When the Heart Heals Read Online Free PDF

into a deep skillet to melt. After cutting the meat into chunks, she chopped an onion, tossing the raw ingredients into the heated grease. Savory steam rose to perfume the room.
    Bodie trotted inside and butted his head against her leg. When she paid no attention, he whined.
    She closed and locked the door. “Ready?”
    Rosemary dropped what was left of Mr. West’s gift under his nose. Wagging his tail, he snatched the bone and retreated behind the stove. She smiled at his delight, then turned back to the stove to add water, thyme, and a scoop of barley to the browned mixture.
    While the soup simmered, she took a pen and a sheet of paper from a drawer. A polite thank-you to Mr. West was in order, but she needed to discourage him from thinking of her as impoverished.

    â€œThis is for you,” Rosemary said to Mr. West, handing him the note she’d written.
    He smiled at her, his teeth white against his darker skin.“You’re early this morning. Did you forget something yesterday?”
    â€œNo. I wanted to thank you properly for your generosity.”
    â€œIt was nothing.” He unfolded the note and read it aloud. “‘Dear Mr. West. Many thanks for the gift of food.’” He flattened his “A’s” and dropped the “R” at the end of words, reflecting his eastern roots. Just where in the east, she wasn’t sure. “‘I enjoyed a fine meal, and so did Bodie. However, please don’t consider me as needy. I’m well able to take care of myself, and shall continue to do so. Most sincerely, Rosemary Saxon.’”
    He lowered the paper, his face crinkling into a smile that lit his coffee-brown eyes. “A correction, if you don’t mind.”
    Surprised, she nodded.
    â€œYou’ve been shopping here for months. Call me Jacob. Mr. West makes me think of my father.”
    She ran her eyes over his wavy black hair, his unlined face, and down his broad-shouldered frame. Definitely not an old man. Perhaps a year or two older than Dr. Stewart, no more.
    â€œJacob it is.” She smiled. “I’m Rosemary.”
    â€œ Miss Rosemary.” He cleared his throat. “Sharing isn’t the same as charity. Next time I have extra, hope you won’t object to taking it off my hands. You’d be doing me a favor.”
    She dropped her gaze, wishing she didn’t find it so difficult to accept kindness. “All right. Under those conditions. Thank you.”

    When Rosemary entered Dr. Stewart’s office a few minutes later, a fire had been lit in the stove and the room was warm. Both interior doors were closed, and the sound of voices emanated from the examination room. She hurried to her desk. The receipt book lay open to a new page, with a man’sname written on the first line. She knew she’d allowed plenty of time to visit the grocery before arriving at her job. The doctor must have started his day earlier than half past eight.
    She thought of Mr. West’s reaction to her note. To her shame, she’d been guilty of thinking of him simply as the grocer. Today he’d become a person. Jacob.
    The outside door opened, admitting a woman wearing an indigo print skirt topped by a flared rusty red jacket. “I . . . I need to see the doctor.” Her thin lips were pale to the point of whiteness. Darkened circles rimmed her eyes.
    Rosemary dashed to her side, afraid she would faint. “Please have a seat. Dr. Stewart is with another patient at the moment.” She guided her to the sofa, then tapped on the doctor’s door and returned to her desk.
    Flipping to a new page in the receipt book, she asked, “May I know your name?”
    â€œMiss Jolene Graves.” Her voice trembled. “I’ve never been to a doctor before. Girls in town told me this one’s nicer than the old one—Dr. Greeley. Is he?”
    â€œDefinitely.” She smiled reassurance, recalling the town’s