Blind Tiger by Sandra Brown

Author:Sandra Brown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: None
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2021-08-03T00:00:00+00:00

Thirty-Five

With Corrine assisting, Laurel changed the dressings on Irv’s wounds. They showed no sign of festering, but, for good measure, she dabbed on some coal oil before wrapping him in a fresh bandage.

Once that was done, she left him to rest while she prepared to make the necessary trip to the still and to get Corrine settled in the shack. There was no question of her happiness over her new position. She celebrated by dancing a little jig.

They raided the pantry and icebox for foodstuffs that would last her for several days. As they carried the parcels from the house, Laurel said, “Don’t forget your things. Did you leave them in Irv’s truck last night?”

“What things?”

Laurel stopped and looked at her. “Your belongings.”

Corrine swept her hand down her front. “What I got on is what I’ve got to my name. When Mr. Hutton stopped cussing and told me to get in, I got in. And anyway, there was nothing at the roadhouse I wanted bad enough to go back for.”

“Clothes?”

“This is what I was wearing the night I ran off with Jack. Gert gave me some castoff dresses, but she’s probably passed them on to another girl by now. Besides, I wouldn’t want them back. They were whores’ clothes.”

Laurel motioned toward her auto. “Climb in.”

She drove them to Hancock’s, where she bought Corrine three changes of clothes, undergarments, and basic toiletries. Once on their way out of town, Corrine said repeatedly that she’d never before owned things so fine, and Laurel believed her. The girl clutched the package to her chest, often peering into it as though she feared the merchandise might disappear.

Laurel was touched that she took such delight in simple necessities. Their moonshining business might yet fail, but she was confident in her decision to rescue Corrine.

The girl was even inordinately pleased with the shack. “I’ve never had a place all to myself. Can I fix it how I want it?”

“Certainly.”

She unwrapped her new hairbrush and other grooming items and lined them up just so on Irv’s old three-legged bureau. Then, “What’s this?” She pulled a tablet from the bottom of the package.

“What does it look like?”

“A schoolbook.”

Laurel had added the purchase in secret before leaving the store. “That’s right. It’s a primer used to teach people the alphabet. Irv told me you wanted to learn to read. The first step is to learn the alphabet.”

The girl ran her hand over the workbook’s cover as though it were the costly first edition of a classic. “What if I’m too stupid?”

“Nonsense. I’ll teach you. Let’s start with your name.”

“Right now?”

“There should be a box of pencils in the package. I asked the store clerk to sharpen them for us.”

Fifteen minutes later, Corrine had followed the guidance of Laurel’s hand to print her name. “Two of them?” she said, pointing to the r.

“That’s right. You must practice printing all twenty-six letters as you see them in the example. Capitals and lower case. Next time, we’ll go over the sound each letter makes.

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