Season of Fear Read Online Free Page B
Author: Christine Bush
her. She gave a long sigh, then ripped it in two and deposited it in the trash can beside the desk.
"Sara," she said, "I'm not going to be scared away by the story you've just shared with me. I'm going to stay."
Sara's tear-stained face was a mixture of relief and joy.
"I'm—I'm so glad, Robin," she stammered.
"And," Robin continued, "I want you to stop being so melodramatic over the death of your mother. It was years ago, and what's done is done. There's no proof that your father had anything to do with the incident."
"But he's changed so much since that day. He wants nothing to do with us. He hates us, Robin. Jacob says it's clear he has a guilty conscience."
"Jacob is jumping to conclusions. Has it ever occurred to you that your dad may be filled with grief? That despite arguing with your mother, he may have loved her dearly, and been sad and empty at her death? Sometimes losing someone we love makes us act in strange ways." She couldn't stop the tears that filled her eyes. She was thinking of her own father.
"Robin, Robin, don't cry. I'm so sorry if I've made you cry. Have you lost someone you loved, Robin? You look so sad."
"My father. He was very sick. We knew he'd pass on, but it still hurt me tremendously when he did."
"I'm sorry, Robin." Sara's voice was very soft. "You mean Father may have been feeling something like that when Mother died? That maybe he really had nothing to do with it, and yet no one understood how he felt."
"It could be, Sara. I don't know your father very well. But what I'm trying to say is that it's wrong to accuse people of things when there's no proof."
"Jacob is so sure that he did it."
"You're very close to Jacob, aren't you?"
"Well, we're twins. And he's very smart, you know. I don't have a lot of friends. We do a lot together. We go to private school in California and just fly home for holidays and summer."
"I imagine you have a lot of friends in school."
Sara blushed. "Not really. Jacob says no one would like us if they knew about Father, so we keep to ourselves most of the time. I don't like school. I'd much rather be here."
Robin tried to push down the anger she was feeling inside. These poor children were experiencing such tragedy in their early years, growing up without close parental relationships and guidance at a time when they were most necessary, drowning themselves in suspicion and unhappiness. She wanted to help them, to befriend them, but she didn't know how.
When the clock in the hallway chimed eleven times, Sara and Robin decided to table their conversation until morning. Sara left for her own room soundlessly, and in a much better state of mind than when she had come in.
Robin, on the other hand, was left alone with her thoughts, a mixture of confusion and uneasiness. She could feel herself being drawn into the web of problems that surrounded the Ridley Ranch.
And she kept wondering about Alexander Ridley. What was he really like?
Chapter 4
The fatigue of her journey caught up with Robin as she retired that first night, and she slept deeply and restfully until the clamoring alarm beside her had announced that seven o'clock had arrived.
She bathed quickly and selected a cool skirt and blouse to wear for her first day on the job. She had so much to learn today about managing the house! She combed her long hair carefully and tied it with a bright ribbon at the nape of her neck.
She was ready to start the day.
The house was very silent as Robin left her room and started down the hallway to the kitchen area. Robin supposed the family was still abed. But she found Cook already busy in the kitchen, standing before a spotless counter, furiously kneading a ball of dough before her.
Robin smiled at the energetic little woman.
"Good morning, I see you certainly were ahead of me getting up this morning!"
"Howdy, Robin. It would take a bit of rushing to beat me out of bed in the morning. Most days I get here by six. I like to get the baking
"Sara," she said, "I'm not going to be scared away by the story you've just shared with me. I'm going to stay."
Sara's tear-stained face was a mixture of relief and joy.
"I'm—I'm so glad, Robin," she stammered.
"And," Robin continued, "I want you to stop being so melodramatic over the death of your mother. It was years ago, and what's done is done. There's no proof that your father had anything to do with the incident."
"But he's changed so much since that day. He wants nothing to do with us. He hates us, Robin. Jacob says it's clear he has a guilty conscience."
"Jacob is jumping to conclusions. Has it ever occurred to you that your dad may be filled with grief? That despite arguing with your mother, he may have loved her dearly, and been sad and empty at her death? Sometimes losing someone we love makes us act in strange ways." She couldn't stop the tears that filled her eyes. She was thinking of her own father.
"Robin, Robin, don't cry. I'm so sorry if I've made you cry. Have you lost someone you loved, Robin? You look so sad."
"My father. He was very sick. We knew he'd pass on, but it still hurt me tremendously when he did."
"I'm sorry, Robin." Sara's voice was very soft. "You mean Father may have been feeling something like that when Mother died? That maybe he really had nothing to do with it, and yet no one understood how he felt."
"It could be, Sara. I don't know your father very well. But what I'm trying to say is that it's wrong to accuse people of things when there's no proof."
"Jacob is so sure that he did it."
"You're very close to Jacob, aren't you?"
"Well, we're twins. And he's very smart, you know. I don't have a lot of friends. We do a lot together. We go to private school in California and just fly home for holidays and summer."
"I imagine you have a lot of friends in school."
Sara blushed. "Not really. Jacob says no one would like us if they knew about Father, so we keep to ourselves most of the time. I don't like school. I'd much rather be here."
Robin tried to push down the anger she was feeling inside. These poor children were experiencing such tragedy in their early years, growing up without close parental relationships and guidance at a time when they were most necessary, drowning themselves in suspicion and unhappiness. She wanted to help them, to befriend them, but she didn't know how.
When the clock in the hallway chimed eleven times, Sara and Robin decided to table their conversation until morning. Sara left for her own room soundlessly, and in a much better state of mind than when she had come in.
Robin, on the other hand, was left alone with her thoughts, a mixture of confusion and uneasiness. She could feel herself being drawn into the web of problems that surrounded the Ridley Ranch.
And she kept wondering about Alexander Ridley. What was he really like?
Chapter 4
The fatigue of her journey caught up with Robin as she retired that first night, and she slept deeply and restfully until the clamoring alarm beside her had announced that seven o'clock had arrived.
She bathed quickly and selected a cool skirt and blouse to wear for her first day on the job. She had so much to learn today about managing the house! She combed her long hair carefully and tied it with a bright ribbon at the nape of her neck.
She was ready to start the day.
The house was very silent as Robin left her room and started down the hallway to the kitchen area. Robin supposed the family was still abed. But she found Cook already busy in the kitchen, standing before a spotless counter, furiously kneading a ball of dough before her.
Robin smiled at the energetic little woman.
"Good morning, I see you certainly were ahead of me getting up this morning!"
"Howdy, Robin. It would take a bit of rushing to beat me out of bed in the morning. Most days I get here by six. I like to get the baking