Read Online Wind Song by Margaret Brownley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Margaret Brownley
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blooms on the other bushes looked as lovely as the flowers in Washington, and Maddie suddenly felt homesick.
The woman stared pointedly at Maddie's blue cotton trousers, then gave a disapproving frown when her gaze came to rest on the mass of tangled red curls that not even Maddie's sunbonnet could hide.
"That will be a dollar a night--and there'll be no carrying on with the other guests."
"At a dollar a night, I should say not!" Maddie declared. "Do you by any chance happen to know where I might find a Mr. Boxer?"
Mrs. Gray narrowed her eyes. "That's the superintendent of schools. What business would you be having with him?"
"He's my employer."
The woman looked incredulous. "You're a teacher?"
Maddie nodded. "I was supposed to teach in Colton. Now I'm not sure where I'll be teaching."
"Oh, heavenly days, the fire." Her manner toward Maddie improved considerably. Apparently teachers were rare enough in these parts to warrant high regard. "A terrible thing. You'll find your Mr. Boxer at the law officers of Lerner and Thornburgh. They were kind enough to let him set up temporary headquarters. It's a short walk. Why don't you leave your horse and wagon here, luv? That way you won't have to fight traffic."
"Thank you, I think I'll do that. Would you mind if I freshen up first?"
"Oh, you poor thing. Come in, come in." The woman stomped her feet on the mat in front of the door to rid her boots of dirt.
Maddie grabbed her valise from the back of the wagon and followed the woman inside the house and up the narrow stairs to the second floor. The necessity room was to the right of the hallway.
"You won't find better in Kansas," Mrs. Gray said proudly. The room was complete with a dry sink and oval mirror, but was sadly lacking by Washington standards, and any calls by nature would have to be answer with a trip to the outhouse in back.
Maddie thanked the widow and as soon as the older woman took her leave, poured water from the china pitcher into a matching basin. It felt good to wash the dust and grime off her face and hands, but it was only a temporary measure at best. What she really longed for was a bath.
She brushed her hair, braided it, and pinned it up in cogwheel style over her ears. She debated whether to change into more suitable attire before meeting Mr. Boxer, but decided against it. It was far too hot to bother. Besides, after being left stranded the day before, she wasn't feeling particularly charitable toward the man.
A short while later, following Mrs. Gray's instructions, Maddie walked down Chestnut to Old North Main Street. She quickly located the stone law offices on the other side of the train tracks.
Inside, several men, including the sheriff, sat in a semicircle facing a wall chart. A man whom she presumed to be either Lerner or Thornburgh (given the size of his girth, possibly both) broke away from the group of men to greet her. "May I help you, Miss?"
"I'm looking for Mr. Boxer."
The man standing closest to the chart turned and peered over the steel frames of his spectacles. "Elliot Boxer at your service. How might I help you?"
"I'm Madeline Percy." When he showed no recognition of her name, she explained further. "I agreed to teach in Colton."
The man's confusion cleared. He nudged the bridge of his glasses up his nose with his forefinger. "Oh, yes, Miss Percy. You came all the way from…"
"Washington."
"Yes, yes, I remember now. As you are no doubt aware, we had a most unfortunate fire."
"So I discovered."
"Burned everything down to the ground." He shook his head, and his glasses slipped back down his nose. "Most unfortunate."
"Yes, it was." She hesitated. "I was wondering if I might have a private word with you?" She glanced at the other men, who had risen to their feet at sight of her and who were now watching with open curiosity. "If you prefer, I could come back later."
"Nonsense!" It was the sheriff speaking. "You go ahead, Elliot. We'll carry on until you get back."
"Very well,"
The woman stared pointedly at Maddie's blue cotton trousers, then gave a disapproving frown when her gaze came to rest on the mass of tangled red curls that not even Maddie's sunbonnet could hide.
"That will be a dollar a night--and there'll be no carrying on with the other guests."
"At a dollar a night, I should say not!" Maddie declared. "Do you by any chance happen to know where I might find a Mr. Boxer?"
Mrs. Gray narrowed her eyes. "That's the superintendent of schools. What business would you be having with him?"
"He's my employer."
The woman looked incredulous. "You're a teacher?"
Maddie nodded. "I was supposed to teach in Colton. Now I'm not sure where I'll be teaching."
"Oh, heavenly days, the fire." Her manner toward Maddie improved considerably. Apparently teachers were rare enough in these parts to warrant high regard. "A terrible thing. You'll find your Mr. Boxer at the law officers of Lerner and Thornburgh. They were kind enough to let him set up temporary headquarters. It's a short walk. Why don't you leave your horse and wagon here, luv? That way you won't have to fight traffic."
"Thank you, I think I'll do that. Would you mind if I freshen up first?"
"Oh, you poor thing. Come in, come in." The woman stomped her feet on the mat in front of the door to rid her boots of dirt.
Maddie grabbed her valise from the back of the wagon and followed the woman inside the house and up the narrow stairs to the second floor. The necessity room was to the right of the hallway.
"You won't find better in Kansas," Mrs. Gray said proudly. The room was complete with a dry sink and oval mirror, but was sadly lacking by Washington standards, and any calls by nature would have to be answer with a trip to the outhouse in back.
Maddie thanked the widow and as soon as the older woman took her leave, poured water from the china pitcher into a matching basin. It felt good to wash the dust and grime off her face and hands, but it was only a temporary measure at best. What she really longed for was a bath.
She brushed her hair, braided it, and pinned it up in cogwheel style over her ears. She debated whether to change into more suitable attire before meeting Mr. Boxer, but decided against it. It was far too hot to bother. Besides, after being left stranded the day before, she wasn't feeling particularly charitable toward the man.
A short while later, following Mrs. Gray's instructions, Maddie walked down Chestnut to Old North Main Street. She quickly located the stone law offices on the other side of the train tracks.
Inside, several men, including the sheriff, sat in a semicircle facing a wall chart. A man whom she presumed to be either Lerner or Thornburgh (given the size of his girth, possibly both) broke away from the group of men to greet her. "May I help you, Miss?"
"I'm looking for Mr. Boxer."
The man standing closest to the chart turned and peered over the steel frames of his spectacles. "Elliot Boxer at your service. How might I help you?"
"I'm Madeline Percy." When he showed no recognition of her name, she explained further. "I agreed to teach in Colton."
The man's confusion cleared. He nudged the bridge of his glasses up his nose with his forefinger. "Oh, yes, Miss Percy. You came all the way from…"
"Washington."
"Yes, yes, I remember now. As you are no doubt aware, we had a most unfortunate fire."
"So I discovered."
"Burned everything down to the ground." He shook his head, and his glasses slipped back down his nose. "Most unfortunate."
"Yes, it was." She hesitated. "I was wondering if I might have a private word with you?" She glanced at the other men, who had risen to their feet at sight of her and who were now watching with open curiosity. "If you prefer, I could come back later."
"Nonsense!" It was the sheriff speaking. "You go ahead, Elliot. We'll carry on until you get back."
"Very well,"
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