Shadow of Hope: Book 4 - Shadow Series (7 page)

Zoe wandered around on the horse for hours until finally the sun started to peek through the horizon, but she still had no idea where she was.  She kept wandering around with the hope of seeing a familiar landmark, or a person who might help her find her way home. Finally, due to exhaustion, she let go of the reins, and laid her head down on the horse’s neck, holding onto the mane. 

Pearl Iverson put her knitting aside when Peggy sat down next to her on the front porch. “What’s up with you and Miles Croft?” Pearl asked. “The whole town is buzzing about you two, and here I am, your mother, and I don’t know a thing about it.”

“I like him—a lot,” she said.

“I heard he was still grieving over his breakup with Violet?”

“Is getting over it.” Peggy said. 

“Is Violet mad?  Miles is a fantastic catch,” Pearl said, picking up her knitting again.

“I know,” Peggy said with a mischievous smile.  “Are you knitting another sweater for little Joshua?”

“Yes. I just love being a grandmother.  I truly enjoyed our visit to Texas to see Eliza and her children, didn’t you?”

“It was all right.  It would have been better if Quinn had gone along,” Peggy said.

“Well, he put that time to good use, I’d say.  Now I have a grandchild just a few miles down the road.”  Pearl smiled.  “And I get to see him whenever I want, and I just love Rose.”

“Wait a minute,” Pearl said, giving Peggy a suspicious look. “Why did you change the subject?  If you’re up to something, you’d better tell me.  Rose is my daughter-in-law and I don’t want anyone in our family doing anything to upset her or her sister.”

“She tossed him away!” Peggy exclaimed.  “He’s fair game.”

Pearl tilted her head in thought.  “Just make sure it’s fair, then, Peggy.  I know how mischievous you can be. What happened to Henry Bannister?  He’s called on you twice,” Pearl said. “I thought he was extremely pleasant.”

“He was nice enough, but he’s away at college, and he was only home for a few weeks,” Peggy answered.  “I’m not into long distance romances.  Besides, when I heard about what happened between Miles and Violet, I had to at least try.”

“I think you should talk to Violet and make sure she doesn’t mind you being courted by him,” Pearl said.

“Mother, Violet broke it off with Miles!  He’s free to court anyone he chooses to.”

“Well, I’m surprised he agreed to court you.  From what I hear, he was devastated when she broke it off.  I thought it would take him longer to recover from it than that.”

“Mother, right now we’re just friends and I’m helping him get over her.”

“Just be sure that things between you and Violet stay friendly.”

The constable formed a posse including Jonas, Caleb and Quinn, and they combed roads all over Abilene looking for Zoe or Samson.  They searched until it became too dark, to search any more, before the constable called a halt to the search.

“What do you mean, stop for today?” Jonas asked.  “We haven’t found Zoe yet.  We can’t stop.”

“Jonas,” the constable said.  “We could ride right by her and not see her in the dark.  We’ll continue at dawn.”  He turned to his posse.  “We’ll start again at seven in the morning.”

The posse rode away, leaving Jonas with Caleb and Quinn. 

“C’mon Jonas.  Go home and get some sleep,” Caleb said.

“You won’t be sharp for tomorrow’s search if you don’t,” Quinn said.

Sadly, Jonas headed his horse toward home.  He felt empty and filled with hopelessness.  His baby girl was out there somewhere, and probably frightened.  He felt so helpless.

Quinn stopped at his livery to give orders to his foreman, Jed, before heading to the constable’s office to continue the search.  Jed had relieved the night foreman, so Quinn could leave the livery without worry.  As he headed to his horse, Randy McMullin called to him. 

Quinn frowned, and wondered what Randy could possibly want.  Randy owned the other livery in town and they were competitors, and sometimes, intense rivals.  Quinn figured he’d purchased a new buggy, or something else he wanted to brag about.

He nodded, “Morn’n, Randy.”

“You need to come to my livery, quick!” he said.

“Why?  You got another new buggy to show off?” Quinn said.

“No, I’ve found the little girl,” he said.

“What?”

“C’mon!” Randy called and they both ran down the street toward Randy’s Livery. 

Once inside, an employee of Randy’s, held a horse by the reins, and there on top of the horse, sat Zoe. 

“How did she get here?” Quinn said as he held his arms out for Zoe.

Zoe went to him and held him tightly around his neck.  “Take me to Papa and Mama, Uncle Quinn.”

“Papa will be here any moment for you, sweetie.  We’re so glad you’re all right.”

“Samson rented the horse from me, and it came wandering in around dawn with this little elf on top of him,” Randy said.  “My horses know where the food is when they’re hungry, so he came straight back here,” Randy said.

Quinn hugged Zoe.  “We’ve been so worried.”  He turned to Randy.  “Why didn’t you tell someone Samson rented one of your horses?  We’ve been hunting for him.”

Randy shrugged.  “I heard the little girl was missing, and we were all told by the constable to keep our eyes out for her, but no one mentioned Samson.”

Zoe laid her head on Quinn’s shoulder. 

“I see. Well, thank you, Randy,” Quinn said.  He shook his hand and then headed for the constable’s office across the street.

Jonas, Caleb, the constable, and several other men, sat on their horses in front of the constables office, awaiting the rest of the posse.  At first, all they could do was stare, as Quinn approached carrying Zoe.

“Jonas,” Quinn said, “I think I have something that belongs to you.”

“Zoe!” Jonas slid off his horse and ran to her.  She leaped from Quinn’s arms and into Jonas’s.  She held him so tightly she nearly choked him.  Jonas thanked God, out loud.

Violet marveled at the progress made at the camp.  Tents were set up in a half-circle, and a big wooden shelter had been built for the crafts and Bible studies.  In the center stood a big brick fireplace for cooking meals. 

“Next week at this time there will be about fifty children here, learning about God,” Gavin said.  “I’m pleased with the results.”

“Why does the camp need a financial person like Miles?” Violet asked.

“We’ve have donations, and expenditures.  Each child’s family will also pay a fee for their child to attend.  We don’t intend on making a profit; we just hope to break even,” Gavin said.  “The knowledge about God that the children learn here will be our profit.”

“I see,” she said.  “My niece, Zoe, won’t be coming.  Her family hasn’t gotten over the recent kidnapping scare, and they aren’t letting the child out of their sight—at least until the culprit who did it is caught.”

“Can’t say as I blame them,” he said.  “Would you excuse me while I check with Miles Croft about our financial status?”

“Of course,” she said.  She watched him walk to where Miles stood with Peggy.  When Gavin approached, Peggy moved and walked toward Violet.

“Hi, Violet,” she said.

Violet nodded. “Peggy.”

“Isn’t this camp going to be great?” Peggy asked.

“Yes, I’m quite impressed,” Violet said. She was still staring at Miles and Gavin, head to head as they went over figures. 

Peggy gazed to see what held Violet’s attention.  “Violet, you aren’t upset because I’m being courted by Miles, are you?”

“No, of course not.” Violet switched her gaze to Peggy.  “Whatever gave you that idea?”

“I don’t know.  You haven’t been too friendly lately, I guess.”

“I’m a bit upset that Miles doesn’t speak to me whenever we run into each other, is all.  We agreed to stay friends, after all.”

“He doesn’t?  I didn’t know that,”  Peggy said.

“Well, I’ll be going home,” Peggy said.  “Miles will be here for a while. He’s bogged down with numbers, but maybe we’ll see you at Pete’s later?”

“Yes, we’ll be there,” Violet said.  She didn’t know why, but suddenly she didn’t care for Peggy, who’d been Ivy’s best friend, but whom she's never considered more than an acquaintance. Now she felt uncomfortable around her, and she wished she knew why.  It couldn’t be because Miles was courting her, because she had already come to the conclusion that she didn’t really love Miles.  So what could her prickly feeling for Peggy stem from?

Violet sat on a bench to wait for Gavin, still wondering how she might react to Gavin’s cold proposal.  It really was odd. She couldn’t accept—not without at least a kiss or something.  What if he was a horrible kisser?  Everyone who courted these days kissed a bit, and even hugged.  Back in the olden days, maybe they didn’t kiss before marriage, but she couldn’t believe Gavin was so old fashioned—or—what was it he had said about not kissing?  Something like, ‘especially not with someone who has been married?’  She wondered what difference that would make.  Quinn had been married before he’d courted her sister, Rose, and they didn’t even consummate their union until long after the wedding. 

She recalled Cynthia, her friend from school, who had been kissed by a boy on a straw ride, and she said he kissed like a fish, and that her face was wet and slimy when he was finished.  How could you possibly stand being married to a man who kissed like a fish?

She supposed they'd need a heart to heart talk, but it was so difficult getting Gavin to open up and talk about these things.  Miles had been so easy to talk to—then again, she’d best not think about Miles.  She’d ended it with him. That tomb was sealed.  There could be no going back. She wondered if she hadn't made a mistake.

She looked up to see Gavin heading her way and Miles still bending over papers. 

“How about a walk?” Gavin said.

“I’d love a walk.  Where should we walk?” Violet asked.

“On the other side of those trees is an interesting beach along the river.  There are rock piles that form a cave.  The locals have rumored for years that the cave was where pirates had hidden their loot, but of course I doubt there were pirates on the Smoky Hill River.”

“I’d love to see it,” she said.

He took her hand—for the first time ever, and they walked through the short copse of trees to the beach.  To her surprise it wasn’t a beach with sand for swimming, but a flat area by the river and up a bit higher were the rocks and the cave. 

The ground was uneven and Violet stumbled. Gavin reached out and grabbed her, and in doing so touched her bosom.  He then dropped his hand so quickly Violet knew it wasn’t intentional.  It was an accident and Violet intended to ignore it, but Gavin started acting a bit strange after that.  He looked as if he were sweating and frowning, and as if he was fighting something.  Did he think she might berate him for it?