Page 46 of A Joyful Ring
For a moment, Gunder thought she might lift her skirts and climb over the pews to reach the door, but her mother latched on to the back of her dress and roughly jerked her into her seat.
“Mama!” Maybelle hissed, slapping at her mother’s hand when it encircled her arm and held her in place.
“Be silent,” her father said in an authoritative tone Gunder had never heard the man use.
The church congregation quickly cleared out, leaving Gunder and Lars still standing at the ends of the Dutton pew and the pastor speaking quietly to Mr. Goodwin at the front of the church.
The two men walked over to stand next to Gunder. The pastor pinned Maybelle with a knowing look. She ceased trying to squirm away from her mother’s tight hold on her arm and faced the pastor with an insolent sneer.
“Why is everyone staring at me?” she asked, then reached up to finger one of the fat curls resting near her cheek.
“According to Dinah, you came home yesterday afternoon with kerosene all over your skirt and a box full of things that don’t belong to you, which you hid beneath your bed. When she asked what it was, you threatened to take a needle and stitch her lips together.”
Maybelle looked like she wanted to scratch out her little sister’s eyes, then her expression shifted to one of pure innocence. She widened her eyes and positioned her mouth into a demure pout. “I spilled kerosene when I was filling a lamp for Mama, beinghelpful, you see.”
Dinah shook her head and scooted toward the end of the pew out of Maybelle’s reach. “You never help Mama. Not ever. You pretended to fill the lamp after I’d already filled it.”
“Why, I ought to—”
“Be silent!” her father roared, shocking everyone, but especially Maybelle, who actually looked frightened. Then he looked to the pastor. “If Dinah said her sister did something, then she did it. That child is incapable of lying.” Mr. Dutton looked fondly at his youngest daughter, then glowered at Maybelle. “Tell us, without another lie escaping your lips, what you did yesterday.”
Maybelle swallowed hard, then looked from her father to Gunder, who was having a hard time keeping the fury he felt from exploding. “Well, I … I knew Gunder—”
He growled at her familiar use of his name and took a threatening step toward her.
“I mean, Mr. Birke,” Maybelle said, in a rush. “I knew he was making a ring. One for Risa.” She practically spat out the name. “I don’t know what he sees in that … that … maid at the boardinghouse. I knew he was gone yesterday and went to look at the ring, then I saw the other things for her, and it just made me so distraught to know how much he seems to care for that plain-faced, dull-witted woman.”
With his face red and a vein throbbing in his neck, Lars looked like he could happily have throttled Maybelle. Gunder was more than willing to hold her while he did it.
“Did you or did you not steal the ring and a boxfull of things from his tent, then break anything you could and upheave everything else?” the pastor asked, clearly losing his patience.
“Stealingis such a harsh word, don’t you think?” Maybelle asked, twirling one of her curls around her index finger.
“I think what is harsh is the punishment you’ll face when your life here on earth is through if you, Maybelle Dutton, do not immediately repent from your selfish, self-centered ways,” the pastor said in a tone that made Maybelle’s eyes widen in genuine surprise. “Mr. Birke labors long, hard hours for each and every penny he earns. He does not have extra money to spend to replace items needlessly broken and destroyed by a careless, spoiled girl.”
When Maybelle started to open her mouth, her father placed a hand over it. “She will replace everything, without question. I suggest we go to the house and retrieve Mr. Birke’s belongings,” Mr. Dutton said, rising from his seat and jerking Maybelle to her feet. “Come along, Daughter.”
“But, Father, I …”
“Hush! For once in your life, hush!” her mother said, then gave Maybelle a less-than-gentle push toward the door with Mr. Dutton.
Mrs. Dutton took Dinah’s hand in hers. “I’m proud of you, baby,” the woman said, kissing the little girl’s cheek. “And if your sister ever threatens you again, you must tell me immediately.”
“I will, Mama.” Dinah smiled and held tightly to her mother’s hand as they all left the church and made the short journey to the Duttons’ house.
Gunder stood with Lars, the pastor, and Mr.Goodwin in the parlor as the four Dutton family members disappeared down a hallway.
“What in the world?” Mrs. Dutton exclaimed loudly, followed by the sound of hushed, angry voices. Mr. Dutton soon appeared with the box that belonged to Gunder.
“Is this yours?” he asked, holding out the box.
Eagerly, Gunder took it from him, digging through the contents. The letters, the bell in the oak box, even the tin of cookies were there, but not the ring. He shook his head. “The ring isn’t here.”
“Maybelle!” her father bellowed and charged back down the hall. Another minute passed with what sounded like a sharp smack and yelp, followed by sobs.
Dinah was the one who returned with the ring, holding it reverently in the center of her cupped hands. “Is this it, Mr. Birke?” the child asked with an eager look on her face.
Gunder got down on one bent knee so he didn’t tower over her and felt relief flood through his entire being to see Risa’s ring in her tiny palms. “That is the ring, Dinah. Thank you.”
