Leap of Faith by Danielle Steel Read Free Book Online

spell?” the boy asked her with a look of surprise when he glanced at her paper. “And what kind of name is that? Maree-Angee?” He pronounced it strangely, and Marie-Ange looked at him with dignity as she answered.
    “I am French,” she explained. “My father is American.” She could have said “was,” but couldn’t bear it.
    “Do you speak French?” the boy asked, looking perplexed, but suddenly intrigued by her.
    “Of course,” she said, with her accent.
    “Could you teach me?” She smiled shyly at the question.
    “Do you want to know how to speak French?” It seemed funny to her, and he grinned as he nodded.
    “Sure. It would be like a secret language, and then no one could understand what we were saying.” It was an appealing idea to both of them, and he followed her outside at recess. He thought her curls and big blue eyes were beautiful, but he didn’t say so. He was twelve, a year older than Marie-Ange, but he had been held back a year after he had rheumatic fever. He had recovered totally, but had lost the year in school, and he seemed to take a protective attitude toward Marie-Ange as he followed her around the schoolyard. He had introduced himself by then, and said his name was Billy Parker, and she had told him how to pronounce her name, his first French lesson, and she giggled at his accent when he said it.
    They had lunch together that day, and a few of the others talked to her, but he was the only friend she could claim when she got back on the school bus with him. He lived halfway between school and her great-aunt’s farm, and he said he would come to see her one day, maybe over the weekend, and they could do their homework together. He was fascinated by her, and made plans for her to teach him French on the weekends. He seemed to like the idea, and she loved the prospect of having someone who could speak French with her.
    She told him about her parents and Robert the next day, and the accident, and he looked horrified when she told him about her Aunt Carole. “She sounds pretty mean to me,” he said sympathetically. He lived with his parents, and had seven brothers and sisters, they had a small farm and grew corn, and had a small herd of cattle. He said he’d come over and help her with her chores sometime, but she said nothing about him to Aunt Carole, and Aunt Carole asked no questions at night when Marie-Ange finished her chores in the barn. Most of the time, they ate dinner in silence.
    It was Saturday afternoon, when Marie-Ange saw Billy ride down the driveway on his bike, and hop off with a wave at her. He had told her he might come by, for his French lesson, and she had hoped he would, but didn’t think he’d really do it. They were talking animatedly where they stood when a shot rang out, and they both jumped like frightened rabbits, and looked instinctively at the direction it came from. Her Aunt Carole was sitting on the porch, in her wheelchair, holding a shotgun. It was inconceivable to either of them that she had shot at them, and she hadn’t, she had fired into the air, but she was looking menacingly at them.
    “Get off my property!” she shouted at him, as Billy stared at her, and Marie-Ange began to tremble.
    “He is my friend, Aunt Carole, from school,” Marie-Ange was quick to explain, sure that that would solve the problem, but it didn’t.
    “You’re trespassing!” she said directly to Billy.
    “I came to visit Marie-Ange,” he said politely, trying not to let either of them see how frightened he was. The old woman looked as though she were going to kill him.
    “We don’t want visitors, and we didn’t invite you. Get on your bike and get out of here, and don’t come back. You hear me?”
    “Yes, ma’am,” he said, hurrying toward his bike, with a glance at Marie-Ange over his shoulder. “I’m sorry … I didn’t mean to make her mad,” he whispered. “I’ll see you at school on Monday.”
    “I’m sorry,” she said as loudly as she dared,