The Orphan Bride by Clark Stella

Author:Clark, Stella [Clark, Stella]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Aryn House Publishing
Published: 2019-01-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Sadie awoke to bright sunlight and the smells of scrambled eggs, fried ham, and sweet corn bread. Again, the living room was filled with Maggie’s laughter. Sadie wished she could just throw on a robe, slip into slippers, brush her hair, and run downstairs. But she was a guest, not a member of the family. She didn’t descend the stairs until she was dressed and ready for the day.

“Good morning, Mrs. Wineland,” Sadie said in as friendly a tone as she could.

“Good morning, dear one,” the older woman replied. “How did you sleep?”

“Very well, thank you,” Sadie answered. “That bed is amazing. And good morning to you, little Miss Maggie!” Sadie said sweetly to the baby. How’s my favorite little girl in the whole wide world?”

“She’s in a fine mood this morning, Sadie,” Alex’s mother said. “And she has a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?” Sadie said with wide eyes. “What’s your surprise, Miss Maggie?”

“Who’s that?” the older woman asked Maggie, pointing to Sadie.

“Sadieeeee!” Maggie shouted.

“Oh, you dear, sweet thing!” Sadie said with a tear in her eye. “You can say my name!”

“We couldn’t get her to stop saying it last night,” the older woman said. “Seems she’s taken to you already. I think the two of you made quite a connection during our walk from the train station to Alex’s office yesterday.”

“Speaking of Alex; will he be here for breakfast?” Sadie asked hopefully.

“He said he would last night before leaving,” his mother replied.

“Before leaving? Where’d he go?” Sadie asked before she could catch herself.

“He said he wanted to make sure people didn’t get the wrong idea about your staying here with us,” his mother explained. “So he spent the night at his office. He’s done it before when he has to work late into the night or needs to guard a prisoner. He’s comfortable enough in a cell he’s got set up for just such occasions.”

“Comfortable or not, I feel as though I’m imposing at his expense,” Sadie said.

“Please don’t,” Alex said as he strode into the kitchen and pulled a spoke-backed chair from the table across from Sadie. “It’s our doing that you’re here. The least we can do is make sure you have a comfortable stay until you decide what you will do and where you will go.”

His mother poured him a tall cup of coffee and served him his usual large helping of scrambled eggs and fried ham, along with a large wedge of cornbread. Alex’s mother scooted Maggie’s high chair next to Sadie at the table so the two of them could enjoy more of each other.

Sadie loved it and spent more time feeding Maggie than herself.

“Oh, I see you have a tooth!” Sadie said in feigned surprise. Sadie reflexively put a fingertip on Maggie’s gums to feel for others that might be coming through. “I feel more teeth!” she exclaimed. “You are getting to be a big girl!”

Maggie laughed at Sadie’s smiling face, and the two of them grew closer in spite of Sadie’s discomfort with the circumstances that could soon drive them apart.

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