katharine had no time to preen, for Bara immediately added, “Tom Murray would never have married an unintelligent one.” She returned to the subject of the medals. “I might hang them on my own wall for a while. Maybe they’ll inspire me to get my act together again.”
    “Did you ever have your act together?” Murdoch may have tried to make it sound like a tease, but the question had a spine of spite.
    Bara jutted out her chin. “I most certainly did. Back in nursery school, before you were born. I knew exactly who I was and what I was going to be. I had Miss Collins. I’ll bet you did, too, Posey.”
    Posey nodded. “So did my girls. That woman taught until she was older than God.”
    “I had Miss Collins too,” Murdoch chimed in, “but what did she have to do with you having your act together, Bara?”
    “One day she asked us to go around the circle and tell what we wanted to be when we grew up. I was the first to answer, because I knew exactly what I wanted to be. You know what I said? ‘A daddy.’ It had never occurred to me I had to grow up to be a mommy. Real shame, too. I’ve made a mess of it. But Mama wasn’t much of a role model.”
    “Don’t talk about Aunt Nettie like that!” Murdoch protested as Rita Louse drew herself up like a porcupine preparing to strike.
    “Your mother was notable for her devotion to others and her common sense,” she said in an icy tone.
    Bara grimaced. “The only sense Mama ever had was the good sense to marry Winnie, and the only thing she was notable for was belonging to every organization in Atlanta devoted to good works. I never imagined I’d grow up to be just like her. Lordy, I hate good works, don’t you? I mean, do those folks really want our help? I keep thinking if we gave them the money we spend on balls and fancy fundraisers, they could help themselves. Have you ever stopped to ask what percentage of money given to help the poor winds up buying booze for charity do’s or paying salaries for middle-class do-gooders?”
    Rita Louise pulled herself to her feet. “You are clearly under the weather, dear. I advise you to go home and sleep it off. Posey, would you see if my car is at the door?”
    Posey came back to offer her an arm, and Rita Louise stumped off with her head high.
    Bara watched until she was gone, then lifted a leg and ruefully inspected her red flat. “I seem to have inserted foot into mouth up to knee. What made me bait that poor woman? But if Mama had let me grow up to be an architect—” She broke off with a self-deprecating laugh. “I’d probably have messed that up, too.” She leaned over and clutched Katharine’s hand. “You cannot know how grateful I’ll be if you can help me identify those medals.”
    Katharine felt a twinge of