Misplaced (71 page)

A
w
eddin
g
gown
,
folde
d
t
o
highligh
t
th
e
extra
v
agant
duppion
i
portrait-colla
r
embroidere
d
wit
h
pearls
,
occupied
th
e
glas
s
curi
o
tabl
e
nex
t
t
o
th
e
bed
.
A
drie
d
lil
y
boutonniere
wrapped
in
gray
silk
lay
beside
it.
On
the
dresser
to
the
right
of
the
bedroom
door,
a
clock,
its
face
y
ello
w
ed
with
age,
stood
silent.

Rememberin
g
tha
t
sh
e
w
a
s
du
e
i
n
th
e
kitchen
,
V
ictoria
sc
ra
m
b
l
e
d
dow
n
s
t
a
i
r
s
an
d
h
ur
r
i
e
d
t
o
w
a
r
d
th
e
m
a
i
n
h
o
u
se
,
g
l
ad
to
lea
v
e
the
o
v
erpo
w
ering
sense
of
longing
that
resided
in
the
small bedroom upstairs.

Th
e
temperatur
e
ha
d
dropped
,
makin
g
he
r
gla
d
fo
r the
s
w
eater,
which
she
pulled
tightly
around
her.
She
regretted
havin
g
lef
t
he
r
pump
s
i
n
Celeste’
s
bathroom
.
Lea
v
e
s
fle
w
across
the
stone
patio
as,
from
underneath
the
porch,
a
tabby
darted
into nearby plants to hide.

W
ar
m
light
s
an
d
activit
y
beckone
d
fro
m
th
e
mai
n
house.
Th
e
scen
t
o
f
roastin
g
garli
c
an
d
bakin
g
brea
d
tol
d
he
r
dinner
preparation
s
ha
d
begu
n
withou
t
her
.
P
eopl
e
sh
e
didn’t
recogniz
e
mo
v
e
d
bet
w
ee
n
th
e
kitche
n
an
d
th
e
dinin
g
table,
setting
platters
down. She
w
ent inside, the wind following her,
s
et
t
in
g
th
e
c
ry
s
tal
s
hangin
g
fr
o
m
th
e
c
eilin
g
t
o
tinkl
e
an
d
d
an
c
e.

“Look
who’s
just
in
time
for
dinner,”
Celeste
said,
nudging
Lil
a
an
d
lookin
g
u
p
throug
h
red-frame
d
glasses
.
“
I
w
an
t
yo
u
girls
to
meet
some
of
my
friends.
It’s
not
e
v
ery
day
w
e
ha
v
e
a
visitor from—from the other side of the world.”

V
ictoria cast a mortified
glance at her bare feet.

Lila
w
alked to her and dropped a pair of worn, tan can
v
as slip-ons
onto
the
floor. “I
forgot
to
bring
these
in
earlier.
They should do until you get to town.
Y
ou
’
ll break your ankle if you
w
ea
r
thos
e
heel
s
o
f
your
s
aroun
d
here.
”
Sh
e
hesitated
,
an
d
then
added, “Don’t worry, they
’
re clean.”

Gratefully, Victoria
slid her feet into them without a second thought.

Celest
e
bega
n
th
e
introductions
.
“Thi
s
i
s
Chri
s
P
almer,”
sh
e
announced
.
Th
e
ma
n
remo
v
e
d
hi
s
cap
,
smiled
,
an
d
stuck
out
his
hand.
“He’s
the
caretaker
and
real
owner
of
this
place,” Celeste added, “just ask him.”

“Now don’t go listening to her,” he cautioned with a smile missing
too
many
teeth
for
a
man
who
looked
to
be
in
his
early
forties
.
“Sh
e
jus
t
say
s
tha
t
’caus
e
I’
v
e
tende
d
thi
s
plac
e
since
long before she came. Once in a while
w
e ha
v
e our differences about the
w
ay things ought to be done, but she ne
v
er lets me forget
who’s
in
charge.
As
far
as
bosses
go,
e
v
en
pig-headed
as she
is,
she’s
a
keeper,”
he
told
V
ictoria
affectionately.
“Lila
and I
loo
k
afte
r
he
r
a
s
bes
t
w
e
can
,
bu
t
it’
s
goo
d
fo
r
he
r
t
o
ha
v
e
some
real company.”

“W
e
’
r
e
onl
y
stayin
g a
fe
w
days,
”
V
ictori
a
replied
.
“B
y
the
w
ay, ha
v
e you seen Khara?”

“Last I did, she
w
as in
the
barn.”
V
ictoria realized that
she found
the
number
of
pieces
of
camouflage
clothing
he
sported slightly disturbing.

“
A
peculia
r
girl
,
i
n a
nic
e
sor
t
o
f
w
ay,
”
Lil
a
added
.
“Why
don’t you go and fetch her? Dinne
r
’s almost on.”

S
h
e
l
ef
t
th
e
h
o
u
s
e
t
o
f
i
n
d
H
e
a
th
e
r
r
e
s
tin
g
i
n
th
e
gr
as
s
nearby
.
W
ithou
t a
word
,
th
e
ca
t
follo
w
e
d
V
ictori
a
alon
g
the
gra
v
el road that led down the hill to the stable and e
v
entually
t
o
th
e
high
w
ay
.
Lik
e
th
e
othe
r
building
s
o
n
th
e
Square-4
Ranch,
the
wooden
panels
of
the
stable,
faded
to
a
soft
grey,
evoked
a
long-lost
era.
Behind
the
stables,
a
pair
of
roan
horses
romped
in a pasture and the air smelled of hay.