Read Online Devil Moon by David Thompson - Free Book Online Page A

admitting I’m in love.”
    “A woman’s prerogative. And for your sake I will graciously drop the subject.”
    “Thank you,” Evelyn said. “I’ll have to tell your wife that she’s wrong about you.”
    “What did the wretch say?”
    Evelyn snorted. “How did she go from being a wench to a wretch?”
    “She’s female. Your kind does it with every other breath.”
    “Oh, Uncle Shakespeare.”
    “Don’t start with that again. What did my darling wife claim this time?”
    “Only that your tongue is so tart, you must have been born with a sour disposition. But she was smiling when she said it.”
    “That was the word she used? Tart?”
    Evelyn nodded. “She was quite proud of it. She said it was a word worthy of your precious William S.”
    “The nerve,” Shakespeare said, and paraphrased, “All that is within her does condemn itself for being there.” Lifting his rifle, he marched on by. “If you’ll excuse me, there’s a certain upstart who needs a tongue-lashing.”
    Evelyn grinned and continued on her way. She thought of his remark about the military and virgins and felt herself blush. That was another thing she’d never given any attention until recently. Why should she, when she was never going to marry? Sighing, she stopped and gazed toward the east end of the lake. The Nansusequa lodge was a dark block in the shadows of the tall trees. Dega was there somewhere, going about his daily chores. It had been a few days since she saw him and she dearly yearned to.
    That got her thinking. Usually when they were together, others were around. His family or her family or Shakespeare and his wife. It was rare for them to be alone. The last time had been when they went on a long ride up into the mountains. She decided to go on another. Only she couldn’t just tell her mother and father and say she wanted to go off with Dega to be alone with him. She needed an excuse.
    Over by the cabin the chickens were pecking and taking dirt baths. The rooster flapped his wings at her as she went by. She opened the door and went inand stood a moment so her eyes could adjust. Her mother, Winona, was at the counter chopping a rabbit into bits for a stew.
    “Where’s Pa?” Evelyn asked.
    “He went to visit your brother and see how Louisa is coming along,” Winona said in her impeccable English.
    Evelyn pulled out a chair and sat at the table. Her sister-in-law was in the family way and everyone was doting over her. She wondered if they would do the same when she was in the family way, and blushed again.
    “How was your walk?”
    “It’s a beautiful day,” Evelyn said.
    Winona turned. She had a bloody knife in one hand, and the fingers of her other hand dripped red drops. “Too beautiful to clean your room as you promised you would?”
    “I said I would get it done by suppertime.”
    “And you will stall until it is nearly time to eat and then do it,” Winona predicted.
    Evelyn wanted to stay on her mother’s good side, so she said, “I’ll clean it in a few minutes. First I wanted to ask you something.”
    Winona turned back to the counter and began putting the pieces and bits into a pot. “I am listening.”
    “Pretty soon the weather will change,” Evelyn began by a devious route. “Winter will be here and we’ll have snow up to our necks.”
    “Sometimes the snow is deep, yes. Do you want your father to repair that sled he made you?”
    “What? No. I haven’t used that in years.” Evelyn traced the shape of a heart on the tabletop.
    “Then what was your point?”
    “Only that once the snow hits, we don’t get to go anywhere. We can be socked in for days or even weeks.”
    “Winter is as it is.”
    “I know that. I’m not griping about the snow. I’m saying that I’d like to get away for a day. Maybe ride up into the high country.”
    Winona shifted toward her. “Oh?”
    “Yes.” Evelyn saw the hint of a grin at the corners of her mother’s mouth. Or maybe it was her