Stitching a Life in Persimmon Hollow by Gerri Bauer

Author:Gerri Bauer
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781616369644
Publisher: Franciscan Media
Published: 2016-02-09T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

The next evening was the second in a row that Oswald joined the boarding house group for after-dinner recreation. He sat on the sofa, crossed one ankle over his thigh, shifted in his seat, switched legs, and tapped his fingers on the armrest as he and Josefa waited for the others to join them.

“Must we sit with these people again for the entire time? I prefer that we make our excuses as soon as possible,” he said.

“It would be poor manners for me to get up and leave,” Josefa said. “Besides, the only way my aunt permitted this arrangement was if I stayed close to the boarding house.”

“She’d never know.”

“I would,” Josefa said. “And so would Fanny, which means my aunt would eventually know.”

Considering how little she and Oswald seemed to have in common, she preferred to stay within the circle of warmth that had developed among the housemates over the past few weeks. Most of the winter tourist activities had abated, and the out-of-state visitors were eager for company, except for the quiet Penelope. But even she always came downstairs and sat with everyone.

“I can’t endure another round of charades and sing-a-longs,” Oswald said in a low voice as footsteps signaled the arrival of others.

But there wasn’t another round of singing or charades. In fact, Fanny closed the piano lid that had been open, sat down in her favorite parlor chair, and started to pour a round of tea after Estelle brought in the tray. Fanny hummed a little under her breath, glanced around at everyone, smiled to herself, and took her time with the tea.

Oswald shifted again, and again uncrossed one leg, crossed the other one, and upped his tapping to a drumbeat until Josefa gave his hand a pointed look.

“I have a surprise for us all,” Fanny said. She picked up her fan from the side table and waved it around her face and neck, then placed it down. “I nearly burst all through dinner from keeping it quiet.”

The winter guests exchanged questioning glances. Ben and Oswald looked at Josefa, who shrugged. She looked at Fanny.

“In a minute, in a minute,” Fanny said. Her eyes sparkled. “I thought we first could get caught up on the news we didn’t have time to discuss at dinner, while we wait for Miss Penn to join us and for Eunice and Clyde.”

Estelle, who had left, returned with a small cloth bag that she handed to Fanny.

“Here’s what you’ve been waiting for,” Estelle said with a knowing smile, clearly in on whatever Fanny had brewed up.

“Ah, thank you!” Fanny said as she took it. She made no move to open the bag. “Estelle, did I hear you say earlier that progress has been made on land for the school?”

“Yes’m,” Estelle said, and her face relaxed into lines of satisfaction and anticipation that had nothing to do with a drawn-out Fanny Alloway surprise. “Mr. Seth, Miss Agnes, the good sisters, and folks at Garfield agree the piece of land that rests between our settlement and the edge of Mr.

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