Wings of the Morning (Kensington Chronicles) Read Online Free PDF Page A

reverently.
    They were so unlike anything she had at home or on shipboard
    Suddenly Smokey realized the curtain was hiding a
    spectacular view.
    Moving gently, she pulled the curtain aside to display a
    sweeping panorama of the Atlantic. Smokey stared as though
    mesmerized Living inland from the port at Kennebunk didn't
    give her daily views of the sea when she was at home. Why, it
    was almost like being aboard ship!
    Suddenly Smokey found herself wondering whether she
    would ever sail again if she owned a house on the sea. Such a
    thought had never occurred to her, and she immediately felt
    upset at the idea. Before her thoughts could run rampant,
    however, she remembered she did not have a house like this
    and probably never would Her business was a tremendous
    success, so she could easily have afforded to buy a home of her
    own, but the idea of living alone did not appeal to her in the
    least.
    Her next thought, that of asking Willa to move, made her
    laugh out loud Dynamite couldn't shift Willa from the house
    where she had raised all five of her children. The idea was so
    outrageous that Smokey couldn't hold her chuckles. She was
    still giggling when a maid knocked at the door and entered
    She had hot water and clean towels for Smokey, who had just
    barely had time to school her features.
    Tate placed a soft kiss on the back of his wife's neck when
    she asked him to button the back of her dinner gown. She and
    36
    Tate were in the habit of dressing for dinner and sharing the
    day's events as they did so. All Jenny's talk on this evening was
    of Smokey. They had shared a lovely afternoon together, and
    Jenny told Tate that although Smokey was still a bit hesitant
    with her, they were making progress.
    "She seems so young and lost at times, and she looks at the
    house and furniture as though she's never seen anything like
    them before."
    "So you feel sorry for her," Tate murmured softly. To his
    surprise, Jenny chuckled
    "No, I don't. I feel sorry for me. Something tells me that I
    haven't even scratched the surface of the real Smokey. And
    that if she ever opens up, I might just find myself in over my
    head If only I can make her see..."
    "See what?" Tate questioned when Jenny hesitated.
    "That I really want to be her friend, a friend she can trust. I
    want her to like me so much that I hurt. I don't want to
    smother her, but I want her to see my friendship as genuine,
    and I--" Jenny stopped and shrugged helplessly. "Did that
    make any sense?"
    "Yes. In your brief time together, you've come to care
    deeply for her, and you want her to care in return."
    Jenny's sigh was one of relief over his understanding as
    they made their way to the door. They were in the dining room hen
    Smokey came to the door. She paused on the threshold,
    her face a mask of dismay.
    "What is it, Smokey?"
    "I should have changed my dress." Smokey's cheeks had
    turned red with humiliation upon spotting her hostess' lovely
    frock. Jenny, horrified that she had been so thoughtless, found
    herself helplessly tongue-tied. Smokey stood stiffly on the
    I threshold, wishing she could vanish, but Tate rescued them fctarh
    se don't mind us, Smokey," he said. "Jenny's family is
    K>re relaxed, but my family is used to dressing for
    jgd we've fallen into the habit. We're really not snobs."
    &
    i&s.
    37
    The cross-eyed look on Tate's face was so comical that
    Smokey immediately relaxed They took their seats, and dinner
    was served It was a sumptuous feast of beef, sage dressing,
    fresh turnip greens, and mince pie. Smokey ate her fill.
    Jenny and Tate had decided they would not press Smokey
    in any way to share about herself, but as they ate and the
    conversation flowed, they learned little things.
    "You don't have to leave right away, do you, Smokey? I
    mean, we were hoping you could stay for a few weeks," Jenny
    commented after the soup.
    "I don't really have anything pressing right now. I didn't
    tell Darsey when I would need to be picked up because I
    wasn't