"Really? Oh, thank you Miss Pestona. I'll talk to her right away." Samantha almost raced out the door, but Miss Pestona grabbed her arm.
"Wait a second, young lady. Don't forget your money. I'll be right back." When Miss Pestona disappeared into the back room, Samantha went over to an antique mirror to study her face. She tried to imagine herself at forty-four with wrinkles instead of pimples. Had she been thin or fat? She thought of asking Miss Pestona, but decided the question would sound too odd. Maybe she could find a way to ask Mrs. Milton at the inn.
Miss Pestona returned with an envelope, inside which Samantha found slips of green paper. Dollars, she thought. Now she, Prudence, and Wendell could purchase the supplies for Eternity. But first she had something more important to do.
"Thank you for your help," she said to Miss Pestona and then bounded out the front door to find Mr. Pryde. She took his hand and started to tug him uphill. "Come on, we have to find the others," she said. There wasn't a moment to lose; she had waited too long already.