Dunaway's Crossing Read Online Free PDF Page A

if he just met me. At breakfast he says good morning and comments on the weather. Then he’s off to the office. We eat dinner in complete silence. I live with a long-fused stick of dynamite, and I have no idea when the spark will reach the gunpowder.”
    California clutched the fork and buffing rag to her chest, smiling and thanking heaven. At last Bea Dot had admitted her fear.
    “Then perhaps you should leave while you have the chance to do so,” Aunt Lavinia advised.
    “But even if I decide to go, Netta wouldn’t want me there.”
    “Of course she would, dear. I’ll write her immediately.”
    California sighed, smiled, and closed the silver chest. Now she could do the ironing with a lighter heart. Praise the Lord for Miss Lavinia getting Bea Dot out of this mess. Now Cal could stop beating herself up for getting Miss Bea Dot into it.

C hapter 4

Dearest cousin,
My heart breaks for you. Please know my prayers go with you at this time of great loss. Having endured the same grief three times before, I can tell you that occupying one’s thoughts and body with activity is the only way to get through this period of mourning. Please come to Pineview, Bea Dot. The distance from your home and the different surroundings will be good for you in this sorrowful time. What’s more, your presence will be a great comfort to me during my confinement. I’ve missed your company and would love to see you again. Let’s put the past behind us and be cousins again. Please say you will come.
Much love,
Netta
    There. Mother should be satisfied with such a gracious invitation. Not that Bea Dot would ever reply, or even read it. All Netta’s other letters had been met with complete silence.
    But Netta did wish her cousin would accept the invitation. Poor thing. Netta always knew Ben Ferguson was an arrogant man, but she had no idea a monster lurked inside that pudgy physique. She shivered and placed her arm over her growing stomach at the thought of how Bea Dot had lost her baby. If she’d only listened to me .
    “Miss Netta, here the mail.” Lola’s dark-brown hand contrasted sharply against the white envelopes she placed on Netta’s desk.
    “Already? Why didn’t you tell me the mailman was here? I needed him to take this letter.” Netta leaned back in her chair and slid her letter into an envelope. Then she fanned her face with it, praying silently for a thunderstorm. She didn’t know how much longer she could tolerate this heat.
    Lola widened her big brown eyes and shrugged. “I didn’t speak to him, Miss Netta. I found the mail just a minute ago. He must of come while I was hanging the laundry.”
    Netta addressed the envelope and held it out to her maid. “This letter must get to Savannah as soon as possible.”
    “You want me to mail it on my way home this evening?”
    Honestly, sometimes Lola could be thick as a brick.
    “No, that’s too late. It must go out today. Take this to the post office right away.” Netta shifted in her chair. The heat rash on her backside pricked at her.
    “Doc Coolidge ask for chicken salad for lunch.” Lola’s brow wrinkled in her sad, uncertain way when questioning Netta’s decision. Netta hated that. “And I ain’t shred the chicken yet.”
    “This letter must be on the train to Savannah today.” Couldn’t she just do as she was told? “You’ll have to go now. You can shred the chicken when you get back.”
    “Yes’m.” Lola put the letter in her apron pocket.
    Netta flitted her hands toward her to shoo her out of the bedroom. “Go on, now, and hurry.”
    Lola would probably work in stony silence for the rest of the day. Too bad. Netta had too much to do to worry about her maid’s feelings. She had a houseguest arriving soon and a nursery to be put together, not to mention all the baby clothes still to be made.
    Netta stood and wiped the sweat from her face and neck before moving into the parlor, which was cooler because of the shade of an oak tree outside. She sat