Once More A Family

As he dashed down the stairs, Ada and Mrs. Erskine stepped out of an office on the first floor. “Mr. Burnett,” Mrs. Erskine effused, holding out her hand. “How nice to see you again. I’m so sorry we will be bidding farewell to Laura. She has always been one of my favorites.”

“Well, you might be keeping her, after all,” he snapped. “Seems she likes it so much here that she doesn’t want to leave.”

“Oh, dear,” Mrs. Erskine replied with a polite little laugh. “How nice to know our school is so beloved.”

Ada put her hand on his arm, her complexion draining of all color. “You look...rather upset.”

“Going for a walk,” he announced coldly. “Be back in a while. Then we will see if we’re taking her home or not.”

He slammed out of the front door and ran down the steps. The long, curving driveway gave him enough room to walk without having to worry about being knocked down by cars. He tugged on his hat and strode off, walking the same way he did at the ranch, with long and easy strides.

This was what came of allowing a St. Clair to dictate your child’s life. She had gone from being a sweet and simple child to a terror under their tutelage. How was he ever going to turn this around? If he could only get her home, where she would be immersed in prairie life again, she would learn to forget this nonsense. Hard work, clean living and no ridiculous nonsense—that’s what made a strong and sensible person.

He paused at the end of the driveway, before it joined the busy, bustling St. Louis thoroughfare. He was no part of the crowd. In fact, anyone looking upon the scene would recognize him as the piece that was out of place. Tilting his straw cowboy hat back, he gazed up at the blue sky. He wasn’t a praying man, so he couldn’t pray. He wasn’t a drinking man, so he couldn’t drink. There was nothing he could do but walk around until he had calmed himself down and pushed his emotions back so hard they would no longer interfere in his daily existence.

He tugged his hat down and turned the corner into the busy street. Milling around with dozens of other people would help calm him or at least put his trouble in perspective. He made his way past a woman with a baby carriage. Emily had owned a pram that looked almost exactly like that one. She would wheel Laura out into the garden in it when the wind wasn’t too strong, pulling the cover up for shade, draping her shawl over the top so that Laura wouldn’t get sunburned. Then, once their daughter was settled, she would turn to him and say, “You dragged me out here. My poor baby, she’s stifling in this heat. Take us home. I want to live in Charleston.” He would never forget the accusing glare in Emily’s eyes as she turned on him, her hands on her hips.

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.