turned and looked at Mrs. Riley and Mrs. Quinn, still speaking with a group. “I don’t know about you two, but I have a feeling this dance will be different from our other social functions.”
Merritt rolled her eyes. “Ruby, we only ever have three.”
“And this makes four,” Adele said sardonically. She turned to the other two. “If we’re already having a dance because of Mrs. Riley and Mrs. Quinn, what else could we end up with?”
Merritt glanced at the other women and back. “What do you mean? What’s wrong with an extra dance?”
“And scavenger hunt,” Ruby was quick to add.
“Maybe they’re trying to make Clear Creek into something like their hometown,” Adele said.
“How many social functions does Nowhere have?” Ruby asked.
Adele shrugged. “More than us, I suppose, but I’m not sure what they are. I know they have a Christmas dance and a harvest festival, but I have no idea about picnics or other things.”
“They must think us very dull,” Ruby said.
“They’re thinking something, that’s for sure.” Adele adjusted her hat. “I’d best be going. My mother is probably fuming waiting for me.” She hugged her friends, went outside and climbed onto the wagon seat. As they left, she noticed her mother’s determined look and tried not to fidget. One never knew what she was up to behind that expression. “Getting the scavenger hunt organized will take a lot of work … won’t it?” she hedged. How many tasks would she get roped into for it?
“Yes, but nothing we can’t handle. It’s the other ideas that have me worried.”
Adele looked at her. “What other ideas?”
Mother blanched. “Oh … nothing. Just some suggestions Leona and Betsy gave your Aunt Sadie and me.”
Adele raised a suspicious eyebrow. “What kinds of suggestions?”
Mother gave her a casual shrug. “They mentioned things like a Fourth of July celebration, a Christmas dance, Betsy even told me what sorts of things they do in Independence, like a Christmas parade complete with a … Snow Queen? I can’t remember.”
Adele focused on the street ahead of them. “A Christmas dance and a Snow Queen?” As much as she hated to admit it, those sounded like fun. She loved Christmas. Her favorite was the Christmas Lorelei Carson showed up and married Jefferson. Thoughts of her brother and Lorelei made her smile.
“You like the ideas?” Mother asked.
Adele looked at the livery stable as they drove by. It was run by Lula’s father in-law Chase Adams. “They sound interesting.”
“Just … interesting?”
“Mother, how can I get excited about something I know nothing about?”
Mother sighed. “Good point.”
When they pulled up to the mercantile, Uncle Wilfred was sweeping the porch. “Well, if it isn’t my favorite niece and grandniece.” He set the broom aside and went to help them out of the wagon.
Once inside, Adele went straight to the books – maybe something new to read would take her mind off everything else going on. Who knew a little change would make her feel this way? At least she wouldn’t have to be saddled with Liam for days on end. If he was coming out to paint banners, she wanted to get them over and done with. Why did she have to come to town to hang them up anyway?
Adele picked out a book, carried it to the counter and dug into her bag for some coins. As soon as she was done with the banners, she could send Liam on to hang them while she enjoyed The Mayor of Casterbridge. She smiled at the thought and put her money on the counter.
“Whoa.” Liam brought his horse Butterscotch to a stop at the top of the rise. He never got tired of the view of the Triple-C sprawled out below. There was the main ranch house where Harrison and Sadie lived, Colin and Belle’s slightly smaller house next door, the bunkhouse, a huge barn, various outbuildings and several other residences in the distance. Halfway down the rise was a cabin inhabited by the Cooke brothers’ stepfather Jefferson and his wife Edith. He’d known the Cookes all his life.
He nudged Butterscotch forward. “Come on, let’s see what Adele is up to.” The palomino snorted and started down the hill.
Maybe he should’ve hitched up the wagon, but he saw no need. He and Adele would paint a few old sheets and that would be that. In fact, he couldn’t figure out why Adele and Savannah or one of their brothers couldn’t do this job. It didn’t make sense. Though come to think, he hadn’t seen Savannah around