“Yes, I was lucky this time, wasn’t I?” With that, she all but dashed from the office.
Millie and Beth exchanged guarded looks then turned back to Doc, who was still staring after Mary Sue, a troubled expression on his craggy face. With great emphasis, Beth cleared her throat. Doc spun around and plastered a wide grin of welcome on his face.
“Well, what have we here, Millie Starr?” he asked, walking over to take her hand. “I hear you’ve been keeping secrets from me. Is that true?”
Millie’s mouth quirked. “If I have, I’ve had good reason, John. You know I’m not one to come running for every ache and pain.”
“And I appreciate that, Millie. Indeed I do. But this sounds a lot more serious than some little ache or pain.” As he spoke, he led her into his examining room. “So why don’t Dr. MacKay and I just have a little look-see?”
Millie cast a glance over her shoulder at Beth, who had gone to retrieve Emily and head her in their direction. “Suit yourself, John. Just be advised I haven’t time for fancy testing or trips to see specialists in Colorado Springs. What can be done had better be done here.”
“Well, let’s just see what’s going on first, shall we?” Doc asked, arching an eyebrow at Beth. “First things first, I always say.”
Beth shot Doc a commiserating look, then wheeled Emily into the office and shut the door behind them.
5
We have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:14
With a flourish, Noah finished the closing line of tomorrow’s sermon and laid his pen aside. Not a moment too soon, he thought, glancing at the small desk clock. Half past six. Millie had probably served up supper already.
Just as well if they had gone on to eat without him. Noah shoved back his chair and stood. He had been so busy today, he hadn’t had time to make it home for lunch, much less supper. Still, he knew Millie would have a plate prepared for him, kept warm in the oven.
He slipped on his black coat, straightened his clerical collar, and grabbed his hat. There was a smudge of dirt on its black grosgrain band, and Noah rubbed it off before donning the hat. After extinguishing his out-of-date but still functional kerosene lamp, he headed home.
The rectory was brightly lit, smelled of fried chicken and apple pie, and was filled with the sound of laughter. Splashing noises rose from the kitchen. He smiled. Supper was most definitely over if Emily was now getting her bath.
Noah deposited his hat and jacket on the rattan coat tree just inside the front door. Then, rolling up his shirt sleeves, he entered the kitchen. Three pairs of feminine eyes lifted, acknowledged him, then returned to their bathing duties.
“Busy day at the church?” Millie asked, sending a small sailboat back into Emily’s splashing vicinity.
“Yes. For some reason, Sunday’s sermon was a bear to write.”
“But you’re happy with it now?”
He nodded. “Yes, pretty much. I’ll go over it once more in the morning before services.” His glance moved to Beth. “All settled in and comfortable?”
“Yes.” Cheeks flushed, dark tendrils of hair curling damply around her face, she smiled up at him from her spot on the floor beside the tinplated washtub. “My room’s perfect. Absolutely perfect.”
“Good.”
Noah walked to the stove and retrieved his supper. As if to make up for the lunch he had missed today, Millie had piled his plate high with several pieces of crisply fried chicken, a generous mound of mashed potatoes and gravy, and a mess of fresh green beans seasoned with bacon. He carried it to the table, whereupon sat his napkin, silverware, and an empty coffee mug. After filling the mug from the pot on the stove, Noah sat down and dug in.
As he ate, he watched the two women with Emily. His daughter loved playing in water, and it provided such wonderful exercise that hardly a night passed that Millie didn’t prepare her a bath. In the water, as his aunt
Millie and Beth exchanged guarded looks then turned back to Doc, who was still staring after Mary Sue, a troubled expression on his craggy face. With great emphasis, Beth cleared her throat. Doc spun around and plastered a wide grin of welcome on his face.
“Well, what have we here, Millie Starr?” he asked, walking over to take her hand. “I hear you’ve been keeping secrets from me. Is that true?”
Millie’s mouth quirked. “If I have, I’ve had good reason, John. You know I’m not one to come running for every ache and pain.”
“And I appreciate that, Millie. Indeed I do. But this sounds a lot more serious than some little ache or pain.” As he spoke, he led her into his examining room. “So why don’t Dr. MacKay and I just have a little look-see?”
Millie cast a glance over her shoulder at Beth, who had gone to retrieve Emily and head her in their direction. “Suit yourself, John. Just be advised I haven’t time for fancy testing or trips to see specialists in Colorado Springs. What can be done had better be done here.”
“Well, let’s just see what’s going on first, shall we?” Doc asked, arching an eyebrow at Beth. “First things first, I always say.”
Beth shot Doc a commiserating look, then wheeled Emily into the office and shut the door behind them.
5
We have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:14
With a flourish, Noah finished the closing line of tomorrow’s sermon and laid his pen aside. Not a moment too soon, he thought, glancing at the small desk clock. Half past six. Millie had probably served up supper already.
Just as well if they had gone on to eat without him. Noah shoved back his chair and stood. He had been so busy today, he hadn’t had time to make it home for lunch, much less supper. Still, he knew Millie would have a plate prepared for him, kept warm in the oven.
He slipped on his black coat, straightened his clerical collar, and grabbed his hat. There was a smudge of dirt on its black grosgrain band, and Noah rubbed it off before donning the hat. After extinguishing his out-of-date but still functional kerosene lamp, he headed home.
The rectory was brightly lit, smelled of fried chicken and apple pie, and was filled with the sound of laughter. Splashing noises rose from the kitchen. He smiled. Supper was most definitely over if Emily was now getting her bath.
Noah deposited his hat and jacket on the rattan coat tree just inside the front door. Then, rolling up his shirt sleeves, he entered the kitchen. Three pairs of feminine eyes lifted, acknowledged him, then returned to their bathing duties.
“Busy day at the church?” Millie asked, sending a small sailboat back into Emily’s splashing vicinity.
“Yes. For some reason, Sunday’s sermon was a bear to write.”
“But you’re happy with it now?”
He nodded. “Yes, pretty much. I’ll go over it once more in the morning before services.” His glance moved to Beth. “All settled in and comfortable?”
“Yes.” Cheeks flushed, dark tendrils of hair curling damply around her face, she smiled up at him from her spot on the floor beside the tinplated washtub. “My room’s perfect. Absolutely perfect.”
“Good.”
Noah walked to the stove and retrieved his supper. As if to make up for the lunch he had missed today, Millie had piled his plate high with several pieces of crisply fried chicken, a generous mound of mashed potatoes and gravy, and a mess of fresh green beans seasoned with bacon. He carried it to the table, whereupon sat his napkin, silverware, and an empty coffee mug. After filling the mug from the pot on the stove, Noah sat down and dug in.
As he ate, he watched the two women with Emily. His daughter loved playing in water, and it provided such wonderful exercise that hardly a night passed that Millie didn’t prepare her a bath. In the water, as his aunt
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