Rumors and Promises (12 page)

“He’s reliving the glory days, no doubt. Humph.” Mrs. Fairgrave rolled her eyes.

Sophie sighed, rubbing her hands together. Why were they all standing around when her daughter was missing? She shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

“I’d like to hear how you earned that Medal of Honor later Mr. Graemer, but we need to return to the task at hand.”

The old man’s expression brightened at Ian’s interest. He stood up a little straighter. “Well, I don’t take this old thing out very often.” The old man thumped his chest. “Just when I think about losing one of the old boys those many years ago.” Mr. Graemer’s eyes grew misty. He leaned closer to the reverend as though he were going to whisper. “I hid my war relics up in the attic for awhile. Used to share a room with Crazy Louie. He wasn’t insane, but he was a thief.” He pointed an accusatory finger into the air.

“We don’t call each other by those kinds of names here. This is a Christian establishment.” The older widow’s face flushed.

Maggie broke in. “Esther, I’m sure this is a fine boardinghouse, but we don’t have time for your scolding—”

“Yes! We have to find Caira!” Sophie clasped her hands together, wringing them as though in desperate prayer.

The others stared at their feet for a moment until Ian cleared his throat. He walked across the parlor and took Esther by the hand. “Have you looked
everywhere
in the house for her?”

Esther sat down on the worn chaise. “Every place a little child could possibly hide. I’m sure.”

“I think we should look again, Sophie. You know the house and where your sister might have hidden.” Maggie grasped her hand.

Your sister.
The words nicked at her heart. If only Maggie knew the depth of responsibility she felt as a mother. Yet, the young widow held Sophie’s hand with such compassion.

Sophie led the renewed search effort while Ian and Maggie followed behind her. She’d already looked into the lower kitchen cabinet and the pantry, half expecting to find Caira playing with a bowl and a ladle. She headed upstairs instead. “Caira?”

They separated, even checking in the boarders’ rooms. No closet door stood unopened. Boxes that had sat dormant in those dark places were moved and overturned. Dust and cobwebs flew as they moved small pieces of furniture. Everyone checked under the beds in their assigned room.

The searchers trudged back down the stairs. “Come into the kitchen. I have hot coffee for you.” Esther, despite her flustered state, had managed to brew a fresh pot.

Numbly, Sophie went into the kitchen and reached for the cup her employer handed her, in time to see Chet and Albert trudge in through the back door. “No luck,” Albert announced, shaking his head. “We closed up shop as soon as we heard you couldn’t find the little gal.”

“Looked for her high and low in the woods,” Chet said. “But there’s no sign of her anywhere,” the other man said, holding his hat in his hand.

Ian rubbed the side of his face. He also took a cup of the hot brew offered. “Thank you, gentlemen, for your efforts.” They exchanged mumbled “good-byes” and shuffled back out the door. Ian turned to go toward the parlor, where he heard the tap of a cane. His eyes followed Mr. Graemer while he shuffled back and forth across the threadbare Persian rug, as though he could worry Caira back into sight.

The mantel clock ticked in the quietness of the room. Ian sipped the brown liquid. Esther usually made weak coffee, but the numbness inside made him care little about the bitter blandness. Caira disappearing? Unbelievable!

Sophie sighed. Her face paled compared to the rosy glow of a couple of hours before. Her forehead crinkled with worry lines worthy of motherhood. He noticed Sophie’s rumpled hair and dark circles. To have lost one’s parents and then to worry over your only other family member must be a burden beyond bearing. Did instinct give him the desire to want to enfold the girl into his embrace? Or had he been enchanted by her innocent loveliness?

Ian desired to take her aside, to ask what thoughts lay behind her amber eyes and know how best to comfort her. However, her independent spirit had given him a clue to the boundaries she set. He blinked, attempting to concentrate on the task at hand. They needed to find Caira.

Ian closed his eyes for a moment, mentally recalling each room of the boardinghouse. Why hadn’t they thought of the attic? He supposed it seemed an unlikely and scary place for Caira to venture by herself. “Mr. Graemer, were you by any chance up in the attic today?”

The old man blinked. Then he opened his pocket watch. “Why yes, I’d say it was about three hours ago at 1500 hours.” He snapped the gold cover shut. “I might not seem very useful, but I am praying, you know.”

“Sophie.” Ian turned toward the lovely young woman. “I have an idea.” He sensed a measure of relief in her as she sighed when he smiled and placed a hand on her arm for a moment. He hoped she would trust him enough to hear his idea. “Does anyone else go into the attic?”

“No, it’s usually locked.” Sophie shook her head.

“I never even thought to look up there. Couldn’t imagine the little gal going up there by herself.” Esther stood.

Ian’s slight touch seemed to infuse her with determination. Why hadn’t she thought of that earlier herself? “Let’s go.” Sophie headed toward the stairs, lifting her skirt slightly as she reached the bottom step.

“I’ll get the key!” Esther hastened to the secretary where she kept such things, returning to the staircase, breathless.

Sophie hurried up the stairs to a door that led to another flight with the brother and sister behind her. Her heart pounded at the thought of her daughter being alone in such a cold, dark place. Sophie snatched the ring of keys from Esther, jiggling the key in the lock until the door opened.

“I’ll bet that she followed Mr. Graemer up, and he didn’t hear her. She may have been playing up here all this time,” Ian commented with a hopeful note in his voice.

Let’s hope so.
Sophie couldn’t bring herself to speak the words, but Ian’s confidence gave her a reason to hope. He held a lantern for her. A gust of cool air curled around her ankles. Maggie stayed close behind them. Wisps of steam appeared as they exhaled.

“Brr.” Maggie hugged her arms to herself.

“A-shoo!” Sophie sneezed as the musty smell of dusty, antiquated objects and aged rough-hewn wood met her nose. The scents tugged at her memory. Their attic back home had been a place of wonder where old books, paintings, and furniture had been piled. Trunks had been filled with old clothes to dress up in.

However, an attic’s darkness and shadows could also be most frightening. If Caira had been up here alone, had she been scared? They hadn’t heard her crying or calling out to them. And what if they didn’t find her here? What next? Sophie clenched a handful of her skirt and took quick, shallow breaths. She braced herself for the worst.

Ian lifted the lantern, dispelling any darkness.

“Over there.” Maggie pointed.

The pink glow of the sun slipping into the horizon shone through the small round attic window, where lacy patterns of frost clung. The shimmering rays bathed a curly-headed child. Caira slept soundly on a ragbag. Her arm curled around the little rag doll Sophie had made her.

She covered her mouth. Gasping with relief, she hurried to kneel alongside her precious daughter. Sophie pushed the curls from her child’s forehead, where cold sweat clung. She shivered, realizing her baby must be freezing. Caira’s lips were a bluish hue. As though he understood Sophie’s needs immediately, Ian handed her an old quilt that he’d pulled from atop a crate. She wrapped it around the baby, not caring about how dusty or worn out the item appeared.

Caira sneezed at the light cloud of dust then yawned as her mother scooped her into her arms. Her eyes rolled open for a moment and she smiled with contentment before she nestled into Sophie’s shoulder.

The little one seemed a bit listless from her nap in the frigid attic, but otherwise none the worse for wear. Likely, she’d soon be awake and looking for something to eat. “Don’t ever scare me like that again,” Sophie crooned into her daughter’s ear.

“Such a little darling. What a relief to find her. Let me get the doll for her.” Maggie patted the little one’s head and then bent to pick up the toy.

Ian smiled, looking quite pleased. Sophie, aware of the warming presence by her side, was comforted by the minister’s nearness. What would she have done without him and Maggie?

When they reached the parlor again, Sophie saw a tired Mr. Graemer rocking as though he would wear a hole in the rug. As soon as he noticed them, he cried out, “My prayers have been answered! That precious child is safe.” He wiped a moistened eye and pulled out a crumpled hanky to blow his nose.

Esther Fairgrave hovered and fanned herself. “If you hadn’t gone up to the attic today, Caira wouldn’t have found her way up there!”

Sophie touched the woman’s arm. “It’s all right. She’s safe and sound now. We’ve locked the door again.”

Next, she went to the elderly gentleman and squeezed one of his hands. “Thank you for praying, Mr. Graemer.” Perhaps God didn’t always hear
her
prayers, but He still must listen on behalf of little children. “And, Reverend, thank you so much for organizing everyone, for being clearheaded enough to think of the attic.”

“You’re welcome.”

Sophie hoped the warmth of her words and a smile meant for him truly conveyed her gratitude.

“Reverend McCormick, would you and your sister care to stay for some stew?” Esther looked expectant.

“Thank you, Esther, but I must get ready for tomorrow.”

“Oh yes, it’ll be Sunday, won’t it?” She shook her head and shuffled toward the kitchen. “How can the days go by so quickly?”

Maggie fastened her boots up and took her coat off the hook. She tugged on Sophie’s sleeve and nudged her toward the front door. She pursed her lips for a moment and took a deep breath. “That was just ridiculous. I will not have you worrying about Caira every time you leave the house to rehearse.” She leaned close and whispered, then clucked her tongue. “I insist that you bring the little one to the parsonage and practice there while I keep an eye on her. What do you say? Philip will love having Caira around.”

“I wouldn’t want to hurt Mrs. Fairgrave’s feelings.”

Ian nodded. “I’ll talk to her.”

“And you could have her come along to visit me some of the time.” Maggie’s face brightened.

For the second time since Ian had arrived, relief settled on Sophie like the warmth of being wrapped in a cozy blanket. There was one less thing to worry about.

“And no need to thank us.” She was surprised to feel his gentle grasp on her elbow. How could he know what she was thinking? Though perhaps he seemed a bit pompous. “Think of it as our appreciation to you for playing tomorrow. Now get some rest. You look exhausted.”

He patted her elbow before he reached for her hand and squeezed it for a moment. Her breath hitched, and she pulled her hand away. An unusual, uncomfortable spark of warmth had been transferred between them. But the sunny sparkle in his eyes was just friendly concern, wasn’t it?

“Goodnight, Sophie.”

She nodded toward him, speechless.

The back door opened and closed with a bang. James Cooper practically flew from the kitchen to the parlor in the front of the house, hat in hand. “I got here as soon as I could. Are you all right, Sophie?” The young man pushed his way toward her until Ian and Maggie backed away. “I heard that Caira was missing! Oh, there she is.” He patted the child on the back. The worry in his brown eyes disappeared.