Ribbon in the Sky by Dorothy Garlock

Author:Dorothy Garlock [GARLOCK, DOROTHY]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9780759522800
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2001-03-06T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

15

After the deputy’s visit the atmosphere in the house was more relaxed. The relationship between Letty and Mike underwent a change. Although there was frequent laughter and light banter, he made no move to touch her or indicate that he wanted to be alone with her. Letty waited for a sign, but none came.

Mike took a delight in every aspect of farm life. When one of the sows had a litter of piglets, he came to the house, grinning like a schoolboy with a new slingshot, to take Letty and the children out to see the new family. He was equally interested when the chicks Letty ordered arrived and he helped her make a place for them in the chicken house.

The men worked from daylight till dusk in the fields. Some nights they were so tired that they ate their supper in near silence, and Jacob went to bed shortly afterward. Letty was worried about him. He had lost weight and she noticed a trembling in his hands. She spoke to Mike about it one night after Jacob had left the kitchen.

“Grandpa’s working too hard. I wish—” She looked directly into his ebony eyes. They had some mystical power to make her forget what she was saying.

“I’ve been trying to slow him down.”

“Will you be finished by the end of the week?”

“We’ll wind up the planting in about three days. At harvest time I’m hoping to persuade him to stay out of the field.”

“I seriously doubt you’ll be able to do that. I could help if he’d let me.” Her hands trembled as she stacked the plates to take them to the dishpan.

“You have plenty to do here.”

“Grandpa’s not young, you know.”

“I know, but he has his pride, Letty. Let him do what he wants to do.”

“He seems different since the deputy was here.”

“He wants to finish the planting so he can go to town to see the sheriff.”

“And you?”

“I’ll go with him.”

Letty looked up to meet Mike’s gaze. For a long while they stared, barely breathing. Each was still except for the wild chaos going on inside them. The lamplight illuminated his tired face, showing the dark cast of a day-old beard. The hungry look in his eyes caused her heart to slam against her rib cage. A hot anxious feeling took root in the pit of her stomach, spread, and bathed her with its warmth. If you still want me, say something, Mike. Please say something.

He did, but not to her.

“Patrick, shall we give that old swing a workout while your mama is doing the dishes?”

“Yeah! Oh, boy. Can we fix my stilts too? You said you’d make them higher. I’m gettin’ good at walkin’ on ’em, ain’t I?”

Mike ruffled his son’s dark hair with his fingers. “You betcha. We’ll fix the stilts tomorrow night. How’s that?”

“Will you learn me to whistle, Dolan?”

“I can’t learn you, but I may be able to teach you.”

“Ah . . . Dolan—”

Letty watched father and son leave, Patrick’s hand tucked into Mike’s, and had to admit that she was jealous of her son.

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