Free Heart of Winter by Diana Palmer Page B

said. She searched the tired old eyes. “I’ll bet you were as beautiful as Sadie, at her age,” she mused.
    â€œYes, I was,” the old woman said emphatically. “Sadie…show her.”
    â€œThis was Mother at my age.” Sadie held up a small portrait study. The woman in the photograph was standing beside a tall, dark man, and she was the image of Sadie.
    â€œWeren’t you a dish?” Nicole sighed, studying it. “You’re still a dish,” she added, glancing down at the smiling woman. “What can we bring you to eat? I saw roast beef and mashed potatoes and a salad….”
    â€œMashed potatoes and gravy,” the woman replied eagerly. “And is there pudding?”
    â€œYes,” Sadie said quickly, although there wasn’t and she’d have to rush back and make one.
    â€œI’ll have pudding, too,” came the pleased reply. “Now go and eat,” her mother said. “Then Nicole can visit with me while you and Gerald put everything away.”
    â€œNicky’s staying the night. Winthrop’s away,” Sadie explained.
    â€œIf it’s all right,” Nicky asked.
    â€œIt’s all right,” the old woman said fiercely. “Go and eat, child. If I adopt you, you must be fattened up. I don’t want any thin children.”
    Nicky laughed, her green eyes sparkling in her elfin face as she got to her feet. “I’ll double up on portions. And I’ll bring your pudding myself.”
    Sadie just shook her head when they were back in the dining room. “Never,” she whispered, smiling. “I’ve never seen her so animated. She just lies there and hates it. Tonight, for the first time, she came alive. Nicky, what did you do?”
    â€œI stirred her up,” Nicky said with twinkling eyes. “That’s all. People need stirring up now and again, especially when they’re bitter.”
    â€œYou should see what Nicole did to Winthrop,” Gerald mused. “He left home.”
    â€œThat wasn’t my fault.”
    â€œTell me about it,” Gerald invited, a mischievous twinkle in his dark eyes.
    â€œIt wasn’t. All I did was…” She hesitated, her face turning red as she thought about what she’d done and the way she and Winthrop had kissed so hungrily in the woods.
    Gerald raised an eyebrow and exchanged a glance with Sadie.
    â€œIs everything on the table?” Nicky asked quickly, sitting down.
    With the subject safely changed, they took their places and began to eat. Watching Gerald and Sadie, she could easily see that they felt something for each other. Nicole’s gentle heart went out to them, because it was obvious that they couldn’t have any kind of future together in this situation. Putting Mrs. Todd in a nursing home would be condemning her to death. And Nicole had a feeling that she was very possessive about her daughter, perhaps without realizing it. Sadie was shy and so was Gerald, to a large extent. It was a difficult situation.
    Sadie made a vanilla pudding and when it was dished up, Nicole took a tray to Mrs. Todd’s room.
    â€œI haven’t enjoyed anything so much for a long time,” Mrs. Todd sighed when she finished. “It’s so hard to bear, being like this. I was always active, able to do as I pleased. And now…”
    â€œWon’t you get better?” Nicole asked quietly.
    â€œI don’t know. The doctors said I might. But that was a year ago; I think they’ve given up now.”
    Nicole put the tray to one side. “That’s a nice bird feeder outside the window,” she remarked, glancing at the elaborate chrome and glass affair.
    â€œI love birds,” the old lady explained. “I can watch them.”
    Nicole pursed her lips. “Do you have any binoculars?”
    Her eyes gleamed. “No.”
    â€œI’ll get you some. How about a book on birds, so you can identify