The Touch of Sage Read Online Free PDF Page A

You angel! Why didn ’ t you send a telegram and let me know you were comin ’ ? ”
    Sage giggled again as she saw the man exhale , relieved as the other three women in the room stepped away f rom him, allowing his aunt to capture him in a loving embrace.
    “ Thought I ’ d just send myself instead, Auntie, ” the man chuckled.
    “ I see you ’ ve met my friends, ” Eugenia said, once they ended their embrace.
    The thought traveled through Sage ’ s mind, How wonderful it must feel to hug him . But cle nching her teeth tightly, she quickly drove the notion from her mind.
    “Well, in a manner of speakin ’ , I guess, ” Reb chuckled.
    “ Then let ’ s be proper, ” Eugenia said. Pointing to Rose , she said, “ Mrs. Rose Applewhite…my nephew…rather my grand-nephew , Reb Mitchell. ”
    Rose curtsied saying, “ A pleasure, Mr. Mitchell. ”
    “ Ma ’ am, ” Reb said, nodding a greeting.
    Eugenia smiled and gestured to Mary, “ Mrs. Mary Farthen…Reb Mitchell. ”
    Mary reached out and gripped the man ’ s hand in a firm shake. “ Reb, ” she mumbled.
    “ Mrs. Farthen, ” Reb said, returning her firm grip.
    “ I ’ m Livie Jonesburg, ” Livie interrupted, too impatient to wait her turn. Taking the man ’ s hand , she added, “ And I ’ m delighted to have you with us. ”
    “ I ’ m glad to be here, ma ’ am, ” Reb chuckled.
    “ And I guess you ’ ve already met our Sage, ” Eugenia said, pushing Sage forward.
    “ Miss Willows, ” Reb said nodding. Sage smiled and took the hand he offer ed, shaking it firmly. T he heat from his hand again traveled the length of her arm, pooling warm and sweet in her bosom.
    “ Met the dog too, ” he added, smiling at Sage. “ He gave Miss Willows here a bit of a run fer her money. ”
    “ That why yer lip ’ s bleedin ’ , Sage? ” Mary grumbled. “ I wondered what on earth all that racket was a minute ago. Where ’ s that mutt now? ”
    Sage sighed. “ I suspect he ’ s out visitin ’ Mr. Simmons ’s lady dog, ” Sage told them.
    Mary chuckled as Rose and Livie shook their heads. “ We ’ ll then…I suppose ol ’ Forest will be over any minute now to propose marriage to ya again. ” Sage blushed furiously as Reb looked at her, one eyebrow arched with curiosity.
    “ Again? ” Reb asked.
    Sage felt her fingers fiddling nervously with her collar button as he looked at her, waiting for an explanation. But her mouth was dry, her face hot , and she couldn ’ t say a word.
    “ Ol’ Forest Simmons has less teeth in his head than a gray gander , and he ’ s always lookin ’ for a reason to propose to Sage, ” Eugenia explained.
    “ Biscuits are ready, ” Sage announced abruptly, thankful for the aroma of hot biscuits giving her an excuse to change the subject. “ Have you had breakfast yet, Mr. Mitchell? ” she asked.
    “ Call me Reb, ” he instructed. “ And no…I haven ’ t. ”
    “Well then, you have to have some of Sage ’ s biscuits! They ’ re divine! ” Rose told him, taking his arm and leading him from the parlor and toward the kitchen.
    Sage smiled as Livie took his free arm and added, “ And with a little bit of honey…you ’ ve never tasted anything so sweet. ”
    “ Oh, for Pete ’ s sake, ” Mary grumbled, following the others to the kitchen. “ You all quit a - slobberin ’ over the boy. Ya look like a pack a hungry hounds. ”
    “ Oh, you hush, Mary, ” Rose told her. “ There ’ s enough of this boy to go around. You ’ ll get your turn. ”
    Sage looked to Eugenia, who was smiling— too amused to do anything else.
    “ I never thought he ’ d cause such a fuss, ” Eugenia said.
    “ He probably feels like he ’ s stumbled into some saloon girls ’ graveyard, ” Sage whispered , trying hard not to giggle out loud.
    “ The one where all the saloon girls go when they ’ re old and gray, ” Eugenia added, also stifling her giggles. “ Well, it ’ s a good thing we ’ ve got you here