his reins, and took the short path across the creek and between the Ashcroft and Landrum cabins to the main street. Across the way, at the other end of the street, the new book gal came out of the trees behind the post office. All at once, Bettina’s stomach went tight and trembly. She heard Emmett’s voice in her head. “Addie Cowherd?”
He’d sounded surprised and happy at the same time. Tired and sore as he’d been, him finding that much pleasure in seeing someone sent up all kinds of warnings in Bettina’s mind. She tugged Mule behind a stand of trees and peeked out at Addie Cowherd. At her dress—a dress again! And shoes. Flat ones today, kind of like ballet slippers. She walked with her head high and shoulders straight, like she knowed she was somebody special. The girl was smart, Bettina’d already figured that, but her knowing the lines Emmett said from the Anna Carryin’-nina book rubbed it in. Bettina needed to get rid of this girl.
Addie disappeared inside the livery, and Bettina pulled Mule from their hiding spot. “C’mon, let’s go.” She hurried the animal past the livery and Belcher’s. She’d almost reached the library when somebody called her name. She looked back. Glory was coming, leading her horse and scowling like she’d ate a rotten egg. Bettina stopped and waited for her to catch up.
Glory ambled up alongside Bettina. “Saw you pass my window. How come you didn’t wait an’ walk with me?”
“Sorry. Guess I wasn’t thinkin’.”
Addie came out of the livery. She led one of Gilliam’s horses, a filly named Russet for its shiny red-brown coat. Bettina’d always admired that horse. She’d asked Pap about renting her for her routes, but Pap said Mule was good enough. Now Addie’d be riding her. That tight feeling grabbed hold of her gut again.
Glory pointed. “Lookee there. Guess Addie’s found herself a horse, so she’ll be takin’ books now.”
“Uh-huh.”
“That’s good for us.” Glory ran her fingers through Posey’s white mane. “Don’t see how she’s gonna sit in the saddle, though, with a dress on. I read a book one time…It was set in England, but I can’t recall the title. When the ladies went ridin’, they sat in somethin’ called a sidesaddle so they didn’t have to sit astride.” She giggled. “I don’t reckon Gilliam’s got anything so fancy in his livery.”
“Reckon not.” Just a plain old everyday saddle was cinched on Russet’s back. If Addie tried to sit sidesaddle on it, she’d probably slide right off. The thought put the first smile of the day on Bettina’s face. She flopped Mule’s reins over a bush and grabbed Glory’s arm. “Let’s get inside, find out who’s gonna take the new book gal around to meet folks today.”
Glory twisted Posey’s reins around a low-hanging branch and trotted after Bettina to the lib’ary’s open doorway. The girls stepped inside, and Glory let out a squeal. Bettina slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from doing the same.
Miz West was lying flat on the floor, gripping her dress bodice with both hands and gasping like a fish on a creek bank.
Addie
ADDIE STOPPED IN the middle of the street and cocked her head. Had someone screamed? The horse’s nostrils flared, and it bounced its powerful head up and down. “You heard it, too, didn’t you?”
Glory burst out of the library, waving her hands in the air. “Help! Help! Somebody help! Miss West is dyin’!” She took off up the street.
Addie let go of the horse’s reins and ran to the library. She darted inside. Miss West lay on the floor. Bettina bent over her, holding the woman’s hand.
Addie hurried to Miss West’s other side and crouched down. “Miss West, what is it?”
The woman’s wide eyes met Addie’s. “Cuh-can’t…b-b-breathe…” Her chest rose and fell in quick little bursts.
Bettina patted Miss West’s hand, the pats as fast and frantic as Miss West’s puffs of breath. “What’s wrong with her? She was right as rain yesterday.”
“I’m not sure. She was fine last night at Nanny Fay’s, too.”
Bettina gaped at Addie. “She went to Nanny Fay’s?”
Addie scowled at the girl. Bettina’s freckles stood out like pennies tossed on a snowbank. She seemed as frightened as if she’d seen a ghost, but for such a ridiculous reason. “Yes. She had supper there last night.”
“She ate Nanny Fay’s food?” Bettina let go of Miss West’s hand and scuttled backward like a crab. “Did she drink somethin’, too?”
“Some tea. For her aching joints.”
Bettina clapped her