Chapter Twenty-six
Aunt Belle tried to hide the blood, using a hankie over her mouth, red splotches seeping through the cloth. “You don’t need to stay here all day. Surely, there are better things to do.”
EJ patted her hand. “Wild horses couldn’t drag me away. Do you want to play checkers, or shall I tell you a story?”
“No, I think I shall tell you one. About our family.” Belle coughed until she could only wheeze. “Your great-grandfather Hepscott, he was from northern England, almost to Scotland. The north people. Anyway, he was a shepherd. He had a whole flock of sheep that he was driving into town. Of course, he had sheepdogs, and they were running the herd along. The sheep were all bunched together when the doors to the church opened. And the entire herd went into the church.” She be
