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"We're not going to , Tubby"

"I told you not to call me that!"

Out of spite she forced herself to take another step Then she turned to Annie "Climb on me, sweetheart" The toddler scrambled onto Rebecca and wrapped her arms around Rebecca's neck Rebecca took Helena's hand to reform the chain

One step at a tiot to the front doors, Rebecca was soaked through Annie still clung to her, shivering froth to whine as they staggered into the church

As Rebecca had figured, the church's stone walls and wooden roof had held fast against the storet too close to the s," she said as the children began to fan out aotten inside, David and a couple of the older boys ed to yank the doors closed and latched them The doors still rattled from the wind, but it held Rebecca forced herself to sht in Eternity "All right, children, let's get out of these wet clothes and into soruhtclothes Rebecca crouched behind the podiuham used for services so none of the boys-especially David-would see her undress Once she'd gotten her nightgown off, she put a hand on her bulging tuht of what Samantha had said to her; in a year or two she probably would be as big as Prudence No wonder David called her Tubby The strangest part was that she didn't eat anychubbier "It's not fair," she ht with her weren'tto her so led hair when she heard the side door bang open "Saham said She looked even worse than the children, her hair a sodden mess and her dress slashed open in several places She didn't have tiged her around the waist

"Miss Brighaht, dear I'm here Just barely Such a dreadful storain I suppose I've only been here for five years, at least that I can remember" She pried Annie loose and then looked around the room "Where are Samantha and Prudence?"