[Fairleaf]

Miz Bella, the dragon-slayer . . .

Reggie nudged his sister with his elbow trying desperately to get her attention. He leaned toward her and hurriedly mumbled something in a low voice.

‘What are you going on about?’ hissed Daisy as quietly as she could. ‘You know ma said we were to be good and do what Miz Bella told us.’ She gave a little snort of disgust and tried to move out of range of her brother’s insistent elbow. ‘Sit still and be quiet,’ she instructed him. She folded her hands on the table in front of her, trying to set a proper example for him.

‘But Daisy,’ he whispered again, scooting right up next to her. ‘I just heard the fellas talking. It’s about Miz Bella.’ He gave her a pleading look, squirming on the bench in anticipation of sharing the news he’d just learned.

‘Hush!’ she said to him, speaking a little louder than before.

‘But Daisy,’ he returned again, speaking now in a loud voice to her, his hand on her forearm. ‘Did you know she fought a dragon once? Killed it, too . . .’

Daisy’s mouth dropped open at her brother’s words and she turned beet red as the heads of others in the room swiveled round to look at them.