Marblestone Mansion, Book 10 by Marti Talbott

Author:Marti Talbott [Talbott, Marti]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: M T Creations
Published: 2014-12-21T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

The parade started at precisely two p.m. and the Sewing Circle float, with its colorful crepe paper bows, was in the middle. Mr. Tuttle drove, the ladies held up signs, and collected the money just as planned. There was one thing odd and both Pearl and Loretta noticed. Mr. Gantry McBride, the Abraham Lincoln lookalike Abigail found most suspicious, stood along the parade route with a little girl on his shoulders.

“Did you see him?” Pearl asked when they were seated at a table in a cafe counting the money they collected. “A man holding a child up high enough to see cannot be all bad.”

“Should we tell Abigail?”

Pearl giggled. “What, and spoil the best joke on her we’ve had in months?”

“Very well. I shall call to let Abigail know of our success, and see what is happening at Marblestone. How upset they all must be.”

“How upset Leesil must be. Oh, Loretta, do you suppose they have killed her?”

“Do not even suggest such a thing.”

*

Another hour passed. Millie stayed at Prescot’s bedside, letting Julia come downstairs to grab something to eat. The little children were put down for a nap and Doc McCormick checked on Beverly’s progress. Dugan looked worse than his wife, but the doctor only smiled and went to see how Prescot was.

When the telephone rang again, everyone held their breath.

In the kitchen, Ronan instantly answered it, “Marblestone.”

In the parlor, Hannish gently lifted the handset, put it to his ear, listened, and then hung it back up. He looked at Cathleen and shook his head. It seems everyone they knew wanted to know what was happening. Ronan did a good job of politely telling each one there was no news, and that the family wished not to be disturbed.

None of the calls were from the kidnappers, and Hannish was about to go completely out of his mind. “I am of no use here. I should be out there looking for her.”

“I feel the same,” said Cathleen. “I suppose we should call Mother O’Connell.”

“I shall do it,” Gloria volunteered. “She is still coughing and I was hoping she would rest this afternoon. She will never forgive us for not telling her.” Gloria left the room, walked into the downstairs sitting room and made her call.

*

When Pete finally came back and saw the horses gone, he was alarmed. Once Willis came out of the shack, he relaxed. “Where are the horses?”

“I hid them over there,” Willis said, pointing. “What did you bring us to eat?”

Pete dismounted, walked into the shack, and set a flour sack on the table. He opened it, pulled out two loaves of bread and handed them to Willis. He unloaded a package of cooked and sliced turkey that was wrapped in paper, and laid it on the outside of the sack. Next, he pulled a knife out of his pocket and began to slice the bread.

Willis made sure Leesil got something to eat. She wasn’t very hungry, so when they weren’t looking, she fed the dog. It was better than letting the men eat it.

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