snows beginning immediately afterwards, parents who had planned on having their children christened had been waiting. With the unanimous vote to offer Reverend Jorgensen the position of their town minister, it seemed that the event could now take place.
"When will it be?" Anna asked.
"In a couple of weeks. The town council has decided that it would be a great idea to hold a dance that same weekend. As long as people are coming in for the christening, well, what better time than to have a bit of fun as well. It can get rather lonely when it's difficult to visit with all the snows we've been having. That's why I had the posters printed up. I'm hoping to see you all there?"
"We wouldn't miss it," Anna assured him.
"Are you sure you wouldn't like a cup of coffee, Isiah? It's still quite chilly and I'm sure the girls wouldn't mind…"
"Now, Catherine, stop fussing. I didn't bring you all the way out here just so you can wait on me. I'm fine."
"If you're sure…"
Agatha watched, her eyes widening when she saw him reach for Catherine. Her breath caught in her throat as her tummy flipped, remembering how often she'd heard a man's sharp words belittling her ma whenever she'd dared to question him. Before she could react, she saw that Isiah was only helping Catherine remove her cloak and heard him speaking without rancor. "I'm positive. I'll be back in a few hours. Perhaps I'll have a cup when I return." After handing her a package wrapped in brown paper that he'd had tucked beneath his arm, he said his goodbyes and turned to leave.
"Come, sit down," Anna said, going to where her friend stood and gently closing the door, a quizzical expression on her face.
"I'll get you a cup of coffee," Charity volunteered, jumping up as Catherine went to the quilt and knelt down to say hello to Hope.
"Agatha?"
"Hmmm…"
"Are you all right?" Anna asked quietly.
"What?" It took a second but the question drew Agatha from her thoughts. "Oh, yes, I'm fine." Looking over to where her mother was listening to Hope's chatter about her doll, she shook her head. "You don't think Ma is, well…"
"What?"
"Never mind, it's nothing. I'm just happy to see her. In fact, if you ask me, it's fate."
"What's fate?"
"Ma being here, of course. Here we are trying to figure out how to help Roger, and now we have the opportunity to learn what we can about how Teresa really feels."
"I don't know," Anna said. "Richard isn't a fan of gossip."
"It's not gossip if it's the truth," Agatha said with a wave of her hand. "Besides, it's only fair. I mean, I'm sure our husbands are talking to Roger about how they think he should handle Teresa. Wouldn't you agree that, as females, it's our responsibility to help Teresa if we can?"
"I don't know," Charity said, having joined the two. "What if she doesn't want us to interfere?"
"We're not interfering, we're helping," Agatha insisted, ending the discussion by stepping away and calling to her mother. "Ma, I'm so glad you stopped by. Perhaps you can help us?"
"Of course I will, if I can," Catherine said, handing the doll back to Hope. "I think she'd like to hear a story, don't you?" she suggested to the little girl. Hope seemed to consider the suggestion and caused the women to laugh when she announced that her dolly would appreciate a story and a cookie. Agatha held up the plate, and after Catherine chose one and passed it to Hope, she joined the others, who had reseated themselves around the table.
Chapter Six
Catherine accepted a cup of coffee and then looked around the table. "My, such stoic faces on such pretty young women. I hope it's nothing serious…"
"What can you tell us about Teresa?" Agatha asked.
"Teresa? Teresa Goldman?" Catherine said, her puzzlement apparent in her knitted brow.
"Yes, that Teresa. What can you tell us about her?" Agatha repeated her question.
"I'm not one to gossip," Catherine said, shaking her head.
Ignoring Anna's mumbled, "I told you so," Agatha qualified her
"When will it be?" Anna asked.
"In a couple of weeks. The town council has decided that it would be a great idea to hold a dance that same weekend. As long as people are coming in for the christening, well, what better time than to have a bit of fun as well. It can get rather lonely when it's difficult to visit with all the snows we've been having. That's why I had the posters printed up. I'm hoping to see you all there?"
"We wouldn't miss it," Anna assured him.
"Are you sure you wouldn't like a cup of coffee, Isiah? It's still quite chilly and I'm sure the girls wouldn't mind…"
"Now, Catherine, stop fussing. I didn't bring you all the way out here just so you can wait on me. I'm fine."
"If you're sure…"
Agatha watched, her eyes widening when she saw him reach for Catherine. Her breath caught in her throat as her tummy flipped, remembering how often she'd heard a man's sharp words belittling her ma whenever she'd dared to question him. Before she could react, she saw that Isiah was only helping Catherine remove her cloak and heard him speaking without rancor. "I'm positive. I'll be back in a few hours. Perhaps I'll have a cup when I return." After handing her a package wrapped in brown paper that he'd had tucked beneath his arm, he said his goodbyes and turned to leave.
"Come, sit down," Anna said, going to where her friend stood and gently closing the door, a quizzical expression on her face.
"I'll get you a cup of coffee," Charity volunteered, jumping up as Catherine went to the quilt and knelt down to say hello to Hope.
"Agatha?"
"Hmmm…"
"Are you all right?" Anna asked quietly.
"What?" It took a second but the question drew Agatha from her thoughts. "Oh, yes, I'm fine." Looking over to where her mother was listening to Hope's chatter about her doll, she shook her head. "You don't think Ma is, well…"
"What?"
"Never mind, it's nothing. I'm just happy to see her. In fact, if you ask me, it's fate."
"What's fate?"
"Ma being here, of course. Here we are trying to figure out how to help Roger, and now we have the opportunity to learn what we can about how Teresa really feels."
"I don't know," Anna said. "Richard isn't a fan of gossip."
"It's not gossip if it's the truth," Agatha said with a wave of her hand. "Besides, it's only fair. I mean, I'm sure our husbands are talking to Roger about how they think he should handle Teresa. Wouldn't you agree that, as females, it's our responsibility to help Teresa if we can?"
"I don't know," Charity said, having joined the two. "What if she doesn't want us to interfere?"
"We're not interfering, we're helping," Agatha insisted, ending the discussion by stepping away and calling to her mother. "Ma, I'm so glad you stopped by. Perhaps you can help us?"
"Of course I will, if I can," Catherine said, handing the doll back to Hope. "I think she'd like to hear a story, don't you?" she suggested to the little girl. Hope seemed to consider the suggestion and caused the women to laugh when she announced that her dolly would appreciate a story and a cookie. Agatha held up the plate, and after Catherine chose one and passed it to Hope, she joined the others, who had reseated themselves around the table.
Chapter Six
Catherine accepted a cup of coffee and then looked around the table. "My, such stoic faces on such pretty young women. I hope it's nothing serious…"
"What can you tell us about Teresa?" Agatha asked.
"Teresa? Teresa Goldman?" Catherine said, her puzzlement apparent in her knitted brow.
"Yes, that Teresa. What can you tell us about her?" Agatha repeated her question.
"I'm not one to gossip," Catherine said, shaking her head.
Ignoring Anna's mumbled, "I told you so," Agatha qualified her
Similar Books
