A Heart's Blessing - Linda Ford Page 0,3

and their mother had enjoyed.

“Aunt Delcie.” Kent’s voice broke into her thoughts. “I brought her back as soon as I knowed she was gone. She likes to play there.”

Delcie wasn’t technically their aunt. Their mother had been her cousin and best friend. But “aunt” seemed an appropriate title for the children to use.

She sat on a chair and pulled both children to her. “Kent, it’s not your fault, and I’m not blaming you, but now that someone lives next door, please don’t go there. Sally, you can’t play over there anymore. Do you understand?”

Sally shook her head, the blonde curls so like Sophie’s that Delcie couldn’t help but wince. “Miss Rags like it there.”

Delcie caught one of Sally’s curls and wrapped it around her finger. Sally was so much like Cousin Sophie…blonde, pretty, and constantly cheerful. Kent was more like Delcie in both looks and temperament. Brown-haired and brown eyes, with a bit of a stubborn streak, yet very practical. He was a good little helper.

“We’ll find another place Miss Rags will like.”

The innocent look on Sally’s face didn’t fool Delcie. She knew Sally might not remember the rule. Might not want to remember it. So she said it again. “You must stay out of that man’s yard.” She turned to Kent. “I’m going to ask you to tell me if Sally goes over there. It’s important that I know.”

Kent nodded. “I’ll tell you.”

It was a task too big for a small boy’s shoulders, and she understood she couldn’t count on Kent to watch his sister. After all, in the end, that was Delcie’s job. She didn’t intend to fail.

She silently repeated the vow she had given Sophie. I will be the best guardian possible. I will raise these children to know love and security. I will not hesitate to make sacrifices to see that they are taken care of.

She had done what she could to make the children understand the new boundaries. It was time to get back to work. They hadn’t had their dinner, so she put food on two plates and sat the children at the kitchen table to eat while she helped Laura gather up the dishes from the now empty dining room.

“So that’s the new neighbor,” Laura said. “I’d hoped he’d be older. Much older. Like Burnsie.”

“Hilda saw him yesterday. Said he bought a loaf of bread. She mentioned that he was a young man.” She hadn’t mentioned that he was rather good looking with dark hair and blue eyes that seemed to hold a thousand years of experience. Delcie chuckled.

“What’s so amusing?” Laura asked.

She told Laura what she had thought and added, “He just seems sad.”

Laura tilted her head to study Delcie, worry wrinkling the skin around her eyes. “Are you interested in him…as a man?”

Delcie yipped. “Of course not. He warned me to keep the children away from his place.”

“Seems a reasonable request. You never know who will be coming into his business.”

“I hadn’t considered that.” But it was true. She’d have to keep a much closer watch on Sally. “Maybe we should get a high fence built between us.”

“Except they could still get over there and you wouldn’t be able to see.” Laura filled the dishpan with water and began washing dishes as Delcie scraped out the cooking pots.

She glanced at the children and saw that Kent listened to the conversation. Time to talk of other things. “I invited him to church tomorrow.”

Laura stared at her. “Why would you do that?”

“Don’t you think he should go to church?” She kept her tone low, understanding that Laura balked at the thought of any man becoming part of their circle of friends if even only to sit in the same building on Sunday. “Not all men are scoundrels. Look at Finn. He is very good to Jenny.”

“I miss having her here. I thought it would be the four of us forever.”

“She’s married and happy. Isn’t that what counts?”

Laura looked out the window as if searching for answers beyond the pane of glass. After a moment, she returned to washing dishes. “‘In the world ye shall have tribulation.’”

Delcie wrapped an arm around her friend’s shoulders and hugged her. “Laura, if you are going to quote a verse, don’t you think you should say the whole of it? ‘Be of good cheer,’ He says. ‘I have overcome the world.’”

Laura didn’t respond, and Delcie sighed. Poor Laura had been badly hurt. She would likely never trust a man again.

“You know I understand how you feel.”

Laura nodded. “I