Wings of a Dove (7 page)

    Delaney's lips tightened. "As well as you honor yours, sir."

    The man's expression reflected his surprise at Delaney's response. "You're telling me that you think I may have come here today, with my wife and in the presence of these good people, to enter into a contract that I did not fully intend to honor? Are you accusing me of being dishonest, boy?"

    "No more than you're accusing me, sir."

    "I'm not accusing you, boy! I'm merely asking a question!"

    "And I've answered it, sir."

    His florid face flushing even more deeply, the farmer turned abruptly and walked away. Mr. Smith flashed an embarrassed glance toward the two men remaining.

    "I'm sorry, gentlemen. I'm certain the boy didn't mean to offend. He merely responded as honestly as he could to Mr. Carlisle's question."

    "You needn't apologize for the boy, Mr. Smith. I admire his forthright answer." Turning toward Delaney, the second farmer, a thin man with a deeply lined face and graying hair, extended his hand with a smile. "My name is Willard
Grimsley
. I have more room in my house and more work on my farm than I know what to do with. I have three children, and I'm looking to find a fourth here today." His smile broadening as Delaney accepted his hand with a firm shake, the man continued, ''I don't intend to waste time asking you about your past. I figure you did what you had to do to get along. On my farm, I would expect you to do the same. My only thought would be to ask if we're what you've been looking for, boy, since this contract will be a two-way street. I'll be expecting you to answer that question as honestly as you can. But first, I'll tell you a little about us. My wife, Millicent, and I have been married for seventeen years and we own a farm that once was a part of the…"

    Willard
Grimsley's
voice continued on in earnest recitation. Delaney listened with half his mind as the other half remained strangely distracted. His first thought was that this farmer appeared to be as fair a man as he could expect to find, but he had long ago learned the difficult lesson that appearances were deceiving, that an honest face and a steady eye often disguised a man of an entirely different type. He also knew he would get no guarantees with any contract entered into, and a choice would soon have to be made. This man appeared to be offering exactly the situation he had been looking for. He doubted he would get a better opportunity than this. He did not honestly think he could expect more.

    Allie's thin shoulders twitched. She kept her gaze forward, intensely aware of the man who stood a few feet away. She had felt his eyes on her from the first moment he entered the room. She did not like the feeling, and she did not know why. The man was pleasant-looking and well dressed. His frock coat and matching trousers were as stylish as those of any of Mrs. Van
Houten's
callers. The fair-haired, noticeably younger woman standing at his side was well dressed, too, but she did not appear to be at ease.

    The man came closer, moving cautiously through the crowded room and Allie felt her throat tighten. Within moments he was standing beside her chair.

    "Stand up, child. Mrs.
Crosley
and I would like to get a better look at you."

    Allie stood obediently, her eyes traveling up to the soft-spoken gentleman's face. His face was smooth and clean-shaven except for a narrow, well tended mustache. His features were fine, almost to the point of appearing feminine, and his thin lips were curved into a smile, but Allie felt none of its warmth. Instead, she was immobilized by his dark eyes, which appeared to dissect her as he touched her hair with his soft pink hands.

    "It appears to me that she is exactly the girl we have been looking for, isn't she,
Meridith
, dear?"

    Allie looked at the woman who stood slightly behind Mr.
Crosley
. She was startled by the anxiety apparent in the woman's expression before she averted her head and murmured, "Yes, she is, Albert."

    "Look at
me
, child." The unexpected sharpness of the command snapped Allie's attention back to Mr.
Crosley
as he took a step closer. "That's better. Now turn around… yes, completely around."

    Following the man's commands, Allie turned in a small circle, her pale face flooding a bright pink. She was embarrassed by the man's manner, and her skin crawled at his intense scrutiny.

    "Ah, now I have embarrassed you, haven't I, dear? Well, you mustn't be shy. Mrs.
Crosley
and I came here today hoping against hope that there would be a child in this group who would appeal to us. You see, I first came into contact with my darling wife in much the same way."

    At Allie's obvious confusion, Mr.
Crosley's
smooth face creased into a wider smile. "You see, the first Mrs.
Crosley
and I adopted
Meridith
seven years ago. My dear Patricia died a few years later. In the time following,
Meridith
grew into the fine young woman you see here today, and she is now my loving wife. She is so appreciative of the life that I have been able to give her that the moment she heard of your group's arrival, she expressed a desire to afford another child the same opportunity that was afforded her."

    Pausing, Mr.
Crosley
ran his long, smooth fingers across Allie's cheek in a brief caress. "Ah, yes, I do find pale-haired children especially appealing." Cupping her chin, he raised it so that she could no longer avoid his eyes.

    A chill passed down Allie's spine, and Stella's reference to her "lily-white skin" flitted across her mind. She drew back, repulsion whitening her small face even further.

    "No, child, you mustn't be frightened.
Meridith
and I will provide you with a very good home. You are obviously intelligent. I saw that at first glance. Mr. Smith informed me of your name and background, and that you can read and cipher, and that is an added plus. I am a banker, you see, and a man in my position must have an intelligent family around him, a bright, obedient daughter whom he can train to reflect well upon him. You will have much to gain by becoming that
daughterthe
finest clothes, just as have been given to
Meridithand
I will personally see to it that your education is continued in a vein suitable to the position you will hold in life. You cannot ask for more than that, can you, dear?"

    Abruptly releasing her chin, Mr.
Crosley
reached down to take her firmly by the hand. "Come now. We'll find Mr. Smith and tell him we've made a match, shall we? And then
Meridith
and I will take you home."

    Allie shook her head. An unexpected fear seemed to have frozen her throat, but she stepped back in protest and attempted to pull her hand free. A light flush moving over his delicate features, Mr.
Crosley
gripped her hand all the more tightly. His dark eyes held hers captive with their intensity.

    "Come, Allie. You must not appear ungrateful. Mr. Smith will not understand your reluctance to come with us when we have so much to offer you. He might even be angry and punish you quite severely. Your attitude will also reflect on the other children, and the good people here may refuse to accept another group such as this because of your adverse behavior."

    Allie pulled back more strongly, her frozen throat still refusing to allow words to pass, and Mr.
Crosley
whispered harshly, "I tell you now, girl. Persist in this contrary behavior and you will suffer the consequences. I do not intend to allow you to upset my plans… my dear wife's plans. You
will
come with us."

    "No."

    That single word escaping her throat, Allie attempted to withdraw her hand from Mr.
Crosley's
crushing grip without drawing the attention of those around her. She did not want to spoil things for the other children, but she would not go with this man.

    A low hiss escaped Mr.
Crosley's
fine lips as he took a step closer, drawing her hand firmly against his side. "I am a very influential man in this community. I am sure you are not too young or too foolish to realize how I might affect your future and the future of your group if you persist in this behavior. You will come now, without further protest, and you will"

    "No, she won't."

    Allie turned just as a heavy hand came down on Mr.
Crosley's
, breaking his grip on her wrist.

    Delaney!

    Allie stepped back. A hot flush covered Delaney's stiff features, contrasting vividly with the ice in his gaze. He took her hand and held it tight in his.

    "Allie doesn't want to go with you. She has the right to refuse your offer."

    Mr.
Crosley's
face became mottled with anger, and Allie backed up firmly against Delaney for support. Trembling, she remained silent as the banker hissed low in his throat, "But she does want to come with us, don't you, dear? Tell this fellow.
Tell
him!"

    Delaney's color heightened as he turned toward Allie. "Yes, tell me what you want to do, Allie."

    Her eyes darting to Mr.
Crosley's
livid face, Allie struggled to speak.

    Realizing her difficulty, Delaney spoke again, his voice unexpectedly soft. "Allie, do you want to go with him?"

    "I… I want to stay with you."

    A low choking sound issuing from his throat, Mr.
Crosley
pulled himself sharply erect. Turning a brief, scorching glance in her direction, he took his silent wife's arm and ushered her stiffly toward the door without speaking another word.

    Her eyes remaining fixed on the doorway long moments after the
Crosleys
' departure, Allie finally turned back toward Delaney. The hot color of a few minutes before had all but drained from his face, but he appeared even angrier than before.

    "A smart girl like you should know you can't let people push you around, no matter how much they threaten. You're going to have to learn to speak up for yourself. I won't always be around to do it for you."

    Confused, Allie shook her head. "Are you mad at me, Delaney?"

    Delaney's stance remained stiff. His frown darkened as his eyes flicked over her face.

    "No, I'm mad at myself for bothering with something that's none of my business." He paused, then continued harshly, "If you think the Lady is going to protect you, you're wrong. She's nothing more than an image carved on a piece of silver. She can't do anything for you that you won't do for yourself. If I hadn't interfered, that low-down bugger would have been dragging you out the door right now!"

    Allie nodded. "I know."

    Obviously surprised by her response, Delaney remained silent as she continued. "The Lady is nothing more than an image carved on a piece of
silverunless
you trust her. I trust her, and she helped me."

    "
She
helped you?"

    "That's right. I prayed to the Lady, and just like Mama said, she sent my prayers into God's ear. And then God sent me a friend. He sent me you."

    At her soft statement, Delaney's lean frame went suddenly stiff. His lips parted as if to speak but no sound came forth. Unexpectedly dropping her hand, he turned without another word and strode back to the two farmers.

    Hot tears gathered in Allie's eyes as he deliberately turned his back. Swallowing with considerable difficulty, she sat down, stiffly erect as she studied the couples still mingling in the room. With the exception of a few who were talking to the older boys, it appeared they had all found a child to suit them. Nevertheless, about fifteen girls and a like number of boys were still without homes.

    Allie brushed a strand of hair back from her face and clamped her lips tightly shut against their trembling. No matter what Delaney said, she knew the Lady was watching over her. She would go on with Mr. Smith and the rest of the children, and she would find a family to love her. The Lady would see to that, too. The Lady had already sent her Delaney, hadn't she? It didn't matter that he was presently angry for some reason and had turned his back on her. He was still her friend.

    With that thought in mind, Allie raised her chin and blinked back the tears that were still threatening.

    The church meeting room was silent except for the sound of shuffling feet. Disappointment inhibited conversation between the children remaining as the last of the congregation finally trailed away. Attempting to inject a note of hopefulness into the desolate glances turned his way, Mr. Smith raised his voice into the silence.

    "All right, children, take your places in line. We have a very successful morning behind us. Many of our number have found homes, and tomorrow, before we take the train to the next stop, we may yet find homes for more. In time, you will all find a place to your liking."