Annie's Stories by Cindy Thomson

Author:Cindy Thomson [Thomson, Cindy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9781414396101
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Published: 2014-06-20T00:00:00+00:00

21

STEPHEN BEGAN WHISTLING “The Stone outside Dan Murphy’s Door” again. It seemed to be his favorite.

Annie thought she might have reacted too strongly to Stephen’s taking the story without permission. She didn’t want to risk having the publisher dismiss her, because seeing her father’s stories in print truly would be a great honor. She listened to the postman’s whistling as she gathered her thoughts. If she could make it clear that she was the proper party to make the decisions about her stories without sounding too disturbed about his lack of good judgment in taking one of them to a publisher, perhaps this could work out. “Mr. Adams, about my father’s stories—”

“I apologize. I have not been able to see Mr. Davis yet. But I promise you—”

“I’ve thought about this. You should not have taken one of them without permission.”

“You are right, Miss Gallagher. I should not have. I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m always trying to make things right for folks when perhaps I should not get involved. I know you want to do well here in America, and rightly so. These stories were your inheritance, weren’t they?”

“Mr. Adams, whether they were or were not is not pertinent.”

He glanced away like a scolded schoolboy, and she felt guilty. She needed to make her point, but perhaps she was going about it the wrong way. The publisher was not the only one she hoped would not reject her.

He turned back to her, eyelids half-closed. “I just thought, with my association with a publisher, I could . . . Well, I overstepped.” He pinched his lips together a moment. “You understand, don’t you?”

She smiled. “You understand I do not appreciate you trying to conduct business on my behalf?”

“Indeed I do.”

“I admit your motives seem worthy enough. Seeing as you meant no harm . . .”

“I truly did not. Please believe me.” His face softened. The curve of his smile was understated enough to convince Annie he was not overplaying his concern. Stephen was a man who could be trusted despite this error in judgment.

“I would like Mr. Davis to publish them, if he’s so inclined.”

“You would?”

“I have plans that the proceeds could assist me with.”

“I see. This is a splendid opportunity.”

“And for you as well?”

Stephen shook his head, his dark curls bouncing. “He sent me to look for something appropriate. Finding your father’s stories was happenstance, but fortuitous for you both, wouldn’t you say?”

“Indeed. While I admit I was miffed, I do in fact owe you my thanks. I don’t think I could ever have found a way to publish them on my own.”

The tight muscles in his face relaxed. “I want you to know, while I do receive pay for helping Davis, my main motivation is to see that you get what you should have, Miss Gallagher. You want your father’s memory to live on in the minds of the reading public, isn’t that so?”

She liked how he expressed the sentiment. “’Tis. Like you said, a good opportunity.”

“Yes.” He rubbed his chin.

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