did she get into this mess?
“I’m sure Mrs. Brock will have some ideas to share with you. She always does.”
“Mrs. Brock?” Winnie heard herself say. The name rang a bell, but she didn’t have time to think why. Before she knew it, she was being led out to a short hall that went straight to the sanctuary, where a group of women gathered.
“Goo d morning, ladies,” Pastor Luke greeted.
The women smiled, waved, some even giggled as he drew near. One, however, looked at him with a sour expression on her face. “Pastor Adams, you’re late.”
He stopped up short, took out his pocket watch, and checked the time. “On the contrary, Mrs. Brock; you’re early. And please, call me Pastor Luke. I prefer it.”
She sucked air through her nose and stepped aside. Behind her stood a beaut iful young woman with raven black hair and bright blue eyes. Winnie felt her heart sink another notch. “May I introduce you to my daughter, Eva? She arrived just this morning. She’s been away visiting my sister for quite some time. Poor dear, the woman gets sicker and sicker as the months roll by. But my Eva is an angel of mercy,” she turned to the girl. “Aren’t you, dear?”
The girl smiled and looked Pastor Luke up and down like he was a piece of candy. “Yes, Mother.”
“And Lord knows , our society needs more young people like my Eva to take care of the sick and the widowed,” she added as she shot him a pointed look.
Pastor Luke smiled in return, but added nothing to her little speech. Instead, he motioned to Winnie. “I’d like to introduce Miss Longfellow, also just arrived. She’s come to help with the planning of our Fourth of July celebration. She’s a friend of the Smythes’ and came with the fireworks. She’ll be in charge of things from here on out.”
“What?” several women exclaimed.
“But, Pastor Luke, we put you in charge,” a plump woman said with a whine.
He turned to her. “My dear Mrs. Peatman;
I h aven’t the time to see to all the details properly, so I’m going to take whatever extra help is offered.”
“My Eva can do it! W hat was that Maude Smythe thinking, bringing in a stranger?”
“B ecause she’s an expert,” Pastor Luke stated matter-of-factly. “And I, for one, am glad she’s here.”
Winnie felt encouraged by his words, even though she had no idea what she was doing. Expert in what? Certainly not fireworks! She’d have to speak with Mr. Smythe and pray that he knew something about them! Of course, there was always the alternative …
“But , Pastor Adams,” Mrs. Brock continued. “Eva came home early from my sister’s to help you. She’s the more logical choice, as she’s been part of this community her entire life.”
He looked at the raven-haired beauty. “Can you organize the fireworks and set them off?”
Her eyes wide and her mouth half-open, she looked at her mother who stared back, her eyes narrowed. “No, I’m afraid I can’t. But I can help with the organizing.”
“Excellent ; then you and Miss Longfellow are in charge,” he announced.
“But , Pastor Adams!” Mrs. Brock cried as he spun on his heel and turned toward the short hall that led to his office. “What about the rest of us?”
“Ask Miss Longfellow what to do,” he called over his shoulder. He then disappeared into the hall and left the group with the sound of his office door closing shut.
“Well, I never!” Mrs. Brock huffed.
“I think Elma should be in charge of organizing the picnic,” said Mrs. Peatman.
Winnie stared at the group and swallowed hard. She took a deep breath, for safety’s sake, and took the plunge. “Let’s introduce ourselves first. After all, if we’re going to be working together, I’d like to know your names. ”
“Of course , dear!” exclaimed a short woman with grey hair. “I’m Elma Gelsinger, and this is Mrs. Caulder.” She pointed to a tall, thin woman next to her with huge eyes and a hooked nose. She reminded
“I’m sure Mrs. Brock will have some ideas to share with you. She always does.”
“Mrs. Brock?” Winnie heard herself say. The name rang a bell, but she didn’t have time to think why. Before she knew it, she was being led out to a short hall that went straight to the sanctuary, where a group of women gathered.
“Goo d morning, ladies,” Pastor Luke greeted.
The women smiled, waved, some even giggled as he drew near. One, however, looked at him with a sour expression on her face. “Pastor Adams, you’re late.”
He stopped up short, took out his pocket watch, and checked the time. “On the contrary, Mrs. Brock; you’re early. And please, call me Pastor Luke. I prefer it.”
She sucked air through her nose and stepped aside. Behind her stood a beaut iful young woman with raven black hair and bright blue eyes. Winnie felt her heart sink another notch. “May I introduce you to my daughter, Eva? She arrived just this morning. She’s been away visiting my sister for quite some time. Poor dear, the woman gets sicker and sicker as the months roll by. But my Eva is an angel of mercy,” she turned to the girl. “Aren’t you, dear?”
The girl smiled and looked Pastor Luke up and down like he was a piece of candy. “Yes, Mother.”
“And Lord knows , our society needs more young people like my Eva to take care of the sick and the widowed,” she added as she shot him a pointed look.
Pastor Luke smiled in return, but added nothing to her little speech. Instead, he motioned to Winnie. “I’d like to introduce Miss Longfellow, also just arrived. She’s come to help with the planning of our Fourth of July celebration. She’s a friend of the Smythes’ and came with the fireworks. She’ll be in charge of things from here on out.”
“What?” several women exclaimed.
“But, Pastor Luke, we put you in charge,” a plump woman said with a whine.
He turned to her. “My dear Mrs. Peatman;
I h aven’t the time to see to all the details properly, so I’m going to take whatever extra help is offered.”
“My Eva can do it! W hat was that Maude Smythe thinking, bringing in a stranger?”
“B ecause she’s an expert,” Pastor Luke stated matter-of-factly. “And I, for one, am glad she’s here.”
Winnie felt encouraged by his words, even though she had no idea what she was doing. Expert in what? Certainly not fireworks! She’d have to speak with Mr. Smythe and pray that he knew something about them! Of course, there was always the alternative …
“But , Pastor Adams,” Mrs. Brock continued. “Eva came home early from my sister’s to help you. She’s the more logical choice, as she’s been part of this community her entire life.”
He looked at the raven-haired beauty. “Can you organize the fireworks and set them off?”
Her eyes wide and her mouth half-open, she looked at her mother who stared back, her eyes narrowed. “No, I’m afraid I can’t. But I can help with the organizing.”
“Excellent ; then you and Miss Longfellow are in charge,” he announced.
“But , Pastor Adams!” Mrs. Brock cried as he spun on his heel and turned toward the short hall that led to his office. “What about the rest of us?”
“Ask Miss Longfellow what to do,” he called over his shoulder. He then disappeared into the hall and left the group with the sound of his office door closing shut.
“Well, I never!” Mrs. Brock huffed.
“I think Elma should be in charge of organizing the picnic,” said Mrs. Peatman.
Winnie stared at the group and swallowed hard. She took a deep breath, for safety’s sake, and took the plunge. “Let’s introduce ourselves first. After all, if we’re going to be working together, I’d like to know your names. ”
“Of course , dear!” exclaimed a short woman with grey hair. “I’m Elma Gelsinger, and this is Mrs. Caulder.” She pointed to a tall, thin woman next to her with huge eyes and a hooked nose. She reminded
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