Wings of a Dove (14 page)

    "We were going to be a family."

    That was all too true, James realized. The worst of it was that if he managed to rid his family of Delaney Marsh, he would be unable to save the relationship between himself and his surprisingly brave little "sister." Somehow that thought was too discomforting for him to ignore.

    But James was spared the need to respond when Delaney Marsh looked up from the girl's face.

    "I don't know what you had in mind when you came-up here, Case," he said, "but you're not going to get your way. Whether you like it or not, I'm going in the house with Allie right now, and you can't do a damned thing about it. Your mother is waiting for her, and she'll be expecting an explanation. Allie will give it to her, and I'll be standing at her side when she does. Nothing you say or do is going to change that. So I'm telling you now, get back down that ladder, or get out of our way."

    A heated flush rising to his cheeks, James gave a low, angry laugh. "Just who's protecting who here, Marsh?"

    Satisfied when restrained anger darkened Delaney Marsh's face once more, James gave another short laugh. He turned to Allie and spoke more softly. "I think we're agreed that you should go inside and talk to Mama. She and Pa are waiting."

    Allie glanced quickly at the two young men, and James was struck with the thought that this frail little girl would neither be threatened nor cajoled into doing something she did not want to do. There was more spirit in her than was evident to the eye.

    As he watched, Allie turned back to face him. She attempted a conciliatory smile. "If you'll go down first, James."

    Unexpectedly aware that he envied Delaney Marsh the loyalty he had won from this brave little orphan, James turned toward the ladder.

    Touching down on the barn floor a few seconds later, he raised his eyes toward the small figure descending behind him. Reaching up when Allie was a few rungs from the bottom, James lifted her to the ground. His mind unconsciously registered the frailty of the girl's frame. The child was undersize and underweight, but he suspected those were the only ways in which she was lacking. For the first time it came to him that Mama had chosen well. No one could take Annie's place, but he was suddenly certain this little girl would carve a place of her own in their family.

    At the sound of Marsh's descending step James looked up. He met Marsh's cold-eyed stare and silently amended that last thought: Allie would carve a place for herself in this family
if
she could rid herself of her attachment to this unwanted baggage she had picked up along the way. James took a deep breath. He was determined she would.

    James offered her a smile. "Come on, Allie. Mama's waiting."

    Before Allie could respond, Delaney Marsh touched her shoulder lightly to urge her forward. Allie started unhesitatingly toward the house, and James realized that the confidence with which the girl walked had little, if anything, to do with his friendly overture.

    Walking slightly behind them as they approached the house, James reaffirmed his decision. He would rid Allie of this opportunistic prison boy if it was the last thing he ever did.

    Mrs. Case looked down into Allie's small face in silence. Her gray eyes studied the little girl who had walked through her kitchen door only minutes before, her chin held high, but trembling visibly. This small, lost child had so touched her heart.

    Margaret was uncertain why she had known that this child, of all the children in the church hall, was meant for her. She had at first thought it was the need she had seen in Allie's eyes, the loss. It had reflected so clearly the need and loss that she had felt after Annie's death.

    Certainly, it was not a physical resemblance to Annie that had drawn her to the girl, for no two children could have been more dissimilar. She had originally thought that lack of resemblance extended to personality as well, but now she was unsure, because she didn't know what new facet of Allie Pierce's surprising character she would discover next.

    She had seen the gentleness in Allie from the first the sensitivity and had sensed a kindred spirit. She had felt love swell within her, and she had known instinctively Allie Pierce was capable of returning that love.

    But Margaret Case realized that she had been mistaken in considering the child timid. It was not a timid child who walked so bravely from the barn, her friend at her side and a scowling James taking up the rear. It was not a fainthearted child who had approached her directly, without hesitation. The child had shown no timidity when, despite her trembling, she had assumed all blame for the fright she had caused her new mother. And    despite the remorse in Allie's eyes, Margaret had seen the pride that would not allow her to apologize for seeking out her friend in a moment of uncertainty.

    Looking at her now, Margaret wondered if the child was trembling with fear for Delaney Marsh or for herself, so worried did she appear over the fate of her friend.

    Glancing quickly toward James, who was scowling even more darkly, toward Jacob, whose angry concern was concealed for her benefit, and toward Sarah, of whom she had begun to despair, Margaret realized the child's unconscious evaluation of the situation was far too accurate for comfort. The boy was truly on shaky ground with her overly protective men folk, and he would have to tread carefully around her vain and selfish daughter.

    Margaret resisted a laugh. Somehow, observing the clarity of the child's gaze and the intensity of feeling exhibited within it, she believed Allie Pierce would be a match for them all. But it would not be an easy battle, and the little girl would need an ally.

    Margaret took a deep breath. The child had that ally in her, but some things needed be made clear from the outset.

    Realizing Allie awaited her response, Margaret raised a trembling hand to her brow in a gesture she often used when she was disturbed. She did not notice that both James and Jacob frowned as she addressed the child directly. "Allie, dear, surely you realize you could have come to me with any uncertainties that assailed you during the night. We are a family, and we are here for each other."

    Allie's pale brows knit in a frown. How could this dear lady understand? She was certain this family did not know of the Lady, and would not understand Allie's closeness to her. Nor would they understand that Delaney, who no longer believed in God, helped send her words into God's ear. How could she explain that Delaney, with his cold eyes and unsmiling face, who cared so little for anything at all, cared about her? How could she explain that he had been her family when she was most alone and, for that reason, would be forever in her heart?

    "Delaney and I…" Biting her lip, Allie hesitated for a brief moment, only to have Delaney take up in her stead.

    "Allie came out to the barn to talk to me for just a few minutes, but we both fell asleep. It won't happen again, Mrs. Case.

    Allie wouldn't want to make you unhappy." Turning to Allie for agreement, he waited only for her nod before continuing, "You needn't worry. As for any other concerns, Allie"

    "Allie isn't a baby. Why don't you let her talk for herself?" All eyes turned toward James as he interrupted Delaney's softly spoken statement. His glance intense, he continued in a clipped tone, "It seems to me you've had too much say where Allie's concerned. She's a part of this family now, and there's no reason she can't answer Mama herself."

    "James…"

    At Mrs. Case's soft admonition, James turned in her direction, but his expression did not soften.

    "You spoke to Allie, not him," he said.

    Delaney interjected harshly, "I told you, what concerns Allie concerns me."

    His expression livid, James turned to face Delaney with anger held barely in check. "And I told you I don't care what you said. Mama wasn't talking to you, and if you don't know your place, maybe somebody should teach it to you."

    Delaney took a step forward, and Allie gasped. Everything was going wrong!

    "All right, that's enough from both of you!" Mr. Case's low voice shattered the tense tableau as he continued roughly, "Mama and I run this house. We're the ones who give the orders
and
teach the lessons here! I think it's plain enough to see that Allie didn't mean for her and Delaney's first day to start off on the wrong foot, and I think we can safely say she won't be going out to the barn anymore during the night." Pausing, Mr. Case turned to Allie. "Is that right, Allie?"

    Unable to speak, Allie nodded.

    Apparently satisfied, Mr. Case continued in a softer tone, "Then I think you should go upstairs and get dressed now, Allie. The morning is wasting, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ready for breakfast. Mama?"

    Appearing relieved, Mrs. Case gave a short nod. "Of course, Jacob." Sarah, standing near the hallway entrance to the room, had remained silent throughout the whole exchange, and Mrs. Case turned in her direction.

    "Sarah, dear, bring some fresh bacon in from the smokehouse    like a good girl. I think we've all worked up a sizable appetite this morning."

    Her expression revealing only too plainly that she disliked being ordered about in such a manner, Sarah turned to follow her mother's directions.

    Turning toward Allie who had not yet moved, Mrs. Case said softly, "Get dressed now, dear. There's much work to be done."

    Waiting only until both girls had left the room, Mr. Case turned to Delaney. "All right, boy. Since the womenfolk have started on their chores, I suppose it's time we got to work, too. Mrs. Case will call us when breakfast is ready."

    Watching as her husband and Delaney walked across the yard and into the barn, Mrs. Case released a low, relieved sigh. Aware that her son had not yet moved and was watching his father and Delaney Marsh as intently as she, Margaret turned toward him. She searched his face with obvious concern. "What is it, James? Why do you dislike the boy so much? He hasn't done anything that should have upset you so."

    "Maybe he hasn't, but he's not going to get the opportunity, either."

    "James…"

    "He's trouble, Mama."

    " 'Judge not, least ye be judged,' James."

    "It's not me who did the judging. You heard that Mr. Smith. Marsh is straight out of prison."

    "And he wants to make a better life for himself."

    "Not at our expense."

    "James, you're being unfair."

    "Me, unfair? What would you call his using that little girl to wangle a place in this house? You wouldn't have taken him if it hadn't been for the girl's attachment to him, and you know it."

    "That's right, but we
did
take him, James. We made a commitment to him."

    "He has some kind of hold on her, Mama. I don't know what he told her or what he did, but he has her convinced that he's God Almighty."

    "She's attached to him because he helped her when she needed someone."

    "She's only a little girl. She doesn't see past the act he puts on for her benefit. But I do, and so can you, Mama, if you'll be   honest. That
fella
hasn't a speck of humanity in him. His eyes are as cold as ice. He doesn't feel anything for that girl, not like he'd like us to believe. He's using her just to get us to accept him. He's not what he pretends to be. He'll use any one of us the same way if we let him."

    "James dear, Allie loves the boy. Trying to come between them now, when she's so insecure, will only hurt her. Surely you can see that. If what you say is true, she'll see what he is sooner or later. We all will. But in the meantime, we've made a commitment to the boy, and we must honor it."

    "And he made one to us. I'm just going to make sure he stands to the letter of that commitment."

    Concern darkening her soft gray eyes, Mrs. Case shook her head. "James, I meant what I said to those two children. We've taken them into our home, and I intend to treat them with the same love and care I give Sarah and you."

    "I don't think you'll have any trouble with little Allie unless Marsh comes between you, but he won't let you get close to him. He won't let anybody get close to him. You'll see."

    "That will be his choice, dear. But I tell you now, I will not put up with anger and abuse of any kind in the bosom of my family."

    "The abuse won't start with me, Mama."

    "Do I have your word on that, James?"

    His mother suddenly sounded tired, and James paused, scrutinizing her lined face more intently than his anger had allowed moments before. The past hour had added immeasurably to the exhaustion always visible there, and James stifled his response. If anybody was going to add to the weight of her cares, it would not be he. And he was determined it would not be Delaney Marsh, either. Reaching out, he touched his mother's frail shoulder.