She slowly rolled to her side and used one arm to push herself into a sitting position. Her head swam, and her view of the barn stall rippled and swayed.
She winced. The pounding in her head felt like someone was hitting her with a heavy board every second. Closing her eyes, she swallowed against her painful dry throat.
The voices outside grew more intense, rising and clashing, and a few words floated toward her.
“Why would she run away? What did you do to my sister?”
Katie blinked. That sounded like Laura. She squinted, trying to make sense of her thoughts. It couldn’t be Laura. Her sister was in England, not Canada. She lifted a trembling hand and rubbed her gritty eyes.
Was she losing her senses now as well as her strength?
“Laura, please, let me question him.” The strong male voice rose above the others.
Katie gasped. It was her sister! Laura was really here. She hadn’t ignored her letters and pleas for help. She’d come to Canada to find her. Tears flooded her eyes, and she pushed herself to her feet. Somehow she had to find the strength to walk outside and see Laura.
She took one faltering step, then another. Dizziness washed over her, stealing her strength. She reached for the barn wall and opened her mouth to cry out, but her voice failed her. One more step and her knees buckled. She fell to the floor, and the darkness closed over her again.
* * *
Andrew slipped his hand behind Laura’s back and touched her lightly. He knew this had to be very difficult for her. He could barely resist the urge to grab Mr. Hoffman by the shirtfront and shake him until his eyes rolled back and he was forced to explain himself.
Laura’s intense gaze met Andrew’s, her blue eyes flickering with painful questions. He hoped his gentle touch would reassure her that they could trust Henry to lead the way in this situation.
She released a long, slow breath, gave a slight nod, and focused on Henry again.
“How long has Katherine been gone?” Henry continued in a serious tone.
Mr. Hoffman rubbed his chin and looked away. “About a week or two.”
Henry frowned. “Mr. Hoffman, there is a great deal of difference between seven days and fourteen days. Exactly when did you discover Katherine was missing?”
The man thought for a moment. “I’d say about ten days.”
“Mrs. Hoffman, would you agree?”
She shifted the baby to the other arm and gave a reluctant nod.
Andrew studied her anxious expression. She was either afraid of her husband or not telling the whole story…or perhaps both.
“Did you inform the authorities and conduct a search for Katherine?”
“We looked for her.” Mr. Hoffman glanced toward the fields rather than meeting Henry’s gaze. “But she was long gone.”
“Did you write or telegraph the staff at Pleasantview, letting them know Katherine was missing?”
Mr. Hoffman rubbed his chin. “Not yet.”
Irritation flashed across Henry’s face. “And why is that?”
Mr. Hoffman shrugged. “We thought she might come back.”
“Ten days is a long time to wait before informing them a child is missing.”
Mr. Hoffman set his jaw and remained silent.
“Did she say anything ahead of time to suggest she was thinking about running away, or did she give you any hint about where she might go?”
“Not that I recall.”
“Has she made any friends who might offer her shelter?”
“I don’t believe so.”
“Did she take extra clothing with her?”
“I couldn’t say.”
Henry turned to Mrs. Hoffman. “You’re probably more familiar with Katherine’s clothing. Did you look in her trunk? Was anything missing?”
Mrs. Hoffman shook her head. “I…I don’t know.”
“Where is her trunk?”
“In the barn,” Mrs. Hoffman answered before her husband could speak.
He shot his wife a heated glance, then started toward the barn. “I’ll bring it out,” he called over his shoulder. “You can take a look.”
Andrew stepped toward Henry and lowered his voice. “I don’t like this. Something is not right.”
Rose stepped closer and whispered, “I agree.”
Laura’s fearful gaze darted from Andrew to the barn. “I don’t believe he’s telling the truth.”
As Mr. Hoffman disappeared through the open barn door, a dog growled and barked.
“Oh dear.” Mrs. Hoffman’s anxious gaze followed her husband to the barn.
Henry turned toward the woman. “If you know something you haven’t told us, I suggest you tell us now.”
The baby in her arms whimpered and squirmed. She pressed her lips together and jiggled the wrapped bundle up and down, tears glittering in her eyes.
“Mrs. Hoffman.” Henry’s voice steeled. “If your husband has harmed Katherine in any way and you choose not to speak up, you will also be held responsible.” He glanced at the little girl clinging to her skirt. “I would hate to see you separated from your children because of something your husband has done.”
She shook her head. “It’s not like that.”
“What happened?” Henry stepped toward Mrs. Hoffman. “Tell us the truth.”
Before she could answer, Mr. Hoffman appeared in the doorway of the barn. “I’ve got it!” He tugged a large wooden trunk out and started dragging it toward the house. A large black-and-white border collie followed him, snapping at his heels and snarling.
“Get away!” Mr. Hoffman cursed and waved his free hand at the dog.
The collie continued barking and charging at the man.
Mr. Hoffman dropped the end of the trunk and kicked the dog.
“No!” Mrs. Hoffman’s frightened voice rang out.
Henry strode toward the barn. Andrew, Laura, and Rose hurried after him.
The dog circled Mr. Hoffman, barking and cutting off his way of escape.
“You cursed dog! Leave me alone!” Mr. Hoffman lunged toward the collie, trying to grab his collar, but the dog jumped back out of reach. Lowering his head, the collie gave a threatening growl.
“What’s going on?” Henry demanded.
“The dog’s gone mad!” Mr. Hoffman shouted.
Andrew put out his arm, blocking Laura and Rose. “Stay back. He looks dangerous.”
The collie circled around them, ran back to the barn door, then raced out and circled around them again.
Andrew frowned. The behavior reminded him of the dogs who helped herd sheep on his family’s estate. But that didn’t make sense. He and his friends were not animals that needed to be moved to a new pasture.
Mr. Hoffman lifted the lid of the trunk. “Here, you can look inside. I’ll get the dog.”
Laura and Rose kept their eyes on the collie as they walked toward the trunk.
Mr. Hoffman held out his hand and slowly approached the dog. “Come here, Charger.” He gentled his voice, but his expression remained agitated.
The dog growled and backed away. He definitely did not like his master.
Andrew followed Laura and Rose and stationed himself between them and the collie. The women reached into the trunk and started sorting through Katie’s clothing.
Mr. Hoffman crouched low and slowly moved toward the dog, but when he tried to catch him, the dog dashed away and entered the barn once more.
“Crazy dog!” Mr. Hoffman grabbed the hoe leaning against the corral and hurried inside the shadowed barn.
Andrew shook his head and shifted his gaze to Laura and Rose as they bent over the open trunk.
Suddenly, the collie charged out the barn door again. Before Andrew could react, the dog ran directly to Laura and nosed her hand. She gasped and jerked her hand away.
&nbs
p; Mr. Hoffman hustled after the collie with the hoe raised in the air. The dog dashed off and into the barn once more. A second later, Charger reappeared in the doorway and gave two sharp barks.
Laura dropped the dress she held into the trunk and started toward the barn.
Andrew started after her. “Laura, stop!”
* * *
Laura heard Andrew call her name, but she continued toward the barn. The collie’s frenzied actions and Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman’s odd behavior raised her suspicions. She had to find out what was going on in that barn.
“You can’t go in there!” Mr. Hoffman’s hurried footsteps sounded behind her.
Charger dashed past Laura and ran toward Mr. Hoffman, barking and cutting him off.
She strode through the open doorway, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the dimmer light inside. The smell of hay, leather, and animals filled the air. She quickly scanned the interior. Stalls lined both sides, and a long aisle ran down the middle. Most of the stalls looked empty, but a brown and white cow munched on feed in the first stall on her right. A ladder leaned against the open hayloft above.
Outside, the collie continued barking while the men’s voices rose.
She started down the aisle, glancing over the half door into each stall. Dirty hay littered the floor, and flies buzzed around, but nothing seemed unusual.
As she approached the last two stalls, Andrew strode through the barn doorway behind her. “Laura? What are you doing?” Urgency and confusion mingled in his voice.
She looked back, uncertain what to say. Then, off to her left she heard a soft rustling. A shiver raced down her back, and she turned toward the sound. “Katie?” She held her breath, straining in the sudden silence.
“Laura.” The whispered voice floated toward her from the last stall.
Laura gasped and jerked open the half door. Her sister lay sprawled on the floor just behind the door. “Katie!” Laura dropped to her knees, reached for her sister, and pulled her close.
Katie’s eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at Laura. Her cracked lips parted, and she released a pained sigh.
“Oh, Katie.” A sob rose in Laura’s throat. She clung to her sister, and her tears overflowed. “It’s all right, Katie. I’m here now.”
Katie’s dress was damp and dirty, and heat radiated from her body.
Andrew stepped into the stall and pulled in a sharp breath. “Is this your sister?”
“Yes, and she’s burning with fever!” She held Katie against her chest and rocked back and forth.
More footsteps sounded, and Rose and Henry entered the stall. Rose gasped, and her hand flew up to cover her mouth. She quickly knelt next to Laura. “I’m so sorry. What can I do?”
Henry’s shocked expression hardened. “We’ve got to move her out of here.”
“She needs to see a doctor.” Laura looked up and searched her friends’ faces.
“I’ll carry her.” Andrew bent and gently scooped Katie into his arms.
Laura rose, and a wave of weakness nearly pulled her down again. She took a deep breath and straightened her back. She could not let fear steal her courage. Her sister needed her to be strong. Lifting her chin, she walked out of the barn with Andrew.
Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman stood outside. The woman stared at Andrew with wide, anxious eyes as he carried Katie past. Mr. Hoffman crossed his arms, his face set like stone.
Anger flashed through Laura. “You lied to us!”
Mrs. Hoffman winced and looked away, clutching her baby to her chest.
“You can’t blame us,” Mr. Hoffman called after them.
Laura clamped her jaw, swallowing back her angry reply. There was no point in arguing with the hard-hearted man. She climbed into the buggy next to Rose. Andrew carefully lifted Katie and laid her across Laura’s lap. Blinking back her tears, Laura thanked Andrew. He accepted her thanks with a compassionate nod before walking around and climbing into the front seat.
Henry turned and faced Mr. Hoffman. “I’m appalled by what happened here. This kind of neglect and cruelty is a crime. Trying to cover it up with your lies has only doubled your guilt. You can expect a visit from the local authorities.”
“It’s not our fault,” Mr. Hoffman growled. “She was sickly when she came here.”
“Howard, stop!” Mrs. Hoffman pulled on her husband’s arm. “You’re just diggin’ a deeper hole for yourself.”
“Let go of me, woman!” He jerked his arm free and spewed another curse.
Henry climbed into the driver’s seat. “Your wife is correct. I intend to report everything you said, and it will all be used against you.”
Mr. Hoffman’s jaw dropped, and a flicker of fear finally shone in his eyes. “I never meant to harm the girl.”
“If that were true, then you would’ve summoned a doctor as soon as she became ill.”
“We’ve got no money for doctors.”
“And what is your excuse for lying to us and leaving her in the barn to care for herself when she is so ill?”
Mr. Hoffman shook his head and looked away.
“Stand back and move out of our way. The next time you see me will be in court when I stand as a witness against you.” Henry lifted the reins and clicked to the horses. The buggy jerked, and the horses set off at a trot.
Laura cradled her sister in her arms and swallowed back her tears. “Everything is going to be all right, Katie. I’ll take care of you. And you’ll never have to go back there again, I promise.”
21
Laura bit her lip and tried to calm her racing thoughts as she watched the doctor examine Katie. He’d already listened to her heart and lungs and checked her eyes, ears, mouth, and throat—all without a word to Laura and Rose, who stood on the other side of the bed. He pulled his watch from his pocket, lifted Katie’s limp wrist, and quietly counted her pulse.
Katie would get better. She had to. Laura couldn’t bear the thought of returning to England and telling Mum she’d found Katie, but she was too late to save her life.
She squeezed her eyes shut and forced that terrible thought away. She had to focus on what was true, what was happening right now. She couldn’t allow her fearful thoughts to rush ahead to frightening conclusions about the future.
Katie was ill, and she had suffered greatly at the Hoffmans’. But she was alive, and Laura and her friends had rescued her and brought her to a comfortable boardinghouse in Roslin. She and Rose had given her a sponge bath while Henry and Andrew had gone in search of a doctor. They’d returned less than thirty minutes later, and now a kind doctor was giving her sister the medical attention she needed. Still, as she watched her sister’s pale face, fear tugged at her heart.
Dr. Taylor returned his watch to his pocket and motioned for Laura and Rose to follow him to the far side of the room.
Laura studied his face, her questions stuck in her throat.
“I believe your sister is suffering from a severe case of influenza that has turned into pneumonia. She has been dealing with this for several days, and she’s seriously dehydrated.” He glanced at Katie with a concerned frown. “Her weakened condition and the bruises on her arms and back lead me to believe she has been mistreated for some time.” Sorrow lined his craggy face. “You were right to remove her from that situation.”
Laura’s stomach fisted. She had suspected as much, but it was still shocking to hear the doctor state it as fact.
“I don’t understand how anyone could treat a child like that,” Rose said softly.
The doctor sighed. “Neither do I, Miss Carson. Neither do I.”
“What can we do?” Laura asked.
“She’ll need constant nursing care until she is past this crisis. Can you handle that, or would you like me to send up a nurse?”
Rose nodded. “We can take care of her. We’ve both worked in the infirmar
y at the children’s home in Belleville. We’ll take turns and stay with her around the clock.”
Laura’s eyes stung, and gratefulness filled her heart. Rose was a true friend. “Yes, we’ll handle the nursing.”
Rose asked the doctor, “How long do you think it will take for her to recover?”
“That depends.” He studied Katie for a moment. “I’ll check on her progress tomorrow morning. Until then, give her plenty of water and clear broth. If she tolerates that, you can add some thinned cooked cereal. Keep her cool and only covered with a sheet or light blanket. We want her body to fight off the infection, but we don’t want the fever to get out of control.”
Laura nodded. “I understand.”
The doctor tucked his stethoscope back into his bag. “If there’s any change for the worse—trouble breathing or vomiting—send word and I’ll come.”
“Thank you, Dr. Taylor.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll keep her in my prayers and trust the Great Physician to do His healing work for that poor child.”
Laura’s throat grew tight, and she nodded. She would pray, longer and harder than she had ever prayed before. Perhaps the Lord would look past her sins and have mercy on her sister.
The doctor bid them good day and stepped out of the room.
“May I come in?” Andrew looked in from the open doorway.
Relief flowed through Laura. “Yes please.”
Rose glanced into the hall. “Where is Henry?”
“He went to send a telegram to Pleasantview. Then he is going to speak to the authorities.”
Rose nodded. “I’ll go down and ask Mrs. Hadley to prepare some broth for Katie.”
“Thank you, Rose.” Laura watched her friend disappear down the hallway, once again grateful for her faithful friendship and practical help.
Andrew crossed the room and stood beside Laura. “What did the doctor say?”
Laura repeated the doctor’s diagnosis and directions, her eyes stinging as she finished. “He’ll be back tomorrow morning to check on her. Rose and I will watch over her until then.”
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