The Secret Promise

Chapter Fourteen

Allie tied her everyday bonnet and grabbed the basket she'd left by the front door, in an attempt to not forget to take it with her.

"You going to Mrs. Lynch's?" her pa asked, seeing that the basket was full of vegetables from the garden, as well as a couple loaves of freshly baked bread and fresh butter.

"Yes. I'll try to be back before supper, but if I'm not, there's a roast in the oven." she said.

"Tell her hello for me." he waved her off.

Allie walked to town and turned down one of the side streets. Mrs. Lynch had lived there longer than anyone she knew and always enjoyed a visit during the week or after church on Sunday. She always tried to remember to bring her something from the garden, or a jar of jam or canned peaches. Her pa even sent fresh meat when he hunted or butchered.

Knocking on the front door, Allie smiled when the woman opened it. "Ah, Allie! I was hoping I'd see you this week! I have a book I think you might like to read. Plenty of romance and intrigue!" She held the door open and motioned her inside.

"I brought a whole basket of things from the garden," Allie said, walking straight to the kitchen and setting the basket on the counter. "I've had green beans and zucchini coming out my ears this last week, and I even brought you some corn!"

"Oh, wonderful!" Mrs. Lynch was at least eighty years old, but still spirited as ever and followed her into the kitchen. "I don't know what you do to your soil over there, but your vegetables are always the tastiest in town. Mr. Shoemaker brought me some carrots last week and they were high near tasteless. Of course, I didn't tell him so, but they were pretty disappointing."

"I don't know." Allie said. "I compost everything I can and Pa always fertilizes everything at the end of fall and then again right before I plant everything. Maybe that's it."

"Oh, you baked bread too? Bless you, girl!"

"There's a ball of butter in there, too." Allie smiled as the woman smelled the loaves, letting out a long sigh before setting them in her breadbox on the counter.

"You always did take good care of me!"

"It's my pleasure, Mrs. Lynch." she said. "Besides, our cows give so much milk, we couldn't possibly drink it all or eat all the butter and cheese we make."

"Well, how about some tea and we can go sit down in the parlor?"

"I'd love a cup," Allie said, laying the soft cloth back over the basket and taking it to the front door so she wouldn't forget it. "Can I help you with anything?" she called.

"Oh, I might be old and feeble, but I think I can manage tea!" the woman laughed.

It wasn't long before they were both sitting in the parlor, drinking tea and discussing the book she'd offered to let Allie borrow.

"I think I have all the intrigue I need in real life," Allie sighed.

"What about romance?" Mrs. Lynch asked with a wink.

"Not so much of that," she admitted.

"It'll come. You're so beautiful, the boys are probably all assuming you're already courting someone else so they don't bother asking."

Allie laughed. "I don't think so. I still have the same freckles I had when I was a kid and more than one boy told me they weren't attractive."

Mrs. Lynch chuckled. "Little boys always find something to insult you about, but if I were to ask any young man in town if they found you to be prettier than most, they would all agree that you are."