This Loving Land - Dorothy Garlock [54]
“No!” The word burst from Sadie’s lips. “No. She’s . . . scared of strangers.”
Summer’s head came up and a puzzled look crossed her face. Even John Austin got to his feet. With his back to the others, Travis looked at Sadie with narrowed eyes.
“You’re not afraid of me, are you, young miss?” His voice was pleasant, wheedling. “Come to Uncle Travis. I’ll find a big, shiny penny for this pretty girl.” He reached for the child and she went willingly.
Sadie’s heart almost burst with fright. She went to the shelf, fighting back waves of nausea, grabbed up the crock of butter, anything to give herself time to compose her face before going to the table.
“This is her place, Travis,” Summer was saying. “You can sit next to her, if you like, and John Austin on the other side of you.”
“I’d like that.” He lowered Mary to the box. “How are you, John Austin? What’s that you got there? A picture book?”
“No, sir. It’s about the Revolutionary War. Slater lets me read his books. He’s got a lot of them. This one is about Nathan Hale, who was executed as a spy by the British. Next I’m going to read about the Marquis de Lafayette. He was a Frenchman and he. . . .”
Summer interrupted. “Will you say grace, John Austin?”
“Sure, Summer, then can I tell . . .?”
“Mind your sister,” Travis broke in smoothly. “After we eat, we’ll have a good, long talk.”
The meal progressed smoothly. Travis buttered cornbread for Mary, put vinegar on John Austin’s greens, chatted lightly with Summer. Sadie was quiet, but Summer put that down to shyness. Travis was fascinating company. The children listened raptly to his every word. Summer was sure he was making up stories to amuse them, especially the one about the pony that would rather eat apple pie than sweet clover, but John Austin loved it.
“Slater gave me a horse, Travis. Her name is Georgianna. I think I’ll see if she likes pie. Maybe she’ll like doughnuts, ’cause if she does, she could have lots. Sadie makes good doughnuts.”
“Georgianna? Did you say your horse’s name is Georgianna? Well, what do you know about that?”
By the time the meal was over, the children were completely won over, and Summer had almost forgotten the unpleasant scene with Jesse. Ellen McLean’s son had a nice way about him, she had to admit.
Travis sat on the veranda and talked with John Austin while Summer and Sadie cleared the table. Mary wanted to join them, but Sadie insisted she sit on the bed with her toys.
“We have all afternoon to finish the wash, Sadie. You’ve been whirling around like the house was on fire.” Summer was teasing, but her face sobered when she saw the stricken look on her friend’s face. “Don’t you feel well?” She laid her hand against Sadie’s white cheek. “You’re so white. You’ve been out in that sun and standing over that boiling pot too long.”
“I did get a mite hot. I’ll sit down and rest once we get caught up here.”
The food Sadie had forced down at the dinner table was churning in her stomach, and she kept swallowing the wetness in her mouth to keep from throwing up.
What could she do? Suggestion after suggestion raced through her thoughts, only to be discarded. She could get the gun from the shelf, walk up behind the bastard, and blow out his brains! Then it would be sure death for her and Mary. His friends would seek revenge. She would never know when she and Mary went out the door if they were out there waiting for them. Oh, dear God! The thought made her knees almost collapse under her. Which was safer . . . to stay here or go away? If she went away, she would have no protection at all!
Travis came into the house followed by John Austin, still talking.
“I’m glad you came, Travis. Next time you come, I’ll tell you about the Battle of San Jacinto. My papa fought in that battle.”
“I’d sure like to hear about it.” Travis took his hat from the peg. “I hate to eat and go, Miss Summer. But my men will be wondering where I got off to. We’re doing a little hunting in the hills. Slack time on the ranch, right now.”
“We’re glad you came by. Thank