Chapter 26

When Gordon came through the door, he stopped at the sight of Ada June sitting on the floor in front of Mira by the fire. His heart warmed as he soaked in the scene.

Mira smiled over at him. "Oh, there you are, Gordon. I hope you don't mind that I invited Ada June to eat with us."

Ada June twisted to look around at him. No smile on her face. She looked worried she'd been caught doing something wrong. Her dog got up and licked her cheek.

"Not at all. I'm sure Miss Effie sent plenty enough to share."

Even if she hadn't, Gordon would gladly give his part to Ada June. The girl always looked so hungry. Not just for food but for the love and security a family gave a child.

Her face eased into a smile before she turned back toward the fire. Her dog settled down beside her, his head on his paws, his eyes warily watching Gordon. Maybe the dog sensed his disapproval of dogs indoors. Whenever Ada June came to see him, they talked in the yard or on the porch.

But Mira had let the dog in the day before, and here he was settled in front of the fire again. Obviously, Mira had no objection to dogs in the house if they brought their girls with them.

He decided he didn't either. While he hung up his coat and pulled off his tie, the unpleasant memory of Cleo's words faded away. Better to think about the pleasure of a warm house with the prospect of a midday meal with a beautiful woman he called his wife.

Mira had gone back to combing Ada June's hair. "We're almost through here. I'm just working to get out the nests the birds built in Ada June's hair while she was sleeping in a pine tree."

Ada June giggled. "On."

"Right. Not in the tree. On the tree." Mira shook her head a little. "I'm not exactly sure how she managed that."

Gordon knew exactly what the child meant. She had spent the night in the woods again and had made a bed of pine branches. He went over to the fire and looked down at the girl. "It's too cold for you to sleep in the woods right now, Ada June."

She didn't look up at him.

"Outside?" Mira frowned.

"Not cold," Ada June said. "Bo with me."

"Still too cold," Gordon said.

"Had a fire."

The comb stilled in Mira's hand. She seemed ready to say something, but after a look at Gordon, she pressed her lips together and went back to working out the last tangles in Ada June's hair.

"Mr. Luther at home?" Gordon kept his voice casual.

Ada June kept her eyes downcast as she hunched up her shoulders. After a couple of seconds, she gave a slight nod.

"You must have brought Emmy Lou to church."

She nodded again.

"Miss Dottie wasn't having the baby, was she?" Gordon should have checked with Mathena.

She shook her head.

"Whoa." Mira put her hands on each side of the girl's head to hold her still. "Just one more minute. I've almost got the last nest out."

That made Ada June smile again.

"Tomorrow when you come, I'll show you how to braid your hair so birds can't build those nests when you sleep in trees." Mira held up the comb and peeked around to smile at Ada June. "Or rather on trees."

"I'll get out some bowls. If I can find them." Gordon smiled too as he remembered finding the dishes in the bed last night and how their laughter at that had eased them into sweet embraces.

Mira blushed. "Some are still on the chest."

The soup was good. Even better was sitting across the table from Mira and watching Ada June eat. He ignored the two or three bits of chicken and potato she slipped under the table to Bo. Mira noticed too but only smiled.

Bo was Ada June's best friend. She needed him beside her. That was why he was a church dog and why Gordon might have to talk Mira into letting him be a school dog. He glanced at Mira in time to catch her dropping something on the floor and not by accident. He twisted his lips sideways to hide his smile. He might not have to do much convincing.

Any thought of a smile disappeared as Cleo Rayburn's hateful words and threats about Ada June and her dog came to mind. That couldn't happen. He had to make sure of that. He shut his eyes. Not him. The Lord. The Lord was the one who could change Cleo's thinking. Not Gordon.

But it wasn't only Cleo. Ada June seemed to be an outcast much the same as people said her mother was. Perhaps by her choice. Gordon had heard the stories about Ada June's mother being a witch, as Cleo said, but never anything to give substance to that. She had named no father for Ada June, but no one spoke of Sarai Barton behaving wantonly after she came to Sourwood. Not actually to Sourwood, but up in the hills. Whenever he dared to ask, he was told she never came down to the holler.

He didn't ask often. Whatever had happened was in the past, and the people seemed to want it to stay there. Even Miss Nicey Jane, always ready to fill him in on everybody near and far, went stiff-lipped when he asked about Ada June's lack of family. She claimed to know nothing more than he'd already heard from others. She certainly hadn't accused Ada June's mother of witchery, but she had given Gordon a hard look and said that some things were better left unstirred. Those unspoken things cast a dense shadow over Ada June.

"Is the soup not to your liking?" Mira looked concerned.

"No, no. It's fine. Why?"

"You were making a terrible face. Wasn't he, Ada June?"

The girl nodded and made a frowning face. "Like you swallowed a tadpole." Then she giggled.

That made Mira laugh, obviously delighted that Ada June had spoken so many words aloud. He felt the same happiness as he pushed aside his worries and laughed with them. "Miss Effie's soup is always tasty. Maybe we can have some cornbread to go with it for supper."

Mira glanced toward the fireplace, and her smile vanished. "I suppose. If one knew how to cook it."

He tried to reassure her. "Folks have been cooking over fires since forever."

"Not this folk."

Ada June touched Mira's arm. "Easy."

"For you maybe." Mira's smile came back as she turned to Ada June. "Not for this city woman."

"I can show you," Ada June said.

"Wonderful. You teach me how to make cornbread and I can teach you to read."

Ada June's face lit up. "A B C."

So did Mira's. "You know the alphabet?"

"A Ada. B Bo."

"That's right. Have you been to school?" Mira sounded excited.

Ada June shook her head. Her smile slid off her face. "Ma told me."

"Was your mother a teacher?" Mira asked.

Without answering, Ada June pulled her hand back and tucked it under the table.

Worry flashed across Mira's face. Then she leaned close to Ada June. "A mother can be the best teacher. I'm glad you know your letters."

That brought a smile back to Ada June's face. "I might not know them all."

"You soon will," Gordon said.

"Yes." Mira stood and began to gather up their empty bowls. "How about a piece of candy to sweeten your tongue, Ada June? We still have a few pieces the women didn't take last night."

That brightened Ada June's face more. "Can I take some to Elsinore?"

"Elsinore? Oh yes. The ladies mentioned her last night. A young mother, I think." She took the bowls to the dishpan on the cabinet.

"Right," Gordon said. "Ada June has been helping her."

"You are a helper." Mira touched the girl's head when she brought back the candy. "There isn't much left."

When she offered the candy to Gordon, he shook his head. "Let the helper have it."

Mira got a mock serious look on her face as she put the sack in front of Ada June. "You can share it with Elsinore, but not Bo. Dogs don't need candy."

With a smile, Ada June nodded as she peered into the sack and then folded the top down without taking a piece.

"How is Elsinore?" Gordon asked.

Again Ada June's smile faded. "Coughing bad."

"How about the baby?" Gordon should go see the young mother, but he had promised Mr. Hanley he would visit his mother, who was not expected to live through the week.

"Don't know. Crying some."

"Does she have food and wood enough?" Gordon said.

"Mr. Horace sees to her."

"That's good." He dared one more question. "She all right with that?"

"He don't come in."

"I see," Gordon said. "You tell her I'll be by to see her before long. I've got to visit the Hanleys today."

Mira spoke up. "I can go this afternoon if Ada June shows me how to get to her house."

"You don't have to do that." Gordon looked at Mira.

"I want to. If that's all right with you. The women were talking about Elsinore last night. I'd love to meet her and see her baby."

"Very well." Gordon pushed out the words.

He felt uneasy about Mira going without him. He had no reason to feel so protective. But she didn't know the people yet. Not that they weren't good people. They were simply different from those in the city. More apt to be curious about her. And not all dogs were friendly. Would she realize that? What about the people who hadn't come to church and wouldn't know who she was? Outsiders were looked upon with suspicion, even if they wore skirts and a lady's hat.

"May I go with you, Ada June?" Mira asked.

Ada June nodded.

"Good. We can take Elsinore some of Miss Effie's soup." She got a jar out of the cabinet to fill with soup and smiled at Ada June. "You won't let me get lost, will you?"

Ada June looked at him and then Mira. "No."

Mira was turning out to be full of surprises. He supposed that was only to be expected, since what did he really know about her except she was beautiful? And courageous. She proved that by not only accepting the challenge of coming to Sourwood but embracing it. For that, he should be thankful and not let his own worries limit her.