Wings of a Dove (10 page)

    Taking Delaney's hand once more, Allie experienced a surge of untarnished joy. She had a home, and she had a friend. Could she ask for more?

    The wagon rattled along the deeply rutted road as Allie and Delaney progressed toward their new home. Low clouds of dust settled a gritty residue on the silent travelers as they continued steadily forward, but Delaney was unconscious of discomfort. He glanced toward Allie, seated beside him on the wooden flatbed. Exposure to the afternoon sun was beginning to cause a small strip of pink under her eyes and across the bridge of her nose. It was the only color in her face.

    Intent on the passing countryside, Allie was not aware of his gaze, and Delaney turned his attention to the other occupants of the slow-moving conveyance. Mr. and Mrs. Case and their daughter were seated up front and had been silent for most of the ride, but he had been suffering hostile glances from James Case, who rode his mount beside the wagon, since they had started out. It occurred to him that his future within this family was going to be much bumpier than the road they presently traveled. He also recognized that things would probably be far different if he had not put himself in the position where he had been offered a home merely because of a little girl's attachment to him.

    He was still uncertain when he realized that he could not abandon Allie. Perhaps he felt he owed this all to the memory of his father before drink had changed him, or to Allie's dead mother, whoever she was, or to the Delaney Marsh who no longer existed. The only thing of which he was certain, was that there had to be a place in the world for Allie's trusting innocence, regardless of how temporary it might be. He was determined to see that it was not taken from her as harshly as had all else in her life.

    Acknowledging that determination for the first time, Delaney turned toward Allie once more. He noted her fascination with the rolling land through which they traveled, just beginning to take on the colors of fall, and her rapt attention to the house just coming into sight in the distance, the first they had seen in over an hour. Wonder, anticipation, apprehension, and a touch of uncertainty moved across her small face, and Delaney's frown darkened. She was too open, too vulnerable.

    As he watched, Allie looked quickly at James Case. Catching the young man's eye, she offered him a tentative smile. His expression hardening, James Case turned and urged his horse forward, totally ignoring her.

    Managing to control his anger at the intentional slight, Delaney quickly averted his gaze. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Allie turn toward him as he had expected she would, her color high. She seemed relieved that he had not witnessed her embarrassment, and then turned back to the passing landscape, but Delaney did not dismiss the deliberate cut as easily as Allie apparently had. As he had done many times in the past, he stored the incident in the back of his mind until an opportunity to even the score presented itself. Delaney was very good at evening scores.

    Movement from the front seat of the wagon diverted Delaney's attention in time to see Mrs. Case turn a warm glance toward both passengers in the rear. She pointed at the house just coming into sight.

    ''Over there that’s our house. We're on Case land now, children. You'll both be home soon."

    Mrs. Case flashed Allie an encouraging smile, and Delaney saw Allie's face flush again, this time with pleasure. She turned toward him a moment later, anticipation bright in her eyes. He wished he could tell her not to expect too much, that people    often were not as good as they pretended to be. He wished he could tell her that she would never find a home like the one she'd had before, that no one would ever love her again like the mother she remembered, that for all this family's good intentions they would probably never truly accept either one of them as their own.

    Delaney was only too aware of those hard facts of life, and he accepted them. He had never expected more than to be housed and fed in exchange for an honest day's work, and he had no illusions. But he knew that this little girl with pale hair and lost eyes silently hoped for something that would never be.

    Annoyed with the direction his thoughts were taking, Delaney brought them to a halt and fastened his gaze on the house in the slowly diminishing distance. Neither the facts of life nor the inevitable could be changed, and in the end little Allie would learn that, too.

    With the abrupt recognition that this reality was the crux of his torment, Delaney took a deep breath and stared resolutely toward the horizon.

    Allie attempted to control her rising anticipation. She sent a short glance toward Delaney as the wagon made the last turn and began a direct approach to the house. She had been unable to take her eyes from the small structure since Mrs. Case had pointed it out in the distance. Now, at closer range, welcome seemed to be written in its low, comfortable lines, the broad porch in front, and the gingham curtains at the clean bright windows.

    Oh, the house was small, to be sure, and it was not as impressive as Mrs. Van
Houten's
New York residence, but it reflected clearly the personality of the small woman who had made it a home. In that way it was almost pleasantly familiar, and Allie was grateful.

    Her eyes quickly scanning the area as the wagon drew closer, Allie noted a small garden barely visible at the rear of the house and a large, well-kept barn a short distance away. Several small coops stood on a rise beyond the barn. Around them chickens pecked at the ground.

    An unpleasant memory returned. It had been her daily duty to feed the chickens and to collect eggs from the coops that stood    a respectable distance behind Mrs. Van
Houten's
residence. It had been a difficult task, with the irritable, protective hens sometimes unwilling to allow her near their nests, but she had neither given up nor complained. Her diligence had never earned her as much as a smile from the impatient, ill-tempered Mrs. Van
Houten
, but her satisfaction had come in helping to alleviate the heavy burden of chores Mama performed. Mama's appreciation had been enough.

    Purposefully drawing her mind from bittersweet memories of the past, Allie forced a smile. She was pleased she was experienced at some of the chores that would be expected of her. She sewed a very fine stitch, and with a little instruction, she was certain she would be able to help out with the mending. She had often worked with Mama and was well acquainted with cleaning and polishing. Cook had also taken a fancy to her and had taught her to make really fine biscuits. Cook had promised to teach her to bake pies, too, but before then they had been forced to leave.

    Taking a deep, determined breath, Allie raised her chin. She was certain she would learn quickly here. She was older and smarter in many ways, and she would not allow minutes to slip away as she had in the past, when she had believed the good days were in no danger of coming to an end.

    Determinedly, Allie directed her attention to the fields with their narrow cultivated rows, the orchards a short distance away, the cows moving out of sight behind the barn. A small gray cat walked across the porch, its tail raised high in welcome as it rubbed against the railing. She could almost hear it purring, and a small sound of delight escaped Allie's lips. She had had a kitten of her own when she lived at Mrs. Van
Houten's
house, but Mrs. Van
Houten
had not allowed her to take it with her when Mama and she had left so hurriedly.

    Bringing another disagreeable memory to a halt, Allie turned toward Delaney. He had been silent for the duration of the ride. She could tell by the expression on his face that he was deep in thought, and she respected that silence. But she was certain Delaney did not suffer the doubts and uncertainties that tormented her. She knew Delaney was strong and confident, and would always be able to do exactly what he expected of himself.

    Allie also knew Delaney's frown and chilling eyes hid unexpected kindness. She was aware not many others were allowed to glimpse that part of Delaney, and she was supremely grateful to the Lady for having revealed that quality to her.

    The wagon was drawing to a halt and Mr. Case turned to whisper to his wife. Allie could not hear his words, but she saw Sarah's head turn sharply in Delaney's direction. Mr. Case stepped down from the wagon and lifted his wife to the ground with utmost care. He was turning to lift his daughter down as well when Delaney slipped to the back of the wagon and stepped down.

    Allie followed Delaney's lead. Scrambling to the back of the wagon, she jumped to the ground. Landing rather unsteadily, she shot Delaney a sheepish glance and turned to retrieve her blanket and Bible. She noted the ease with which Delaney reached over her head and snatched up his belongings, tucking them under his arm as he turned to Mrs. Case's summons.

    "Allie, Delaney, please come here."

    Her small features reflecting even more clearly than before a fragile beauty faded by years and illness, Mrs. Case beckoned her family forward also, her eyes suspiciously bright. Her voice quivered with emotion as she took Allie's and Delaney's hands in her own.

    "With my family around me, children, I want to welcome you to your new home. I want you both to remember that you are a part of this family now, as truly as if you were born into it. The Lord has acted in your coming to us, and his will be done. I know that no one can ever replace your own parents in your minds, but it is my wish that you will call me Mother Case from this moment on as, in my heart and mind, I will call you daughter and son. Is that agreeable, dears?"

    Her heart too filled to respond, Allie nodded briefly. Shooting a short glance toward Delaney, she saw his frown had softened, and her heart was warmed. Mother Case had touched him, also, and she was glad.

    Allie's and Delaney's acquiescence brightened the damp glitter in Mrs. Case's eyes. Leaning down, she kissed Allie lightly. It occurred to Allie as the sweet woman's lips touched her cheek that she was the first person to kiss her since Mama died. She had not realized how very much she had missed that small gesture of love.

    A similar gesture was not as easily accomplished with Delaney because of his height, and Mother Case swayed as she stood on tiptoe. Delaney reached out to steady her, and a small laugh escaped Mother Case's lips.

    "I shall have to practice if I expect to do this again, but right now, Delaney, may I prevail upon you to lean down so that I might kiss your cheek?"

    Delaney wordlessly accommodated Mrs. Case. The smiling woman's lips touched Delaney's cheek, and Allie was struck with the feeling that the kiss had touched her own cheek as well. Obviously pleased, Mother Case then turned and took Allie's hand. Smoothing back a flying wisp of pale hair from Allie's damp cheek, she smiled down into her eyes.

    "Now I see why you were reluctant to part from this fellow, Allie. He is a dear boy, and it is no wonder that you love him. But now I think it would be best for us to leave and allow Delaney to become acquainted with Papa Case and James. It's time to attend to women's work."

    Mother Case turned toward her daughter. "A ham from the smokehouse should do, Sarah. Allie and I will gather some greens from the garden."

    Uncertainty touched Allie as she was forced to part from Delaney for the first time. Her short, anxious glance did not go unnoted by Mrs. Case.

    "Delaney is a capable fellow, Allie. I am sure he doesn't need you right now. Shall we leave him to become acquainted with the men? They have much to learn about each other, just as do you, Sarah, and I."

    Allie cast an apologetic glance toward Delaney before shaking her head with a soft reply that came straight from the heart. "It isn't Delaney who needed me.
I
needed him."

    Mrs. Case's response was a smile touched with emotion as she met Delaney's sober glance. "An excellent testimonial, indeed, Delaney."

    Observing that Delaney's silent reassurance freed Allie to follow her with full confidence, Mrs. Case urged Allie toward the house. "We have much to talk about, Allie, but for now we'll just enjoy the fact that we are a family."

    "I'll take care of the wagon, Pa."

    James's harsh tone drew Delaney's attention away from Allie
 
   and Mrs. Case as they disappeared into the house. His mouth tightening, Delaney turned slowly toward the sandy-haired young man. It didn't take much to see that Margaret Case's sentiments were not echoed by the male members of her household.

    The thought struck Delaney as he glimpsed James's stiff demeanor that Mrs. Case and Allie were probably the only two who were satisfied with the situation. He hadn't been able to strike from his mind the expression on Allie's face the moment she saw Mrs. Case. A strange emotion had touched him when Allie's tension had lessened in a way only his presence had previously been able to accomplish. Allie was as happy as he had ever seen her, and he was going to make sure that resentment within the family did not threaten that happiness.