The Ride of Her Life Read Online Free PDF Page A

Evangeline but didn’t seem to notice the look of warning Claude flashed Lilly—a look of cold determination that made Lilly’s blood freeze in her veins.
    A look that said this was far from being over.

4
    Daffodils winked at Lilly from the front yards along High Street. Despite the morning’s cool temperatures, Lilly felt warmed by the sun as she walked to the Westings’ home. Her glass-beaded purse, a gift from Ben on their first Christmas, jingled in her left hand, a few coins lighter since her streetcar ride to the city. Levi’s sticky fingers remained clasped in her other hand.
    Lilly straightened the jaunty hat on her head and reinserted a hat pin into her Gibson girl chignon. The wide, rose-colored satin ribbons hanging down the back tickled her neck in the breeze. “Now, remember, Levi, Grammy works for the Westings. This isn’t her home, so you have to be extra good and not touch any of Mrs. Westing’s pretty things.”
    “Why does Grammy live at Tate and Faith’s grammy’s house now?” Levi licked the sugar stick Nick had given him this morning. “I liked it better when she lived with us.”
    “So did I, but the Westings have managed to spring back from a difficult time a few years ago, and Grammy wanted to work there.” Lilly released his hand. “Why don’t you run up the block and get rid of some of your energy? Let’s see how fast you are.”
    Pumping his little arms as hard as he could, Levi flew up the sidewalk and stopped at the walk leading to the Westings’ front doorstep. “Race you to the knocker, Mama.”
    Lilly caught his collar. “Not so fast, speedy. We’ll go around to the back.”
    “Huh? But I like to use their shiny knocker.”
    “Not anymore.” Lilly sighed. She’d loved the first time she walked into the front door of the Westing home on Ben’s arm, but those days were over. Her heart pinched. Although she’d worn one of her fancier frocks, a rose chiffon day dress with a gathered bolero trimmed in lace, the outward trappings didn’t mean a thing to those who knew the truth. Ben was gone, and so was any equality she’d once had with this affluent family.
    Lilly followed the brick sidewalk and led her son around the side of the two-story Victorian home. She glanced at the trellis Marguerite had once snuck down to get out of her piano practice, and chuckled. How Mrs. Westing had shouted when she discovered a hole in her daughter’s new sunny-yellow dress.
    “You used to live here, right, Mama?”
    “I did. Grammy was the Westings’ housekeeper.”
    “And you was Grammy’s baby and you growed up with Aunt Margreet like a sister.”
    “Mostly. Someone had to keep Aunt Marguerite out of trouble.” She paused near the clothesline in the backyard and touched the calico drawstring bag holding the pins—her first sewing project under her mother’s watchful eye. Guilt clutched her heart. Her mother was too old to be lugging baskets of wet clothes around. Worse, it was Lilly’s fault her mama had to.
    The back porch door opened wide, and Mama waddled out wearing an apron over her dark work dress. Sweat beaded on her forehead despite the cool spring morning. She dabbed at her cheeks with the towel in her hand. “Who’s that big boy with you, Lilly? He couldn’t possibly be my little Levi.”
    “Grammy, it is too me.” Levi ran to Mama.
    She bent low and hugged him to her ample bosom. “I sure missed your sticky sugar kisses. How much have you grown? A foot? Lilly, what are you feeding this boy to make him grow so big in only one week?”
    Beaming, Levi held his striped stick out before him. “I’m eatin’ candy.”
    “And what kind of stick candy do you have?”
    “Cimamum.” He licked his lips. “Want some?”
    Mama held back a chuckle. “Thank you kindly, but I’ll pass on your cimamum candy this time. Lilly, pull up those chairs while I go fetch the mess of apples I need to peel. Then we can sit and talk while I work.”
    “Bring two paring knives