Read Conor's Way for Free Online

Olivia answered and gestured to
the basket of eggs. "I need supplies, and I was hoping I could
barter for what I need. I've got some of my spiced peaches out in
the wagon, too."
    The eyes of the two women met across the
counter, and Olivia knew that Lila was thinking about the day the
lists came in from Gettysburg and how they'd cried together, Olivia
for her two brothers and Lila for her eldest son. Things like that
counted for more than Vernon would ever understand.
    Lila straightened and set aside her magazine.
"Now, I was here when Vernon went over the books with Stan, and I
heard him say no more credit for you. But," she added, her blue
eyes innocently wide, "I don't recall him sayin' a word about not
taking goods in trade."
    Olivia returned the conspiratorial smile Lila
gave her. "Thank you. I've got three dozen jars of peaches and two
dozen eggs."
    Lila made a sound of appreciation. "Heavenly,
your peaches. We'll have no problem selling them."
    "I need flour, rice, cornmeal, and molasses.
Is this enough to trade?"
    The two women negotiated the barter, quickly
agreeing on how much Olivia could get for her eggs and her
peaches.
    "Wagon's out front," Olivia said.
    "Jeremiah," Lila called to her son, "fill the
sacks and load them onto Miss Olivia's wagon. Get her a barrel of
molasses, too. And bring in that crate of her peaches."
    Jeremiah went to do as his mother asked, and
Lila turned to Olivia. "Got some new dress patterns in. Care to
have a look?"
    Olivia hesitated, tempted, but before she
could reply, two men entered the store.
    "Mornin', ladies," Grady McCann and Oren
Johnson said in unison, doffing their hats as they approached the
counter.
    Olivia nodded to them. "Saw your boys out
front. Looked like they were enjoyin' that saltwater taffy. Hope I
don't find a piece of it stuck to my wagon seat when I go back out
there."
    "Now, Olivia," Grady said, in a placating
voice, "you know they was only havin' a bit of fun."
    "Hmm." Olivia picked up
the Godey's Lady's Book and began flipping through it. "I'm not sure God
takes kindly to taffy in the church pews, Grady, particularly when
a mess of it ends up on the backside of Mrs. Tucker's dress." She
shot him a wry glance, remembering how poor Lisbeth Tucker had
tried in vain to stand up for the hymn two Sundays before. She
added good-naturedly, "'Course, it did make the service more
excitin'."
    The two men laughed. Everybody around
Callersville knew that Reverend Allen wasn't the sort of preacher
to put the fear of God in a body. He just put everybody to
sleep.
    Olivia looked over at Oren. "How's Kate
doing?"
    The man beamed at the mention of his wife's
name. "She's fine. A bit hard for her with all this heat, but she's
holding up all right."
    "Think this one's going to be a boy or a
girl?"
    "Well, I'm kinda hoping for another son, Liv.
I love my daughters, but I think sometimes Jimmy feels
outnumbered."
    "What can I do for you boys?" Lila asked,
diverting the men's attention.
    "Need a new pair of boots," Oren said.
    "Pound of eight penny nails for me," Grady
added.
    As Lila showed Oren the
boots and measured out nails for Grady, Olivia studied the fall
fashions in Godey's . The harvest dance would be coming up in September, and she
wanted so badly to make Becky a pretty dress to wear. Things like
that were important to a young girl.
    "That was some fight the other night, wasn't
it, Oren?" Grady's voice intruded on her thoughts, and Olivia
glanced up, curious.
    "I've never seen anything like it," Oren
replied. "Couldn't believe the way that Irish feller did it." He
swung a fist in the air enthusiastically. "All that dancin' around
and then, slam! Knocked Elroy clean off his feet."
    Olivia froze at Oren's words, hugging the
magazine to her chest, as the two men began to discuss the
incident. "What fight?" she asked.
    The two men stopped talking, glanced from her
to each other, then down at the floor, looking suddenly
uncomfortable.
    "It was a prizefight," Grady