Into the Wilderness
Page 245

"And food?" Ephraim wanted to know.
"Of course," Elizabeth agreed. "We would want to offer our guests something."
"What's a recitation?" asked Ruth Glove.
"Singing and poems and such," proposed Dolly Smythe.
For the first time since she had come back to the classroom, Jemima Southern sat up to show some interest.
"Each of you would perform some small piece. Ian, you might recite a bit from Robinson Crusoe if you like, you have a very nice way with it. And Jemima, would you like to sing?"
The look of eager surprise on Jemima's face gave Elizabeth great satisfaction. Finally, she had found a suggestion which seemed to wake the little girl up.
The date was set for the following Saturday evening.
"Our ma makes doughnuts on Saturdays," Ephraim pointed out. "And folks smell better, too." No one seemed surprised by this connection, and so Elizabeth bit down hard on her own smile. After more discussion, she set them to the task of writing invitations to their families.
Leaning over Ian Kirby's slate while he puzzled out how to do such thing, Elizabeth felt Hannah's hand touch her arm, tentatively.
"Can I recite, too?"
Surprised, Elizabeth pulled up to look at her closely. "Of course you may, Hannah Bonner. You are a student in this class, are you not? Perhaps you could recite some Robert Burns."
Hannah nodded thoughtfully, and turned back to her work.
* * *
When Elizabeth let the children go for the day, Curiosity was waiting on the step with a broad smile and a basket filled with bread and cake and other lovely things Elizabeth very much missed, although she would not admit this weakness. Before she could say a word in greeting, Curiosity had grasped Elizabeth by both arms and pulled her back into the empty classroom. Then she stood there, tapping one bare toe and smiling so broadly that Elizabeth found herself almost laughing in return.
"What is it?" she asked. "Good news?"
"Well, let me tell you," Curiosity said. "There's company at your pa's, arrived late yesterday. Asking for you."
Elizabeth's face fell.
"Not that Merriweather woman! A Quaker gentleman."
"Cousin Samuel," Elizabeth said, brightening. "I was wondering."
"Yas'm. Samuel Hench, and he brought a man called Joshua with him, blacksmith."
"Did he? I am glad he was able to come and call, he wasn't sure he would find the time."
Curiosity's sharp gaze fixed on Elizabeth's face. "That cousin of yours has been holed up with John Glove all morning. Spending money."
Elizabeth turned away. "I suppose then he will want his dinner."
"You a terrible fraud, Elizabeth. Look me in the face and say you don't know nothing about the man's business here."
"Curiosity," she said, turning back to spread her hands out in front of her in a gesture of surrender. "I suppose it was silly of me to think I could hide it from you. But let's keep this between us, shall we?"
With a hoarse laugh, the older woman took Elizabeth firmly by the arms again and, leaning forward, planted a dry kiss on her forehead.
"I knew it!" she said, shaking her slightly. "I knew I weren't mistaken about you."
"But we can keep this between us?" Elizabeth prompted, again.
Curiosity nodded so that her turban wavered precariously. "We can, if we must. But some things happening now, and you've got a hand in them."
"What things?"
"Why, my Polly will be getting married, now that Benjamin has his papers. I wondered if this day would ever come. And right now Galileo is having a talk with Mr. Glove. We were thinking that maybe he would hire on our Manny, have him learn the mill business."
"But what about Benjamin?"
"He'd come work for your pa, take Manny's place and set up housekeeping with Polly."
"I believe you could run a revolution single—handed, Curiosity."
"So could most women," she said with a dismissive flutter of her fingers. "A revolution ain't nothing but a good spring cleaning long overdue, after all." She thrust her basket in Elizabeth's hands and picked up her skirts to go.
"You come down to the house this evening, all of you. We've got some celebrating to do."
"Oh, Curiosity," Elizabeth said slowly, stepping back. "I'm not sure."
"None of that foolishness. He's your pa, after all. And my Polly would be disappointed if you was to stay away." She pulled up.
"You told the man yet that you with child?" Elizabeth shook her head. "There never was an opportunity. I'm surprised—" And she broke off with a grin.
"Yon think I'm going to spill those particular beans, missy, you don't know me over well That's for you and your man to do. Tonight seem like a good time."
"I just don't know, Curiosity. With all that has happened—"
"Chingachgook was a good man, and now he's gone. The Mohawk know the difference between the quick and the dead, and they don't make young folk stop livin' when the old move on ahead. If Falling—Day don't want to come down the mountain 'cause she don't feel comfortable, that's something else again. But you could come."
Elizabeth hesitated, and then she nodded. "I will talk to Nathaniel."
"You do that. And come along, then. You don't smile enough these days, Elizabeth, and you got plenty to smile about, ain't you?" Her eyes traveled over the line of Elizabeth's skirt.