Chloë Read Online Free PDF Page B

“At least we have stable
names.  I think the triplets actually swap names.  They are such a
silly set of Aurorans.”
    “Aurorans?”
asked Chloë, she was unfamiliar with the description.
    “Oh! 
Sorry about that,” offered Heather.  “I should have filled you in! 
Aurorans refer to all girls who have a solid white fur coat and hair.  The
naming comes from the first known one, a girl named Aurora, some five hundred
years ago.  Likewise, solid black Taiks are now called Dawns.  My
older sister is the first known one and the description comes from her name,
Dawn.”
    “I
have to confess, I have never seen Aurorans or Dawns until I came here,”
replied Chloë.
    Heather
shrugged as she smiled, “Hey, even here on Afon they are all very rare. 
Unheard of in the lowlands, only to be found around here.  Well, save for
Moira.”
    “But
Moira’s mother was from the Highlands,” countered Lily.  “She just spent
the first part of her life offworld.”
    Heather
nodded, “True!  I forgot her mother was from the East Black Forest.”
    “Speaking
of Moira, did you see how Father was hanging off of her last night at dinner?”
joked Rose and Iris speaking alternately.
    Heather
just grinned broadly, “I thought everyone knew that already, she’s due in
Spring.”
    “Another
sibling?” asked Chloë.  “You have a huge family already!”
    “Yep! 
And just so you don’t get any odd ideas, the family is large even by Highland
standards,” laughed Heather.
    “Okay,
I have to ask,” joked Chloë.  “Are you always this giddy?”
    “Oh
no,” replied Lily.  “Heather is in an evil blue funk.  You should be
around her when she is in a good mood.  Positively frightening!”
    They
all had a good laugh at that.
    “Heather,
are you up for taking Chloë into town?  Maggie needs to talk with her
today,” interrupted Maria.
    “Sure,
no problem.  Well, I hope there is no problem.  Is something up?”
    Maria
shook her head and smiled, “Just procedural.  Nothing to worry about.”
    Chloë
nodded and smiled at Heather, “After last night I expected something needed to
be said.”  No one had even mentioned the previous night’s activities. 
    “What
happened last night?” asked Lily.  “Seriously, whatever happened, I slept
right through.”
    “Unwanted
guests,” offered Maria.  “Father, Gavin and Heather took care of it.”
    “I’m
sorry I screamed last night,” offered Chloë.  “I just didn’t know what was
going on.”
    Heather
blew a raspberry, “Dad loves the melodramatic.  He was hoping not to wake
anyone.  Was it the light from outside that woke you up?”
    “That
and the footsteps on the roof,” replied Chloë with a shudder.
    “Yeah,
well one of them fell backwards off the roof.  He looked terrible
afterwards, but that is what people like that deserve.  He should have
minded his own business.”
    Breakfast
finished with happier thoughts. This time Chloë was on dish drying detail,
rather than washing, and everything went much more smoothly.
    “Don’t
forget to swing by the dress shop on the way back,” reminded Maria.  “They
should have some more things ready for Chloë.”
    “No
problem, Mom, that should be fun,” grinned Heather as the pair headed out the
front door.
    Two
days ago Chloë wasn’t sure if she could stand the sight of another tree. 
Now, fed, refreshed, and in pleasant company, she adored the trees.  Tall
and proud, fresh and full of life.  The birds, flying squirrels and the rest
of the plethora of life were a welcome contrast to home.  Home.  She
hadn’t given it a second thought in almost a week.  She was curious what
the elders were saying, what of her father and her suitor?  Most assuredly
they were mad at her governess but were the rest scared, upset, or merely
annoyed at the inconvenience of her escape?  She sniffed the forest
air.  Whatever their emotions, she was free. No longer a puppet to be
bounced around at will, dangled as