Perhaps she’d read the truth of their plans from Greta’s mood. Although Greta had tried really hard to mask her sadness, Astrid had pressed a hand against her cheek at bedtime and told her not to worry, that everything would work out the way it was supposed to.

What had Astrid meant? That she planned to run away again so they wouldn’t be able to leave?

Greta prayed the girl had only gone back to the hot spring and hadn’t decided to hide elsewhere. Though Astrid had been safe, she wouldn’t be so lucky twice. Surely Astrid understood that too.

“Astrid,” she said again, knowing it was futile. The silence was too deep, too consuming.

As Greta’s feet touched the cold floorboards, her wildly careening thoughts stumbled to a halt. Usually Astrid’s coughing woke her up at least several times a night. But Greta couldn’t remember waking last night—not even once.

Of course she’d been exhausted after the past few days of so little sleep and worrying about Astrid. Perhaps she’d slept through Astrid’s coughing fits?

Greta shook her head, her long hair falling around her in disarray. The reason she hadn’t heard the coughing was because Astrid had likely run away the moment Greta had fallen asleep. She wouldn’t have been able to take a horse this time, not without waking Wyatt and Judd. No doubt Astrid realized that by foot she’d need a greater head start to find a new hiding place.

Her heart thudding with the urgency to find the girl, Greta donned her clothes, all the while plotting where to go. As she sat down on the edge of the bed to tug up her stockings, she halted.

If Astrid was so determined to stay, even to the point of putting her own life at risk again, then how could she force the child to leave?

Greta let her stocking fall to the floor. For the first time, Astrid was in a place where people loved and wanted her, where she was accepted for being sick, and where she wasn’t shunned or made to feel like an invalid. Here she could be herself and find joy in the simple things of life like other children her age did.

How could she possibly drag Astrid to Denver against her will? The crying and resisting would make her weaker. And then once they got there, would Astrid try running away again?

Greta bowed her head, defeat crashing upon her and crushing her spirit. Was it time to admit she couldn’t find a cure? That Astrid probably wouldn’t fully recover, no matter where she went? That there were no guarantees in Denver any more than here on the ranch?

Maybe the physicians would prolong Astrid’s life by a few months or a few years. But what good would that do if Astrid was miserable?