The Cottage in the Woods by Katherine Coville

off. I really had hoped there would be an end to it. Forgive me, dear. I should have told you to keep your door locked.” She tookan embroidered handkerchief out of her sleeve and pressed it to her forehead.
    “Why? What is it?” I asked, concerned now that something was seriously wrong, and wondering what sort of danger I should have locked my door against.
    After her initial outburst she seemed to suddenly regain possession of herself. She fell silent and turned slightly away from me, as if she did not want to meet my eyes.
    Finally she answered, “Let me take care of this, my dear. Please don’t ask me to explain. It’s just that, well, there are things that have gone missing—just little things here and there—and I have an idea.…” She paused. “I think we may yet find your locket, but it may take time. Would you trust me to handle this in my own way? Just not mention this to anyone?”
    I was somewhat taken aback. It was clear that she had a notion of who was responsible for the disappearance of my locket. It was equally clear that she was hiding something—and yet she was asking me to put all my faith in her. What did I really know of her? Her gentleness and sensitivity were obvious, but would she shrink from accusing anyone for fear of giving offense? All I really knew of her was that she had raised a fine young cub, and contemplating this, I decided that was reason enough to trust her.
    “All right, madam, if you think it best,” I said.
    “Thank you, dear. Please believe that I won’t rest until we’ve found it.”
    “Yes, madam. Thank you.”
    “Is there anything else I can be of help with?” she asked. “How is Nurse treating you? She can be terribly moody at times.”
    I was temporarily struck speechless while I quickly assessedhow to answer the question. Was Nurse’s frequent intoxication taken for moodiness, then? I could not tell Mrs. Vaughn what I knew, but I thought that if I inquired carefully into Nurse’s behavior, I might gain some helpful insight into the badger’s dreadful personality.
    “I’m afraid I have gotten off to rather a bad start with Nurse,” I said. “I believe she has taken a dislike to me.”
    “Ah, yes. I was afraid of something like that. You mustn’t mind it, you know. It’s just that she has always been so very possessive of Teddy. I do believe there are times when she even resents my relationship with him, and now she must relinquish him to your care for much of the day. Quite likely she sees you as a rival for Teddy’s affections, or even as a threat to her position, though we have assured her that she will always have a place with us. I hope she has not been rude to you?”

10
A Wondrous Trip to the Library

    An awkward silence hung in the air. Finally, I choked out, “It’s just a feeling I have when I’m around her, madam.”
    “Well, I hope she has not made you too uncomfortable.”
    I bit my tongue, hard enough to draw blood. “Oh no, madam. There’s nothing that need concern you.”
    We concluded our interview, with her encouraging me to come and talk to her again, any morning at the breakfast hour. She had given me some small hope that she would be able to retrieve my locket, and I was grateful for that, slim as it was.
    I made my way back down toward the kitchen, hoping for a late breakfast, but as I approached the door to Mr. Vaughn’s den, I heard a lively spate of cursing that sounded like it came from the master himself. I had actually stopped to listen when Mr. Vaughn saw me and called me in. He stood with an open newspaper in his paws, and said, “Miss Brown, would you be so kind as to reiterate what you told me yesterday about the incident in town?”
    Nervously, I repeated the story from beginning to end.
    “Now let me read to you from today’s
Town Crier
. ‘Vandal Caught at Post Office. Yesterday our peaceful town was disturbed by an unidentified young bear who entered the Post Office just before closing time and became