Wings of a Dove (23 page)

    Her light brows moving into a confused frown, Allie glanced from the package to his face.

    "Open it."     Allie unrolled the paper carefully until the ribbon became visible. Stopping abruptly, she looked up at Delaney and then back down at the ribbon. She removed it fully from the wrapping    paper and smoothed it with her hand. It was remarkably unwrinkled, and she looked up again and swallowed.

    "It's pink, just like Elizabeth Morley's."

    Delaney nodded. "It'll look better in your hair than it does in hers."

    Allie lowered her gaze at the compliment, and Delaney had the feeling she didn't believe a word of it. He didn't know why. It was true. Allie had beautiful hair. He was about to tell her that when she looked up again and smiled.

    "Thank you for the present, Delaney."

    Although he was pleased to see Allie's smile, Delaney could not avoid the realization that sadness still lurked deep within those dark eyes.

    "You're welcome. You can wear it to church on Sunday and make all the other girls jealous."

    Slipping Allie off his knee, Delaney placed her on her feet and stood beside her. "You'd better go in the house now, Allie. It's getting dark, and Mrs. Case might need you. I have some chores to finish up here."

    Allie nodded and turned toward the door. She had walked back out into the yard when Delaney realized she had not really reacted the way he had expected to his gift. Suddenly realizing she must have thought he had bought her the ribbon because he was going away, he was somehow more angry than he had been before. Turning, he walked back into the barn. What difference did it make, anyway? He'd do what he had to do, dammit! He wouldn't let anybody stand in his way.

    Allie walked slowly across the yard, carrying the ribbon protectively in her hand. It was the second most precious gift she had ever been given, but she feared for the reason behind it. It would be a gift she always associated with pain if it meant Delaney was leaving.

    Slowing to a stop as she neared the apple tree, Allie opened her hand and looked at the ribbon again. It was beautiful, just like Delaney.

    "What have you got there?"

    Stepping out of the shadows unexpectedly, Sarah approached her. As her eyes focused on Allie's hand, Sarah's smooth face twitched convulsively. "Where did you get that ribbon?"

    Allie dropped her hand to her side, barely controlling the urge to hide it behind her back. But she was not a child, and she would not allow Sarah to intimidate her. "That's none of your business, Sarah."

    Standing a head taller than she, Sarah took a step closer and looked down into Allie's face with unconcealed animosity. "Delaney gave it to you, didn't he?"

    Recognizing the beginning of another of Sarah's tantrums, Allie waited a moment before replying quietly, "I told you, it's none of your business."

    She was about to turn away when Sarah reached out unexpectedly and grabbed the ribbon from her hand. She gave a short, tight laugh as Allie's mouth dropped open in surprise.

    "None of my business? I'd say it's my business! What did you have to do to get it? I'm sure Mama would like to know, and you wouldn't dare tell her it's none of her business!"

    "Give it back to me, Sarah."

    Sarah took a short step back. The strange glitter in her eyes grew brighter, and she laughed again. "Oh, no! I'm going to show this to Mama, and I'm going to tell her I saw you sitting on Delaney's lap with your arm around his neck, because I did. And then I'm going to tell her"

    A sudden fury flooding her mind, Allie swallowed against the knot of tears choking her throat. Sarah was vicious. Her heart was as ugly as her face was beautiful and she was trying to make everything as ugly as she was. Allie hated her.

    "I said give it back to me, Sarah."

    "No. I'm going to give it to Mama, and she'll burn it because"

    Abruptly unwilling to suffer another word of Sarah's viciousness, Allie lurched forward and snatched at the ribbon dangling from Sarah's hand, but Sarah was too quick. With a quick, hard shove, Sarah pushed her backwards unexpectedly and Allie fell, striking her head on the ground with a resounding thud.

    Disoriented, Allie opened her eyes and stared into the darkening twilight. The sound of Sarah's laughter brought her to her feet. Her head still reeling, Allie hurled herself forward, her small fists pounding at Sarah's sturdy frame even as she reached up and pulled Sarah's dark, shining hair as hard as she could. Momentary gratification assailed her as Sarah grunted with pain,    but Sarah was taller and much sturdier than she, and within moments Allie was staggering backwards under the force of a hard blow to her face.

    Gasping, she felt the heat of tears sting her eyes. Her head was pounding, but she was determined. "Give it back to me, Sarah, or I'll"

    "You'll do what?" Sarah's laughter was shrill as she waved the ribbon tauntingly. "You'll call Delaney and make him take it from me? Wouldn't Papa love that! Papa would throw Delaney out for sure, and you don't want that, do you, Allie?"

    "I don't have to call Delaney. I'll get it back myself."

    "Oh, no, you won't." Sarah shook her head and drew her womanly form up to its full height. "You're no match for me in any way, Allie Pierce. You never were, and you never will be. Sooner or later you'll realize that." Sarah held the ribbon out, teasing her again as she snatched it back with a low laugh. "This is your first lesson.''

    Controlling with sheer force of will the sobs tearing at her insides, Allie warned in a low, shaky voice, "The ribbon is mine. Give it back to me."

    Sarah's shrill laughter was suddenly cut short.

    "Give it back to her, Sarah."

    Twisting around at the sound of James's carefully controlled voice, Sarah stared at her brother. Her expression suddenly truly malevolent, she responded hotly. "No, I won't give it back to her! Do you know what it is, James? It's a pink ribbon. A present from Delaney! Do you know what she had to do to get it? Well, I'll tell you! I saw them in the barn. She was"

    "Shut up, Sarah! Shut your filthy, vicious mouth!"

    "Me? Filthy and vicious? Oh, no! That sweet little innocent over there isn't as innocent as she seems! Delaney never gives me a second glance, but he gave
her
a present. Seems to me she learned more on the streets than we gave her credit for. But Delaney knows her better than all of us. No wonder he stands up for her and gives her presents and"

    "I said, shut up!" Striding forward, James snatched the ribbon from Sarah's hand. His voice low, he growled warningly in her direction, "Get back in the house! Now! And you'll keep your lies to yourself, if you know what's good for you. You want    Marsh to stay as much as Allie does. One word of all this hateful business and Pa will turn Marsh out on his ear."

    "Stay out of this, James!"

    "If I don't, what will you do, Sarah? I'm bigger than you are, remember? You can't push me around like you did Allie. And you can't lie to Pa about me, either. He won't believe you."

    Raging frustration brought Sarah's face to twitching sobriety. His voice shaded with disgust, James ordered again, "Get back in the house and go to your room. It's all over, and you lost. And I'm warning you, if you give Allie any trouble about this ribbon, or about anything else, I'm going straight to Pa and tell him everything. You know you'll never see Delaney again if I do."

    "Bastard!"

    James gave a short laugh. "Not me, Sarah. You have the wrong fellow. That name applies to Delaney Marsh better than it does to me."

    Sarah stiffened further at that remark, but did not move until James barked, "Get back in the house. Now."

    Watching as Sarah walked rigidly into the house, Allie turned a fleeting glance toward the barn and released a low sigh of relief. She was exceedingly glad Delaney had heard none of this. She didn't want to burden him with her problems, especially now.

    Looking back to James, Allie hesitated. Her gaze dropped to the pink ribbon he held in his hand.

    "I'd like to have my ribbon, James."

    Allie stepped out of the shadows with her hand outstretched, but she drew to an abrupt halt at the sound of James's gasp. Closing the distance between them, James touched her throbbing cheek. She winced and attempted to turn away, but he held her head fast as he attempted to examine the welt. She winced again when he inadvertently touched the pounding lump on the back of her head where she had made sharp, jarring contact with the hard ground. James's lips moved into a straight, hard line.

    "Sarah did this to you."

    It was a statement rather than a question, and Allie knew it was unnecessary to respond. James shook his head, his expression tightening with unspoken anger. He put the ribbon in her small hand.     "I guess you earned this."

    Allie looked up at James, and he shook his head as he responded to her silent question.

    "No, I don't believe a word of what Sarah said. She's spoiled and jealous, but nobody in this family seems to see that in her except me. I know that she and Marsh…"

    Realizing Allie was again stiffening, James allowed that thought to drift away. He began again, resentment flickering across his face, "If marsh bought the ribbon for you, then it's yours. If Sarah tries to take it away from you again, or if she gives you any more trouble, let me know."

    As if he had read her mind, James shook his head. "No, I won't tell Pa. If I did, and Marsh was forced to leave, I know it would hurt you as much as Sarah. I'll handle it directly with Sarah, so don't let her take advantage of you."

    "Sarah wouldn't have gotten the best of me, James." Her anger returning, Allie continued hotly, "She won't ever get the best of me."

    Concern touched James's shadowed face. "Don't pit yourself against Sarah, Allie. You're no match for her."

    Allie's lips tightened as James reiterated the statement Sarah had made only minutes before.

    "Sarah's bigger than I am, and she's prettier, but she"

    "I didn't mean it that way, Allie." His rough hands cupping her face to hold her eyes in firm contact with his, James whispered gently, "You're no match for her because Sarah doesn't care who she hurts as long as she gets her way. That's the way she always has been and always will be, and you're too soft for that."

    "I'm
not
soft."

    "All right, then. You're not soft. You're kind."

    "I’m not."

    "Would you hurt Mama's feelings to get your way?"

    Allie's response was immediate. "never! I would never hurt Mother Case."

    "Sarah would."

    Allie averted her gaze, only to have James turn her chin back toward him with a firm hand.

    "Promise me you'll tell me if Sarah gives you any more trouble tonight."

    Allie paused, frowning. "I won't make a promise I can't keep, James, but… but I thank you for what you've done so far, and for wanting to help me. Especially after what I said."

    James gave a short laugh. "That's the difference between you and me, Allie. You can get angry with me, but I can never get angry with you."

    Allie sighed. "You're always kind to me, James. I don't know why."

    James's eyes again touched the welt on Allie's cheek. "I guess when you compare me with Sarah, I'm not really so mean after all."

    "Only with Delaney."

    "And he doesn't deserve it?" Irritation again marked James's brow. "He was the cause of everything that happened to you tonight."

    "No, Sarah was the cause."

    James's mouth snapped tightly shut, and Allie knew she had accomplished nothing more than to make James angry with Delaney again.

    "Thank you for helping me, James."

    James nodded and pulled himself erect. His voice still touched with anger, he turned with her toward the house. "I meant what I said, Allie. If Sarah bothers you…"

    The light from the kitchen shining in her face, Allie turned as they reached the door. "You
are
kind to me, James."

    It was only after Allie had stepped out of sight that James realized she had not given him the promise he had requested. He shook his head, uncertain of his feelings.

    Allie. Not child, not woman. It was taking her too long to grow up. He wanted…

    Suddenly stunned at the direction his mind was taking, James turned back toward the darkening yard. His thoughts were as unclear, as much in the shadows, as the land around him, and he could not face them right now.

    Having dallied as long as she could, Allie turned the knob and stepped into the silent room, knowing that Sarah was abed in the far corner.

    With a careful step, Allie walked to her bed, then quickly stripped off her clothes and slipped into her nightgown. She

pulled the pink ribbon out of the pocket of her apron and tucked it under her pillow. The bed creaked under her light weight as she lay down. Her head still ached terribly, and the wicked heat in the welt of her cheek had not yet abated. She only hoped there would be no visible mark in the morning. She did not want to cause Mother Case any more anxiety.