Excerpt from The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

"Back, back," Pearl said gently to the mule.

Junia moved slow.

Pearl grabbed my other arm, and together she and the mule slowly dragged me back onto the path. I crooked my neck and looked back, twisting my legs. Then one of my boots fell off and went tumbling over the steep, rugged cliff, bouncing off razor-sharp rocks and prickly limbs, until it was swallowed up by the mountain.

I panted, looking up at Pearl from the ground, a little embarrassed, wanting to cry but trying desperately to be brave in front of the courageous woman.

"Obliged, Pearl." I grabbed her outstretched hand. "If you weren't here, I would've been falling till next season." Standing somewhat shaky, I touched my hurting chin and sighed as I brushed the dirt off my coat and britches. One button was missing from Mama's coat. I looked around the mud-leaf path and found the old leather button and slipped it into my pocket. "Junia, we're going to have to find my boot before we go home."

Junia snorted and moseyed past the nest and a screaming mama killdeer.

Pearl chuckled. "Does she always win?"

"It's wise to let her," I said. Then we both fell into fits of laughter, my worries masked behind a flood of snorts, giggles, and guffaws, the tearful laughter hiding the sorrows of the morning.

After a bit, Pearl said, "Are you sure you're okay? I can go on from here and let you get home to clean up and rest."

I gulped down the last of my hilarity, wiping my eyes. It felt good to finally have a taste of laughter and even better to share it with someone.

"Go on, Honey, I bet you're tired. I can manage."

Between the horrors of this morning and the long ride to Troublesome, rest was just what I needed, and for a moment, I was tempted to accept.

Junia sidled up to me, sniffed my face, then laid her big head over my shoulder, keeping a mistrustful eye on Pearl and her mount. "I'll be fine as long as Junia behaves."

Pearl admired her a moment while I stripped off the other boot and stuffed it inside my pannier. "Junia, huh?" She scratched the mule's floppy ear. "Wherever did she get the name, Honey?"

"It's Biblical. Mama said it's just a word or two, but from a part of the Bible that says maybe there was a female apostle." I stroked Junia's gray muzzle. "C'mon, apostle girl, let's get to the tower and then go find my other boot."

Pearl reached around in her bags and after a moment dug out a pair of red velvet house slippers. "Here, you can wear these until you find your boot."

"I can't. They'd get ruined."

"I have another pair and won't be needing them. Mother insisted on trying to pack two of everything." She laughed, her eyes bright and cheery.

Grateful, I wrestled the slippers on over my thick socks. Snug, but at least they would keep my feet warm.

Testing, I took a few steps and frowned, feeling the mud sucking at the fine slippers. I dared to look down.

Pearl soothed a skittish Pie, pretending not to notice.

We took several more switchbacks leading up to the lookout with me leading the way, hugging the cragged rock face, Junia slow-poking behind me and Pearl, and Pie bringing up the rear.

Every few feet, Junia would stop and gaze out into the distance as if searching for Mama. My eyes would follow, too, hoping it was all a mistake and that Mama would come riding over the next ridge to take us home.

At the top, Pearl gasped. "Home, finally!" She spotted the large shed for her horse and the outhouse beside it, pointing, soaking it all up. Hay and horse feed had been toted up and were stacked under a partially covered lean-to.

Pearl looked out at the forest, inhaling the fresh air. White skies crowned the brown tops of the forest below. Faraway, I could see a curtain of mist slumbering over the darkened hills, heading our way. It looked like snow, and I inhaled, tasting the breaths of its crisp promise. Nearby, a crow cried out into a distant bird's chattering, and below, a forest critter's thin wailing carried into the breeze.

Excerpted from The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson. Copyright © 2022 by Kim Michele Richardson. Excerpted by permission of Sourcebooks. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.