A Heart's Blessing - Linda Ford Page 0,54

room. Stay here in the kitchen.” She shuddered to think how vulnerable they were if Alonzo would happen to stride into the café. She calmed herself with the knowledge that he would never venture west, a place he considered uncivilized and thus beneath him.

But she didn’t expect he would give up the quest to get the children. Something tugged at the back of her mind. Something she should remember about Alonzo. But the thought wouldn’t come, and she put it down to nerves.

“Do you understand?” She caught each chin and waited for them to nod. It was small comfort.

The morning alternately sped by in a flurry of activity and then slowed to a crawl. The children were out of sorts, and who could blame them?

Several times they asked for Ryder. But he didn’t come. “We’ll have to accept that he isn’t coming. He’s got work to do.” Saying it was harder than accepting it.

The noon meal was over with when the café door opened again. The children rushed to the kitchen door to see who it was.

“Aunt Hilda,” they said with resignation.

“He ain’t coming,” Kent added, and slouched into the bedroom with Sally at his heels. He closed the door hard. Just short of a slam.

Hilda hustled into the room with Mr. Holmen at her heels. “I hear there’s been some excitement.”

Laura and the preacher with some help from Delcie filled her in.

“Goodness. I can’t believe it. Vhere is Mr. Remington? I vould like to thank him.”

“He hasn’t been here today,” Laura said, slanting a sympathetic glance at Delcie.

“I didn’t expect him.” Delcie congratulated herself on managing to sound surprised. Why did Laura think it mattered to her? She only cared because the children were upset by his absence.

“Audrey sent eggs and vegetables,” Mr. Holmen said.

“I’ll help bring them in.” Delcie was glad for an excuse to escape the room and the way Laura and Hilda looked at each other as if sharing pity for Delcie. She didn’t need their pity. Or their sympathy.

She followed Mr. Holmen to the door. Her gaze went unbidden to the establishment next door and she gasped. Her heart in her throat, she drew back. Alonzo. Here? Going into the saddlery shop. Was it a coincidence? Or had Ryder been in cahoots with him the whole time? She quickly reviewed the events of the past day and shook her head. She couldn’t believe he would be helping Alonzo.

Mr. Holmen looked back, saw her hovering inside the café. He must have seen something in her face that informed him all was not well. He hurried to her side. “Miss Morton, what is it?”

Hilda joined them. “Delcie, you are as vhite as a sheet.”

“Alonzo,” she managed to whisper. “He’s here.” Each word scraped from her throat.“Vhere?”

Delcie pointed next door. Her heart raced until she felt faint. “I must get away with the children before he finds us.” She looked around. Where was she to go? “Mr. Holmen, take us with you. We can hide in the back of the wagon.”

“Of course. But how will you get out without being seen?”

“She vill wear my cloak and bonnet. Everyvone will think it is I.”

“Yes. Yes. We must hurry.” She went to the children. “We are going to play a little game and go visit Owen and Willa.” They had met the Holmen children. “You’re going to hide. It’s part of the game.”

Sally looked intrigued. Kent’s look plainly said he knew something was up. And he was prepared to do whatever was necessary to escape the possibility of another kidnapping.

Laura brought a valise from the bedroom. “Things you might need.”

Hilda draped the cape around Delcie’s shoulders and tied her bonnet to Delcie’s head.

Delcie wrapped gray blankets around each child as Mr. Holmen carried in the supplies then carried the children out as if they were sacks.

He returned and helped her to the wagon, staying between her and the saddlery shop.

They rode from town at a sedate pace so as to not attract attention.

Delcie couldn’t pull in a satisfying breath until town was a mile behind them and only after she’d glanced back a few times to make sure no one followed. “You two can stop hiding now, but mind you stay low in the wagon.”

Sally giggled.

Kent sat so he could watch the back trail. He was not fooled.

Ryder guessed the city-looking man who entered his premises to be Alonzo. Thanks to what Sam and Emmet had said, he knew what the man looked like. Sam had been eager to turn