And poor Luther, poor Luther.
All four Easton girls had been living in the parsonage with their father eight years ago when the tiny, wiry-haired pup of unknown breed had appeared upon their doorstep and run straight into Estelle’s arms.
All ribs and whiskers, Estelle had declared about him, and how she’dloved him! To think they would never see him again…
No, she couldn’t think of it, Linette told herself fiercely as she hurried to her sister’s room. She needed to be strong for Estelle and comfort her as best she could, even as she prayed that old Dr. Philcup would arrive soon. He had attended all of their births, and those of Donovan and Corie’s children, too. He would know what to do to makeEstelle feel better…
“Except for her broken heart,” Linette murmured to herself as she pushed open the door to Estelle’s room. Several lamps were lit, logs stoked in the fireplace, and the draperies drawn tight to keep out the early afternoon chill. Corie waved to her to close the door.
“We need to keep the room warm, Linette! Come over here and hold Estelle’s hand.”
Linette obliged her atonce, her heart flying to her throat to see Estelle’s face so pale. Her sister lay huddled on her side wearing a white flannel nightgown and covered with blankets to her shoulders, though her eyes were open and she stared straight ahead as if at nothing.
“Estelle, I’m here. It’s Linette,” she murmured, sinking onto a chair at the side of the bed.
Was it just this morning when Estelle had flownfrom this same bed to the wardrobe with Luther yipping excitedly at her heels? The room seemed so strange, so silent with her dog nowhere to be seen, and not peeking out from the covers with bright brown eyes beneath a spiky fringe of gray hair. Oh, how would she ever endure his absence?
Linette squeezed Estelle’s limp hand, which was alarming enough, but her sister’s continued silence sent achill plummeting through her. She listened quietly as Miss Ellen Biddle, a spare energetic woman who ran the household with great efficiency, reported to Corie that she’d given Estelle a warm sponge bath and put her straight to bed. The egg-sized bump on her head had been covered with a damp cloth that was changed every few minutes. When Miss Biddle had finished, Linette leaned closer to Estelle’sface.
“I’m here, sweet. Do you see me?”
Only then did Estelle meet her eyes, tears trickling down her ashen cheeks and dampening the pillow. She sighed brokenly, her fingers trembling in Linette’s grasp.
“Oh, Linette, Luther is gone…and it’s all my fault. My fault!”
