cocked in her direction. No doubt trying to catch every word. How much had he already overheard?
Addie cupped her hand around the mouthpiece. “I’ll tell you all about it in a letter, Mother.”
“I must confess, Addie, I’m less confident about you remaining there under the direction of a young man. And I’m not at all comfortable with the thought of people threatening you.”
Addie closed her eyes. She shouldn’t have said so much. “Please don’t worry. Emmett is a perfect gentleman, and I hardly see him at all. A few minutes in the morning and again in the evening.” Odd how much it stung to admit how little time they had together. Besides Nanny Fay, he was the only person she saw on a regular basis who was kind to her. “The rest of the time, I’m either trying to deliver books or at Nanny Fay’s. As for being threatened, Emmett’s mother—her name is Damaris, and she’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever met—talked to me at church Sunday and assured me the hills folks would never follow through on any of the threats. There’s an honor system that prohibits them from physically hurting a woman. They only hurt my feelings.”
And Nanny Fay’s.
She sucked in a breath. “Mother, what do you think about Emmett’s offer for me to stay in the library building instead? Should I consider it?”
“Absolutely not.” Her firm tone lifted Addie’s spirits. “If you’re certain the threats are idle, then these people need to see someone standing up for Nanny Fay. Perhaps it will inspire them to change their ways.”
Addie’s story was supposed to inspire them. But now it was gone. After searching for days, Emmett remorsefully admitted he’d probably discarded it by accident. He apologized, and she forgave him, but she couldn’t help but mourn the loss. She’d sat down every evening since it disappeared and attempted to re-create it, but so far, the words had emerged flat and emotionless. Tonight she would start a new story, and perhaps she would regain her passion.
“Then I’ll do as you suggest and stay where I am.” Addie sighed. “Oh, Mother, I wish you and Daddy could meet Nanny Fay. She’s such a remarkable woman.” Other faces flashed in her mind’s eye—Emmett, Damaris, little Dusty, Brother Darnell, even Jennie Barr, who’d hesitantly accepted a copy of Ladies’ Home Journal from Addie on the street and then scuttled off, hugging the periodical the way a child hugged a teddy bear. “There really are some fine people here.”
“Ahem!”
Addie gave a start and looked at Mr. Landrum. Scowling, he pointed to the clock on the wall. She grimaced and faced the phone again. “Mother, the telephone office needs to close, so I have to go.”
“One more thing, and then I will hang up. My church ladies and I have gathered up a veritable mountain of scrapbooking items, novels, picture books, cookbooks, and magazines. Mrs. Fee is quite eager to have them out of her parlor, so Daddy and another man who lives here will crate them and deliver them to the railroad tomorrow morning. Will someone be able to retrieve them from the Lynch depot?”
Excitement roared through Addie’s chest. She gave a little hop of joy. “Oh, yes, I’ll make sure of it! Thank you so much, Mother!”
“You’re welcome, my Adeladybug. We’re happy to contribute to your ministry.”
Her ministry? She’d never considered her job in such a light. A lovely shiver coiled through Addie’s frame.
“I will pray you’ll find the strength to show Jesus’s love to those who are unkind to you.”
“I need those prayers, Mother, because some of the people here”—she risked a glance at Mr. Landrum, who scowled at her with his arms folded tight across his skinny chest—“are very hard to love.”
“All the more reason they need it. Now, let’s say goodbye, and you call again next week, all right? I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Addie hung the little earpiece on its hook and scurried to the other side of the counter. Remembering her mother’s words, Addie aimed a smile at the glowering postmaster. “I’m sorry to hold you up, Mr. Landrum. It was so good to hear my mama’s voice that I didn’t want to say goodbye.”
His expression didn’t clear, but he lowered his arms. “Reckon I can’t fault you for that. Get your mail now”—
She had mail? She darted to the cubbies and peeked in Nanny Fay’s box. Two envelopes waited.
—“an’ skedaddle. My missus has got supper waitin’, an’ I’m not keen on cold