“He’s trading it,” Brewster said.

“To whom?  For what?”

“I don’t know.”

Charlotte’s eyes lit with a smile.  Nothing had changed.  The pheasant feather was beautiful.  She put it next to the others on the sideboard.

She tried to prepare the ducks for dinner even though her hands were shaking.  Ada set the table using Charlotte’s silver from the velvet-lined box, china instead of tin plates, the candles and oil lamps.

“Is it someone’s birthday and no one told me?”

“It’s even more special than that,” Ada said.  “Isn’t it?”  Charlotte went over and hugged her and refused to cry.  “I don’t put the candles out for just anyone.”

“What should we do?” Charlotte said.  She felt that everyone was nervous.  “Try reading time again?”  The consensus was yes, definitely reading time.

Ada sat with Grace in the rocking chair and picked up where they had left off in a book about a whole family marooned on an island, a favorite topic.  As her voice rose and fell, the door opened and Chace was back.  Ada paused.

“Keep going,” he said.  “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”  The fire was roaring.  He took off the uniform jacket and sat down next to Jeremy, his eyes resting on Charlotte over the candlelight.  The door opened again and reading time was over for good.  Ellis and Miller stepped into the room and both stopped as if they’d walked into a wall.  Chace stood up.

“Two weeks I looked for you,” Ellis said.

“I saw your tracks.  I got your messages.”

“Did you go to the valley?  Did you find him?”

“I did and you know how much I’m obliged to you, for all of that.”

Ellis stepped forward and they closed each other in a warm embrace.  “I’m glad you’re back,” Ellis said, and his voice was rough with emotion.

Chace turned to Miller.  Miller, for a moment lost for words, then spoke in the strange language and Chace answered him in the same odd tongue.  This time Brewster’s eyes grew wide.  Miller, Ada thought.  How could this even be?  Then Chace held Miller hard.  When he let go, Miller had to wipe his eyes with his sleeve.

“Too much,” Chace said.  “It’s been too much.”

“Well, here we are,” Ellis said, “come for Sunday dinner.”

The ducks, grilled in the fireplace, served up a fine meal.

“How did it go?” Chace said.

“You want to talk about it here?  Now?”

“We’re all family,” Charlotte said.  “Consider for a minute.”

“I guess that’s true.”

“How did what go?” Ada said.

“Washington City.”

Brewster frowned.  “That’s where you went?  It must be far.  To the other side of the country.”

“It was far but we had good horses and the last part of the way we rode on a train.”

“Was that same agent with you?” Chace said.  “The one from Fort Pence?”