as you, I’d be protective.”
“She is that, but she has had only kind things to say about you.”
“Well, do I have your permission to approach her about visiting you?”
Jo had never had anyone ask her that before. “Yes, you have my permission,” she replied quietly.
“Good. We’ll see what she says.”
Jo nodded, then said, “I should join the others.”
His face was understanding. “All right. I’m going to find a few strong backs to help take the piano back inside, and then gather my courage to talk to your mother. Wish me luck?”
“I do.”
He hobbled off on his cane. Jo stood and watched him depart. That had certainly been an eye-opening conversation, she mused. Surely he couldn’t be that old-fashioned in his views on women. Jo was confident she could change his outdated thinking, so she hoped her mama would let him visit. Jo did enjoy George’s company.
Jo looked around the grove in an effort to locate Trudy, but didn’t see her anywhere. There were duos still dueling at the checkerboards, but none included Trudy. Jo wondered where she might be. It occurred to her then that she didn’t see Dred Reed, either. Oh, Lord! She hastily but discreetly located Trudy’s mother, Barbara, who was now sewing with the others. Jo hoped Mrs. Carr didn’t suddenly look up and start to wonder where her daughter had disappeared to. Jo prayed that Dred’s absence was simply coincidental and that he and Trudy hadn’t slipped off somewhere. Jo then decided she wasn’t being much of a friend by imagining the worst. Trudy could have a perfectly legitimate reason for being out of sight, such as—She suddenly saw Trudy coming from around the back of Mrs. Oswald’s barn. The privy! Jo smiled with relief, then chastised herself again for being so disloyal.
Trudy walked over and asked, “What are you grinning about?”
Jo fell into pace by Trudy’s side. “Nothing.”
“You’re pleased about something, Josephine Best, so out with it. What did I miss? Did Adam Morgan call you beautiful again?”
“I’m just glad to see you, is all.”
Trudy stopped. Her face was puzzled. “But I’ve been here all day.”
“I know, but when I didn’t see you just now, I thought maybe—”
“Maybe what?”
Jo threw up a dismissive hand and resumed walking. “It was nothing.”
“Jo, what did you think?”
“Oh, all right. I thought maybe you and Dred had snuck off.”
Trudy laughed. “Me and Dred.” Then she went all dreamy again. “Oh, wouldn’t that be exciting, Jo, a secret moment with Dred?”
Oh, Lord! Jo moaned to herself. “Never mind. Forget I even mentioned it.”
“Do you think he knows how to kiss?”
“Trudy!” Jo said. This was not the place to be discussing such a topic. “Do you want somebody to overhear?”
“No, but do you think he can?”
“Aren’t Bert’s kisses the ones you’re supposed to be dreaming about?”
Trudy sniffed. “Bert knows less about kissing than I do.”
Jo shook her head with amusement.
“What?” Trudy asked.
“Nothing. I am so glad you’re my best friend, Tru. I really and truly am.” Jo doubted any other friend would make life so lively.
In an effort to keep Trudy on the straight and narrow and away from Dred, Jo steered their walk over to where their mothers sat sewing. As they neared, Jo noticed Adam eating at a table a few feet away. Several young ladies were buzzing around him like bees to honey. He was smiling up at them and they were tittering and giggling in response. Granted, Adam had known most of the girls growing up, and they were no doubt renewing old acquaintances, but for some reason the sight didn’t sit well with Jo. Then, as if he sensed her attention, Adam met her gaze. His eyes sparkled a greeting that seemed reserved for her alone. At that moment, Jo had no name for how he made her feel, but it was almost as if a part of herself took wing and flew over to him before she could stop it or snatch it back.
Trudy said
“She is that, but she has had only kind things to say about you.”
“Well, do I have your permission to approach her about visiting you?”
Jo had never had anyone ask her that before. “Yes, you have my permission,” she replied quietly.
“Good. We’ll see what she says.”
Jo nodded, then said, “I should join the others.”
His face was understanding. “All right. I’m going to find a few strong backs to help take the piano back inside, and then gather my courage to talk to your mother. Wish me luck?”
“I do.”
He hobbled off on his cane. Jo stood and watched him depart. That had certainly been an eye-opening conversation, she mused. Surely he couldn’t be that old-fashioned in his views on women. Jo was confident she could change his outdated thinking, so she hoped her mama would let him visit. Jo did enjoy George’s company.
Jo looked around the grove in an effort to locate Trudy, but didn’t see her anywhere. There were duos still dueling at the checkerboards, but none included Trudy. Jo wondered where she might be. It occurred to her then that she didn’t see Dred Reed, either. Oh, Lord! She hastily but discreetly located Trudy’s mother, Barbara, who was now sewing with the others. Jo hoped Mrs. Carr didn’t suddenly look up and start to wonder where her daughter had disappeared to. Jo prayed that Dred’s absence was simply coincidental and that he and Trudy hadn’t slipped off somewhere. Jo then decided she wasn’t being much of a friend by imagining the worst. Trudy could have a perfectly legitimate reason for being out of sight, such as—She suddenly saw Trudy coming from around the back of Mrs. Oswald’s barn. The privy! Jo smiled with relief, then chastised herself again for being so disloyal.
Trudy walked over and asked, “What are you grinning about?”
Jo fell into pace by Trudy’s side. “Nothing.”
“You’re pleased about something, Josephine Best, so out with it. What did I miss? Did Adam Morgan call you beautiful again?”
“I’m just glad to see you, is all.”
Trudy stopped. Her face was puzzled. “But I’ve been here all day.”
“I know, but when I didn’t see you just now, I thought maybe—”
“Maybe what?”
Jo threw up a dismissive hand and resumed walking. “It was nothing.”
“Jo, what did you think?”
“Oh, all right. I thought maybe you and Dred had snuck off.”
Trudy laughed. “Me and Dred.” Then she went all dreamy again. “Oh, wouldn’t that be exciting, Jo, a secret moment with Dred?”
Oh, Lord! Jo moaned to herself. “Never mind. Forget I even mentioned it.”
“Do you think he knows how to kiss?”
“Trudy!” Jo said. This was not the place to be discussing such a topic. “Do you want somebody to overhear?”
“No, but do you think he can?”
“Aren’t Bert’s kisses the ones you’re supposed to be dreaming about?”
Trudy sniffed. “Bert knows less about kissing than I do.”
Jo shook her head with amusement.
“What?” Trudy asked.
“Nothing. I am so glad you’re my best friend, Tru. I really and truly am.” Jo doubted any other friend would make life so lively.
In an effort to keep Trudy on the straight and narrow and away from Dred, Jo steered their walk over to where their mothers sat sewing. As they neared, Jo noticed Adam eating at a table a few feet away. Several young ladies were buzzing around him like bees to honey. He was smiling up at them and they were tittering and giggling in response. Granted, Adam had known most of the girls growing up, and they were no doubt renewing old acquaintances, but for some reason the sight didn’t sit well with Jo. Then, as if he sensed her attention, Adam met her gaze. His eyes sparkled a greeting that seemed reserved for her alone. At that moment, Jo had no name for how he made her feel, but it was almost as if a part of herself took wing and flew over to him before she could stop it or snatch it back.
Trudy said
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