“Good Lord, what kind of someone? It can’t just be anybody. You have to have feelings for them, don’t you? And don’t they have to have feelings for you?” She considered how ridiculous this conversation was, especially as she’d been trying to impress the same point on Ada, who was thirteen.
“There’s a purpose to everything, Charlotte. I’m guided by a wisdom much greater than my own. I have faith and so should you.”
The image of his music came to her, the voices, his Others, and her heart went out to him.
“No matter what happens, this time promise me that I will see you again,” she said.
“You’re my daughter,” he said.
43
43
Ada closed the door on Charlotte for the afternoon.
“You’re not allowed in the mess hall kitchen either.” Charlotte started to open her mouth. “No protests, no arguments.” Ada’s eyes twinkled. “How does it feel?”
“I was never that bossy,” Charlotte said but she was smiling. She took a book and her coat and wandered around the fort until she finally settled at a desk in the schoolroom.
It was only minutes before Chace was there.
“How did you find me?”
“In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s nowhere else to go.”
He sat down on the bench beside her.
“I didn’t want them to do anything,” she said.
“It’s not what you think.”
“You know?”
“They wanted my answer first.”
“Why?”
“They just did.”
“And even though I don’t know the question, what was your answer?”
“It was yes.”
“All right, I’ll give up on that. How did your conversation with my father go?”
“He asked questions, about Grandfather, the old ones, lots of things. He talked to Ellis and Miller about the wagon train. He wanted to know what happened to the parents.”
“He did? Then he does care. How would you say he was?”
“I don’t know. Quiet.”
“He’s got a lot on his mind,” Charlotte said.
“Like what? Hopefully not you and me.”
“No, not right now anyway. He just couldn’t see a solution to the problem with the child. Then he found one.”
“What is it?”
“He says he’s going to have another child of his own.”
“He is? When did he decide this?”
“Last night.”
“He doesn’t give up,” Chace said.
“No, he doesn’t.”
“He would have made a good warrior.”
“I hope that thought would be deeply appreciated by him if he’d only stayed to hear it.”
Brewster appeared in the doorway.
“Is it time?” Charlotte said.
“It is time. Or Ada might explode.”
<>
Charlotte hesitated, then opened the door. In addition to all the other meager but devoted elements in her celebration repertoire, Ada had exceeded herself with curtains of colored ribbons hung from the ceiling and silver streamers that twirled and caught the light.
“Ada, how beautiful!” Charlotte said and hugged her hard.