easy to swallow. Amy will know what to fix.”
“Thank you, Doctor, but I’m not—”
“Uncle Mark.”
“Thank you, Uncle Mark, but I’m not sure I can come back into town tomorrow.” Mark stared at Carrie for a moment. He wondered how long it would be before they saw that Silas and Amy thought of them as their very own.
“Carrie, if you needed to go back East right now for anything that would help you, Silas would have you aboard the train this afternoon. He’ll get you here tomorrow.”
The heartwarming, sincerely spoken words brought smiles to Mandy’s and Carrie’s lips, lighting their beautiful hazel eyes and showing rows of white straight teeth, and giving Mark the same glimpse of loveliness that Silas had witnessed in Mandy.
Mercy
, he thought,
these girls could be heartbreakers without even trying.
Carrie was off the table now and Mark disappeared into a closetlike room to mix the medicine he’d prescribed. He was just finishing up when Silas knocked on the door. Explaining his findings to Silas, Mark saw the three out to the wagon, with what he hoped was some peace of mind.
Sue was waiting in the office when he returned. “How is Carrie?”
“Nothing serious, but I’m going to keep an eye on her.”
“She and Mandy are awfully sweet, aren’t they?”
“Yes they are. I’ve an inkling the young men at church are going to find the pew that Silas and Amy usually sit in a lot more interesting from now on.”
13
“I’m sorry you don’t feel well.” Amy spoke quietly as she settled next to Carrie.
Carrie looked at her from her place on the sofa in the living room. Silas had insisted, as soon as they’d arrived home, that she rest there.
“You don’t want to be up in the bedroom all by yourself,” he said as he’d carried blankets and pillows from his bedroom. “Just take your shoes off and get comfortable right here.”
Carrie had glanced at Amy as if to ask permission, but Amy had only smiled at her and said she had just the thing for a sore throat. She was back in less than 15 minutes with a steaming cup and sat beside Carrie as she drank. Silas had taken the boys out to the barn with him and Mandy had Becca upstairs in hopes of getting her to take a much-needed nap.
“Do you have a headache or anything, Carrie?”
“No, it’s just my throat,” Carrie said, and already half the cup was gone.
“Well, it could be the start of something worse, so I’m glad Mark is taking care of you.”
“What is this I’m drinking?”
“It was a recipe my mother used. She always gave it to me when I was sick.”
“Does your mother live around here?”
“No, Carrie, she doesn’t. I haven’t had a chance to tell you, but my mother died when I was 14.”
Carrie looked stricken but didn’t apologize for asking.
“I’m 14.”
“Yes, I know. It isn’t easy is it?”
“It’s awful.” Her voice shook but tears did not come. “Is your pa gone, too?”
“No, he lives in Neillsville where I grew up.”
Carrie nodded and said nothing more.
“I think it might be a good idea if you rested your throat, Carrie. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything.”
“Amy,” Carrie called, causing Amy to turn expectantly before she could leave the room. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
“Do you have a favorite?”
“Mm hmm. Guess which one.”
The boys had no trouble. Titan, the tremendous black stallion whose name they had seen on his stable door, tossed his head and flicked his tail as if he knew he was the topic of conversation and praise. He raced around the small corral in display and stopped to call to four mares in the field beyond his own fence.
“I don’t suppose we’ll ever get to ride him.” Levi’s voice was too cynical for his years.
“Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say never, but he’s not a pony, that’s for certain. There are other horses here you can ride.”
“Today?” They chorused together.
“Sure.” His
“Thank you, Doctor, but I’m not—”
“Uncle Mark.”
“Thank you, Uncle Mark, but I’m not sure I can come back into town tomorrow.” Mark stared at Carrie for a moment. He wondered how long it would be before they saw that Silas and Amy thought of them as their very own.
“Carrie, if you needed to go back East right now for anything that would help you, Silas would have you aboard the train this afternoon. He’ll get you here tomorrow.”
The heartwarming, sincerely spoken words brought smiles to Mandy’s and Carrie’s lips, lighting their beautiful hazel eyes and showing rows of white straight teeth, and giving Mark the same glimpse of loveliness that Silas had witnessed in Mandy.
Mercy
, he thought,
these girls could be heartbreakers without even trying.
Carrie was off the table now and Mark disappeared into a closetlike room to mix the medicine he’d prescribed. He was just finishing up when Silas knocked on the door. Explaining his findings to Silas, Mark saw the three out to the wagon, with what he hoped was some peace of mind.
Sue was waiting in the office when he returned. “How is Carrie?”
“Nothing serious, but I’m going to keep an eye on her.”
“She and Mandy are awfully sweet, aren’t they?”
“Yes they are. I’ve an inkling the young men at church are going to find the pew that Silas and Amy usually sit in a lot more interesting from now on.”
13
“I’m sorry you don’t feel well.” Amy spoke quietly as she settled next to Carrie.
Carrie looked at her from her place on the sofa in the living room. Silas had insisted, as soon as they’d arrived home, that she rest there.
“You don’t want to be up in the bedroom all by yourself,” he said as he’d carried blankets and pillows from his bedroom. “Just take your shoes off and get comfortable right here.”
Carrie had glanced at Amy as if to ask permission, but Amy had only smiled at her and said she had just the thing for a sore throat. She was back in less than 15 minutes with a steaming cup and sat beside Carrie as she drank. Silas had taken the boys out to the barn with him and Mandy had Becca upstairs in hopes of getting her to take a much-needed nap.
“Do you have a headache or anything, Carrie?”
“No, it’s just my throat,” Carrie said, and already half the cup was gone.
“Well, it could be the start of something worse, so I’m glad Mark is taking care of you.”
“What is this I’m drinking?”
“It was a recipe my mother used. She always gave it to me when I was sick.”
“Does your mother live around here?”
“No, Carrie, she doesn’t. I haven’t had a chance to tell you, but my mother died when I was 14.”
Carrie looked stricken but didn’t apologize for asking.
“I’m 14.”
“Yes, I know. It isn’t easy is it?”
“It’s awful.” Her voice shook but tears did not come. “Is your pa gone, too?”
“No, he lives in Neillsville where I grew up.”
Carrie nodded and said nothing more.
“I think it might be a good idea if you rested your throat, Carrie. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything.”
“Amy,” Carrie called, causing Amy to turn expectantly before she could leave the room. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
“Do you have a favorite?”
“Mm hmm. Guess which one.”
The boys had no trouble. Titan, the tremendous black stallion whose name they had seen on his stable door, tossed his head and flicked his tail as if he knew he was the topic of conversation and praise. He raced around the small corral in display and stopped to call to four mares in the field beyond his own fence.
“I don’t suppose we’ll ever get to ride him.” Levi’s voice was too cynical for his years.
“Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say never, but he’s not a pony, that’s for certain. There are other horses here you can ride.”
“Today?” They chorused together.
“Sure.” His
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