“You’ll have a more enjoyable afternoon here,” Jasper said. “It’s time for your dinners. Go on down to the kitchen. Lizzie has chicken and dumplings and a stew for Addie. Florence is there as well.”
They gave me a wave before heading out of the room. Their footsteps clattered on the stairway down to the kitchen.
The clock read a little after noon. “Where are Mama and Papa?” I asked Jasper.
“They’re in town with Flynn.” Jasper adjusted his already perfectly arranged tie.
“I’m going back to be with Shannon. Will you give them my message when they return?”
“Yes, of course.” Jasper winced and touched his forehead.
“Are you ill?” I asked, alarmed.
“No, not ill unless you count heartsick.” Jasper sat back in the chair at the desk. He didn’t seem like himself. I’d never seen him sit in front of me unless we were downstairs.
“Jasper, what is it?” I came around the desk to stand next to him.
“Flynn.” He closed his eyes for a split second before opening them to peer out into the yard. “When I think of him as a little boy—how full of life he was—mischievous and playful with all that energy. He used to wear your father and I out before Quinn came. I can’t imagine him at death’s door. Or hurt at all. He survived the war without a scratch, for goodness’ sake. This is all so hard to understand.” He let out a sigh. “And now his poor wife, facing all this alone.”
My eyes pricked at his show of emotion. “Jasper, he’s going to be fine. He has nine lives like a cat. At least that many.” I paused, and the next thing came out of my mouth before I thought too much about what I was saying. “I’m more worried if he has a place to go home to after he’s well.”
“Is it that bad?”
“Yes. We talked to her this morning. I’m not sure what to think. She’s angry. I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t let him back in the house.”
“Surely not. Couples go through hardships and get through them, Cymbie.”
Cymbie. My childhood nickname. Jasper was truly shaken.
“I hope you’re right,” I said. “What about the rest of it, though?” I shared with him my thoughts about how vulnerable we were. “This has opened us up to the outside world, one we don’t want in Emerson Pass. How will we manage to rid ourselves of these men?”
“We need some pitchforks and a mob,” Jasper said.
I felt fairly certain he was joking. Not that I’d ever known him to make a joke. This entire incident had turned everything upside down. Regardless, perhaps he was right? What if we got the whole town together and ran these men out of town? “We do have a lot of pitchforks in Emerson Pass.”
Jasper rose to his feet. A sense of purpose came back to his eyes. “We do. Guns too.”
“What if we take back our town? We might be able to do it if we get everyone together. Pitchforks, rifles, knives. Whatever it takes.”
“You should call a family meeting. If your father agrees, we could have a town hall and see how much support we can get.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“That a girl,” Jasper said. “You always were a smart little thing. Even that time you got stuck in the dumbwaiter.”
I groaned. “Don’t mention that. I still have nightmares.”
“It was one of many times I had to stifle my laughter,” Jasper said.
I blew him a kiss. “Tell the staff our plan, and I’ll get back to you later if I’m able to get Mama and Papa to agree.”
Jasper nodded, and off I went.