Bittersweet (45 page)

“I was blessed to be wed to my Cullen and bear his sons. Even through his sickness, I cherished each day. My life will never be the same. On Christmas, you lost the man you loved. You lost the bright future you hoped for and the babies you dreamed of bearing for him. We’ve both been grieving.”

Unable to speak, Laney nodded.

“Proud of you. Aye, Laney-mine, ’tis proud of you I am. To this day, you’ve let my son know you believed him innocent. You didn’t stop there, either. Instead of reviling Ivy, you opened your heart to her. Not a one of us will ever know the cost, but you set aside yourself and reached out to her. Surely God’s looking down from heaven and smiling upon you.”

Laney pulled a hankie from her sleeve and wiped her face. “It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve been leaning on God and praying for their marriage. Galen’s changing. He’s become tender with her … and I’m glad.”

“She needs it more than words can say.” Mrs. O’Sullivan drew in a deep breath. “That’s why I’m speaking to you. Galen and Ishmael know what I’m going to tell you. Now it’ll be just the four of us who know. But for Ivy’s sake, Laney, you must hold this in complete confidence.”

Laney fought with her curiosity. She wanted to know whatever it was, but she still had to ask, “Would Ivy want me to know?”

“She cannot bring herself to tell you, but she asked me to.” In a few stark words, Mrs. O’Sullivan revealed Ivy’s deepest secret.

Laney clutched Mrs. O’Sullivan’s hand, and they sobbed together much in the same way as they had at Cullen O’Sullivan’s graveside. Laney eventually dried her tears and asked unsteadily, “So Ishmael knows?”

“Aye.” A shadow crossed Mrs. O’Sullivan’s features. “You can imagine how hard he’s taking this.”

After a short silence, Laney said, “Remember the first time we saw each other after Christmas? You told me courage and faith would get me through. Ivy has plenty of courage, but she has no faith.”

“The lack is wearing on the lass. We’ll pray for her.” Mrs. O’Sullivan stood up. “One last thing, our Laney. I’ve made it my prayer that God will prepare a man for you. A man worthy of the fine woman you’ve become. When the day comes, I’ll rejoice. But in here—” Mrs. O’Sullivan tapped her heart—“in here, you’ll be my other daughter forever and always.”

Thud
. The bookcase settled onto the gleaming plank floor. Laney watched as the two men slid it into place. “Wonderful! Once we fill those shelves with the books, this is going to be every bit as nice as any big city’s library!”

“Magnificent!” Amanda stood back and viewed the shelves.

“It’s a sight, I grant you that.” Ishmael grinned. “I’m not so shore you’ll ever fill all this space with books, though.”

“Piffle!” Amanda giggled at the face he made.

“They haven’t seen the bedrooms in the cottage,” Laney said to her.

He hefted a crate. “Purdy yeller cottage. You got books in the bedroom?”

Rob chuckled. “Two and a half weeks, and I still can’t believe how both of you find new ways to argue over that.”

“Both bedchambers are filled with books. Amanda’s been numbering each crate and organizing things in advance.”

Amanda traced her finger over the title of the book in her hand. “There’s a shelf for each crate.”

Ishmael whistled. “Sounds like a passel of books. Rob, the lil’ ladies thank there’s a-gonna be ’nuff shelves. Whaddya say?”

Clutching a book to herself, Amanda declared, “A haven of knowledge and imagination.”

“’Tis a nice way of describin’ it,” Ishmael said.

Laney shook out a tablecloth and covered the small display table in the window. Amanda and Ishmael were trying to be circumspect, but attraction sizzled between them. With Galen’s blessing, Ruth and Josh had temporarily hired Ishmael to help fix up the library in time for the opening. Rob needed the help, but Ruth had urged Josh to get Ishmael involved because it gave Amanda and him a chance to be together. And since Ruth battled morning sickness until at least noon every day, Laney volunteered to come help, also. Today, however, she wished she could just melt into the background.

Ishmael glanced down at the crate he was holding. “Whar d’ya want this’un?”

“I’m sorry!” Amanda gestured. “At the base of the next shelf to your left. Yes, there. It was wrong of me to be chattering when you’re holding a heavy crate.”

“Weren’t all that heavy.”

“If it were any larger, I’d have to hire a twenty-mule team to move it!”

Rob Price nudged a shelf into place. “I’m the wrong person to ask. I thought Ruth would need one shelf. Look what this has turned into!”

“Now, don’t you go embarrassin’ Miss ’Manda. Ain’t her fault she’s so puny she can scarce lift a teacup.”

“If that’s true, it’s a blessing we’ve had two brawny men to help. Laney’s no stronger than I.”

“No, I’m not. You men have been a godsend.” Laney looked up from the books she’d been arranging around the globe she’d set on the center of the table. “I’ve been worried we wouldn’t finish in time for the grand opening.”

“Ruth hasn’t been much help.” Rob cleared his throat. “That’s not to say I’m finding fault. Since she’s had to dash out of church the last two Sunday mornings and Josh can’t seem to decide whether to look worried or proud, I assume she’ll be indisposed for a little while.”

“Thought we wasn’t s’posed to say nuthin’ ’bout Ruth,” Ishmael growled.

Amanda and Laney exchanged a look. Laney wondered if her cheeks were as rosy as Amanda’s. She moistened her lips and half whispered, “We won’t say anything more.”

Rob tapped a piece of molding into place. “Ruth’s going to be delighted at the changes we’ve made. Ishmael, let’s go get the next piece from my shop.”

“Okay.”

Amanda slid the next book into place. “Feel free to leave the door open. It’s beautiful out today, isn’t it?”

“More beautiful in here,” Ishmael murmured as he brushed past her.

Laney pretended she hadn’t heard him. “I need to find a block or something to put beneath the globe. It needs to be higher.”

“The trunk over in the corner might have something. Perhaps the box the pencil holder’s packed in.” Amanda started humming.

Laney wove around a few crates and lifted the lid to the trunk. She peeped around the edge. “This thing is huge. If I fall in, you’d better rescue me.”

Amanda merely laughed and started putting books in place on the next shelf.

As Laney stuck her head deep into the trunk, she heard footsteps and a distinct voice ring out, “Ruth truly went the extra mile, didn’t she?”

“Hello, Ethel.” Amanda’s tone managed to sound both polite and firm. “Ruth’s been incredibly generous. As you can see on the sign in the window, the library will be opening next Monday.”

“I know, dear. Unlike some of the folks hereabouts, I can read. It says May seventh, but I just wanted to take a quick look around. Surely you wouldn’t mind loaning me something a little early.”

“Your curiosity is understandable, but we won’t be checking out books until the grand opening. If you’ll excuse me, the men will be back in a few minutes with another bookcase. I’m afraid the space for maneuvering them has become limited.”

Laney remained quiet. As the librarian, Amanda was in charge. She’d handled the matter quite nicely. Fearing Ethel would appeal to her if she made her presence known, Laney figured to stay out of sight.

“I’ll be gone before the men return. Oh my. Dime novels?” Ethel tutted. “A library ought to have tomes that enlighten and uplift. You and I will have to speak with Ruth. From the day she arrived, that girl has—”

“I don’t mean to be rude, but I have considerable work to accomplish.”

“Of course you do. And this is such a nice job for you. Genteel. I’ve seen how that Ishmael Grubb has been trailing along after you. We’ll have to find him someone of his own class. You’ve been so gracious, but he’s so far beneath—”

Laney pulled herself out of the trunk.

“Mr. Grubb is a fine man.” Amanda’s voice trembled with outrage. “The finest I’ve ever known. He has more honor than any of the so-called ‘gentlemen’ I’ve met in the upper echelons of Southern society.”

Ethel spluttered.

“A harder-working man doesn’t exist, and in the short time he’s been a believer, he’s grown tremendously in the Lord.”

“Oh dear. You must be lonesome and homesick. You don’t want to make a mistake—”

Amanda grabbed a book from a nearby bookcase. “Ma’am, I have made a mistake. You shouldn’t wait a week until the library opens to borrow a book, and I know just the one for you. I believe you ought to read this right away.”

“What is … I already have a Bible!”

“Then I’d invite you to read Philippians 2:3. ‘Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”’

Ethel smacked the Bible down on the nearest surface and stomped out.

Laney rose. She would have gone to Amanda, but Ishmael beat her there. “God changes hearts,” Ishmael said quietly.

Amanda sucked in a sharp breath. She turned and looked at him with wide eyes and crimson cheeks. “You heard me?”

“Shore did.” He reached down and cupped her jaw, his thumb rubbing an arc across Amanda’s cheek. “If ’n God decides to change a heart, I’m hopin’ He changes Miz Ethel’s and not yourn, on account of the fact that I ain’t niver a-gonna find me a woman half as special as you.”

Laney sank back out of sight. The moment a man and woman professed their affection was supposed to be private.
Lord, I’m so
glad for them. Truly, I am. But I dreamed of a day when Galen would speak
to me of his love. That’s impossible now, and my heart won’t mend. What am
I to do?

“Lookee here at this’un.” Ivy tapped her finger on the book she’d borrowed from the library. “Thank I could stitch that on the blanket?”

“Perfect!” Laney handed her a sheet of rice paper. “Here. Notice how you can see through this? Trace the design lightly with a pencil, and then we can transfer the letter to the blanket.”

“You’ll learn me how to do them fancy stitches?”

“That’s all satin stitch. The length widens and narrows is all.”

They sat side-by-side in the shade, embroidering. Laney started humming.

“We sung that in church last week, didn’t we?”

“Yes.” Laney began to sing, “ ‘Father, whose everlasting love—”’

“Stop right thar.” Ivy went sheet white. “You sing and talk ’bout yore heavenly Father. Well, me? I don’t want no pa.”

Laney felt sick. She hadn’t thought about what she’d been singing.

Ivy whispered to the hands she’d knotted in her lap, “You know what mine done.”

“And it breaks my heart, Ivy.”

“You cain’t understand. Ever’body else gots a pa what done ’em proud.”

“Not me.” Laney’s hands knotted in her own lap. “My father was a horrible man. He fooled us all until the very end, but we found out that he was a murderer. He was a liar and a cheat and a thief. He even tried to kill Ruth.”

“Yore putting me on.”

“It’s the truth, Ivy.” Laney looked at her friend. “I never speak of my father because I’m so ashamed of what he did. You and I both had earthly fathers who did wicked things. But think, Ivy; we have a second chance because we have a heavenly Father who loves us.”

“Nuh-unh. If ’n yore God was so good, He oughtn’t have let bad thangs happen.”

“He allows bad things to happen, Ivy. We don’t always understand why. Just as we have the privilege to be His children, we also are given the choice to turn our back on Him. Good and bad bump against each other. The sad truth is, sometimes innocent people pay the consequences for someone else’s wrongs. God doesn’t desert us, though. He stays beside us in the midst of those circumstances.”

“Well, my circumstances are gettin’ the better of me. Cain’t see my feet no more. Cain’t fit into but two of my dresses, neither.” Ivy suddenly threw back her head and laughed until she snorted.

“What’s so funny?”

“Me! Jist a year ago, I only had that ratty flour-sack dress. Now I’m wallowin’ in the poor-pitiful-me’s on account of the fact that I cain only fit into two nice ones.”

“Miss Laney!” Dale shouted as he ran up. He held a piglet under his arm. “Galen said if the pigs got out again, we’d be eating pork roast for a month. You gotta help me. You’re my partner.”

“Go put him back in—”

“Hi, Galen!” Ivy said loudly.

Laney grabbed the piglet and stuffed it beneath her hem.

“I got chores to do.” Dale scampered off as Galen drew close.

The piglet snorted.

Ivy promptly laughed and made a snorting sound. “’Tis funny. You have to admit, ’tis.”

“What’s funny?” Galen asked.

“Ivy,” Laney blurted out. “She was just bemoaning the fact that only two dresses fit, but then she realized a year ago she only owned one dress.”

The piglet and Ivy snorted in unison.

Galen’s brow puckered. “Ivy, I’ve said all along that you need to go to church, but if you’re feeling it would be uncomfortable now, you could stay home.”

“I reckon my place is aside you.”

The piglet started rubbing his snout on Laney’s ankle. She smothered her giggle as best she could. When Galen gave her a questioning look, she pasted on a smile. “Isn’t it wonderful that she’s coming to worship?”