Charlie felt happy. She felt such happiness that she sang, loudly, as she traveled home from school on Gurth. Monte had hitched a ride, behind
her on the horse, and clutching his fishing pole in one hand. She'd stopped and let him off near the trail that led to the river.
"Ya want to come on and go fishin' with me?" he'd offered.
"Can't today. I promised to help do some things at home," Charlie told him. Usually she would be filled with regret that she couldn't
go with him, sit in the afternoon sunshine, and bait a hook, waiting for it to be taken hold of by a catfish. Maybe a real large catfish.
Today, though, she wasn't so regretful. She was looking forward to getting back to the ranch, and seeing the newest litter of barn
kittens that had been born recently. She was also of the hope that, once chores were done, Murdoch might let her drive the buggy when
he went to one of the neighboring ranches. He'd said this morning at breakfast that he would be going, and Charlie, ever intent on improving
her buggy driving, meant to go with him if she could.
So...after Monte had slid down from atop Gurth, and gone on his way, whistling thru the trees to the river, Charlie began to sing. One of her
favorites. Sometimes, when Teresa was in a light mood, she would join in with Charlie and they would pound the piano keys and sing it together.
'A rollicking band of pirates,We Are
Who tired of tossing from the sea,
Are trying their hand at a burglaree,
With weapons grim and gory!
'Hush, hush! I hear them on the manor poaching,
With stealthy steps the pirates are approaching-
Charlie sang all the verses, and sang loudest when she came to the chorus,
'Fifty-Fold!' at the very top of her voice.
Her happiness stemmed from several things. There was a new teacher at the town school. She wasn't as young or fun as Miss Susan
had been. But, she also wasn't as stodgy and unlikeable as Miss Hummel.
The story was...Miss Hummel had gone back to the East. And good riddance. Miss Laura Kelly was a much more welcome sight
in the mornings when the school doors opened. The tone of the school room was lighter, yet learning still took place.
Also adding to Charlie's happiness was the fact that Scott had spoken to her, several times in fact, at great length about what
steps could be taken to make her place at Lancer more secure. Scott, true to nature, had talked to Charlie honestly. Asking her what it
was that she herself wanted. Charlie had felt her throat going dry a bit, and her nerve not steady. To put it into words, that she wanted
him to adopt her. Scott's gaze had been steady, his expression so kind. He'd told Charlie that he'd had the thought himself about lawful
permanancy. Lawful permanancy. Charlie loved those words. They had such a wonderful sound to them, that sometimes when she was
alone, she would say them to herself, aloud, sometimes in a sing-song voice.
She knew it was silly to do that, but with no one around, she didn't care. Anyway, Scott had talked over all her concerns and questions
with her. He'd even apologized that he hadn't spoken of it to her before. That he had, over the course of months, been discussing the possibility of
adoption with Mr. Beets.
When he'd told Charlie that, that he had taken steps to look into it, and mostly for the fact that she knew now, that Scott wanted her to be
lawful, to be a Lancer forever...it had filled Charlie's heart so full that she'd buried her face in Scott's middle, her emotions overwhelming.
So-with all of the goodness happening, even though Scott had warned that it was taking discussion, and that things weren't settled yet
with Beets and the bank board-Charlie felt hopeful, and happy, and more settled somehow. The fact that Scott wanted what she wanted meant
so much to her.
So, she sang the rest of the way home to the ranch.
L
When she rode up into the courtyard, she saw Johnny and Murdoch, standing by the barns, deep in conversation. She finished
up her song, with a hearty, 'Fifty-Fold!'
Her raucous, loud ending garnered the attention of both of the Lancer men standing nearby.
Johnny's blue eyes sparkled with amusement as she rode Gurth up to them.
"Catchy tune," he said, reaching out to run his hand down the horse's neck.
Charlie grinned at him, and then at Murdoch.
"Hullo," she said, in greeting.
"Hello, darling," Murdoch answered. "How was school today?"
"It was good," Charlie said. "Real good."
Murdoch nodded in approval.
Charlie slid down from Gurth as the two men went on talking. Something about a water seep somewhere, and the health of two
calves that had been born recently. She waited until there was a lull in the conversation and then asked Murdoch, "Are you
going to the Carlson's?"
Murdoch looked at her in inquiry and Charlie reminded him, "You said you might go, this morning at breakfast."
"I went earlier, yes," Murdoch said.
At Charlie's crestfallen expression, Murdoch raised an eyebrow. "What's that look about?" he asked.
"I was hoping I could go with you," Charlie said, with evident disappointment.
"I didn't realize ya liked the Carlson's so much," Johnny said.
"That must be it," Murdoch said, in agreement.
"I was hoping to drive the buggy," Charlie said, in explanation, and then, when both men smiled at her in amusement,
she realized she was being teased.
"I suppose we can go out for a ride, after supper," Murdoch said.
"Can I do all the driving?" Charlie said.
"May I," Murdoch corrected.
"May I do all the driving?" Charlie amended.
"We shall see," Murdoch said.
Charlie went to change her clothes, and then to do her chores, spending some extra time with the kittens. She was inside later,
setting the table for supper, when she heard Scott's voice, mixed with Johnny's, coming in the front entry hall. She put down her
handful of silverware, and ran to greet him.
"Hullo, Scott!" she said, in gladness.
"Hey there, kiddo," he greeted, in return.
"I got a 100 on my spelling again," Charlie shared.
"That's good. Real good," Scott said, in praise. He cupped a hand around the back of her neck in affection. "I never doubted for
a moment that you would."
Charlie smiled at him. "Murdoch and I are going buggy riding after supper," she told him.
"Alright." Scott moved his hand slightly so that he was smoothing her hair. "Have you homework tonight?"
"A bit. I did my handwriting before I helped Maria."
"Still have arithmetic?" he asked.
At her nod, he said, "Don't leave it till too late."
"I won't," she promised. "I'll do it as soon as Murdoch and I get back again."
L
The week continued, with Charlie maintaining her happy outlook. When she got home Wednesday afternoon from school, she greeted
Maria in the kitchen, who served her a snack. Charlie changed her clothes, and drifted back outside, munching on her cookie. She saw
Scott riding up with Johnny, and glad, she ran to the fence, clamboring up to sit on the top. She waved.
When they'd ridden up closer, they exchanged greetings.
"Are you finished for the day?" Charlie asked, hopefully. There would be enough time for a bit of fishing if Scott agreed to it.
"No. I'm a good ways from being done for the day," Scott said.
"You too, Johnny?" Charlie asked.
"Me too, pequeno."
When Charlie sighed, Johnny said, "Wantin' to do some fishin', huh?"
"How'd you know?" Charlie asked him.
Johnny tapped his forehead with an index finger. "Smart like that," he said, and grinned at her.
"Maybe Saturday?" Charlie asked, hopefully.
"We'll see," Scott said.
Scott shifted slightly in the saddle. "I've got something to talk to you about."
Charlie studied him, not overly concerned at that moment. "Okay. Now?"
"No. When we have more time. After supper, probably."
He sounded serious, and looked it, too. Charlie realized for the first time that Scott had looked like that ever since he'd ridden up.
Charlie searched her memory, but could think of nothing that she'd done, or not done, that might cause Scott to be provoked enough to
give her a talking-to. Things had been going well...
"Are you mad at me 'bout something?" she asked him, feeling flutterings of worry now.
"No," Scott said, and shifted in his saddle. "It's nothing like that."
"Oh," Charlie said, still wondering, and studying his face for clues. She looked at Johnny, and he gave her a wink. She imagined that
Scott had confided in Johnny what the upcoming talk would be about, and Johnny didn't seem too concerned. That was good.
"Is it about the board saying something about you adopting me?" Charlie asked, unable to keep from the question.
"No, it's not about that," Scott said, and Charlie felt disappointment, and then wonder again about what it could be about.
"Get your chores done," Scott told her. "I'll see you after a bit."
They rode off, and Charlie sighed, and got down from the fence, and went about her chores. She tried not to get worked up with
worry, but it was hard.
L