Unexpected Riches (Bellingwood Book 13) by Diane Greenwood Muir Page B

room. "What in the world was that all about?"
    "I think you're supposed to call Aaron and get the scoop before you talk to your brothers again," Polly said.
    Beryl scowled. "Bet my little pink ass."
    "Will you go get the boxes from your brother?"
    "Maybe." Beryl sat back down in her chair, scooping little Hem into her arms. "If you go with me."
    Lydia and Polly looked at each other, trying to decide which one of them she was talking to.
    "You're both going with me. Then I'll take you out to lunch somewhere fancy." Beryl stroked Hem's head. "Please?"

 
    CHAPTER EIGHT

     
    "Look at this, Miss Giller." Tommy Garwood waved frantically from the back of the classroom.
    "Yes, Tommy," she said. "Please stand if you would like to speak."
    The young boy stood up beside his desk and put his hand up, "Miss Giller?"
    "Go ahead, Tommy. What is so important that you feel you must interrupt reading time?"
    "The sheriff and his deputy just rode past. Do you think there might have been another bank robbery?"
    She sighed and pointed back to his desk. "Tom Garwood, if you spent your time reading rather than looking out the window, you'd find that your exam scores would significantly increase."
    "But Miss Giller," he protested. "Everybody is heading toward town. Just look outside."
    Polly glanced at the window and saw that he was correct. There was quite a commotion on the street going past the schoolhouse. Iowa wasn't the Old West any longer. Bellingwood was civilized now.
    "You all stay where you are," she commanded. As she strode toward the back of the room, Polly stopped to press Tommy Garwood back into his seat. "That includes you."
    Polly stopped in the doorway at the back of the room and took her cloak from the hook on the wall. She turned back to the class. "Miss Heater, you are in charge while I step out. Class, I expect that you will all listen to her and remain quiet. Understood?"
    Twenty-five sets of wide eyes looked at her while their heads nodded in unison. Polly threw her cloak across her shoulders, buttoned it at the neck and drew on the gloves that she'd stuffed in its pockets this morning. She rushed out the front door of the schoolhouse and stopped the first person who walked past her.
    "What's happening?"
    "There's a gunfight in front of the bank," the young man said.
    Polly stepped back, shaken at his words. While she stood there, two men on horses flew past, one turning in his saddle to shoot at whoever was following them. She was dumbfounded. How could this be happening in Bellingwood, Iowa?
    In moments, the sheriff rode past again, his gun raised and pointed at the two who were fleeing. The crowd that had gathered to watch the excitement surged toward her and Polly attempted to get back to the safety of the steps of her schoolhouse. She tripped and slammed down on the ice-cold, snow packed ground.
    "Polly!" She heard a familiar voice as she was lifted from the ground and she tried to focus on their face.
    "Polly! Are you okay?"
    "What?" Polly finally shook herself awake and found that Henry was holding her in his arms. "What are you doing?" she asked.
    "Look around," he said.
    She tentatively took in her surroundings and realized that they were on the floor of her bedroom. "What happened?" She had a good idea what had happened and felt a little embarrassed by the whole thing.
    "I have no idea how you did it," he said, "but you fell out of bed. Are you okay?"
    Polly laughed out loud and couldn't stop herself from chuckling. "I fell out of bed? How?"
    He pulled her in for a hug and then let her go. "I told you, I don't know. But it might have something to do with those critters who demand that they deserve most of our bed. I felt you pull a blanket away from me and the next thing I knew there was a thud and you were gone."
    "You got here really fast," she said. "I didn't even have time to..." Polly stopped talking and thought about her dream. "You got over to my side really fast."
    "You didn't have time to what?" he