"Jo?" Nick stopped dead in his tracks, gaping at what he saw.
"IIEEHH!" Jo flashed passed as she flew across the barn. Her brow was creased and a smile spread widely across her face.
Eyes wide, he swallowed and quietly entered where everyone else was.
"Look at Mrs. Jo. She's great, isn't she?" Emil asked, noticing Nick step in, watching intently.
"Yeah, but…What is she doin'?" Nick ran a hand through his hair.
Everyone watched as she landed safely back at loft and handed the rope to the next person.
Spotting Nick, she stopped and flushed. "I-er, was just trying it out for safety." Jo smiled sheepishly, tilting her head the slightest bit.
"Checkin' it out for safety, huh?" He repeated what she had said, crossing his arms and rubbing his chin. Raising a brow, Nick smiled at her. "Ya coulda asked me to do it, ya know." He said, giving her a hard time.
Jo, who had been smiling, (thinking she had made it) opened her eyes wide.
"Well, I just, I…" She stumbled. "You weren't here, and the children
wanted to…To be…Be able to it before dinner. So I just offered – You know,
I think I'll just go and see if Asia's finished with supper." Jo blinked,
forcing a smile and pointed up to the house. "We wouldn't want to be late
to dinner." Bright red, she turned and left for the house.
"Oh, what a charming building." Victoria looked up, eyes wide as they approached Plumfield.
"My Great Aunt March left Plumfield to Jo when she died. Jo, and her husband Fritz didn't quite know what to do with it, so they opened a school for boys which now excepts girls, too." Amy smiled proudly and patted Bess's knee.
"It's a wonderful school. Franz is such a good teacher and all the students are so very nice. They're all like brothers and a sister to me. Aunt Jo is the most wonderful too." Bess gushed, smiling directly at Daemon. "I don't think I would go to any other school, even if someone handed it to me in their palm. It's simply the best school there is." Bess smiled, pleased with that statement.
"Oh, but you don't know that until you've tried them all." Daemon corrected her gently.
She straightened her shoulders and wrung her hands tightly in her lap.
"Silly me. No, I suppose I don't know that, until I've seen them all, do
I?" Bess replied, trying to laugh at herself.
"Who's that?" Nan asked, peeking out the window with Nat and Dan.
"I don't know…Never seen him before." Nat replied.
Dan narrowed his eyes, looking over Nat's shoulder.
"What are you all playing Peeping Tom for? Go on out and greet them with everyone else." Asia smiled and shooed them from the kitchen window.
Everyone stumbled out, lining the front of the porch. "Hello Laurie, Amy, Bess." Jo smiled as she stepped through the crowd. "And who might you be?" She extended her hand politely towards Victoria and Fred.
"I'm Victoria Vaughn, and this my husband, Freddie. This is our son, Daemon."
Bess bit her lip to keep from laughing as each of the Plumfield students tried to hold back their surprise. Some of them – especially Dan, Nan and Nat – didn't do too well.
"We're very glad to have you. Will you come in for a cup of tea?" The adults nodded, and followed Jo into the parlor.
Daemon reached out his arm toward Bess. "May I, Elizabeth?" Reluctantly, Bess accepted. Perhaps, if you would kindly quit calling me that!
"Who's that?" Nan gaped, swallowing hard. "He looks like …like…" She couldn't find the right word. "A Prince from a story book."
Dan snorted. "No, he's far from a Prince in a story book."
Nat and Nan both broke out in laughter. "And how would you know, Daaaaan?" Nan drug out the last word.
He didn't reply, being too busy watching Bess and Daemon walk inside.
"Oooh, look who's jealous." Nan teased, casting a glance in Nat's direction.
Dan turned, with his arms crossed. "Who, you? After all, she's the one that has the Prince." He tipped his head and turned, smiling, while walking (jiving ;o) off toward the barn.
"Definitely." They nodded and walked into the house.
"Bess, why don't you go out and introduce Daemon to all the other children." Jo suggested, seeing that Bess was quite bored with the adult chatter.
"What a good idea, Aunt Jo. Shall we, Daemon?" She stood up quickly, looking him hopefully.
"I should love to."
They headed to barn, Bess knowing that's where they usually did most of their talking as a group besides down at the stream. But when they got there, no one was in sight. "Okay, maybe they're down by the stream." She started to leave the barn.
"I saw your painting."
Bess stopped, hearing the comment. "My painting? I know you saw my painting. You made fun of it, remember?"
Daemon shook his head. "Not that one. The one over the fireplace mantle."
"Oh, yes. I painted that a few years ago. In England." Bess fidgeted with her gloves.
"It was quite good. Do you think you'll study art in college?"
"College?"
"You are planning on going, aren't you? Someone with your skills shouldn't skip it."
"Oh, yes. I'm planning on going. Th-thank you…I'll most likely study art and music. Why do you ask?"
"Are you taking any kind of art or music lessons?"
She shook her head.
"I think you would do well at Mistleswaith Academy. They concentrate mainly on music and art. Mozart is a big name there."
Bess smiled naturally for the first time. "Oh, I love Mozart! His music is so captivating."
"I see we have yet another thing in common. Shall we go find them, and continue our talk on the way?" Daemon offered his arm.
"Well, certainly." She took it without hesitation this time.
"This Emil, Stuffy, Meyer, Billy, Nan, Nat, Tommy and Dan." Bess finished going down the line. "This is my guest, Daemon Vaughn."
Nan and Nat were the first to step forward and shake hands. Then everyone but Dan did. Dan, if you're rude, I'll get you! Bess muttered, following them to the stream.
"Hey Emil, I bet you to jump off that rock, and land on the other side of the stream without gettin' wet." Dan smirked, striding over to where Emil was standing.
"Now why would I want to do that, Dan? I'd get all wet and ruin me clothes." Emil stared back at him with a 'you-should-have-known-that' expression.
"'Fraid to do it?" Dan crossed his arms and gave Emil his usual look.
"No, Dan, I'm not afraid. Just watch. But if I ruin my clothes, I'm blaming you. My other clothes are dirty and I wouldn't have a thing to wear." Emil's voice was in a high pitch, feminine squeal. He walked up the rock, stood at the back, and ran forward, lunging off the edge. His feet landed safely, right at the water's edge. Triumphantly, Emil whistled and looked at Dan. "Told you I could do it."
Rubbing his chin, Dan quickly made his way up the rock and stood where Emil had been standing. "Watch and learn, Emil." Backing up, he raced forward, and with a great leap, landed on the other side of the bank, almost eight inches in front of Emil.
Bess gasped, covering her mouth. "What are you doing, Dan? You could have killed yourself." She scolded absently, not meaning too.
Pretending to ignore her comment, he spoke to Emil. "See, that's how you do it proper like." He crossed his arm and stood lazily.
"That's very…Amusing, Dan." Daemon commented, with a little bit of distaste.
Bess shook out of her daze and smiled at him. "Yes, Dan is always doing such childish things." She let out a little laugh, pushing her concern away.
Dan, who had been feeling rather high from her first comment, frowned. "Childish, huh? Can you do any better, Daemon?" He questioned, eyes blazing.
"Oh, I'm sure-"
Bess quickly took Daemon's arm. "Would you walk me back to the house, Daemon? It's getting warm and rather crowded out here." She fluttered her lashes, bringing her hand to her forehead. Dan was as embarrassing her to no end and she wanted to make sure he didn't make even more a fool of her or himself.
"Certainly, Elizabeth."
Dan watched as Bess smiled when he called her that. Elizabeth…
"So, where did your mother and father get the name Daemon from? It's sounds so sophisticated. Not boring." She didn't look back behind her.
Fancy, goody-two-shoes, woose, Dan muttered angrily, watching
the two disappear in the distance.
"You wanted to talk to me, Mother?" Bess walked into the parlor, tying her robe tightly around her.
"Yes, thank you for coming, dear." Amy smiled up at her daughter.
After a minute of silence, Bess spoke. "Is something wrong?" She furrowed her brows.
"N-no, nothing is wrong. I was just wondering…What you thought about maybe…" Amy paused, not quite knowing how to say what she was going to say.
"Maybe what?"
"Going to Mistleswaith, with Daemon."
Bess's eyes flew open.
"Go to Mistleswaith?" The words were came out no louder than a whisper. "What made you ask that?" She continued, a nervous pounding starting in her heart.
"I just thought, just because you enjoyed art and music so much, it might be best for you." Amy waited for her reaction.
"You want me to leave Plumfield?" Bess blinked, taking what her mother had just said.
"Well, yes…I'm afraid you can't attend both schools at once." Amy laughed nervously.
"Do I have a choice? Or are you just warning me for what's about to come?" Bess asked, pretty much sure of what her mother would say.
"Well, I still need to talk to your father some more, but you might start preparing yourself. Bess, we're only doing this because we feel that you have a gift in painting and should be working to make it the best you can." Amy prayed she would understand.
"But Mother, I love Plumfield and everyone there." Well, maybe not Dan, but…Bess pushed the whole thought out of her head.
"I'm sorry Bess, but if you want to study art and music, it looks as
though you'll have to do it away from Plumfield."
