Free Wings of a Dove by Elaine Barbieri Page A

  cooperate, and she was only too aware that her own efforts at hasty grooming proved useless.
        A slow trembling began in her limbs as the train drew to a full halt and Allie's mouth suddenly went dry. She glanced outside again as the line in front of her began moving toward the door, panicking as the crowd behind the young minister appeared to have grown even larger. She could feel their eyes upon her. She willed her feet to move, but her frozen limbs would not obey her command. At that moment Allie realized that for all her brave intentions, she could not do it.
        She could not move.
        "Hurry up, Allie, Mr. Smith is waiting." Elizabeth's low entreaty was unsuccessful in freeing Allie's lifeless limbs. With a low sound of disgust, Elizabeth pushed her aside to follow the quickly moving line as she hissed, "Mr. Smith is going to be mad."
        The end of the line was trailing past and Allie glanced up in desperation as Delaney Marsh's broad-shouldered figure came abreast of her. Her heart dropped to her toes as Delaney continued on without a glance and followed the rest of the group out onto the platform.
        Within a few moments, Mr. Smith's thin face was pressed against the window of the car as he spoke with controlled impatience.
        "Allie, we are waiting."
        They were all looking at her, staring into the car in an attempt to determine the cause for her delay. They were frowning. She felt their disapproval and again willed herself to move, but she could not.
        Through her despair, the faint voice of reason sounded in the back of her mind. Where were her courage and faith? Had the Lady really forsaken her, or had she forsaken the Lady?
        Beset by confusion, Allie closed her eyes. "Lady, I need your help," she murmured. "I'm afraid. Please whisper into God's ear for me."
        Familiar words came to her mind and she recited silently, "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou amongst women"
        "Come on, Allie."     A familiar voice interrupted Allie's prayer and she knew whose
    face she would see when she opened her eyes. The Lady had heard her prayer and had acted to dispel her doubts once and for all. She was ashamed that she had doubted the Lady even for a minute. She would never, never doubt her again.
        A small smile twitching at her pale lips, Allie extended her hand toward the one Delaney held out to her. The warmth that had fled her body returned as Delaney's callused palm touched hers. Her heart joyful, she turned to follow Delaney's lead, silent words of gratitude filling her mind. Thank you, Lady. Oh, thank you for giving me back my friend.
        Mr. Smith smiled approvingly as the milling couples in the church meeting room began approaching the children of their choice. His keen eye appraised the conversation under way between children and adults, and satisfaction moved warmly through him. Oh, yes, Reverend Masters had brought him an extremely receptive group. He had no doubt that the number of his charges would be cut at least in half by the time the day was out.
        Mr. Smith's appraising glance continued to skim the crowd, abruptly drawing to a halt as his graying brows merged into a frown. While he watched, Delaney Marsh, his expression grim, responded to the short, well-dressed farmer who had addressed him. The farmer expressed surprise and glanced down at Allie Pierce, who had not left the boy's side from the time Delaney had, startlingly, taken it upon himself to help her overcome her reluctance to leave the railway car.
        Shaking his head, the farmer then turned toward another older boy, and Mr. Smith felt a familiar annoyance. Realizing that it was neither the time nor the place to address that annoyance, he put it aside. He would look into the situation later, and he would get to the bottom of it, once and for all.
        Delaney sensed, rather than felt, the inner trembling of the