“There is no computer at the cottage. We explained that the temptation was too great, that Amalie might want to contact her family, what’s left of it, back in France, even though she said she wouldn’t. She swore to us on her mother’s soul that she would not use the computers at the library. We lied and told her we would be able to tell if she did. As far as I know, she honored the promises she made to us.

“They attend church services every Sunday and blend in well in the little community they live in.”

“I guess you gave them new identities,” Harry said. “What are their new names?”

Pearl swallowed hard. When Kathryn banged her fist on the table, Pearl almost jumped out of her skin. “Amalie is now Patricia Olsen. Everyone calls her Patty. Rosalee is Emily Appleton. Before you can ask, the young man she is seeing is Jason Woods. He is studying to be an engineer and works part-time at the Home Builders Depot. He’ll graduate next spring, possibly as early as December of this year. Now you know as much as I know.” Pearl sagged in her chair as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. No one rushed to comfort her.

“Is there a landline at the cottage?” Charles asked.

“No. They just have the special cells we gave them, and they are monitored. I haven’t had a chance to check with our people. This all happened so quick, and the top priority was to clear the clinic. No one is going to talk, I can guarantee that.”

Kathryn leaned across the table. “Now how hard was that?”

“Let me tell you something, Kathryn, it was damn hard. I feel like I betrayed my own mother. I gave my word; I took an oath to all the people I try to protect. With my life if I have to. Don’t you dare judge me. Don’t you dare!”

“I would never judge you, Pearl. That’s for you to do yourself. By not talking, you are the one who is putting the lives of your people in danger. We were not asking you to announce anything to the world at large, just to the people you came to for help. You did the right thing by telling us what we need to know,” Kathryn said. Then, because Kathryn was Kathryn, she had to add, “Besides, it was time for you to come off that high horse you rode in here on.”

Pearl didn’t trust herself to say anything, so she kept quiet and simply nodded. She did, however, reach across the table to shake Kathryn’s hand.

“Charles, for the third time, what’s for dinner?” Kathryn demanded.

“Ah, yes, dinner. How does spaghetti and meatballs sound? Fergus made bread this morning, that crusty Italian you love so much, Kathryn. And fresh peach ice cream. I was up early this morning and at the farmers’ market for the first load of peaches. I’m not going to guarantee the spaghetti and meatballs because Annie and Myra called in their order a little late in the day. I do guarantee that it will be tasty, though.”