Free Carol Ritten Smith by Stubborn Hearts Page A

tiny white polka dots.
    Tom’s bid of two-bits alerted all the men Abigail Craig’s lunch was up for bid and the bidding began again in earnest. Even Lewie Hanks excitedly reached down deep in his pocket and, pulling it inside out, dumped its contents into his hand: washers, coins, chaff and all.
    Always a prankster, Ernie Brown palmed some money to Lewie, just to add a little excitement to the bidding. With the added money, Lewie, who had never gone past twenty-three cents, excitedly raised the bid to thirty-five.
    “The bid is thirty-five cents. Do I hear more?”
    Lewie caught up in bidding fever, raised his own bid. “Thirty-seven!” he hollered.
    “Now just a minute. You’re getting ahead of yourself, young fellow,” Earl said.
    Tom could feel Abigail burning a hole in his back with her glare. He had no idea where Lewie’s new-found wealth came from, but he did know, no matter what, he’d better out bid him.
    “One dollar!” Tom called out and the room buzzed at the exorbitant price.
    Lewie’s hopes shriveled like a popped balloon.
    “Going once … twice … sold!”
    Tom dropped the money into the can on the table and picked up Abigail’s lunch. Suddenly a sick feeling washed over him. Sitting farther back on the table, almost hidden from view by other lunches, was a larger box wrapped in pink paper with white polka dots. And he knew without a doubt that one was Abigail’s. The lunch he had just purchased was not covered with polka dots at all, but with small white flowers. He stared at it thoughtfully before picking it up. Nothing he could do now but pray Lewie Hanks didn’t buy Abby’s lunch.
    Tom avoided looking in Abigail’s direction as he carried his box back with him. And he didn’t breathe easy until Mr. Pickard dropped the money in the can for Abby’s lunch.
    Finally, when all the boxes were auctioned off, Earl announced, “All right, gents, open your boxes and pair off.”
    When Tom read Beth’s name on the slip of paper, he shook his head. Is there no justice?
    An excited yelp brought everyone’s attention around. Lewie was jumping up and down, unable to control his excitement. “I got Miranda Parson’s!”
    Miranda was so enraged, she marched right past Lewie and out the door. Lewie bounded after her like a dog after a ham bone.
    All right , Tom conceded, maybe there is justice.

Chapter 6
    Tom wove his way through the crowded classroom toward Beth. She didn’t look pleased. Too bad. Upsets like this happened all the time at box socials. It was part of the fun. She would just have to put up with him. He had to chuckle to himself. When he thought about it, the entire mix-up was rather humorous. But a glimpse at Abby told him she thought otherwise.
    “I believe I have the honor of sharing your lunch, Miss Patterson.”
    “Yes, I see,” she replied curtly, as if it pained her to even be that civil.
    Tom handed her the box and then lifted down a set of desks joined in tandem by two planks at the foot of the legs. “How’s this?”
    “We’ll need a chair for Davy.”
    “Oh good,” Tom said, blurting it out almost in relief. At least the boy could act as a buffer between them. “I didn’t know he was here.”
    “He’s outside playing. Mrs. Pickard went to call in the children.”
    Tom brought a chair in from the cloakroom just as Davy appeared.
    “Whose lunch did you get, Tom?”
    “Your sister’s.”
    “Really? Oh boy! This is going to be fun!”
    Tom glanced at Beth’s scowl. Yup. Like a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. “Are you as hungry as I am?” he asked Davy as they arranged the desks and chair.
    “More than.”
    “I’m hungrier than an elephant.”
    They volleyed back and forth about their ridiculously large appetites until Beth had all she could stand. She set the plates on the desktop with a clatter, before serving them both an icy glare. “If you’re that hungry, you should have bought Mrs. Pickard’s lunch!”
    Tom and Davy exchanged raised