LAURA'S REUNION

"You look really happy, Mary." Laura said. She never could get over how Mary's eyes would never meet hers.

Mary tried to keep her head focused on the person she was talking to, more so than these other blind people Laura had met at the School, but it just wasn't the same.

Mary smiled. She giggled for a moment, like she hadn't in years. "Laura, I have the oddest social life now."

Laura knew this. Mary had a sighted friend here at the school, and she'd send a letter home every two weeks or so. One letter would be dutiful and daughter-like, and the other would be a private one to Laura-quite informative.

The girls were sitting in the Common Room of the school. Now that Laura and the family had moved to Winoka, she could visit her sister whenever she liked.

Pa was now managing a hotel in Winoka, which was incredibly unlike anything he'd done previously.

"Adam is wonderful and caring, and I really like him. And it's more, you know, acceptable now that I am teaching here, and not a student." Mary said, interrupting Laura's reverie.

Laura looked over Mary's shoulder and a boy with the face of an angel walked into the room slowly. His eyes were closed-those long lashes! Very expensive clothes.

"But I told you about Reckness, didn't I?" Mary said, smiling as her sightless eyes danced. "He and I have quite a friendship now, but it's a bit romantic, in a way it reminds me of John Junior and I."

Laura watched the boy feeling his way around the room. No cane, apparently. No one else was in the Common room, and the boy ambled this way. Looking at him made her heart drop in her throat.

RECKNESS WONDERS

"Mary, I hear your voice, in this dismal precinct, sweet." Reckness called. Ah, there's her squeal of delight. One thing about these country girls, they're eager to please and they wear their hearts on the sleeve, as it were.

"Reckness, I'd like you to meet my sister Laura." Cardew reached out his hand, received a sweaty little paw, and bent over to kiss it.

This must be the buck-toothed one, about thirteen, fourteen? Reckness had had Baby Sis described to him by Ermengarde, the scullery maid. Apparently not that pretty, though Ermie described most girls that way.

Reckness often laughed to himself about how competitive women could be.

"It's a privilege to meet you, Miss Ingalls. You sound like you're about nineteen?" Reckness always presumed a young woman was about nineteen. If they were young they wanted to be seen as mature, and if they were older, being taken for nineteen could make them swoon.

Harriett "Miss Dalyrymple" Oleson had been quite happy with that guess, and of course she had to be in her late forties.

"I'm almost fourteen, Mr. Cardew" Laura Ingalls' voice came. "I understand you've been a great source of fun for Mary.

"Laura!" Mary's voice came reprovingly.

"Well, you did get to go to a ball or something at Mr. Cardew's cousin's didn't you? I read about those in 'Pride and Prejudice' and they sound interesting."

"Well, next time I'll take both of you." Reckness said gallantly. "Charm runs thick in the Ingalls family, I see."

"My Pa probably wouldn't let me, but I'd love to go to something like that." Laura said glumly.

I must try to cheer her up, Reckness thought. Cheer me up, too. Two birds with one stone and all that. "You know, I am aware that Mary has a tutorial in fifteen minutes or so-perhaps I can show you the school, Miss Laura."

"I can't imagine how you seem to know my schedule so well." Mary's voice sounded a bit strained.

"I just find you so fascinating." Reckness lied glibly. "Come, Laura. Have you seen our attic?"

ALBERT'S SMALL BUSINESS ENDEAVOR

This certainly beat shining the shoes of the spoiled little brats in front of the hotel, Albert thought in great annoyance. But still, this dark house in the Winoka Narrows was a bit creepy.

Albert knocked on the door, and it opened just a smidgen. An old Oriental face peeked out. Albert had seen more than one of these chaps, back in the orphanage he'd escaped from they'd had a Chinese cook.

"What you want?" The voice was harsh.

"I come from Mister Cardew." Albert said a bit unsteadily. The Chinee waved him in, and Albert stepped into a very dark vestibule. They walked a few feet, and Albert was admonished to stay. "You have greenbacks?"

Albert handed the bundle of notes that Reckness had given him to the Oriental, and looked over the man's hunched shoulder into the gloomy room behind him.

Four or five men were lying on soiled hay ticks, apparently sharing a clay pipe, but it didn't really smell like tobacco.

When the Asian passed Albert a little pouch, he was happy to get out of there.