The Pattern of Her Heart by Judith Miller

Author:Judith Miller [Miller, Judith]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 0100-12-31T22:00:00+00:00

When Justin arrived in Lowell late Friday afternoon, he was several hours ahead of schedule. At least as far as Reggie was concerned. A single row of stitching along the bottom of her sampler required completion, and she was intent upon completing the project. Consequently, his daughter had greeted him at the front door of the boardinghouse with an accusatory “You’re early!”

“I thought you would be pleased to see me,” he said, surprised by her outburst.

“But I thought you wouldn’t be back until later in the evening.”

Justin stood in the doorway, hat in hand, uncertain how he should respond. “Would you like me to leave and come back later?” he finally inquired when she didn’t invite him inside.

Before Reggie could reply, Elinor strode down the hall, wiping her hands on a linen dish towel. “Pastor Chamberlain! How nice to see you. I trust you had a pleasant journey. Step aside so your father can come inside, Reggie,” she said in an authoritative manner.

Reggie moved to one side and inched the door open for her father. “I’m not ready to go home,” she announced. “I have things to finish.”

“I see,” Justin said, looking to Elinor for assistance.

“Why don’t you see to your chores while your father and I visit in the parlor? Perhaps you’ll be finished by the time he’s ready to leave. If not, I’m sure he won’t mind if you come home after supper.”

Elinor’s words seemed to resolve matters for Reggie, and Justin watched his daughter stride down the hallway as though she were on a mission of great importance.

“I can’t believe the changes in Reggie since we’ve moved to Lowell. It’s amazing. Now she voluntarily wears a dress and combs her hair, and her schoolwork is much improved. I must admit that you’ve had an astonishing influence upon her. I am most grateful.”

“Reggie is an easy child to love,” Elinor replied.

Justin laughed and shook his head. “That’s not what most people say!”

“Then most people haven’t taken the time to get to know her. Besides, Reggie and I share much in common. I think that’s why I’m so easily able to influence her behavior.”

Justin leaned back in the chair and gave his full attention to Elinor. “You’ve never mentioned having a common bond with Reggie in our previous discussions.”

“I suppose I haven’t, but Reggie and I have discussed it. You see, like Reggie, my mother died when I was but an infant. Unlike Reggie, I had my grandmother and other family members to help raise me, but I always felt different from the other children. Especially the girls when they would speak of their mothers taking them shopping or teaching them how to do a special embroidery stitch. . . . I felt set apart from them. So I began playing with my brother and his friends, doing the things they enjoyed: climbing trees, fishing, capturing snakes and spiders to scare the girls. The boys didn’t judge me—they didn’t care whether I had a mother teaching me how to sew and shop.

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