Cadence

by Charlene Raddon

  She gasped as the ammonia shocked her system.

  "Relax, Miss Biggler," he demanded in a quiet authoritative tone. "Hysteria causes such breathing problems. You must regain your composure. There's nothing wrong with you. You'll be fine if you lower your level of excitement."

  "Not excitement." She gazed up at his kindly, aging face and knew she could trust him. "Fear."

  "I can understand that. I've just seen Mr. Crane and I'm sure you're worried about him. Believe me, it will take a while, but he'll be fine. The burns are minor." He closed his bag.

  "No. I feel bad for what I did to him, even though he deserved it. He meant to rape me, Doctor. But it's Garrick, Mr. Brant, I'm afraid for. He's missing."

  "Missing? Calm down, Miss Biggler. May I call you Cady?"

  "Of course."

  "Very well. Keep calm. You've had a rough night, not to mention a difficult morning. You don't want a return of the vapors."

  "No. It was awful feeling like I couldn't breathe. Like I was being strangled again. I'm grateful you were here."

  "If you have any more episodes, cup your hands over your mouth—" He demonstrated. "— and concentrate on breathing your own breath. It might help."

  "I will."

  "Take these smelling salts. Only take a quick whiff. Inhaling too much can be harmful."

  "Thank you."

  He turned to Mae. "Make sure she remains quiet for the next few hours at least."

  "I will, Doctor." Mae sat down beside Cady as the doctor left. "You scared the bejesus out of me, you poor thing. Dr. Spense is right. You've had an awful night and morning. Do you think you can sleep now?"

  Cady considered all that had occurred since she first retired to bed the night before. The sensation of being unable to breathe threatened to return.

  She closed her eyes and concentrated on taking slow, even breaths. When the panic retreated, she said, "I don't know if I can sleep. I can't stop thinking of Garrick, and I'm terrified for Regina. Mortimer talked like he'd have her killed."

  The thought brought back the panic. Throwing the covers aside, she swung her legs off the bed. "I can't sit here. I have to go find Regina and Garrick."

  "Don't be ridiculous." Mae pushed her down on the bed, curled up next to her and drew up the covers. "Let's think of pleasant things, like planning our weddings."

  "Oh, Mae. How can I think of such a thing when Garrick could right now be lying dead somewhere in the snow?" Tears brimmed on her eyelids. She blinked them back and took a slow, deep breath. "No, I have to stop thinking that way. I have to be calm, so I can find my sister."

  The cat jumped up on the bed and crawled in Cady's lap. She wrapped her arms around him and a sob broke from her.

  Mae walked over to the dresser and picked up a small square jewelry box Cady had never seen before. "Doctor Spense found this in Mortimer's coat pocket when he undressed him. We figure it was meant for you."

  Cady took the box and opened it. Inside lay the broach she'd admired in Tweedie's Mercantile. How could Mortimer have known? Was the purchase a coincidence?

  It didn't matter. She left the jewelry in the box and set it aside. It had lost its beauty.

  "All right," Mae said. "That didn't cheer you up. Why don't I read to you from that new book I ordered, Ramona. It arrived yesterday, and I haven't had a chance to look at it. It's supposed to be a wonderfully romantic tale."

  Cady nudged Rooster aside then the covers and tried to get out the other side of the bed. "Please, Mae, go tell Sam to saddle a horse for me. I have to go to Cranesville. I should've gone long ago."

  "Cady, stop it." Mae jumped from the bed and grabbed the skirt Cady was trying to put on. "You can't go tearing off somewhere. The train barely got through. How do you expect to make it? You'll freeze to death."

  "I have to try."

  "Very well." Mae helped her pull on the skirt.

  The room began to spin. Taking a deep breath, she waited for it to stop. It took forever to dress, even with Mae's help. Cady's muscles refused to cooperate. At last, she slipped on her shoes and staggered from the room.

  In the kitchen, she found everyone present except the man she most wanted to see.

  "Cady." Franco hurried over to her and guided her to a chair. "You look ready to faint. Henri, she needs food. Mae, get her some brandy."

  Seated, she glanced around at them all. "Where's Garrick?"

  "He's not back yet," Franco said, bringing her a cup of coffee while Henri banged pans on the stove. She sensed both were hiding something from her. Where was Garrick?

  "And Sam?"

  "They're together."

  Leda sat beside her and took her hand. "He'll be fine, honey. He'll show up any time now. You'll see."

  Mae returned with the brandy and poured her a bit in a glass. Cady sipped it, coughed and spluttered at the strength of the potion and set it on the table.

  "Do you have any idea who it was who did this to me?" She put her hand to her neck.

  "My first thought was Lach, but I can't imagine what he would think killing you would gain him. The other possibility is the gunman Mortimer said he was going to send here."

  "Mortimer denied doing that. Said that had only been meant as a threat."

  "I'll make you eggs," Henri said.

  "I don't want to eat. I want to go to Cranesville and get Regina."

  Franco looked at Mae, a worried frown on his brow. "Is she all right? Any more trouble breathing?"

  "Not yet, but if we can't get her calmed down, the vapors may start up again."

  Franco sat beside Cady and patted her shoulder. "She's right. You need to calm down. Garrick is fine. He'll be back any minute."

  She knew better than to believe it. Franco had no way of knowing what would happen next. No one did. Two mornings ago, if someone had said that she'd set Mortimer on fire, no one would have believed it. Cady could barely believe it now.

  "Did Mae tell you our news?" Franco asked.

  "You mean that you're getting married? Yes. I'm thrilled for you both. Will you saddle a horse for me?"

  "Not until Garrick can go with you," Mae said. "You can't go alone."

  She would like to have Garrick with her. But, besides recovering from a gunshot wound, he was missing, and she couldn't wait.

  Mae sat next to her, taking her hand. "We went through the entire building and made sure your attacker wasn't inside, so Garrick's probably hunting him down outside."

  "It was my fault he got in," Leda said, guilt and moisture in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I was too selfish and greedy to turn him away when he came here. And I should have been more careful about making sure he left. He hid somewhere inside until he had a chance to attack you."

  Cady took her hand. "It's all right, Leda. You made a mistake, but you learned from it.

  "Do you forgive me?"

  "Of course, I do."

  "I wish we knew where Lach is," Franco said, going to the window. "I don't like not knowing what he's up to."

  Henri set a plate of eggs and toast in front of Cady. "Eat."

  She had no appetite, but knew she needed food for strength. Maybe if she ate a little, they'd let her go to find Regina. Each bite tasted better than the last. Coffee helped. By the time she finished, she felt marginally better.

  "All right, I'm ready to leave now. Franco, please, the horse?"

  He walked over and sat beside her again. "Cady, we aren't going to let you go. Get that through your head. It would be insane for you to go riding off with so much snow on the ground and you suffering from all you've been through."

  "Isn't that exactly what Garrick is doing?" She stood and marched across the room then back. "I have to do something. Regina needs me. I'm terrified that by the time we learn where she is, it will be too late, and she'll be gone."

  "What did Mortimer say about her?" Mae asked. "Did he say he'd already sent her away somewhere?"

  "No, he said he told the people who have her to prepare her for travel, and if he didn't sen
d them a wire by morning, she'd be taken away."

  "Then we'll send a wire," Franco said.

  "We don't know who to send it to," Cady cried, growing hysterical again.

  "Yes, we do. Sam told us. Mr. and Mrs. Pitts, Cranesville. Now, you calm down. I'm going to town to send that wire."

  He grabbed his coat and snowshoes and went out.

  Cady turned to Mae. "Was he telling the truth? He knows where to send the telegram?"

  "Yes, Cady. Tell you what, why don't we go to Garrick's room. He has his photographs there and was going to search through them for a picture of Regina. He was sure he'd seen her before."

  "Really? He'd seen her?"

  "He believed he'd taken her photograph. If we look at them, we may find it."

  "Yes, let's do that." Cady rushed for the stairs, Mae at her heels.

  On the second floor, they tiptoed past Mortimer's room to reach Garrick's two doors beyond. Inside, they set the boxes of photographs on the bed between them and began their hunt.

  Hours slipped by.

  Now and then, Mae tried to get a conversation going. "Cady, you will stand up with me when I'm married, won't you?"

  "Of course. How could I say no to such a huge honor? But I can't think about that until Garrick returns and we find Regina."

  Mae grinned. "I can see why my brother's crazy about you, and I can't wait to meet Regina. She'll be my niece, won't she, since you'll be my sister-in-law?"

  "Oh, my." Cady widened her eyes at that thought. "We would be sisters-in-law, wouldn't we? I'd love that. But Garrick would have to ask me to marry him and, right now, that's looking doubtful."

  "I have faith he'll get over his anger and beg you to become his wife." Mae set aside a damaged photo. "Oh, Cady, I never dreamed I could be this happy. I'm terrified something will happen to ruin it. When Mortimer drew that gun on Franco, I nearly died."

  "Now you know how I feel about Garrick being out there somewhere with a man who tried to kill me." Cady laid a photo in the discard pile and picked up another.

  "Oh, my lands. Mae, this is Regina. Garrick has a photograph of my sister." Her voice rose with excitement. "It was in the one box Garrick hadn't gotten to."

  Mae scooted closer to see the picture. "Are you sure? It does resemble that drawing you have."

  "It's Regina. Look, she's holding Rooster. Do you know what this means?" Cady grabbed at her friend's hands. "As soon as Garrick gets back, he can take me to her."

  "This is marvelous, Cady. I'm so excited for you."

  "Let's go show the others." Taking the picture with her, Cady jumped off the bed and ran to the door, Mae at her heels.

  In their eagerness, they forgot to be quiet as they passed Mortimer's door and he called out, "Is someone out there? Please, come in."

  The girls halted. Cady looked at Mae, took a deep breath and reached for the door knob. She had something she needed to give him.

  "You," he snarled and struggled to sit up. "You tried to kill me."

  He looked almost comical with his bristle brush air. His nightshirt hid his burns.

  "I'm sorry, Mr. Crane. I didn't mean to kill you, or even to burn you. I'd do it again though, if it meant keeping you from shooting Franco. You were wrong to try to force yourself on me. Wrong to threaten Franco for attempting to help me. You're a horrible man. I'm going to go get my sister—" She held up the photograph for him to see. "—and I'm never coming back to this place."

  "What an ungrateful twit you are," Mortimer said, scowling. "I can't see why on earth I wanted you. You're a witch. I think you put a spell on me."

  Cady laughed. "If I were a witch, Mr. Crane, I would have conjured up a much better life for myself than I've lived here." She drew the small box out of her pocket and laid it on the chest of drawers by the door. "You can keep this broach. I want nothing from you."

  "I'll having you arrested for attempted murder, Cady Biggler. You'll spend your life in prison," he yelled as they left the room. "And besides that, don't forget that your precious sister is, this very moment, being taken where you'll never find her. It's you who is responsible to what happens to her."

  Cady grabbed Mae's hand and they raced downstairs. "Do you think he can do that?"

  "How, when there are so many of us to testify that you hit him to keep him from shooting Franco?"

  "I don't know. I hope…"

  She burst into the kitchen and halted so abruptly Mae slammed into her back.

  Garrick had just stepped into the kitchen from outside and stood in the doorway. Behind him, barely visible in the darkness, stood Sam.

  Cady blinked, afraid to believe her eyes.

  "Garrick? You're here? Are you all right?"

  He moved toward her then and she knew he truly had come home.

  "I'm more than all right, darling, and I have—

  She raced across the room and threw herself into his arms.

  "I was so frightened. Are you sure you're okay?" She ran her hands over his face as if looking for injuries. He grimaced when she touched his side. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot about your wound. I hope I didn't open it up again. Let me check."

  She began trying to pull his shirt out from his trousers. Garrick stopped her with his hands on hers.

  "I'm fine, I promise. Sore, tired, but okay. I'm sorry you worried about me. Sam and I found the trail of that bastard who tried to strangle you and followed clear to Curdy's Creek. We couldn't get back any sooner."

  "Hey!" Sam interrupted. "You gonna abandon us in the cold? Let me in and shut the door. It's freezing."

  "Sorry." Garrick moved aside, revealing the larger man and the small burden he held.

  Cady stared at the little girl in Sam's arms.

  "Cady!" the girl shouted and struggled to get down.

  Sam set her on her feet and she threw herself against Cady, wrapping her arms around her sister's legs.

  "Regina." Cady hunkered down, enveloping the child in her embrace. "Oh, Regina." Tears rained down her cheeks. "I'm so happy to see you. Are you okay?"

  "Yes. Mr. Brant and Mr. Sam saveded me."

  "You mean saved." Setting the girl away from her, Cady ran her gaze over her sister. "You're thin. Didn't the people you were with feed you?"

  "Not much." Her smile faded, and fear came into her eyes. "Don't never leave me again, Cady. Promise you won't let nobody take me away again, ever."

  "I promise, my darling Poppet. I won't. Cross my heart and hope to die."

  Regina glanced over at Garrick. "Mr. Brant says my name is Regina. You always called me Poppet."

  "I know. We called you Poppet because you were so adorable, and we loved you so much. But your name is Regina Ann Biggler."

  "Oh. That's okay then. I like Regina Ann. It's pretty and makes me feel like a princess."

  Cady smiled up at Garrick. "You are a princess, Poppet."

  "I'm hungry."

  Henri rushed over to the stove. "I will fix food. What does the little girl like?"

  "Flapjacks," Regina said, going over to watch the man go to work. "With lots of syrup. And butter. Gotta have butter. Sorghum is okay if you don't have syrup though."

  "I fix you good flapjacks," Henri told her. "With butter and syrup. You want maple syrup or my special plum syrup?"

  "Um, plum. That sounds good."

  Regina ran back to Cady. "We're gonna have flapjacks, with plum syrup."

  "I know. Let's get you washed up first."

  "I'll do it." Mae led the little girl over to the sink, pulled over a stool and set her atop it, then helped her wash her hands and face.

  Garrick took the seat Mae had abandoned. He examined Cady's neck, ran his thumb over it lightly then drew her into his arms. "I'm sorry you were hurt, honey. So sorry. Can you forgive me?"

  "Forgive you?" She couldn't believe her ears. "Can you forgive me?"

  "Yes. Long ago. I understand why you kept Mae's secret. I wouldn't be able to respect you if you hadn't. It simply surprised me, and I was so rattled to see Mae,
I wasn't thinking right."

  "Oh, Garrick, I love you."

  She clamped her hands over her mouth, shocked that she'd spoken so baldly.

  Putting his hands under her oxters, Garrick lifted her off her feet and whirled her around the room. "You love me? Truly? Say it again."

  Laughing, she did.

  He put her back on her feet and kissed her, long and hard. "I love you too, you angel. You've made my life complete. Marry me. Make a family with me. Please."

  "Yes, Garrick. Yes."

  Mae gave a joyous shout. "You hear that, Regina? You and I are going to be related."

  "Related?" the girl asked.

  "Yes. Your sister is going to be my sister-in-law and you'll be my…" She glanced around the room, a look of confusion on her face. "Well, whatever it is, we'll be family."

  "I like that idea," Regina said. "May I eat now?"

  Everyone laughed.

  "Excuse us, folks. I need a moment with this little lady here."

  Cady allowed Garrick to spirit her off to the parlor, despite her eagerness to be with her sister. She had questions to ask him.

  He sat on the sofa and drew her down beside him.

  "I can't tell you how happy you've made me, Cady Biggler, soon to become Cady Brant. When can we be married?"

  Before she could answer, Mae and Franco invaded their privacy.

  "How about the same day Franco and I are?" Mae said. "I'd love a double wedding."

  Her last sentence washed away Cady's annoyance at being disturbed.

  "You and Franco are getting married?" Garrick said, standing. "When did this happen?"

  Cady got to her feet wondering if this would be her opportunity to return to Regina. As glad as she was to have Garrick home and know they would soon live their lives together, having her sister back was too wonderful not to spend more time with her.

  "Earlier today," Mae said. "Isn't it wonderful?"

  "I'm happy for you both." Garrick shook Franco's hand then pulled him into a hug. "A double wedding sounds fine to me, as long as it's soon."

  "It will be if I have anything to say about it," Franco said, hugging Mae.

  When Garrick went to sit down again, Cady forestalled him, running her hands over his tattered coat. "You have blood on you. Is it from the cut on your forehead?"