Dancing on Dew Read Online Free PDF

round of laughter circled the three women.
    Myrtle stood and offered her seat to Cicely. “Sit a spell. I’ll run inside and get another glass.”
    “Thank you.” She knew better than to argue with the older woman and refuse the seat. Myrtle would only take offense.
    “How have you been?” Lettie sipped from her glass. “I rarely get to town anymore and on Sundays, my hands are so full that I miss out socializing after church.”
    “I’ve been well. Ma came home last week and Pa’s simply ecstatic.” She laughed. “One would think they are newlyweds, the way they can’t take their eyes off each other.”
    A shy smile tugged at Lettie’s lips. “They’re an inspiration. I hope Rand and I are still that much in love after thirty years of marriage.”
    “I’m certain you will be.”
    The front door swung open and Myrtle walked through with a glass. She filled it with the sweetened beverage and handed the cup to Cicely. Her brows arched. “I heard the word love. Did I miss out on a new beau?”
    “Not for me.” Unbidden thought of Joseph crept into her mind—his haunted eyes, his abrupt dismissal. Definitely no beau for me . “I was telling Lettie about my parents.”
    “They are precious. I spotted them having a picnic on my way out to the Holden’s Saturday. They remind me of Flynn and myself.” Myrtle pulled a chair from the opposite end of the porch and sat. “I do think it’s time to find you a nice young man, don’t you think, Lettie.”
    Cicely held back a groan. She was perfectly content with her life. If she told herself that often enough, she might start to believe it was true.
    Lettie gave her a subtle wink. “But if she meets a young man and marries, we’ll lose her as a teacher, and I’d love her there to teach my children.”
    “Thank you,” she whispered, low enough that Myrtle wouldn’t be able to hear.
    “Fiddlesticks.” Myrtle expressed a good-natured huff. “One of the privileges of old age is speaking your mind, and I say that you should be married. A young, intelligent beauty like you could have her pick of men.”
    “When I meet the right man, then I’ll consider marriage and not before.” She extended an arm and patted Myrtle’s hand. “But I do appreciate your vote of confidence in my ability to attract a suitor.”
    Staring through the window, Myrtle wore a lovesick expression. “Life with the wrong man would be a terrible fate.” She pointed in the direction of her gaze. “There isn’t a man alive better suited for me than that man in there. Flynn is my heart of hearts.”
    “I feel the same way about Rand.” Lettie’s faraway look mimicked Myrtle’s until she focused her eyes on the older companion. “Which is exactly why we shouldn’t press Cicely or any woman into marriage and inadvertently cause her to marry someone ill-suited for them.”
    Myrtle threw her hands up in surrender. “That is true. I’ll let the subject drop.” She winked at Cicely. “For now.”
    The conversation moved on to topics of more interest to Cicely though the subject of a suitor took residence in her thoughts and wouldn’t leave. When she left Myrtle’s forty-five minutes later, she decided it was time she allowed a man to court her. She’d had several men show interest over the years, but she’d turned them away with little consideration.
    None had struck a chord in her, but maybe it was because she hadn’t given them a chance. It wasn’t unreasonable to believe she’d pushed them away so she wouldn’t have to risk her heart again. The realization stunned her.
    Her steps faltered in front of the mercantile as she dwelt on the realization. Unwittingly, she’d allowed Joseph Scott too much control over her life. Anger toward him gurgled from her chest until she wanted to stomp her foot and scoop a handful of dirt and throw it at him.
    What kind of man promised himself to a woman then left? A dishonest one. One that didn’t value commitment. They’d been young,