Mirabelle with an E

Chapter 2

I put my coat on and head downstairs. I hear bad singing. "Not to be rude...but stop," I tell them to which they laugh. "Heading out into the rain Mirabelle." "yes. That's exactly what I'm doing." I open the door and walk out.

I see Nate heading to the barn. I follow him. I stop when I hear voices. "Hey, little man." "Allô" he greets.

"Are you trying to better yourself huh? Huh?" he asks throwing an arm around him.

"Wanna get somewhere in life? Gotta pay attention to the details. See this Q? It's supposed to have a tail. You missed it, pal." "I wasn't finished," he states.

"A tail like a little French...pig." "hey!" I walk in. They look at me. "Hey, Mirabelle." I walk over to them standing in front of Jerry. "Good job Jerry," I say looking at his work to defuse the situation. I feel a hand on my lower back and tense up. "Ya, he missed the Q had to tail for him," Nate states.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asks as he lies on the grass next to me. "No. I say focusing on my drawing. "never." he says placing a hand on my clothed thigh. I tense up and look at his hand. "Nope," I say shifting so his hand moves off my lap. "Shame."

"Next time let him do it. So he gets used to it." I say turning so his hand moves away.

"Alright." he nods. "Alright see you kids later." he hands the knife back to Jerry as he leaves.

"Are you okay?" I ask Jerry. "He is a bad man..." he says with a shaky voice. I touch his arm softly. "Hey? What happened?" I ask. "Nothing. Nothing. I don't know." he picks up his hat. "I'm going," he says walking away. "Wait Anne's not here yet." "tell her not day. Bye." he walks down the ladder.

I look back to where Nate was and scowl. I don't know what he's up to but I will find out and I will expose him for the lying sleazy son of a bitch he is.

Later that night after I finish my night routine I hear voices downstairs. I walk to the corner. "Checked in with that French kid again today. Crazy it never, ever clicks for him." Nate chuckles. "The little frog just doesn't remember." "We sure are a couple of lucky stiffs. Im gonna go out on a limb and say it's safe to stop poking that bear." Mr. Dunlop tells him.

"Don't tell me what to do," he says in a harsh tone. I see a light and hide in the nearest room a closet. When the person leaves I come out.

"Well well, what is this?" Mr Dunlop asks. "Don't open it." Anne chuckles and I hear her come up the stairs and hide again. "ITS AN APRON!" she shouts. Well, I'm glad she's having a nice time.

"Everyone in Avonlea sure can make a fortune from the gold I found," Nate says loudly to distract from their previous conversation. "You have to tell the town. It's only fair they could strike it rich." I come out when she's gone and sit on the steps listening. "I know. I know the money file the gold should go to the townsfolk, not the company. I want to do the right thing." I blink several times. I literally just heard that whole conversation get to the juicy shit.

"I love it here." Mr Dunlop states. "The Cuthberts are some of the finest people I know. "I agree. Argh I'm so torn what a moral quandary." Can this bastard stop saying that? We get it.

"Do I go to my job and tell my company or...do I go with my heart and tell the town." "Only your conscience can guide you to the right decision." I roll my eyes.

I go back to the room and get in bed. "Where were you?" "Bathroom. Hey, do you think that Nate and Mr. Dunlop are...shady?" I ask. "Shady? No why?" "Nicks...weird." "Just because he likes geology doesn't make him weird." "Yes, it does. They're saying there's gold on Avonlea-" she cuts me off. "There's gold!" "No! Anne, they're lying. Saying that they don't know if they should tell the town or give it to their job!" "That's a good thing Belle why are being like this?" "Because I'm right they're bad people!" I exclaim. She sighs and rolls her turning over.

"Know what? fine. Don't believe me. But don't come running to me when they prove to be exactly like I know they are." I get out of my bed and slam the door shut before going downstairs. "Mira. What's the matter?" Mr Dunlop asks. "Wouldn't you like to know?" I walk into the living room and sleep on the couch.

Anne really stepped in it this time. I lean on the wall of the balcony while my friends watch through the railing. "Everybody sit. This community will be polite and respectful of what this man is trying to tell us." They quiet down.

"Sir?"

"Yes you sir. Thank you."

"My name is Thomas Lynde. My wife and I want to know where you sent the gold sample." He states. "Yes, we do." "I sent the sample to an independent company in New York for testing and confirmation. As I said...I didn't want my employer to know." He says trying to act innocent.

"Where's the proof?"

Got him!

"How do we know you're telling the truth?"

"How do we know what's real and what is fools gold?"

"I'm glad you asked. I have here a certificate I received in the mail from New York. This Soils Report certified that there is indeed..." he takes out a paper and shows it around.

DAMMIT!

"Gold in Avonlea."

"I mentioned I had taken this earlier to William Barry." "Nathaniel told me in the strictest confidence. He was in a moral quandary and it all came out." My eyebrow raises.

He's said that three times...

Once in his room.

Second in the kitchen.

Third with Mr Barry.

He thinks the more he uses the word the smarter he'll sound. The books. The science stuff. He doesn't know a thing about rocks or plants. There is no gold. My question is what's his goal? What's he get out of this? More importantly, what do him and Mr Dunlop get out of this?

"There really is gold in Avonlea..."

"Belle?" I snap out of my thoughts and look at the girls. "Did you hear?" Ruby asks. "Mhm." I nod.

I'm gonna have to go about this calmly or else they'll find out and I'm sure it won't be good.

I may get hurt but so will the town if I don't expose them.

"So how do we proceed?"

"Each landowner would send in a sample of their soil to New York for testing. Now I warn you it's expensive."

My eyes widen.

"Money!" I exclaim. And the girls look back at me and shush me harshly. I roll my eyes.

That asshole wants money.

He's a con-man. A clever one.

But he's never met me.

They won't believe me no matter how much evidence I have. But one person will...

Gilbert.

So later that night before I go to bed I search for parchment paper. "Shit!" Anne groans in her sleep and I shut the drawer. I stand up and go to Nate's room.

I open his closet and search his trunk. "Bastards got an evil plan he's gotta have..." I pull it out and grin. "Paper." I see a strange-looking object. I take it and press it against the paper. Something engraved itself on the sheet. "New York City?"

"WE'RE HOME!"

I shut the trunk and run out the room. I stash the paper under my pillow and pretend to be asleep.