Margaret's Quest Excerpt

Margaret introduced herself and explained that she had only been here for a little better than a week, and that she was exploring the village today so that she would know where to shop.

"Shop?" Katherine said with a laugh. "You won't be able to do much shopping in Tampa. Every few weeks a boat comes in from the states, and new merchandise is purchased for the store here, but anything goes out the door the same day it comes in. You really have to keep an eye out for the boats when they dock and be on hand to buy what you like before someone else does."

"I'll keep that in mind," Margaret promised, knowing full well that she would not be able to buy anything beyond the bare essentials. She tried once again to move past them, but Katherine laid a hand on her arm.

"Margaret, I don't want to be rude, but I simply must know where you purchased your bonnet. I have a new green dress, and I'd give anything to have one like it."

"You would?" Margaret's mind was already beginning to whirl. Her hand reached up to pull the ribbons and release her bonnet. She slid it off her hair and handed it to Katherine. "Would you like to examine it more closely? Really, I have more bonnets than I can possibly use down here. I don't know whatever possessed me to bring so many. If you really would like to have this one, I suppose I could part with it for, say, about five dollars?" Margaret held her breath. Five dollars was a lot of money. Had she gone too far?

But the words were barely out of her mouth when Katherine reached into her reticule and pulled out five silver Liberty dollars. It was apparent that she was anxious to seal the transaction before Margaret could change her mind.

Margaret slipped the coins into her own handbag, listening to the satisfying jingle they made when they dropped inside.

"Well, that's not fair," Meli pouted. "I'm the one who noticed your bonnet first. If I'd have known you would part with it, I'd have offered you six."

Six dollars! Almost enough to pay room and board at Miss Priscilla's for two more weeks. "Meli, I don't want to see you disappointed. Do you like blue? I have a lovely blue satin bonnet that would just match your eyes. I could bring it to you tomorrow, if you'd like."

Meli's eyes lit up like a child who had just seen a Christmas tree. "Oh, yes, yes! I do love blue. What time shall I meet you here tomorrow?"

"Let's come early before the sun gets too high," Margaret suggested. "How about nine o'clock?"

"I'll be here," Meli exclaimed. "Are you sure the blue one is just as pretty as Katherine's?"

"It's even prettier," Margaret promised. "That's why it's worth an extra dollar." She did not want to give Meli a chance to forget that she had promised to pay her six dollars.

This time the ladies let her pass through the door. As Margaret walked down the porch steps, she could hear the silver coins jingling in her reticule. She was not sure whether Mr. Bowden could find a buyer for her pearls or not, but as long as her supply of bonnets held out, she could take care of herself until the money from her father arrived.

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