Light to the Hills: A Novel (39)

“That ’un came from scrap left over, but it’d be big enough for a baby to play with.”

Sass flipped one over. “Finn had the idea to use cattail fluff for the tails. Ain’t that something? And we rubbed black walnut stain on for eyes and nose.”

Rai picked up a rabbit and held it to her nose. “We had the ideer to tuck in some smells. This ’un has some dried lavender inside. In some I put rose hips, sage, or mint.”

“Daddy said we orta string ’em up in the outhouse to cut the air a bit.” Finn laughed. “It ain’t a half-bad notion.”

“The young’uns on my route will love them to death,” Amanda said. “In the spring when the school opens back up, Miz Vessel will be tickled to have some of these to give as prizes for good lessons. Thank you all so much. This is right kind and generous with all you have to do.”

Rai sat in a rocker by the fire as Hiccup settled in her lap, drawn out by all the commotion. She cradled a rabbit of her own, one with a white flour-sack body and a lopsided face. One of its paws was thinner than the rest from where she’d carried it around. “The sack donations you brought from the library office were most of it. It give us a nice job to do with the days so short. Once we got Fern’s pattern figgered out, they pop out pretty quick. All you need is a coupl’a rabbits, you know how they are, and it’s not long ’fore you got a whole sack full.”

“That’s the honest truth,” Amanda admitted, and they all laughed.

While the girls stacked the books, Amanda turned to Finn, who’d finished his pile of potatoes and leaned back in his chair, digging under his fingernails with the knife.

“And how are you faring?” she asked.

“Up and about. Learning letters, same as them, but I feel about as useful as tits on a bull.”

“I don’t know anyone else who’d a’ thought up using cattails for rabbit tails,” she teased, “but they’re perfect. It’s been nice being able to see you when I come by. If you were back in the saddle, I woulda missed out on that.”

Finn grinned and nodded. “That’s one good thing,” he allowed. “I sure have enjoyed your stopping by more often.” He fell quiet. “Don’t you worry, riding around all over creation on your own?”

“Sometimes.” Alice’s alarming story about the three men flitted through her thoughts. “But I ain’t afraid to fire a gun if it came to it.” She shrugged. “’Sides, I got a boy at home to take care of, so as long as I’m able, I’ll do what needs done.”

Finn winked at her. “That’s some gumption and spunk, I’ll give you that, but I’ll admit it troubles me some, thinkin’ about you on that lonesome route.”

A rosy bloom of color flushed Amanda’s cheeks. “Is that so?” she pressed. “I’m pleased to know you’re thinking of me, Finn MacInteer.” She looked forward to her visits more than he knew, more than she even admitted to herself.

“To have been here right regular, you manage to stay pretty clammed up,” Finn observed. “You oughta know by now I don’t bite, and I done tole you prob’ly way more than you wanted to know, but by gum, you let out tidbits like a careful angler letting out a bit of line at a time. Afraid you’re gonna get snagged up on a rock.”

Amanda dropped her eyes. He was right, of course, but the sting of betrayal still pained her, even all these years later. She glanced around the room at the crackling fire, pile of rabbits, and the books stacked and ready. Tears brimmed and, surprised, she swiped a hand across her eyes to stop their fall. It dawned on her that keeping her guard up and distance between herself and this family—Finn in particular—was a second betrayal, one she visited upon her own self.

“There’s not that much interesting to know,” she told him, “but ask me later and I’ll keep no secrets. Now then, Sass, let’s see how far you got through the reader I left.” Amanda cracked open the spine of the book, and Sass scooted closer while Fern looked over her shoulder, ready to follow along.

Sass took a deep breath, looked up at Rai, who was standing with her lips pressed together, and read: “Sunny Boy raced into the house. On the table was his supper. What do you think it was? It was a big bowl of bread and milk.”

Amanda nearly came out of her chair. The whole family burst out laughing at her round eyes and mouth hanging open. “What on earth?” she exclaimed.

Rai beamed at Amanda, her eyes shining. “I told you she’s been practicing. She got those letters down pretty good, and long about last week, I heard her reading to beat the band. Just took off with it.”

“Sass?” Amanda marveled. “Why didn’t you say so?”

Sass nodded shyly, pushing her hair out of her eyes. “I wanted to surprise you. I kept thinking about what you told me, how the letters make sounds and the sounds link together. Lots of the little words I figgered out because we looked through those picture books.”

“Yes, you were quick to pick those up.”

“After that, ever’ chance I got I’d study over the words in the big book, matching them to what was happening in the picture. Couple days ago, lightning struck right in my head. All that puzzling and figgering, and all at once, the letters started talking to me. I could hear the sounds they made in my head, and if I just whispered ’em out, my mouth was saying the word on the page.”