Part 11 (1/2)

Addie glanced at Eleazar. He was reading a book, muttering to himself as he turned the pages. Addie opened the door a little more and slipped through. Charlie sat barely three paces away. She crossed the gap and held out the feather. He only stared at her. She laid it on his blanket-draped lap.

”Here,” Eleazar said. ”I've found that-” He looked up and saw her. ”Who are you?”

”I-I'm Addie. Adeline. I came to see-”

”He's not ready to see anyone. Begone, girl.”

She backed up to the doorway. Charlie didn't look down at the feather, as if trying to remember where it came from. He didn't look at her either. He closed his eyes as if she'd already left.

”Charlie?”

His eyelids flickered open, and he glanced over with annoyance.

”He needs his rest, child,” Eleazar said, striding toward her. ”He's not himself yet.You need to leave.”

She retreated through the door into the rear.

”No!” Eleazar said, raising his voice. ”Not that way.”

But she was already through, already racing across the room. As she reached the kitchen door, she heard Charlie's voice, and she thought he was calling her back, telling Eleazar he remembered her now. She turned, and as she did, she saw the a.s.sistant, Rene, saw his face now as he sat there, head bowed. Saw the bruises around his neck. Saw his eyes. Open. Bulging. Dead.

Addie spun and bolted out the kitchen door.

Browning Mayor Browning's wife was home now with Charlie.When he'd left, she'd been sitting at his bedside, watching him sleep, looking very much as she had the night before, sitting at his coffin's side. She'd even had the same look on her face, anxious and afraid.

When he'd first told her the news, she'd shouted at him, for the first time in their marriage. She'd even thrown something-a plate she'd been was.h.i.+ng, shattering it against the wall as she cursed him. She seemed to think he was pulling a prank. Yes, he'd been known to make them.Yes, sometimes, perhaps, they bordered on cruel, but this was not one he'd ever have attempted. He'd struck her, another first for their marriage. Struck her full across the face, bellowing at her that she was an ungrateful wretch, that he'd done this for her-brought back her boy-and this was how she treated him.

She'd raced out of the house then, not even pausing for a bonnet or a cloak, gathering her skirts and running like a girl through the streets, graying hair streaming behind her.

Now they were home. Her boy was home. Yet she was not beside herself with joy. Not falling to her knees to thank the Lord. She hovered over Charlie, pus.h.i.+ng his cowlick aside, tentatively, as if the slightest touch might send him back to the other side. It was not what Browning expected. Not what he wanted. But he supposed it might take time for her to accept the miracle as real.

Eleazar had summoned him back to the community hall.Yes, summoned him, as if he were a common innkeeper.That rankled, but Browning reminded himself of the incredible debt he owed the man. Eleazar wished to speak about the other children, and he had a right to be somewhat abrupt-time was wasting, the children were wasting.

So Browning returned to the community hall. Doc Adams and Dobbs were already inside with Eleazar.

”How is Charlie?” Dobbs asked.