Chapter 21

Otis's fingers moved with ardent fervor across the piano keys, pounding out a melody that filled the room for him alone. He

tried to capture the feelings that had started out as a whisper but now shouted relentlessly. Sadie had changed him. He missed

her, and not in the same way he had missed his father all those years ago. With Sadie there were no wounds to heal, no all-consuming

regrets. What he felt when she was near was sweet and pure. She inspired him, and now with her gone, he longed for her return.

Her letters were a solace but no substitute for her presence.

With more urgency, he played, thinking of Elisabeth now and his protective need to find her. He must! He had to. He'd heard

back from two other orphanages, both claiming they did not have his niece. The lawyer had no new information for him. And

so he waited.

Let them come home , the notes sang, pleading for both Sadie and Elisabeth.

Otis stayed at the piano for hours. His house was too quiet, the rooms too empty, but here at his piano, with music filling

the air, he felt a measure of hope.

"You've a letter," Leon said, appearing out of nowhere.

Otis flew from the piano bench and crossed the room in two long strides.

"Thank you," he said, reaching out like a starved man who'd been offered a loaf of bread.

"I expect the consulting doctor will be there today. Once Sadie knows the prognosis, she may decide to return."

"I told Sadie to stay as long as she needs to. If Marvin—or whatever his name is—seeks her out, she may never come back."

"She's a bright gal. She'll do what's best." Leon moved to leave but stopped in front of a framed portrait on the wall of

Otis's father as a boy. His grandparents and an uncle Otis had never met were all standing stiff and still beside him. "I

don't know if it's important, but Peter seemed distraught today."

"Do you think Sadie is not telling us the extent of her troubles?"

"I think Peter may have troubles of his own." Leon turned away from the portrait. "Could be money troubles."

"You mentioned once my reopening the factory." Otis's grip on the letter tightened. "I had not planned to stay here...

but if I did—" His voice stuck in his throat. "If I did, he could move to Monti and work here, at the old factory. It might

help him make ends meet."

"It's a good option. A lot of people would benefit from your staying."

"I'm not promising it." His old stubbornness flared.

"A woman with sisters is likely going to want to be settled somewhere near her family." Leon pulled out his pocket watch and

checked the time. "Hurry and read that. I know you'll be wanting me to catch Peter so you can send word back."

Otis shook his head but could not keep the smile from his face. "I'm going to read my letter now, but not because you told me to."

"Of course not." Leon smirked and then left the room, whistling as he went.

The letter began with words full of gratitude for Otis's kindness in sending the doctor. Sadie offered to repay him when she

was able, which made him scowl. He would have to convince her that his gift came with no expectation and that repayment was

not only unnecessary but unwanted.

... When my father was last awake, he asked after you. And then he expressed his desire to thank you in person. You will

forever be revered in the West home as the hero who came to our rescue in a moment of deepest despair.

Being home has been lovely. Every moment I am here reminds me of what I have been working for. I will sort feathers until

my last breath if my efforts will in any way aid those I love.

There I go, rambling again. I apologize; you no doubt have enjoyed your quiet house, and now even in a letter, I go on and

on. You seem to loosen my tongue and my pen.

He shook his head. She had no idea how much he missed everything about her presence, including the sound of her voice.

... I'm grateful you have given me permission to use your name. Telling my sisters about our time together is much easier

now. They find you very mysterious and exciting.

I have something else I need to discuss with you. It cannot be written. I suppose it could, but I don't have the right words. It's a pressing matter that weighs heavy on my mind and heart. When I see you, I will tell all.

"Leon!" he shouted as he stormed down the hall.

"Did you need something?" Leon asked after Otis nearly collided with him near the back door where Leon was pulling a coat

on, despite the warm weather. "Mildred's needing a few things."

"I don't mean to keep you. But if I wanted to go... if I had to go to the West farm... how would I do that?"

"Has Sadie's father worsened?" He froze with only one arm inside his woolen coat. "The doctor sent word saying he would be

there today. I had hoped for good news."

"It's not about the doctor." How was he to explain that something deep in the pit of his stomach called him to leave his prisonlike

mansion and go to Sadie? "There is something else worrying her. I don't know what it is, but I thought if I went there, I

could assist."

"And you wish to travel unseen?"

Otis nodded and absently tugged at his hat. "I'd prefer to leave without causing a stir. The masquerade will be here soon

enough—everyone can gawk then." His neck went rigid as he realized going to the West farm would mean seeing not only Sadie

but also the rest of her family. In person, would they still believe him mysterious and exciting? "It was a foolish idea,

forget I asked," he muttered. "She has her family. They can help her with whatever it is that's troubling her."

Leon abandoned his coat, pulling it off and putting it back on its peg. He moved in front of Otis and looked him directly in the eyes. "My boy, you've got to trust yourself. If you feel that you should go, go."

"What if I'm not being compelled to go and I just want to go because I am tired of being a lonely hermit? It's not her job

to fix that." He glanced away from the door and back toward the depth of his cell, ready to lose himself in tedious accounts.

"She'll come when she's ready. If she chooses to."

"She writes to you," Leon said softly. "Not to me or to Mildred, but to you. And from the sounds of it she's also shared important

things with you."

"Yes, well, she wrote to Marvin too."

"That man practically ignored her for two years. And now her family is struggling, and where is he? Why isn't he helping?

He's not deserving of her."

"On that we can agree."

"Can we also agree that neither Mildred nor I have taken a drive into the country for a very long time?"

"I don't know when you ventured out last. I will have to default to your answer on that."

"It's been a long time. With your permission I will go and ready the horses, and whoever wants to go for a jaunt into the

country may come along. We will keep the shades closed so no one can look in on us. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to

go and tell my wife." Leon turned and walked away from Otis, leaving him with his mouth open, staring at the older man's back.

Everything that came after happened quickly. Otis managed a muttered, "I'll go." Mildred bustled about, insisting on packing a meal for the Wests, and Leon made sure the house was in order before they left. Otis scowled as he readied himself but still managed to be the first one waiting by the door.

***

The Wests' rooster was large and red with a green sheen to his neck and tail feathers. When he crowed, he sounded like an

old man with a chest cold. He was mild tempered, and that fact alone had earned him a long-standing place of honor on the

farm. Sadie stood just outside the coop, listening to the bird bellow at the sun that had been up for well over half the day.

Her heart was heavy. Her home had once been a respite from the troubles of the world, but now there were troubles at their

threshold.

"I think you may miss Old Red more than us. You've left us all for the rooster," Molly said as she stepped beside her. "He's

looking old, don't you think?"

"I feel older today too."

"There's something wrong. Are you missing Otis?"

Sadie turned away from the chickens and faced Molly. Molly's hair was pulled back in a loose braid that ran halfway down her

back. She wore a pair of Pa's trousers with her shirt tucked in. Her skin was suntanned from her many hours working the fields,

which she'd done for the very same reasons Sadie sorted feathers.

"There are things about the Taylor mansion I miss," Sadie said, choosing her words carefully.

"You heard the new doctor. He's going to take Pa to Des Moines for surgery. You don't have to stay here. You can go back to

Monticello."

"I am grateful for the doctor and his news." She sighed, unable to fully hide the tumult of feelings she harbored inside.

"If it's not Pa and it's not Otis, then what has you so distracted?"

She couldn't fully confide in Molly. Otis deserved to know about Bessy first. So instead she said, "You know how Violette always wants to know all the gossip?"

"She's a regular busybody."

"I have never wanted all the gossip, except at the duster factory, but that was just because sorting feathers is so dull.

But now I know something, and I don't know what to do with it." Sadie grabbed her sister's calloused hand and squeezed it.

"I wonder if we'll ever find our footing again. Lately life feels like one storm after another."

Molly's brows creased together. "I can't make sense of you. Does this have something to do with the way Otis looks? You said

he looks different."

"No, I don't care about his looks. People can gossip all they want about that. Who decided all handsome men must look the

same?" She smiled, thinking of her similar conversation with Otis only days before. Her smile vanished the moment she saw

Otis's face in her mind. His blue eyes... Bessy's eyes. "I can't tell you what it is, but will you promise to believe that

I don't want to hurt anyone?"

"I could never believe ill of you."

The sound of company coming pulled them apart and ended their conversation before it had concluded naturally. Dust plumed

behind an incoming carriage, rising high like a cloud as it bumped along the ruts of the old road.

"Who do you suppose..." Molly muttered. "Come on."

Leon's wrinkled, friendly face became clear as the incoming carriage rolled closer. His grin as he pulled back on the horses

was a welcome sight.

"Hello there," Leon called from up high on his seat. "Mildred insisted on bringing a meal to the family, and Wolf was missing

you."

Sadie's heart soared high the moment she saw Leon's mischievous smile.

"That was kind." She introduced Molly to Leon and welcomed him to her family's land. Mildred stepped out of the carriage,

a basket hanging over one arm, while she rubbed at her back with her free hand. Molly immediately greeted her and then took

her offering and led her toward the house, leaving Sadie to stare at the closed door of the carriage. Her shoulders drooped.

The door squeaked, opening again as Wolf bounded out and a man's boot appeared.

"Otis!" Sadie gasped as the door swung fully open. She couldn't take her eyes off him. He was here. On her land. Like a dream,

her worlds were colliding.

"Sadie." He took long strides until he stuttered to a stop directly in front of her. He didn't look at her beautiful land

or her humble home. He didn't look at her family's animals or the crops. His gaze was focused only on her. She could feel

the weight of it as he searched her face, and in that moment she wished for more than his eyes grazing her cheek. She longed

for his arms to take her in an embrace that would fully close the distance between them.

"You're here." She could only hope that just as she felt the significance of his gaze, he would feel through her words how

much she'd missed him.

"I'm here," he whispered back in a husky voice. "Mildred likes feeding people."

"Indeed."

A horse whinnied, interrupting their reunion. Sadie took a half step backward and clasped her hands together. It was time

to play hostess, and that could not be done on the dusty driveway, daydreaming about her employer and wrestling her fickle

emotions. She cleared her throat. "You've got to meet my family."

Something shifted. Otis's features, which had been so soft and inviting, went tight with fear. She touched his arm. "They are safe—all of them. They will see you as I do."

"You must think me a weak man." He looked at his feet.

"No. You are at the edge of your fear. That makes you strong, not weak." He looked up, and unspoken words passed between them.

He wasn't ready, but she would help him. "Come and see the farm first, and then we'll go inside. It will mean so much to my

father to meet you and thank you."

"You've very few trees," Otis said, steering the conversation away from his generosity. He straightened, looking less fearful

as they began to walk together with the dog they were both so fond of beside them.

"My sisters must have taken Mildred and Leon into the house." She looked around for them, not wanting to neglect her other

guests. "Should I go and check on them?"

"Go look for them if you want. I'll have the chickens give me a tour of your land."

"Nonsense. If you let the chickens out, we'll have to spend all our time chasing them. I'll stay by you, and my sisters can

look after Mildred and Leon." She patted his arm before pointing. "Over there are the wheat fields. I think they look like

a sea when the wind blows."

"And those?" he asked, pointing to a nearby stretch of land.

"Those are the fields Molly could not get to this year. We didn't have money to hire someone to plant, so she's done it mostly

on her own." She led him away from the carriage and farther into the fields. "Have you skated since I left?"

"No. I read your rule but could not decide what proper skating form was. Do you think you could show me?"

"All right. Watch carefully. If a skater is fully upright, they are prone to falling." She bent forward slightly and moved as though she were skating. "See how being bent like this helps with stability? Give me a nudge if you don't believe me." His face screwed up skeptically, but when she nodded, he pushed on her shoulder. She flinched but didn't fall.

He bent forward, much farther than necessary. His backside and head were on nearly the same plane. "Like this?"

"No." She laughed. "But that stance will draw a lot of attention. When I return, we will practice together. We're almost out

of time."

"We could wait until the next masquerade and pretend we mixed up the dates."

"No, that would cause an uproar."

"Unfortunately, I think you're right. I've been receiving countless letters from people letting me know how they anticipate

my return. If I don't show up, they'll come knocking on my door."

"I'm surprised Alta has not been waiting by the gate to catch the first glimpse of your return."

"If she shows up unannounced, I'll send Wolf to scare her off. He's been rather grouchy since you left and would probably

enjoy growling at someone."

She stopped walking and turned to the blue dog. "You haven't been grouchy, have you?"

He, of course, made no coherent response, but he did step close and lean his head against her skirt. She scratched his ears,

earning a contented whimper from the animal.

"He doesn't seem grouchy to me."

"His spirits improved the moment we turned toward your farm."

"It's hard to be unhappy on West land. Even with everything we've gone through, it still feels good here." They continued their tour, making their way to the old barn. "My sisters and I spent half our childhood in this old barn. The loft was our kingdom. We played pretend up there, and I used to write my stories in the loft while looking out the big front window. And now, as adults, we often go up there when we need to console one another."

"Is there a strict female-only policy?"

She pulled her mouth to one side. "We've never had someone of your sex ask to see our realm. As the eldest, I will have to

consider this."

"Take your time, General." He waited while she tapped her lip in thought.

"I believe we will make a rule that says men willing to enter and abide by our rules may come up. You will be the first."

"Your Marvin never asked to see it?"

"No. I don't think I ever told him about it, and I'm not so sure he is my Marvin. Though I imagine I'll know soon enough."

She pulled the giant door on the front of the barn open for him, refusing to spend her time with Otis worrying over Marvin

and his lackluster letters or the fact that he'd not come calling.

"Hmm," was all the response Otis made.

"Follow me—I want to show you." She led him up the ladder to the loft. Where hay should have been, there were four chairs,

a table, and shelves covered with corncob dolls, jacks, and other remnants of a happy childhood. She ought to feel vulnerable,

sharing something so dear with him, but she did not. Instead, her feelings were the opposite. An eagerness to build an image

of what had transpired over the years in this very spot prodded her along, making her grin and point and tell him in a hurried

voice about her happy memories.

As the last story hung in the air, a feeling of magic filled the fantasy world. For a few contented moments, they were both captured by it. But silence was not good. It let other thoughts in. All this talk of childhood led her mind to Bessy. Her conscience spoke up in the quiet, refusing to let her lose herself in the enchanting moment. It whispered, soft and then louder, and reminded her of the secret she knew.

"I need to talk to you..."