Garden of the Moon (12 page)

From her pocket, she withdrew Maddy’s diary and let it fall open to the last pages she’d read. Just holding the book that contained stories of Jonathan’s and Maddy’s relationship in her hands brought with it that warm blanket of love. Sara ran her fingers lovingly over the yellowed paper covered in Maddy’s elegant handwriting. As the contentment that always accompanied thoughts of Jonathan washed over her like a warm spring rain, she began to read.

June 19, 1805

Every time I feel the warm metal of the locket against my skin, I think of Jonathan and wish it were his hands instead. I know that’s shameless, but I so want our love to be complete. Our time in the garden last night was too short, and I’m so weary of stealing a moment here and there. I want to be with Jonathan forever, every minute of every day until the end of time. But unless Katherine releases him from their betrothal, I’m afraid that’s impossible, and I will have to settle for the few moments we can steal.

In my darkest hours, I try to imagine a life without Jonathan, but I can’t. The very idea of spending my remaining lifetime alone and without his love sends such pain through my heart that I can hardly breathe. Jonathan is my life and without him I will just shrivel up and die.

One thing I’m certain of…for whatever selfish reason, Katherine is determined to wed Jonathan. She cannot make him happy. I can.

Tomorrow, we’re all to go to Oak Run for dinner with Jonathan’s parents. I won’t even allow myself to think about the reason for this gathering of the two families. However, I must tread carefully and so must Jonathan.

Katherine has been watching me today. I fear she may have guessed of my love for Jonathan. We’ll have to be even more circumspect. I’m afraid what she’ll do if
—

A twig snapped behind Sara, but before she could turn to find the source, something shoved her shoulder. The diary flew out of her hands. She was catapulted forward into the river. As she slipped beneath the muddy water, she could hear that horrible, familiar sound of a woman’s maniacal laughter.

She had just enough time to suck in a breath before the water closed over her head. Her voluminous skirts swirled about her, imprisoning her legs. Struggling to free herself of their cloying manacles, she kicked her legs and flayed her arms to pull herself back to the surface, but the water and the saturated material impeded her movements.

Silt filled her mouth. Her lungs screamed for air. Could she hold her breath long enough to get above the water?

Panic quickened her movements. The current tugged relentlessly at her body. Even with her eyes open, she could see nothing. Totally disoriented, she continued to fight against the water and the material holding her prisoner. Turning this way and that, she searched blindly for land, but the water was too dense and dirty for her to see more than inches beyond her nose. Her skirts tangled more firmly around her legs. Her arms churned frantically in the water, attempting to push her upward, but they quickly grew tired of their battle.

I’m going to drown. I’ll never see Jonathan again
.

The thought renewed her strength. Muscles burning with the effort and lungs about to burst for want of air, she again tried to propel herself up. But the current fought just as hard to pull her down into its watery confinement. It was no use. She could never win by pitting her feeble efforts against the strength of the mighty Mississippi. All strength drained from her.

I’m going to die
.

Her tired arms gave up the fight. Her body went limp. The current carried her along with little effort. Water burned her nose and throat as she gave in to her natural reaction to suck air into her lungs.

Her head grew light. The muddy water seemed to glisten like diamonds in the sunlight. She felt detached from herself. The body that had been fighting so hard to survive gave in to the flow of the current. Her will to keep up the battle to live evaporated. Sara allowed the gentle rhythm of the water to envelop her.

Then strong hands grabbed her under her arms and dragged her to the surface. As her head broke free of the river, she gasped at the life-giving air. Slowly, the hands pulled her to the shore and deposited her on the warm, heavenly solidity of the riverbank. For a long time, she just lay there, coughing and choking out silt-laden water. When she could breathe again, she looked around for her savior. No one was there. Not even wet footprints that should have been left behind by whoever came into the river to pull her to safety.

It took only a scant moment for her to realize who had saved her from a watery death…Jonathan. But, at the same time, she also became aware of whose hand had probably pushed her in…Katherine.

Then she remembered the diary. Frantically she ran the few yards back up the road to where the fallen tree trunk was. She looked around for the book, but it was nowhere to be found. Desperation pushing her, she parted the tall grass and ran her hands over the earth. Nothing. Springing to her feet, she walked in circles, foraging in the bushes and weeds. Still nothing. Falling to her knees, she crawled through the tall grass. Her legs became tangled once more in the confines of her muddy, wet skirt, inhibiting her in what proved to be a fruitless endeavor. Eventually, she gave up.

Had Katherine taken it after she pushed her in? Had it fallen into the Mississippi? Either scenario meant she would never see it again.

Filled with despair at having lost her only connection to Jonathan, perhaps forever, and dripping muddy river water in her path, she ambled back to the tree. Tears streaked down her cheeks. What if the secret to returning to Jonathan was hidden within the pages of the diary? What if, with its loss, all chances of her ever seeing him again vanished?

***

Hours later, muddy, wet and despondent, Sara walked into the front hall of Harrogate.

“Laws a mercy, child.” Raina rushed toward her, her eyes wide, her mouth hanging open in astonishment. “Whatever did you do to yourself?” She cradled Sara close to her side and guided her toward the staircase. “We needs to git you out of dem wet clothes.” Turning, she tossed “Miss Julie. Come quick,” over her shoulder.

“Raina, there’s no reason to alert the entire household. I fell into the river. That’s all.” She had no intention of sharing the full details of what had occurred on the riverbank. “I need to get washed up and changed. I’m fine otherwise.”

Raina clucked her tongue. “You call fine bein’ all muddy and wet? And you jest getting’ out of the sick bed ‘n all?” She shook her head so hard her
tignon
slipped to the side. She ignored it and continued to reprimand Sara. “Now you is gonna get washed and into your night clothes. Den I’m gonna have my momma make you some nice hot broth.”

Sara gave up. She had neither the strength nor the inclination to fight Raina.

Below them the rustle of material and the sound of running footsteps told Sara that Julie had entered the hall. “Raina, what is it?”

“Dis ones done falled into the river. She comes traipsin’ in here like dis and says she’s fine.” Raina kept propelling Sara up the stairs. “Anybody with an eye in dey head can see she ain’t fine.” Raina began clucking her tongue again. “She could a drowned. Thanks be to the Lawd she didn’t.”

Hurried steps behind them told Sara that Julie was hot on their heels. “How did you fall in the river?”

Sara opened her mouth to speak, but Raina got there first. “Didn’t say. Jest said she falled in.”

They were doing it again—treating her like a child without a brain in her head.

Sara stopped short and turned to her maid. “ If you don’t mind I can speak for myself. I still have a tongue in my mouth. The water didn’t wash it away. Now, let go of me and go get me hot water for a bath.” Raina opened her mouth as if to protest then just as quickly, as if thinking better of it, snapped it closed and turned to do downstairs. Sara swung toward Julie. “If you come with me, I’ll explain what happened.”

Without waiting for a reply from her friend, Sara tromped up the remaining stairs. She could hear Raina’s retreating footsteps. Julie followed close behind her.

Once in her room, Sara slumped onto the bench at the foot of her bed. Julie sat next to her. “Well?”

Without leaving anything out, Sara related the happenings at the river. “I have no idea what happened to the diary. I searched everywhere, but I couldn’t find it.” She clutched Julie’s hand. “What am I going to do? I’m sure that finding the way back to Jonathan is somehow connected to the diary. If Katherine took it or if it fell into the river, I’ll never see it or Jonathan again—” Unshed tears choked off her words.

“Perhaps you overlooked it,” Julie said, hope imbuing her voice. “If you promise to bathe, change your clothes and then take a nap, I’ll send Samuel to the river to look for the book.”

Although Sara knew in her heart that Samuel would come back empty-handed, a faint flame of hope ignited within her. “Thank you. You’re a good friend, Julie.”

Samuel slipped into the room and deposited a large copper tub in the center of the room. He was quickly followed by several maids carrying buckets of steaming water.

“Samuel, Miss Sara lost a book down by the river. Take several of the men and go see if you can find it.”

“Yes, ‘um.” When the tub had been filled, Samuel hurried the women from the room.

Julie stood and pulled Sara to her feet, spun her around, and began to unbutton the long row of tiny buttons down Sara’s back. “Humph! Good friend. If I was truly a good friend, I’d make you see sense and stop all this foolishness,” she mumbled, barely loud enough for Sara to hear.

Too despondent and too tired from her struggle in the river to argue, Sara simply sighed and acquiesced to being undressed and then helped into the tub of water. Leaning back, she closed her eyes and allowed the warmth of the bath to ease the problems from her mind.

But the respite didn’t last for long.

Before too many minutes passed, her thoughts went once more to what had happened at the river. Someone had pushed her in, and Sara no longer had to wonder what the evil at Harrogate was that Gran had referred to.

She had recognized that laughter and even if she hadn’t, only one person came to mind who wished Sara harm—Katherine Grayson.

That admission gave rise to another question…how far would Katherine go to keep Sara from Jonathan?

Chapter 10

Sara ate little at dinner that evening. As long as Maddy’s diary was still missing, she could concentrate on little else. Samuel and some of the field hands had searched the river bank for hours and found nothing. It just didn’t make sense. The book couldn’t have just vanished into thin air. Could it?

Sara had to smile at that thought. With all that had been going on around here in the last weeks, anything was possible.

“Want to share what you find so amusing?” Julie’s voice roused Sara from her thoughts.

“I was just laughing at the idea that a vanishing book should surprise me. After all, life around here hasn’t been exactly
normal
of late, has it?”

Julie laughed. “No, not exactly.”

“I’m sure it will turn up eventually.” The forced lightness in her voice nicely covered her intense worry as to its whereabouts. Laying down her fork, Sara covered Julie’s hand with hers. “About this afternoon in my room… I know I don’t always sound it sometimes, but I’m truly grateful for everything you’ve done for me and Harrogate, and I know you only have my best interest at heart. It’s just that sometimes—”

“You get frustrated with Raina and me hovering over you.” Julie turned her palm up, linked her fingers in Sara’s and squeezed. “Maybe we did get a bit over zealous, but we love you.”

“I know, and I love both of you for caring so much.”

Julie let go of Sara’s hand, straightened her back and picked up her fork. “Nevertheless, I promise that from now on, I’ll be more a friend and less of a mother hen.” Then she frowned. “But you have to promise to take better care of yourself.”

You’ll find a way to come back to me. I know you will. But first, you must get well and stay well. You must eat and sleep and stay strong
.

Jonathan’s words rang through her mind. She smiled at Julie, and the words came easy. “I promise.”

***

The rest of the house had been asleep for hours. All except Sara, who sat staring out the window that overlooked the Garden of the Moon. After promising Julie she’d take care of herself, Sara felt a bit guilty for not being asleep, too. But her mind just wouldn’t slow down.

Over and over she relived the events of the day, looking for something she’d missed that would lead her to the location of Maddy’s diary. But try as she might, she could think of nothing that would lead her to the diary.

She tried everything else. The diary was the only thing she hadn’t eliminated as a way to return to Jonathan. Something about the diary held the key. But she’d never know for sure if she didn’t find it.

Suddenly, movement in the garden caught her attention. A veil of soft white light seemed to glide amongst the flowers and shrubs. She sat forward and studied it for a long time, trying to make out what it was.

Indistinct and formless, it flowed like liquid silver through the garden, never disturbing anything it touched. Then it paused, and she felt as though it saw her, too, and beckoned to her.

Jonathan
?

Her heart began to race. Excitement filled her entire being.

He’s come back. He’s waiting for me
.

She jumped to her feet and forgetting that she wore nothing more than her nightdress, dressing gown and slippers, she bolted from the room and fled down the stairs, through the house and out the French doors toward the garden. She stopped between the Temple dogs, just outside the moongate, to catch her breath.

Not until she got there did she consider it might be Katherine laying a new trap for her. With measured steps, she moved slowly through the moongate and down the path leading to the area where she’d seen the white mist.