Promise me tomorrow by Unknown Read Free Book Online

Both did an immediate about-face.
    "Goodnight, Mr. McCandles," they chorused.
    "Goodnight, Lizzy; goodnight, Thomas," he told them with a smile.
    A moment later they were gone.
    From where he was sitting, Chase heard Rusty sigh.
    "It's going well," he commented.
    "I think so too. It's going to be hard to know how long to stay. "
    "You're afraid that if you leave too soon, Lizzy will want to come with you?"
    "Exactly. I want to see her settled, but I can't move in here."
    "Maybe the next time she asks if you're going to be here, you ought to give her a specific day that you're planning to leave."
    She looked at him with such surprise that he had to hide a smile. "That's a wonderful idea." Her voice should have insulted him, but he found it amusing.
    "I'm so pleased that I come in handy in some areas."
    Rusty's hand went to her mouth, but her eyes were still brimming with laughter.
    "I've been just awful to you," she said on a small laugh. "You must think me the rudest woman in the state."
    "Not just the state—the whole nation," he told her gravely.
    Rusty couldn't hold her laughter. Chase listened to the sound. It was not light, soft, or feminine like the woman herself. It was loud and boisterous and spoke of pure delight. Watching her, Chase wasn't at all surprised that the children adored her.
----

6
    "I have a new nightgown," a little girl's voice intruded into Rusty's dreams. The redhead's eyes opened slowly. Sitting beside her on the bed were the Parks children. Both wore new night apparel and both looked as if they could burst with pride.
    "Where did you get those?" she asked sleepily.
    "Jessie had them for us." Lizzy's eyes were brimming with excitement. "They were waiting for us right in our rooms last night."
    "And I have boots," Thomas added. "Well, now," Rusty replied, still trying to wake up. "How wonderful."
    "Remember, Aunt Rusty, we're going to ride
    today."
    "I remember," she said as she stifled a yawn. The day before must have been more taxing than she'd thought. She was certainly tired today.
    "Do you want to sleep some more, Aunt Rusty?" Lizzy asked in a concerned voice.
    Rusty blinked at her. Part of her thought she still was sleeping.
    "Come on, Thomas," his sister decided. "Aunt Rusty needs to sleep some more."
    Rusty smiled at them, thinking it was already too late, but she was wrong. They weren't out the door two minutes when she fell right back to sleep.

    ***
    "Good morning," Jessie spoke to the children as soon as they shut Rustys door. She had just come from downstairs and was pleased to see them in the hallway.
    "Good morning," Thomas said, but Lizzy looked shy.
    "Are you hungry?" Jessie asked, coming forward to bend down in front of them.
    "I'm hungry," Thomas informed her.
    "Why don't you come and eat?"
    When the children hesitated, she asked, "Did you want to wait for Aunt Rusty?"
    "She's going to sleep some more," Lizzy volunteered, having decided this was important.
    "How nice for her. You children are so considerate."
    Lizzy was pleased with the compliment, even though she didn't understand exactly what it meant.
    "Do you like pancakes with berry syrup?"
    Lizzy and Thomas looked at each other and then back at Jessie. Both nodded.
    "Well, come on," Mrs. Davidson urged and stood.
    Still they hesitated. "Do we need to dress?" Lizzy finally managed.
    "This morning there isn't time. The cakes are hot and ready to eat. "
    This time Lizzy couldn't help herself. She beamed up at this woman who was like a dream come to life. Jessie turned to lead the way, and Thomas took her hand, but Lizzy's feet didn't touch the floor all the way to the kitchen.
    ***
    Chase sat in his room, his Bible open to the book of Acts, but he wasn't reading. His mind was still on the evening before when Doug and Jessie had tucked the children in and returned to the porch. When it looked as if the children would not be up again or need Rusty, they began to question the orphanage worker.
    They had known some of the details of