Cassie at the mercantile hadn’t seen her. Nor had Flint and Ginger Carroll. He checked every house, every business and fear started to steal his breath by the time he crossed back over the bridge. She was nowhere to be found and he hoped she’d gone back home.
He walked into the house to find the mood somber. Diana Hale was in the chair by the fire, staring at the flames. Everyone turned when he shut the door.
“Did you find her?” his mother asked.
“No. I was hoping she’d come back.”
“She hasn’t.”
Amanda’s face was red and tears still clung to her lashes. “She won’t leave, will she, Pa?”
He glanced at Diana before answering her. “Of course not, sweetheart. This is her home.”
Diana shifted in her seat, her eyes fixed on him. He ran a hand over his face and felt every one of his thirty-two years and then some.
“I didn’t mean to cause a problem.” Diana’s anger from earlier was gone. “It just took me by surprise seeing the dress. Losing all my belongings was a hard blow so seeing her wearing that dress…” She leaned forward and sighed. “I was told someone had claimed my ticket at the train station. I just assumed whoever had done it had stolen my belongings as well.”
She’d stolen the train ticket? There was a lot to discuss but at the moment, he didn’t have the time. “We’ll get everything straightened out. Right now, I have to go find her.” He held up the coat in his hand. “She has nothing to protect her from the weather.”
One of Diana’s eyebrows went up. “That’s my coat.”
Of course it was. Caleb’s irritation at the tone of her voice had him biting his tongue to keep from lashing out. He crossed the room instead and handed her the coat without a word and grabbed his mother’s cloak from the peg on the wall where it hung. “I can see you to the boarding house in town now or later but I have to go. Which will it be?”
She didn’t look happy about either option but stood and folded her coat over one arm. “You can show me the way now.”
He nodded and opened the door. “Then let’s go.”
Tears were freezing to her cheeks. Rebecca brushed them away and sank further into the corner of the small, dirt floor building she’d snuck into. She had no idea whose house she’d run behind. Blinded by snow and tears, she'd not paid much attention. She just knew she had to get away. To go as far and as fast as she could.
Her heart broke every step of the way.
She sniffled and rubbed a sleeve under her runny nose. The small out building she was in was drafty, the wooden planks making up the walls so far apart in places, snow was drifting in. There was nothing inside to wrap around her. Why hadn’t she stopped long enough to grab her coat?
You mean Diana’s coat.
She groaned and buried her face in her arms. Why had she been so foolish as to not once think the real Diana Hale might make her way to Angel Creek? Taking her ticket had only prevented her from coming then. She should have known she’d eventually show up.
Caleb’s reaction would be forever imprinted in her memory. He’d looked confused at first, then realization of what was happening cleared it away and replaced it with an accusation. She’d lied to him and he knew it.
Another choked sob made her throat burn with the need to have an all out snotty cry. She held the tears back best she could. She knew the minute she gave in, she’d not be able to stop.
Why did life always have to kick her in the teeth?
She exhaled a long breath and pulled her knees in, wrapping her arms around them to try to stay warm. It didn’t help much.
Noise outside made her still. She waited, cocking her head to one side to listen, and she heard the faint sounds of someone yelling. She stiffened and strained to hear, her heart pounding again when she heard the name, Diana. It didn’t sound like Caleb. A moment later she heard it again, only closer.
Minutes ticked by, the voice getting close enough to make her fear being found but as quickly as the voice came, it grew distant just as fast.
You can’t stay here. You have to get out of Angel Creek.
But how?
How long had Diana Hale been here? And how did she get here? There wasn’t a stagecoach at the station. Not that she remembered seeing. She had seen a sled down by the church, though. Is that how’d she’d made it through the storm?
She chewed her bottom lip, her thoughts racing. If she could get to that sled, then she could get out of town the same way Diana Hale had come in.
And what makes you think the owner of the sled will do that for free? You know people aren’t as kind as you’d like them to be.
She groaned and buried her face in her arms. How many times had she asked for help? For a crust of bread? Only to be scorned and yelled at? People were self absorbed and thought of no one but themselves most of the time. Only a select few would help those in need.
The people she’d met here seemed kinder than most. Maybe whoever owned that sled would take her to the next town, wherever that may be.
Wiping her face dry, she stood, her bones stiff from sitting in such a tight position for so long. She eased her way to the door and turned her head, putting it near a gap in the boards. She listened for long minutes but heard nothing. No one was calling her name.
You mean Diana’s name.
She pushed the thought away and eased the door open. A bone-cutting wind nearly took her breath. She needed to find a coat or a blanket—something, or getting out of town would be the least of her problems. She’d come close to freezing to death once before and the pain was unbearable until the body went numb.
Snow and ice crunched under her boots as she headed across the backyard of the house she was behind. She hurried to the row of buildings that lined the street and made her way along them until she got to the church. The breath she’d been holding exploded from her lungs when she spotted the sled. Whoever owned it was still there.
She ran across the road, the snow getting deeper by the minute. She’d never ridden in a sled before. It had to be more comfortable than a stagecoach.
A dark brown piece of cloth sat folded on the seat of the sled. A blanket if she had to guess. Other than that, it was empty. She eyed the building, blowing into her hands while contemplating going inside. Would someone who knew Caleb know who she was? Would they want to know what she was doing? Why she wanted to leave?
The plan to hitch a ride on the sled started to fall apart the longer she stood there. If whoever was in that building knew Caleb, then they’d know about her and there was no way they wouldn’t ask why she was leaving with nothing but the dress she wore. Would they send someone to run and fetch Caleb?
The thought hadn’t even fully formed in her mind when she heard his voice. The sound of it caused her entire body to lock down tight, her limbs freezing. She whipped around and saw him a moment later. He stepped around the corner and thankfully ran in the opposite direction.
“Diana!”
She ducked her head, the misery she’d felt running away from his home hitting her all at once. She had to leave. Now. Lie low until the storm passed then get out of town.
The sound of Caleb’s voice faded into the distance and Rebecca raised up into a half crouch. She saw him heading down the street and watched him until he turned the corner.