Whispers Of The Heart. Ruth Scofield

      “All right,” he said, letting out a sigh. He wished she’d just trust him a little more. “David—Reverend Collier—and I have had several long talks about the restoration of the building and grounds. Though there isn’t much left to the grounds. And the building was put up in three stages, so what we really have are three buildings connected. There’s a long connecting hall, a corridor, really, one side almost all glass windows. The blank wall is crying out for a mural—”

      “Oh, no.” She shook her head, a firm set to her chin. “I don’t think I want to tackle anything of that size.”

      “You can’t say no out of hand. You haven’t heard my suggestion.”

      “Why can’t I? And I can guess at what you wondered, and the answer is no. I don’t want to take on that much outside work. I don’t like crowds.”

      “But Autumn, this is a very special project. I think you’ll be interested once you see it. It’s not your usual request, you have to admit. And what have crowds to do with it?”

      She turned to face him, her back against the table. Only her fingers showed a tightness, curved around the table edge. “Churches have crowds. They’re made for bunches of people. Mobs of ’em. Their intention, their very purpose is to draw humanity together.” She pursed her mouth. “Uh-uh. I don’t think so.”

      “Autumn…” He leaned a hip against the table at her side, watching her fold her hands tightly in front of her. Her objection struck him as nonsense, but he kept his irritation wrapped tightly and hidden from view by lowering his voice to a persuasive tone.

      She couldn’t possibly be serious. Surely she exaggerated her antipathy toward crowds simply as an excuse to say no.

      However, he was practiced in dealing with opposite views and stubborn people, having earned that hard-won skill during many a civic meeting. One of his strengths lay in presenting any given scenario or argument in a positive light.

      “Don’t say no just yet, please. You haven’t even seen it. This church hasn’t yet regained its crowds, even though that’s what the new minister is hoping to find.

      “And you wouldn’t be doing the work during the worship hours, now would you? The church is empty ninety percent of the time except for the building crew, who won’t even be in that part of the building. And David, of course, and a part-time secretary.

      “The section you’d be working in was built sometime in the sixties and its structure is fine, so you wouldn’t likely run into the labor crew. But it does need something to make it attractive and David and I discussed using that long hall for a Biblical mural of some kind.”

      “I don’t know much about the Bible.”

      “Well, that shouldn’t stop you from researching it. And I’m sure David will consult with you.”

      He paused long enough to take a breath and deepen his plea. “Autumn, if you could capture Timmy from memory like you did, I know you’d be perfect to do this hall. Why don’t you at least come see what I’m talking about?”

      “Well…”

      “If not now, then one morning later this week?”

      A long moment of silence fell between them before she said, very tentatively, “Early? Before there’s likely to be a lot of people about?”

      “As early as you want. At first light, even.”

      “All right. I’ll come see the site, but I’m making no promises.”

      “It’s a deal,” Brent said, offering his hand. He liked shaking hands on a deal. He felt the old-fashioned way of doing business, the way his grandfather had conducted his own, held a code of honor that covered more than sometimes appeared in mere printed contracts.

      Slowly, she placed her hand in his; she had long fingers, which felt softer against his palm than he’d anticipated. He held it a moment before letting go, giving her hand a firm clasp. He had to force himself to let go—he’d wanted to hold on, to brush his thumb across the silky texture. Instead, he briskly set a time for later in the week.

      Then, already certain of her answer, said, “Tomorrow is Easter Sunday. Want to come with Tim and me to celebrate?”