The Brides of Chance Collection by Cathy Marie Hake, Kelly Eileen Hake, Tracey V. Bateman Read Free Book Online Page A

didn’t look none too good. Kind of reminded me of the air Mama carried when she needed us to leave her be.”
    “I’d better go anyway. Daniel might be there.”
    “Nah. I just saw him. He’s taking all the logs he split to the woodpile.”
    Supper came, and Gideon tried not to make a spectacle of himself when Miriam set a platter of trout on the table. Every last piece was fried to crispy, golden brown perfection. She served rice and greens, too. Her day gown was dry. Polly kept a fistful of it and shadowed her every move.
    “Logan, go on over to the cottage and bring back a chair,” Gideon ordered under his breath. “Put it at the foot of the table so Miriam has a place.”
    Paul brought in the evening milking and asked, “Where do you want this, Miss Miriam?”
    “What is it?”
    “Milk. I already strained it for you.”
    “Do you men drink it or do just the girls?”
    “Depends on whether you need any milk for your cooking.”
    “Why don’t you save half of it,” she said uncertainly, then turned to open the oven door. Gideon’s mouth watered. The fragrance had teased him ever since he came inside, but he’d tried to deny the possibility. Cobbler. He inhaled deeply. Apple.
    “Lord, have mercy,” Bryce moaned.
    Miriam set the cobbler on the stove top and shut the door. She moved stiffly and said with great precision, “I hope that was a prayer, because I will not have the Lord’s name taken in vain.”
    “Sorry, ma’am. I mean, miss. You surely can take that as a prayer of thanksgiving.”
    Logan arrived with the chair. With supper on the table, everyone flocked to the benches. Gideon seated Miriam and tried to take Polly back with him, but she wouldn’t turn loose of her aunt. “Here, poppet.” Miriam gently lifted their niece onto her lap. She wrapped her arms around Polly’s and folded their hands together into a steeple. “Who asks the blessing?”
    The chorus of uncomfortable “uhs” left Gideon embarrassed. He took his seat as Daniel came in. Daniel answered with undisguised hostility, “Nobody prays here.”
    “Papa always said things can change,” Miriam said. She kept hold of Polly’s little hands, dipped her head, and whispered, “I’ll say something, then you say it, too.”
    Polly nodded.
    “Dear God,” Miriam began.
    “Dear God—”
    “We give Thee thanks for our food.”
    “Thee thanks for food.”
    A few more quick lines, and they finished off with a duet of “Amen.”
    The whole while, the other brothers respectfully bowed their heads; but Dan had made a point of reaching across the table, noisily serving himself, and grunting a disdainful snort. Gideon resolved to string him up by his heels if he tried that stunt again.
    As they filled their plates, Logan said, “Mama taught us a different grace.”
    “Then you may teach it to us tomorrow,” Miriam said as she tied a dishcloth around Polly’s neck.
    Polly chattered, and Daniel’s brothers tried to make conversation to cover his stony silence. Miriam spoke when directly addressed but otherwise stayed quiet. Her responses were softly spoken and brief, as if she was doing her best to be polite and invisible at the same time. He caught the way she hesitantly glanced at Dan out of the corner of her eye and winced at how her shoulders curled forward just the tiniest bit. Gideon noticed how Miriam’s hands shook, and he worried over her pallor. He’d talk to her after supper and promise that, mad as Daniel might be, she had no cause to fear he’d ever raise a hand to her.
    Bowls got passed around again, and his brothers scraped every last morsel of food out of the pans and onto their plates. Gideon thought to offer her more, but she didn’t eat much of what was on her plate, so it seemed silly to ask if she wanted anything else. More went into Polly’s mouth than her own.
    The tension bugged him. He said nothing, because Miriam and Daniel would have to work things out between themselves. Surely by morning, Dan