The food that Beets prepared for supper was very tasty. It was a stew, filled with meat and vegetables. There was something special
about the broth, Charlie thought. It was different than she'd ever tasted in a stew before. A loaf of Maria's bread accompanied the
stew. The group gathered around the table were in collective agreement that it was a fine meal.
Johnny himself ate three bowls of the stew, and then reached for another slice of the thick bread.
"How about you, Charlotte?" Beets asked. "Are you having more?"
"Oh, nooo, I'm so full that somebody may have to roll me out of here," Charlie said, and everybody laughed.
As everybody was getting to their feet, and pushing in their chairs, Charlie asked Beets what was in the broth of the stew to
make it have the taste that it had.
"Ah, that's a secret," Beets said, with a smile.
Teresa and her current young man, excused themselves, and went outside.
"All these dishes," Charlie said, with a sigh.
"We'll make quick work of them," Beets said, and began to help stack plates. Johnny began to gather up silverware
and glasses. "Company ought not to have to do dishes," he said.
"I hope I stopped being company around here some time ago," Beets said. "I prefer to be one of the family."
Murdoch put a hand on Beets shoulder. "And so you are, my friend."
Charlie and Scott dried the dishes, as Beets washed them, and Murdoch prepared a pot of coffee. To Charlie's
delight, Murdoch and Beets sang a song they both were familiar with. Their voices meshed together perfectly, it seemed to
Charlie. She found herself caught up in listening so that she was still drying the same plate for far too long.
"Oh, the summertime is comin'
And the trees are sweetly bloomin'
And the wild mountain thyme
Grows around the purple heather
Will you go?
Lassie, will you go?
"That's so beautiful!" Charlie exclaimed, when the two men finished their song.
"Well, thank you," Beets said, with a smile.
Charlie laid her dish towel aside, and went to wrap her arms around Murdoch's waist. "I didn't know you could sing
that way! You've been keeping it hidden!"
As they prepared to adjourn to the library, Charlie went to sit at the piano, sorting thru the sheet music.
"Will you sing again?" she asked.
"And you'll accompany us?" Murdoch asked.
"I'll try," Charlie said. "I don't know if I can keep up, but I'll try."
"Well, let's see," Murdoch said, and he and Mr. Beets began to look thru the sheet music for a song they both knew.
When they'd chosen one, Charlie looked it over, trying to see if she could accompany.
"It looks hard," she said.
"Let's see," Scott said, and he sat down beside her on the piano bench. After scrutinizing the sheet of music in front of him,
he began to play. He played a few moments, and then paused.
"You play piano?" Charlie asked, surprised yet again. "I didn't know!"
"I don't play so awfully well," Scott said. "But I can manage this, I think, if you help me."
Charlie's dimples flashed in her smile. "Alright!" she said.
So, they began. Charlie and Scott playing the piano, Beets and Murdoch singing, Johnny sitting and listening, and Teresa and
her beau coming in quietly to take places and listen as well. There was the occasional misplayed key by the two piano players, but
nobody seemed to notice, or mind.
Later, long after the clock had struck eight, and Charlie was finally sent off to bed, she went to sleep thinking that
it was the sort of evening that only a very special family would have.
L
On Saturday morning, after breakfast, Scott caught Charlie as she went to run outside, and said he needed to give out her
weekly allowance.
"Oh, I nearly forgot about it," Charlie said.
"Does that mean you don't want it?" Scott asked, pausing in the searching of coins in the palm of his hand.
Recognizing, and appreciating, his teasing, Charlie smiled at him, and shook her head. "No. I want it. Please."
"Well, alright then," Scott said, and plucked out a quarter and a nickel to hand to her.
Charlie took the coins, and then paused. "If I give you back the nickel, do you have five pennies, instead?" she asked.
"I might have some pennies," Scott said, reaching into his pocket again. "Why?"
"I have to give Murdoch three cents," Charlie said.
"You do, huh?" Scott asked.
"Well, I don't exactly have to," Charlie said, stressing the word 'have'. "It's just something he and I worked out. He's trying to
teach me to save money, and not spend it all."
Scott handed her five pennies, and she returned the nickel. "Well, that sounds like a very wise idea," he said. "Definitely better
than spending it all on candy every week."
"Sometimes I buy other things," Charlie defended, and then realized he was teasing her again.
L
Beets and Charlie went on their planned walk, and Charlie picked wildflowers, identifying the ones that she knew.
"I'll have to ask Murdoch or Scott what this one is," Charlie said, touching the petals of a blue flower.
As they turned back to start their return to the house, Beets asked Charlie if she had any questions for him
about the inheritance she would receive at age twenty-one.
Charlie looked at him, a little surprised. "What sort of questions?"
"Well, you're getting older now, and you're settled in here with the Lancers. I thought you might be in a spot where we should, or
could, discuss things about it."
"Oh." Charlie thought for a moment. "I don't think that Scott's changed his mind about taking money for having me here-"
"No. He has not," Beets said, and Charlie felt relief soar thru her. She would have been chagrined, sad, if Beets had said
differently.
"It's quite a large sum, as you know," Beets said. "There are certain opportunities available that we're required to offer up
at times."
Charlie looked at him, puzzled.
"Such as investments-that sort of thing," Beets said. He took in the look on Charlie's face, and smiled. "It's nothing that you need
to worry about. It's just things that I-and the other board members, need to discuss with a guardian, which now, of course is Scott."
"So Scott gets to decide what to do, or not do with the money?" Charlie asked.
"In some cases, he can either choose to follow thru, or veto something that's put before him by the board. Katherine, in her time,
had the same authority. Scott will be coming into Stockton soon to do this," he said.
"What are the investments for?" Charlie asked.
"The end-goal is to increase the holdings," Beets said.
"You mean, so to make more money?" Charlie asked.
"Well, yes, that about sums it up, I guess," Beets said.
Charlie shrugged. "I don't really understand."
"And, you don't have to. Not now. As you get older, closer to the time you'll inherit the money, then of course you
would need to start learning more about it all," Beets said.
"Did Katherine always want to do the investments?" Charlie asked.
"She did at times, yes."
Charlie was quiet for a few minutes, thinking. "I don't know what I'll do-when I get all of the money, I mean. It sounds like a
lot to take care of."
"You'll have guidance, Charlotte," Beets assured her.
"Scott, and Murdoch. And you, too," Charlie said, smiling at him.
"Well, I might retire one of these days from the bank," Beets said.
"So you wouldn't be around to help anymore?" Charlie asked, looking alarmed.
"I'd still advise you, if you needed it, and I was able to. In the capacity of friend, at that time, instead of banker or board member."
"You're my friend now, too, right?" Charlie asked him.
"I'm proud to say that I am, indeed," Beets said.
L
The next morning, Sunday morning, Charlie was all in a dither, thinking about Burl coming to Sunday dinner.
Chattering on about it, already dressed for church, and sitting on the edge of Scott's bed, watching as he tied his tie.
"You need remember that he may not come," Scott cautioned her.
During the church service itself, Charlie, sitting between Mr. Beets and Murdoch on the long church pew, saw John looking
her way. It gave Charlie a definite satisfaction to see him turn swiftly away.
After church it was decided that Murdoch would ride out to the shack and see if they were to have Burl as an extra dinner guest.
"I'll ride on home with Scott then," Teresa said. "Mr. Beets?" she asked.
"I'll ride along with you, if I may," Beets told her. "I need to get my bag packed so I'll be ready to leave this afternoon
on the stage."
Charlie gave Murdoch an upwards glance. "Can I ride with you?" she asked. "Please?"
"It's 'may I'," Murdoch corrected.
"May I?" Charlie amended.
"Scott?" Murdoch asked.
"It's alright with me, if you don't mind," Scott said.
"No. I don't mind," Murdoch said, running his big hand over Charlie's hair.
Murdoch, as was his custom, offered Charlie the reins as they began their drive out to the shack.
"Murdoch, do you know about investments?" Charlie asked.
"What sort of investments?"
"The sort that make even more money for a person."
"Well, not all investments do that, darling. Sometimes, an investment loses money for a person," he explained.
"How do you know if something is a good investment, or a bad one?" Charlie asked.
"Usually, it takes some research. Planning. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't."
"Oh." Charlie said, looking thoughtful.
"Why are you asking about that?" Murdoch asked her.
"Mr. Beets said something about it," Charlie said, and dropped the subject as the shack came into sight.
L
There was no sign of old Burl outside the shack. And no sign of the dogs, either. Murdoch got down and Charlie jumped
down after him, following as he walked towards the porch. The front door was closed up, and when Murdoch knocked, there
was no answer from inside.
"I don't believe he's at home," Murdoch said, stepping back, and looking around towards the side yard.
"He might be," Charlie said. "That time Johnny and I came over here, that's when he was sitting on the floor, with the
big knot on his head from Monte rocking him-" She went to the same window she'd peered into before.
This time, though, she didn't see Burl sitting inside. Still, the window was awfully dirty-
Charlie took the hem of her dress, using it to wipe at the dirty glass.
Murdoch had stepped down from the porch, and gone to look around the side of the shack.
Charlie went to wiggle the doorknob, finding it unlocked.
"Murdoch," she said, and when he looked at her, she nodded towards the door, preparing to open it.
"No," Murdoch said.
Charlie halted from turning the doorknob, but kept her hand there on it.
"He might be inside, though," she persisted.
"We are not going into the man's home," Murdoch said, firmly.
Charlie gave him a pleading glance.
"I'd say he's out hunting, or trapping," Murdoch said. "There's footprints here in the mud, leading up the hill there."
Charlie came over to where Murdoch was, to have a look at the footprints for herself.
"He knew we were coming to pick him up for dinner, though," Charlie said. She was so very disappointed that she
wanted to burst into tears, right there, right where she stood.
Murdoch gave her a sympathetic look. "Perhaps he decided that he'd rather not come."
"Well, that's just-stupid, that's all!" Charlie said, and stomped to the buggy. She climbed up and Murdoch followed,
getting into the buggy on the other side. He unwrapped the reins, and offered them to Charlie.
She shook her head in refusal. "No, thank you."
Murdoch said no more, at that particular moment. He merely urged Barnaby into a turn and began the trek back
down the road towards town.
After a few minutes of silence, Murdoch spoke. "It was his choice to make, darling."
"Well, I think it was-rude of him," Charlie said. "Teresa was nice enough to ask him, and plan all the special food, and
then he doesn't have the manners to-" Charlie let her voice trail off.
She was surprised when Murdoch, without fanfare, pulled the buggy to a stop, at the side of the road.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I know it was important to you. Perhaps he'll come another time."
Charlie shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe."
Murdoch rubbed her arm. "We'll have a good dinner, anyway."
"More for us, right?" Charlie said, in an attempt to rise above her disappointment.
"Right." Murdoch offered her the reins again, and this time Charlie took them from him.
"Can we-I mean, may we, go home faster than usual?" Charlie asked him, her eyes hopeful. Murdoch had been sparing about
letting her guide the buggy while Barnaby was at a run.
"As long as it's not so fast that we take flight," Murdoch said.
L