Come, My Little Angel by Diane Noble

Author:Diane Noble [Noble, Diane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-78113-0
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2011-02-09T05:00:00+00:00

Percival Taggart was packing up his music, placing books and stands in boxes, when a tap sounded at the door. His letter of resignation was written, signed, and tucked in his breast pocket. As soon as he cleared the music room of his things, he planned to head to the home of Lester Knight-Smyth, the director of Red Bud’s schoolhouse board. He did not have peace about his decision, but he was too tired to fight any longer. He planned to leave Red Bud as soon as possible and not look back.

The tap sounded again, and Percival rose from the piano bench to answer it. Before he had taken three steps, the door pushed open, slowly.

“Toby?” He was surprised to see the boy.

“I-I have a qu-question, M-mister Taggart.”

“Come in, come in.” He smiled to put the child at ease and nodded to a folding chair. Toby headed toward it, stumbled a bit, then settled onto the seat with a sigh. The chair tilted precariously then righted itself.

Percival sat opposite the boy. “What can I do for you?”

The boy thrust a wadded-up page toward him, biting his lip nervously as he dropped it onto Percival’s palm. “I-I thought maybe you ought to see this.” Immediately, Toby looked down at his feet.

Percival smoothed the paper, then held it to the light of the window. He frowned as he read, then looked up to meet the boy’s gaze.

“This is what prompted Daisy to cancel her play?”

“Yes, sir. Sh-she had hoped for the Ringling Brothers to help with the tent. Maybe even bring some o’ their circus animals to help bring f-folks to her drama show. Everybody at school’s been talkin’ about it. That’s what made the letter so hard. Now folks are teasin’ and makin’ fun of Daisy.”

Percival’s heart twisted at the thought of such cruelty heaped on Daisy’s shoulders, especially considering the disappointment she had already borne. He handed the letter back to the boy.

Surprisingly, Toby did not take it. “I-I wondered if maybe, well, ju-just maybe you might help us.”

Percival shrugged. “Toby, there’s not much anyone can do at this point. I’m leaving town at the end of this term. I’m sorry. I won’t be here if you’re asking me to help with the music, with the play’s production.”

“You’re leavin’?” Toby looked at him squarely in the face. “You mean, for good?”

Percival did not answer.

“Because of the things that Red Bud folks are sayin’ about you?”

“For a number of reasons.” It was impossible to explain it to a child. How would he explain about his disappointments in himself and others? About the fears that plagued him. About stumbling worse that even Toby could imagine. About falling and never getting up again… “It’s just for the best.”

Toby’s lower lip trembled. He tried twice to speak, then finally sat there in sad silence, biting his lip and looking at the floor. “Okay,” he finally said with a sigh. “But we’ll miss you, Mister Taggart.”

Percival stood to gently dismiss the boy. “I’m sorry, Toby.”

Toby looked up at him and nodded.

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