Suzette watched eagerly through her bedroom window as Alain came up the road toward their house. Her heart began to race. He was so unbelievably handsome! Like all the girls in the village, she had always wondered and dreamed about who she would marry one day...and secretly worried that her father might arrange a match for her with someone she didn't like, someone old or ugly or mean. So to find out that her parents had their eye on the dreamiest, most gorgeous boy in Molyneaux to be her husband was like being promised a wonderful present.

Dreamily, she imagined their wedding...there would be a fancy multi-tiered cake, and she would be wearing a beautiful beaded white gown with a long train...

But suddenly a terrible thought struck her, and a chill went down her spine. What if he doesn't like me? Anxiously, Suzette tried to push away her fear. She told herself, Don't be silly. Of course he will like me...He HAS to like me! Nervously she patted her hair and smoothed down her skirt.

The bedroom door opened, and her mother entered. "Mama!" Suzette said excitedly. "Alain is coming! How do I look?"

Bunny sat down on the bed. "There's a change of plans. I want you to stay up here when Alain arrives."

"What?" Suzette cried, stunned. Her face fell in disappointment. "But Mama, I've been getting ready all morning! This is my big chance! What if another girl gets to him first?" The thought was devastating. "I have to meet him now, while I can!"

Bunny shook her head. "Not yet. Trust me, Suzette. I've been thinking a lot about our strategy. Getting a good husband is the single most important thing in a girl's life. You know that. So the first impression you make on Alain has to have a big impact. We can't afford to mess it up." She stood up, pacing as she continued to think out loud. "When I was talking to Belle, it sounded to me like Alain isn't at the age of really being interested in girls yet. Apparently, all he talks about are machines. And today is the first day of his new job working with your father. He's probably all excited about that, wondering what it will be like. That's going to be the only thing on his mind right now..which means that if you meet him today, he'll barely even notice you. That is not what we want." She set her jaw in determination. "When you get introduced to Alain, it has to be a big deal to him. It needs to be special, and exciting."

Suzette was intrigued despite herself. Although she was dying to meet Alain right away, she had to admit that her mother made sense. "Well...okay," she conceded. "But how can we make it special?"

"For one thing, we can't let him see you too much, and you can't be too available," Bunny said practically. "Of course you both live here in the village, but I don't want you going up to him or talking to him. Not yet." She looked at her daughter seriously, her eyes reflecting pain and regret borne of experience. "If there's one thing I've learned in my life, Suzette, it's this: Men like a challenge. If a girl follows a man around all the time, flattering him and doing anything he wants, he'll see her as easy and take her for granted. Oh, he might have his fun with her, but he won't value her...and he won't marry her." Her voice trailed off bitterly as memories of her youth overtook her. What a fool she'd been! If only she'd acted aloof and hard to get, like Belle, things might have been so different...

"Mama?" Suzette asked in concern. "Are you all right?"

Bunny forced her thoughts back to the present. She smiled at her daughter. "I'm fine. Just figuring out the best plan for you." She patted Suzette's hand reassuringly. "So instead, we're going to wait a while. We'll let Alain get settled into his job so the novelty wears off, and let him grow up a little and start getting interested in girls. I'm going to go on being friendly to Belle, so I'll keep tabs on him, don't worry! Then, when the time is right, I'll get your father to start talking you up: how beautiful you are, what a wonderful cook you are, how all the boys are after you, but only the best will be worthy of your hand." Bunny smiled slyly as the plan unfolded in her mind. It was the perfect scheme, she was sure of it. "He'll start getting curious about you, and eager to see for himself. Then,when he's dying to meet you...we'll invite him to dinner. We'll make sure that you're the utter vision of loveliness that night. You'll come down the stairs, dressed to the hilt, and you'll absolutely dazzle him with your beauty. That boy won't know what hit him!" she finished triumphantly.

Suzette beamed in delight. "Oh, do you really think so?"

Bunny smiled and nodded. "Trust me. Just be patient, and he'll be yours forever."

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Outside the house, Alain's heart was racing too as he knocked on the door. This was it – he was finally going to have the vocation he'd always dreamed of, working with guns and machines and learning more about them than he'd ever known before. Although Alain was usually the calmest of people, today he was practically bouncing with excitement. He felt like a whole new life was beginning for him.

But at the same time, he couldn't help feeling a little apprehensive, too. More than anything, he wanted to do a good job and not disappoint his new employer.

Monsieur Armurier opened the door. "Ah, you're here bright and early!" he said approvingly.

"Oh, I hope I'm not too early," Alain said apologetically. "I just couldn't wait."

The gunsmith laughed. "Well, that's good to hear! I like to see enthusiasm in a lad. And your timing is perfect; I just finished breakfast. Do you want something to eat?"

"No, thank you. I ate at home."

"All right, then. Let's get started." They walked next door to the shop. The gunsmith unlocked the door and went in, followed by his apprentice.

Alain had a thought. "Monsieur Armurier, I was wondering...last time I was here, I saw a spinning wheel in the shop. What was it for?"

"Oh, that. Well, since I'm a gunsmith, people know I have tools and I'm able to fix things," Monsieur Armurier explained, taking a rifle down from a shelf. "So sometimes if something breaks, they'll bring it to me to fix, even if it's not a gun."

"Really?" Alain's eyes lit up.

Monsieur Armurier was puzzled by his delighted reaction. "Yes, why?"

Alain smiled, embarrassed. "It's just...I really like fixing things. All kinds of machines. I want to learn all about guns, but if I can sometimes fix other things too...well, that's even better!" Alain wanted to seem calm and professional, but he could barely contain his enthusiasm.

"Glad to hear it. Now, have a seat on the workbench." Monsieur Armurier put the rifle on the table. "I know you've done some tinkering with your grandpa, so let's see how much you know. I'm going to disassemble this rifle completely. I'll point to each piece, and you tell me what it is and what it does, if you know. Anything you don't know, I'll tell you. Then you try to put it all back together again, and I'll help you."

"Great!" Alain couldn't wait to get started. This would be so much fun, like a game or a puzzle.

Monsieur Armurier smiled to himself as he took the rifle apart, curious to see how much this boy really knew. As he pointed to each piece, his surprise and admiration grew. Alain correctly identified every part, then reassembled the rifle in mere minutes. Monsieur Armurier mentally congratulated himself on his excellent judge of character. This boy would certainly make a fine apprentice...and maybe, a fine son-in-law, too.

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"Where's Alain?" one of the older boys asked as Belle called the class to order. "Is he sick?"

Belle smiled with a mixture of pride and sadness. "Alain was offered an apprenticeship at the gunsmith's, so he left school to start working there. He won't be coming back to class." She looked around the class for a reaction, and saw that the announcement wasn't nearly as earthshaking to the students as it was to her. Although she had expanded the school age up to 14 during her tenure, it was very common for students to leave before their final term was over. The class accepted the news with barely a shrug.

To Belle, though, it felt strange teaching the class without her son there. She wondered what he was doing right now at his new job, and hoped that he liked it.

After school, the older students either headed home or went to play, while the younger ones were picked up by their mothers. Two little girls – Jeanne, Monique's youngest daughter, and Gabrielle, Josette's youngest – asked if they could go pick wildflowers in the meadow near the school.

Lili brightened. "Ooh! I want to pick flowers too!"

"Well...I wanted to go to the bookstore..." Belle said, thinking out loud.

"I'll keep an eye on her," Monique offered.

"All right," Belle said, smiling. "Lili, you can play for a bit while I'm at the bookstore. But then it will be time to come home for lunch."

"Okay!" Lili said happily.

Belle turned to Georges and Mimi. "Ready to go to the bookstore?"

"You bet!" Georges said immediately. He couldn't wait to see what new books might be in stock.

Mimi frowned. "Do I have to go? I hate the bookstore! It's so boring, and you always start talking to Monsieur Lisseur, and we'll be there forever! Can't I just go home?"

Belle sighed. How could a daughter of hers dislike reading so much? Mimi didn't mind listening to Belle read stories in the evening, but getting her to read on her own was like pulling teeth. Belle just couldn't understand it. To her the bookstore was a marvellous place, full of fantasy and adventure and romance, colorful characters and exotic worlds...she couldn't even imagine finding it "boring."

But she couldn't force the issue. "All right, Mimi," she relented. "You go home, and we'll meet you there."

"Yay!" Mimi took off running home, her long black hair streaming behind her in the wind.

Belle shook her head and turned to Georges. "You'll come to the bookstore with me, won't you?"

Georges grinned. "Of course. I love the bookstore. It's my favorite place. Do you think Monsieur Lisseur might have any new poetry books? Or maybe something about knights, like that King Arthur book?"

"Oh, maybe!" Belle put her arm around her son as they headed to the store, talking eagerly about what new delights might await there.

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Mimi ran as fast as she could, loving the feeling of speed and the wind in her face. Who wanted to just sit around staring at words on a page when they could be out doing things - running and climbing and having fun? Mama always said books were full of adventure, but Mimi didn't want to read about other people having adventures. She wanted to have her own!

As she approached the house, her eyes lit up. Her Papa was sitting on the porch with his two hounds next to him. "Papa!" she cried, running towards him and immediately tackling him.

Gaston was nearly knocked over by the 70-pound black-haired cannonball crashing into him. The dogs joined in by barking eagerly and scrambling up to lick Mimi's face as she tried to wrestle her father down. Laughing, Gaston joked, "So, you think you're big enough to take me?" Getting to his feet, he picked her up. "But you're not too big for this!" Grinning, he spun her around, then flipped her upside down while she shrieked and giggled and kicked her feet.

"You came home early today!" she said happily when he put her down.

He nodded. "Georges needs to work on his shooting, so I told him I'd help him practice this week." He looked around. "Where is he?"

Mimi frowned, feeling jealous that Papa had quit his hunting early and rushed home specially to spend time with her brother. "He and Mama went to the bookstore."

"Ah. Knowing your mother, that could take a while," Gaston said, sitting down on the porch again.

Mimi had an idea. "Papa, since I'm going hunting with you Saturday, could you teach me how to shoot?" she asked hopefully.

"You?" Gaston was delighted by her interest. He was tempted to say yes...but good sense intervened, and he reluctantly shook his head. "Sorry, but you're too young. And quite frankly, wildcat...at this point, I think putting a loaded rifle in your hand would just be asking for trouble." He sounded amused at the thought. "That's all I need: to hear that you were showing off and accidentally blew someone's head off!" He smiled to take the sting out of his words, and ruffled her hair. "Tell you what. Show me that you're responsible, and that you can follow rules, and mind your mother, and maybe in a couple of years, we'll see."

"A couple of years?" Mimi was crestfallen. "How can I go hunting if I can't shoot?"

Gaston reflected on that. She did have a point. "Well...your brothers started out with a bow and arrow..."

Mimi perked up. "Ooh! A bow and arrow! Can I learn that?"

"Well...I don't know..."

"Please, Papa?" Mimi wheedled. "Please? I want to be a great archer, just like you!"

Gaston simply couldn't say no to that. He grinned at his daughter, a chip off the old block. His girl had hunting in her blood, no doubt about it...just like her old man, he thought proudly.

"Well, all right, if you promise to be careful and follow the rules," he said, making a big show of relenting, but in truth he was just as eager as she was. He couldn't wait to see what Mimi could do.

"I promise! Oh, thank you, Papa!" she said, hugging him.

He smiled. "Wait here and I'll go get Georges' old bow and quiver." He patted her head and went into the house.

Mimi hugged herself with excitement. Finally! She was going to learn how to use a bow and arrow and become a mighty hunter! People would admire her and tell stories about her, just like they did about Papa.

Oh, if only the boys from school were here. She was dying to tell someone about it!

Then she saw someone coming up the road. She shaded her eyes with her hand. It was that older girl from church, the one with Mme. Grognon, who'd sounded so impressed when Mimi said she wasn't scared to go in the forest. Wait till she heard this! Mimi grinned and headed for the road.

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Paige Grognon held the list tightly in her hand as she followed the road that led to the center of town, where the marketplace was. She was going to the bookshop to get the books her brother Luc needed for school. Her mother had grumbled when she'd looked over the list – "A lot of useless nonsense!" she'd sniffed. "Stories about flying horses and magic...what is that woman thinking?" But she wanted him to do well in school, which meant buying the books the teacher had listed.

As Paige passed by a big house, she was startled to see someone running from the house toward her. She was new to the village; she didn't know anyone here. As the figure approached, she saw that it was the schoolmistress' daughter, that little girl that her mother said was so wild and unruly and uncivilized.

"Hi!" the girl said. "Remember me from church? I'm Mimi."

"H-hello," Paige said hesitantly. "I'm Paige." She knew her mother wouldn't approve of her talking to this girl.

Mimi didn't notice Paige's hesitation. She was bursting with the need to share her news. "Guess what? My Papa just went to get a bow and arrow for me! He's going to teach me archery!"

"Really?" Paige could only imagine what her mother would say about that.

Mimi nodded. "I need to know how to shoot for when we go hunting on Saturday. Oh, I can't wait!" She jumped up and down, unable to contain her excitement. "I'm gonna be the best hunter ever!"

Paige reminded herself that pride was a sin, and that girls should be modest and demure at all times. Mother said that this girl would surely come to a bad end. But somehow...looking at Mimi's bright eyes and cheerful grin, Paige couldn't really see the wickedness.

Tentatively, she said, "You know, girls really aren't supposed to do things like hunting. That kind of thing is for boys."

Mimi frowned. "Why?"

Paige found herself at a loss. It was just the way things were – she'd never questioned it. "Well...I guess because they could get hurt," she suggested. "Girls are delicate. That's why they take care of the house and the children. Boys are strong and tough."

Mimi snorted. "I'm stronger and tougher than any boy in this town!" she bragged. "Look!" Proudly she stuck out her arm and clenched it, showing off her muscle. "And I'll beat them all at hunting, too – you'll see." Her eyes lit up with a new thought. "Maybe I'll even kill a bear!"

Paige had to smile at that. Despite herself, she found herself admiring the little girl. She was so fearless, so confident, so full of life. Paige remembered Mimi saying she wasn't even afraid of wild animals in the forest. How could a mere girl be so brave?

But she wouldn't stay that way, Paige told herself. As she got older, she'd no doubt learn her place. Her bold ways, so inappropriate for a girl, would be tamed, and she would become a proper young lady, quiet and modest and well-behaved...like Paige herself. Paige was surprised to feel a little sad at the thought.

A voice called, "Okay, Mimi! Ready to become a hunter?" Paige looked up to see a man on the porch of the house – the biggest, strongest man she'd ever seen.

Mimi beamed. "Coming, Papa!" She looked back at Paige. "I have to go now."

"All right. It was nice talking to you," Paige said. Impulsively, she added, "I hope you do get a bear on Saturday!" Then, a little shocked at herself, she looked around guiltily to make sure no one was listening.

"Thanks!" Mimi said. Thoughtfully she studied Paige. "You know...you're kinda nice."

"Really?" Paige was surprised, but pleased. "Thank you."

"See you!" Mimi turned and flew toward the house. "I'm here, Papa!"

Smiling, Paige headed toward the bookstore.