he could succeed unless they could do something. “We have to get out of here.” She renewed her struggles against the ropes.
“Delcie.” His quiet voice stilled her efforts. “Calm down. Save your energy for something productive.”
“I have to try.” Her shoulders hurt from the effort and her wrists were raw. “I don’t know what else to do.”
“There will be a search party looking for us.”
“Who will ever find us? They’ve left an invisible trail.”
“God sees.”
“True.” But that didn’t help anyone looking for them.
Ryder must have had the same idea. “We’ll wait until there is an opportunity we can use.”
She wondered what that could be. Here they were. Tied tightly. A long way from town. Hidden trails. And not even able to call for help for fear the children would be hurt if she did.
“In the meantime, let’s think about something else. Tell me about Sophie.”
Her heart beat warmer as she recalled the cousin she had loved so dearly. “In many ways we were like sisters. She was two years older than me, but we were both only children born late to our parents. We lived next door to each other, so we grew up together.”
Ryder smiled as she talked. “I can tell how much you cared for her.”
She gave a rueful chuckle, careful to keep her voice low. “I didn’t like it when she married and moved a few blocks away, though we remained close. Her husband—Neville— died when Sally was two years old. Sophie’s parents had both died by then so she moved in with us and I helped as much as I could. My parents fell ill that winter, and that left the two of us alone to care for them.” Her chest felt heavy at the remembrance of those days. Dark and fearful as her parents grew weaker. “The children were such a bright spot in our days.”
“I can well imagine. My daughter’s name was Myra. She was so cheerful I called her Merry Myra.”
“That’s sweet. I can’t imagine how much you miss her.” She glanced at the children. Both appeared to be asleep. “If anything happens to them…” Her throat closed off and she couldn’t finish. “What happened to Myra, if you don’t mind me asking?”
He looked away then slowly brought his gaze to her. His eyes were dark pools of pain.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. Forget I did.”
“She and her mother, Mirabelle, died in their sleep. Suffocated by gas with the damper closed. I had warned her of it so many times. But she said there wasn’t any point in the heat all going up the chimney. I had gone to buy a horse and returned to find them…” He ducked his head.
She could hear him swallow. “Ryder, I am so sorry.”
“Is there any pain that compares with that of laying your loved ones in the cold ground?” Every word carried a whiff of ice. “But then, you too have laid loved ones down.”
Not a child. How did one say good-bye to a child? She glanced toward the children. Please, God. Protect them. Rescue them. Rescue us all.
She turned her attention back to Ryder’s whispers.
“I wrapped Myra in her favorite blanket and put her rag doll in with her.” He shivered. “As if it made any difference. I knew she was in heaven with her mama, but I had to do something to ease my pain.” He drew in a long breath. “At least they didn’t suffer.” His attention riveted on the children. “Children should not suffer.”
She too looked at Kent and Sally again. Her insides grew hard as rock. They must not suffer because of their uncle’s greed.
“I thought I would never care for anyone again.” Ryder spoke slowly, his voice low. “Until I met Sally and Kent.” His voice hardened. “I feel so helpless trussed up like a prairie chicken and unable to do anything.”
She watched him struggle against his ropes and prayed he would be able to loosen them, but, with a groan, he stilled. Sweat beaded his forehead. It hurt to see him so distressed.
“Do you want to hear more about Sophie?” She took his silence for agreement and pulled forth one of her fondest memories. “When we were about eleven and thirteen, her parents gave us permission to go to the store by ourselves. It wasn’t the first time, but this time was different. Sophie was so grown up. And yet she still included me. We purchased the few things Aunt had asked her to get then Sophie said