Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Author:Jennifer Donnelly
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

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"Lou, stop."

"'...then comes Junior in a baby carriage "I said stop...'"

"'...sucking his thumb, wetting his pants, doin' the hula-hula dance..."'

"Lou!"

"You're blushing, Matt! You're sweet on Royal Loomis! I know you are!"

"Nobody's sweet on anybody. And stop saying so."

Lou started singing her stupid song again, but then something appeared up ahead of us on the road that interested her far more than tormenting me did. An automobile. It could only be some well-heeled tourist driving it, or Mr. Sperry, or Miss Wilcox. No one else could afford one. The driver saw us and leaned on the horn. The car veered across the road, directly toward us. I grabbed the back of Lou's coveralls and pulled her into the grass.

"Let go, Matt," she whined. "I want to see it."

The driver pulled up and cut the engine. It was our teacher. She tossed the cigarette she'd been smoking and removed her goggles. "Hello, Mattie! Lou!" she bellowed, her cheeks pink. She wore a tan cluster, gloves, and a flowered silk scarf over her hair.

"Hello, Miss Wilcox," we said together.

"Where are you two off to?"

"We're on our way home from Burnap's. Pleasant, our mule, cracked his bit. We had to get it repaired," I explained.

"I see. I, myself, have been for a drive. Up to Beaver River and back. First one since the fall. The roads are finally dry enough to allow it. It's beautiful up there! Such freedom! I'm famished now, though. Driving always gives me an appetite. Why don't you two hop in? We'll go back to my house and have some lunch."

I was frightened of Miss Wilcox's automobile. "I think we'd best get home, ma'am," I said. "Our pa will be looking for us. He needs the bit."

"Oh, come on, Matt! Pa won't mind," Lou pleaded.

"I'll tell you what ... come for lunch and then I'll drive you home. It'll save some time."

"Pleeeeeease, Matt?" Lou begged.

"I guess it's all right," I said, more for Miss Wilcox's sake than Lou's. For all her giddy, breathless excitement, she seemed a little bit lonely. And I was curious, too. I had never seen the inside of my teacher's house. She had such nice clothes and jewelry, and a real automobile, so there was no telling what she might have at home.

Miss Wilcox got out, crank in hand, and started the engine again. It coughed and sputtered, finally caught, then fired off what sounded like cannon shot. I jumped out of my skin. Miss Wilcox laughed at me. Miss Wilcox laughed a lot. I knew she was wealthy, and wondered if money made everything funny.

"Hear that, Matt?" Lou whispered, giggling. "Just like Pa in the outhouse!"

"Shut up, Lou!" I hissed, hoping Miss Wilcox hadn't heard. "Go get in the back." She did, but not before she'd stooped down, quick as a weasel, and picked up the remains of Miss Wilcox's cigarette. I put my hand out for it, but she shoved it in her pocket and stuck her chin out at me.

When we were seated, Miss Wilcox engaged the gears and we were off.

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