Eventually, Johnny went upstairs, saying he was going to change his shirt to go out. Scott gave Charlie a nudge, from where she
was leaning against his side on the sofa.
"Time for bed," he said.
Charlie reluctantly got to her feet. She edged her way to where Murdoch was sitting, in the large chair, the one that had room for her,
if she squeezed in tightly enough. So, she did, sitting next to him, and giving him a hug.
"Good night, darling," he said, pausing in his reading, and giving her a hug in return.
"Good night," Charlie said, and then, still sitting, she peered at his book. "What are you reading?"
Murdoch turned the book so she could see the cover. The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
"Charles Dickens," Charlie said. "He's the author?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Can I read this book when you're finished?" Charlie asked.
"It's 'may I', and no," Murdoch said. "It's not a children's book."
Charlie wrinkled her forehead. "I'm a good reader, though. I can manage the words."
"I know you're a good reader," Murdoch said.
"That's right. Murdoch knows that, already," Scott said, from where he was standing, waiting, beside the doorway. "Come on, Charlie. Bedtime."
Charlie sighed, and stood up. "Night, Murdoch," she said, again, and went to where Scott stood.
Johnny was coming down the stairs, as Scott and Charlie started up.
"Hurry up, brother," Johnny told Scott.
"I'll be a few minutes," Scott said.
Charlie looked up at Scott, as they worked their way up the staircase. "Are you going out with Johnny?"
"I am."
"That's why you're rushing me off to bed," Charlie said, without thinking thru her words.
At the top of the stairs by now, Scott said, "Nobody is rushing you off to bed, young lady. That's enough."
Charlie nodded, realizing she'd crossed some sort of a line.
"Go get into your nightgown," he told her. "I'll be in soon, and we'll read." His voice was still stern-sounding, and Charlie went
into her bedroom, sighing to herself as she got into her nightgown. She regretted her words.
She was sitting, cross-legged, on her bed, when Scott rapped on the door.
"Yes. Come in," Charlie said.
Scott came in, and came over to the bed, sitting down, and holding the book they'd been reading between his hands.
He was giving her a serious look, that suggested her was not pleased.
"I'm sorry," Charlie said. "I didn't mean to sound that way-I want you to go with Johnny, and have a good time. Murdoch says you
should go out more often."
"We're not talking about how often I should or will go out," Scott said, still sounding stern. "We're talking about
how you need to mind your tongue a lot better than you have been."
Feeling chastened, Charlie said, "I will. I promise."
"I'm going to hold you to that," Scott said, and then he added, sounding as his normal tone, "Ready to read?"
"You don't have to. Johnny's waiting for you-we can read extra tomorrow night," Charlie said, feeling sorry for her
earlier words.
"Charlie," he said, and sighed. "I'm not in that big of a rush-we can read."
"Okay."
They sat, looking at each other for a long few moments, both unsure of words, and then, Scott reached out and hugged her to his side.
"I'm sorry for being sassy," Charlie said, leaning her face into his chest.
"I know."
"What happened at the meeting today?" she asked.
"Mmm, well-for a period of time, there will be parents or board members observing in the classroom."
"Watching how the kids behave?" Charlie asked.
"That, and also to support Miss Hummel-see how she manages."
"Oh," Charlie said, thinking. "So another grown-up will be there all of the time? Watching?"
"Not all of the time, probably, but some part of every day."
"Are you going to take a turn?" she asked.
"I imagine that I will," he said, and gave her a slight smile. "So, you'd better be on your best behavior, hmm?"
Charlie nodded, acknowledging his smile with a slight one of her own.
"How long?" Charlie asked.
"How long will it go like this?"
At her nod, he said, "I'm not sure-that will be up to the members of the school board. I guess that they want to see how things go for
a bit. I don't think it will be a long time, really, since most of the parents won't be able to spare time from work for long."
"Oh." Charlie considered. "Do the parents think it's the kids fault? That the classroom is such a mess?"
Scott hesitated, and then said, "I think most just want things to work out and smooth over, so that there's learning going on."
Charlie realized that that was the only answer she was going to get on that question. Scott wouldn't tell her any details of what was
said about misbehaving students, or who was being blamed for the situation.
"Okay," she said.
"Okay. Let's read," he said.
After they had read thru a half a chapter, Scott closed the book, and tucked Charlie up, kissing the top of her head, and turning
down the lamp.
The next morning, as they arrived at church, Charlie saw Monte and John arriving after walking from their house.
After they'd gotten down from the buggy, Charlie looked up at Scott, and said, quietly, "I think I'll talk to Monte now. About-you know."
Scott nodded, and Charlie went off to get Monte's attention.
Seeing her motion for him to come over, Monte gave Charlie a big grin of greeting.
"Hey, Charlie."
"Hi. I need to talk to you."
"Sure," Monte said, as John came running over.
"Monte and Charlie sittin' in a tree..." John sang out, making a kissing sound.
Quick as an instant, Monte caught John around the neck, squeezing him, and lifting John off his feet.
"Ma...!" John called out, trying to pry Monte's fingers away.
Monte's mother came bustling over, her skirts rustling in her haste. "Montgomery, let go of him right now!"
Obediently, Monte released John, who glared at him as their mother hustled him away, with a parting warning of "Your father
will see you next time."
Monte appeared unbothered by his mother's admonition, and turned back to Charlie, his sunny grin still in place.
"What you need to talk about?" he demanded.
Charlie explained quickly about telling Scott about writing the rhyme about Miss Hummel, and that she wanted him to gather all
the boys from school and tell them to stop repeating it.
"I can ask 'em," Monte said. "They might not stop, though."
"They will if you tell them to," Charlie insisted. "I can ask Jason to tell them, too."
When Monte hesitated, Charlie said, "Please, Monte."
"Well, sure, I will," Monte assured her. "If that's what ya want."
"It is. Thank you."
"My Ma says they might fire Miss Hummel," Monte confided.
"Scott didn't tell me that."
Monte shrugged. "Maybe they're just thinkin' about it. Anyway, I hope they do."
"They might have trouble getting another teacher then, though."
"So? I hope they do," Monte said, carelessly.
A thought had occurred to Charlie the night before, which had disturbed her sleep. So, now, she said, to Monte, "If there's no school
teacher here, though, then I might have to go away to school. And, I don't want to do that."
No longer grinning, Monte's freckles stood out on his face. "Huh? Why would ya do that?"
Charlie hesitated, unsure whether Monte knew about her situation, how she was, essentially, an heiress of sorts. How she had to abide
by rules set out, not just by Scott, but by a board of men in Stockton.
"I'll tell you sometime," she said.
"Let's ditch church," Monte said. "We can go to my uncle's and see the colt-he's grown a whole lot."
"I can't," Charlie said, immediately.
"Don't ya wanna see him?"
Charlie did want to see the baby colt, and see how he'd grown, but not like that.
"Sure, I do," she said. "But-I can't-I'd get into trouble."
"So? Not havin' to sit thru a long preachin'-it'll be worth it," he argued.
"No," Charlie shook her head. "It wouldn't be." Just the thought of what would happen if she did as Monte suggested-it made
Charlie quiver. Besides, Scott had been really understanding about her being the author of the rhyme about Miss Hummel. So, she
wanted to behave, and do right, so he wouldn't be angry or disappointed in her.
Both Charlie and Monte were being called now, and so Charlie went to follow the family into church, sitting beside Teresa as Monte
sat next to his father across the aisle.
Lancer