Read Online Casteel 1 - Heaven by V. C. Andrews - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: V. C. Andrews
Ads: Link
know why?” sneered Tom, giving her what she asked for even though I knew he wanted that paint set and that coloring book so much it hurt. He'd never had a box of brand-new watercolors before, or a coloring book - about Robin Hood. Robin Hood, this year, was his favorite hero from a book. “When you learn to behave yerself in t'cloakroom, maybe Miss Deale will be generous with you, for a change.”
Again I could have died from embarrassment!
Crying, Fanny fell down on the mountain trail that was gradually spiraling upward through tall trees that appeared to touch the sky. She pounded her small tough fists on the grass, screamed because a stone was hidden there and it drew blood. Sucking on that, she sat up and stared at Tom with huge pleading eyes. “Don't tell Pa, please, please.”
Tom promised.
I promised. Though I still wanted to vanish and not see Logan's wide eyes drinking all this in, as if never in his life had he witnessed such a stupid, ill- mannered scene. I tried to avoid meeting his eyes until he smiled and I saw understanding. “You sure got one family that might age you dramatically inside outside, you look younger than springtime.”
“Yer stealin words from a song!” yelled Fanny. “Ya ain't supposed t'court a gal with song words!” “Oh, dry up!” ordered Tom, seizing her arm
again and running so she had to race with him or have her arm pulled off. This gave me my chance to be alone with Logan.
Keith was again bringing up the rear of our little parade, though he'd stopped to stare up at a robin, mesmerized and not likely to move for at least ten minutesif the bird didn't fly away.
“Your sister is really something else,” said Logan when finally we were as good as alone on the trail. Keith was far behind us and so quiet. I kept my thoughts to myself. Valley boys thought all hill girls were easy for any boy hoping to experiment with sex. As young as she was, Fanny had caught the hill spirit and its easy sexuality that came much earlier than it did in low places. Perhaps it was due to all the
copulating we saw going on in our yards and in our one- or two-room shacks. There was no need for sex education in our hills; sex hit you in the face the moment you knew a man from a woman.
Logan cleared his throat to remind me he was there. “I'm ready to hear all your years of accumulated wisdom. I'd take notes, but I find it difficult to write while walking. But next time, I could bring along a tape recorder.”
“You're making fun of me,” I complained before I justified myself. "We happen to live with our grandparents. Grandpa never says anything that's not absolutely necessary, and seldom does he find words necessary.
My granny rambles on and on incessantly, talking about how good all the old times were, and how rotten things are now. My stepmother fusses and fumes because she's got more than she can do . . . and sometimes when I go home to that cabin, and face up to all the problems, I feel not two hundred and fifty but one thousand years oldonly without any wisdom from living that long."
“Hey,” he said with a smile, "a girl who knows how to talk honestly. I like that. I understand. I'm an only child, and I've grown up with uncles, aunts, and
grandparents, too, so I do understand. But you've got the edge on me with two brothers and two sisters."
“Is it an edge of advantage or disadvantage?”
“Whatever you make it. From my point of view, Heaven Leigh, it's an advantage to have a large family so you're never lonely. Lots of time I'm lonely, wishing I had brothers, sisters. I think Tom's great, loads of fun and a good sport; and Keith and Our Jane are beautiful kids.”
“And Fanny, what do you think of her?”
He blushed and looked uncomfortable before he spoke slowly, cautiously. “I think she's going to grow up to be an exotic beauty.”
“That's all you think?” He had to know about Fanny and all her promiscuous ways with the boys in the cloakroom.
“No, it's
Again I could have died from embarrassment!
Crying, Fanny fell down on the mountain trail that was gradually spiraling upward through tall trees that appeared to touch the sky. She pounded her small tough fists on the grass, screamed because a stone was hidden there and it drew blood. Sucking on that, she sat up and stared at Tom with huge pleading eyes. “Don't tell Pa, please, please.”
Tom promised.
I promised. Though I still wanted to vanish and not see Logan's wide eyes drinking all this in, as if never in his life had he witnessed such a stupid, ill- mannered scene. I tried to avoid meeting his eyes until he smiled and I saw understanding. “You sure got one family that might age you dramatically inside outside, you look younger than springtime.”
“Yer stealin words from a song!” yelled Fanny. “Ya ain't supposed t'court a gal with song words!” “Oh, dry up!” ordered Tom, seizing her arm
again and running so she had to race with him or have her arm pulled off. This gave me my chance to be alone with Logan.
Keith was again bringing up the rear of our little parade, though he'd stopped to stare up at a robin, mesmerized and not likely to move for at least ten minutesif the bird didn't fly away.
“Your sister is really something else,” said Logan when finally we were as good as alone on the trail. Keith was far behind us and so quiet. I kept my thoughts to myself. Valley boys thought all hill girls were easy for any boy hoping to experiment with sex. As young as she was, Fanny had caught the hill spirit and its easy sexuality that came much earlier than it did in low places. Perhaps it was due to all the
copulating we saw going on in our yards and in our one- or two-room shacks. There was no need for sex education in our hills; sex hit you in the face the moment you knew a man from a woman.
Logan cleared his throat to remind me he was there. “I'm ready to hear all your years of accumulated wisdom. I'd take notes, but I find it difficult to write while walking. But next time, I could bring along a tape recorder.”
“You're making fun of me,” I complained before I justified myself. "We happen to live with our grandparents. Grandpa never says anything that's not absolutely necessary, and seldom does he find words necessary.
My granny rambles on and on incessantly, talking about how good all the old times were, and how rotten things are now. My stepmother fusses and fumes because she's got more than she can do . . . and sometimes when I go home to that cabin, and face up to all the problems, I feel not two hundred and fifty but one thousand years oldonly without any wisdom from living that long."
“Hey,” he said with a smile, "a girl who knows how to talk honestly. I like that. I understand. I'm an only child, and I've grown up with uncles, aunts, and
grandparents, too, so I do understand. But you've got the edge on me with two brothers and two sisters."
“Is it an edge of advantage or disadvantage?”
“Whatever you make it. From my point of view, Heaven Leigh, it's an advantage to have a large family so you're never lonely. Lots of time I'm lonely, wishing I had brothers, sisters. I think Tom's great, loads of fun and a good sport; and Keith and Our Jane are beautiful kids.”
“And Fanny, what do you think of her?”
He blushed and looked uncomfortable before he spoke slowly, cautiously. “I think she's going to grow up to be an exotic beauty.”
“That's all you think?” He had to know about Fanny and all her promiscuous ways with the boys in the cloakroom.
“No, it's
Similar Books
