protectiveness tightened her chest. “Mr. Jonnson is the only one who was willing to take in Tommy, so there must be good in him.” She clung to her bold statement, praying it was true.
The woman’s eyes widened. “Why, certainly I never meant to intimate …” She ducked her head, the halo from the beam of sunshine disappearing with the motion. After several tense seconds she met Christina’s gaze once more. “Perhaps, Miss Willems, Harold and I could make room for Tommy here. Then he’d be with Joe and Florie rather than so far from town with a man who is … who is quite busy.”
Mr. Jonnson had given the same excuse—he was too busy to take proper care of Tommy. So why had she spoken in defense of the man? And why didn’t she immediately accept Mrs. Tatum’s offer?
Cora bustled up behind Christina, her new coat from the Creeger Mercantile across her arm. The sight of the coat reminded Christina of the many people who’d reached out in kindness to the displaced residents. What would they have done had the town refused to harbor them? Cora touched Christina’s arm, her expression hopeful. “You gonna fetch Tommy here, Miss Willems? Be nice, I think, to have him closer.”
Christina gave Cora a thoughtful look. “You’re right.” Mrs. Tatum’s willingness to offer shelter to Tommy was an answer to prayer. She turned to thebanker’s wife, ready to ask when it would be convenient to bring the boy to her home. “I appreciate your willingness to make room for him here. But I think”—Christina drew in a breath, conflicting emotions suddenly tumbling through her chest—“we’ll leave Tommy where he is for now.”
Cora gave a start. “You sure, Miss Willems?”
Christina searched her heart. Was she declining Mrs. Tatum’s offer out of jealousy? Seeing Joe and Florie respond so readily to the woman’s admonition had pained her. Lord, I want to do the right thing for Tommy . An image of his beaming face appeared in her memory, his triumphant voice ringing in her ears: “I did it, Miss Willems. Do you see? I did it.” Peace settled around her as gently as new-fallen snow. She smiled. “Yes, I’m sure.”
“Well, if you change your mind, let me know.” Mrs. Tatum spoke sweetly, but a hint of disapproval glimmered in her eyes.
Christina slipped on her coat and bade the others farewell along with a promise to check on each of them during the week. Then she and Cora headed through the crisp air for the boardinghouse. Cora lagged, her head low, as they passed houses with picket fences and leafless bushes in the yards. She sent sidelong glances in Christina’s direction but remained silent until they turned the final corner. Then she came to a sudden halt. “Miss Willems, I don’t reckon I oughta question you. Rose and Louisa, they told me how your pa sent you to a school for young ladies after your ma died. You—you’ve had a lot more learnin’ than me, an’ I probably don’t have any more sense than some old goose, but—”
Christina put her hand on the young woman’s shoulder. “Cora, you are much smarter than a goose, old or otherwise. Please do not disparage yourself.”
Pink stole across Cora’s cheeks. Whether from pleasure or embarrassment, Christina didn’t know, but she intended to praise Cora as often as she could. The poor girl seemed weighted by boulders of unworthiness. Cora’s shoulders trembled briefly as she sucked in a mighty breath. She raised her chin and looked squarely into Christina’s face.
“Are you leavin’ Tommy outside of town because of what folks’re sayin’ about him?”
Christina’s hand fell from Cora’s shoulder. She took a stumbling step backward, confusion and concern smiting her. “What are folks saying?”
Cora grimaced. “Now, I don’t take much stock in gossip, but Louisa and Rose are plain irate at the rumors flyin’ around town. I told ’em they needed to let you know, an’ I hoped maybe they’d already talked to you,
The woman’s eyes widened. “Why, certainly I never meant to intimate …” She ducked her head, the halo from the beam of sunshine disappearing with the motion. After several tense seconds she met Christina’s gaze once more. “Perhaps, Miss Willems, Harold and I could make room for Tommy here. Then he’d be with Joe and Florie rather than so far from town with a man who is … who is quite busy.”
Mr. Jonnson had given the same excuse—he was too busy to take proper care of Tommy. So why had she spoken in defense of the man? And why didn’t she immediately accept Mrs. Tatum’s offer?
Cora bustled up behind Christina, her new coat from the Creeger Mercantile across her arm. The sight of the coat reminded Christina of the many people who’d reached out in kindness to the displaced residents. What would they have done had the town refused to harbor them? Cora touched Christina’s arm, her expression hopeful. “You gonna fetch Tommy here, Miss Willems? Be nice, I think, to have him closer.”
Christina gave Cora a thoughtful look. “You’re right.” Mrs. Tatum’s willingness to offer shelter to Tommy was an answer to prayer. She turned to thebanker’s wife, ready to ask when it would be convenient to bring the boy to her home. “I appreciate your willingness to make room for him here. But I think”—Christina drew in a breath, conflicting emotions suddenly tumbling through her chest—“we’ll leave Tommy where he is for now.”
Cora gave a start. “You sure, Miss Willems?”
Christina searched her heart. Was she declining Mrs. Tatum’s offer out of jealousy? Seeing Joe and Florie respond so readily to the woman’s admonition had pained her. Lord, I want to do the right thing for Tommy . An image of his beaming face appeared in her memory, his triumphant voice ringing in her ears: “I did it, Miss Willems. Do you see? I did it.” Peace settled around her as gently as new-fallen snow. She smiled. “Yes, I’m sure.”
“Well, if you change your mind, let me know.” Mrs. Tatum spoke sweetly, but a hint of disapproval glimmered in her eyes.
Christina slipped on her coat and bade the others farewell along with a promise to check on each of them during the week. Then she and Cora headed through the crisp air for the boardinghouse. Cora lagged, her head low, as they passed houses with picket fences and leafless bushes in the yards. She sent sidelong glances in Christina’s direction but remained silent until they turned the final corner. Then she came to a sudden halt. “Miss Willems, I don’t reckon I oughta question you. Rose and Louisa, they told me how your pa sent you to a school for young ladies after your ma died. You—you’ve had a lot more learnin’ than me, an’ I probably don’t have any more sense than some old goose, but—”
Christina put her hand on the young woman’s shoulder. “Cora, you are much smarter than a goose, old or otherwise. Please do not disparage yourself.”
Pink stole across Cora’s cheeks. Whether from pleasure or embarrassment, Christina didn’t know, but she intended to praise Cora as often as she could. The poor girl seemed weighted by boulders of unworthiness. Cora’s shoulders trembled briefly as she sucked in a mighty breath. She raised her chin and looked squarely into Christina’s face.
“Are you leavin’ Tommy outside of town because of what folks’re sayin’ about him?”
Christina’s hand fell from Cora’s shoulder. She took a stumbling step backward, confusion and concern smiting her. “What are folks saying?”
Cora grimaced. “Now, I don’t take much stock in gossip, but Louisa and Rose are plain irate at the rumors flyin’ around town. I told ’em they needed to let you know, an’ I hoped maybe they’d already talked to you,
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