Simple Secrets (The Harmony Series 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

wanted to say. Instead, I found myself nodding and asking him what time he’d be by. After agreeing to nine o’clock, I said good-bye and closed the door after him. As it clicked shut, I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, some time alone. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be any more interruptions from friendly neighbors.
    It was still early, so I decided to carry my bags in from the car, poke around some, and then have a little supper. I’d already noticed several oil lamps scattered throughout the house. I searched until I found some matches in my uncle’s desk. At least I would have some light after the sun went down.
    As I closed the drawer, my eyes were drawn to the black leather Bible that lay on the desktop. I’d picked it up, intending to see if Benjamin had written family information in the front, when something slipped out from between the pages and fell to the floor. It was an envelope. I gasped involuntarily when I bent down to look at it.
    My name was scrawled in large block letters on the front.

     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter Four
    I left the letter sitting on Benjamin’s desk while I carried in my bags and had supper. I assumed my uncle had written it, but I couldn’t decide if his message from beyond the grave was something I really wanted to read. Was this some last-ditch attempt to seek forgiveness? I didn’t have to scratch very deep to uncover the resentment I felt toward him. The hurt he’d caused my family made it difficult for me to forgive him no matter what he had to say. Of course, my uncle may have left a very different kind of letter—a scathing missive full of judgment and retribution. Except that Sam and Myrtle had painted him in different colors. Unfortunately, most people have two faces—the one they show in public and the one they keep hidden behind a carefully constructed mask. Not knowing my uncle made it impossible for me to guess his motives.
    A look through the refrigerator presented me with several options for supper. I finally settled on a bowl of beef stew that smelled absolutely wonderful. I found myself searching for the microwave before I remembered where I was. I discovered a small metal pan that I filled with stew and set on the stove. After locating a box of matches, I turned the knob under the pan, struck the match, and watched as the flame whooshed beneath the raised burner. A few minutes later, the aroma of homemade stew filled the homey kitchen. I added a slice of bread and butter, and before long my meal was ready. I sat down at the kitchen table and gazed out the window. A row of trees lined the back of the property. I wondered what was on the other side and decided to scout it out when I had time.
    I finished my supper, put the dishes in the sink, and lit the oil lamp on the table. My mother had kept a couple of oil lamps in Fairbury even though we had electricity. A holdover from her childhood, I guess. The smell of burning oil took me back to leisurely nights on our old porch swing, listening to the cacophony of cicadas while my mother’s old lamp burned in the window. I’d been in such a hurry to leave Nebraska I guess I’d forgotten a few of the things I’d actually enjoyed.
    I grabbed my largest suitcase and headed for the stairs. Since the main floor consisted of the large living room, a bathroom, the kitchen, and the pantry, the bedrooms had to be on the second floor. The stairs were much steeper than I was used to, and each step creaked as I climbed. They twisted at the top and ended at a dark hallway. It occurred to me that perhaps it would have been better if I’d checked out this part of the house before the sun had gone down. The light from my lamp cast a rather ominous glow that made my surroundings look a little spooky. I left my heavy suitcase on the landing and proceeded down the hall.
    There were three rooms upstairs. The first bedroom had probably been Benjamin’s. The bed was covered with a rather plain blue bedspread. There was a