Hell With the Lid Blown Off Read Online Free PDF Page A

chicken, and potato salad.
    Ruth’s parents, Alafair and Shaw, were sitting side by side on the porch swing, and her four older sisters and their mates were arrayed across the porch in a semicircle of hard-backed kitchen chairs. Her two brothers, Gee Dub and Charlie, were splayed across the steps in loose-limbed comfort, leaving only a corner of the bottom step for the younger sisters, Blanche and Sophronia, to sit with their dinner plates on their laps. Three abandoned, fly-blown plates on the porch marked where the littlest ones had been sitting at the moment they spotted Ruth coming up the drive with Bacon romping beside her.
    Grace flitted ahead and opened the picket gate for her, and Ruth waved as she walked through. “Hey, everybody!”
    She was greeted by a chorus of “hey” and “howdy,” but only her mother was willing to put down her supper and walk down the path to meet her.
    â€œWhat are you doing back here so soon, sweetie? I figured you’d spend the night in town.”
    Ruth gave her mother a hug, then glared at the sky as though the wind was a personal affront. “I took a notion to come home tonight, Ma, but I kind of wish I hadn’t now. It looks like it might rain and I don’t fancy a muddy, wet, trip back into town in the morning.”
    â€œI’m glad you did, darlin’. I miss your shining face when you’re not here of a morning.”
    They walked up onto the porch where Ruth hugged and kissed each relative in turn. Her eldest sister, Martha, raised her eyebrows. “If we’d known you aimed to walk back to the house tonight, Streeter and I could have given you a ride from town like we did Alice and Walter.” She nodded toward her fiancé’s Model T Ford parked next to the fence.
    â€œI didn’t know I was going to until I did, Martha.” Ruth turned toward sister number three, lively, blue-eyed Alice, also expecting a blessed event any moment, and her husband Walter, the town barber. “I didn’t expect to see you all out and about, Alice. Mercy, you look like you’re about to pop!”
    Both Alice and Walter laughed at Ruth’s apt comment. “I feel I’m about to pop, Ruthie! We figured we’d better get out of the house while I can still walk.”
    â€œBesides, we don’t like to miss an opportunity to eat your ma’s cooking,” Walter added with a wink.
    Alafair accepted the compliment with a thin smile. Handsome, glib Walter Kelley was her least favorite son-in-law.
    Ruth was quite aware of her mother’s attitude and tried not to let her amusement show. “Is everybody going to the church picnic on Sunday?”
    â€œWe will,” Martha said, and was seconded by Phoebe and Mary. But Alice shrugged.
    â€œI will if I can waddle over there. Else Walter may have to go by himself. I hope to have increased the population by one before then. Mercy, I don’t know how much longer I can stand feeling like a heifer! How are you feeling, Phoebe, by the way? You haven’t said ‘boo’ since we got here.” Phoebe and Alice were fraternal twins, and both due to deliver before another month was out.
    â€œHappy as a clam.” Phoebe sounded smug. “This second one is way easier than the first, if that’s any comfort to you.”
    Alice laughed. “I’ve forgotten what comfort is.”
    Shaw stood up. “Come on, boys,” he said. “If the ladies are going to be discussing childbirth, I aim to be missing.” He raised the male half of the congregation with a gesture. “Let’s mosey down to the stable and admire the stock.”
    The gentlemen rose and ambled away in a group. Not to be left out, the five youngest children and their four canine companions followed along.
    â€œDon’t be gone long,” Alafair called after them. “We’ll be making ice cream directly.” She took Ruth’s arm. “Come on