Hat's Off! by Nancy Shew Bolton

Author:Nancy Shew Bolton [Bolton, Nancy Shew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Christian Fiction
ISBN: 9781943104796
Publisher: Pelican Book Group
Published: 2016-11-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“You and Bessie are getting to be pals, aren’t you?”

Kay nodded to Phil while she kept her eyes on finishing the last buttonhole of Eddie’s latest shirt. “She says I’m a natural on a horse. Bet you’re surprised.”

“No, I’m not. I always tell you to try things. I know how determined you are once you start a task. You’ve always been like that.”

She gazed over at him, needle poised. “Really? Hmmm.”

He grinned. “You usually do well when you put your mind to something.”

She grimaced. “Except with cooking.”

They shared a laugh, and Phil said, “Elliot told me it made life interesting, coming home to see what recipe you’d tried that day.”

She giggled. “What a brave fellow he was. He always tasted everything, even if it smelled terrible.”

“He said he considered hiding the spices because you used way too much, but once you figured that out, your food was so overcooked and bland, he almost missed the spices.”

“He never told me that.”

Philip’s expression of amusement softened into affection. “He didn’t want to discourage you.”

Oh, Elliot. What a prize you were.

She held down a twinge of sorrow and returned her focus to the buttonhole, taking in several deep breaths.

Maddie breezed in from the back room and deposited a newspaper on the counter. “You know, we should think about getting a radio in here. It would be nice to listen to some of the new programs coming out.”

Philip shook his head and picked up the paper. “It’s too much of a waste of time trying to get a station. Then it always fades out or comes back in too loud. All that adjusting. I don’t have the patience for it.”

“Well, I do.” Maddie scowled at him. “Romayne says the newer radios are easier to use. She and Patrick listen to programs from Portland almost every night.”

Phil stopped glancing at the newspaper and brought his attention to Maddie. “I still say radios are a waste of time. People ought to keep busy with their own tasks. There’s plenty enough to do every day without trying to grab hold of some radio signal. And Father always said reading was the best way to improve yourself.”

Maddie crossed her arms. “I’m not talking about improving myself. And I can do plenty of mending or quilting and still listen to the radio.”

A charged silence followed while Maddie continued to stand, her posture resolute as she stared at Philip. He glanced upward as if beseeching heaven and let out a sigh. “Fine, my dear. I’ll think about it.”

Maddie grinned and dropped a quick kiss on his cheek before returning to the kitchen.

Kay chuckled. “Bet she’ll make you a pie or something. To help you think about it.”

“I suppose there are good things about having a radio, but I don’t know. The noise of the world wearies me sometimes. I like the slower pace out here, and the quiet.”

“It is nice, but just because you have a radio doesn’t mean you need to use it a lot.” Kay knotted the thread and tied it off, admiring the finished buttonhole.

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