Heloise groaned as she got out of bed Monday morning. She could smell eggs frying from the kitchen and already Alifair was awake putting on her stockings. "It's time to get up, Hannah," she said reaching across the bed and nudging her sister.

Selene was still asleep in the next bed, but Miriam, Taitiann and Astrid had already gone. Deciding to let Selene sleep, Heloise washed up and dressed herself.

Mrs. Fairchild was filling a cup with orange juice when the girls came downstairs for breakfast. She would have to be gone to her job over in Angel Veil soon and preparing breakfast for the Dewitt children. This was why her children had to be up extra early, before the sun.

"Heloise," Mrs. Fairchild said and Heloise jerked her head up from the table. "I'll be home late tonight, make sure Hannah gets her homework done and I don't want ya'll running around after dusk."

"Yes ma'am," Heloise said as a rooster crowed.

"I sure can't wait for school to be out," Hannah said. "That way we can go to work with you again."

"You actually enjoyed that?" Alifair asked.

"Well not the cleaning part, but I liked being with my Mama," Hannah said.

"Taitiann baked you brownies last night," Mrs. Fairchild said. "I've packed them in your lunches.

Hannah clapped her hands at this news. Now, if there were no potatoes in her lunch then the day would be just heavenly.

"Be sure to thank God for your meal and ask for a good day," Grace Fairchild said as she removed her apron. She kissed each of the girls. "Bye now." She picked up her bags on the way out the door and was gone.

/

After they had cleaned up breakfast the girls raced off to school. When they came to the fork in the road Heloise left Forsythe Street and turned down the next lane.

"Heloise," Alifair called after her, but Heloise ignored her and ran down to the white fence with Hannah following her.

"These brownies are good," Hannah said.

"Hannah," Heloise scolded. "You were supposed to wait until after you had lunch."

"It's torment to wait that long," Hannah said licking her fingers and collecting crumbs from the cresses in her dress.

"Hannah, Heloise come on we'll be late!" Alifair called from up the street.

"See you soon!" Heloise bid the house farewell and started running again. She slowed her pace when she realized Hannah was struggling to keep up. "I've been saving money," she said when they were on the road to school again. "I think we should hire a lawyer to help us get our house back."

Alifair sucked her teeth. "What lawyer would represent us? Besides you'd never have enough money. Lawyers are expensive."

"Why not?" Heloise challenged. "Daddy has been saving money and so have I. I haven't bought sweets from Mr. Calico in over a month. You'll see, Alifair. They'll all see. One day we will have it back."

Alifair sighed. "Yes..." she said. "But who knows what it might really cost us in the end."

/

It was a fast day at school for Miriam and she sat at her desk after hours grading papers. Taitiann swept the classroom and Astrid cleaned the windows while they waited for their sister to finish. Miriam had just added another paper to the graded pile when she heard a thump on threshold. Her heart jumped and she looked up and saw three men standing there.

"Excuse me school teacher," one with red hair said. "Do you know where a man can find anything to eat in this place?"

Miriam took her hand off her heart. "I'm sorry sir, you startled me," she said. "Ah, yes. There's a nice little diner at the depot. They have very nice biscuits."

The man nodded and tipped his cap. "Much obliged."

A cart suddenly pulled up outside the school and the men turned around.

"Miriam," the driver called from the wagon. "I'm heading to Old Town if you want to catch a ride home."

"Thanks, Travis," Miriam called out from inside. "I'll be along in a minute." She quickly gathered her things and the redhead turned back to her.

"This ain't Old Town?" he asked

"No sir, this here is Custardville. Old Town is the next county over, just outside of Angel Veil." She collected the key to the school and walked out with Taitiann and Astrid forcing the men to step back. She turned and locked the door then faced them. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No ma'am," the redhead said as one of his friends hacked onto the ground. "You've been very helpful. Come on boys," he said to his friends and they walked back to their horses.

Travis helped Astrid, Taitiann and Miriam onto the cart and she adjusted her skirts. "What was that all about?" he asked her."

Miriam shook her head. "I haven't the slightest idea."

/

Heloise was happy school was over. They had been put in groups for another project and she had been stuck with Olive Johnson and Amy Birch.

"Ghost girl, ghost girl," Amy and Olive sung as they followed them up the road. "You must be a witch."

"Be quiet, Olive," Hannah said. "Heloise is not a ghost or a witch."

"Well then she should find a different school," Amy said. "White girls aren't supposed to be in our school."

Heloise stopped and turned around. "Just because I don't look like you doesn't mean there is something wrong with me," she said.

"But you don't look like anyone!" Olive said stepping closer and jabbing Heloise with her finger. She pulled her book bag over her shoulder. "You don't look like us and you don't look like your family or Miss Martin or anyone in this whole town. You're a curse." She shoved Heloise and she fell into the mud. "Oops." Olive laughed. "Now you look like the rest of your family." She and Amy laughed together.

Alifair stepped forward and the two girls scattered. Looking down at her sister Alifair helped her up. "Just ignore her, Heloise."

"Easy for you to say," Heloise said dusting off her clothes. "You fit right in...both you and Hannah. I'm the one they tease." She used the back of her hand to wipe her nose before picking up her bookstrap.

"I was only trying to help," Alifair said.

"I just want to be left alone, all right," Heloise said wiping her eyes. She suddenly turned on her heels and ran.

"Heloise!" Hannah called after her but she didn't stop, quickly putting distance between them.

Heloise ran all the way to town to the Calicos' general store where her grandpa often sat out front playing checkers with other old folk. "Grandpa!" Heloise cried when she saw him and threw her arms around him and wept in his lap.

"Come now, child," Jeremiah said, "You tell your papa what's gotten to you."

"It was the children at school again," Heloise said. "They are always so mean to me." She looked up from where she knelt. "Why did I have to be born different? How come I couldn't look like you or mama or papa?"

Jeremiah smiled at her. "No one person I know is the same," he said then looked at Tom who he was playing checkers with. "Do I look like Tom?"

"No, sir," Heloise said.

"Thank goodness," Jeremiah said and Tom shot him a look which made Heloise laugh. "Who are the people who matter to you most?"

Heloise sniffled. "You, my ma and pa, and my sisters."

"And do any of us care what you look like?" Jeremiah asked.

"No," Heloise said, quickly getting his point. "I reckon they don't."

"Then why on earth should it matter?" Jeremiah said. "And I'll give Mr. Johnson a talkin' to about his daughter. They ought to throw that child in the mangroves with the cottonmouths where she belongs."

Heloise grinned and laughed then hugged her grandfather. "Thank you, Grandpa," she said. "I'm glad I have you."

Jeremiah patted her shoulder. "I'm glad too," he said. "Now why don't you grab that book there and read a few pages for your papa. My little Selene has been all around the town this morning and hasn't had time for me."

Heloise picked up the book and sat down on a barrel to read. "It was the best of times it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness." She looked up from the pages. "Is this book talking about now?"

"Shhh, you'll ruin the illusion," Jeremiah said.

Heloise looked at her grandfather and Mr. Tom as well as the other few sitting outside the general store. "It was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity."

She read the first chapter before she was asked to stop. The day waned on as she sat with the old men watching them chew the fat and tell big fish stories.

"Did you really stand on the rails and stop a train, Mr. Tom?" she asked sliding her red checker piece to be crowned.

"That's what I said, that's what happened," Mr. Tom said.

"But did it happen exactly as you said it did?" another one of the old men asked and they all laughed at Tom.

"Looks like Heloise wins another round," Jeremiah said. "That's it for you, Tom it looks like you won't be able to beat my granddaughter." He put his old floppy hat on her head.

"Tomorrow I play winner," one of the other old men said.

Heloise looked over her shoulder into the street and caught sight of her sister pulling a wagon of books. "I'd better get going, Grandpa," she said giving him back his hat. "I'll see you at home."

She jumped off the porch of the general store which also joined to the fabric store and ran across the dirt street toward the post office where Selene had stopped to tie her boot.

"Evening, Heloise," Selene said.

"Where did you get all of those?" Heloise asked, running her hand over the stacks of books. "It will take you a lifetime to read all of them. "You have Dickens, Austen, Twain..."

Selene nodded. "Well all folks have different taste." She picked up the handle to the wagon and Heloise helped her. "Some prefer a romance while others fancy an adventure."

"Which do you like?" Heloise asked.

"I like a little of both," Selene said.

"I like stories that are funny," Heloise said.

It seemed to get dark very quickly and by the time they reached the road home most of the light was coming from the moon.

"It was sure nice of Young Mr. St. Cloud to give you all these books," Heloise said.

"It was," Selene said. "But not all of them are from him. I must have asked the whole town."

"Grandpa said you were supposed to come read to him and his friends."

"I got carried away," Selene said. "You know how it is when you get busy talking; especially if you like that person's company. Time just, blows away."

Heloise let go of the wagon and looked at her older sister. "No," she said. "I don't know how it is."

Selene looked at her sister then feigned interest in her boots only to realize that they made her think of Jethro too.

"I know young Mr. St. Cloud likes you, Selene," Heloise said. "And also I think you like him."

"Oh you dear, innocent," Selene said. "It's not like, it's love."

Heloise watched Selene drag her hand over her face. "I'm sorry...I know I'm not supposed to know such things."

"No," Selene said with a sniffle. "I'm glad it's you over anyone else. You're my favorite, Heloise." She touched her shoulder and sniffled again.

"You're secret is safe with me," Heloise said, again taking hold of the wagon handle. She tried to give it a pull but it didn't budge.

Selene chuckled and grabbed hold of the handle and together they pulled theload home.