Matthäus Merian, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
“What are you reading?” Mr. Wesley sat down next to his daughter on the edge of the fountain in the middle of the walled garden.
The sun was slowly climbing its way into the sky. Dew still clung to the plants in the beds that circled the fountain except for where they were interrupted by walkways.
Charlotte flipped her book open to the title page of the novel she was not presently reading but was, instead, using as a concealment device.
“I thought you had already finished this book?”
Charlotte could feel her cheeks warming under her father’s skeptical look. “I did, but I wished to read it again. There are so many different details that stand out when one reads a book a second or third time.”
“I will not deny that. In fact, I will say it is because you already know the path the story will take, and because of that, you can pay attention to the scenery along the way instead of just attempting to find the destination. However, it appeared to me as if you were not actually reading about the Dashwoods.”
She sighed and opened the book to where a letter was tucked between the pages. “It is silly,” she said.
Her father took the book from her and examined the letter. “Why is reading Mr. Chapman’s letter silly?”
[from His Sensible Heart by Leenie Brown]
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