Silverton: Claims On The Heart Read Online Free PDF

clothes and packed lunches. She would expect Kathleen back at the church in less than fifteen minutes.
    Kathleen still had to change her dress and put on sturdy shoes for hiking. She undressed in a hurry. In spite of the warm day, she slipped into a long-sleeved calico dress to protect her fair skin. She drew on her boots and laced them. Then she grabbed a straw bonnet from a hook on the wall, settled it upon her head and tied the ribbons under her chin. Fine wisps of hair were sneaking out of her bonnet and curling around her face. She would have to ask Papa to order a mirror. Kathleen went outside.
    Martin came towards her carrying two square lunch boxes as though they contained all the silver in the mines. He patted the top box. “There’ll be no finer lunches at the picnic,” he boasted. “We’ll be the talk of the town.”
    “I’m sure they’ll be delicious.” Kathleen smiled. “What’s in them?”
    Though he shook his head and frowned, his eyes held a mischievous light. “You have a healthy curiosity, Miss Morris. But it will do you no good. I won’t tell you what’s in the boxes. You’ll have to discover it for yourself when you sit at lunch with me.”
    “Then I’ll content myself to wait. Is it a long walk up to the meadow?”
    “Not too far, really.” He pointed. “We’ll walk down Snowden Street and turn. Then it’s a short hike up to the meadow.”
    They stopped at the church to meet up with Nancy and Tom. Nancy was decked in a simple gingham dress and sensible walking shoes. Tom carried a worn blanket under his arm, their seating for the picnic. As they started off, the men fell behind as they talked.
    On Snowden Street, Kathleen sucked in her breath. “My, what a beautiful house.”
    “You haven’t seen it yet?” Nancy asked. “It was contracted by a lady named Emma Harris. Some say she was a Russian princess. Mayor Wingate bought it awhile back and lives there now.”
    From the spindles of the generous front porch, the scroll work of the upper story, and the graceful lacy eaves of the Queen Ann-style manor, it was lovely. “He must be very proud of his home.”
    Martin stepped beside her. “The mayor and I are acquaintances. Perhaps I could arrange for you to see inside. You might get ideas for furnishings that you like. I wouldn’t be surprised if you have a grand home of your own one day.”
    “That’s kind of you, but I’d feel awkward imposing like that.”
    “I’m sure that in the course of social events, you’ll be invited there.”
    “And if you are I hope you’ll see that I’m invited, too,” Nancy whispered.
    Kathleen patted her friend’s hand. “I’ll try. But I don’t know how a shopkeeper’s daughter will find herself in the home of a mayor.”
    Martin gave Nancy a knowing wink. “It’s who you know, of course. If you have the right friends, nothing is impossible.”
    Nancy gave Kathleen a meaningful nudge. “He’s right, you know.” She took Kathleen’s arm and they strolled along, letting the men fall behind again.
    Ahead of them, another group of church-goers laughed and chatted their way towards the meadow.
    The dust rose at every step, forming gray clouds about their ankles and coating clothing and shoes. Everything in Kathleen’s house was layered with the same dust. By the time she got home today, her stockings would be as gray as the dirt.
    In the meadow, a rich carpet of native grass cushioned their steps. Knee-high wildflowers were thrown about like festive decorations, standing at ramrod attention stretching to drink in the golden glory of the sun.
    Several groups were already spreading their blankets. Mothers called to children, urging them to come to lunch. The children ran with abandon like wild creatures and pretended not to hear. Men pounded stakes into the ground for games of horseshoes, and folks greeted each other as though they had not just seen one another that morning.
    Kathleen‘s gaze roamed the crowd. Collin had said that