Evie found the constant jostling of the carriage a comforting reminder that they were well on their way to safety. She knew, however, that it was time to explain everything to Ellie. The girl had been stunned at the sudden departure for Europe. With wide-eyed wonder, she had agreed to go and act as maid and nanny. Now with Dalton sleeping soundly, Evie made her decision to be honest with the girl.
"Ellie, there is something we need to discuss."
The young woman straightened in her seat. "What is it, ma'am?"
"I need to know that I can trust you. If I can, I will see to it that you join your sister in Sacramento."
"Truly?" The girl's expression showed her surprise.
Evie nodded. "There has been a grave injustice done, and I am trying to right it. This will, however, require your absolute cooperation. You must do as I say and offer no other comment if questioned. Otherwise, we might find ourselves in danger Dalton, too."
The girl's innocent expression grew serious. "I promise to do whatever you ask, ma'am."
"Very well." Evie felt confident she could count on the girl to keep her word. We aren't going to Europe. Instead, we are going to catch the train in Omaha and head west to San Francisco. We will send a wire along the way to your sister. The train route passes right through Sacramento, so it should be easy enough for her to meet you there. If not, you are welcome to continue with me."
Ellie looked at the sleeping infant. "But what about you and the baby? Won't you need help?"
"I will only he on my own for a short time. The injustice I spoke of is this: My brother tried to have the child's mother killed."
Gasping, Ellie shook her head. "But that would be murder."
"Yes. He wanted her dead so that he could steal Dalton and bring him back to Kansas City. However, Dalton 's mother survived the attack. I only just learned this, and it is my ambition to return the baby to her."
"She must he so upset that he's gone," Ellie said. "He's such a good baby."
"And he's been gone for months now," Evie said sadly. "I'm sure Lydia 's heart is broken in pieces. But we, hopefully, shall mend it again."
"And this is why we left so quickly?"
Evic looked out the carriage window. "I believe the authorities are after my brother. He didn't say anything, but he was anxious to see me on my way. I wanted to keep Dalton from being given over to strangers, so I suggested the trip abroad. I felt if my brother were being pursued, he would be supportive of getting Dalton out of town. And by suggesting the trip abroad, no one will anticipate hearing from me for some time."
"That was quite cunning," Ellie said in admiration. "You are very smart."
"I hope I am smart enough. If my brother knew what I was doing, he would track me down and take Dalton hack. I won't rest until I have that baby in his mother's arms, however, even if it costs me my life."
Ellie looked at her in shock. "Why should harm come to you
"My husband and brothers are powerful men. They may even come after you and seek answers. You must do exactly as I say or Dalton may never see his mother again."
"I will. I promise. I will help you however I can," the girl promised.
Ellie's enthusiasm to aid Evie was still evident two days later when they hoarded the westbound train. Ellie posed as a young mother with child, while Evie traded in her finer clothes and bought two simple ready-made gowns. Once she topped them with a traveling cape and bonnet, she looked no different than many of the other women passengers. She and Evie boarded the train separately, then found their way to the same car. They didn't approach each other or even attempt to sit together. Evie had told the girl that somewhere along the way they would change trains and then they could travel together.
When the train pulled out of Omaha, Evie breathed a sigh of relief. The first part of their deception had come together. Was it wrong to pray for a lie to go undiscovered?
Evic had spent nearly every Sunday for the past year sitting beside her husband in the large Episcopalian church where he'd been raised. Thomas, like her father, saw attending church as a means to gain social acceptability. Evie had tried to understand some of the things spoken of, but when questions arose, she had no one to ask. Even the priest had suggested she not worry about it. But Evie wanted to know more especially about prayer. She thought of the wordy prayers the priest had espoused during services. Could she do the same? What if she prayed in her own words? Common, ordinary, everyday words. Would God understand?
Marston was glad to know that Evie was well on her way to England with Dalton. This relief was even more of a blessing when the butler announced that there were men who wished to see him.
He had just finished breakfast and was enjoying a cup of coffee when the butler ushered the men into the dining room. One was a police official he recognized, and the other two were in plain clothes. Perhaps these were the detectives who had been asking about him.
"Good morning, gentlemen." He nodded to the uniformed man. "Davidson, good to see you. How's your family?"
"Doing well." The man turned to introduce his companions. "This is Mr. Wilson and Mr. Kloosterhof."
Marston nodded. "Gentlemen, will you join me for coffee?"
"No thank you, Mr. Gray," Mr. Wilson responded. "We're here on official business. I've been hired to locate a missing child."
"And what child would that he?" Marston tried to act confused but curious. "One of the neighborhood children?"
"No, sir. A baby. The child would be your brother."
Marston laughed. "I have no baby brother. I'm sorry to say someone has led you on a merry chase. I hope they are paying you well for this joke."
Wilson looked to Kloosterhof and then hack to Gray. "I suppose you had no idea that your stepmother, Lydia Gray, gave birth to a child?"
"Truly?" Marston touched a napkin to his lips. "Now, that is amazing news. My father died over a year ago. I hardly see how she could have given birth to his baby"
"The child was born last December," Kloosterhof said matterof-factly
"I see. Well, that is news to me. I had no idea when Lydia left us that she was expecting. We've heard nothing from her and presumed she'd started a new life elsewhere."
"That much is true, but you were known to have visited her. It was believed you were there when the child was horn, and later you took that child and brought him back to Kansas City "
"And exactly where was it I was supposed to have gone to do all of this?"
"A town called Sitka in Alaska," Wilson replied.
Marston pushed hack from the table. "I can't say I've ever heard of it."
"There are witnesses who will testify to your being there."
"Gentlemen, I don't know how I can possibly help you. Goodness, Davidson, you know I'm a single man without a child anywhere in the vicinity. My sister and brother have children, but I am happily without."
"Can we search your home?" Wilson asked.
"That's uncalled for," the uniformed officer stated. "This man is an honorable gentleman. If he says he knows nothing, he knows nothing."
"That's all right, Davidson." Marston turned to the two detectives and got to his feet. "You are free to look through my home if you'd like. I, however, have several meetings to attend to. I will let the butler know that you will be conducting a search." He paused at the end of the table. "Will that be all?"
For now," Wilson said, frowning. "We will be in touch, however."
"Very good. If indeed I have a little brother who has been taken from the bosom of his mother, I would very much like to aid in his recovery"
Marston then left, the men staring after him.
Evie stared out the window of her hotel room and watched the sun set over the ocean. It was a glorious sight, as the rich golds and oranges reflected back on the water.
California had captivated her. San Francisco was quite a town to behold. It was even bigger than Kansas City -at least, there seemed to he a great many more people. Turning away, she glanced at the sleeping baby. Dalton had been such a good traveler, and for this Evie had been greatly relieved. Especially now that she was on her own.
She had left Ellie in Sacramento only days before. Her sister had cried and fussed over the poor girl until Evie thought Ellie might want to get hack on the train. The woman had thanked Ellie over and over, offering to have her stay with them before heading on to San Francisco. Evie had been touched by her generosity but had refused. The sooner she was on a ship bound for Alaska, the better.
Now, however, she sorely missed Ellie's company Constant baby care was something Evie was not used to, and at times, she found herself overwhelmed. The changes and feedings alone were enough to keep her busy, but sometimes the child cried for seemingly no reason at all.
Not only that, but Ellie had been a fine companion, easy to talk to. And, if she were to he completely honest with herself, Evie was scared. She wasn't sleeping well, fearing that at any given moment Marston would break down the door to her room and demand she give Dalton hack.
Plans were progressing well, however. Evie had managed to secure passage on the regular mail ship, The Constantine, and she would leave in a matter of days. It seemed God was clearing the way for her, although Evie was still struggling to wrap her mind around who He was-and that He might truly care for her. They hadn't suffered a single problem during their trip west. Everything had gone so smoothly, in fact, that Evie was beginning to believe that prayer truly worked.
Lydia awoke screaming. The nightmare had been so real that she could still feel the piercing fire in her neck. She had been shot. A man had come into her bedroom. She could still see him.
"Liddie, are you all right?" Kjell asked. He lit the lamp beside their bed and looked hack to see what was wrong.
"It really happened, didn't it?" she asked, quivering.
"What are you talking about?"
"The night of the storm. Tell me what happened," she pleaded.
"I wasn't here. I don't know exactly."
"I was shot, wasn't I? My wounds weren't from the storm at all."
"You remember, then?"
She shook her head. Not completely. I know I stood over there." She pointed to the corner. "I don't know what happened, but a man came into the room and shot me. That really happened, didn't it?"
His hesitation in answering spoke more than any admission.
"Kjell, who shot me?"
"His name was Anatolli Sidorov."
"Was? You mean he's dead?"
He nodded. "He is. He had once worked for me, and I had to fire him and his brother for deceptive business dealings."
"Why didn't you tell me this before? Why did you let me believe I was injured during the storm?"
"You were injured during the storm-I just never said how it happened. The doctor didn't want us to burden you with a lot of memories. He felt it would be too much for you all at once. Liddie, you have to understand. Everything we've kept from you has been for your own good."
She put her hands to her head. "Stop it! I don't believe it helps me at all. Maybe it's really been for your good yours and Zerelda's-but it's not for mine. I need to know the truth. I need to hear what really happened."
Kjell reached for her, but she pushed him away. "Don't you see, Kjell? I want to know. I need to know, even if it's had." She fixed him with a questioning look. "It was very had, wasn't it? That's why you don't want to tell me."
"Yes," he admitted.
"Bad enough that it scares you, too." She could see the fear in his eyes.
"Yes."
She knew she had a choice to make. She could continue and hear the truth of what had happened that night. It was obvious Kjell would tell her, if she wanted him to. But what if it turned out to be more than she could handle? Lydia suddenly wasn't at all sure that it was better to know. A rising tide of terror rose inside her. She knew that whatever awaited her in those damaged memories was powerful enough to have caused her to hide them away in the first place.
"I don't know what to do," she said, tears streaming down her face. "I need to know, but I'm afraid."
Kjell reached for her again, and this time Lydia allowed him to hold her. "I'll do whatever you ask, but please know that I have only remained silent in the hope that you might not suffer more than you already are."
What could he worse? She couldn't imagine that it was even possible to hurt more than she already did, but something deep inside convinced her that Kjell was speaking the truth. There was something much worse, much more horrific than she could even imagine. A monster awaited her. A monster that very well might devour her.