I noticed everyone's interest as we continued down the corridor. Even Mrs. Cranshaw, the librarian, peered at us over her thick lenses.
"I really had a good time with you," Adam said softly. "Did you like it, too?"
"Yes, I did."
"Good. Until eight o'clock," he whispered at the homeroom door. "Don't disappoint me." He squeezed my hand and walked away.
My heart pounded. Was I really going to meet him? Did I have the courage? His lips had the lure of forbidden fruit, but oh, how luscious, ripe, and delicious was the promise they had left on my own when he held me in his arms and kissed me. I sighed.
When I turned to go into the classroom, I saw each and every girl was looking my way. All looked curious, many looked envious.
"That didn't take long," Theresa Patterson said coming up behind me as I walked to my desk.
"Pardon?"
"For Adam Jackson to find a new fish," she muttered, walking by.
The girls in this school, I thought, gave the word catty a new meaning. Adam wasn't wrong about that. Cary had told me much the same thing.
I didn't see my cousin until lunch time in the cafeteria. When I did, he looked very excited and happy. He had taken his English test and for the first time, he felt confident of the results afterward.
"Every time I considered an answer, I could hear your voice, your advice. It didn't seem as hard as I thought it would be."
"Good," I said. I looked past him toward the cafeteria's entrance, hoping to spot Adam. I expected he would want to sit with me, but when he came in, he was with some boys and they all went to a table on the right. He gazed my way and smiled. He looked as if he were holding court. Cary saw the direction of my interest and my expression of disappointment.
"Thanks for your help," he said dryly and started away.
"Cary," I called. He turned. "Mind if I sit with you? I'd rather skip my new girl friends for the moment."
I could see they had a place open for me at their table, but it would have been like delivering myself to the Spanish Inquisition, torture chamber and all.
Cary shrugged and looked in Adam's direction. "Suit yourself," he said. "It won't be the most exciting table, though." I followed anyway and he introduced me to two of his friends, Billy Beedsly and John Taylor. Their families were also in the lobster and fish business. They asked me a lot of questions about coal mines, but they were frustrated by my limited knowledge of the industry.
"My father was stuck down in the shafts, locked away from sunlight and air, and I hated thinking about it. He didn't like talking about it much either."
"Why did he do it then?" Billy asked. Cary and I exchanged knowing looks.
"It was the best work for the money at the time," I offered and then Cary managed to change the subject. At the end of the day, Cary eagerly waited for me, a wide, satisfied grin on his face.
"I wasn't sure you were going straight home," he said, obviously pleased that I was alone.
"I am. You look as if you have a secret."
"Oh, I do," he said starting away quickly. I had to walk fast to catch up.
"Well, what is it?"
"Nothing much."
"Cary Logan." I seized him by the elbow and spun him around. "Tell me this moment."
"Mr. Madeo stapped me in the hall as I was on my way out of the building to tell me he corrected the English tests already. I got a ninety-eight! He wanted to congratulate me and ask me how I had done it. I told him I had a great tutor and he said, 'Don't stop working with her.--
"Oh Cary. Ninety-eight!"
"It's the best test grade I ever got!" he exclaimed. "See. You can do it if you want to."
He shrugged. "Thanks to you. Anyway, I decided you were right. I have to learn how to talk properly and be educated if I'm going to be a businessman," He was grinning from ear to ear.