Part 11 (1/2)
”You shouldn't have done that,” Crystal said in a voice that lacked conviction.
”What exactly?”
”Spoken for me.”
91Sabrina leveled her with her eyes and said, ”You need to want better for yourself.”
Crystal didn't reply, and Sabrina was too upset to say more. She told the other woman she had to get to work and went on her way.
What was I thinking?Sabrina railed at herself and G.o.d all the way to Jeanette's.I take this apartment because it's cheap, and now my neighbor is a prost.i.tute. She looks just like we all did, desperate and hungry. I can't handle this, Lord. I didn't even think ahead. I just heard the price of the rent and took it.
And she didn't want to hear what I had to say! She's probably trapped with nowhere to turn. I don't have the money to help her, and I certainly can't promise her that she can find other work! Token Creek is so much smaller than Denver. She might never escape that life in this little town.
By the time Sabrina reached Jeanette's shop, her color was high. At any other time, Jeanette would have noticed immediately, but the sewing machine was giving Jeanette trouble, and she had an errand for Sabrina.
”Please find Rylan. He should be at the livery today. Ask him to come when he can and check this for me. If you should happen to see Ca.s.sidy, Brad, or Trace, they also know what to do. I doubt if any of them are in town, but you never know.”
Sabrina went back out the door, telling herself she had to put Crystal and the conversation with that man behind her. She had a job and a specific task to do at the moment.Noteven remembering to pray for Crystal, she simply tried to put the whole morning out of her mind.
”I think that will do it,” Rylan spoke to Mr. Falcone from the bank. He had brought his horse in to be shod, and Rylan had just finished the job.
92”Thank you, Rylan. I paid a pretty penny for this girl, and I don't want her going lame.”
”Well, she's certainly beautiful,” Rylan said, stroking the mare's shoulder. He looked up in time to see Sabrina slip inside the wide doorway and stand out of the way. He would have headed that way, but Mr. Falcone was not done.
”Her left front fetlock seems a bit swollen to me. Did you notice anything?”
”I didn't. Is she favoring that leg?”
”I don't think so, but if you could check it.”
Rylan easily lifted the hoof in his hands, and checked the area, but he found no swelling.
”I'm not seeing it, Mr. Falcone, but the Marling brothers would be the folks to ask. They're the experts in town when it comes to horses.”
”Yes, I'll do that. Thank you, Rylan.”
Rylan moved toward Sabrina as soon as Mr. Falcone left, but that woman had her back to him. She seemed to be studying something on the wall, and Rylan ended up standing with her, watching a spider at work.
Sabrina still hadn't realized that Mr. Falcone had left when she spotted iron hooks on the wall below the spider's web. Some were larger than others, and Sabrina took a small one from the nail it was hanging on and turned to find Rylan a few feet behind her.
”Do you sell these?”
”Yes. The large ones are six cents, and the one in your hand is three.”
”How do you hang them?”
Rylan took it from her hand and showed her the top.
”You can loop this over a nail, or put the nail in first and then drive it in tight.”
”Do you sell nails?”
”Well, I think if you buy a hook and need the nail, we just give you that.”
93 Sabrina nodded thoughtfully, thinking about the spot in her kitchen where she could hang her pot. She had no place for it but the stove.
”Is that why you came in?” Rylan asked, fairly certain of the answer.
”Oh! No, it's not.” Sabrina looked as surprised as she felt. ”Jeanette's sewing machine isn't working, and she asked me to tell you.” Rylan nodded. ”Tell Jeanette that Pete probably won't be in before dinnertime, but as soon as he arrives, I'll head that way.” ”Thank you,” Sabrina said. She started toward the door.
”Did you want the hook?” Rylan asked, something in him wanting to talk to her a little more.
”Not this week,” Sabrina said. ”Maybe next.”
”What happens next week?” Rylan was too curious not to ask. ”I'll have a little more money and maybe a hammer.”
”You can always borrow a hammer from me,” Rylan said, won dering why the first thing he wanted to say was that he would put the hook up for her.
”Oh, thank you. I'll remember that.”
”I'll see you later,” Rylan said, making himself turn away. The temptation to keep talking to Sabrina Matthews was arrestingly strong.
This one goes to Mrs. Potts. She's on Bond Street in the blue house. And this one goes to Mrs. Gornik, two doors down.
Because the machine was broken, Jeanette was doing handwork and Sabrina was making deliveries. This was not normal for Jeanette's shop-or so she told Sabrina-but she thought it might be best until the machine was working again.
And the day was nice-not a cloud in the sky and warm. Sabrina loved the feel of it on her face and the way it seemed to soak into her black hair. She was enjoying the sensation so much she suddenly realized she was lost. She thought she had found the right street, but 94 there was no blue house. She looked across the way, spotted Patience Dorn pegging out laundry in her backyard, and went that way. ”Good morning,” Sabrina greeted.
”Well, Bri, how nice to see you.”
”Do you know where Mrs. Potts lives? I'm to make a delivery.” ”Go two streets over, and you'll find her in the blue house.” ”Thank you.”
”Before you go, Bri, are you free for supper tonight?” ”I am, thank you. What time?”
”Just come after work. We eat about five-thirty, or whenever Jeb gets in the door.”
”I'll plan on it.”
”We'll see you this evening.”
Sabrina made the deliveries without mishap and was almost back to the shop when she spotted Bret Toben. He tipped his hat to her but kept moving. Sabrina was nothing but relieved. Bret would have been disappointed to learn that his act of indifference hadn't worked at all.
”Here you go, Rylan.” Miranda Vick pa.s.sed him the potatoes as soon as she'd served Heidi, and her older brother, Franklin. Parker, younger than Heidi by almost two years, already had his food, and the baby, Nellie, would eat from Miranda's plate.
”Thank you, Miranda. I've been looking forward to this all day.” ”As have we. Parker has something to tell you.”