The Sacrifice Read Online Free PDF Page B

against her.
    Mama shook her head. “I have not, child, and I pray I never do.”
    Grandpappy’s footsteps sounded on the stairs.
    “Is it true, Father?” Mama asked. “Is there devilry in Salem Village?”
    Grandpappy shot Mama a quick glance. “Let us not speak of this matter in front of the children now. I do not believe they should hear the depth of what we must discuss. More importantly, daughter, tell me quickly: Were others aware of your husband’s condition today?”
    Mama glanced into the fire. “I fear so, Father. Francis did take with a most terrible fit. He believed he saw shapes in the widow Browning’s leaded windows, and he broke four of them in his panic.”
    Grandpappy sighed. “Is it possible that no one saw Francis doing this damage? Dare I hope he did his destruction during my Sabbath sermon?” Mama shook her head. “It was following the meeting, Father. In truth, Francis was breaking the windows just as the widow Browning was coming home from the meetinghouse.”
    Abigail glanced over at Dorothy, who looked troubled. Above them, Papa moaned, and Aunt Elizabeth spoke, soft and soothing.
    “Mama,” Franny said, “will they do something to Papa because he broke the windows?” She plucked at her mother’s sleeve.
    Daniel, who had been steadily eating his supper, spoke. “The townsfolk are quite aware of your father’s condition, Franny, and of the fits that take him now and again. I’m sure the widow Browning will be most kind in accepting payment for the replacement of her windows.”
    He looked pointedly at Mama and Grandpappy.
    Mama took the hint at once and rose from her stool by the fire. “Thank you, girls, for a most delicious meal, but I believe it is time to get these little ones abed. Dorothy, I will leave you to attend to the cleaning up. Abigail, come help me with Edward. Franny, run ahead and ready yourself for bed, child. Now where’s Paul got off to?”
    “He went to bring in the cows before you came home,” Abigail replied.
    Mama nodded. “Good boy,” she said. “Come along then, Bear. I am most weary and would welcome your help tonight.”
    Abigail picked up Edward and followed Mama and Franny up the stairs. But from the corner of her eye, she saw Grandpappy and Uncle Daniel pulling their stools closer to the fire, and bending their heads, one to the other. And she wished with all her might that she could hear their talk tonight.
    Mama tucked Dorothy, Abigail, and Franny into their beds, laying a hand tenderly upon each of their cheeks before going back down the stairs.
    Abigail lay in the dark, looking up at the ceilingand thinking about all that Grandpappy had said that night.
    “Dorothy,” she whispered, “do you think that sometimes Papa has the devil with him? Could it be possible that one day we shall be like him too?”
    Dorothy turned her white-capped head toward Abby. “Hush,” she whispered. “We mustn’t frighten Franny.”
    “I’m not frightened,” Franny spoke up from where she lay in the bed across the room. “I know Papa’s no devil.”
    Abigail smiled in the darkness. She remembered how easy it was to be brave at the age of six.
    “Go to sleep, Franny,” Dorothy said. “You are sensible not to worry. Grandpappy will see to Papa and Mama. He always does.”
    Then Dorothy turned toward Abby. “You go to sleep too, sister. There is naught we can do tonight. You and Franny and I are not weak in the head like Papa. He has been this way a long time, and I’ll wager Grandpappy will have the sympathy of the town on our side before the morrow.”
    “Aye, Dorothy,” Abigail replied, turning as if sheintended to sleep. But she did not, and when at last she felt her elder sister’s body slacken beside her and heard Franny’s soft and steady breath from across the room, she rose from the bed and tiptoed out of the room. Silently, she tread down the steep stairs until she could see Uncle Daniel, Mama, Grandpappy, and Aunt Elizabeth and hear all