Page 86 of The School Mistress (Emerson Pass Historicals 1)

“Good, you’re back,” Alexander said. “This is Mrs. Wu. She’s going to be working here with Lizzie. And these are Li and Fai.”

The Wu children looked at the Barnes siblings with fear in their eyes. Who wouldn’t? They were so robust and loud.

Cymbeline bounced over to get a better look. She pointed at Fai’s hair. “Shiny and smooth.”

Fai watched her but didn’t reply.

“I like it,” Cymbeline said as she ruffled her curls with her fingers to make it stand up. “My hair’s curly and I hate it.”

Fai let out a squeaky giggle. “No, pretty hair.”

Flynn sidled up next. “So you’re going to live here with us?” he asked Li.

“Yes.” Li pointed to door that led to the bedrooms. “In there.”

“Do you like baby pigs?” Cymbeline asked. “Because we have some.”

Li shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Flynn flopped into the chair next to Li. “Do you want to see them?” His voice was too loud, I thought. He’s going to frighten this poor child.

“I don’t know.” Li’s shoulders slumped as he looked around the table.

Theo had joined us by then. “We have a cow and chickens, too.” He spoke softly, as if he knew Flynn was a little too much.

“Cow,” Fai said with much enthusiasm. “I go.”

Poppy and Josephine came through the door next, carrying all the skates. “You all forgot your skates in the sleigh,” Josephine said before stopping to stare at Mrs. Wu.

Li looked at me as if to say, “How many are there?”

“There’s a lot of them,” I said to Li. “You’ll grow accustomed to their noise.”

Alexander introduced the Wus to Josephine and Poppy. They smiled politely at Mrs. Wu, then came to the table to inspect the children.

“Poppy and I will take the little ones out to the barn if it’s okay with Mrs. Wu.”

Li spoke to Mrs. Wu in Chinese. She responded back, nodding her head. “She says we can go look at the pigs.”

“Great. Daylight’s burning. We need to go now, or it’ll be too dark to see anything.” Flynn bounced up from the table.

“Put the skates in the mudroom,” I said. “All of you, Flynn, not just the girls.”

“Give them here,” Flynn said to his sister.

They all left in a mad rush, Flynn and Cymbeline fightin

g about who could show Li what first and Josephine holding tight to Fai’s hand.

“I think I’ll stay inside.” Theo slumped against the back of a chair.

“Do you feel all right, Theo?” I asked.

“My throat hurts,” he said.

I motioned for him to come closer and then felt his forehead. “He’s warm,” I said to Alexander.

Alexander went to him and placed his hand on the boy’s forehead. “She’s right. Let’s get you to bed, young man.”