There was the barest shake of the head. Dark circles around Stevens’s eyes made them appear sunken in his pallid face. “I need rest,” he murmured. “Please. No...doctor.”

He drifted off. Ashley rose up beside her brother. “Maybe we shouldn’t let him sleep. God, David, what if he’s really hurt? What if he dies—”

“He’ll be okay, Ash. The wound’s not that bad.”

“What do you know about wounds? We should call the police.”

“You want Barky arrested?”

She shot him a look and pushed past him to the kitchen, where she dumped out the kettle on the wood stove and refilled it with fresh water. She checked the fire, crossed her arms and paced.

David put his hand on the doorjamb. “This guy doesn’t want a doctor, either. He must have a reason.”

“Damn.”

“I’ve been thinking, Ash. Maybe you’re right— maybe this Stevens and Carruthers are jewel thieves or something. Barky stiffed Stevens somehow thirty years ago and now he wants revenge.”

“I know, I know,” she said impatiently. “But it doesn’t make any sense! How could Barky be a jewel thief?”

“He’s something, Ash.”

She dropped her arms to her sides; her hands felt cold. “He’s our uncle, dammit. He’s a farmer. He—”

“Maybe he became those things. Ash, what do we really know about Barky’s life before he came to Massachusetts? Not a damn thing.”

“If Barky was a jewel thief before we were born, David, and Stevens does actually have a bone to pick with him. What’ll he stoop to in order to protect himself? He could have killed Stevens.”

“But he didn’t,” David pointed out reasonably.

“I know. I just...I just wish the hell I knew what he was doing, why...where he is. David, what are we going to do?”

They went back to the living room and stood over MacGregor Stevens. The ice was melting, dripping down his neck. Ashley shuddered. “He looks awful.”

“It’s a nasty bump, but he’s not hurt anywhere else.” David gave a weak smile. “Unlike some of us. Ash, think you can watch him on your own?”

“Yes, but why?”

“I’m going out and have a look around. If Barky’s skulking around out there, maybe I can get him to tell us what’s going on, to quit the bullshit. I don’t know—it’s something to do.”

She nodded. “Be careful. I mean—” Catching herself, she tried to smile. “It’s all right. Barky would never hurt you.”

In places, they had to walk in near-freezing water that was up to their thighs. It would have been better if the swamp were frozen, but they couldn’t wait. They’d had to leave now, tonight. Often, the reeds and rushes grew tall, above their heads, and were so thick they couldn’t see one another. Speaking was forbidden. It was a pitch-dark night, cold. He could sense the fear in all of them. That was all right, he thought. Only an imbecile would not have been afraid.

As promised, they came to a spot of high ground. They stamped their feet, but it was useless. Silently, he told himself there was no cause for worry. There was only a short distance more. In a little while, they could all relax and shout for joy. He thought of Viennese coffee, and his body quaked with the pain of wanting, of being cold and afraid.