Faerie Tale. Raymond E. Feist

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       • Chapter Four •

      Gloria looked up from doing the laundry and saw Jack standing at the back porch door. ‘Hi. Come on in.’

      ‘How’s Gabbie?’

      ‘Tired, but otherwise fine. Her temp was normal this morning and the doctor said not to bother bringing her in unless it went back up. He thinks she just caught some bug.’

      Jack’s expression betrayed disagreement. ‘She was in a pretty ragged frame of mind, Gloria. I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure she was hallucinating.’

      Gloria stopped folding towels. ‘What makes you say that?’

      Jack crossed his arms and leaned against the doorjamb. Just then Bad Luck stuck his nose in from the kitchen, saw Jack, snuffed a breath in greeting, and returned to the kitchen. Gloria said, ‘They’re installing the satellite dish and the workmen asked he be kept inside.’ Jack looked surprised. ‘He’s too friendly. Gets in the way.’ Jack nodded. ‘Now, what were you saying?’

      ‘She talked about meeting a blacksmith, a fellow with a horsedrawn wagon, who fixed a thrown shoe. I checked with Mr Laudermilch’s foreman, and he said that he thinks My Dandelion had cracked her hoof a couple of days before and they’d filed ’cross it and reshoed her. He checked and couldn’t see anything different. Besides, I was only ten minutes behind her at most, and it couldn’t have happened in the time she says. So it must have been a hallucination.’

      Gloria looked both thoughtful and worried. ‘Gabbie’s not given to flights of fancy. She might have told you about her mother and grandmother – anyway, her childhood was pretty rugged emotionally. She tends to have both feet on the ground. She has a temper, but otherwise she’s a pretty down-to-earth girl.’

      ‘Well, I got pretty sick when I was a kid, a high fever, and hallucinated giant bunny rabbits hiding in my closet. The human mind is capable of a lot.’

      ‘Fever can do that,’ Gloria agreed, though her agreement seemed tentative. ‘Maybe she ought to see the doctor anyway.’

      Just then a voice from the kitchen caused them to turn. Gabbie entered and brightly said, ‘Gloria, I’m famished –’ She halted when she saw Jack and her expression turned dark. ‘Hello,’ she said icily.

      Gloria put the last towel on top of the new dryer. ‘I think I’ll go see how the workmen are coming.’ She beat a hasty retreat.

      Jack said, ‘You okay?’

      Unexpectedly, Gabbie was taken aback by the question. ‘Sure? Why wouldn’t I be?’

      ‘You were kind of out of it last night, is why.’

      She looked at him, curiosity softening her eyes for a moment. ‘What do you mean, “out of it”? I was just a little – upset.’ Her expression darkened again. ‘And now that you mention it, what are you doing here? I thought you’d be out with the balloon queen.’

      ‘Sheila?’ said Jack, his forehead wrinkled in concern. ‘I explained all that last night. She wants Aggie to write a recommendation letter to Cornell. She’s pinned to a frat rat down at Penn. Gabbie, don’t you remember my bringing you home?’

      Gabbie’s face drained of colour. She backed into the kitchen and sat down at the table. ‘I … I remember leaving the park. I rode into the woods and … it’s a little vague after that. I woke up this morning, so I figured I got home – My Dandelion! I was going to take her over to Mr Laudermilch’s.’

      Jack pulled out another chair and sat down. ‘I took care of it last night, after I put you to bed.’

      Suddenly Gabbie flushed. ‘You put me to bed?’

      Jack smiled, a little self-consciously. ‘Well, you were feverish and someone had to. I put you in bed, called Mr Laudermilch’s place, and told him what was going on. He sent a couple of boys over to take the horses back, and when your folks got in, I took off.’

      Gabbie hid her face behind her hands as she uttered a groan. ‘I’m so embarrassed.’

      Jack СКАЧАТЬ