Wings of a Dove (17 page)

    He turned, the smile on his face freezing as he met Delaney Marsh's cold stare. Allie's candid question of a few minutes before returned to his mind, as did his evasive response: "I've always liked you, Allie."

    Whether Allie had realized it or not, the word "you" had not included the street vagrant now staring at him so boldly, and he knew it never would. But he had taken the first step in freeing Allie from her dependence on Marsh, and he would not be satisfied until she finally saw the youthful opportunist for what he really was. That day would not be long in coming.

    Not bothering with amenities, James turned his back on Delaney and walked into the barn.

    Allie worked quickly, her small hands gripping the dishes firmly as she returned the last stack to the shelf. Turning, she surveyed the kitchen once more. The men had left shortly after finishing their midday meal, and Mother Case, Sarah, and Allie had begun cleaning up. As usual, Sarah had disappeared after a few minutes, with one excuse or another, and Mother Case and she had completed the chores. The food had been covered and stored, the bread wrapped, the dishes washed, dried, and put away, and the beautiful black iron stove had been cleaned and readied for preparation of the evening meal. Turning, Allie retrieved the heavy vase filled with flowers she had picked in the field that morning, and placed it back on the center of the table. Yes, the kitchen was again back to rights.

    Sensing a silent perusal, Allie turned to Mother Case's benevolent gaze.

    "Yes, dear, everything is in order. I won't be needing you for an hour or so, so you may entertain yourself as you like. It's a beautiful day. Why don't you go outside?"

    Allie nodded, an enthusiastic "Yes, ma'am" escaping her lips as she turned toward the door. Within minutes she was running     across the yard, her eyes on the barn. Allie had not mentioned the kitten at the table, but now she wanted to see it again, to touch it and make sure it was really hers. And then she wanted to tell Delaney.

    A frown flicking across her brow, she recalled the moment she had sat down for the midday meal and felt Sarah's keen eyes on her face.

    "Whatever happened to you, Allie? Your face is all scratched."

    Sarah's comments had turned the attention of everyone at the table in Allie's direction, and she had flushed as she had offered her prepared response.

    "Nothing much."

    "Oh, I'd say it's something. Considering your poor skin, it'll probably scar." Pausing, as if to give her last comment additional thought, Sarah added with a small shrug, "But I guess that wouldn't make much difference."

    Allie's averted gaze did not allow her to see the dismay on Mother Case's face or the angry glances the others turned to Sarah. Allie kept silent, as Mother Case offered softly, "I'm sure those scratches will heal just fine, and Allie's skin will be as pretty as ever. They look quite clean and free of infection."

    Allie had deliberately kept her eyes on her plate. She had not wanted to inadvertently glance toward James and reveal the part he had played in the rapidly healing cuts.

    But even Sarah's hatefulness had not dampened Allie's buoyant spirits. A kitten she had a kitten of her own again!

    Reaching the barn doors, Allie was about to step inside when whispered words from within brought her to an abrupt halt. She hesitated, scanning the darkened interior of the barn, finally realizing that the voices came from the corner where the harnesses were stored. She squinted into the shadows to see two figures standing so close as to be almost touching. Then came Sarah's voice, louder this time and more easily identified.

    "James is taller than you are, but your shoulders are so much broader." Allie could see that Sarah was stroking Delaney's chest. "I like touching you, Delaney. Wouldn't you like to touch me, too?"

    After a short silence, Delaney responded, his voice so low that Allie could not make out his words. But whatever they were, they added an edge to Sarah's tone when she spoke again.

    ''But nobody will know! I won't tell anybody, and neither will you." Allie watched as Sarah took Delaney's hand, put it against her waist, and started moving it slowly upward. "All the boys tell me I'm pretty. They try to pull me behind the church house and kiss me. I won't let them, but I'd like
you
to kiss me, Delaney."

    Unable to stand more, Allie turned and walked back out into the yard. Her heart was racing and tears choked her throat. Sarah was mean, but she was never mean to Delaney. No, she cooed to him just as Mrs.
Bascombe
had cooed to her baby when she visited the farm a week before. Delaney said he knew how Sarah was, but he had not pushed her away or told her to leave. He was still in there with her.

    Turning away, Allie walked with a lagging step toward the apple tree that shaded the side of the house. She sat abruptly in the shadow of its wide, split trunk. She wanted to see her kitten, but she did not want to see Sarah and Delaney.

    Her chin in her hands, Allie waited in silence, uncertain how much time elapsed before Sarah emerged from the barn and walked swiftly back into the house. Allie drew back so that Sarah would not see her. She could not see Sarah's face, but she could visualize the triumph visible there. She had no doubt she would be treated to Sarah's version of the scene later that night, after the lamps were turned off in their room and Mother Case thought they were asleep.

    Slowly drawing herself to her feet, Allie again started toward the barn. Delaney had not emerged, and she hesitated in the doorway. A curt voice made her snap her head toward the far corner as Delaney walked toward her, a harness in his hand.

    "What are you doing here, Allie?"

    Allie winced at the lack of warmth in Delaney's tone. The fear that Sarah had already begun to turn him against her made her unconsciously take a step back.

    "I'm sorry, Delaney. I didn't mean to come in when you were with Sarah."

    Delaney's cool glance flickered momentarily. "Sarah doesn't give up easy." He had walked into the light, and Allie searched his expression. She saw no warmth there, and her heart fell.

    "Are you mad at me, Delaney?"

    "No."

    Allie lowered her eyes at his tone. "Sarah is very pretty." Allie raised her hand to her scratched cheek, unconsciously revealing her thoughts as Sarah's comments at the table returned to torment her.

    Delaney frowned and took another step closer.

    "That scratch won't leave a scar on your face, Allie, and even if it did, you'd still be prettier than Sarah because you're prettier inside than she is."

    A faint hope came alive within Allie. It pulled at the corners of her lips, coaxing them upward in a hesitant smile.

    "Mama said it was better to be pretty on the inside than on the outside, because the outside gets old and the inside doesn't. I try real hard to be pretty inside when I'm with Sarah, but…"

    A smile pulled at Delaney's lips as well. "I guess you'll have to keep working on that, Allie."

    Delaney lightly touched the scratch on her cheek. His expression softening, he slipped his hand down to squeeze her shoulder reassuringly.

    A disturbing thought abruptly took shape inside Allie's mind, then slipped off her tongue to hang on the air between Delaney and herself.

    "Did you smile when you touched Sarah?"

    Motionless for a moment, Delaney then crouched down beside her, again serious.

    "I didn't touch Sarah because I wanted to, Allie, and I told her she was wasting her time. Whatever she says to you tonight, after the lamp is out, you don't have to believe a word. She's a pretty girl, but she's ugly inside, and that takes away her beauty."

    Suddenly Delaney's smile was truly warm, his stiff manner of a few minutes before gone. He touched her chin playfully. "Don't worry, Allie. I told you Sarah will never be my friend, and I meant it."

    It came to Allie in that second that Delaney was the one who was beautiful. Not only was his face beautiful and it was, with his shiny black hair making his clear eyes seem even lighter, and with the smile that most people never saw making them glow but he was beautiful inside, too, and he showed that beauty only to her.

    Gratitude for all Delaney had given her suddenly freed her     from the bonds of shyness, and Allie took a step closer to him. Impulsively, she slid her arm around his neck.

    "You're beautiful on the inside, too, more beautiful than anybody knows."

    For the briefest moment, the bright blue of Delaney's eyes held hers in silence. Finally, giving a short laugh, he drew himself up straight.

    "Well, we'll keep that secret between us, won't we, Allie?"

    Allie nodded, the earlier joy of the day returning at last. Taking Delaney's hand, she excitedly pulled him forward.

    "I have another secret, too, Delaney. I wanted to tell you first. Come on. I'll show you."

    "Allie, Mr. Case is waiting for me."

    "Only a minute. Please, Delaney."

    Drawing him to the rear stall, Allie pulled Delaney to the corner where Shadow was again nursing her kittens.

    "The striped kitten is mine."

    Delaney studied her face, his expression again closed. "Yours?"

    "James gave it to me. He said I could have any kitten I wanted, and I chose the striped one." Her voice dropping a notch, reflecting the return of a sober memory, she continued, "I had a striped kitten when Mama and I lived at Mrs. Van
Houten's
house. Her name was Mischief, too. James says I can keep this one as long as I take good care of it. I'll take very good care of it."

    Delaney was silent. His narrowed gaze moved over her flushed face. "When did this happen?"

    "This morning, after that hen pecked me."

    Delaney glanced at the scratch on her cheek, then studied her more closely. His exploring fingers gently found the dried wound on her head. He smiled, but it was a strange smile.

    "It was that speckled hen, wasn't it the one who always chases the others?"

    Allie nodded.

    "Did James tend to your cuts, Allie?"

    Allie nodded again.

    Delaney dropped his hand. "He did a good job." He paused a moment before continuing. "So James is your friend, too, now."

    Allie took a step closer, an inexplicable sadness touching her heart.

    "James wants to be
your
friend, too, Delaney. I asked him if he liked us now, and he said he always liked us."

    Delaney studied her sincere expression before he again crouched down beside her. The blue of his eyes held no trace of the ice often visible there.

    "Allie, James does like you. I think he liked you almost from the start. But he doesn't like me at all."

    The spot of sadness inside Allie grew. "I'll tell him about you, Delaney. I'll tell him about the Lady and how you helped me, and then he'll like you."

    "No, Allie. He wouldn't understand about the Lady. He'd only dislike me more."

    Remembering the church she had attended each Sunday since coming to the farm, Allie nodded, belatedly realizing that Delaney was probably right. No one here understood about the Lady.

    "I'll pray harder, Delaney, and James will start to like you, too. I know he will."

    Seeing the skepticism Delaney attempted to disguise, Allie reached toward his chest and found the outline of the medal lying under his shirt. She traced it with her finger as she said with heartfelt certainty, "The Lady will help me, Delaney."

    "Allie…"

    Realizing he hesitated to voice his disbelief for her benefit, Allie lowered her eyes. It was not fair to press Delaney when he did not feel free to answer her truthfully. She again met his gaze. "Will you be mad at me if I let James be my friend?"

    Delaney gave a short laugh that had no joy in it. "No, Allie."

    "You didn't let Sarah be
your
friend."

    "I don't like Sarah. You
like
James."

    Allie stopped to consider that, then nodded. "Yes, I like him."

    "Then you should let him be your friend. I want you to be happy, Allie. And I don't want you to feel alone when I have to leave."

    "Leave?"