Tempest by Beverly Jenkins

Author:Beverly Jenkins
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2018-01-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

With her rifle on the floor near her feet, Regan guided the wagon over the rutted road. Having reins in her hands for the first time since leaving Arizona flooded her with memories of home, family, and delivering the mail. The leather reins felt good, and even though the two horses weren’t familiar with her, they seemed to sense she knew what she was doing and didn’t put up a fuss, strain, or try and turn around and head back to the Lees’ barn. Anna was her usual silent self, but Regan could see her studying the clouds. “What do you see up there?”

“There’s a lady lying on her side on a sofa.”

“Really?”

“And a turtle, an eagle, and a castle. Thanks for teaching me this game.”

“You’re very welcome. Let me know if you see anything else fun.”

“I will.” She resumed her watch.

They passed the school shortly thereafter and Anna said, “Keep going and you’ll see Livy’s road.”

The Watson place was about a mile and a half from the school. The house reminded Regan of the Lee place in that it was built of timber and stone but it was much larger. A pack of hounds loped out to meet them, barking excitedly. Anna explained, “They don’t bite. The big one’s Basil. That’s Daisy, Seth, Julia, and Willis.”

“Odd names for dogs,” Regan said as the pack ran alongside the wagon.

“Livy’s granpa named them after Livy’s aunts and uncles.”

“Oh I see.”

When the wagon reached the porch, Lucretia, wearing a worn canvas apron over her skirt and blouse, stepped through the door. With her was her granddaughter, Livy, who Regan had met previously at the school. Livy’s grin showed her missing front teeth. “Hi, Anna!”

“Hi, Livy!”

“Hi, Miss Regan,” Livy called.

“Hello, Livy. Good morning, Lucretia.”

“Morning, Regan. How are you?”

“Good. Wondering if you have a hen or two and some eggs I might buy.”

“Yes, on both. Come on, and I’ll walk you round back.”

Livy asked Anna, “Do you want to see my pony?”

Anna looked up at Regan who said, “Go ahead. I’ll find you once Mrs. Watson and I are done.”

They climbed down from the wagon. Anna ran off with Livy and Regan walked to the back of the property with Lucretia.

Lucretia said, “Anna is smiling more. Glad to see the change. When she would come with Minnie she wasn’t allowed off the wagon. Might get dirty.”

Regan sighed.

Lucretia added, “Don’t mean to talk out of turn, but I don’t like Minnie Gore, nor the way she treated Anna. Doc Lee marrying you is the best thing he could’ve done for the girl.”

Regan wasn’t swellheaded enough to agree but did like the small changes she was seeing in her stepdaughter.

“So, you’re needing a few hens?”

“And some eggs.”

“I have some hens I readied for sale last night.”

Lucretia removed the lid of a large copper’s barrel. Inside, among large blocks of ice were a dozen or so plucked hens. Regan was glad they weren’t strung up individually on a tree branch like stockings on a clothesline. She had no desire to serve her family turned fowl.

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