Where Wildflowers Bloom: A Novel Read Free Page A

woman could tell Nate Lindberg what to do, Miss Faith. Not Miz Clara, rest her soul, and not your mama, neither. Might as well get used to it,” one of the checker players said.
    She nodded, ready to reply, when the bell over the door tinkled and a young woman she didn’t recognize entered. Dressed in dove-gray watered silk with a high white collar and matching silk bonnet, she formed a picture of modesty. Her eyes didn’t meet Faith’s as she walked to the fabric display at the rear of the room. Faith glanced at the list of names and hoped she wouldn’t have to handle another request for credit.
    The bell tinkled again and soon several customers demanded her attention. One by one, she helped them with their purchases, always keeping an eye on the woman in gray.
    During the flurry of activity, Grandpa returned. Tipping the barrel of china at an angle, he rolled it toward the door. Faith shot a glance at him and waved over the head of her current customer toward the checker players. When they looked in her direction, she pointed at Grandpa’s back and mouthed, “Help him.”
    Chairs scraped. The men stepped to either side of the barrel.
    “You’re in my way,” Grandpa said, his voice gruff, but he allowed them to support the weight while he hefted the delivery into the wagon.
    “It’s hard for some people to acknowledge their age,” a sympathetic voice said.
    Faith started. She’d been so focused on Grandpa she hadn’t noticed that the woman had returned from the rear of the room, carrying a bolt of moss green fabric in a paisley print. Her hazel eyes were filled with compassion.
    Drawn to the caring in the depths of those eyes, Faith blurted. “He’s my grandfather—all the family I have left. I worry about him.”
    “Many of us have little family left these days. I believe the Lord put us here to comfort each other. To be sisters and brothers to those who have none.” She spoke as one stating a fact, not an opinion.
    “I . . . I never thought of things that way.”
    “ ‘Woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.’ That’s from the Bible.”
    Faith’s heart warmed toward this woman with the kindly eyes and soft voice. “Are you new to Noble Springs? I don’t recall seeing you before.”
    “Fairly new. My job ended, so I came to stay with my brother.” An impish smile lit her face. “He was alone.” She removed her glove and extended her hand. “My name’s Rosemary.”
    “I’m Faith.” The woman’s palms were callused. Whatever job she’d had, she’d been doing manual work.
    After she completed her purchase, Faith watched her leave. When Rosemary opened the door, she whistled two soft notes. A sable and white collie appeared from under the steps and trotted along the boardwalk at her side.
    Faith sighed and turned away. How nice it would be to have a friend like Rosemary.
    Two of Faith’s former classmates, Marguerite Holland and Nelda Raines, breezed through the open door in a cloud of flower-scented cologne. “Did you see her? Bold as brass. Like she’s as good as the rest of us.”
    Curiosity piqued, Faith asked, “Who are you talking about?”
    “Why, that vulgar girl who just left.” Nelda lowered her voice. “She was a nurse during the war. Can you imagine? Touching men’s bodies, and having the gall to walk around like she had nothing to be ashamed of.”

3
     
    F aith bristled at the two women. “I hope someone with her compassion was with my father and brother when they died. I think caring for wounded soldiers was a courageous thing to do. Godly, you might say.”
    “Well, you might say that. I certainly wouldn’t.” Nelda glanced around the store. “Where’s Judge Lindberg? I need to talk to him about my mother’s account.”
    Sensing another unpleasant encounter, Faith’s stomach muscles tightened. “You can talk to me. My grandfather left me in charge.”
    “No, thank you. I’ll come back another time.”
    “That