READER’S NOTE: Okay guys, please bare with me as this is my first story written to be read 'publicly.' (I've written others, but only one person has ever read them! :o) Any feedbcak is welcome! Please just post it over at either of the LM forums. Enjoy!
Nick pitched another fork full of hay and stopped to wipe his damp brow. It was
cold outside, but he was hot.
"Nick?" Jo asked, peering from around the corner as she wondered into the front
of the barn.
Nick paused again and looked up.
"Jo...Didn’t know you had come in." He smiled slightly and rested on the handle
of the pitchfork.
She blinked and clasped her hands in front of her.
"Is there something you need?" He asked curiously.
Jo nodded and licked her lips.
"I was just stopping by to see Penny, and heard you in here. Do you think you’d
have time for a reading lesson, perhaps later this afternoon?" She tilted her head.
Nick took a deep breath and took off his hat to run his hand through his hair.
"Well, I think I could make that. Yeah, don’t have too much to do today." He
nodded.
Jo smiled delightedly and clasped her hands again. "Then I’ll see you...around
three-thirty then?"
Nick put his hat back on his head.
"Yep..." He picked up the pitchfork, and watched as she turned and left the barn.
~<><><><><><>~
"Alright, you children get on out to that schoolhouse. You’re long past late." Asia
shooed the children out of the dining room.
Nan pulled on her coat and gathered her books. As she looked out the window,
something caught her eye.
It was Mrs. Jo, and she was walking in from the barn...
"Sphh...Hey Nat..." Nan waved him over beside her. Nat walked over and looked
at her questionably.
"Yeah, is something the matter?" He asked, pulling on his own coat.
Nan smiled and held the lace curtain back enough for him to see out across the
snow- covered yard.
"What?" He shook his head, looking out the window.
"Mrs. Jo is comin’ in from the barn. See?" She pointed out to the navy-clad figure
walking across the yard.
"It’s Mrs. Jo." Nat said, still not quite getting it.
Nan sighed and rolled her eyes. "Of course it’s Mrs. Jo. But don’t ya see where
she’s comin’ in from?" a mischievous gleam came into her blue eyes.
"She goes there every morning. To see Penny." Confusion was marked across
Nat’s forehead.
Nan dropped her shoulders. "Of course she goes to see Penny. But-" She stopped
for a moment. "I’ll bet she’s just usin’ that for an excuse to see Nick."
Nat raised a brow.
"Come on...We better get down to school, or Franz will get us for tardiness."
Nan picked up her books again and relented...But she wasn’t about to push Mrs.
Jo and Nick out of her mind so easily...
~<><><><><><>~
Penny stomped her foot, and swished her tail with annoyance.
Nick noticed her bothered state, and stepped in before going up to the house.
"Whoa there, Penny. What’s got you bristled?" He reached up and stroked her
blaze. She tossed her head and snorted, sidestepping as he entered the stall.
Curiously, Nick looked around for anything that might be bothering her. He
couldn’t see anything unusual...
"Shhh...It’s just me." Nick placed a hand on her neck. Penny dropped her head
and stomped her foot again.
He was so intent upon calming Penny, that he didn’t hear the rustle behind him...
~<><><><><><>~
Jo smoothed the folds of her navy skirt and checked her supplies again.
Good...Everything was there and in order.
Three-thirty came by fast...And then three-forty...Where was Nick?
"Maybe he was just caught up with some chores in the barn." She reasoned with
herself. But she couldn’t help but to get a little agitated as three-fifty rolled around.
Jo paced back and forth in front of the fireplace, her frustration mounting. As she
was about to lose it, Nick appeared in the doorway.
"Nick...I thought we had agreed on three-thirty for your lesson." Jo tried to keep
her voice even.
"Jo, I’m sorry." Nick held up his hands to explain. "I got cau-"
"Nick, this is the third time you have been late!"
Jo turned around and faced him. Her brown eyes were leaping. He sighed and
dropped his shoulders. He had to explain.
"Nick, how can I teach you if you continue to be late? Soon it runs into when the
children get out, and then chores and supper. Do you want to learn how to read?"
She asked finally.
Nick furrowed his brows and held up his hands.
"Jo! Listen to me!" He cut through her talk. She stopped suddenly, startled.
"I was in the barn, on my way out at three-twenty. Well, when I walked pass
Penny’s stall, I noticed she was a little restless. So, I stopped and stepped in to see
if anything was the matter. I couldn’t see anything, but when I was trying to calm
her-"
Jo’s gasp cut through his speaking.
He stopped and looked at her worriedly.
Seeing the stricken look on her face he turned...
~<><><><><><>~
"Here, would ya like some soup?" Nan walked carefully into the room the boy was
staying in, and sat down on the side of the bed.
He looked at her, hunger showing clearly in his greenish-hazel eyes.
"It’s okay. You can eat it. It won’t kill ya or nothin’." She smiled playfully and
held it out to him. He glared at her for a few moments, but then greedily excepted
it.
"Told ya, you’d like it. Asia makes the best soup."
It took him only a matter of seconds to empty the bowl. She took the dirty bowl
from him and placed it back on the tray.
"Would you like some of the water?" Nan asked. He shook his head. After draining
the glass, he put it back on the tray and settled under the quilts, burying his head.
"Okay, I’ll leave." She stood up and left the room, a little disturbed.
Jo looked up as Nan approached.
"Did he eat anything?" Nan held up the tray for her to see. "I see we have a hungry
prospect at hand." She smiled good-naturedly.
Asia took the dirty dishes and added them to her pile. "Looks like we got more
dishes to do. And with the way that boy eats..." Asia shook her head, a slight smile
spreading across her lips.
Nan snorted. "Well, he’s not very friendly. He didn’t even say thank you when I
left. He ate the food down and then buried his head in the quilts."
A frown of dislike formed on her lips.
Jo walked over and placed a hand on Nan’s shoulder.
"We must give him time, Nan. Plumfield is yet a strange place to him, as well as
each and everyone of us." She squeezed Nan’s shoulder encouragingly.
"That is why we must do our best to make him feel welcome."
Jo, by now, had placed both hands on either shoulder and was looking at Nan
seriously.
Nan rolled her eyes.
"I wasn’t like that when I first came." She argued.
Jo looked at her sternly. "Nan, I’m disappointed in you."
Nan sighed with frustration and said, "I’ve got chores to do."
With that, she turned and left the kitchen.
~Three days later~
~<><><><><><>~
"Shh..." Franz quieted his classroom. Slowly, the whispers stopped.
They were all waiting for the new boy to join them.
Five minutes later, Jo walked in the door, with the boy behind her.
When he wouldn’t follow her, she stopped and turned.
"It’s all right, John. We have a desk right over here for you."
He glanced around the room at all the welcoming faces and slowly stepped
forward.
"Children, this is John. Mr. Laurie has very nicely offered to sponsor him, until we
find out more about him. So he will be attending Plumfield over the next few
weeks."
A soft murmur passed over the students.
Franz introduced himself and rest of the Plumfield students before beginning the
daily lessons.
~<><><><><><>~
"All right, class dismissed." Franz folded up his book and turned to erase the chalk
off the blackboard. Everyone shuffled out, grabbing his or her books on the way.
They all quickly became engaged in a game of football.
Bess backed out, offering to cheer on the sidelines.
"That’s right Bess. Cheering on the losing team." Dan gave her his usual look and
continued on over to his team.
Bess shook her shoulders, and pulled on a look of determination.
"Today, Dan, will be the day we beat you!" She smirked. With a smile of glee, she
walked on over to her ‘team.’
~<><><><><><>~
"Hey John! Come on and be on our team." Dan called. He and John had become
good friends over the last few days.
Shaking his head, John pointed to the people around him.
"He’s on our team this time, Dan. Sorry!" Nat smiled and turned to make plans.
~<><><><><><>~
"Okay, John are you any good at Football?" Nan asked curiously. He shook his
head hesitantly.
"Um...Well, are you a good runner?"
This time he answered. "Yeah, I can run." Nan smiled. "That’s right. You ran all
the way to home yesterday. Okay, we’ll throw you that ball and you run it to that
place over there."
She pointed in the right direction. He nodded and took off his outer coat.
"You might be able to play better if you take off the hat." Nat suggested, as they
spaced out to play.
"No!" John replied quickly. Nat cast a confused glance in Nan’s direction.
She shrugged and took the ball from Tommy.
"Okay, let’s get playin’!"
~<><><><><><>~
As the game progressed, everyone, including Bess, became more instense about the
game.
Jo watched from the porch, rocking softly in the chair. She was glad to see John
fitting in so well. And he did well in school too.
She began to wonder about his ‘past’ and upbringing. He had obviously been taught
mathematics, grammar and reading. She continued to ponder.
Bess’s cry did not take long to break her from her thoughts.
"Come on, John!" Bess jumped up and down, waving her arms in the air. Jo bit her lip and laughed at Bess’s enthusiasm. She never jumped up like that!
John swiftly swerved to left, missing Emil’s dodge, then to the right, missing Jack’s.
He easily passed Isaac, and then Stuffy and Meyer.
Jo clapped, feeling her excitement rise.
Nick and Asia had both paused at the end of the porch, watching the runner.
It was then that Dan approached.
"Come on John!" Jo clapped, calling encouragement.
John seemed to push his short legs into a faster gear, because he sped up quite a
bit.
Dan went faster and faster, gaining on John with every step.
As they came to the goal, Dan leaped up, ready to pounce on him.
He made it, but not until after John had scored a touchdown...the winning touchdown.
The two boys hit the ground with a thud.
Dan rolled over and off of John, but a startled looked came on to his face,
matching everyone else’s.
John, feeling all eyes upon him, turned around and blindly groped around for the
hat that had been sitting on his head.
Jo stood up from her rocker and glanced down questionably at the group that seem
to have frozen. Was someone hurt?
John quickly found his hat, but not quick enough. The shoulder length hair had
already fallen over his small shoulders.
Dan stood up and backed away, only to fall down again.
Utter surprise and then anger washed over his face.
Noticing the odd behavior, Nick walked over, pushing gently through all of them so he could reach Dan and John. But he too stopped and froze.
Becoming frustrated, Jo walked off the porch, pulling her shawl tighter, and walked over to the group of students. She gasped at what she saw, bringing her hand to cover her mouth.
John was not a boy.
With a trembling lip, John stood up and dusted off her pants.
"What exactly is going on?" Jo asked, trying to push aside her shock.
John looked up at Jo and bit her lip.
"I-I’m sorry Ma’am. P-Please forgive me..." She looked down at her toes, a flush
coloring her cheeks.
"Children...Please go to the barn and get to your evening chores. It won’t be long
until supper."
She could hear them all slowly walk away, whispering.
Jo looked right at John.
"I believe we need to have a talk."
Jo placed a hand on her shoulder and walked her inside.
~Next day, Early Afternoon~
~<><><><><><>~
"I still can’t believe she’s a girl." Jo reached up and stroked Penny’s stark white
blaze.
Nick smiled and measured one more scoop of grain in to the bucket.
"Yep...He-She sure fooled us all."
He was having a hard time remembering to say ‘she.’
"It wasn’t right, but I understand why she did it." Jo turned and looked at Nick.
He stopped with the grain and looked up questionably at Jo.
"Just exactly why did she pretend to be a boy and where did she pick up the name
John?"
Jo turned from Penny and leaned on the edge of the stall.
"She lived in Boston. Both her parents died, so she ventured out to find her
grandmother, before she was sent to an orphanage. Before she reached her
grandmother, she found Plumfield, and decided to take a rest in the barn...She was
planning on leaving that night. John was the name of her deceased brother. I take it
they were very close in relationship."
Jo finished, licking her lips.
Nick took his hat off, and ran a hand through his long hair that still needed a
haircut.
"Well, why did she dress up like a boy?" He persisted.
Jo sighed and spoke again.
"She thought Plumfield only accepted male students."
"But if she was planning on leaving, then why did she bother?"
He was quite confused with this John person.
Jo looked up at Nick. "I don’t know. That doesn’t really make any sense does it?"
She tilted her head in thought.
Turning around, she said, "I don’t know, but I would like to find out."
Nick smiled and lifted a brow.
"You just do that...You just do that..." He murmured.
~<><><><><><>~
Dan dropped burlap sack of grain and walked out to get another.
He was so lost in thought he didn’t hear Nick speaking to him right away.
"Hey Dan. What’s got ya so tight?"
Nick asked, hefting another bag of grain onto his shoulder.
"Uh, oh...Sorry Nick." He looked up.
"That’s alright. Just wanted to make sure nothing was wrong." He looked at Dan,
hoping he would take the hint. But he didn’t. Or least didn’t pretend to.
Finally, after too long a silence for Nick, he asked.
"Alright Dan. Spill it. What’s got your tongue?" Nick put the sack down.
He stopped and looked at Dan seriously.
Dan stopped and looked at Nick confused. "What?"
"What’s botherin’ ya? You seem awful quiet all the sudden."
Dan shifted uncomfortably and looked at everything in the barn but Nick.
"Well, ah...Nothing, nothing’s bothering me." He tried to sound surer than he felt.
Nick sighed and shook his head. "Dan, you don’t lie very well." He pointed a
finger.
Dan didn’t seem to be in the mood for teasing.
"That’s a good thing." Nick quickly assured him, shaking his head and crossing his
arms.
After some debating, Dan started to talk.
"It’s ‘John.’ Here I am, putting trust in him and he lies to me. It’s not right Nick!"
Dan began to grow angry.
Nick flexed his fingers inside the leather glove and then placed a hand on Dan’s
shoulder.
"Not everythin’ in life is going to be fair and right, Dan. I’ve dealt with similar
things a whole bunch of times. It’s just somethin’ you get used to."
Dan plopped on a hay bale.
"I just can’t believe I let myself be fooled like that. I knew something was wrong
with him-her the moment we started playing ball."
He dropped his head and looked at the floor, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Awe, Dan...Don’t be so hard on yourself. Anyone could have been mistaken like
you were. Dan, she fooled everyone at Plumfield. Even Laurie and Amy... Meg,
too. You’ve got nothin’ to be ashamed of."
Nick punched him playfully in the arm.
"Now are you gonna stay here and feel sorry for yourself, or get up and help me
with the evening barn chores?" Nick looked at him questionably.
Dan lifted his head and stood up.
"Thanks Nick..."
"You’re welcome...Anytime."
Nick clapped him on the back, and together they walked out from the barn.
~<><><><><><>~
Nan paced and stomped her foot. "It just ain’t fair. We’ve been planning this game
for over three weeks and they drop it ‘cause some girl decides to show up as a
boy."
Bess half smiled and shook her head.
"Yeah, ever since Mr. John showed up, nothing has gone as planned."
Nan pursed her lips and crossed her arms again. "Yeah, they’re all goin’ koo-koo eyed crazy over her." She raised a brow, catching sight of ‘John’ who was helping Jo pin wet laundry on the clothesline.
"Well, there’s one good thing..." Bess paused momentarily, pushing the simple lace
curtain to the side. "We have less chores..." She added slowly.
Both girls looked out sullenly, realizing just how much Mrs. Jo and everyone else
seemed to be enjoying the new girl...Maybe just a little too much.
~Next Day, Late Afternoon~
~<><><><><><>~
"Now...Everyone is to have Moby Dick read, and report written by a week from this Friday." Franz looked out over the rows of desks filled with his students.
Everyone collected the books they would need and quickly piled out of the school
barn.
As Nan and Bess were pulling on their coats, they noticed Lea step forward
towards Franz.
"Lea..." (Pronounced, Lee-uh not Lay-uh like in Star Wars) He looked up, and
Nan could have sworn he was pleased to see her.
"What can I do for you?"
Lea switched her borrowed books to the other arm and smiled at him.
Nan grabbed Bess’s arm and pulled her closer.
"Look at that. She’s drooling all over him." She whispered softly.
Bess shook her head and pursed her lip.
"If she wants to act like a shinny-ninny than let her."
Bess raised a brow at she saw Lea lean towards Franz and whispered into his ear.
Nan’s eyes opened wide, and an appalled look came on to her face.
"It looks like she’s kissin’ him!" Nan hissed. Not wanting to see any more, Nan
stomped out of the school, not bothering to button her coat.
~<><><><><><>~
"Hey Nan! Do you want to be on our team for the game this afternoon?" Nat
called, tossing food into the pigpen.
Nan looked up from her task of throwing food to the chickens.
"Who all’s gonna be on it?" She asked slowly.
Nat kept on with his task while responding. "Emil, Tommy, Le-"
"No thank you. I’ll be on Dan’s team." She said quickly. He looked up with a
disappointed expression.
"Why not? We’re always on a team together."
Nan shook her head and turned away. "I don’t want to be with Lea."
"Why not?" Nat persisted.
Nan stopped momentarily. Why not? What do I say? I’m not jealous...No, I’m not.
"You’re not jealous are you?" He asked curiously, waiting for her answer.
"No, I’m not jealous." She snapped. "It’s-It’s just not fair to have two girls on one
team." She finally finished.
He sighed and dropped his shoulders.
"Yeah, I guess you’re right." Then he mumbled something she couldn’t
understand.
~<><><><><><>~
Lea hummed softly while she did her work.
Nan and Bess looked up at her, then at the rest of the boys.
They were all looking up from their work, with a silly look in their eyes.
"I sure wish I could have gone with Dan, Nat and Nick." Bess whispered, not looking at Lea. Nan nodded and tapped the end of her pencil on her paper.
Nan happened to look up at the same time Lea did, and their eyes met, but only for
a brief moment. There was a strange look in her eyes; one Nan couldn’t figure out.
Confused at trying to figure it out, she looked back down at her work.
But no matter how hard Nan tried, she couldn’t get Lea’s face out her mind.
Especially that...look.
~<><><><><><>~
"Mrs. Jo! Mrs. Jo!" Tommy yelled, running to the balcony. (Remember that scene
where Nan runs out to wave at Bess in the Thanksgiving one? Well that’s the
balcony I’m talking about...Just in case anyone was wondering.)
"Look!" He called at the top of his lungs.
Jo scurried through the room to look out the balcony.
"Who is it, mama?" Rob asked, teetering in behind her, holding his wooden Noah’s
Ark.
"Shh...I don’t know, sweetie." She placed a hand on his head.
Jo hurried from the room and down the two small flights of stairs to the door.
"Hello. Are you Mrs. Fritz Bhear?" A tall, sturdy man asked, peering in from the
door.
Jo’s lip trembled as she thought of being called "Mrs. Fritz Bhear." No one had
called her that for quite sometime...
"You are, are you not?" He persisted.
Jo snapped from her reverie. "Ah, yes...I am Mrs. Bhear." She reached up to push
a lock of brown hair behind her ear.
"How can I help you...Mr.? I don’t believe I know your name." She swallowed
and folded her hands in front of her.
"Forgive me, Mrs. Bhear. My name is Harrison. Luke Harrison." He cleared his
throat and bowed slightly.
"Mr. Harrison. May I ask what brings you out to Plumfield this fine day?" She
asked curiously.
"Yes, I am here concerning a young girl, Lea Peterson, that is known to have
possibly passed through these parts..."
Jo licked her lips and smiled politely.
"Won’t you come into the parlor and have some tea. I’m sure we can talk better in
there sitting, than standing here in the hallway."
She pulled up the hem of her plaid skirt and walked into the parlor, with Mr.
Harrison following behind.
~<><><><><><>~
"Who’s meetin’ with Mrs. Jo in the parlor?" Dan asked, walking up behind Nan.
Nan jumped slightly surprised by his voice.
"It’s someone about the new girl. His name is Mr. Luke Harrison." She whispered,
not taking her eyes off the two sitting on the settee sipping tea.
"Scoot over," Dan whispered, sidling up next to Nan to get a good look at the two.
"How long has he been here?" he inquired curiously.
Nan shrugged. "About an hour."
"An hour? What about that girl would take an hour’s worth talking about?!?" He
demanded, whispering loudly. Nan quickly brought her finger to his lip, motioning
him to be quiet.
Jo had looked away from the stranger and was looking at the door.
"Is anyone there? Excuse me, Mr. Harrison." She stood up and walked over. Dan
grabbed Nan and pulled her over to the side, both then tumbling into the coat
closet. (Amazingly quiet too)
"Hmm..." Jo looked around for a moment and then turned to go back to her seat,
this time making sure the door was closed firmly behind her.
"Good going, Dan." Nan dropped her hands to her side.
"At least I got you out of the way, before Mrs. Jo saw you. You and I would have
been cooked if she had seen either one of us." He argued.
She sighed and nodded.
"Okay, so you’re right." Nan rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Now how are
we gonna see or hear what they’re talking about now? Got any bright ideas?"
Dan tapped his chin and then stood up.
"Come on. Let’s go to the loft where we can talk without being heard."
She stood up and pushed down the hem of her red calico.
"Okay, but I didn’t think anyone would hear us in the coat closet either. I mean, no
one comes here for chattin’ or tea or anythin.’" She rested her hands on her hips
and looked at him with a look of amusement.
Planting a finger on his lip, Dan grabbed Nan’s wrist and raced out of the house to
barn.
~<><><><><><>~
Nan plopped down in the hay and smirked at Dan.
"All right, you dragged me up here so what you’re about to say better be good."
She cast an accusing glance in his direction.
"We’ve got to figure out how-" Dan started to speak.
Nan crossed her arms and wiggled her foot in annoyance. Suddenly, he changed
what he was going to say when he noticed Nick mucking out Penny’s stall.
"Ah, so what did ya think about Mr. Harrison. Think he’ll ask Mrs. Jo to court?"
Dan motioned with his eyes to Nan.
"How did we get to the subject of courtin’?"
She furrowed her brows and looked at him confused.
Finally Dan pointed to the direction Nick was in.
Nan nodded and a mischevious look came into her blue eyes.
"Oh, I don’t know. He may be too prissy for her. But then again, he may be just
what she needs. Some people are too-too..."
She couldn’t think of the word. "Help me here, Dan!"
He nodded and began to pace. "Some people aren’t Mrs. Jo’s type. But I think this
Harrison guy really is her type. The way he dressed. Did you see that big tall hat?
I heard Mrs. Jo telling Mrs. Laurence just the other day about how much she
admired men with tall hats."
Nan was shaking her head, and smiling, all the while casting sneaky glances in
Nick’s direction. But when he came up with the tall hat deal, she snapped back to
look at him.
"Tall hat? Dan, don’t be such a dolt! Where did that come from?" She hissed
warningly.
He shrugged sheepishly.
"Well, Bess thinks he’s just Mrs. Jo’s type. Very handsome, gentlemanly,
concerned for others. She said he was very interested in how Plumfield started, and
thought it fascinating that Mrs. Jo fought on, even when the odds were against
her."
Dan winked at Nan as he stole a glance down at Nick.
After a few moments of more murmuring and silence, they heard footsteps below.
When they were both on the ground, Nick spoke.
~<><><><><><>~
"Please, Mr. Harrison, feel free to stop by any time you like." Jo held out her hand
as Luke Harrison shook it gently.
~<><><><><><>~
Nick peered out from behind Dan and Nan, never taking his eyes from the scene
that was before him. Luke Harrison snapped the reins on the bay’s rumps and
started forward.
Nick stepped out from behind Dan and walked up to Jo.
Dan tapped Nan on the shoulder, as he saw Jo look out again.
"What brought him by today?" Nick continued.
After a long silence, she spoke.
Nick brushed past Nan and Dan, as though he didn’t even know they were there.
~Next Day, Early evening~
"I still say there’s somethin’ fishy about this Harrison guy." Dan announced, as
they walked up to the schoolhouse.
~<><><><><><>~
"Dan, Nat, have either of you seen Lea?" Bess asked, with Nan walking behind
her.
"Come on, we’ve got to find her before supper." Bess took Nan’s arm and pulled
her through the barn.
~<><><><><><>~
Lea wiped the sleeve of her calico across her face and muffled another sob.
~<><><><><><>~
"Lea! Where are you?!" Nan called loudly. Lea stirred from her spot and
vigorously tried to wipe away her wet tears.
Nan called again.
"I-I’m up here." She managed to call. Her voice was shaky, but Nan heard it.
"Well, it’s time for dinner. And Mrs. Jo doesn’t like it when we’re late." Nan
commented, getting ready to leave.
~<><><><><><>~
Bess stopped and listened again.
~<><><><><><>~
"Lea?" Bess asked with growing concern. The coppery head shot up, and a tear
streamed face appeared. Nan could see Lea’s lips trembling.
"I don’t want to go to the orphanage." She threw her head down in Bess’s lap and
sobbed.
~<><><><><><>~
Dan put the last of the tools away and dusted off his hands.
~<><><><><><>~
"The orphanage?" Nan asked meekly.
Nan was about to burst. "Oh Lea...Please don’t say that. We haven’t been so nice
to you. Or, I haven’t been so nice to you." Her lip trembled.
"Is there something we can do...or somethin’?" Dan asked slowly. The three girls
shook their heads. "Thanks anyway, Dan. I guess the problem’s really mine." Lea
wiped her face. She didn’t care how she looked.
~Next Day, Early afternoon~
~<><><><><><>~
"Certainly you don’t believe all her relatives, her grandmother, are dead because
you simply can’t get in contact with them." Jo argued gently with Luke Harrison.
Turning around, she looked out the window.
"Don’t you feel anything when sending children to an orphanage? You might think
differently and try harder to find her family if you put yourself in her shoes, Mr.
Harrison." Jo’s voice was no longer calm.
~<><><><><><>~
Nan’s mouth flew into a big "O." She clapped her hand over her mouth and tried to
keep quiet. Dan fell back and nearly fell over.
"Oh, nothing that would amuse you." Dan assured him, eyes wide.
"H-Hi ya Mrs. Jo." Nan looked up and waved slowly, with a sheepish smile
spreading across her face. She couldn’t help but let out a small, unsure giggle at the
look on Luke’s face. It was quite humorous!
"Uh, they were standing by the door and I kind of, kept at them and then Nan
tripped backwards and we fell through the door." He looked down slowly, like a
schoolboy in trouble.
"Nan and Dan, I will deal with you after Mr. Harrison has left. As for you,
Nick...Ah, you may um..." She couldn’t figure out what to tell him.
~Same Day, Right before Nan goes to bed~
~<><><><><><>~
Jo sighed and rubbed her eyes one more time. It was late and she needed to go to
bed, but she wasn’t quite ready to.
~<><><><><><>~
"Mrs. Jo?" Nan stepped into the study and looked over at Jo, who was sitting at the
desk, writing in the conscience book.
Nan, feeling a little uncomfortable under Jo’s constant gaze, looked all around the
room.
A long silence followed after that.
~Next Day, Early morning~
~<><><><><><>~
"Hurry up, children. Get your coats on...You know how Franz does not appreciate
tardiness."
A tall, unusually well dressed Luke Harrison stood there.
~<><><><><><>~
"What exactly brings you here today, Mr. Harrison?" Jo asked.
Jo suddenly felt a little dizzy.
~<><><><><><>~
Lea knitted her brows and her eyes grew big. "But that can’t be! He has to be lying!
I jus-"
After a few minutes, she tried to speak again.
Nan leaned over to whisper something to Lea but she had disappeared.
~<><><><><><>~
"Lea? Where’d ya go?" Nan asked, as Leah came and crouched down softly beside
her.
Finally she found what she was looking for.
~<><><><><><>~
"Here it is!" She whispered excitedly and held up the creamy colored envelope for
Nan to see.
"It’s from my grandmother!"
Turning back to his work, he decided not to think about it anymore.
~<><><><><><>~
Franz tried not to act interested, but he too couldn’t resist casting a sneaky glance
now and then.
~<><><><><><>~
"We’ve got to get up to school and tell Franz why we’re late. Then we can come
back and tell Mrs. Jo what we found."
They were about to walk in the classroom, when a line of carriages came noisily up
the lane to Plumfield.
~<><><><><><>~
Jo looked at the letter one more time and then folded it up.
~<><><><><><>~
"Can I help you?" Jo inquired, looking at the older woman dressed in a green-silk
and velvet gown.
The woman straightened, looking Jo straight in the eye.
"I am talking about this!" The woman jerked up a handful of telegrams and thrust
them toward Jo.
"I have done no such thing!" Jo fought.
Jo dropped her jaw.
"Mrs. Joseph Peterson? That name rings a bell." She smiled sheepishly, trying to
cover her embarrassment.
"Yes, that must be it." Jo crossed her arms and looked him squarely.
~<><><><><><>~
"I still can’t believe he wired her for three times the amount of train ticket and was
planning to run off to Canada with it."
Jo crossed her arms and blinked a few times, confused.
~<><><><><><>~
"Good-bye, Lea. It was wonderful having you the short time we did."
Lea leaned out her window and waved again.
Dan stepped up and placed his thumbs in his pockets, while watching them go.
Jo smiled and placed her arm over Nan’s shoulder, still holding her shawl with one
hand.
Hope you enjoyed my never-ending story!. When I write, as you can tell, I
have a very hard time wrapping things up. Any constructive criticism/feedback is
welcomed! Just leave at either of the LM forums and let me know what you
thought about it.
Dan stopped walking back and forth and smiled.
"Yeah, I’m up here."
He walked over to the top of the ladder.
"Is there anything I can help you with, Nick?"
Nick looked up and met Dan’s eyes.
"Uh...Well, yeah. As a matter of fact, there is. Could you maybe come down here
for a minute." He looked up hopefully.
Dan gave one of his usual smiles and crossed his fingers behind his back for Nan to
see.
"Sure Nick."
Nan ‘humphed’ and turned her head.
"Nan can come too." Nick assured her.
Dan punched her lightly in the arm and then continued down the ladder.
"Now, um...What’s this talk about a Mr. Harrison up at the house? I couldn’t help
but overhear your little conversation."
Nan raised her brow and tilted her head. "Oh, it was nothing. We were merely
discussing out thoughts on Mr. Harrison."
She smiled sweetly.
Nick raised a brow. "Thoughts?" He swallowed.
Dan nodded. "Yep, our thoughts. He’s quite a rich looking man. Mrs. Jo might go
after him for his money. With Plumfield going through it’s tight time right now."
Nan could tell Nick was getting nervous because he kept taking his gloves on and
off.
"Why, you kids should know better than that. Mrs. Jo wouldn’t go after a man for
his money. She’s much more respectable than that."
"Oh, I don’t know. I read in a book one time, that when a woman needs
somethin’, she’ll go to desperate measures to try and get it."
Nan hummed softly and tapped her foot.
"You actually read a book all the way through, Nan?" Dan smirked at her.
"Of course I did. Think I can’t read or somethin’?"
Dan looked at her with a penetrating glance.
"Okay, so I didn’t get all the way through, but..." She looked down at the tip of
her boots.
"Alright kids, no arguing." Nick held up his hands.
"Ooh! I can hear them talkin’. Mr. Harrison must be leavin’."
Nan quickly turned and ran out the barn.
Dan followed, with Nick on his heels.
She smiled easily and stepped back as he pulled up into his lavish carriage.
"Good day, Mrs. Bhear." He smiled and raised his tall hat.
Nan raised a brow and cast a quick glance back at Nick as Jo waved and watched
as the gentleman left.
It didn’t take long before the man pulled out and disappeared from view.
"Nice lookin’ fellow." He commented casually.
Jo looked up and smiled. "Yes, he is a perfect gentleman."
Jo sighed and shaded her eyes.
"He was here about Lea. They have not been able to find or contact her
grandmother or any living relative. Lea will be staying in an orphanage in Boston."
Jo looked down at her hands solemnly.
"Well, I suppose I should go and round up the children for their chores."
Jo paused for a moment. "And speak to Lea."
She crossed her arms tightly and walked up to the house.
PART 5
"Why, because he’s handsome, and just Mrs. Jo’s type?" Bess challenged him,
with a teasing snobbish air.
"Maybe I just don’t like him." Dan eyed her with a smirk.
"Just because he’s not who you would have picked out for her, doesn’t mean he’s
not the one for her." Bess straightened her shoulders and smirked back at him. He
growled at her and they progressed to the school/barn.
They shrugged. "No, I haven’t seen her since oh, I think it was right after class."
Nat said, while dumping grain into a bucket.
Dan shook his head and wiped his arm across his brow.
Nan sighed loudly, acting as though they had forgotten she was standing there.
"I never knew just one person could cause so much trouble." She mumbled.
Bess shot her an I-agree-but-don’t-say-it look.
Oh, why, why did she have to leave this place to go to an orphanage?
If only her grandmother could be reached, or found.
Another tear slipped down her cheeks. She would miss Plumfield even if she went
with her grandmother...
Soon, a blond head appeared at the top of the ladder.
"Whatcha doin’ up here?" Nan asked, a little more rudely than she meant.
Lea stood up and quickly turned around to look out the loft door.
"It just looks so neat, looking over all of Plumfield. Have you ever seen it from this
view before? It’s simply wonderful..." Her last few words were barely audible.
Nan had already climbed up into the hay and Bess was coming up quickly behind
her.
Lea didn’t turn to watch them climb back down the ladder.
Thinking they were gone, she sniffed and wiped her cheek again. She couldn’t go
into dinner looking like this. Plopping back down in the hay, she buried her face in
her hands.
"Come on, Bess. Mrs. Jo don’t want us to be late for dinner." She was tempted to
step on the other girl’s fingers.
"Shh!" Bess hissed, trying to listen. "What?" Nan tried to turn and see Bess.
"I think she’s crying." Bess looked up at Nan.
A pang of guilt hit Nan in the stomach. "What from, do you suppose?" She
suddenly felt sick to her stomach. What is because of the thing she said earlier?
Had Lea heard her?
"I don’t know what it’s from, but let’s go up."
Nan twisted around and quickly climbed up the ladder.
"W-What’s got you so under the clouds, Lea?" Nan asked, stepping up and slowly
walking over beside the girl.
Lea tried to hide her face, but it was no use. Bess came up and sat down beside
her.
"Lea, are you sick? Should we go and get Mrs. Jo?" Bess quickly asked, wanting to
help out.
Lea shook her head and looked up at them.
Nat stopped and stepped out of the small room.
"What is that noise?" He asked, confused.
Dan shrugged. "Probably just cats or somethin.’" Nat nodded, but listened for
another moment. "No, it’s not cats. It can’t be cats."
He stepped down the isle, getting closer to where it was coming from.
Dan put on his gloves and blew into his hands.
"Are you comin’ in to dinner? Or are you gonna find those cats?" Dan was half
teasing.
A smiled started across Nat’s lips, but stopped when they heard the familiar sound
of Bess and Nan’s voices.
"Is Nan or Bess crying in the loft?" Dan asked no one in particular. Nat didn’t
answer, but bounded toward the loft.
Lea nodded through her tears. "They can’t get a hold of my grandmother. They
must just assume she’s dead or something because that’s where I’m going...In
three days."
Nan sighed slowly and looked at her toes.
"I wish I didn’t have to leave here. You all have been so nice to me. Treated me
like a person, and not just something else you have to feed. Or clothe. It’s been the
first real ‘home’ I’ve had since my parents died."
"I just...You came, and everyone was liking you so much, and I guess...guess I
just got jealous. Like you were taking my place or something..." She twisted her
fingers nervously.
Bess dropped her head and frowned.
"I haven’t been so nice either...I’m as guilty as Nan is..." She began slowly.
"I guess I fe-"
"Nan? Bess?" All three heads looked up as they heard Nat’s voice.
He and Dan soon appeared from over the top of the ladder, with surprise showing
clearly on their faces. Obviously, Lea was not the one they had expected to see
crying or up with Bess and Nan in loft...talking. Although, they had never seen
Nan or Bess cry before.
They turned to leave, but Lea stopped them.
"Please...Before you leave...I-I want to apologize for-for tricking you like I did. It
wasn’t right for me to do that." She looked down, ashamed. They spent the next
few minutes catching up on long past due apologies.
He shook his head and sighed slowly.
"I’m sorry Mrs. Bhear. But we’ve been searching for weeks, and still have come to
no avail."
Jo turned and quickly spoke.
"But couldn’t you search a little longer of her grandmother at least?"
"I’m truly sorry Mrs. Bhear." He repeated again, trying to ignore the pleading in
her brown eyes.
"We have no choice, but to conclude that she--or any other relatives for that
matter--are no longer living." Jo couldn’t tell if his words were sincere or not.
"I hear what you’re saying, but I still don’t think it’s right."
She suddenly felt angry.
"Mrs. Bhear, I have dealt with this same feeling many, many times before. But I
can’t help everyone." Luke placed a hand on her shoulder. "And neither can you."
Jo crossed her arms and licked her lips.
"Shall we get to our tea, Mrs. Bhear?"
"Whatcha two spying on?" Nick asked curiously, walking up.
Nan whipped around and stepped over, trying to cover up as much of the small
space between the French doors as possible.
Nick tilted his head and raised a brow.
"Now what are you two hiding?" He reached up to push Nan out of the way.
"No, Nick...Really, really, you don’t want to go in there." She shook her head
from side to side vigorously.
"Come on, now." He eyed Nan. She stepped backward; forgetting the door was
already open a little.
Tripping back, Nan fell through door into the parlor with Dan and Nick sprawled
out on the floor beside her.
PART 6
Nick’s eyes grew big, as he noticed Luke Harrison and Jo sipping tea.
Dan cleared his throat nervously and smiled sheepishly, feeling like a complete fool.
"What do you think you are doing?" Jo had jumped up, spilling her tea all over
Luke when Nan, Nick and Dan came crashing through the door.
She placed her hands on her hips and glared down at them.
Nan and Dan exchanged nervous glances.
"Ah...Well, actually Jo...It was more my fault." Nick stood up slowly and placed
his hat back in his head.
Trying very hard to contain her anger, Jo spoke.
"I’ll see ya later..." He gave a sheepish, half-hearted smile and left the room.
She couldn’t get the thought of Lea going to an orphanage out of her mind. No
child deserved to go to an orphanage.
Why can’t they contact any relatives; her grandmother? That would make things
so much less complicated... Jo thought wistfully.
She was so submersed in trying to think something out that she didn’t hear the
footsteps approaching.
Jo looked up and turned around, setting down her pen.
"Can I help you Nan?" Her voice was stern.
Nan looked down at her hands and twisted them nervously.
"D-do you think Lea could stay here?" She said slowly, afraid of what Mrs. Jo
might say. She prayed silently, hoping Jo would say yes.
Jo dropped her hands to her lap and rub them against her thighs.
"Well, I won’t pretend to say that it hasn’t crossed my mind." Jo looked right at
Nan, her glance not wavering a bit.
"I won’t deny the fact that she would be a wonderful student to be able to attend
Plumfield either. But--"
Nan looked up hopefully.
"But what, Mrs. Jo?"
"They won’t agree to let her attend her. Because they can’t get in contact with any
relatives or legal guardians, they have no choice but to send her to the orphanage."
"But why? Wouldn’t it be better for her to be here at Plumfield?"
Jo nodded sullenly.
"It would be, yes. But they don’t want to bother with doing that. It’s too difficult
for them to figure out." She finished rather tersely.
Nan dropped her shoulders.
"But we can’t let her go to the orphanage!" Nan argued.
Jo smiled at Nan’s concern.
"I know...I don’t want to see her go to the orphanage either...But there’s nothing I
can do at this point."
Nan frowned and dropped her head.
Jo walked over and hugged Nan tightly.
"Let’s just work to make these last two days pleasant for Lea…” She whispered.
Nan nodded slowly.
Jo blew out the lamp and together they walked up the stairs.
Jo looked down the long table, with a raised brow.
They all stood up and deposited their dished in the kitchen before going to get their
coats on. It was then that someone knocked on the door.
"I’ll get it!" Nan called. She raced down the stairs and almost tripped on the last
step. Correcting herself, she swiftly swung the door open.
Nan narrowed her eyes and glared at.
He stepped in without being invited and called to Jo as she walked past the hall.
"Mrs. Bhear, how good to see you."
He gave her his smiled and bowed low.
Nan was more than tempted to push him over, so Luke would fall on his face and
he could make a fool of himself.
But because Jo was just walking up, she refrained herself.
"Mr. Harrison..." Jo held her hand slowly to shake. Her voice was rather strained.
"Nan, go and finish getting ready for school." Jo told her.
Nan stood there for a moment, then left, muttering, "I’ll get you another time..."
"What was that Nan?" Jo asked curiously.
But Nan was already out of hearing distance.
He smiled and took off his gloves.
"Lea, of course."
"Is something wrong? I thought you made it clear that we had finished up
everything and that you’d be by to get her the day after tomorrow." Jo was slightly
confused.
Suddenly turning serious he frowned.
"I’m afraid I have some bad news. We heard back from someone in Boston today,
that Lea’s grandmother, Mrs. Joseph Peterson, has been dead for the past three
years."
Jo gasped.
"But how could that be? Lea speaks of her often and it sounds very much so like
she’s alive, and for the fact, very much a lively woman. Even if it were, why would
Lea have not been informed?"
Jo couldn’t quite bring herself to believe what he just said.
Luke Harrison sighed heavily and took a seat on the settee. This was harder than
he thought.
"I’m sorry Mrs. Bhear. Lea has been through a lot, and children have been known
to get mixed up about these things."
He looked at her matter-of-factly.
"I-I think I’ll call Asia to bring some tea."
She turned and left the room.
Nan whipped her hand up to cover Lea’s mouth.
"Shh! If they hear us, we’re goners!" She reminded the other girl a little rudely.
"Sorry..." Lea ducked down and buried her head in her hands to keep from
making anymore noise.
"But that just can’t b-"
"SHH!" Nan looked over at her; finger pressed to her lip.
Lea huffed and rolled her fists. How could she prove Luke Harrison was lying if
Nan wouldn’t listen?
Then a thought came to her...
She had a small letter-sized wooden box in her hand.
Not bothering to answer the question, she opened the box and began to shuffle
through the letters.
"It has to be in here," She thought out loud.
Nan switched back and forth between watching Lea and peaking inside the parlor.
"So, it’s a letter." Nan said not getting it.
"Yes," Lea said. She paused to take the letter out of the envelope. "But look!" She
pointed to the date written in the corner with curly letters and numbers.
"Okay, it’s the date. What’s so special about the date?"
Lea wasn’t dimmed by her unenthusiastic reply.
PART 7
Everyone else seemed to notice too, because they were all casting glances in the
direction of her desk.
But no one seemed to notice Lea’s empty desk.
The things Nan got caught up in, causing her to be late, nine-times-out-of-ten were
always interesting.
Noticing in was causing distraction in the class he spoke up.
"I suggest you all get to work. Nan’s empty desk is not going to give you the
answers pass your math test."
Everyone quickly looked away and down at the white sheets in front of them.
Math tests...
Lea nodded in agreement and walked up the hill beside Nan, clasping the letter
tightly in her hand.
Lea jumped and turned to look at Nan questionably. Nan shrugged, looking as
confused as Lea felt.
The first thought that came to Nan was Emil’s uncle. But he didn’t bring five
carriages when he came.
And the one stationed in the middle of the four was not the same as Captain
Hoffman’s.
Who was it?
"Thank you for bringing this to me, Lea. I believe I have some discussing to do
with Mr. Harrison." She pursed her lips and walked back into the parlor.
"Yes, you can." She said with snappy frustration.
Jo was slightly taken aback by her tone.
"How exactly can I help you?" Jo asked calmly.
"I would like to know why my granddaughter did not arrive on the 11:30am train
three days ago and where the money is that I wired to Mrs. Fritz Bhear! You are
her, are you not?"
She demanded.
Jo’s face turned red with mounting anger.
"I was wired no money, Ma’am. Nor did I telegraph anyone for it! I don’t even
know what you are talking about!" She defended herself.
"I have heard of people doing this sort of thing, but I never imagined a woman
running a school would do this!" She said miffed.
"What of all those telegrams informing me of my granddaughter? Telling me to
send money?!" Her dark eyes narrowed.
Jo pursed her lips. "I’m telling you, whoever you are, that I had nothing to do with
this so-called wired money!"
She spat angrily, waving her hand in the air.
"How dare you speak to me like that. My name is Mrs. Joseph E. Peterson!"
(She's very proud of that fact =O)
"It should! I’ve been sending you telegrams for weeks by that name."
Her voice was a little softer now.
"Ma’am, I’m afraid you have been terribly mistaken. The only person I know that
has..."
Jo raised a brow, her eyes flashing.
"Is Mr. Luke Harrison."
She turned and looked at him sharply.
He shrugged and stepped forward.
"I’m afraid there has been a misunderstanding." He suggested.
Jo tipped her head, amused.
"A misunderstanding?"
"Yes, you see, someone from our bureau must have telegramed you, and never
told us they got a reply."
"And I believe I know who that is."
Jo knitted her brows and stroked Penny’s silken neck.
"I knew there was something fishy about that man. That just goes to show you
should never be involved with a man wearing a tall hat. No matter how much you
may like or admire them. That being, with you liken’ men with tall hats so much."
Nick shook his head and placed his saddle back on the rack.
"Excuse me?"
She asked patiently.
Nick turned around and smiled.
"Now Jo, you shouldn’t go around pretendin’ to not know what I’m talkin’ about."
He chastised gently.
Jo dropped her head, then snapped it back up and looked at him squarely.
"Would you be so kind as to enlighten me?"
He nodded and smiled, then looked up surprised.
"But Dan and Nan said..."
Jo waved and smiled.
Nan hugged Lea quickly then pulled back.
"Here’s my address--Well, my grandmother’s address. You can drop me a note
sometime."
She smiled and held out the small slip of paper.
Nan nodded and agreed.
"Sure...And you know Plumfield’s address. So you can write me, too."
She nodded and stepped up into the carriage.
"Maybe I’ll see you again sometime!"
Lea waved, and then sat back into her seat.
Jo rested a hand on Nan’s shoulder, and they stepped back as the carriage pulled
out.
"Good-bye! And thank you so much!"
Nan waved again then dropped her hands to her side.
They smiled knowingly at each other.
They had both been wrong about Lea, and were now very glad.
"Well, now that she’s gone, I believe we’re long past due for a talk. Don’t you
think?"
She raised a brow, trying to hide a smile.
Nan narrowed her eyes and glared over at Dan.
He gave a half smile. Shrugging, he mouthed, "I thought she would."
"Shall we?" Jo held her hand forward.
"After you," Dan assured her.
They had been wrong again (or Dan had been wrong again, so Nan thought)...But
this time they weren’t so happy.
The End
