While Tom talks, Kelly has a drink and stows the flask in hiscoat pocket. “Crimes aren’t solved unless they’re reported, Craddock. Speak tothe police for her, just as you’re doing now.”
Tom exhales with frustration. “We’ll do that eventually. Rightnow we need an alibi for Hester to be away from home. You can provide that,Doctor.”
“Why does she need an alibi?”
“To search for the murder site on Settler’s Ridge.
Kelly shifts his weight and the snow under his shoe makes acrunching sound. “What are you thinking, man? It’s dangerous up there. Hestercould get hurt.”
“That won’t happen, Doc. I’ll protect her.”
“Perhaps you’ve been with cattle too long and have forgottenhow civilized people behave. Gentlemen don’t subject ladies…”
Not wanting Tom and Kelly to fight again, I interrupt and signsomething the doctor recently taught me. He groans, and I sense that he hasgiven up the fight. Irony is at last in my favor.
What was that you did just now? Tom asks, our mindslinked again.
Smiling, I repeat the sign and translate. It’s an idiom. Itold Kelly he’s full of hot air.
The doctor counts under his breath and paces. After a fewminutes, he returns to Tom and me. “Answer me one thing, Hester. Will youcontinue with this scheme if I refuse to help?”
I nod and Tom says, “Hell yes.”
“Just as I suspected.” Kelly sighs like a man about to embarkon a doomed voyage. “Very well then. I’m in.”
The two men make arrangements as we pack up and ride back totown. The storm is nearly over and snowflakes fall sporadically, touching myface now and again like an icy kiss. Dr. Kelly follows Tom and me to the Revels.He leaves his horse and walks with us to the arbor.
Dulcis Domus. Home sweet home.
Goodnight, Tom. Thank you for doing things my way. I know itwasn’t what you wanted.
Let’s hope it works, love. Give me a proper farewell.
The kiss is possessive—leaving no room for misunderstanding onthe doctor’s part.
“Let the poor girl up for air, Craddock,” Kelly mutters.
Tom releases me, but not immediately, not until Kelly grumblesa bit more. Something about Tom’s parents being unmarried at the time of hisbirth or some such thing.
“Better go, Hester,” the doctor says, taking my elbow and turningme toward the house. “We’ve got big plans for tomorrow. We may even catch akiller.”
13
A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi.
In front a precipice, behind, wolves.
Alarge group of people stand at the back door of our kitchen. It’s free-dinner Monday.This culinary noblesse oblige has been a tradition since The Revels was built.It is my mother’s way of sharing her bounty with the deserving poor. Fatherwants nothing to do with it. He thinks that the words deserving and poorare mutually exclusive.
Cook has made an enormous kettle of venison stew, and skilletsof corn bread. The hungry come with bowls, tin coffee cups, and once, even astraw hat. Cook fills the containers to the brim until the food runs out. It’sfortunate for our visitors the snow has stopped. My mother said the cloudsdeparted early this morning and that the sun had finally come out.
Members of the Ladies Charitable Works Association have come tocall on Mama, and Father is entertaining some of his cronies from thegentlemen’s club in his study. Listening to the grandfather clock chime, Irealize that Kelly will be here soon, ostensibly to pick me up for lessons. Mymother is quite happy about this. It must not have occurred to her to questionthat Cordelia is staying behind. Secretly, I think she’s hoping Kellycompromises me so he’ll be forced to ask for my hand and give me his name.
It’s a sad day when a mother aspires for her child’s corruptionin order to secure said child a hearth and home. I guess a simple dowry doesn’tsuffice in my case.
Cordelia pushes the tea trolley into the winter parlor where afire crackles in the grate. The scent of burning juniper and imported perfume floatsinto the hall. I smile to myself and tip-toe past the parlor. It’s nice to hearMama chatting with her friends. She must be feeling better.
“Is that you, Hester?” Mama calls.
I stop tip-toeing and put a hand on my hip. How did she know Iwas sneaking out? And why ask for me today, why now? She’s never brought me tothe attention of visitors before. I go to the parlor doorway without enteringthe room.
Leaving, I sign. Good afternoon, Mother.
The women murmur among themselves after seeing this. Theessence of their comments boils down to “What the devil was that?”
“Hester is learning sign language,” Mama says. “It replacesspeech. She works so hard at it and learns faster than anyone Dr. Kelly’s everseen. He was just saying so the other day.”
Feminine voices break out again. “Well I never heard thelike… Can you imagine… The miracles of the modern age…”
These same ladies gossiped about me when I went to tea at thehotel with Kelly. Now they are merely showing support for their rich friendLenore Grayson. I could be a performing monkey for all they care.
Our butler steps into the hall and announces the doctor’sarrival. Kelly joins me a few moments later. “Ready to go?” he inquires loudlyenough for all my mother’s friends to hear.
I turn to Mama and sign quickly, Nice-party-you.Me-home-soon.
My mother insists on introducing Kelly to all of the LadiesCharitable Works Association. They praise his skill as a teacher and a few askif he would privately tutor their daughters. Mama excuses us before Kelly cangive them an answer. He leads me out of the house by the elbow.
“That was interesting,” he says, sounding relieved to beoutside. “I was afraid those invitations entailed more than just tutoring.”
Probably marriage, I sign. Single daughters.
“Really? In that case, my tutoring schedule is full.”
I smile at Kelly as he leads me across the drive, toward thestables. Why are we going this way? Usually buggies wait in front of the house.
We stop near the corral. It sounds as if some horses are tiedto the fence. Kelly pushes me toward one of them. “We’re doing somethingdifferent, Hester.
