A Time for Everything by Mysti Parker

Author:Mysti Parker [Parker, Mysti]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: esKape Press
Published: 2015-07-06T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Portia stole a bit of time for herself between the end of lessons and the start of supper. Bessie had soup on the stove already, and Lucy had the laundry on the line, so she wasn’t needed and wouldn’t likely be missed. With a notebook and charcoal pencil in hand, she headed to the creek. She needed solitude, just a little while to sort out her thoughts and to forget what she’d witnessed at the barn. That hungry look in Beau’s eyes, the way he held Lydia with such burning desire… Stop it! Just walk.

The late afternoon sun danced on the creek, making it look like liquid gold. Portia settled beneath the cedar tree where she and Jonny had skipped rocks and where she and Beau had taken refuge from the rain a few days before. Propping the sketch pad on her knees, she looked for a subject to draw. About ten yards away on the other side of the creek sat an old icehouse. A little wooden bridge spanned the creek in front of it.

She began to sketch the little structure with its arched stone set back into the creek bank. Ivy grew from above and drooped lazily in front of the door. Dark green moss carpeted the walls. Her pencil recreated the pointed outlines of the ivy leaves, the tall cedars on the bank, a squirrel on a stump nibbling his lunch. With the gentle bubbling of the creek and the melodic birdsong above, and with nothing but her and her notebook, she felt truly at peace.

Footsteps approached, and Portia turned to see Ezra strolling down the hill.

“’Ey there, sorry if I’m interruptin’ you. I didn’t think anybody was here.”

“It’s all right. It’s your land, after all.”

“Mind if I sit with you a spell?”

Though she had hoped to have some quiet time to herself, she didn’t mind Ezra being there all that much. She gestured for him to have a seat. Holding his pipe with one hand, the old man lowered himself cautiously to the ground. He rested his back on the tree with his legs sprawled out in front of him.

“Nice here by the creek,” he mumbled through his mustache.

“Yes, it is,” Portia agreed.

“I come down here often just to sit and listen. It’s calm and peaceful-like.” He took two puffs from his pipe. Cherry scented smoke mingled with the damp, mossy air. “You know, it’s been nice having a young lady here again.”

“Miss Clemons is quite comely.”

Ezra chuckled and smoke billowed toward the sky. “I meant you.”

“Oh… well, thank you.” She smiled, but her cheeks didn’t catch fire like they usually did when someone said such a personal thing.

“Seems you and Jonny are gettin’ on good.”

“He’s such a bright and sweet boy. I’m fortunate to be his teacher.”

“He’s started talkin’ to you, hasn’t he?”

Uncertain whether he’d be upset with her for keeping the news to herself, she nodded slowly, watching for his reaction.

“I thought so. He almost spoke to me this mornin’, made a little peep then snapped his mouth shut.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.