Moonlight on Water Read Free

be bright blue or a ferocious gray, depending on the weather. Boats followed its currents or fought their way upriver. In the winter, when the leaves had fallen, she could see a small farm on the Kentucky side of the river. The people there followed the same patterns as the residents of River’s Haven, but the river separated them completely. The closest bridge was more than a day south.
    Today she did not linger to enjoy the view. She dropped to sit on the bed. The iron springs creaked, but she paid no attention.
    How was she going to tell Kitty Cat that her request had been denied?
    â€œRachel!” Kitty Cat’s voice rang through the cottage. “Rachel, are you here?”
    Knowing that she could not lie to the little girl, Rachel stood and went into the front room. A smile tugged at her lips when she saw how dusty Kitty Cat’s bright red curls were. Dirt was painted across the child’s freckled cheeks. One stocking was drooping over her high shoes, and the other had been ripped across the knee.
    â€œWhat have you been up to?” Rachel asked as she held out her arms.
    Kitty Cat hugged her enthusiastically. “I’ve been learning to play baseball.”
    She was about to remark that baseball was a boy’s game, but she bit back her comment. Here in River’s Haven all the children were supposed to be raised without the social bigotry beyond its borders. A girl could play ball, and a boy might sit and enjoy a doll, if that was what the child wished.
    â€œKitty Cat, I have something to tell you.”
    Her voice must have given away her dismay, because Kitty Cat’s smile vanished and tears boiled up into her large brown eyes. The little girl gulped back a sob when Rachel took her by the hand and sat on the well-worn sofa, sinking deeply into the cushions.
    â€œDid you speak to the Assembly of Elders?” whispered the little girl.
    â€œYes,” Rachel said as softly. “They said they don’t want you to go to Haven now.”
    Kitty Cat burst into tears. Sobbing, she pressed her face against Rachel’s knees. Rachel held the little girl while she wept. She leaned her head against Kitty Cat’s unruly red curls, knowing that she had broken this most precious promise. She was unsure if she could persuade the little girl to trust her again.
    When Rachel drew her up to sit beside her, the little girl regarded Rachel with large watery eyes. She looked away, but not before she saw the pain on Kitty Cat’s face. She wanted to keep the little girl from seeing hers.
    She took Kitty Cat’s hand and grimaced when she felt the dampness. Kitty Cat had been using the back of it to wipe her nose again.
    Too distressed to chastise her, Rachel said, “I am so sorry, Kitty Cat. I will ask again in a few weeks at the regular Community meeting. Then, they might agree.”
    â€œA few weeks? How many?”
    â€œThree or four.”
    â€œFour? That’s a month, isn’t it?”
    Rachel nodded, knowing that it would be useless to try to fool the little girl. Kitty Cat, despite her life on the streets of the slums of New York City—or maybe because of it—learned with a speed that astonished Rachel. Already she was excelling in school, passing her peers. The teacher had hinted that Kitty Cat might be older than six, but Rachel had pretended not to hear. As soon as a child celebrated his or her seventh birthday, that child was supposed to go live in the children’s section of the common house. Rachel had only just found Kitty Cat. She did not want to turn her over to the matrons in the children’s dormitory so soon.
    â€œA month is so long,” Kitty cried. “Sean may have forgotten all about me!”
    â€œHe won’t forget about you. Just as you won’t forget about him.” She took the little girl by the shoulders and looked directly into Kitty Cat’s brown eyes. “I promise you that I will ask the Assembly of