Hunter's Prize by Marcia Gruver Read Free Book Online Page A

month away.”
    Mother stood, her arm circling Addie’s waist. “We’ll write Miss Whitfield of your intention to interview. If the position is filled by the end of April, it wasn’t meant to be.”
    Addie bit her bottom lip. She didn’t view it the same way, but after the concession her parents had made, it wouldn’t be fair to say so. Excitement bubbling in her chest, she turned to go. “I’ll run upstairs now and write her when to expect me.”
    Father caught her wrist and hauled her back. “Not so fast, young lady.” His green-eyed gaze searched her face. “Sometimes, with the best of intentions, we misread God’s voice. That said, your mother will be traveling with you to meet your Miss Whitfield. If she doesn’t approve of the arrangement, you’ll feel led of God to take the next train home. Is that clear?”
    Addie lowered her head and nodded. “Quite.”
    Mother held out the letter. “You’d better take this, honey. You may need it.”
    “One second,” Father said, snatching the envelope. “I want to see exactly where my womenfolk are going.” He stared at the return address then lifted puzzled eyes. “I’ve never heard of this place, Addie. Where in blazes is Marshall, Texas?”

THREE
    Marshall, Texas, April 1905
    C eddy trudged up the walkway to Aunt Priscilla’s two-story house. Clinging to Auntie Jane’s skirt, he counted the soaring white columns stretching from the porch to the rooftop like bars on a giant cage.
One, two, three, four
across the front. He couldn’t see those extending around the sides of the house, but he counted them from memory.
Five, six, seven
on one side.
Eight, nine, ten
on the other.
    The door swung open before they reached it, and Aunt Priscilla appeared on the stoop. It wasn’t right. Wasn’t right. Lilah should’ve answered, wearing her white ruffled cap.
    “Cedric, my dear child, how tall you’ve grown! You’re as brown as pork pie, precious.” She leaned close and smoothed his hair the way she’d always done with Daddy. The skin of her face sagged, and her breath reeked of lemon tea.
    He stiffened and flapped his hands, grunted, and spun away.
    She sighed and stood up straight. “Hello, Jane. So nice to see you again. I suppose some things never change, do they?”
    “Ever so sorry, Priscilla,” Auntie Jane said. “He’s in a right foul mood. Thoroughly knackered, I suppose.”
    “Think nothing of it. I’m used to him. You must be exhausted as well.”
    “That I am. It’s an endless trip across the Atlantic. Days of nothing but ocean on all sides. It’s enough to drive you quite insane after a time.”
    “Yes, it’s maddening,” Aunt Priss murmured. “Before the dawn of transatlantic steamers, it took months to cross. You can’t imagine the ordeal.”
    Aunt Jane moaned. “I’d perish.”
    “I’m surprised you didn’t, poor thing.”
    The driver struggled up the walkway with two bulky trunks then returned to the buggy to fetch two more. “Where shall I put these, ma’am?”
    “Heavens!” Aunt Priss cried. “Are they yours, Jane?”
    She shook her head and pointed at a small green case. “I won’t be staying that long. I have to be back in England soon or Richard will summon King Edward’s Guard.”
    Aunt Priss’s skirt swished as she spun toward the luggage. “Then whose …”
    “Those are Ceddy’s things.”
    “All of this for one small boy?” Her voice grew shrill at the end.
    Ceddy cowered and covered his ears.
    “I’m afraid so. I had the man swing by my sister’s house to pack the boy’s belongings, as you requested. You can’t imagine the odd assortment of toys, books, and such. I tried persuading him to leave most of it behind, but he fell into such a panic, I gave in.”
    Auntie continued talking as Aunt Priscilla herded them inside the great hall, their footsteps echoing overhead. “He became most unreasonable about a collection of rocks and stones.” She waved her hand at the trunks as the driver