It Burns a Lovely Light by penny mccann pennington Read Free Book Online Page A

drawing room; we covered up
    four or five holes in the wall with Farley's masterpieces."
    Pauline squinted at the photo. "I'm constantly amazed at how she can take an everyday scene and make it extraordinary."
    "I know it."
    'I know it' was Veda Marie's favorite expression. She used it often and enunciated each word with without-a-doubt confidence. "Our girl is as good as any big-shot professional."
    "Don't encourage her," said Pauline, only
    partially kidding. "Lately she's become obsessed with this dream of traveling the world alone, taking pictures of pygmies and igloos and creatures from the blue lagoon. I get the becoming-a-photographer part. I mean, look at
    her work. But alone ? What's with that? Being alone is my worst nightmare."
    "Dreams change on a dime when you're young." Veda Marie opened the refrigerator door. "I seem to recall you wanting to be a
    nun, back in the day."
    Claire looked up from her bills. "I forgot about your Sister Pauline phase. You spent half our junior year on your knees repenting for your evil, domineering ways. Happiest year of my life."
    Pauline made a face at her sister. "Ha, ha. Funny."
    "At least Farley wants to do something she's good at," said Veda Marie. "Even Ryan commented on her talent, and you
    know how tight the man can be with the compliments."
    "Where is Mutt, anyway? I thought he was going to help us clear out the carriage house."
    "He waltzed in the door this morning, ready to work.
    Then Claire mentioned you wouldn't be here until the afternoon. Suddenly he remembered a pressing engagement and high-tailed it out the door, all sad-eyes and mopey face."
    "Now you're exaggerating," said Pauline, laughing.
    "I am not."
    By the time newly-wed Pauline and Jack boarded the train for their honeymoon, thirteen-year-old Ryan had run away from home. He tried to join the Army, lying about his age and padding his shoes with newspapers to
    make himself appear taller. One look at his baby face had the recruiters in stitches. They told him to beat it. Go home to mama. He returned to Bridge Manor filthy and dejected - and suddenly intolerant of Claire, for the simple
    fact that she wasn't Pauline.
     
    "So tell me about Farley's friend," said Veda Marie. "About time she brought someone up to Bridge Manor."
    "She's probably afraid we'll put them to work,"
    said Pauline, unwrapping the sandwiches and slicing them into quarters. "The girl's name is Dionna Piotrowski, but she goes by 'Dion.'"
    Claire closed her checkbook and capped her pen. "I know
    a Mrs. Piotrowski from St. Xavier's. Despicable woman. Always on moral patrol."
    "Let's hope she's not Dion's mother," said Veda Marie. She tucked an escaped strand of red hair back into her kerchief as she
    headed for the refrigerator. "Is Dion in Farley's class at school?"
    "Yes, but they didn't really become close until Mother Superior caught them arguing in detention. She decided they should spend more
    time together, and sentenced them to a week of mopping and waxing the gymnasium floor. By the time their sentence was up the girls were inseparable."
    "Why were they in detention in the first place?" asked Claire.
    Pauline tore off a piece of meatball sub. "Dion flashed her bum during recess."
    "A girl with spark." said Veda Marie. "She'll fit right in around here. What was Farley in for?"
    "For arguing with Sister Fides."
    "Whoa," said Claire. "Never argue with a nun."
    "Each student was assigned a poem to memorize and recite. Farley's was First Fig , by Edna St. Vincent Millay."
    "One of my favorites," said Veda Marie, closing her eyes as she recited the poem.
    "My candle burns at both ends. It will not last the night.
    But ah, my foes and oh, my friends, it gives a lovely light!"
    "Apparently, Farley replaced ' gives' a lovely light with 'burns' a lovely light," continued Pauline,
    "explaining that the candle was clearly doomed from the start."
    Claire chuckled. "Doomed from the start?"
    "The child is brilliant," said Veda Marie.
    Pauline