Wings of a Dove (13 page)

    No one had expected Annie to die, and when it had become evident that she would not rally, disbelief had swept the family. In all too short a time, Annie was gone. They had barely had time to gain control of their grief when Mama, too, was stricken with the fever.

    James could not remember a time when he had ever been more frightened. He had not wanted to see Mama slip away as Annie had, and he had been truly uncertain if Pa could have sustained   Mama's loss without losing himself. But Mama had pulled through, even if they were not certain how long she would…

    Biting down sharply on his lower lip, James took a deep breath. Mama had pulled through, but, somehow, the realization that she had been saved while the Lord had seen fit to take Annie had seemed unbearable to her. That thought had plagued her mind, inhibiting full recuperation; then had come the notice about the orphan train.

    They had been true, those cruel words he had hissed to that hard-eyed prison boy the day before. No one in the family wanted to take another child into their home in Annie's place, because they knew no one could replace her. But Mama was adamant that the Lord worked in mysterious ways. She was certain she would know that God would speak to her in some way if a child in that group was meant to be chosen by her.

    Clamping his teeth tightly shut, James took a deep, angry breath and tucked his shirt firmly into his trousers. One look at that forlorn little Allie Pierce and the brave front she had tried so unsuccessfully to present, and Mama had been lost.

    James took a short, angry step toward the door to his room and pulled it open. If he could only be sure. If he could only be certain that the look in the little girl's eyes was sincere. Somehow he could not believe it was so. He had heard about children who lived by their wits on the city streets. He had heard how they learned to take advantage of the goodness of others. He could not truly believe the innocence in that small, pale face was feigned, but… No, the girl could not be as innocent as she pretended to be, if she was so attracted to that prison boy she had foisted upon them.

    "Birds of a feather flock together."

    That old adage going through his mind, James walked quietly past his parents' room. The girl was probably as corrupt as her friend, or well on her way in that direction, and he was determined that this family would not suffer at their hands. No, he would go out to the barn now and shake the truth out of Delaney Marsh.

    At a sound to his right, James turned just as the door to Sarah's room drew open. He slowed his step, a soft murmur of surprise escaping his lips at his mother's unexpected appearance   in the doorway. The alarm on her pale face stopped him in his tracks.

    ''Mama, what's wrong?"

    Mrs. Pierce stepped into the hall and pulled the door closed behind her. "She's gone, James."

    "She? Who's gone?"

    "Allie. Little Allie is gone! I've already checked, and she's nowhere in the house. Sarah said she awoke during the night and saw the bed empty. Accustomed to seeing it that way, she said she didn't think anything of it until I shook her awake a few minutes ago and asked her where Allie was. It appears Allie has been gone most of the night."

    "She can't have gone far, Mama."

    "Your father is already up and working. He doesn't know Allie is missing. Before you find him and tell him, go out to the barn and talk to Delaney. Maybe he knows where she is. Maybe he" Her words caught in her throat, and she was unable to continue.

    James took her arm with a firm but gentle hand. "Don't worry, Mama. We'll find her, wherever she is."

    Turning, James started down the steps at a run. Within minutes he was across the yard and drawing open the door to the barn. Entering, he paused for a brief moment to listen to the sounds of early morning stirring within. He heard nothing unusual.

    Glancing up toward the loft, James saw a dim light glimmering in the shadows there. Moments later he was climbing toward it. He had reached the top rung of the ladder when he stopped short at the sight that met his eyes.

    Sleeping deeply, Delaney Marsh was lying on the hay, his face averted from sight. But it was not Delaney Marsh who caught and held James's attention. Lying beside him on her back, her small face turned so that it caught a slim ray of dawn that entered through a crack in the wall, was Allie Pierce.

    It came to James in a short moment of revelation that Allie Pierce could not be the conniving street urchin he had suspected her to be. The small, thin face revealed in the meager light was almost angelic. Why was it he had not before noticed the dainty perfection of her small features, the innocence in those slender lips, slightly parted in sleep? Her fine silver-gold hair had originally appeared colorless and without life, but in the slender rays of dawn slanting into the loft, it glimmered like a pale halo about her face.

    A small, pained grimace slipping across his lips, James recognized the fine lawn nightgown the child wore. It had been Annie's. He shook his head, his brows drawing into a frown. His mind returned the vision of Annie to his mind, her dark bouncing curls, her dancing eyes, her vigor, the enthusiasm and joy that were so much a part of her and that seemed to endow even the clothing she wore with life.

    James's brows tightened further. Not so this child. Small and frail, her meager frame all but lost in the folds, she gave the appearance of a celestial apparition in the white, lace-trimmed garment. Her childish vulnerability fully exposed to his eye for the first time, James felt shame touch his mind. He had not been fair to this child. This child had done nothing to excite his resentment. She was merely unfortunate enough to be in need. And then, in another of what must have been a long line of misfortunes, she had met Delaney Marsh.

    Oh, Delaney Marsh was smart, all right! He had taken advantage of Allie Pierce's need, and the child had been totally taken in by him. How the girl managed to find solace in those cold eyes and comfort in his hard countenance, James could not quite understand. She was certainly too young to be taken in by the fellow's handsome face, as had Sarah.

    Annoyance flashed across James's mind, and he corrected his thought of a moment before. Sarah had not been taken in by Delaney Marsh's handsome face. She had merely disregarded the welfare of others and the threat to the family Delaney Marsh presented. She hadn't given a moment's thought to the strain Pa and he would be under with a boy of his character on the farm. Nor had she contemplated the disillusionment Ma would suffer when she realized the Lord had not sent Delaney Marsh to them, but that her overwhelming grief had allowed her to be taken in by an opportunistic street rat who had nowhere else to go.

    Sarah had not thought of any of these things. As usual, she had considered only herself and the pleasure she would derive from Delaney Marsh's company. Sarah was fool enough to believe she could twist Delaney Marsh around her finger, as she had every other young fellow in the vicinity, but James knew    instinctively that she was wrong. His instinct also told him that in any relationship that developed between the handsome prison boy and his sister, Sarah would come out the loser. In this way, even more pressure was being exerted on Pa and himself by this newcomer's presence. Protecting Sarah against herself would not be an easy task.

    Appearing to sense his scrutiny, little Allie Pierce moved, her light brows drawing together in a frown as she resisted awakening. A few low, indistinguishable words escaped her lips, and James tensed as Delaney Marsh turned in his sleep. Curling himself on his side, he was facing Allie when the child started to open her eyes. Not realizing she was being watched, the girl stared at Marsh's face, obviously determining that he was still asleep. She then reached out toward the boy's chest, toward a chain the boy wore around his neck.

    At that moment a voice from below startled James from his thoughts, snapping his head toward his father as he called up to him in a loud voice.

    "James! Did you ask Delaney if he knows where the child is?"

    His eyes jerking back toward the two lying in the loft as his father's voice echoed in the barn's stillness, James saw Delaney Marsh snap to a seated position. Instantly alert, Marsh's eyes darted to the girl at his side before darting back to James as he stepped up into the loft.

    "James!"

    "I didn't have to ask him, Pa. The girl's up here. Tell Mama she's all right and she'll be down in a minute."

    His father grunted in response and left the barn, and James was momentarily grateful. He needed this short moment of privacy with these two new additions to his family. He needed it to make some things very clear.

    Delaney and the girl were now standing. The girl was visibly quaking, her eyes wide in the growing light, her face paler than James had ever seen it. He realized she was frightened of him, and he regretted that, but he did not attempt to soften the reprimand in his voice as he addressed her.

    "My mother was very worried when she went to your room and found your bed empty, Allie. She imagined all sorts of things might have happened to you when she couldn't find you in the    house and then realized you had been gone for the greater part of the night. I think you should show more consideration for the woman who is responsible for giving you a home."

    The girl's eyes filled with tears, but James did not relent. He did not want there to be a repetition of this incident, and if guilt was the manner in which to accomplish the task, he was not above using it.

    "My mother has just lost one daughter. It was very cruel of you to make her think that she might have lost another. She was very disturbed when I saw her, and she"

    "All right, I think you've made your point." Slipping his arm around the girl's trembling shoulders, Delaney Marsh stared at James, his light eyes narrowing in silent warning before he turned and addressed her. "Allie, you'd better go in the house now."

    The girl looked up into Marsh's unsmiling face. Her expression was sober as she responded in a whisper, "I'm sorry, Delaney."

    "You have things a little confused, Allie," James said, his voice harder than he intended. "My mother is the person you should be apologizing to, and I think you should get to it right away."

    Surprising him, the girl looked at James and shook her head. "No, I… it's my fault that you're angry and that Mother Case was worried. I didn't mean to…" Biting her lip nervously, she paused before continuing with obvious resolution, "I felt alone. Delaney told me I shouldn't have come. He told me I had to go back to the house, but I fell asleep." She shook her head. ''Don't be angry with Delaney, James. He didn't do anything. It was all my fault, and I'm sorry if you"

    "Don't apologize to him,
dammit
!"

    Delaney's angry words came in a low growl, and James took a step forward. He didn't like cursing, and he knew it would not be tolerated in their home. It was further proof that Delaney Marsh had no place in their family.

    Marsh gripped Allie's shoulder and turned her to face him. "You don't have to apologize to him, Allie. He's a bully. He likes pushing little girls around and frightening them. But he doesn't have the guts to talk that way to somebody big enough to look him in the eye."

    The girl looked back at James, and he could feel his face flush as she spoke in soft appeal.

    "Please don't be angry with Delaney, James."

    "Go in the house, Allie." Delaney's gruff command turned Allie again in his direction as he dropped his hands from her shoulders.

    She shook her head.

    "I said go in the house. Mrs. Case is waiting for you."

    Allie looked toward James and back again. She shook her head for the second time. "I want you to come with me, Delaney."

    James managed a harsh laugh. "So, I'm a bully. Big talk from a brave
fella
who hides behind a little girl's skirts. Yes, go inside with her, Marsh. You don't have to be afraid. Allie will protect you."

    Delaney took two charging steps forward, and James squared his stance. Oh, yes, he would like that very much. He was just aching to wipe the arrogance from that prison boy's face.

    Within a moment Allie was between them, her eyes wide with panic. "No, you can't fight! James, Mother Case will be angry!"

    Immediately realizing her plea had had little effect on James, Allie turned her anxious gaze toward Delaney. Her next words were filled with despair. "Delaney, we were going to be a family."

    Allie's whispered appeal drew Delaney's attention to her colorless face. The cold fury in his eyes flickered briefly as he held her gaze.

    Unexpectedly affected by the girl's words, James felt the heat drain from his anger. He took a deep breath, using the time to bring his temper under control. What was wrong with him? Instead of protecting his family against this intruder, he was rapidly sinking to Delaney's level. He was frightening this poor, unfortunate child whose only mistake was in trusting someone unworthy of her trust.