Riverbreeze: Part 2 (46 page)

“We better answer that before they wake Robin.” Abigail said briskly, putting the poker down and wiping her hands on her apron.

“I’ll get it.” Elizabeth said quickly, moving swiftly through the kitchen. The loud knocking went on and on, echoing throughout the entire house. Robert will not be happy about that, she thought.

She hurried to the front door, Evelyn and Abigail following after her. When she opened the door, a young, haggard-looking couple she had never met before stood there.

“Oh God zij dank
!
God zij dank!”
The woman cried, surging into the house. She grabbed Elizabeth and hugged her, blubbering into Elizabeth’s ear. Elizabeth nearly buckled and fell under the weight of the desperate woman’s embrace. And she didn’t understand a word she said.

“Elsa!” The husband scolded briskly. He was English, thank goodness, from the eastern county of East Anglia. “Speak English and let her go. You’re smothering her.”

“Madame
!” Elizabeth managed to gasp as she was nearly crushed. The woman’s indigo blue cloak was cold to the touch and smelled strongly of wool and lye soap. “
S’il vous
plait
! I beg your pardon!”

The woman finally stepped back, the hood of her cloak falling back to reveal her messy brown hair. Her face was full of worry and grief. Her eyes were puffy from crying and her skin was very pink and blotchy. “I-am-sorry.” She said slowly in a distinct Flemish accent. She looked at Elizabeth with tearful, brown eyes and gripped Elizabeth’s hands in hers. “Please forgive me, but we need help.” She added, but then she noticed Evelyn and Abigail and her eyes widened. “Oh! Are you Elizabeth?” She asked Evelyn.

“I am Elizabeth Bassett.” Elizabeth spoke before Evelyn could answer. She spoke formally and crisply as if she hadn’t just been attacked by this manic woman. “This is my sister, Evelyn, and this is Abigail Chilcott. And you are?”

“Forgive us.” The husband interjected, taking off his hat and bowing deeply from the waist. “I am Isaac Billings and this is my wife, Elsa. May we come in? We need to speak with you.” He said gravely.

Elizabeth exchanged a puzzled look with her sister and Abigail; Abigail nodded imperceptibly so Elizabeth, trusting her judgment, welcomed them in.

“Thank you, thank you indeed.” Isaac said, guiding his wife a few steps further into the hall.

Abigail closed the door while Elizabeth, along with Evelyn, showed them into the parlor. At the same time Elizabeth listened for any cries or noises from upstairs. They did not need Robin waking up at this time.

She directed the couple to the two chairs before the fireplace, wondering what the devil this was all about. The man sat down with his hat on his lap; the woman, Elsa, sat down, wringing her hands. Abigail, seeing her distress, offered to get her some chamomile tea and when Elsa accepted, she returned to the kitchen.

The twins continued to stand. “Now, what is this about?” Elizabeth asked, her tone slightly unfriendly.

Both the husband and the wife started to talk at once, the wife in that strange accent, then both stopped short. They exchanged a look and then Isaac placed one hand on Elsa’s knee to signal her that he would speak. By habit he smoothed his mustache and beard with his other hand before starting to speak. “Our boy has wandered off…he’s only four years old…”

What does that have to do with me
? Elizabeth thought.

“…we looked for him all day yesterday without success. Our neighbors are still searching for him including your husband’s brother-in-law, Phillip Archer. We’re here because Maureen suggested we ask you for help.”

Elizabeth felt a chill run down her spine. She glanced at Evelyn, starting to feel a little sick to her stomach. “Why would Maureen tell you to ask me for help?” She asked carefully.

“She said that Robert’s boy had an accident and that you had a dream about it. She said that Robert wasn’t due to pick up the boy until the next day, but he came in time to save him. She said that Robert told her that you had had a dream. We’re hoping that you—“

“No!” Elizabeth gasped, interrupting him. While listening to Isaac, she had almost fainted. This is what she feared: word getting out; rumors starting; people accusing her of witchcraft. She hoped these people didn’t see the terror in her eyes. But Evelyn could sense her fear and she moved beside her and immediately took her sister’s hand into hers.

The contact brought Elizabeth strength. She took a deep breath. “No.” She continued, lying convincingly, “Maureen is mistaken. I’m sorry, but she has misspoken.” She hated to lie to these poor people, but she had to. She had to put a stop to this rumor right now.

Isaac looked crestfallen. “But Maureen is an honorable woman.” He protested. “Why would she mislead us?”

“I know not.” Elizabeth said, her tone formal. “But she has misspoken.” She couldn’t believe that Robert had told Maureen about her dreams. Robert hadn’t told her that he had told Maureen. How could he be so careless? This could be very dangerous. She must have a few words with him after these people left.

“But…” Isaac stuttered, at a loss for words.

“Tevreden
. Please…” Elsa begged. “We do anything. We pay you. We not have much, but if you have dream about our Pieter…if you know where he is…” She left the sentence hanging.

“I’m sorry.” Elizabeth said sincerely, softening towards these people and feeling genuine sympathy for them. “I would like to help, truly I would, but I cannot help you the way you think I can.”

Elsa crumbled after hearing those words. “Oh
beste God
!” She cried, covering her face with her hands. “Our boy is lost! Gone! Forever! Oh
beste God
, please help us.” She wailed out loud.

Isaac immediately tried to comfort his wife while Elizabeth looked helplessly at Evelyn. Evelyn started whispering to her, telling her that everything would be all right and that she had done the right thing by lying to them to save themselves.

Abigail chose this moment to return with the tea, having stayed back, but listening to the exchange. She gently urged Elsa to drink as much of the tea as possible, helping her to steady the mug and saying that it would do her good.

Elizabeth watched Elsa hold the mug and sip the tea with Abigail’s help. These poor people, she thought. Their little boy was lost out in the woods somewhere, cold, hungry and frightened. She wanted to help them like she had helped Robin, but how could she when she hadn’t had a dream about him and had no idea where he was?

She started to think. There must be something that she could do. Maybe she could help in the search; maybe she and Robert, after all he was the one who had opened his big mouth and blabbed her secret to Maureen! Again she began to simmer over that.

How reckless he could be! He had gotten himself in trouble slandering the doctor and now his thoughtless behavior had brought these people to her. At least they weren’t condemning her and accusing her of witchcraft. That would have been a disaster. They had come to her in good faith, with an open mind and hope in their hearts.

She must help! But how?

Suddenly a thought came to her. The dogs! The dogs could help in the search. The dogs had sniffed out certain lost objects before. Perhaps they could find a lost boy. “Do you think the dogs could find the boy?” She asked Evelyn.

“Dogs? What dogs?” Isaac interrupted, before Evelyn could respond. He sat up straighter, hope in his eyes. Mrs. Billings also leaned forward to listen.

“We have two beagles, a male and a female.” Evelyn answered, picking up for Elizabeth. “They’re small but they’re strong scent hounds.” She turned to her sister. “What an excellent idea, Bess.”

* * *

Elizabeth climbed the stairs in her stocking feet so as not to disturb Robin, one deliberate step at a time while Evelyn went to the stables to find Jamie. Tentative plans had been made for them and their dogs to join in the search. They also talked of including Robert, Jamie and Nathan, if they agreed. The Billings were thrilled and grateful; Isaac heartily clasped and then kissed both girls’ hands before allowing them to leave.

Before she even reached the doorway to their bedchamber, she was surprised to see Robert waiting for her. He must have heard the pounding on the door and then poor Mrs. Billings’ wailings and then that accursed squeak on the penultimate step of the staircase as Elizabeth had reached the top. She had tried to avoid that spot, knowing how that board squeaked, but it was impossible. In the back of her mind, she wondered why Robert had never fixed it.

Now, he was leaning against the doorjamb with his arms crossed over his chest, and he did not look happy at all. Without a word, he took the three steps it took to reach her, grasped her arm and escorted her down the hall towards Jamie and Evelyn’s chamber where they could talk without disturbing Robin.

“What is this about? Who was at the door?” He hissed, keeping his voice down. He let his hand slip from her arm.

She automatically rubbed the spot. “A couple named Isaac and Elsa Billings.” She hissed back. “You didn’t have to grab me like that.” She bristled.

“I’m sorry.” He said, immediately contrite. “But I’m tired and grouchy.”

“I know.” She managed a little smile, forgiving him. She was tired too, but she had gotten a few hours of sleep the night before unlike him. “Are you familiar with the Billings?”

“I’ve met them a time or two. They live near Maureen and Phillip. Elsa is originally from Antwerp, I think. What are they doing here?”

“Their little boy wandered off and they came to me for help—“

“They came to you? Why?” He asked, frowning.

“Because you told Maureen about my dreams!” She snapped, losing her patience for a second, but then she caught herself and lowered her voice again. “She told them when they went to Phillip to ask for help. Robert, that was reckless of you. You shouldn’t have told Maureen about my dreams.”

“I didn’t! I swear!” He defended himself.

“Well, you said something because now she has told this couple.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

Robert sighed, running a hand over his face. “All right, I may have said something about you having a dream about Robin.” He said thoughtfully, “But I didn’t tell her about the dreams! I promise you.” He vowed.

“I had to lie to them.” She cried. “When they said Maureen told them I had dreams, I had to lie and tell them that Maureen had misspoken. I hate having to lie.”

“I’m sorry, but Maureen was awfully persistent that day. She wanted to know why I had come that day and not the next day as planned. Phillip was the one who finally put a stop to her questions and then I completely forgot about the conversation. I was too worried about Robin to worry about what I had said to her.”

Elizabeth let out a sigh. She understood that a person living through a traumatic situation might say something unintentional. “I understand.” She said. “I guess I really can’t blame you.”

“You sound disappointed.” He accused her.

“I am not disappointed!” She snapped back. “But it scared me at first when they told me that Maureen had told them that I had dreams. This is not something you announce to the world.”

He took another deep breath. “I know. I promise I’ll be more careful with my words in the future.”

“Thank you. We were lucky this time. The Billings have been quite open-minded and were very disappointed when I told them I couldn’t help them like that.”

“Yes, I heard Mrs. Billings cry out.” He said sarcastically.

“I’m sorry about that. She was rather loud. But then I started wondering how I could help, and Robert, I thought that you and I could join in the search along with the dogs.”

“Me!” He exclaimed. “I can’t leave Robin! I won’t leave Robin today. I feel bad enough having to leave him tomorrow.”

She grimaced. “Oh yes. Your trial. I had almost forgotten.” Then she perked up again. “Well then, I guess Evelyn and I will have to go.”

“You and Evelyn? Alone…?” He exclaimed, looking like he was going to burst a blood vessel.

She ignored him. “Yes, along with the dogs…”

“Oh no, my wife is
not
traipsing through the woods putting herself in danger in order to search for somebody else’s child.”

“Why not? Evelyn is asking Jamie right now and we could bring Nathan…you could tell Nathan that he must protect me, and the dogs might be able to sniff the boy out.”

“No.”

She stamped her foot. She had already made up her mind and she wasn’t changing it. “I already told them I would help. I can’t go back on my word. I will not go back on my word. With Jamie and Nathan’s help, I’ll be fine. Robert, please…”

He stood motionless, mulling over her words, watching her face, her pretty features set with determination. “Is this what our life is going to be like from now on?” He finally asked.

“I’m afraid so.”

“Great.” He said, rolling his eyes. He let a deep breath out through his nose. “All right, but you can’t go like that.”