Land of a Thousand Dreams by BJ Hoff Read Free Book Online Page B

themselves—if not exactly like gentlemen, at least more or less like human beings.
    There had to be another way. A prayer formed in Annie’s mind—a reckless request to the Almighty to take action on her behalf. But as quickly as she thought it, she took it back again. It was highly doubtful that the good Lord would go helping the likes of her to purge the Seanchai ’s Academy of one of His own saints.
    â€œWell, then,” she muttered to herself as she laid her hand on the latch of the stable door, “I’ll just have to be finding my own way, I suppose.”
    The instant she stepped into the stable, Annie sensed something amiss. The horses were stirring restlessly, some snorting and pawing the ground.In his stall, Pilgrim was shaking his mane and digging with his front hooves as if in a temper.
    Suddenly, from around the end of the stable, a great gray thundercloud came charging toward her. The next thing Annie knew she was smack on her backside, looking up into the scruffy face of the largest wolfhound she had ever seen! He gulped down Pilgrim’s apple in a shake, then eyed the sugar lump that Annie still held in her hand.
    Her momentary panic gave way to indignation. Scrambling up from the stable floor, Annie dusted off her backside, then turned to scold the canine thief. “You horrible beast! That was Pilgrim’s apple, it was! And just what might you be doing in our stables, I’d like to know? We don’t allow strays at Nelson Hall!”
    The wolfhound swallowed the last of the apple—core and all—and wagged his huge tail, banging it loudly against the side of the stall. Clearly, he was not in the least intimidated by her fierce scolding.
    Then, as if invited, he reared up on his hind legs, firmly planting both immense paws on Annie’s shoulders. Her mouth dropped open, but when she would have shrieked at the animal’s impertinence, he grinned broadly and began washing her face with his enormous tongue.
    â€œ Ughh! Get off me, you filthy beast!” Annie shoved the dog down, fixing him with a withering glare as she wiped her face with one sleeve.
    The creature simply went on grinning, his idiot face rapt with delight.
    Annie stared him down, taking a moment to study his condition. His wiry coat was rough and tangled, matted with burrs, and altogether filthy. She thought his color was brindled, but with all the dirt it was difficult to tell. His leering face was scratched, with a dried cut over one eye. His nose appeared to have been scraped by a quarrelsome tomcat.
    In spite of his slovenly manners, however, she felt a sharp pang of sympathy for the beast. Where would anything so ugly or rude ever find a home? No doubt he was lost, thrown out on his keeping—just as she had been.
    Obviously, he was hungry—he’d made short work of that apple, hadn’t he? And, just as obviously, he was eager for company and a bit of affection.
    As Annie stood there appraising the wolfhound, a thought struck her. Could this wretched beast just possibly be the answer to theTROUBLESOME NUN? Could he be the Lord’s response to her unspoken prayer?
    The wolfhound grinned, and Annie grinned back as she thought about a possible encounter between the beast and Sister Louisa. Sure, and wouldn’t the ungainly brute quickly take the starch out of the nun’s habit?
    Of course, the Seanchai would at first resist the very thought of harboring such a huge, untidy creature. Yet, Annie knew his great heart to be tender for strays. He had taken her in, after all! Remembering her own state the day she’d arrived at Nelson Hall—her soiled clothing and raggedy hair and smelly shoes—she decided that there was indeed hope for the wolfhound.
    Besides, she thought she knew how to assure the beast a home at Nelson Hall. It was all in how he was presented, that was the thing.
    Growing more confident by the moment, she decided to give the wolfhound a name