Miserere by Caren J. Werlinger

Author:Caren J. Werlinger
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780988650107
Publisher: Corgyn Publishing
Published: 2012-11-28T03:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 19

The Mitchells were just sitting down to dinner when there was a knock on the back screen door.

“Jed!” Elizabeth said warmly. “Come in.”

Jed bobbed his head politely as he entered the kitchen. His blond hair was plastered to his head with sweat, and his cheeks were flushed from the heat.

“Have you had supper yet?” she asked, getting up to pour him a cold glass of milk.

“No, ma’am,” he replied, accepting the glass and drinking deeply. “But I’m too dirty and –”

“Nonsense,” said Elizabeth. She got him a towel and said, “Go wash up, run some cold water on your head to cool down and come eat. We’ve got plenty.”

A few minutes later, looking considerably cleaner and cooler, Jed took a seat at the table where Elizabeth filled a plate for him.

“What have you been working on?” Conn asked.

Jed’s mouth was full of a large forkful of sweet potato. He swallowed painfully and said, “Peregorn’s barn.”

Conn opened her mouth to ask another question, but Elizabeth cut in, saying, “Let the poor boy eat, and then you can talk.”

Jed grinned and dug into his food, eating ravenously. Conn and Will finished their own dinners and waited. A thought occurred to Conn and she asked, “That was Molly Peregorn who brought some medicine when Will was sick, wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” said Elizabeth, looking surprised. “How did you know who she was?”

Conn shrugged. “Just guessed.”

Jed looked up. “She’s a witch.”

Elizabeth looked at him reprovingly. “There is no such thing as a witch, Jed. Miss Molly and the women who came before her got that reputation because people around here love to talk. And anything they don’t understand, they’re afraid of.”

“Yes’m,” Jed said politely, but he didn’t look as if he believed one word of what she said. “Anyway, we’re not working at her place. We’re at the Peregorn home place, out the river road. I never seen such a big house or barns. I swear it feels like we’re a hundred feet up when we’re on the barn roof.”

“You’re working all the way up on the roof?” Elizabeth asked disapprovingly.

Jed grinned. “It’s all right. Mr. Greene makes me tie on to a rope in case I slip.”

“Wow,” Will breathed, his eyes big, and Conn knew he was thinking how scary it would be to be that high up.

“He’s teaching me how to repair some of the timbers where the roof had a leak,” Jed was saying, proudly adding, “He says I’m a good helper.”

Conn couldn’t help feeling a little envious of all the things Jed must be learning, but she reminded herself that Jed and his father needed the money.

As if she were thinking the same thing, Elizabeth asked, “How are things with your father?”

“Better,” Jed replied. He shook his head. “I never seen anyone stand up to my pa like that Miz Mitchell.”

Elizabeth smiled ruefully. “Well, as I said, your father and I had a few run-ins in school. He always backed down if anyone had the nerve to speak up. I don’t think he’s a bad person at heart, but I think he gets mean when he’s been drinking.

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