A Heart's Blessing - Linda Ford Page 0,10

have the usual Saturday crowd. I think….” She spoke slowly, reluctant to say what she thought. “I think we might need help, seeing as I can’t do much. You go take orders and I’ll tell Mr. Remington what to do.”

Laura gave Delcie a pained look and hurried into the other room.

Delcie pointed to the meat. “That will need to be sliced. If you bring it here, I can do it. Kent, get me the butcher knife and mind you carry it carefully.” At least Sally was playing contentedly at the moment.

Mr. Remington looked at the roaster resting on the stove and grabbed two potholders, but instead of bringing it to Delcie, he carried it to the worktable. “I think I can manage to cut up a hunk of meat.”

A hunk of meat? She didn’t know it she should be alarmed or amused. “We tend to slice it carefully.”

He grinned at her dry tone. “You can correct me if you don’t like how I do it.” He speared the roast from the pan and plopped it on the cutting board Kent gave him. He took the butcher knife and held it up like a weapon. Which it could well be. Hilda kept the knives very sharp. “Here I go.” He sliced the end of the roast, cutting across the grain. He lifted the slice with the knife. “Is this acceptable?”

She laughed at his triumphant look. “Sir, I believe you have done this before.”

“My mother and my—” He stopped suddenly, and something flashed through his eyes. “Ma taught me well.” But his voice no longer rang with pleasure at surprising her. He continued slicing the meat expertly. Hilda would be impressed.

Maybe she was too, Delcie admitted.

Laura returned. “Six of them. They all want the meal and soup.” She grabbed two heavy bowls and filled them with the vegetable soup they had made earlier. While she carried them back to the diners, Mr. Remington filled four more bowls and had them waiting for Laura.

She nodded. Her way of acknowledging what the man had done.

Delcie half rose, intending to dish up the meal. But as soon as she lowered her foot, the pain stabbed her.

Mr. Remington shook his head. “I can do whatever you need done.”

“I guess I have to accept your offer.” Though she wondered what he would have done if she refused. He seemed set on doing things his way. “You can start filling plates. It doesn’t take long for hungry men to devour a bowl of soup.”

She indicated the heavy white plates he was to use.

He went to the stove and put a generous scoop of potatoes on the first plate, glanced at her for approval.

“That’s good.”

He added a mound of carrots, two generous-sized slices of meat, and drowned the meat and potatoes in gravy. “A meal suitable for a hungry man.” He had three plates full when Laura hurried in with empty bowls. She cast a guarded look at Mr. Remington, then took the plates and hurried back to the dining room. He picked up the pace, so he had three more plates ready when she returned.

The dining room door opened and closed again. More customers.

The three of them were kept busy for the next hour. Delcie cut up pie and filled bowls with the baked lemon pudding.

Laura carried food in and out and took the money from each customer. She returned to the kitchen. “The last one has gone. I think we might be done for the night.” They would close the dining room soon. It was one of the things Hilda had insisted on.

Sally whimpered. “We’s hungry.”

“Of course you are.” They usually fed the children ahead of time, but things had gotten out of routine this day. Everything about the day was off-kilter.

There was an awkward moment as Mr. Remington stood looking from one to the other. Did he expect to be invited, or was he hoping he could slip away and not have to worry about helping Delcie even though she had insisted she didn’t need help? Her protests and her insistence that she was fine were both ignored. It was probably a good thing, as she could not ignore the throbbing in her ankle. What if it was broken? It couldn’t be. Not with Jenny gone with Finn and Hilda visiting her friend.

Laura looked down, not wanting to deal with this.

Sally’s fussing grew louder. More demanding. The child was about at the end of her endurance.

“They need to eat,” Laura whispered.

“I know.” But did she invite