Prelude to a Dream Read Free Page B

the
death looks Rosetta and Liza are sending this way, I’m assuming
they’re towards you. I’m also pretty sure, if rumors are true and
she was out here, Anna Beth would be glaring at you just the
same.”
    He laughed out loud at her blunt observation.
“What can I say? Is it my fault that they all want my attention?
I’m just nice to them, is all.”
    Something he said must have been funny,
because she let out a burst of laughter. “What’s that saying? Oh
yeah!” She snapped her fingers and pulled herself up to her toes in
excitement. “You’re the wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
    “That’s not very nice, you know?” He tried to
look stern, but failed miserably. There was something about this
girl. It was as if her soothing spirit was catching.
    Placing a hand over her mouth, she tried to
stop her laughter, but only succeeded in muffling it. “I’m sorry.”
She smothered another smile and tried to continue. “Really, I am.
You say that you’re just nice to them, but you know… it’s not nice
to show your attentions to a girl if you don’t plan on becoming
more serious”
    “You’re one to talk.”
    That immediately brought her to attention,
and her eyes widened slightly. “I beg your pardon. What do you mean
by that?”
    “I saw you earlier, and the way you kissed
that boy’s head before sending him on his way. He is utterly head
over heels for you, and that small act won’t encourage him to go
elsewhere.” Malachi grinned, and crossed his arms in front of his
chest. Let’s see her explain that one, he thought smugly.
    Apparently, he was being extra hilarious
today, because she started to laugh once again. Taking a deep
breath, she calmed herself enough to talk, but her smile never went
away. “Yes, I know that boy loves me, as I do him.”
    Malachi’s shoulders tensed. He didn’t want to
dwell too much on the sinking feeling that started to press onto
his chest. Having just met her, his reaction confused him.
    “Just as most brothers and sisters should,”
she finished, and he slowly let out a breath before relaxing once
again.
    Feeling like a pile of dung, he reached up
and rubbed the back of his neck. Wanting to change the topic, and
quick, he looked down at the biscuit still being held in her hand.
“Are you gonna eat that, or save it to be taken away… again?”
     
    The color that bloomed on her cheeks made her
face start to glow again. Reaching over with her other hand, she
pulled off a small chunk and put it in her mouth. Her expression
was almost comical. She moved her gaze away from his, and it looked
as if she was working hard at chewing.
    “What’s wrong?”
    “Nuffin.” She still had food in her mouth,
and her answer came out muffled.
    “Yeah right, what is it?”
    Once again, she vigorously shook her head,
and said, “Nuffin!”
    “Uh-ha.” With quickened speed, he reached
over and snagged a chuck of the biscuit, and before she could stop
him, shoved it in his mouth. The taste hit him within seconds. One
time, Gerard took him into the wilderness, and taught him the
different things that were edible. This reminded him of that trip,
when Gerard had him bite into tree bark. It was gritty, with a
taste that made his gut clench in protest at having to swallow the
foal food. Without a second thought, he leaned to the side, and
started to spit out as much of the bite as he could. “Wow! That was
awful.”
    When he saw that she still had the bite she
took in her mouth, he turned her, so she would be covered and could
spit out the piece. Apparently, it wasn’t ladylike to spit out
one’s food.
    When she stood back up and faced him, she
wrinkled her nose, and asked after wiping her mouth, “Where did you
get that?”
    “A woman was selling them.” He craned his
neck until he found the vendor and pointed her out.
    “Mavel? She giggled once again, and shook her
head. “Mavel is a nice lady, and we all buy things from her once in
a while, but no one can eat what she makes,