Bittersweet by Jannine Gallant

Author:Jannine Gallant
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Published: 2015-05-07T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

An east wind set the clothes flapping as Tess unpinned them from the clothesline. She rolled the last dress into a neat bundle and dropped it into the basket with the others. Wiping her sweating forehead on her sleeve, she picked up the basket and hauled it toward the house.

She heard a buggy approaching and paused on the bottom porch step. Nathan’s horses trotted around the corner. After setting the brake, he jumped down and hurried toward her.

“Let me help you with that.” He grasped the heavy basket by the handles and took it from her. “You shouldn’t be working so hard on your birthday.”

She wiped her hands on her skirt and looked up at him from beneath the brim of her sunbonnet. She wasn’t happy he’d caught her looking such a mess. “How did you know it was my birthday?”

“Your mother told me. She asked me to drive out here and bring you and your aunt back for supper.”

Tess groaned. “I don’t know, Nathan. I would rather stay home. I’m hot and dirty and not fit for company, even if it is only family. Anyway, Aunt Fay isn’t here right now. Doc Fredericks took her for a buggy ride.”

“Then I’m sure he’ll drop her at your folks’ house later. You could take a bath,” he suggested. “I’ll watch Emily while you do it.”

“She’ll be waking up from her nap soon.”

He smiled. “I think I can manage to entertain one small girl for a half hour or so.”

“Will Mama be very disappointed if I don’t come?”

“She made you a cake.”

Tess sighed. “There’s no getting out of it, then. If you don’t mind listening for Emily, I’ll go wash up in the creek.”

“Wouldn’t you rather have a proper bath?”

“It takes too long. It’s been so hot the creek is as warm as bath water. I’ll run upstairs and get some clean clothes and look in on Emily. You can set that basket down in the kitchen.”

She returned a minute later, carrying a bundle of undergarments and a lemon colored dress. “I put out a fresh diaper. Are you certain sure you don’t mind watching her?”

“Positive. Emily and I will be fine. Enjoy your swim.”

“I will. This heat is unbearable.”

Tess hurried down to the creek and stripped off her clothes. She didn’t bother leaving on her chemise, remembering how little it covered the last time. The sight of the water energized her. She and Shadow wasted no time jumping into the creek.

She lay in the water and closed her eyes. Since the incident with the snake, she was reluctant to bring Emily down and had missed the luxury of lazing in the water on a hot summer day. It was so much more satisfying than the daily ablutions at the wash bowl, or even a full bath in the big tin tub.

She waded toward the creek bank, pausing when she heard a familiar whistle. Taking a couple of quick steps backward, she slid down into the deepest part of the creek and prayed Shadow’s splashing would cloud the clear water.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.