Were you following me?" she asked, hugging her knees and watching her supper cook. "Yes," Caleb answered in his direct way. He sat down across from Lily, and the firelight did a primitive dance over his features. "I wanted to see how you could get by on your own." He didn't need to tell Lily that she'd failed the test miserably; she knew, and her pride had been stripped as bare as the supper rabbit. "I thought I could reach Tylerville, at least, before nightfall." Somewhere in a nearby copse of pine trees an owl hooted, and in the distance coyotes howled at the rising moon. Caleb glanced toward Dancer, who was grazing a few yards away. "You might have made it if you hadn't bought such a fool horse." Lily felt called upon to defend Dancer, even though she privately agreed. "He's pretty," she said after taking several moments to search her mind for something favorable to say. Caleb stood up to turn the rabbit on its spit. "Look how far that got you." "I suppose your horse could make better time." "Without a doubt," the major answered. "As it is, we're both stuck here for the night, so there isn't much sense in arguing." Lily
( Linda Lael Miller )
[ Lily and the Major ]
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