Free Jewel's Dream by Annie Boone Page A

safely tucked away in the purse she held tightly under her other arm. She thought back to the romance novel left behind at home. You just had to read that one more chapter…
    She ran around the corner gathering glares from the passers-by. A woman of her age should not be running. A lady of twenty-six, should be gracefully walking, no, gliding, serenely down the street with dignity. Pffft. That’s not what the heroine in her romance novel did.
    She slowed down to catch her breath just a block away from the meeting place of the bible study group. A young boy on the other side of the street caught her attention.
    “A flower for the missus’?” He waved a rose in front of a middle aged gentleman. “Never too late to show your love on Valentine’s Day! Only a dime!”
    The pail of flowers at his feet was nearly empty. Clearly the boy was right. Valentine’s Day… she sighed and refastened the cloak around her shoulders. Such a romantic holiday. If only someone would buy me a rose!
    But no one did. Of course, as a governess, she was obliged to stay single until her charges had either married or, in case of boys, left for boarding school. But that didn’t mean she didn’t want love. She dreamt of it every day. Love like in her novels, love like in Corinthians 13.
    She marched on leaving behind the boy still performing his Valentine’s sales pitch, trying to sell the last of his flowers. Even a card would be nice. Catherine, the girl she had raised and tutored, showed her the Valentine’s card she’d received from her husband that morning. It was such an exquisitely painted picture. Ah, young love. She was jealous of both the card and the rich, handsome husband who had sent it.
    Jealous? No… She shook her head. Rather, she was sad that her time living with the Taurell’s was coming to an end. Catherine, now married, was set to move out in a few days. Leaving to live with her husband in Manhattan. With Catherine gone Sarah would be all alone.
    She looked up at the sign above the door. Well, maybe not completely alone. She thought about her friends and the bible nestled in her purse.
    * * *
    Sarah was just putting one of the simple wooden chairs back against the wall when she almost walked straight into Jewel. As always she had put too many teacups on the tray and they wobbled precariously with every step Jewel took. Sarah let the girl pass before continuing her work.
    With the chair back in its rightful place Sarah turned to face the small group of women who remained behind after the Bible study was over. She could still hear old Mrs. Taylor in the hallway, chattering away about her flowers with Mrs. White, but most of the others were long gone by now.
    At the serving table, Sarah noticed Maddie Burns sweeping crumbs into her hand. Sarah headed over to her friend, but was welcomed with a sigh instead of Maddie’s usual bright, cheery smile. Jewel joined them a moment later once the last of the tea cups had been cleared. “Don’t be sad, Maddie. It’s just a silly holiday.”
    Ah, of course Valentine’s Day. The six of them seemed to be the only women in the whole Bible study group without a secret, or not so secret, admirer.
    “It doesn’t mean anything,” said Sarah putting on her most uplifting smile. She didn’t quite believe her own words though.
    Caroline and Eva lined the remaining chairs up against the walls, while Mae divided up the leftover tea cakes into six piles and wrapped them in napkins. Soon they would join the conversation too as Sarah already noticed their heads turning her way.
    “But we never get flowers or cards.” Maddie quickly blinked back a tear. Just like Catherine had done before her wedding when she didn’t want to ruin her makeup with tears. But Sarah was pretty sure in Maddie’s case these weren’t tears of joy she was holding back. “How are we going to find husbands if we’re already old maids?”
    “If anyone’s going to end up an old maid it’s probably me. I’m