Tydall Ashmore.” Abigail fumed, her hands on her hips, a scowl on her face. “You were abetting someone committing a federal crime.”
Maria spoke, coming to Tye’s defense. “Because Brett is innocent, Abigail.” Maria didn’t think Tye did anything more underhanded or dangerous by trying to help Brett clear his name than her sister did by smuggling a load of explosives on board, although she hesitated to voice it aloud.
Abigail glared at her sister.
“Come, come, ladies, let’s not quibble.” Tye’s lips melted into a smile only enhancing his rugged, suntanned face. “I have a present from the school board for Maria, and I want her to open it.” He handed her a large wrapped package, tied with a blue velvet bow.
Eagerly, Maria unwrapped the paper and took out a brocade bag with delicate gold threads woven through it. “Oh, my. For my school books and papers,” she exclaimed. “Thank you!”
“Open the bag,” Tye coaxed.
Maria unfastened the buckle and pulled out a copy of Longfellow’s Tales of a Wayside Inn . Tenderly, she held the book of poems before her and opened the book’s cover, leafing through it.
“It’s wonderful,” she whispered, clasping it to her chest. “Thank you, again.”
“I’m glad you like it.” From under his coat, he pulled out a small pistol. “Now this may be another story. You need to learn how to use a gun. It’s also a gift.”
“Oh, no.” Maria jumped up and took a step backwards from the group.
****
Not surprised by her response, Tye stood and watched her with cautious eyes. “Listen, Maria, it isn’t wise for two women to be alone near those woods without the knowledge of how to handle a weapon. You’re situated at the edge of town, and during the winter hungry bobcats are known to wander close. Even wolves check out local doorsteps, and I don’t want to even discuss snakes.” There was an awkward silence as they stared at each other. “You walk to the schoolhouse each day along a footpath with the possibility of harboring any type of creatures with two legs or four,” he added. He held out his hand. “Come, I’ll show you how,” he coaxed and urged her forward, down the knoll to a cleared area where he placed a few rocks on a stump. Standing beside her, he guided her through the loading of the weapon. When, at last he convinced her to try it, she hesitated, shaking her head.
“I can’t,” she said biting her lip.
Tye turned her gently and pulled her in front of him as he wrapped her hand around the gun’s grip and steadied her trembling hands. Together they fired a round at the rock.
“Try it by yourself,” he whispered gently near her ear and stepped back.
“I can’t.” She was almost in tears and lowered the gun. “The only animals I’ve ever encountered were deer coming into our orchard in New York to swipe a few apples each fall.”
“Listen to me, Maria.” When she looked at him with somber cinnamon-colored eyes, he said with complete honesty, “Handling a firearm out here is like breathing. I understand your trepidation at not wanting to aim a loaded pistol at anyone, even an animal, but it’s a skill you have to learn to survive out here. You don’t have to be an excellent shot, like my brothers or sister, but you have to have enough courage to at least point and fire at your target. If nothing else, you might scare an intruder away.”
“I…I just could never point a gun at anyone,” she whispered.
He heaved a sigh and shook his head, a hopeless look on his face.
“She’s afraid.” Abigail lifted her skirts and stepped carefully down the rock-strewn knoll. “We never grew up with firearms in our home. We never grew up among violent people or dangerous animals.”
“Give it a try, Abby.” Brett walked over to stand beside her.
Tye handed Brett the pistol. He deftly unloaded it, loaded it again as Abigail watched, then handed to her. He took his place again behind her. “Use both hands. Line up the
Maria spoke, coming to Tye’s defense. “Because Brett is innocent, Abigail.” Maria didn’t think Tye did anything more underhanded or dangerous by trying to help Brett clear his name than her sister did by smuggling a load of explosives on board, although she hesitated to voice it aloud.
Abigail glared at her sister.
“Come, come, ladies, let’s not quibble.” Tye’s lips melted into a smile only enhancing his rugged, suntanned face. “I have a present from the school board for Maria, and I want her to open it.” He handed her a large wrapped package, tied with a blue velvet bow.
Eagerly, Maria unwrapped the paper and took out a brocade bag with delicate gold threads woven through it. “Oh, my. For my school books and papers,” she exclaimed. “Thank you!”
“Open the bag,” Tye coaxed.
Maria unfastened the buckle and pulled out a copy of Longfellow’s Tales of a Wayside Inn . Tenderly, she held the book of poems before her and opened the book’s cover, leafing through it.
“It’s wonderful,” she whispered, clasping it to her chest. “Thank you, again.”
“I’m glad you like it.” From under his coat, he pulled out a small pistol. “Now this may be another story. You need to learn how to use a gun. It’s also a gift.”
“Oh, no.” Maria jumped up and took a step backwards from the group.
****
Not surprised by her response, Tye stood and watched her with cautious eyes. “Listen, Maria, it isn’t wise for two women to be alone near those woods without the knowledge of how to handle a weapon. You’re situated at the edge of town, and during the winter hungry bobcats are known to wander close. Even wolves check out local doorsteps, and I don’t want to even discuss snakes.” There was an awkward silence as they stared at each other. “You walk to the schoolhouse each day along a footpath with the possibility of harboring any type of creatures with two legs or four,” he added. He held out his hand. “Come, I’ll show you how,” he coaxed and urged her forward, down the knoll to a cleared area where he placed a few rocks on a stump. Standing beside her, he guided her through the loading of the weapon. When, at last he convinced her to try it, she hesitated, shaking her head.
“I can’t,” she said biting her lip.
Tye turned her gently and pulled her in front of him as he wrapped her hand around the gun’s grip and steadied her trembling hands. Together they fired a round at the rock.
“Try it by yourself,” he whispered gently near her ear and stepped back.
“I can’t.” She was almost in tears and lowered the gun. “The only animals I’ve ever encountered were deer coming into our orchard in New York to swipe a few apples each fall.”
“Listen to me, Maria.” When she looked at him with somber cinnamon-colored eyes, he said with complete honesty, “Handling a firearm out here is like breathing. I understand your trepidation at not wanting to aim a loaded pistol at anyone, even an animal, but it’s a skill you have to learn to survive out here. You don’t have to be an excellent shot, like my brothers or sister, but you have to have enough courage to at least point and fire at your target. If nothing else, you might scare an intruder away.”
“I…I just could never point a gun at anyone,” she whispered.
He heaved a sigh and shook his head, a hopeless look on his face.
“She’s afraid.” Abigail lifted her skirts and stepped carefully down the rock-strewn knoll. “We never grew up with firearms in our home. We never grew up among violent people or dangerous animals.”
“Give it a try, Abby.” Brett walked over to stand beside her.
Tye handed Brett the pistol. He deftly unloaded it, loaded it again as Abigail watched, then handed to her. He took his place again behind her. “Use both hands. Line up the
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