Prelude to a Witch, Amanda Lee [ebook reader web txt] 📗

“Tillie is a menace.” Despite the words, Caroline grinned. “Don’t worry about getting a new house. This house is mine. It was left to me. We just need enough money to kick your father out.” Caroline was thoughtful. “How long has Tillie been making wine?”

“About two months. Lots of people buy it.”

“And she’s managed to hide the fact that she’s selling it for two months.” Caroline couldn’t help being impressed. “Don’t tell Tillie I know about the wine,” she said.

Ginger was taken aback. “But ... shouldn’t she know you want her to keep selling it? She won’t have to sneak around as much.”

“I want her to sneak around. Your sister is a master at hiding what she’s doing. I need your father not to find out. Do you understand?”

Ginger’s eyes went wide but she nodded.

“Good.” Caroline squeezed her shoulder and then went back to the pie crust. “Tell me about Tillie and Willa. What seems to be the issue?”

“They hate each other.”

“I hope they’ll outgrow that,” Caroline mused. “Their bond is not as strong as your bond with Tillie.” Caroline studied Ginger a moment and then smiled. “You’re not as close with Willa either.”

“I don’t like her.” Ginger opted to tell the truth. “She feels ... different.”

Caroline’s forehead creased. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know.” Ginger held out her hands. “When I’m with Tillie I feel stronger. It’s like we’re always supposed to be together. I don’t feel that way with Willa. When I’m with her, I just feel angry because she’s so sneaky.”

“I could point out that Tillie breaks the rules,” Caroline argued. “Maybe Willa feels she’s putting this family in danger with her actions.”

“No, that’s not it.” Ginger’s headshake was instant. “Willa wants to be better than Tillie. She wants to win all the time. ”

“And do you think that will happen?”

Ginger snorted. “No. Tillie always wins.”

“Even more than you?”

Ginger hesitated and then nodded. “I don’t need to win like Tillie does.”

“Willa does,” Caroline noted. “Why do you think that is?”

“Because she doesn’t feel like she belongs here. She’s different from us and she knows it.” Ginger studied her mother with fresh eyes. “You know it too.”

“Willa is part of this family,” Caroline countered quickly. Even though Willa wasn’t her biological daughter, she’d accepted the girl into their home and promised to care for her. She might not like Willa, but she would never mistreat her. “She’s not an outsider. I don’t like that you guys cut her out of the action.”

Ginger made a face. “She’s a baby.”

“She’s younger, but you and Tillie aren’t the same age and you play together.”

“No, I mean she’s a baby,” Ginger insisted. “If we don’t let her win games she cries and carries on. She tattles on us in school. Tillie hates her.”

“Tillie only thinks she hates her. She’ll figure out that Willa is still her sister. She’ll grow to appreciate her.”

Ginger had her doubts. “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

“No?” Caroline pursed her lips.

“I think they’ll be enemies forever.”

“Well, that might be fun, too.” Caroline smirked as Tillie stomped between the kitchen and living room. “Hey, little monster, do you want to help with the pie?” she called out to her dark-haired daughter. Tillie’s long hair swished behind her like a tail.

Tillie stopped pacing long enough to eye her mother. “Why would I want to make a pie?”

“You need to learn a skill,” Caroline replied. “So far, the only thing we know you’re good at is irritating people.”

“Oh, I’m good at more than that.” Tillie’s smile was smug.

For a moment, Caroline considered calling out Tillie about making the wine. Seeing her daughter’s face when she realized her business endeavor had been discovered would’ve almost been worth losing the money. Almost. She didn’t want Tillie to quit, though. The girl was sneaky in her own right, and if she could continue bringing in money under her father’s nose it would benefit them all.

“You’re a wonder,” Caroline agreed dryly. “Still, you should probably learn to cook.”

“Why?” Tillie never did anything without being convinced it would somehow benefit her.

“Because someday you’ll marry and your husband will want you to cook dinner.”

“Yeah.” Ginger stuck out her tongue. “I’m going to have a very happy husband.”

“Because you cook?” Tillie sneered. “Mama is the best cook in the county and Papa isn’t happy. Why would I waste time cooking? If I marry someone — and it’s doubtful I will — he’ll be the cook.”

Caroline chuckled. “I don’t know any men who cook. That seems a tall order.”

“Oh, I guarantee there’s one out there. I’m going to find him, hit him over the head with a stick, and lock him in the house so he can wait on me.”

“I like the stick part.” Caroline’s smile was impish. “Where is your sister?”

Tillie’s expression remained blank. “She’s right there.” She jabbed a finger at Ginger. “Is your eyesight going?”

“My sight is fine. I was talking about your other sister.”

Tillie made a face. “I have no idea where she is.”

“Maybe you should find her.”

“Um ... no.” Tillie shook her head and did a little dance. “She can find her own way home. She’s not a lost kitten.”

“She’s still your little sister.” Caroline insisted. “It’s your job to take care of her.”

Tillie didn’t bother to hide her disdain. “At some point Willa is going to be an adult and responsible for herself. All that tattling she does will be for nothing because we won’t have to take care of her.”

“Don’t you think you should always take care of your sister?”

“This one.” Tillie pointed toward Ginger. “She’s my real sister and I’ll take care of her.”

Caroline froze. Could they know? She’d been careful never to slip in front of them when it came to Willa’s true parentage. Had she somehow overlooked something? “What do you mean?” she asked, carefully avoiding eye contact.

“A real sister doesn’t tattle,” Tillie insisted, missing the relieved breath her mother let out. “Willa isn’t a real sister. She’s a tattler, and there’s nothing that I