Turner's Rainbow 2 - The Rainbow Promise by Lisa Gregory

cried, pointing excitedly. He was a little in front of them, past a clump of trees. They caught up with him and looked where be pointed.
    Less than fifty yards away, a narrow dirt track turned off the main road and led to a two-story frame house. Julia gazed at the house, entranced.
    A porch stretched across the front of it, and bright flowers and bushes bloomed around the foundation. A chinaberry tree stood near the gate, and closer to the house were smaller, blossoming fruit trees. To one side were a barn and a corral, where two horses stood dozing in the sun. In another section of the corral were a cow and calf. Hens picked their way across the narrow road and yard, heads bobbing, feathers gleaming in the sun.
    It was the picture of tranquillity and prosperity, and Julia was filled with happiness for Luke and such longing that she thought her heart must burst. "Yes. You're right, Vance. I'm sure that's it." She gave Micah a smile and started forward.

Chapter 3

    S arah opened the oven door, letting out a blast of heat, and reached in to pull out two loaves of bread. She set them on the rack to cool next to the cherry and pecan pies. She looked across the room at Emily—if she didn't check on her every few minutes, there was no telling what she would get into. Emily was on the floor, happily mixing a pasty concoction of flour and water while her rag doll leaned against the wall, watching. Emily's dress was splashed with water and decorated with white blobs. Not too bad, considering...
    The baking was done for three days. All she had to do was clean up the pans and start supper. Sarah glanced out the window over the sink to see how much of the afternoon was left, and her eye was drawn to a movement by the gate. There were people standing there.
    She leaned over the sink to see better. "What in the world?" Sarah washed off her hands and dried them on her apron, her eyes on the strange little group walking up the path to her house. A young boy led the group, and behind him came a large man carrying another child on his shoulders. In one hand he held a sack and a suitcase, and his other hand supported the small woman who walked beside him. The man was black, and the woman and children were white. All of them looked dusty, tired, and thoroughly bedraggled.
    Sarah stepped out onto the side porch and shaded her eyes with her hand. They were almost to the house now, coming around to the side door, as almost everyone did except on Sundays. "Hello!" Sarah called.
    The man set down his bags and removed his hat. "Afternoon, ma'am."
    The boy's steps slowed, and he turned back to walk next to the woman. The group stopped a few feet away from the porch. Sarah gazed at them. She had never seen the man or the children before, but there was something familiar about the woman. Her hair looked to be blond, though dimmed by dust, and her eyes were light colored, blue or gray, and rather sad. She was too thin, and her triangular face was delicate. Sarah felt a wave of pity for her. She seemed so tired and careworn. Who was she?
    Julia stared back at Sarah. Sarah was pregnant and blooming with health and just looking at her made Julia feel old and worn out. She didn't know what to say, or even what to call Sarah. She had called her Sarah when they were children in school together, but now it didn't seem right that she would address someone like Sarah so informally. Yet it seemed equally wrong to call her own brother's wife "Mrs. Turner."
    "I'm sorry to come like this, with no warning," Julia began finally.
    Sarah frowned. She knew this woman; she should recognize her. Sarah went down a step, drawn toward her. The woman offered a weak smile, and suddenly it came to her. "Julia? Are you Julia?"
    Julia nodded.
    Sarah hurried down the remaining steps, holding out her hands. "I can't believe it!" She took Julia's hands and squeezed them. "I'm so happy to see you. Luke will be thrilled. Oh, this is wonderful. Are these your children?"
    Relief swept