again.
“Keeping your eyes open will also help you maintain your balance so you don’t go flying all over the place. I’m glad I was there to stop you—you might have ended up on the ground.” He grinned, readied the gun, and handed it back to her.
“That would have been very amusing, I’m sure.” Elizabeth planted her feet and raised the gun again. She was not going to fail.
This time, she stayed upright, and she was able to keep her eyes open. “I don’t think I hit anything,” she said, disappointed.
“No, but your stance was much better. I think we should move in toward the tree. If you needed to fire your gun in self-defense, your attacker would likely be at much closer range.”
They picked their way across the rocky ground several yards until Mr. Brody indicated that they were in the right spot. Elizabeth looked at the tree and tried to imagine it as a person. Could she really shoot a man, a human being? If her life were in danger, she would have to be able to make that choice in a split second, and she didn’t know if she could do it. If it were Rose’s life in question . . . She brought up the gun and fired without hesitation. Pieces of bark flew in every direction, and Mr. Brody clapped.
“Excellent job, Miss Caldwell. Whatever you were thinking just then, when your eyes became determined, that is what you should think about every time you fire. I certainly wouldn’t try to cross you if I saw that look in your eye.”
“Thank you. That was . . . kind of fun.” She surprised herself by saying that, but it was true. There had been a delicious rush of fulfillment in knowing she’d hit her target. She doubted she’d feel that way if she were to shoot anything but a tree, but it was nice to know that she could do this thing without flying backwards and making a fool of herself.
Mr. Brody laughed. It was a warm, mellow sound that reminded her of cigars and brandy and sitting at her father’s knee in his study. That was a memory she had forbidden herself since his death, but now it came back full force. It was a pleasant memory, and she smiled.
“I think you’ll do, Miss Caldwell. But let’s keep practicing, shall we?”
Elizabeth’s aim improved and her confidence grew the more she fired the gun, but her arms were getting tired, especially the right one, and she was relieved when Mr. Brody called it quits for the day. “Come, Miss Caldwell. We have other things to do now.”
They moved back toward the hotel. Elizabeth suddenly felt shy beside Mr. Brody—as if she had any right to be out walking with him. She purposely fell a step back, and that made her feel more comfortable.
“Tom!” Mr. Brody called out as they neared the stable.
“Yes, sir?” Tom came out of the building, a pitchfork in one hand.
“Tom, did you hitch up my buggy, like I asked?”
“It’s ready and waiting.”
“Good. Come into the dining room, please.”
Tom looked down at himself. “I’m covered in straw, sir. Miss Hampton would skin me alive.”
Mr. Brody shook his head. “That’s what brooms were invented for, Tom. Dining room.”
“Yes, sir.”
When they reached the door of the hotel, Mr. Brody opened it and motioned for Elizabeth to go through first. Then he called out in a loud voice for everyone to join him in the dining room. Within moments, all the hotel employees had gathered and arranged themselves in a straight line. Tom stayed on the end, nearest the door, and Elizabeth noticed how careful he was not to look in Miss Hampton’s direction.
“Thank you for answering my summons, everyone. I have something for you I believe you’ll appreciate.” Mr. Brody strode over to the bookcase in the corner, pulled out a small stack of envelopes, and walked down the line, handing one envelope to each person. “You may find a small bonus in your pay this time around. I’m grateful for the hard work you’ve put in to get this hotel ready, and I feel confident that we’ll make a success of
“Keeping your eyes open will also help you maintain your balance so you don’t go flying all over the place. I’m glad I was there to stop you—you might have ended up on the ground.” He grinned, readied the gun, and handed it back to her.
“That would have been very amusing, I’m sure.” Elizabeth planted her feet and raised the gun again. She was not going to fail.
This time, she stayed upright, and she was able to keep her eyes open. “I don’t think I hit anything,” she said, disappointed.
“No, but your stance was much better. I think we should move in toward the tree. If you needed to fire your gun in self-defense, your attacker would likely be at much closer range.”
They picked their way across the rocky ground several yards until Mr. Brody indicated that they were in the right spot. Elizabeth looked at the tree and tried to imagine it as a person. Could she really shoot a man, a human being? If her life were in danger, she would have to be able to make that choice in a split second, and she didn’t know if she could do it. If it were Rose’s life in question . . . She brought up the gun and fired without hesitation. Pieces of bark flew in every direction, and Mr. Brody clapped.
“Excellent job, Miss Caldwell. Whatever you were thinking just then, when your eyes became determined, that is what you should think about every time you fire. I certainly wouldn’t try to cross you if I saw that look in your eye.”
“Thank you. That was . . . kind of fun.” She surprised herself by saying that, but it was true. There had been a delicious rush of fulfillment in knowing she’d hit her target. She doubted she’d feel that way if she were to shoot anything but a tree, but it was nice to know that she could do this thing without flying backwards and making a fool of herself.
Mr. Brody laughed. It was a warm, mellow sound that reminded her of cigars and brandy and sitting at her father’s knee in his study. That was a memory she had forbidden herself since his death, but now it came back full force. It was a pleasant memory, and she smiled.
“I think you’ll do, Miss Caldwell. But let’s keep practicing, shall we?”
Elizabeth’s aim improved and her confidence grew the more she fired the gun, but her arms were getting tired, especially the right one, and she was relieved when Mr. Brody called it quits for the day. “Come, Miss Caldwell. We have other things to do now.”
They moved back toward the hotel. Elizabeth suddenly felt shy beside Mr. Brody—as if she had any right to be out walking with him. She purposely fell a step back, and that made her feel more comfortable.
“Tom!” Mr. Brody called out as they neared the stable.
“Yes, sir?” Tom came out of the building, a pitchfork in one hand.
“Tom, did you hitch up my buggy, like I asked?”
“It’s ready and waiting.”
“Good. Come into the dining room, please.”
Tom looked down at himself. “I’m covered in straw, sir. Miss Hampton would skin me alive.”
Mr. Brody shook his head. “That’s what brooms were invented for, Tom. Dining room.”
“Yes, sir.”
When they reached the door of the hotel, Mr. Brody opened it and motioned for Elizabeth to go through first. Then he called out in a loud voice for everyone to join him in the dining room. Within moments, all the hotel employees had gathered and arranged themselves in a straight line. Tom stayed on the end, nearest the door, and Elizabeth noticed how careful he was not to look in Miss Hampton’s direction.
“Thank you for answering my summons, everyone. I have something for you I believe you’ll appreciate.” Mr. Brody strode over to the bookcase in the corner, pulled out a small stack of envelopes, and walked down the line, handing one envelope to each person. “You may find a small bonus in your pay this time around. I’m grateful for the hard work you’ve put in to get this hotel ready, and I feel confident that we’ll make a success of
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