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"When did you last eat, Madame Andreas?" Jack asked her. She couldn't recall, so he made her some tea and toast. As she ate and drank, her strength began to return and, with it, her memory.

"I knew you had come to fetch me," she said. "I saw you in the mansion one night, but I couldn't let you find me yet. I still hadn't gotten the answer from Grandmere Catherine."

"Where did you stay all this time, Mommy? We searched and searched for you."

"In the beginning, I was here," she said, and I realized that was when Jack had seen the candlelight. "I spent some time in the old shack, too, but one day, a dreadful man came after me, as if he knew I had come home. I hid from him, but he went on a rampage and wrecked the shack, so I fled to another empty shack."

"It was Buster Trahaw."

"Yes," she said. "How did you know?"

I told her some of what had happened, leaving out the most gruesome details, but she was very troubled.

"I was the cause of so much torment and agony," she said, her lips quivering.

"No, you weren't, Mommy. It's not your fault, if the evil intention isn't in your heart. You can't keep the evil out of everyone else's heart. Buster Trahaw was a horrible person and would have tormented someone else if he'd had the chance."

"He probably did," Jack suggested. "Many times before."

"Even so," Mommy said. "If I hadn't run off and you hadn't had to come after me . . ."

"It's over and done, Mommy. Let's not dwell on the past. We have bigger problems facing us," I said and told her more about Pierre's condition and how Daddy had broken his leg and was laid up in the house.

"We should get started right away," she said struggling to sit up. "They need us."

"I think you should get some sleep, madame. Morning's not far off and you can leave as soon as you wake," Jack said. "You won't do anyone any good if you're exhausted," he added.

Mommy smiled. "You have found a very sensible young man, Pearl," she said.

I looked at Jack and smiled. "I know."

Momm

y's eyes were filled with awareness when I looked at her. She turned from me to Jack and then to me again. Then she nodded softly, closed her eyes, and lowered her head to the pillow. A few moments later she was in a deep sleep. I rose from the sofa and Jack came over to put his arm around me as we gazed down at her.

"I think the worst is over for her," he said. "The past is finally buried."

"But what about the future, Jack?"

"I don't know. No one does. You will just do the best you can and hope," he said.

I lowered my head to his shoulder. "I couldn't have done this without you. Thank you."

He kissed the tip of my nose, and I opened my eyes to gaze into his.

"You don't need to thank me," he said. "Let's go back to sleep so we can be of some use tomorrow."

After I made sure Mommy was comfortable and snug, Jack and I returned to bed, and I snuggled up in his arms.

"Jack," I said after a long, quiet moment.

"Yes?"

"Do you believe in the things my mother believes in? Do you think she heard my greatgrandmere's voice at her grave?"

"I know I risk your thinking less of me," he replied, "but yes, I do."

I thought for a moment. "I don't think less of you, Jack."