Читать книгу The Barkerville Mysteries 3-Book Bundle - Ann Walsh - Страница 11

It was almost a week before I saw Jenny again. I heard her and the twins as they dashed along the boardwalks—often they would run right outside the carpentry shop—but they didn’t come in.

Twice I left what I was working on and casually stepped to the door, opening it only to see her retreating back. Once Robert—or maybe it was Andrew—who was trying to travel in the opposite direction, caught a glimpse of me and yelled, “Huncle Ted! Want to play blocks with Huncle Ted, Jenny!” But she ignored him and continued her rapid progress down the street, dragging the protesting child behind her.

“So, do you think your Scottish lassie will return?” Pa asked me one day.

“Who? Oh, you mean Jenny. Why, I hadn’t noticed, but she hasn’t visited us lately, has she? We’ve been so busy I really haven’t had time to think about her.”

“Aye,” my father replied. “So you say, lad. So you say.” Yes, that was what I said, but it wasn’t what I meant, not at all. I missed her, and I was more than delighted when, a few days later, the thundering feet and laughter halted at the carpentry shop, the door opened, and Jenny and her charges came in.

“Good afternoon, Mr. MacIntosh,” she said brightly. “The boys were asking if they might have a wee visit, if you have time.”

“We shall always make time for you, lass,” Pa said, setting the box of wood scraps in the centre of the floor. “Ted, put the kettle on and we’ll have tea.”

“Why, Ted, I didn’t notice you,” Jenny said. “But, no, thank you. I nae have time for tea today.” She bent to untie the twins, then straightened, their leashes in her hand, watching them as they gleefully dug into their box of “toys.” “But it’s a good thing you’re here, Ted, for I have a request for you from a new friend of mine.”

“Of course, Jenny. I’ll be pleased to help any friend of yours. What’s her name?”

She smiled. “His name is Joseph.”

“Oh, I see. Joseph. What’s his last name?”

“His last name? Morrison, yes, Morrison.”

“Oh,” I said again. “I’ve never heard of him.”

“He works with Mr. Fraser at the claim in Lightning Creek. He’s newly arrived in the gold fields and as yet knows very few people, which is why he asked me to request a favour of you.”

“What is it?”

“He’s heard that you won the Merchant Race last Dominion Day, and he begs that you’ll do him the honour of being his partner in the Three-Legged Race this year.”

“I hadn’t planned on entering that event,” I said. “Besides, I don’t know this Joseph. If our heights are uneven, then we’ll be poorly matched for that race. I regret that I must decline.” I picked up the sanding block and began to push it vigorously across the cupboard door I was working on.

“Oh, Ted, that saddens me greatly,” Jenny said. She came to me and put her hand on my arm. “I thought we were friends, you and I. I believed you’d be glad to help a new friend of mine.”

“Of course we’re friends, but—”

“It would be a great personal favour, Ted, if you’d agree to partner Joseph. See, here’s the dollar he gave me. He’ll pay the entire entry fee himself. It will nae cost you a penny. I assure you he’s a very swift runner. He’s only a tad shorter than you. I know he can match his strides to yours perfectly.”

“But I don’t want—”

“Please, Ted? Mrs. Fraser has assured me she’ll care for the twins that day so I can enjoy the celebrations. I’ll be staying to watch the fireworks at night. I would nae enjoy them so much if I were to watch them alone. Perhaps you’d honour me with your company and we can watch them together? After you and Joseph win the Three-Legged Race, of course.” She smiled again.

“Well,” I said reluctantly, “in that case I’ll do it. But how will Joseph and I practise? We’ll need to practise together if we’re to win.”

“Joseph won’t return to Barkerville until the morning of the races,” Jenny said. “But I’m almost Joseph’s height, so I’ll practise with you.”

“So will you practise with this Joseph, as well?” My voice sounded angry, though I wasn’t sure why.

“Don’t be cross. I’ll only practise with you.”

“Oh, well, in that case...” Then I blushed as I thought about what practising the Three-Legged Race with Jenny would entail. “But...but...that wouldn’t be fitting. We’d have to tie our legs together.”

“Aye, that’s what happens in a Three-Legged Race. Or is it different here than at home?”

“No, it’s the same. But, Jenny, you can’t practise for that race in your skirt.”

“Of course not. I’ll wear my pantaloons, Ted. They’re very respectable, see?” She hiked up her skirt a few inches to show the dainty lace nestled around her boot tops.

“Miss Jenny!” my father said, horrified.

Hastily she dropped her skirt. “Well, nae one will see us practise. We’ll be careful.”

Pa spoke up, his voice stern. “Miss Jenny, most of the people in this town are amused to watch you running about with the bairns, but they wouldn’t be amused if they saw you in your pantaloons with your arm around Ted and your leg tied to his. You will not do this.”

“But we could practise up near the graveyard. No one would see us there.”

Pa laughed. “In this town someone always sees everything, Miss Jenny. Haven’t you learned that yet? You and Ted won’t practise together. Is that understood?”

Jenny nodded, disappointed. I, too, was disappointed. Although the idea of practising with Jenny had at first upset me, I had begun to think it would have been... I felt my cheeks grow hot again.

“Pa’s right,” I said. “But you must promise you won’t practise with this Joseph, either.”

“Did I not already say I wouldn’t?” She sighed. “Well, I’ll say it again. I won’t practise with Joseph. I promise.”

There was a knock on the door, and it swung open. Peter entered, took a deep breath, then greeted us. “Mr. MacIntosh, Miss Jenny, Ted, it is good to see you again. I like sawdust smell better than hot grease.”

“It’s good to see you, too, Peter,” I said. “How’s your new job?”

“I do not need to work there now,” Peter said. “The Frenchman has again gone to Mosquito Creek, so I come back and help you.” He scrutinized the floor as he spoke. It hadn’t had a thorough sweeping since he left, and the piles of scrap lumber in the corner were in disarray. “I think it is good that I work here again, yes?”

“Aye,” Pa agreed, looking around him as if he, too, were wondering if I had swept the floor at all while Peter had been away.

“A grand idea,” Jenny said. She had picked up one of the twins and was trying to brush the sawdust from his clothes. “I don’t recall the bairns getting so dirty when you were here to keep the floor clean, Peter.”

“I also do carpentry like my father,” I said. “I’m not merely a sweeper of floors. We’ve been very busy.”

“I know, sir...Ted. But I think it is good that I am back,” Peter said, picking up the broom. “Very good.”

“I must go,” Jenny said, lifting the other twin and attempting to remove sawdust from his legs and arms. “I thank you for doing this favour, Ted. Oh, I must nae forget. Here is the dollar. You’ll make sure that yours and Joseph’s names are put down for the race?”

“Yes,” I said reluctantly. I still didn’t want to run with Joseph, but I had promised. “I’ll pay the entry fee and enter our names.”

Jenny smiled. “Thank you, Ted.” Then, with the twins securely leashed, she swept out of the store, almost dragging her charges.

The twins didn’t go quietly, though. “No go, Jenny!” they protested. Stay here!”

All of us watched her leave. “So,” Pa said, grinning, “it seems that perhaps your Scottish lassie has found a new boyfriend.”

“She is not my lassie. She is free to keep company with anyone, even this Joseph Morrison. I only regret that I let myself be persuaded to enter the race with him.”

“But you did promise, son.”

“Who is Joseph Morrison?” Peter asked, now busy with the dustpan.

“A perfect stranger,” I said. “I don’t even know how tall he is.”

“How tall?” Peter asked. “Why is that important?”

I explained about the race and how, against my better judgement, I would race with Jenny’s new friend.

Peter looked confused. “Three legs race? But two people have four legs. How can you race with only three?”

“Haven’t you ever watched the Dominion Day celebrations?” I asked.

“No.”

“Oh, it’s a foolish race,” I said, then explained how each pair of racers stood side by side and tied their centre legs so they had to move together. “It takes practice to be able to pace your strides to those of your partner.”

“So each person has one and a half legs to run with, right?”

“Yes,” I said, though I had never thought of it exactly that way. But half of three was one and a half, so perhaps Peter was right. “I sincerely wish I hadn’t agreed to enter, not with someone I don’t even know. I’ll have no chance to practise before the race.”

“I will practise with you,” Peter said. “I run very quickly, but I have never tried to run this way, with only half a leg on one side.”

“You?” I looked at him closely. “You are almost Jenny’s height, and she said that Joseph isn’t much taller than she is. You’ll do very well as a practice partner, Peter. Thank you.”

Who would help Joseph Morrison practise? I wondered. No matter. It would be obvious to everyone watching the race, even to Jenny, that I had worked hard to improve my skill. Everyone would know who was the better runner. Jenny would see who was the better man.

Or, as Peter said, the better one-and-a-half-legged man.