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Part 1-
By Jade
"Ouch!" Bess jerked her hand back from Nan and stared at her accusingly.
Nan stared right back, frustrated. "Hold still Bess! If you don't let me pull that splinter out, its going to hurt a lot more!"
"You didn't tell me you were going to stick the needle in my finger!"
Nan sighed and tried to pull Bess's hand back up. "If I'm going to get it out, I have to stick the needle in."
Bess jerked her hand back, "No!"
Dan came into the kitchen and smirked at the twosome. "Hey, Bess, what happened, you break a nail?"
Bess glared at his teasing and retorted, "No, I have a splinter, thank you!"
Dan stared at her with mock disbelief and continued teasing, "A splinter? You're yelling about a little ol' splinter?"
Bess gritted her teeth and turning to Nan, thrust her hand out, and nearly smacked her in the face. "Here!" she said, turning away from the sight, "Take it out!"
Nan shot Dan a look of gratitude and proceeded to pull the offending piece of wood out of the finger. Dan watched and smiled when Bess squeezed her eyes shut, anticipating what she imagined would be major pain.
"Dan!" Dan turned at the sound of Emil's voice and groaned. Emil's voice had a very distinctive tone to it. As the stocky boy came into the kitchen, Dan braced himself. Sometimes Emil could be incredibly bossy. But, he thought, it only seemed right for what Emil wanted to be when he grew up-a ship captain. "What do you think you're doing?"
Dan deliberately bit into an apple before answering, "Takin' a break."
Emil's eyes turned steely blue. "You're supposed to be mucking the barn."
Bess opened her eyes and interrupted the tense conversation, "Oooh, Dan, shirking your duties again?"
Dan's eyes flashed, then filled with laughter as Bess winced at a particular poke to her wound while trying to keep a mocking expression.
"Well, I guess I'd better go muck the barn," Dan said. He swept past Emil and headed to the barn. As he walked to the barn, he met up with Nat holding a book. Nat was walking slowly, absorbed in whatever he was reading. Dan smiled to himself. Dan had always had a special place in his heart for Nathaniel Blake. He knew the first time he saw him that Nat didn't belong on the streets; that Nat was different from all the other runaways, orphans and scavengers roaming Boston. Nat was the main reason Dan had come to Plumfield. Aware that Nat would never leave him, yet also knowing Plumfield was a chance for Nat to excel in ways he never would, Dan had left his friends and the home he knew to open a door for Nat first and then him second. Now, watching his friend, Dan knew he had done the right thing for Nat and himself.
"Hey, buddy, whatcha reading?"
Nat jumped at Dan's voice then smiled as he realized whom was talking. "Great Expectations." He shut the book and held it up so Dan could see the title.
"Oh, yeah, Mrs. Jo was talking about that book," Dan said approvingly,"She said it's real good."
"Oh, it is," Nat said excitedly, "You want to read it with me?"
"Aahh, that's ok," Dan said, not too excited at the prospect, "You can read it for both of us."
"Oh."Nat looked disappointed and for a moment Dan wished he hadn't told him no. "Where are you going, Dan?"
Dan smiled a lazy smile, glad the subject had changed. "I gotta muck the barn. Where are you going?"
"I have to feed the horses."
"Well," Dan said, motioning at the book, "If you don't stop readin' that book, it'll be tomorrow before you get there." Nat grinned and stuffed the book into his pocket.
"There," and the two continued on to their chores. Dan went his way and Nat went his, each at opposite ends of the barn. That made conversation impossible, so Dan and Nat worked silently, each lost in his own thoughts. Nick usually checked in on them from time to time, but he was busy fixing the roof of the chicken coop and couldn't take the time. Nat forked hay into the troughs. First empty the trough of any old hay, then fork in hay with the pitchfork. Then put a layer of oats over the hay. Lastly, pour a fresh bucket of water into the water trough. Nat had done this so many times that the routine was etched into his mind and he worked almost mechanically. First this stall, then this one Nat suddenly noticed that he was running out of hay. He called down the aisle, "Hey Dan, will you come help me get hay out of the loft?"
"Sure," Dan replied, throwing down his shovel. He didn't mind stopping at all. Nat entered the schoolhouse and climbed the ladder leading up to the loft. Dan was waiting outside with the wheelbarrow. Dan had wanted to go up to the loft, but Nat had insisted on doing it himself. He d being treated like a baby and though Nat could understand Dan's protective attitude toward him, he sometimes wished Dan would let him learn his own lessons. Having ascended the ladder, he walked toward the swinging doors that would let him fork hay out on the ground below. Right before he reached the doors, he heard a strange noise.
He turned and stared in the direction of the sound. When he heard nothing more, he shrugged, figuring he had imagined it. He threw open the doors with all his might and frowned when they only swung out halfway. Staring down at Dan, he felt a rush of happiness. He knew his friend would never make fun of him. He was intensely grateful for Dan and for all his friends at Plumfield.
"You ready?" Dan called up to him.
"Yeah," As he spoke, Nat heard the rustling again and he turned to see something dart behind a heap of hay. Nat's first impulse was to yell for Dan, but he decided against it. After all, hadn't he just wished that Dan would stop fighting his battles for him? He moved slowly and silently over to the piled hay and went around one side. He drew a deep breath and looked behind the pile.
Something was there, but it sped around the opposite side when Nat appeared. Nat ran after it and saw that it was a person and it was heading for the ladder. He knew he would never catch whoever it was alone, so he decided to call for help. "Dan! Somebody is up here!!"
The minute Dan heard Nat's frantic yell, he took off for the open schoolhouse door. His pulse quickened and adrenaline flooded his veins. He felt like he was back on the streets and strangely, that bothered him. But he didn't have any time to ponder these strange feelings, not when Nat needed him.
Nat ran the length of the loft, hot on the trail of the mysterious person fleeing from him. The person reached the ladder and started to descend it. Nat reached the ladder to see that the person was already halfway down and moving fast. The loft wasn't enclosed and Nat could see all around the schoolhouse, including the view outside the fully open schoolhouse door. He saw Dan running full speed for the door, but from his vantage point, Nat could see that Dan would never get to the schoolhouse in time to catch the intruder.
Looking down at the person nearing the end of the ladder, Nat willed his courage not to fail him and made a decision. He waited until the intruder was on the last rung and then he launched himself into the air.
As he ran, Dan saw that indeed there was a person descending the ladder and he saw Nat hovering over the ladder. Dan also saw that there was no way for him to get to the door in time and he wondered why Nat wasn't continuing the chase. There might be a chance for Nat to catch whoever it was, if only he would get moving, Dan thought.
Nat wasn't one for giving up, so why was he standing still, doing nothing? Unless. Dan suddenly realized what Nat was going to do and he gasped with the horror of it all. He wanted to yell at Nat, to tell him to stop, but he couldn't find his voice. And then he watched Nat hurdle off the loft and fall on the intruder. He ran as fast as he could to the boy. Nat wasn't moving and Dan felt all the air whoosh out of him. Suddenly he found his voice. "Nat!"
Nat didn't respond and Dan tentatively touched him, knowing that he could hurt Nat even more if something was wrong with his neck or back. Nat came back to consciousness to find himself lying face-first on something soft and pillowy. His head lay on the floor and it hurt like the dickens. He tried to lift it and groaned when waves of nausea rushed through him.
"Nat?" Dan's hopeful voice broke through the dizzying pain and Nat reached out a hand toward him. "Oh, Nat," Dan gathered him up in a hug, "Thank God you're all right! I thought you broke your neck!"
"Well," Nat's voice came out muffled and weak, "I'm gonna pass out if you don't stop crushing me."
"Oh." Dan helped Nat roll over and lie down on the floor. "By the way," Nat continued, "What happened?"
Dan's eyes widened and they filled with fear, "You mean, you can't remember?"
"Well, yeah, I remember falling, but what did I fall on?" Dan's eyes went back to normal and he suddenly grinned. "Just a person who was hiding in the hay."
"Yikes!" Nat tried to sit up. "Where is he?"
"Hey, take it easy, Nat." Dan lowered his now dizzy friend, "He ain't going anywhere soon. He's out cold."
"He?" The heap of clothes now moved and the person sat up, flipping back waist-length hair that had tumbled out of a cap. Dan and Nat sat staring at the girl and she spoke again, a teasing smile on her face, "Whatsa matter, boys? Aintcha ever seen a girl before?"
They both closed their gaping mouths and moved together. Dan lunged forward and grabbed the girl's arm and Nat got up more slowly, due to his aching head. The smile left the girl's face and she tried to loosen Dan's grip, but he wasn't letting go.
"Hey," she said, "Lemme go!"
"No way!!" Dan started to lead the girl out the door but she resisted so he ended up dragging her. "You're trespassing," He said without looking back at her, "And I'm takin' you to Nick."
He set off to the chicken coop with the girl fighting every step of the way and Nat following a slower pace. Dan was having a hard time dragging the struggling girl and he was seriously considering throwing her over his Shoulders when he saw Nick striding from the chicken coop. "Nick," he called to him, "Come here, will ya?"
Nick quickened his step and called out, "Whatcha got there?"
"A bear cub," Dan replied. He thrust the child forward and she stumbled before straightening up to her full height before Nick.
Nick's eyes narrowed and then they widened to round o's. "Liz!?"
*****
Part 2-
By Rachel
"I'm surprised you recognize me Nick. I wasn't sure you would." Liz smiled, and gave Nick a hug.
Dan and Nat stood speechless, and questioning. Who is this girl? They wondered.
Nick finally hugged her back and then stepped away. "What are you doing here?"
Her expression saddened as she said, "we'll have to talk."
"Nick? Who is she?" Dan finally asked.
As if seeing him for the first time, Nick turned to them. "Boys, let me introduce my cousin, Liz."
"Pleased to meet you boys." Liz smiled and stuck out her hand. "You're pretty daring Nat, jumping from the loft like you did."
"You did what?!" Nick looked at him in shock.
Nat reddened, as he looked at Nick, "I, uh . . . well, . . she was going to get away, so as she got to the bottom of the ladder, I . . . kind of . . . jumped on her."
"You jumped on her!"
"How was I supposed to know that she's your cousin? You didn't tell us that she was coming, and the way she was hiding in the loft, what was to be expected besides a prowler?" Nat defended himself.
"It's true Nick, I was prowling." Liz smiled. "I wanted to surprise you and see if you knew me, but the boys were coming to the barn, so I hid in the loft. Then Nat ran out of hay, and came up, and I hid, only I wasn't fast enough."
"Where are your parents Liz?"
Liz took a deep breath before replying, "A couple days ago, my parents and I were on a train to go to California because of a job offer my father had received. They had gone to get something to eat, while I stayed in my room asleep. Somehow, the train derailed, killing everyone on the front two cars, . . . my parents, included. I was bruised, but obviously not killed. . . I have nowhere to go Nick, I was hoping that you could help me."
Nick stood silent for a minute thinking about what she had told him, as did Dan and Nat.
"Mrs. Jo might let her stay and go to school," Dan said.
"I'll go talk to her," he started to walk towards the house, then stopped. He stood there facing the house for a second, then turned back towards them. "Liz, you might want to come too."
Liz nodded and followed after him. Leaving Dan and Nat to watch after them.
*****
"Please Jo, I'll pay for her tuition out of my salary, and she won't be a problem . . ."
"Unless someone hurts Nick, and then they'd have to face my wrath." Liz broke in.
Jo didn't say anything, but her expression was the same as Liz'.
"Nobody had better hurt me then ‘cause this girl can fight!" Jo's eyes grew round when Nick said that.
"Only when I have to." Liz smiled, "Nick can exaggerate, . . . a lot."
"Well, as long as you're sure that's what you want to do with your salary, I can deduct it before I even pay you, if you want Nick." Jo smiled politely.
"That's what I want to do. Where is she going to sleep?"
"Oh," Jo thought for a minute. "The girl's only have two beds in their room, so the only bed open would be in the boy's room, and I'm sure you don't want to sleep in there."
Liz thought for a minute. "Well, . . . . if it's the only bed, . . . I could sleep on the couch. I've done it before."
"Oh, . . no. You couldn't do that."
"There's room where I sleep. We could pull another cot into the room, and she'd be fine." Nick offered.
"Well, I don't know." Jo replied thoughtfully.
"No, Nick, Jo, I couldn't do that. Please, the couch will be fine. Really." She almost pleaded with them.
"Well, . . ."
"Really."
Jo nodded, "Only until we find another place for you to sleep."
Liz smiled, "deal."
*****
"So did you finally get the splinter out Bess?" Dan walked in with Nat right behind him.
"Yes. I did." Bess said curtly.
"It didn't . . hurt too bad did it?" He smirked.
She glared at him, but didn't reply.
"Who was that girl that was talking to Mrs. Jo and Nick in the parlor?" Nan asked, trying to get off the ‘splinter' subject.
"Her name is Liz, she's Nick's cousin." Nat said.
"Really? I didn't know that Nick had a cousin." Bess walked over and sat on the bed next to Nan.
"Yeah. Her parents died in a train accident a couple of days ago, and Nick is the only family that she has. He talked to Mrs. Jo and she's going to go to school here." Nat continued, as he and Dan sat on the other bed.
"Well, it's nice to have another girl for a change." Bess muttered.
"Too many boys for you to handle Bess?" Dan teased.
She let out an angry sigh, but again didn't say anything.
*****
"It's time for bed! Blow out the lamps!" Jo called as she walked down the hallway.
A chorus of "Goodnight Mrs. Jo's" followed, with an occasional call between friends in separate rooms.
Jo walked down the stairs, and into the parlor. "Are you going to be all right tonight Liz? Is the couch comfortable enough?"
Liz looked up and smiled. "It's perfect."
"Well, . . . goodnight then."
"Goodnight Mrs. Jo."
Jo left the room blowing out the last of the lamps and went to bed.
Liz was exhausted and fell asleep instantly. She didn't even hear the visitor that walked into the room later that night, taking with ‘him' one of Jo's bears that a friend had carved for her.
*****
Part 3-
By Jade
Liz awoke refreshed and bursting with energy. Even when her parents had been alive, she had never been particularly well off. In fact, she had spent most of her nights sleeping in a loft or on the ground. So, sleeping a soft couch affected her in ways she had never really known before.
She stretched and slipped off the sofa, gathering the folds of the borrowed nightgown in front of her. Muffling a yawn, she went over to a delicately carved table on which several statues and carved figures stood. The theme seemed to be bears and Liz smiled as she stroked a smooth wooden carving of a bear cub.
"Liz?" She spun around to see Jo looking at her questioningly.
"Oh," she said uncertainly, "I was just looking at your collection." When Jo didn't answer, Liz spoke again, "It is a collection, right?"
Jo smiled warmly. "Yes, it is."
She moved gracefully across the room to Liz's side and picked up the bear Liz had been admiring.
"I've loved bears since I was a little girl and decided to collect them." Liz let her hand wander among the different statues and carvings and at the same time let her thoughts wander too.
"Do you like bears?"
"What?" Confused, Liz looked at Jo.
"I said, do you like bears?" Liz dropped her eyes, but not before Jo saw the raw pain in them.
"My momma did," she whispered.
"Oh." Jo looked away, chagrined at ignoring such an obvious signal and decided to change the subject.
"Did you sleep well?" Liz swiped her eyes once and then smiled a slight, sweet smile.
"Yes, thank you." Jo studied the girl and then impulsively grabbed her hand.
"Liz," she said, as the girl stared at her, "I just want to say that I'm sorry about your parents, and that you're welcome to stay here as long as you want."
Liz's eyes flickered once with pain and surprise and then gratitude shone in its place.
"Thank you," she said, her voice hoarse with so many emotions running rampant. She squeezed Jo's hand.
"Thank you."
**************
"So," Nan stopped brushing Penny to address Nat, who was cleaning out the horse's hooves. "Whatcha think of the new girl?"
"I dunno." Nan glanced at Nat and frowned, not understanding his refusal to talk.
"What do you mean, I dunno?" Nat looked up at her and shrugged.
"I haven't got a chance to get to know her."
Nan nudged him slightly with her foot and said teasingly, "Well, don't get to know her too much!"
"I think she's hurting." That statement caused Nan to look down at Nat questioningly.
"What do you mean?"
Nat stood up and for the first time that morning engaged in a full conversation with her.
"I mean, when Nick asked her where her parents were, she told him matter-of-factly, as if she didn't care." "When my parents died, I did the same thing."
"Did what same thing?"
"I hid my feelings. On the street, there was no room for anything other than toughness-which I had none of-" here Nat smiled at Nan, "-but even before I roamed the streets, I closed it all off, 'cause it hurt too much to think about it."
"Oh, Nat." Nat looked back at Nan and was surprised to see that her blue eyes had a film of tears on them.
"Why are you crying?"
Nan wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
"It's just that I can't imagine losing my mother without my father being there." "True," she went on, "he slowly drifted away after mother's death, but in the beginning he was there, and we comforted each other."
Nan began to choke up again.
"I can't imagine being in your shoes and having to deal with pain like that."
Nat stared back at her and tenderly wiped away a stray tear.
"It's ok, Nan," "It doesn't hurt - no, I can't say it doesn't hurt anymore - but it hurts less now than in the past."
"And I think Liz must be going to the same thing right now."
************
Jo stared at the empty place on the table and frowned. She was sure there had been a china bear figurine in that place. She caught sight of Liz going by the parlor door and called out to her.
"Liz, could you come here a moment?"
Liz came in dressed in her torn and faded gray dress and Jo made a mental note to find one of Bess's old dresses for her later. "Liz, did you happen to see...no, did you touch...-"
Liz had taken to staring at the empty place on the table and suddenly spoke, her eyes darkening. "You want to know if I took a statue that was right there in that empty place."
"Well, yes..." Jo stammered, taken aback by the girl's frankness.
"And you automatically assumed that if it was missing, then I had to have stolen it, right?"
Jo stared at the angry girl and felt herself slowly becoming unsettled. "No, I just wanted to know if you had seen it!"
"Well, I haven't," the girl started to leave the room and then suddenly turned back to stare at the startled woman.
"I thought you were different," she stated matter-of-factly, and then she left the room, leaving Jo to wonder at her quick anger.
************
"Did you hear that?" Dan jerked Bess's arm to stop her from descending the stairs.
"Ouch! Dan, that hurt!"
"Sorry," he said, without meaning, as Bess simultaneously rubbed her sore arm and shook her head at him.
"Did I hear what?"
"Mrs. Jo and Liz talking!"
"Nooooo... I was too busy trying to keep you from jerking my arm out of its socket."
Dan frowned at her. "Bess, will you listen!"
"I'm listening," she said sweetly.
"Mrs. Jo asked Liz if she had seen one of her bears that was missing, and Liz got real angry at her for assuming that she had it."
Bess frowned. "Aunt Jo wouldn't do that."
"I know," Dan continued, "But what if she's right? What if Liz is a thief and Mrs. Jo doesn't know it?"
"Oh, Dan, that's stupid," Bess disagreed, "Why would Liz steal from us?"
"Maybe she found out that Nick works here and thought it would be perfect to pretend that her parents died, so that while Mrs. Jo took her in, she could rob us blind!"
Bess's eyes had widened through his tirade but she wasn't convinced. "I don't know, Dan."
"Look," Dan said forcefully, "It's possible, isn't it?"
Bess had to agree. "I guess so."
"Good," Dan said, "Let's go talk to the other kids and form a plan."
*****
Part 4-
By Rachel
"Plan for what Dan? You don't know that she took it."
"We've gotta make sure Bess. What if she starts taking other stuff? What if she takes something of yours?" Dan said as he retreated towards his bedroom.
"What are you two talking about?" Nat asked as he and Nan walked up the stairs towards them.
"Dan thinks that Liz took one of Aunt Jo's bears." Bess smiled sweetly at Dan who glared at her.
"What?" Nat looked at Nan is surprise. She looked just as surprised as he was.
"I don't think so Dan. I mean, she's Nick's cousin. You'd better not tell Nick that you think she took something or he'll be really upset."
"But we've gotta find out!" Dan pleaded, "please say you'll help me. . . . please?"
"What are you all talking about?" Jo asked, smiling as she walked up behind them.
Dan jumped in surprise, and Bess looked almost guilty.
When no one would tell her anything she grew suspicious. "All right, what is going on?"
"Jo?" Asia called from the kitchen.
"We'll finish this later." Jo said as she walked towards the kitchen.
"Come on, lets find out what they are talking about." Dan walked towards the kitchen, grabbing Bess by the arm as he went.
"Dan!" She whined, "It's probably just about dinner."
"Then what are you worried about?"
*****
"You need something, Asia?"
"Have you seen that big ladle of mine? I can't seem to find it anywhere."
"No, . . the last time I saw it, was after dinner two nights ago, and it was hanging up on the wall, where it always is."
"That's what I thought too, but I started the stew for tonight and I can't find it anywhere."
"Hmm . . . that's not the only thing that we are missing either. One of my Bears from my collection is gone, without a trace." Jo sighed and sat on a chair by the table. "You don't think someone is taking all this stuff do you?"
"I hope not Jo."
*****
"See. I told you someone is taking all sorts of things." Dan whispered.
"So what do you plan to do about it?"
"We've gotta stay up all night tonight, and watch for whomever it is."
"All night?" Bess and Nan said at the same time.
"We'll take turns. A couple hours a piece should be fine."
"What about school tomorrow? If we're all tired in the morning, what do you think Franz will say?" Nat asked.
"We'll have to take that risk. What happens if she takes your violin Nat? Or your necklace Bess? Or your . . ." Dan searched for something important to say about Nan. "Or your, . . worms?"
Nan rolled her eyes, and Nat and Bess laughed.
"I can get more worms Dan."
"Well, what if they take your music box?" Dan insisted. "We've gotta stop her."
"How do you know that its her?" Bess asked indignantly.
"Who else could it be? Things started disappearing when she first came, so it's gotta be her, we've just gotta catch her."
"Fine."
"Okay, Nan, you take the first shift of two hours so say, 10 - 12? I'll take the next one, 12 - 2, then Bess, 2 - 4, and Nat, 4 - 6. Okay?"
"Fine." They all reluctantly agreed.
"But if nothing happens tonight, I'm not going to do it again tomorrow." Bess said as she turned and walked away.
Dan smiled, "agreed."
*****
‘I can't believe I let him talk me into this. Nothing has happened, and I could be sleeping.' Nan sighed and tried to keep her eyes open. ‘Ugh! What time is it I wonder. Hopefully its almost midnight. Then I can go to bed.'
She got up and walked slowly around the house for what seemed like the millionth time. Stopping in the final room, the parlor, she glanced at the seemingly asleep Liz, then at the clock. It was 5 to twelve, so she decided to go wake up Dan.
‘I did my share!'
*****
Liz watched as Nan walked again into the room. ‘I wonder why she keeps on doing that? What is she looking for?'
Then realizing that she couldn't sleep, she decided to go get a drink of water, right as Nan left to get Dan.
*****
"Dan?" Nan whispered urgently. "Wake Up!"
"Huh? What?" He groaned as Nan shook his shoulder again. "What do you want Nan?"
"Its your turn."
"My turn for what?"
"To watch the house. I did my two hours, and nothing happened. Now its your turn."
"Oh, right." He shook his head, trying to get rid of the groggy feeling and got out of bed.
"Goodnight." Nan whispered.
"Goodnight." He said softly as he walked towards the stairs.
*****
After drinking her cup of water, and placing it by the sink, Liz walked back to the couch. She still couldn't sleep, so she looked around the room. Something metal on the floor caught her eye when the light from the hallway hit it just right. She wondered what it was, and got down on her knees to investigate.
After moving the curtain aside, she gasped. Sitting there was the ladle, and the bear. ‘What are they doing down here?'
She was so caught up in her thinking that she didn't hear Dan walking up behind her until he gasped.
She whirled in surprise, still holding the ladle and bear and was surprised when he suddenly called out.
"Mrs. Jo! Everybody! Come QUICK!"
*****
Part 5-
By Jade
"You have some explaining to do, young lady," Jo told Liz sternly.
"But, I didn't do anything!" Liz protested, her mind whirling from sleeplessness and confusion.
"Never mind that," Jo said, refusing to discuss the matter, "You just sit there and stay quiet until Nick gets here."
They were all sitting in the parlor - or the scene of the crime, as Dan kept insisting, - in front of a hastily constructed fire.
The children sat bundled up, shivering in the cool nighttime air, in the same places they had been since Dan had yelled and woken them all up. Jo had tried to get them to go back to bed, but they were all insisting they were fully awake and very interested in seeing how all this would turn out. Jo paced the worn floorboards, wringing her hands, worried and uncertain what to do with this little inconvenience. Liz sat shivering also, but no one offered her a blanket and she wasn't about to have accusing eyes fix on her anymore than they already were.
"What do you think Aunt Jo will do?" Bess whispered to a very still Nan.
"Mmmmm..." Nan murmured, her eyes almost shut. Bess didn't notice and already annoyed from her lack of beauty sleep, elbowed her friend.
Nan slipped off the stool she had been sitting on and landed on the floor in a heap, successfully waking up. She glared indignantly at Bess and then realized everyone was staring at her. She smiled and apologized.
Perching back on the stool, she instantly forgot her friend's transgressions and asked curiously, "Whydja do that?"
Bess rolled her eyes and repeated the afore-mentioned question.
"I dunno," Nan said crankily, her head already drooping.
Bess frowned and remarked to herself, "I guess we'll find out when Dan gets back with Nick."
"Yeah," Nan agreeing to nothing particular right before her eyes completely closed.
**********
"She did what?!"
Everyone cringed as Nick's exclamation rang through the hallway.
"Oh, great," Liz whimpered, forgetting her vow to invisibility, "That's all I need, Nick angry with me."
"You shoulda thought about that before you decided to steal those things," Dan remarked harshly from where he was sitting between Bess and a now fully alert Nan.
"I didn't!!!" Liz retorted hotly, her face turning red.
"Hmmph," Dan returned scornfully, "Yeah, I know, you're innocent as a lamb."
"I don't believe it!" Nick's voice rose again, then fell. Then the children heard his heavy footsteps coming toward the parlor.
"Nick, I don't think..." Jo's voice came closer as Nick appeared in the doorway, his face red and strained.
Liz hugged a pillow as Nick's burning eyes fell on her.
He stared at her and Liz felt as if he was searching her soul. As he continued his perusal, Liz kept her eyes fixed on his, hoping her fear wouldn't be mistaken as guilt, and let her face convey her innocence. Finally, he looked away, apparently satisfied at whatever he had seen in her open face.
"She didn't do it," he said matter-of-factly to Jo.
The room erupted in an outcry of protests; some discussed among each other, others shouted to the whole room.
"What do you mean, she didn't do it?!" Dan stood up and faced Nick head-on, his disbelieving anger apparent.
"Dan, sit down." Jo stepped between them and laid a soothing yet insistent hand on the boy's heaving chest. Dan stayed still, his arms crossed; then suddenly he whirled and returned to his seat.
"Nick," Jo continued in a deadly quiet yet firm voice, "I will not continue this in front of the children. Take Liz and wait for me in the kitchen, please."
As Nick and Liz left the room, Jo turned to the children. "I want all of you to go to bed."
Groans and protests went up but Jo ignored them, continuing, "You need not be present for all of this. Nick and I will handle it and we can't really do anything formal at midnight anyway, so we will deal with it tomorrow."
"You mean, you will deal with it and Nick will just stand by and try to weasel his cousin out of trouble," Dan muttered.
At his remark, Jo's head whipped around. "Don't you ever say anything like that!" She said fiercely, her eyes flashing, "Ever! After all Nick has done for you..." Her voice died off and she drew a deep breath. "Go to bed, all of you, now," she commanded, her voice strained.
As the children filed out - Dan last, Jo laid a hand on Dan's arm. "Dan, I'm sorry..." He jerked away from her touch and slipped away, silent and - Jo could sense - angry.
**********
Jo entered the kitchen to find Nick standing patiently and Liz staring morosely at the ladle's empty place.
"Well, now," she said, addressing no one in particular, "Let's try to clear this thing up, shall we?"
"Ain't nothing to clear up." Nick said brusquely, his arms crossed. "She didn't do it."
Jo cocked her head at him and tried to get him to explain himself. "How can you say that?" She questioned, starting to feel frustrated.
Nick lifted his head and stared at her with intensity. "'Cause I know my cousin, Jo."
Jo gave up on him and turned to Liz. "Liz, tell me the truth. Did you take anything from this house?"
Liz looked silently at her for a few seconds and then said bitterly, "Don't matter, everybody has already got all their assumptions sewn up."
Jo sighed with frustration. "Liz, I don't care what anyone thinks. I want to know from YOU what happened tonight."
Liz chewed on that for a moment and then looked silently at Nick. He nodded and she turned to Jo and explained what she had seen that night. "I'm not sayin' I've never stolen anything," she finished, "But I would never steal from anyone who had helped my cousin Nicky like you have, ma'am." She tossed a feeble smile in Nick's direction.
"I appreciate everything you have done for me, and I hope you believe me."
Jo contemplated on this for a while and realized that though Liz's morals were a little skewed, she was a honest and kind girl at heart and staring at her clear and sincere face, she could see why Nick was so sure of her innocence. Still, Liz had the odds stacked against her, and there wasn't anyway to excuse her without it looking like she was covering up for Nick's little cousin. Suddenly she had an idea.
"Nick," she proposed, "Could you sleep in the parlor tonight?"
"Yeah, why?" He questioned, curious.
"I want to see if anything turns up missing tomorrow," she explained, "And with you watching Liz, - for appearances' sake," she assured the girl, "If anything did turn up missing, no one could accuse her of stealing anything."
"But," she told Liz sternly, "If anything does turn up missing, and you are not accounted for, I will have no choice but to swiftly dispatch you to the sheriff without Nick's input."
She smiled, "I'm sure that will not happen though, right Liz?"
As Nick and Liz headed for the parlor, Jo headed upstairs, knowing she would have a sleepless night.
The clock was set.
The trap was sprung.
And all she could do was wait...
*****
Part 6-
The chair was so soft that he was sitting on, and he felt himself start to doze. Then jerking his head back, he looked around the room. Liz was sleeping peacefully on the couch, and he groaned. ‘I know she didn't do it, so why do I have to sit here and watch nothing while everyone else sleeps? If it was Bess that was accused, . . . no, . . . Bess would never be accused of anything. That can do no wrong according to everyone who knows her.'
This was going to be a long night.
‘At least tomorrow is Sunday, so I can stay home from church and sleep. I'm going to need it.' He looked at Liz again, then got up and went to the kitchen to splash some water on his face. He sat down at the table and tried to think. ‘Okay, I know that Liz didn't do it, so who did? None of the kids would try to frame her, . . . would they?'
He felt his eyes go heavy again, and decided to rest them for a minute. He laid his head down on the table, and closed his eyes. It felt so good to keep them closed . . .
And the clock struck 2.
*****
Upstairs, when the clock struck two, a quiet figure crept into the 's room. Creeping over to Bess' dresser, he picked up the jewelry box and opened it. Inside was one of Bess' favorite necklaces, and that was the one he took.
The necklace was a gold locket, with photo's of Amy and Laurie inside. Bess had received it for her 10th birthday, and ever since then she never went anywhere without it. She always told her parents, that whenever she was away from them, and lonely, she could take out the locket and she wouldn't feel so alone anymore.
The thief stole quietly out of the room, and down the stairs. Then after, putting the locket behind a different curtain, he climbed back up the stairs, smiling sleepily.
*****
Jo woke in the morning, when the sun hit her window. She rubbed her eyes, not believing that she had fallen asleep at all. Heading down the back stairwell, she stopped in surprise when she saw Nick, sleeping with his head on the table. She smiled, and walked down the remaining steps.
Passing the door to the dining room, she suddenly remembered what had happened last night. She shook Nick's shoulder urgently. "Nick? Nick wake up!"
"Huh? What?" He roused quickly blinking rapidly to shake away the heaviness in his eyes.
"Did she do anything?"
"Who? . . ." She looked at him with a slight bit of annoyance beginning to show, and he quickly remembered. ‘Oh, Liz. She didn't do anything when I was a . . .."
Jo sighed in relief waving her hand at him to stop. "We have to find out who did it."
"I know that, but Jo . . . I fell asleep."
"Oh, that's all right Nick. I mean, who wouldn't fall asleep after staying up all night watching someone." She smiled, thinking that the matter was closed, and not letting him explain.
"No Jo, I . . ."
"AUNT JO!" Bess screamed and ran down the stairs.
Jo stood up worried. "What is it Bess?"
"She stole my necklace!" Bess was close to tears, and was panting from her run.
"Who stole your necklace?"
"Liz! It was there last night, and now its gone!" Bess sank into a chair and a tear rolled down her cheek.
Jo looked at her confused. "But it couldn't have been Liz. Nick was up all night watching her."
Nick groaned and hit his head on the table.
The other children were standing around the platform near the bottom of the stairs (you know, the one that Jo was standing on in Coming Attractions, when Nick tried to split the last biscuit with her. . .) and Liz was standing in the doorway, a little worried about what was happening.
"Nick? Is there something you're not telling me?" Jo turned to him.
"Jo, I tried to tell you before, but you wouldn't listen."
"What did you try to tell me before?" Jo's eyes narrowed and she glanced at Liz as if to make sure that she hadn't run off.
"I fell asleep around two o'clock this morning. The last thing I remember is hearing the clock strike two. But I know that she didn't do it."
"I don't believe it. We gave you another chance, and you from us again?" Jo stepped angrily toward Liz.
"But I didn't . . . I didn't do it Mrs. Bhaer. You've gotta believe me." Liz looked around and knew it was useless trying to talk them out of their accusations. She sighed and looked fearfully at Nick. "I didn't do it Nick."
"I'm taking you to the sheriff. Dan, go hitch up the wagon." Jo roughly grabbed Liz' arm, and walked towards the front door. "Nick! Please Help Me!" Liz started to cry as she was pulled from the room. Nick looked helplessly at his cousin. "I'm sorry." "Nick!" ***** The wagon was hitched and Liz was tied to the seat. "Dan give me the reins." Jo sat next to Liz and held out her hand. "I wanna go with you Mrs. Jo." "No." "But, . . ." "Dan, I said No!" He sighed and handed her the reins. Then after giving Liz a angry look, he backed away. Liz was openly crying as Jo snapped the reins and the horses moved forwards. "Nick!" As Nick watched the wagon roll away, a single tear fell down his cheek hitting the dirt beneath him. "I'm sorry," he whispered. ***** Nobody had gone to church that day, and everyone was bored. They talked for a while about Liz, but then grew tired of it, and went fishing. Jo came back late that afternoon, and announced that Liz was going to be in jail for 5 years unless someone bailed her out. "How much is the bail?" "What?" Jo whirled in surprise, finding Nick standing behind her. "How much is the bail?" He asked again. "50 dollars." She replied. Nick nodded, then started to unhitch the horses. It would take him at least another year before he could save enough to get her out, and that meant not spending any money on presents for birthdays and Christmas, or going to gamble for fun on Wednesday nights. But what else could he do? ***** Jo sat at her desk writing in the conscience book. Liz had had an empty page yesterday, and today it was almost full. This is what Jo wrote: It seems that I was wrong in believing her story last night. She seemed so innocent then. I found out that Liz has been stealing from us. She took a ladle from the kitchen, one of my bears from my collection, and most importantly, Bess' expensive locket. But why would she take the ladle? And where is the necklace? There are still so many questions, that nobody has the answer for. Nick is so upset with his cousin. He can't believe that she stole . . . She was so caught up in writing that she didn't hear Nick come in behind her. He squinted at the paper, the spoke quietly, but determined, "I'm not upset with my cousin Jo, I'm upset with you, and with Dan, and with everyone here at Plumfield." Jo gasped in surprise, and her pen fell to the floor. "Nick, you startled me." He didn't say anything so she continued. "You know that she took the things. There's a ton of evidence against her." "But she didn't do it!" He insisted. Jo sighed, "Nick, its late. I'm going to bed." Then without waiting for further comment, she slammed the book shut, and hastened out of the room. ***** The morning came quickly, and Jo made herself get out of bed. There was school that morning, then chores, then she had promised the kids that they could go fishing. "Mrs. Jo!" A yell came form the boy's room. "What is it Dan?" She called as she walked slowly towards the room. "Where is my nature book? I need it for school." "Where did you see it last?" "I was reading it last night, then I set it down on the ground by my bed. Now its gone!" Asia walked into the room, "its right here Dan." "You borrowed it?" Dan asked skeptically. "No. I was cleaning behind the curtains, and I found it back there. . . .With this." She held up Bess necklace. "The locket?" Jo asked. "And Dan's book was with it?" "Uh-huh." Asia nodded with her eyebrows raised. "Then that means . . . Liz didn't take it!"
By Rachel