Chapter 52

Isobel deftly untangled the mass of straw and crumbling newspaper, revealing the antique nativity scene. What was a man like Jubilation Crawlback doing with a thing like this, stuffed into a small crate that was used as a nightstand?   

The craftwork was, obviously, Italian and at least a hundred years old. A one-piece diorama,  perfect for packing in some small crevice of a covered wagon. But how did an old bachelor come to have something that was so clearly a family item?   

One of the things Isobel loved most about her job was that she would never really know the answer to questions like these. Every new artifact she uncovered led her to imagine what the stories of the past might be.

Isobel smiled and rubbed her rounded belly. “Just three more months, Little Person,” she    murmured. “And pretty soon we’ll be able to go on these adventures together.”  

She picked up a brush and began carefully brushing off the figurine, revealing more of its bright colors and gold leaf. It was just the thing to put in the museum’s front window. Isobel rubbed her belly again. “The Nativity of Jerkwater!” she exclaimed. “Perfect!”