Free Spellbound Falls [5] For the Love of Magic by Janet Chapman Page A

lesson.”
    “Well, you’re not going to learn anything idling up and down a camp road. That’s why I got you the license.”
    Sending a silent prayer to Athena, goddess of wisdom and courage, Rana moved the shifting lever to the
D
, then slowly let out on the brake. “Nothing’s happening.”
    “Because you aren’t giving it any gas. Gently,” Peg said with a laugh when they suddenly shot forward and then jerked to a halt when Rana stomped on the brake.
    “Oh, friggin’ mess, Mama.”
    Peg closed her eyes on a groan. “Duncan really needs to start watching his language around Charlie,” she muttered, twisting to look at her son. “You’re okay, big man,” she soothed, pulling her coat sleeve over her hand to wipe juice off the poor child’s face. “Let’s give it another go,” she said, facing forward again. “Or we’re gonna miss our chance to flatten those bun-stealing grange ladies.”
    Realizing Peg was attempting to calm her with small talk, Rana decided she’d made a wise choice for her driving instructor. She checked for traffic and
gently
eased down on the gas, thankful Peg had circled around the garage when they’d arrived so she didn’t have to back up. “Is there a particular reason you’re not enamored with the grange ladies?” she asked, guiding the large SUV down the narrow camp road.
    Peg gave a soft snort. “The spring Mac brought Henry to Inglenook, the grange ladies were raising funds to send Olivia and Sophie to Disneyworld because her dead husband, Keith Baldwin, was the town’s only war hero. But when Olivia said absolutely no way, and Mac suggested they raise money for a
general
widow’s fund instead, those busybodies made me and my kids their new pet cause. Um, you’re doing great, but you might want to go a little faster than a turtle.”
    Rana eased down on the gas, pleased to discover that driving a truck was no more difficult than driving one of the resort carts. “But what’s wrong with that, Peg? Surely you could have used help providing for four young children.”
    “They were going to put pictures of my kids on all their friggin’ fund-raising jars and stick them in all the stores in Spellbound and Turtleback.”
    “Oh, how embarrassing. Please tell me you were able to stop them.”
    Peg suddenly laughed. “I didn’t have to. Your son’s mountain-moving earthquake nicely redirected their attention.”
    “Yes,” Rana said dryly. “Epic events have a way of doing that.”
    “When Bottomless Lake suddenly turned into the Bottomless
Sea
, the grange ladies decided the town needed a fancier park more than I needed their charity.”
    Rana glanced over in surprise. “They really just forgot about you?”
    “Well, in their defense,” Peg said, “they watched me go from rags to riches when I started selling my gravel to Duncan to build the road up to Nova Mare. Don’t panic,” she calmly added when a small red car came racing in the camp road toward them. “There’s plenty of room for both of us. Just edge to the side and let him drive by you.”
    Only instead of continuing past when Rana guided the SUV as close to the trees as she dared, the car stopped beside them and its window lowered to expose Titus frowning up at her.
    “The top left button on your door lowers your window,” Peg said.
    Rana gently pressed on the gas pedal and drove off, stifling a smile when Peg gasped in surprise. Only they hadn’t gone more than a hundred feet when the engine suddenly shut off. Rana lifted the shifting lever into park with a resigned sigh, which was lost in her passenger’s laugh.
    “I’m torn between admiration and pity,” Peg said, “when I think of you being married to him for
thousands
of years. You want me and Charlie to walk up the road to give you a little privacy?”
    Rana reached over to stop Peg from unbuckling her seat belt. “That isn’t necessary. But listen closely,” she added, patting Peg’s arm, “and maybe you’ll learn an