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THE ELITES
ELIZABETH KNOX E.C. LAND BECK KNIGHT ANNA EDWARDS
KATHLEEN KELLY JULIA BRIGHT ADDISON JANE KE OSBORN
JANINE INFANTE BOSCO SONYA JESUS COURTNEY LYNN ROSE
IRIS SWEETWATER CHARLENE RAQUEL J.L. GREY
BRYNNE KING ANGELA SANDERS CLAIRE MARTA A.C. KRAMER
APRIL CANAVAN
CONTENTS
Foreword
Dex’s Devotion
Elizabeth Knox & E.C. Land
Legacy
Brynne King & Angela Sanders
Chaos & Corruption
Janine Infante Bosco
Wicked Liability
Beck Knight
The Promise
Anna Edwards & Claire Marta
Colton’s Secret
A.C. Kramer
Our Salvation
Addison Jane & K E Osborn
Her Striker
Charlene Raquel
Fealty
Kathleen Kelly
Sting of Beauty
Sonya Jesus
Unseen Cruelty
Julia Bright
Evil is Hot
Iris Sweetwater
A Deadly Game
JL Grey
Voodoo Vixen
Lynne Leslie & Courtney Lynn Rose
Behind the ivy-covered walls at Stonewall University, the future of
the world is in the hands of a very select few.
T he S corpio S ociety
D ex
Weeks Ago . . .
“What do you think?” Ashley, my stepmom, asks. Though, she’s
more than a stepmom if you ask me. She’s the only mother I’ve ever
had, and I’m damn lucky.
In my arms is my newest sibling, Rory, with her dark chocolate
hair the same shade as mine and our father’s. Her eyes are a dark
blue, and Ashley tells me the doctor thinks they’ll turn brown. She
muttered something about how a baby’s eye color can change, but I
wasn’t paying too much attention. Instead, I was focused on the
little one blinking her big eyes up at me while she’s holding onto my
index finger.
“She’s gorgeous,” I say with a smile, looking up at Ashley.
“Yeah. I’ve told your father we’re done after this. I’m exhausted.”
She giggles, sitting down beside me on the couch. My parents’
house overlooks a small lake in their backyard. The sun is just
beginning to set and they just came home this afternoon from the
hospital. I was on baby duty, watching my sister, Noelle, who’s about
eight now, and our brother, Fist, who’s one and a half.
“What’s one more?” Dad chuckles from behind us.
“You try pushing one more of these out and then ask me that,”
she grumbles, turning to glare at him.
“But our eldest is leaving the nest, and we’re gonna get even
lonelier.” Dad tries to plead his case, but Ashley isn’t having any bit
of it.
“Robert, we’re not having another baby. The baby-making factory
is closed for business. The going out of business sale has already
happened. We’re done.” Shit, she never calls him by his real name,
only by his road name.
“Ash, you can’t seriously mean that. The second Dex leaves,
you’re gonna be a damn mess and we both know it,” Dad tells her.
I watch as she cocks a brow. “We have three other kids under
the age of nine. You can’t be serious.”
“I like a full house. What can I say?” Dad goes on, and as he
continues rambling, Rory starts to fuss.
“Shh, little one. I’ve got you.” I rock her slowly back and forth in
my arms, but her screams grow louder by the minute.
“I’ll take her and give you some time with Ash. You leave
tomorrow around six in the morning, right?” Dad asks while he
scoops Rory from my arms.
I nod, trying to speak to Ashley and Dad. “Yeah, I’m gonna get
an early start on the drive. Figure it’ll probably take me two days to
get over there.”
“Are you sure you want to take your bike that far? I mean, Dex,
it’s New York. You know it’ll be snowing in a few months. It would
make more sense for you to take the truck.” Ashley only wants me to
be safe, and while I understand that, being without my bike would
cripple me.
“I promise I’ll be safe, and I know what I’m doing. I learned from
the best.” I glance over to my dad, who smiles at the small
compliment I’ve given him while he shuffles down the hallway to
Rory’s nursery.
Ashley’s smile fades away and she gnaws on the corner of her
lip. “I suppose I might be having a bit of a hard time. I never
thought this day would actually get here. You know?” Before I know
it, she’s wiping the back of her hand under her eyes. Shit. She’s
already crying.
I shut my eyes for a moment and instinctively wrap my arms
around her, pulling her into the tightest hug I think I’ve ever given
her. “I’m gonna fuckin’ miss you. I know I don’t say it enough, Ash,
but you’re my mom and I love you. When you and Dad got together,
my whole life changed for the better.” I pull her in closer, and she
settles her chin on my shoulder, hanging on tight.
“I know you’re only going off to college, but it feels so terrifying
to be losing my sidekick. It was you and me against the world,
always.” She chuckles, crying through it.
Snaking my hand up her back, I hold the back of her head.
“Nothing will be any different. We’re still the best duo. I’ll just be in
Albany, and you’ll be here in Billings. You know I’ll come back here
for winter break and anytime I can.”
Ashley pulls away and I release her, but she grazes her hands
over my shoulders and grabs me by the collar of my t-shirt. “You’d
better, ‘cause I pack a mean punch. Your dad can attest to that.” She
snickers, still with tears flowing down her cheeks.
“I’m only going because I got a free ride, and you know it.
Probably the only fucking thing my birth mother did for me.”
“Yeah.” Ashley sighs as she speaks to me, and I know she’s
nervous. This whole situation is nerve-wracking for us all. I haven’t
seen my uncle Jonathan since I was three, and out of nowhere, he
offers me this scholarship. When it happened, I wondered if my birth
mother had anything to do with it, but I highly doubt it. She’s
probably too busy being hooked on whatever drug is her vice these
days.
Ashley pats my shoulders. “You’d better get over to the club. I
think they might be doing something special for you.”
I cock a brow. “Really?”
Ashley rolls her eyes. “I know how much you hate surprises, so
I’m giving you a tiny heads up, and let’s be honest, you know deep
down we wouldn’t let you go off without some grand gesture.”
“Will you stop by later?” I ask, hoping to see her one last time
before I go.
Ashley smiles sweetly. “My sweet Dex,” she brushes her hand
against my cheek, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I just have to
wait for your sister to get settled in. Your father and I will trade
places, so we can both say our goodbyes.”
“Whoa. What’s with the goodbye shit? Ain’t it see you later?” Dad
says, sounding a bit upset.
“Yeah, Pops. That’s it,” I tell him, easing his heart. I rise from the
couch and head for the door. “I’m gonna go over to the club and see
what’s shakin’. See you both later?”
“Damn straight,” Dad replies while Ashley nods.
E mber
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Bethany asks. I hadn’t
realized how much meeting her would mean to me when she’d
popped into my life. Barely a senior in high school, hating the world,
Bethany entered my life. In doing so, she’d helped me understand
what I was feeling.
The day my uncle Tombstone introduced Bethany to me at the
clubhouse, I didn’t know who she was and made a complete ass of
myself. See, I grew up in the club from the time I was twelve and
have held a grudge against the very men I love dearly. My uncles,
Reaper, is the President, and Angel, is the Vice President of the club.
They were my mom’s brothers. My other uncle, Bethany’s dad, was
my dad’s brother.
My family tree is confusing to everyone, including myself, most of
the time. Having to explain it isn’t always easy and people ask me if
I’m from some backwoods West Virginia bullshit. I can’t stand it, and
it’s probably why I’ve been so rebellious.
Well, maybe not. I know why I have. I just hate thinking about it.
My parents died in a house fire when I was twelve and for the past
six years, I’ve felt the pain as if it were yesterday. I know I
shouldn’t, but when you live through a traumatic experience like I
have, it’s kinda hard not to.
Glancing at my cousin, I give her a weak smile and nod. “Yeah,
it’s the right thing for me to do, Bethy,” I tell her as I pack up the
rest of my things. I’d come to stay with her a week ago, wanting to
spend some time with her before heading to Stonewall University. I
had worked my ass off in order to get away from everyone and
everything that hurts in Texas.
My uncles and the rest of the members of the club didn’t like it;
however, they understood why I was doing this. To find myself as
well as my freedom from the past. Texas hasn’t held anything but
pain for me, so hopefully, going to Stonewall will be the fresh start I
need.
“Okay, but I wish you were going to one of the schools around
here at least, and not five-plus hours away from me,” she says,
sitting on the bed in the guest room of the house she shares with
her man and his band. Though, I say house. It’s not just a house.
It’s a freaking mansion where each member of the band has their
own wing.
“I know, but unlike the other schools I applied to and got in, I
have a full-ride scholarship to Stonewall.” I shrug.
“I get it and understand where you’re coming from. I expect you
to call me when you get there and daily calls after that.” God knows
I love her, but since Bethany became pregnant, she’s been a total
mother hen, even before I got to her house.
I’d driven up from Texas to spend time with her and so she could
take me to the train station. I didn’t think I would need my car up
there. Living in a dorm, I figured I’d be able to walk wherever I
needed to go. If there was somewhere off campus, I could always
grab a taxi or an Uber.
“I’ll be back. It’s not like I’m going off to join the Peace Corps,
Bethy. I’m just going to college,” I murmur, hefting my duffle bag on
my shoulders. My suitcase was already downstairs, ready to go.
“Alright, well then, let’s get on the road before I change my mind
and demand you stay here.” And there go the hormones again.
She’d tried all week to get me to change my mind. However, nothing
was gonna work. I wanted to go somewhere where no one knew
about me or my relationship to the MC world.
D ex
Two days have gone by since I’ve been here and it’s a totally
different pace of life. No longer do I see rugged, roughed-up dudes
with their girlfriends, wives, or ol’ ladies. Instead, there are preppy-
ass New England guys, with women in old band t-shirts, some
dressed to the nines, and others who barely put on pajamas to walk
outside their dorms.
I haven’t ventured too far, but I have met my roommate, Josh.
He’s a pretty nice dude. From what he’s told me so far, his father is a
big-time real estate broker in New York City and his mother is an
immigration attorney at a law firm in the city as well. It’s no wonder
why he’s here. He’s the definition of prestigious, and then there’s
me, only here because my mother is the dean’s half-sister. At least,
that’s why I think I’m here.
Adalind Marie Stonewall.
My mother, and yet, someone I barely know. Someone who is the
acting director of the botany wing. My uncle Jonathan didn’t even
tell me. Yesterday I decided to make myself comfortable with the
grounds and walked to the different buildings where my classes will
be held, so I wouldn’t get lost when classes start. Imagine my
surprise when I saw her photo and name in a case with all her
achievements. She could accomplish great things, but she couldn’t
ever be there for me like she should’ve been? Fucking ridiculous.
In the end, I know how I lucked out with having Ashley as my
mom, and I thank God every day for my dad marrying her. But it
doesn’t mean it still doesn’t hurt to know my mother picked drugs
over me, and then seemingly she must be recovered . . . and never
once reached out. Actually, it infuriates me. It pisses me off so much
I texted my dad and told him about ten minutes ago. Twiddling my
thumbs, my phone vibrates and I see my dad’s name pop up.
Immediately, I open his message.
From: Dad
Seriously? Shit. I’d like to say I should’ve known . . . but I’m
sorry I didn’t. Don’t pay any mind to her. She might be clean now,
but you can never change selfish people. They’re always gonna be
that way.
I nod at what I’m reading, knowing he’s right. So, I quickly type
a reply back.
To: Dad
Thanks. Sorry. Just pissed me off. I’ll do my best to avoid her.
Maybe she doesn’t even know I’m here.
No sooner than twenty seconds after I send it, I have a reply.
From: Dad
Yeah, right. If you ask me, this was all a charade. Keep me
updated tho, I gotta run.
I place my phone back on my bedside table and decide to follow
my dad’s advice. Even if I wanted to, I know trusting her isn’t the
smartest thing to do. Plus, I have the best mom ever—Ashley.
Shaking the doubt from my mind, I rise and head over to the
door leading into Josh and my dorm room. Only the second I begin
to open it, it’s being pushed.
“Whoa,” I grumble, still a bit aggravated by everything I’ve
learned.
Josh smirks, adjusting his flashy tie. The guy is wearing a navy
suit. It’s a freaking weekend. This is what I mean when I say he
belongs here. “Hey, I was just coming to find you. I hear there’s a
dope party going on in about an hour at a frat house. Wanna go
check it out?”
“Eh, I don’t know.” I shrug. I’m not the type of guy these people
are used to. Hell, I have my cut on and I’m the bad boy people like
them always seem to want to avoid.
Josh narrows his eyes at me and pushes his glasses back.
“C’mon, Dex. What do we have to lose? I know one of the bigger
sororities on campus is going to be there and it’ll be great. Plus,
don’t you wanna show off your flashy vest?” He wiggles his
eyebrows.
“Cut. It’s called a cut,” I remind him.
“Yeah, sorry. That’s what I meant. You know the ladies will eat
you up, being that bad boy and whatever.” Josh smirks, trying to
charm me into agreeing.
Sucking in a deep breath, I weigh the positives and negatives.
It’s either going to be one of two things—great or awful. “Fine. Let
me grab my phone and I’ll head out with you.”
“Sweet,” he snickers while I turn around to go grab my phone.
I only hope I don’t regret this.
I nstead of taking my H arley over here , J osh and I walked from our
dorm. He lied straight through his pearly white teeth when he said it
was only a five-minute walk. More like fifteen. But whatever, we’re
here now and I’m about ready for a beer. “Now, you’re not gonna
freak out about drinking underage, right?” Josh cocks a brow, eyeing
me up.
Is he for real right now? I scoff out my reply, “I had my first drink
when I was fifteen. Relax.”
“Oh, okay. Should’ve figured with your bad boy exterior and all.
You just seem . . .” Josh goes quiet.
“I seem?” I question, wanting to know whatever’s going on in his
mind.
Josh shrugs, running a hand through his dirty blond hair. “You
seem nervous, dude, I dunno how to explain it.”
“I’m not nervous,” I snap but realize I just confirmed I am. Josh
doesn’t need to know about my internal struggles. “Okay, it’s just
odd going to a party like this. I’m used to Harleys and trailers . . .
not big ass houses like this on land I’ll probably never be able to
afford,” I admit, giving him a taste of the truth. Josh doesn’t need to
know more than this.
“Pssh, they’re nothing special. I’m betting yours are much more
interesting. Don’t worry, though. You’re my roomie, so I’ve got your
back. A few of these guys are kids of my father’s associates . . . that
being said, I’ve got a little bit of leeway here.” Josh snickers, sliding
his hands in his trousers. He seems more relaxed.
I nod. “Cool. Shall we head in and grab a drink?”
“Hell yeah,” Josh responds, leading the way as we move from the
sidewalk to the brick path that leads up to the white colonial home.
It appears to be two stories with an attic, even having those nice
windows at the top which show you it’s a livable space too. On the
right-hand side, there’s a porch and I can see girls hanging out
smoking cigarettes, but as we approach, the stench of marijuana
hits me. The left side of the house is closed up and while I scan
through the windows on that specific side room, I can tell it’s some
sort of study.
“You know much about this frat?” I ask Josh while we head up
the few stairs that lead into the house.
“I know enough, like how they throw the best parties on
campus.” Josh chuckles, placing his hand on the gold handle. He
pushes it forward and opens the door, walking right in. For some
reason, I expected someone to be standing guard at the front, not
letting certain people inside . . . but we are at one of the most
prestigious colleges in the nation. Everyone here belongs, and so
they must not really care.
I see quite a series of guys packed in the foyer and living area. A
few of them have gold necklaces on with some sort of symbol that I
can’t make out. “Those are the guys who belong to the frat.”
“Ah, okay.”
“You haven’t told me what you’re here for, major wise or
whatever,” Josh speaks up, and I realize he’s right. I haven’t said a
word.
“Agricultural Engineering.”
“Cool, didn’t take you for that type, but I dig it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I inquire, furrowing my brows.
Josh opens his mouth but then shuts it before running the palm
of his hand across his mouth. “I mean, I figured you were the
business type or in graphic design.”
I chuckle. “The only technology I can successfully operate is a
cell phone and my video game console. Otherwise, it takes me a
good minute. Both of your guesses are hysterical.”
“Josh, is that you?” I hear a woman’s voice ask from the living
area. The light-skinned girl with blue dreads immediately comes
walking over.
“Hey, Delaney, how’re things going?” Josh smiles widely at the
girl, immediately making me think he has a crush. Shit, I didn’t think
she was his type. He’s so proper, and she’s more my style. Hell, she’s
fuckin’ gorgeous. Josh and I might be roomies, but I might have to
shoot my shot.
“Good. The jitters are finally subsiding. You?” Delaney smiles.
“Yeah, same here. Though, I’m sure the liquor will only help
some of the few that remain.”
Delaney laughs and while she does, I introduce myself. “Hey, I’m
Dex.”
I extend a hand, and she meets it. “Delaney, but of course, you
know that.”
I nod. “Yeah. When did you two meet?”
“We arrived at Stonewall on the same day. Bumped into each
other at the student center,” Josh fills me in.
“Delaney, get back here!” A woman’s voice calls for her friend,
and Delaney looks to Josh and me.
“Sorry, I’d better get back. It was really nice to meet you, Dex.
Hopefully, we all run into each other again soon.”
As she walks off, I can’t help but stare at her ass, and while I
am, another girl runs straight into Josh, wrapping her arms around
him. “Hey, cutie.”
Jesus. Is this dude a chick magnet? I mean . . . does the nerdy
aesthetic really work? If anyone should be attracting women like
bees to honey, it should be me. “Cara, hey. This is my roomie, Dex.”
“Cool. Nice to meet you. This is my roomie, Ember.” She turns a
bit and as she does, another woman comes into view. They’re about
the same height and almost have the same color hair. Cara’s is more
platinum mixed with a honey blonde throughout, and Ember’s is an
ash blonde.
“It’s an absolute pleasure, Ember.” Josh smirks, taking her hand.
I figured he’s going to shake it, but once he presses his lips to the
top of her hand, I cock a brow.
“Are you trying to flirt with my friend here, Josh?” Cara asks,
cocking a hip with a red Solo cup in her hand.
“Never! I’m simply showing that gentlemen are around these
parts.”
“Did you really just say that?” Now I’m the one with attitude.
He’s a dude from the city, trying to sound like he just rolled out of
central Wyoming.
Josh looks at both ladies. “Girls, we’ll be right back. I think it’s
about time Dex and I get a beer.”
“Sure thing.” Cara giggles, and I walk alongside Josh as we head
over to the line by the keg.
While we’re standing in line, he strikes up some conversation.
“Alright. I need you to be my wingman and vice versa. Okay?”
“Which one are you eyeing up?” I question, making sure we’re
not heading after the same girl.
“Cara. I plan to sneak her back into a bedroom tonight. You feel
me?”
“Yep.” Little does he know I’m glad he’s going after Cara. ‘Cause
from the look of Ember in those dark denim jeans and tight sapphire
blue top . . . she’s my type.
3
E mber
How did I let Cara talk me into coming out to some frat party
with her? Oh yeah, that’s right, she used the whole ‘we have to
watch out for each other’ speech. Not wanting her to go alone and
risk something happening to her, I merely sighed and changed out of
my Nirvana tee shirt, putting on a blue top that my cousin Bethany
bought for me.
There’s one thing for sure about spending time with Bethany, she
knows how to pick clothes to compliment one’s figure. This shirt is
one of my favorites.
Grabbing my cup I’d been drinking out of, I follow Cara out of our
room.
“Why are you bringing a cup with you? They have those there.”
I’ve been dreading the moment someone would ask me that.
“Yeah, they do but not with lids on them.” I shrug.
“So?” Cara angles her head to face me as we walk.
“So, I don’t go to parties without taking my own. You don’t know
who will try something. It’s a lesson I learned a while ago when I
caught my friend’s boyfriend trying to roofie my beer. Let’s just say
that didn’t work out for him too well. One, he lost his girlfriend and
ended up soaked in cheap beer that night. Second, he got a visit
from Micah, one of the member’s little brother at my uncle’s club,
due to the guy being underage. After that, I never went to another
party without a cup with a closed lid on it.” I probably should be
embarrassed by this, but in all honesty, I’m not. I prefer to stay safe
rather than be one of those women who find themselves drugged
and taken into human trafficking.
Okay, so I kept that part out of my little spiel to Cara. The guy
who attempted this was targeting girls for a group that dealt in the
sex trade.
“Wow. I can understand that. Now let’s have some fun,” she
murmurs.
Smiling, I follow her up the stairs into the huge white house.
Windows light up and music blares through the open front door.
Stepping inside, dread washes over my body. This isn’t really my
type of party. Then again, this is supposed to be my new beginning.
Be someone other than the MC princess to the Satan’s Keepers.
Shortly after getting to the party, Cara drags me through the
room to talk to some guy as she calls out, “Hey, cutie.”
With a brief exchange, the guy and his roommate head off to
grab a beer.
“What the hell, Cara?” I ask, feeling somewhat uncomfortable
with this all.
“What? It was just Josh and Dex. They’re harmless. Well, Josh is,
that’s for sure. I met him on the first day here and he’s a hottie. One
I intend to party with tonight.” Cara giggles.
Oh God, kill me now.
W e ’ ve been at the party for a while now and I’ ve just lost C ara . I
think she’s gone off with that guy. She said his name was Josh. I’m
about ready to just head on out when I get an eerie feeling wash
over me. You know, the kind when you feel someone’s eyes are
directed on you.
“Hey, Ember, right?” a familiar voice says from a few feet beside
me. I look over to see that guy I met before. I think his name was
Dex, but I’m not too certain.
“Uh, yeah. And you’re . . . Dex?” I ask, hoping for confirmation.
He nods with a beer in hand. “Yeah, that’s me. Josh left me to
the sharks, but it looks like Cara did the same to you.” He chuckles
lightly, obviously finding some amusement in all this.
“Um, yeah, I suppose she did,” I stammer, not sure what to say.
I’ve never really seen a guy look like him. Well, if you don’t count
the guys at the club back home. They’re my family. Though, Dex has
to be well over six feet, considering he towers over me at my five-
foot-nine self.
“Eh, I guess we’ll have to keep each other company. You excited
for classes to start, or are you dreading it?”
“I guess I’m more nervous than anything.” I shrug, lifting my cup
to my lips to take a sip of water.
“Don’t be. College is easy compared to life itself. Shit, I’m here
for Agricultural Engineering. My class schedule looks like a mixture of
design, general education requirements, and weird computer shit.
I’m fucked and I know it. What’s your major?” Dex asks.
“I haven’t really figured out what my major will be yet. I want to
either become a social worker that helps place kids in homes worth
anything or work in the school system. Either way, they have the
same basics for the first year,” I state, diverting my gaze. Something
about Dex just makes my stomach feel as if it had butterflies and I
don’t know why. Maybe it’s just an insta-crush.
“That’s sick. A lot of my friends and family are adopted. Hell, my
uncle, Zane, adopted my cousin Sydney. We knew her birth parents
and whatnot, but they died and he took her in. The world needs a
lot of people like you.” I don’t know if he realizes what he said was
sweet as pie, but it was, and now it’s only making my butterflies turn
into a full-blown swarm inside my body.
“Thank you. I’m sorry your cousin’s birth parents died, but glad
to know she had someone to take her in. My uncles took me in and
raised me after mine were killed in a house fire.” Why did I just tell
him about my parents? I never talk about them. It hurts too much to
bring up my mom and dad. Due to issues with not only the De Luca
family but a rival club, my parents paid the ultimate price, as did my
aunt when she was killed in a car accident. All because of the De
Lucas.
“Oh, Jesus. I’m sorry. That’s got to be hard.” Dex looks at me
with sadness in his eyes before he shakes his head. “That’s how
Sydney’s birth mom died. She was trapped in a fire and couldn’t get
out. We tried everything we could to get to her . . . but we couldn’t.
We couldn’t get close and . . . well, you know. Fuck, you know more
than anyone else would.”
“Wow, I’m so sorry. It sucks that you guys weren’t able to get
her out. With my parents, there was no saving them either. They
were trapped, windows locked from the outside, and the door was
barred shut,” I mutter as a chill races down my spine at the memory.
It pops back into my mind, flashing across it like a movie reel.
Turning my head, I look at anything else but Dex as I try to regain
composure. What was I thinking to bring up such a hideous subject?
It’s probably just as hard for him to talk about.
God, I’m so stupid.
Dex’s eyes widen and he runs a hand over his mouth. “Saffron,
Sydney’s mom . . . she was trapped too. Shit. Who would’ve thought
two random strangers like us would have something so specific in
common? Weird. You want a beer or anything?” I appreciate him
trying to get me a drink, but I don’t trust anyone.
“Thanks, but no thanks.”
“Alright. I’m runnin’ low, so I’m gonna go get a refill. Mind if I
come back in a couple minutes?”
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vastustamattomasti livahtivat pois ennen vaikka vaivallakin opittuihin
asioihin.
Lisette kirjoitteli tuon tuostakin ja kyseli, joko hän oli saanut selville
uransa ja ryhtynyt sille valmistautumaan.
I.
"En tiedä ajan pitkään. Nyt ei vielä ole väsyttänyt. Onpa hauska
vähän liikkuakin."
"On tässä kyliä montakin, vaikk'ei aivan tien varrella; eivät ne juuri
näy maantielle."
"Ei sitte saattane olla ketään, joka haluaisi myödä taloansa?" jatkoi
Jaakko, vähän aikaa vaiti oltuaan ja mietiskeltyään, miten paraiten
saisi tiedustelluksi niin paljon kuin mahdollista paikkakunnan oloja.
"Voista enimmäkseen."
"On tässä maata sen verta liikenemään, mutta kukas tänne suotta
rupeaisi kartanoja rakentelemaan? Ei täällä kannata muiden elää
kuin oikean talonpojan, eikä talonpoika tule toimeen paljailla
kartanoilla, hän tarvitsee paljon muutakin."
Kun vourakirjat oli tehty, joista kiireessä jäi pois ajan määrä, vaikku
Kauppinen oli mielessään aikonut viittäkymmentä vuotta, läksi hän
kuormillensa ajamaan, luvaten markkinoilta palatessaan tarkemmin
määrätä kartanoiden sijan ja sopia kivijalkain teosta jo samana
syksynä ennen maan jäätymistä. Matti Vanhanen lupasi erittäin
sovitusta maksusta toimittaa kiviä paikalle jo siksi ja sitte työn aikana
lisää tarpeen mukaan.
Hyvillään näin oivallisesta kaupasta läksi Matti pellolle maantien
varrelle syyskyntöä jatkamaan.
"Niin oli. Kohta hänestä tulee meidän kylän asukas", ilmoitti Matti
riemumielellä uutisensa.
"Älä hätäile, hyvä naapuri, onhan sitä nyt minullakin sentään vähä
järkeä; en minä rupea taloani syömään enkä hävittämään."
"Hyvähän olisi, jos niin kävisi. Mutta ole varoillasi, ja muista minun
sanani, jos hullusti käypi."
Matti oli tällä välin jo noussut aidan yli maantielle ja astui kotiinsa
päivälliselle.
"Kun on puoti lähellä, tulee siitä aina otetuksi tavaraa enempi kuin
etäältä haetuksi, ja se on vaarallista, se, sanon minä. Mutta koska ei
enää käy auttaa, niin olkoon sitte."
II.
Nyt heti ryhdyttiin työhön, ja pian tuli kivijalat tehdyksi; mutta kun
Harjulan kylän miehet, joita yksinomaan oli tässä pohjatyössä, tulivat
Kauppiselta rahaa pyytämään, ei sitä häneltä koskaan irronnut.
"Ottakaa
tavarassa!" vastasi hän aina lyhyeen.
Mari ei tuohon ehtinyt mitään vastata, kun silloin juuri tuli toisia
ostajia.
Vähän ajan päästä astui Sakari uudelleen tupaan, puntari toisessa
ja äsken ostetut tavarat toisessa kädessä. Hän tahallansa oli
satuttanut tulonsa niin, että muita syrjäisiä ei ollut läsnä.
Joulun jälkeen alkoi sitte hirren veto, kuin Kauppinen ensin kävi
noutamassa lisäksi tavaraa koko kymmenen kuorman. Vanhanen
veti vetämistään määrän mukaan, kunnes hirsikasa kasvoi aika
suureksi, ja pyysi sitte Kauppista mittaamaan.
"No, en minä vielä tähän asti ole pyrkinyt ketään pettämään; mutta
mitattakoon!" taipui Vanhanen. "Minä vain käyn noutamassa rengin
avuksi liikuttelemaan."
"Jos nämä eivät kaikki kelpaa täydestä hinnasta, niin minä sanon,
että lyhyeen teidän kaupitsemisenne loppuu!" uhkasi suoravainen
Sakari.