The Librarian's Journey by Patty Smith Hall

Author:Patty Smith Hall [Hall, Patty Smith; Hickey, Cynthia; Y’Barbo, Marilyn Turk and Kathleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781636090276
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2021-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Lamar Stewart finished playing Chopin’s Grande valse brillante, then rested his fingers on the keyboard of the grand piano. He stretched out his arms and opened and closed his fingers. He pushed back the piano bench and stood, then turned and bowed to his audience, which consisted of a fat calico cat curled up on the chaise lounge.

“Your applause is deafening, Mozart.”

The cat stretched and returned to his former position.

Silence. Evie and Maude must be out back where he couldn’t hear them.

He strode to the open second-floor window and gazed out. Movement on the road leading to his house caught his attention. He peered into the trees as a woman on a horse came into view. Who was she and what was she doing here? Moving closer to the window, he looked down as she approached the house. Where was his housekeeper? Maude should be manning the front door.The woman dismounted and disappeared below.

The door knocker sounded. Bother! What did this woman want with him? Maybe she was some social worker checking on Evie. Evie was fine. Maude was doing a good job taking care of her. If no one answered the door, maybe she’d give up and leave. He hoped so anyway.

The noise stopped, and Lamar watched to see if the woman would go back to her horse.

Then she knocked again. Wouldn’t she just go away and leave them alone?

He ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled. All right then. So be it. He’d have to tell her to her face. He strode out of the room and across the landing to the top of the spiral staircase. As he started down, Maude and Evie appeared, coming across the foyer from the back of the house.

Maude opened the door with Evie standing behind her.

“May I help you, miss?”

Lamar paused, startled by the appearance of the pretty young woman standing in his doorway, the woman he’d seen at the general store in town.

When she answered Maude, a sweet smile lit up her face.

“Yes, my name is Lily Bee Davis, and I’m a librarian with the WPA. I’m visiting houses out in the county to deliver books. Is there anyone here who would like to read a new book?”

Evie slipped around to the front of Maude. “I like to read,” she said in her tiny child voice.

Miss Davis’s eyes sparkled as she bent down to face Evie. “You do? Why, that’s wonderful! I like to read too.”

Maude spoke up. “Mr. Stewart don’t want no visitors, ma’am.”

Surprise showed in Miss Davis’s face. “I see. Well, I don’t intend to come in. But I do have a book this little girl might like.”

“We’s gots lots of books here, miss.”

Evie looked up at Maude. “But we don’t have any books for me! All Daddy’s books are too big and don’t have any pictures,’cept that big ole Bible.”

“Would it be all right if I loan her a book? It’s no trouble really. Just let me get it from my saddlebag.”

“Pleeese, Maudie.” Evie implored Maude with her eyes, using that look that always made Maude give in to her wishes.

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