The Problem Child (Emerson Pass Historicals 4)

Cymbeline

Iwoke with a start when we pulled into our driveway. I’d fallen asleep in a car? In the middle of the day?

“I’m sorry,” I said to Viktor. God, I hope I hadn’t snored or drooled. “Did I do anything embarrassing?”

“Besides looking like a sleeping angel?”

“I’m sure that’s not true.” He made my tummy feel all warm when he said things like that. Love had turned me into a simpering fool already. “Thank you for this morning. I’m sure you had better things to do with your Saturday morning than spend it watching me jump.”

“I can’t think of anything more important.”

“I’m not sure I could do this without you. How ridiculous I’ve become. Relying on a boy.”

He smiled and reached over to caress the side of my face. “You’re doing very well.”

“We could go back up tomorrow afternoon,” I said. “But there will be others on the mountain.”

“You should ask your brother if we can have an hour before he opens to the public,” Viktor said.

“Will that give us away?”

“No more than anything else will.” Viktor turned to the front window of his car. Snow had began to fall. “I should probably get home before the roads get bad again. I hate to leave you.”

“I don’t know if we’ll be at church tomorrow. It depends on Addie.”

“You’re going to be the strongest jumper on that mountain. Or at least we’ll try, right?” His green eyes were clear as he gazed across the seat at me.

“Thanks again.” I looked around to make sure there were no prying Barnes eyes and gave him a quick kiss. “See you soon.”

“Yes. Addie’s in my prayers tonight.”

I gave his hand one more squeeze before jumping from the car and heading inside to my family. It was nearing one, which meant everyone had probably eaten. Hopefully, Lizzie had something for me downstairs.

No, she wouldn’t. She had Saturdays off, a tradition we’d always had. Staff had the entire day off, and the Barnes family took care of themselves. When I was a child, we’d loved Saturdays because it meant time in the barn with animals. Flynn and I especially had loved being outside doing physical activity.

I stopped in the foyer, listening for the sounds of my family. An eerie silence greeted me. My heart beat in my throat as I climbed the stairs. Grimacing from my already sore and stiff muscles, I hesitated at the top of the stairs before heading down the hallway to Addie’s room. The door was ajar a few inches. I peeked my head through the space and was surprised to see Addie sitting up in bed looking surprisingly well. Mama was reading on the window seat.

“Hello?” I bustled into the room, buoyed by the sight of Addie with a slight pink in her cheeks. A history textbook was open on the bed. She was well enough to be studying? Surely this was a good sign?

“Hi, Cym,” Addie said.

I rushed over to perch on the side of the bed. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, my tummy’s been fine all day. I had some of Lizzie’s broth and it didn’t hurt me.”

Mama had come to stand on the other side of the bed. “Theo wants to see how she reacts to certain foods. So far, we’ve only had broth. We’re going to try the blandest of foods first.”

As glad as I was that she was feeling better, having only broth wasn’t enough food to make a full recovery. She needed to put on weight. “I’m so glad, pet,” I said out loud. “What food will we try next?”

“Lizzie’s working on some potato soup,” Mama said. “She insisted on coming in on her day off to make it for Addie.”

“Can I help?” I asked. “Where’s everyone else?”

“Delphia and your papa are working in the barn today,” Mama said. “Fiona had errands in town but should return any moment. She had to pick up her new dress for the dance next weekend.”

The fall dance. Every second Friday in November, we had one to celebrate the start of our winter activities. If the pond in town had frozen over by then, we followed up with a skating party the next day. The dances had been Mama’s idea. Skating was fun for all ages, but the dances were an opportunity for men to have an occasion to take their love out for a special occasion. I’d forgotten all about it with all the worry over Addie.

“Are you going, Cym?” Addie asked.

“I don’t know,” I said. Would Viktor like to take me? He hadn’t said anything about it.

“Will Viktor take Emma?” Addie asked. “Are you going to be jealous if he does?”

“What do you know about all that?” I asked.

“I have ears,” Addie said. “People talk.”

“Well, little missy, if you must know, we’ve had a surprise twist in the story of Viktor and Emma.”

Both Mama and Addie seemed to perk up with excitement. They both loved a good story.

“Viktor was only taking Emma around to make me jealous.” I sounded like our rooster crowing. “She has a fiancé who has arrived in town. I met him at the club the other night. Viktor had to confess that they were only friends and had hoped rile up my competitive nature.”

“Did it work?” Mama’s brown eyes sparkled.

“Yes, it did,” I said, sounding less like the rooster. “I’m ashamed to say, I was terribly jealous and have had many dark thoughts about Emma Hartman.”

Mama tutted. “Cymbeline, if you’d simply admit to your feelings, you’d save yourself a lot of troubles.”

“Yes, Mama.”

“Where have you been? You smell a bit ripe,” Mama said as if she were only just noticing me.

“I’ve been practicing my ski jumps,” I said. “With Viktor.” I added this last part for dramatic effect.

“Really?” Mama asked.

“Didn’t Flynn mention it?” I asked. “He saw us this morning.”

“No, he hasn’t been by,” Mama said.

Strange. He’d said he was on his way to see Addie. Had something waylaid him?

“Shannon came by.” Addie plucked a bookmark of a pressed violet from her study book. “She brought me this.”

What had happened to Flynn? Had something come up after I’d seen him at the lodge? A spark of fear caused the hairs at the back of my neck to stand up. I could not seem to shake this worry that Flynn was involved with something he shouldn’t be.

“Where did you get those knickers?” Mama asked. “Where have you been going every morning?”

“Out. For exercise.” I hadn’t thought anyone noticed my early-morning activities. Perhaps I was wrong? “I haven’t woken you, have I?”

“My love, there’s nothing that goes on in this house that I don’t know about.” Mama’s voice was gentle, but a trace of concern gave it a slight edge.

“I’m sorry if I’ve disturbed you.”