Lizabeth's Story Read Online Free PDF Page B

it,” Kat said. “If you already did the reading, why didn’t you…you’re not suddenly getting as shy as poor Vernon, are you?”
    Amanda laughed. “Our Lizabeth? Never!”
    â€œWell, then why?” Kat asked again.
    â€œIt’s simple, really.” Lizabeth leaned back against the wide windowsill. It held a kerosene lantern, lengths of rope, tools, and some of Kat’s seascapes. “It’s very useful for a girl to be smart, but not to show it.”
    â€œOh, Lizabeth.” Rose looked dismayed. “My mother says women should be working extra-hard to prove we’re as smart as anybody. We could be doctors orlawyers or anything.”
    â€œYour mother is nice as can be, but she is a suffragette.” Mrs. Forbes was beautiful and charming, but she was one of those bloomer girls, always arguing for the vote for women. Rose seemed to be picking up some of her odd beliefs. Lizabeth shook her head. “Honestly, a woman doctor!”
    â€œThat would be peculiar,” Amanda admitted.
    â€œWho’d ever marry a woman who examines people’s bodies? I’ll bet women doctors—if there even are any—are all old maids,” Lizabeth said. “It’s really important to make a good match. Well, you know that’s my main goal.”
    Rose frowned. “What does that have to do with your Aborigine report?”
    â€œEverything! Men don’t like girls who are too smart,” Lizabeth explained. “That’s quite off-putting to them. All the magazines say so.”
    â€œDon’t tell me you want to make a match with one of the boys in our class!” Kat said.
    â€œNo, of course not!” Lizabeth laughed. “I do think Mark is rather handsome, but I’m not at all interested in blacksmiths!”
    â€œIf a boy is handsome and nice, it doesn’t matter ifhe’s a blacksmith or—or a deckhand,” Amanda said.
    â€œYou’re thinking of that boy who stares at you in church, aren’t you? Jed Langford?” Lizabeth asked.
    â€œI try not to. My father says I can’t have gentlemen callers until I’m at least fifteen. That’s two whole years away!” Amanda looked so unhappy. “Jed won’t keep liking me for two whole years, not if we can’t even go walking together. We had only that one wonderful evening at the barn dance. And that was last October! He’ll find someone else.”
    â€œA deckhand isn’t suitable anyway,” Lizabeth said.
    â€œYou’re not as terrible a snob as you make yourself sound,” Kat said.
    â€œNothing against Jed or Mark, but I’m being honest,” Lizabeth said. “A girl has that one chance for a good life. Well, I’m thirteen now, so I’m practicing for later on, when it counts. And if I get to be Strawberry Queen, that should bring me a load of worthwhile suitors. Don’t you think?”
    Since the subject had come up already, Lizabeth was tempted to give Rose some advice. It was hard not to when a good friend didn’t know how to act with boys. But she decided she’d better wait until they were alone. And she’d have to find a tactful way, without letting herknow she had talked to Chris.
    â€œLizabeth, tell the truth now….” Kat said.
    â€œI always tell the truth, especially here in the tower.”
    â€œLast month, when you were two words away from winning the spelling bee—” Kat stopped. “Well, I was sure I remembered you practicing ‘malevolence’ ahead of time.”
    Lizabeth grinned and rattled off, “M-A-L-E-V-O-L-EN-C-E.”
    Rose looked shocked. “Did you miss it on purpose ?”
    â€œYes, I did. Being third runner-up is good enough,” Lizabeth said. “The winner of the spelling bee—especially over two boys—that’s the wrong kind of attention for a girl. But Strawberry Queen—now that’s positive