Charlie went to her bedroom soon after she came in, choosing not to stay downstairs in the library with the family. She washed her hands
and face, and curled up on her window seat to read the evening away.
She heard someone coughing as they came up the stairs, and then there was a light tap on her door.
"Come in," she said.
Teresa opened the door and stepped just inside, a cup of something hot and steaming in her hand. "I came to check on you," she said.
"I just felt like being up here alone," Charlie said.
"Alright. Well, I'm heading to bed myself. I wanted to be sure you were alright."
"I am. Why are you goin' to bed so early?" Charlie asked.
"I'm not feeling very well. Murdoch's insisting I have an early night of it."
Charlie sat up a bit straighter, laying her book aside. "I'm sorry you feel bad," she said.
"Oh, I'm just tired, I imagine." Teresa turned her head, coughing. "I'll drink my hot tea, and get some rest."
Curious now, Charlie sat up even more, putting her feet on the floor. "Do you mind much when Murdoch does that?"
"When he does what?" Teresa asked.
"Well-tells you to go to bed, because you're sick, and things," Charlie said.
"Of course not, silly. Why would I mind that?" Teresa asked, surprised.
"Because-you're all grown up."
Teresa laughed, which caused her to cough again. When she'd stopped, she came over to sit beside Charlie on the window seat.
"Whether I'm grown-up or not, that doesn't change the fact that Murdoch cares, and worries. He's been looking after me for a long
time now. It's a habit for him to voice his concern. And even for him to insist on it, at times."
"Don't you get weary of it sometimes, though? All the fussing, and bossing, like Murdoch, or Johnny, when you wanted to go
on your trip to San Francisco. Remember how Johnny fussed about that?" Charlie asked.
Again, Teresa shook her head, with a slight laugh. "Ah, Johnny. He's just a teddy bear, really. Have you not figured that out, yet?"
"What's that mean? A teddy bear?" Charlie asked.
"It means-well, that he seems tough on the outside, but he keeps his feelings close, and when he loves somebody, it
sometimes comes out as bossiness," Teresa explained. "But, inside, he's all soft and gentle."
"Sometimes, he's gentle," Charlie agreed, thinking of the evening before when Johnny had tended to her headache. "But, sometimes-he's
sort of fierce."
"He can be," Teresa agreed. She turned to study Charlie. "What's this about? Did you have a disagreement with Johnny?"
Charlie told Teresa what had happened, with the wet saddle, and how Johnny had responded.
"He's just trying to help you, Charlie," Teresa pointed out. "To learn to be responsible. And, you know how Johnny is, about
horses, and anything to do with their care. Do you really think you didn't deserve to be scolded?"
"I deserved it," Charlie admitted. "It's just-I hate it so."
"You'd be very, very unusual if you didn't hate it," Teresa said.
There was a clearing of a throat, and Murdoch stood there, in the doorway.
"Here's my girls," he said, and Charlie felt her heart soar at those words. He stepped on into the room. "I thought you were off
to bed, sweetheart," he said, to Teresa.
Teresa turned, and gave Charlie a wink, as if to say 'there you see? he's fussing again'.
"I am," Teresa said, standing. "Right this minute." She paused, beside Murdoch, and patted his chest. "Good night," she said, reaching up
to kiss his cheek.
"Alright, rest well," Murdoch said. He turned to look to Charlie, as Teresa went out, telling Charlie goodnight.
"Night, Teresa," Charlie answered.
"What about you, young one?" Murdoch said. "Are you prepared for sleep?"
"Yes. Just reading," Charlie said.
"Alright." He took the few steps to the window seat, and bent, kissing the top of Charlie's head. "I think Scott's heading up, so you can
read together."
Murdoch said his good nights, and went out, leaving Charlie's door ajar. Charlie curled up again, this time not looking at the book she'd been
reading, but, instead, out at the starry sky.
She was so absorbed in studying the sky, that she was surprised by Scott's quiet appearance.
"I didn't hear you coming," she told him.
"You were intent on those stars up there," Scott said, sitting down beside her on the window seat, as she scooted to make
room for him.
"Yes. Remember when we went camping? And you showed me the Big Dipper?" she asked.
"I remember."
"And-it's actually part of the Ursa-" Charlie hesitated, trying to remember.
"The Ursa Major," Scott supplied.
"Yes," Charlie said. She scooted closer to him, still facing the window, and linked her arm thru his. "Do you know why there was no
homework tonight?" Not sure just why, Charlie only knew she felt the need to confide in Scott right then.
"Why?" he asked, sounding interested.
Charlie went on to tell him what had happened, about how the children had coaxed Miss Hummel into talking all thru the afternoon, about
her life and travels.
"So-by the time school was over, there wasn't any more time to assign homework," Charlie finished.
"Hmmm," he said.
Charlie turned to study his face in the lamp light. "Do you think that's bad?"
"I imagine for one afternoon it was harmless enough," Scott said.
"But only one afternoon?"
"Well, there won't be much learning happening if it's more than one."
"The kids thought it was real funny."
"I'm sure they did," he said, still mildly.
"They're going to do it again tomorrow," Charlie said, and then wondered why she had. At Scott's serious expression, she admitted,
"I don't know why I told you that. It sort of just slipped out."
"Sorry that you did, huh?" Scott asked, and Charlie thought she heard a hint of amusement in his tone.
She squeezed his arm tighter. And then found herself chattering on. About how the boys, not naming Monte specifically, had slipped in,
and changed the assignment on the chalkboard, so that Miss Hummel would be caught unawares and be confused.
"Her face got so red-" Charlie said, remembering, and giggled. "She had to pretend in front of Mr. Johnson that everything was
all fine, but she looked as though steam was going to come out of the top of her head!" She giggled again.
"Lots of nonsense still going on, by the sound of it," Scott said. He sounded not amused now, but very serious.
Swiftly, Charlie looked up at him, trying to see his expression. "I'm still doing my lessons," she said, in haste. She worried then
that Scott would think the local school deficient and she did not, under any circumstances, want to go away to boarding school.
"That's all that you really can do," he said. "Keep up with your work, and pay attention when she's teaching. And, not be part of any
nonsense."
Remembering that Monte was after her to start the questioning tomorrow with the teacher, Charlie felt her face get warm.
"I haven't done anything. Not since I made up the rhyme," she said.
"That's good."
"She wasn't even nice about when I apologized to her. She said mean things-"
"I know. Johnny told me." Scott tugged her closer to his side. "You made your apology. That was your responsibility. How she chooses
to act is hers."
"She's a grown-up lady, though," Charlie protested. "I mean-isn't she supposed to have control of herself, and the things she
says?"
"Being an adult doesn't necessarily make a person be in control of themselves. It should, but it doesn't, always. Part of getting older
is learning to control the things you do and say. Some people don't ever manage to do it."
"I'm trying to do it," Charlie said. "It's hard, though."
"You've grown up a lot in the last few months. You'll get there," he said.
Scott was sometimes sparing on his praise, so Charlie took that statement from him, and held it inside, to pull out later when she
felt not-so-confident.
"And, what she said, it wasn't right," Scott continued, quietly, and then, he put a hand on Charlie's shoulder to turn her more towards him. "It wasn't
right, and it wasn't true. You were meant to be here, with us, at this time in your life. There's no mistake or misjudgement about it. You understand
that, don't you?"
Charlie bobbed her head, avoiding his eyes, and resting her forehead on his shoulder.
"Okay," Scott said, patting her back. "You ready to read now?"
Lancer
The next morning, Johnny greeted and behaved to Charlie as he usually did. He tugged her braid, and said, "How many pieces of
bacon, pequeno?"
When Charlie said, 'two', Johnny forked the pieces onto her plate. Teresa was absent from the breakfast table. She was again resting in
her bedroom, according to Murdoch.
Murdoch was obviously concerned. "I'll take a tray up to her. I don't like the way that cough sounds."
"She needs to see the doctor," Johnny said.
Murdoch nodded. "I thought I'd take her into town once she has some breakfast."
Teresa was generally quite healthy, so Charlie felt a bit discomforted by the older girl's illness. She finished her breakfast, and slipped
back upstairs, tapping lightly on Teresa's door. There was no response, and Charlie opened the door just a bit, peering inside.
The curtains were drawn, so the sun wasn't yet shining into the room, but Charlie could see that Teresa was still in bed.
So, she closed the door again, softly. Downstairs, she went to the kitchen, realizing that she needed to prepare her
own lunch. No Maria, and Teresa was ill, so it was up to her.
In the kitchen, however, she found Murdoch puttering, fixing tea, and toast.
"I've made your lunch, sweetheart," he said to Charlie, gesturing to the lunch pail set aside.
"Oh, thank you," Charlie said, surprised by Murdoch's kitchen nurturing.
"You're welcome. I put some extra cookies in, for you to share with your friends."
Charlie gave him a sudden, impulsive hug around his waist. His hands busy with pouring hot water from the kettle into the
tea cup, Murdoch turned to look down at her.
"Is that for Teresa?" Charlie asked him.
"Yes, it is."
"She's still sleeping," Charlie said, and confessed, "I looked in."
"Well, I'm going to wake her soon, so she can go to the doctor."
"I hope she's alright," Charlie said, and Murdoch put the kettle down, patting Charlie on the lower back.
"She'll be just fine. You go to school and do your best. She'll likely be feeling better by the time you're home this
afternoon," he said.
"Okay," Charlie said, taking her lunch pail, and saying goodbye to Murdoch. Scott was waiting just outside for her. He had already
saddled Gurth, adding, "Using a different saddle today, so yours can dry out a bit more."
Charlie felt her face flush in embarrassment. Though there was no censure in Scott's tone, Charlie still felt embarrassed.
She nodded in reply, and Scott gave her braid a gentle tug. When he had her full attention, he said, "Do your best today."
Charlie nodded again.
"Stay out of the pranks and nonsense," he reminded.
"Okay," Charlie said. She hesitated, and then said, "If the other kids get her to talking all day again, though, that won't be my
fault." She eyed Scott a bit mischievously. "Will it?"
"No, that wouldn't be your fault," Scott said, his own eyes smiling.
Lancer
Miss Hummel was not to be distracted that morning. Despite the boys' best attempts to draw her into rambling, she kept
centered on lessons. Since there'd been no assignments written on the chalkboard the day before, the same trick of
switching out the writing couldn't be done by the boys, either. Therefore, the boys felt thwarted, and so, rather unsurprisingly,
resorted to previous plots. They were just naughty. There was talking out, and paper crumpled and sent flying. By recess, Miss Hummle's
failed attempts to keep order had her snapping. She ordered Tommy to stand in the corner, his nose pressed to the wall.
When her back was turned, Tommy kept his face to the wall, but did a impromptu dancing jig. When laughter and snickering broke
out among the students, Miss Hummel turned swiftly to Tommy.
"What are you doing, Thomas?" she demanded.
"Thought there was a spider, crawling up my leg, teacher," Tommy said, still shaking one of his feet.
More laughter, and Miss Hummel's face reddened.
Charlie had to admit that Tommy was funny. She exchanged a swift look with Rebecca, and both girls found themselves
barely holding back their own laughter.
"We'll see how amusing it is, when you all have no recess this morning," Miss Hummel said, raising her voice. Much of
the laughter stopped.
There was general grumbling then, and then, wordlessly, Monte seemed to lead all the boys into constant requests
to go to the outhouse. First one, then the next, then the next.
By the time lunch time came, the children escaped outdoors into the sunshine gleefully. Sitting in a circle on the grass
with her friends, Charlie passed out the extra cookies that Murdoch had packed, as the boys planned what other annoyances
they could pin on Miss Hummel.
"Nobody's pa must be comin' today," Monte said. "We'll just keep askin' to go to the outhouse, or tellin' her that our throats
are closin' off if we can't go and get a drink-and such as that."
"Ought to just stop," Jason said.
"Nah, we can't," Tommy said. "We're gettin' on her very last nerve. If we keep it up, she might take a notion to up and
quit."
Jason shook his head, and got to his feet. "Me and Becca aren't gonna be part of it," he said, firmly. He walked away, and Rebecca
gave a shrug to the group. "Jase means it," she said.
"It's okay," Monte said. "There's enough of us others to keep it up."
A rider came into sight, and Charlie could see that it was Scott. Maybe, she thought, he'd come into town to pick up the mail, or to
see Val. Or maybe, with worry, she thought it was about Teresa! Maybe she'd taken a turn for the worse-and he'd come back for the doctor-
She was surprised when he kept riding, right up to the post in front of the school, off to the side of the school yard.
"It's Scott," Rebecca said, with a nudge.
"Yes," Charlie said, getting to her feet. She left the group of children, and walked over to where Scott was tying the reins to the
post.
"Hi," she greeted him.
"Hey there, kiddo," he said.
"Is Teresa alright?" Charlie asked, anxiously.
"She's alright. She got some medicine from the doctor."
"Oh," Charlie said, relieved, and then wrinkled her forehead at him, puzzled. "Why are you here?"
"I'm the observer for the afternoon," he said.
"You are? You didn't say so this morning-"
"I didn't know this morning," Scott said. "The message got passed along to me from one of the board members that talked to Murdoch when he
was in town. They were having a hard time finding somebody to do it today."
"Oh," Charlie said, again.
Scott began walking towards the school building, asking as he walked, "How are things today?"
"About the same, I guess," Charlie said.
Scott paused at the bottom of the steps. "Alright. Well, you go on and finish your lunch. I'll see you inside after a bit."
Charlie nodded, and walked back over to the group of kids, who were waiting curiously.
"What's he doin'?" Monte demanded.
"He's here to watch this afternoon," Charlie said.
For a moment Monte looked startled, and then unsure. "Gosh," he said.
"You want that we behave, Charlie?" Tommy asked.
Charlie looked at him gratefully. "Would you, Tommy? I'd sure appreciate it."
"We did the prankin' when my own Pa was here yesterday," Monte reminded the group. "What's to keep us from somethin'
today?" He looked at Charlie. "We won't do anything too awful bad, Charlie."
"But, what?" Chester asked. "When your Pa was here, we did that trick about the wrong pages. We can't do that today-we're not
set up for that-"
"Yeah, yeah," Monte said, waving a hand. "Let me think on it."
"Monte, Charlie doesn't want you to," Rebecca objected.
"Oh, I don't care," Charlie said. She picked up her lunch pail, and stuffed the sandwich cloth inside. "Come on, Rebecca."
As the two girls walked away, Rebecca squeezed Charlie's empty hand. "Do you really not care?" she whispered, with sympathy.
"I care," Charlie said. "But there's nothing I can do-if they want to act up, then they will."
There were pounding footsteps and Monte caught up with them. "Don't worry, Charlie."
"Do what you want!" Charlie snapped.
Miss Hummel came out to ring the bell, calling the children inside.
"Here we go," Charlie muttered.
Lancer