Katherine and Mrs. Horn stayed for another hour or so after that time, and Charlie kept waiting for glaring blips or incidents in the conversation. At one point,
while Mrs. Horn rose to stand near Murdoch, and they began to discuss the paintings in the library, Charlie found Katherine's eyes on her,
looking as though she was contemplating something or other.
"Will you come and sit with me for a few minutes?" Katherine asked, gesturing to the spot next to her on the settee.
Charlie hesitated, feeling Scott's eyes on her. She stood up, and went to sit beside Katherine, on the edge of the settee, holding herself
up straight, and not relaxed.
"Have you made some friends here?" Katherine was asking.
"Yes. I have."
"Friends of standing?" Katherine asked then. "Children whose parents are worthwhile?"
For a quick flash, Charlie felt all the old feelings, the quick anger and impatience at Katherine's superior attitude rise up.
She looked to Scott, and he said, "They're good kids, Charlie's friends. Their parents are hard working people."
"So not thugs, then?" Katherine asked, and laughed a bit, as if she were making a joke.
"No. They're not thugs. They're just-" Charlie hesitated. "Regular kids."
"And is that what you want, Charlotte?" Katherine asked then. "To be 'regular'? Ordinary?"
"Yes. I think so," Charlie said.
"Do you think that's what your mother would have wanted?" Katherine asked, and Charlie felt stunned. What did Katherine mean by that?
Before she could think of a response, Scott spoke from his spot directly across from them.
"I believe Charlie's mother would have wanted her to be a compassionate person, that cares about other people's situations. Honest, and
curious. Loving. Charlie's all of those things. I think her mother would be very proud."
Scott's voice was quiet enough, but strong, and there was an underlying bit of steel to it. Charlie heard it in his defense of her, and wondered if
Katherine did, as well. She felt warm inside, hearing Scott talk that way.
She flashed him a look of gratitude.
Katherine, to her credit, seemed to be rattled, if only momentarily, by Scott's forceful reply. Two bright spots of color appeared in her
cheeks. "Of course," she said, in apparent agreement.
Johnny had long ago made his departure from the group, but Teresa, who was still sitting nearby, spoke up with spirit.
"Charlie's one of the kindest-she has a wonderful empathy for animals, and for people!" Teresa said.
Her self-proclaimed 'big sister' was taking up for her as well!
"I was only intending-" Katherine began, "That since Charlotte's going to come into a large sum of money when she's older, that she should
be introduced to things-culture, and people, that may not be readily apparent here. She'll need those skills to maneuver in the world of society."
By now, Murdoch and Mrs. Horn had halted their conversation, and were standing nearby, listening. Mrs. Horn looked somewhat uncomfortable, and
Murdoch's looked stern.
"Charlie will be able to mingle successfully with all sorts of people," Murdoch said. "Now, and in the distant future as well. An inheritance does
not a person make."
For the longest moment, there was a charged silence in the room.
"Charlie, it's time for bed. You can say your goodnights," Scott said. His tone was a bit clipped, but when she looked at him, Charlie saw that it
was not meant to be that for her. He gave her a reassuring half-smile. But, quite plainly, as well, he wanted her out of the room. And, that was alright
with Charlie.
"Yes, come on," Teresa said, standing, and holding out a hand to Charlie. "I'll go with you."
Charlie stood up, thinking this was her moment to make Scott, and Murdoch as well, truly proud. Katherine hadn't changed. Not at all. But she, Charlie, had.
She didn't have to be afraid, or worried that she'd have to go back to live with Katherine. The guardianship with Scott was solid.
So, she looked first at Mrs. Horn. "It was nice to meet you," she said, politely.
"I was happy to meet you, as well," that lady replied.
Passing by Murdoch, Charlie paused, and hugged his waist. "Goodnight," she said, and he patted her back.
"Goodnight, darling," he said.
Near Katherine, Charlie paused again. "Goodbye," she said.
"Goodbye, Charlotte," Katherine said, looking as though she wanted to say more.
"I hope you have a safe trip back to Stockton," Charlie said. And, she did hope that. After all, it's not as though she wanted the stage that Katherine was on
to crash, or roll over, or anything like that.
The surprise on Katherine's face was blatant. "Thank you," she said.
"Perhaps," Katherine went on, "If I'm passing thru again soon, we could have a luncheon together. Or, you could come to Stockton for a few days with me-"
She didn't mean the invitation. Not genuinely. Charlie knew that.
Before she could speak, however, Scott spoke for her. "We'd have to see about the lunch together in town here. But, staying in Stockton, that's not
something that's going to happen. Not anytime in the near future, anyway."
Katherine cocked her head at Scott, and again, there was heightened color in her cheeks. "I see," she said stiffly.
"Come on, Charlie," Teresa prompted.
"Goodbye," Charlie said, again, and went to go out of the room with Teresa, letting the older girl take her fingers in her own.
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Going up the stairs with Teresa, Charlie gave her a look as the older girl heaved a couple of deep sighs.
"Teresa?" Charlie asked, in question.
Teresa looked at Charlie and then said, "Go on and get into your nightclothes. I'll brush your hair out for you. How's that?"
"Okay."
Once Charlie was in her nightgown, Teresa reappeared, leaving the door slightly ajar.
"Has she gone?" Charlie asked.
"I don't think so. I still hear lots of talking downstairs," Teresa said.
She went to pick up the hairbrush off the nightstand. "Come over here, and I'll brush your hair," she said.
Charlie came over and crawled up onto the high bed, and the two girls sat in silence for a few minutes as Teresa brushed out
Charlie's long hair.
"I wonder what they're saying now," Charlie wondered aloud.
"Whatever it is, you can bet Scott and Murdoch are setting her straight," Teresa said.
"Yeah," Charlie said, in agreement, thinking of how both Scott and Murdoch had spoken so strongly to Katherine. "That was pretty wonderful, wasn't it?"
"It was," Teresa said. She finished brushing Charlie's hair, and then laid the brush aside.
"I'm tired, I think I'll go to bed, too," Teresa said. She stood up. "Do you want me to turn the lamp down?"
"No. I'm gonna wait for Scott to come up," Charlie said.
"He may not be up for a while," Teresa cautioned.
"It's alright. I'll just lay here."
"Okay." Teresa leaned over and kissed Charlie's forehead. "Goodnight."
"Thanks for what you said about me downstairs," Charlie said. "About me being kind and having empathy, and all that."
"Well, we have to stick together," Teresa said. "Besides," she added with a smile, "It's the truth."
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And, even with the light left up, and all the thoughts and emotions going thru her mind, Charlie was very nearly asleep. Stirred back to full
awakeness when the quilt over her was pulled up higher.
Charlie reached out and caught at the hand on the quilt. "Scott?"
"Did I wake you?" he asked.
"I wasn't really asleep," Charlie told him. "I was waiting for you to come up."
Scott sat down on the edge of the bed, Charlie still holding his hand.
"Did you brush your teeth?" he asked.
"No."
"Well, we'll let it go for tonight."
"Is Katherine gone?" Charlie asked.
"She's gone."
"That's good," Charlie said, with a sigh.
"She won't be back," Scott said.
"Not ever?" Charlie asked, surprised.
"I'm not certain about ever. But, not for a long time."
"Did you tell her not to come?" Charlie asked.
"No. I didn't tell her that. I think she knows it's best now."
"Oh," Charlie said, looking at Scott's face in the lamplight.
"I don't want you to worry about it anymore," Scott said. "Not about her coming here, or having to see her, or any of that. Alright?"
"Alright," Charlie said.
"I was very proud of you tonight," Scott said.
Charlie felt warmth filling her insides.
"I wanted to make you proud," she said.
"You did that."
"Teresa said we should show Katherine what sort of home this is," Charlie said.
Scott smoothed Charlie's hair away from her face. "That's nice," he said, softly.
"Are we going to read?" Charlie asked.
"No. It's late. You've had a hectic weekend. I want you to get to sleep. We'll read again tomorrow night."
"Okay," Charlie said, and sat up to give Scott a tight hug. When he'd recovered her with the quilt, he said goodnight and
went out, leaving the door still slightly ajar.
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Riding to school the next morning on Gurth, Charlie put the thoughts of Katherine to the side, and returned to the subject of what had happened
on Saturday, when she and Johnny had visited the old man. She wondered what Monte and John would have to say, if they had anything to say at all.
Before she had set out for school, Scott had caught her after breakfast, and asked her if she wanted him to drive her into school in the
buggy. Because he thought she might be worried about Monte and John, Charlie knew.
She had said no, that she could ride alone, and would be fine. Scott had nodded, and then said she was to let him know
if either of the boys bullied her.
Once she'd left Gurth at the stable, and walked to school, Miss Susan was ringing the bell as Charlie approached, and she had to
run the last bit, so as not to be late.
When Miss Susan greeted Charlie in her bright, cheery fashion, Charlie responded a bit breathlessly, "Good morning!"
The morning's school work began, and it wasn't until mid-morning, when Charlie had her head bent over her reading book, that she glanced up to
look outside, at the clouds floating by the window, and before she turned her eyes back to the written words, she saw John glaring at her
from across the aisle of seats.
She met John's eyes with a stout look of her own. She was the first one to break the look between them. So, thus, at the first recess she
wasn't surprised when, while she was jumping rope with Rebecca and some of the other girls, John wandered over. He had a peppermint stick
in his mouth, which he must have been hiding in his pockets during the morning of school. He stood there, leaning against the side of the school
building, just glaring, not saying anything.
"What do you want, John?" one of the other girls asked him.
"I can stand here," John said. "There's no law against it."
So, stand there he did, biting off the end of the candy stick, and glaring.
Finally, Charlie could stand it no longer.
She stopped turning her end of the large jump rope, to glare back at John.
"What's the matter with you?" she demanded. "Why don't you go with the rest of the boys?"
"You're not the boss of me," John said. "I can stand where I want, when I want."
"Come on, Charlie," Rebecca said, handing off the rope to one of the other girls. She and Charlie walked away then, over to sit on the grassy
knoll where they usually ate lunch.
John promptly followed, standing just a few feet away, still silent, except for his chomping on the candy.
"You'd better stop!" Charlie said.
"I'm not doin' nothin', and you can't say I am," John said, sounding triumphant.
"Just ignore him," Rebecca advised, and Charlie tried. Unsuccessfully. Finally, she said, "I'm going inside."
She and Rebecca went inside the school building, and when Miss Susan asked them why, neither girl said anything about John. They
just said they wanted to sit and talk.
"He's just taunting you," Rebecca told Charlie in a whisper. "Mad cause his Pa took after him."
Charlie nodded, but was glad when recess was over, and the afternoon lessons began. John kept up his glaring, and it seemed that every time
Charlie looked up, he was doing just that. Monte, on the other hand, seemed to be avoiding looking in Charlie's direction. He was unusually
quiet and well-behaved.
At the afternoon recess John did more of the same. Tagging after Charlie wherever she went in the school yard, not saying anything, just
glaring, and making Charlie feel as though she was going to crawl out of her skin.
By the time school was over, Charlie just wanted to collect Gurth and go home. Thinking longingly of getting away from John's nasty looks.
Rebecca had told Jason what was happening, and so Jason offered to walk with Charlie to the stable, so as to prevent any problems from John
and Monte.
Jason's presence must have been a deterrent, because Charlie saw neither hide nor hair of either of the boys.
She set out for home on Gurth, still feeling let down and wrought up from her day.
Once at home, Jelly was just inside the barn, and he came out, his pig walking docilely behind him.
"How about that?" Jelly asked Charlie, gesturing towards the pig. "Walks behind me, just like a dog."
"That's good, Jelly," Charlie said. She slid down from her horse, and began to unsaddle him.
"More than just good, it's darn impressive, is what it is," Jelly corrected.
"Have you seen Scott?" Charlie asked.
"Last time I saw him, he was headin' over yonder," Jelly said, gesturing towards the west. "Fixin' on some fence over there."
Charlie stopped what she was doing, with the saddle cinch, and began to retighten it again. She left her books and lunch tin
setting on the ground where she'd left them, and mounted Gurth again.
"Will you tell Maria, or Murdoch or whoever asks that I've gone riding, looking for Scott?" she asked Jelly.
"Might as well be a messenger," Jelly complained. "Add that to my list of chores 'round here-"
"Thanks," Charlie said, ignoring his customary grouching. She rode behind the barn, and set Gurth into a gallop, heading in
the direction that Jelly had shared.
Charlie felt some better, after she began her ride, with the wind blowing around her face. It was easier, now that she was away
from school and John's pointed glares. She rode to the west pastures, but saw no sign of Scott, or of anybody else, for that matter.
She pulled Gurth to a halt, considering. Maybe Jelly had meant northwest, not just west. It seems as though she'd heard Johnny mention
something recently about the fencing up there needing attention. So, she rode on.
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