Page 78 of The Formation of Us

After supper, Cora rushed into the house with a note clutched in her hand. “A man said to give this to you.”

Faith had her hands in dishwater, so Aster read the note to her.

“‘Time for us to settle this matter’,” she said, a scowl drawing her white eyebrows down. “‘Meet me in the greenhouse tonight at ten o’clock. Come alone. I won’t take no for an answer.’”

Faith’s blood turned to ice and she froze with her hands in the water.

Aster’s face turned as white as her hair.

Tansy dropped the pan she was drying. It landed on the floor with abongand rolled into the wall. “God in heaven, who sent that?”

“It doesn’t say.”

Iris and Dahlia rushed from their bedchambers. “What happened?”

Fingers trembling, Aster passed the note to Iris. “I think Judge Stone has found us.”

Iris and Dahlia read the note, and Dahlia slammed her hand on the table. “I swear I’ll kill that man.”

Cora cast a frightened look at Faith.

“Come here, honey” Faith wiped her hands on her apron then opened her arms. “Who gave you the note?”

“A man did,” Cora said, rushing into Faith’s protective embrace.

“What did he look like?”

“A bear with white hair.”

Faith had seen several white-haired men in the village, but the only man who would write a note like that was Judge Stone. Her stomach clutched with fear, knowing he had approached Cora and could have easily taken her, and would have done so deliberately to remind her of his power. She looked for Adam and panicked.

“Where’s Adam?”

“Under the bridge with Rebecca,” Cora said. “He told me not to come down there by the water.”

Faith trembled with fury and fear. Adam was supposed to be watching Cora while Faith was cleaning up. Instead he was flirting! Was that all boys and men could think about?

She handed Cora to Dahlia. “We need to make a plan. I’ll be right back with Adam.”

She stormed to the bridge that crossed Canadaway Creek at Water Street, and saw him sitting on the bank with Rebecca. “Adam Steven Dearborn! Get up here this instant!”

His head snapped up, and he stared in shock.

She had never screamed at him, but she was terrified. “Judge Stone just gave Cora a note while you were down here playing. He could have taken her!”

Adam’s eyes widened, and he clawed his way up the bank. “Is he here?”

“Somewhere, yes. And he’s coming back.”

“I got to go,” Adam yelled to Rebecca, then ran for the house.

Faith followed him, not caring if the neighbors saw her mad flight. She wanted to get inside and bar the door. She wished she could run for Duke, but how could she ask for his help without confessing everything? What a mess she’d made for herself. What a grave she’d dug when she cheated Stone of the prize he wanted.

Faith gathered at the table with her aunts and slowly formed a plan. At nine-thirty that night, she slipped out to the greenhouse with Aster and Iris, leaving Tansy and Dahlia behind to guard Adam and Cora. She lit a lantern on the counter, then lowered the wick to keep the interior deeply shadowed. They armed themselves with clubs and a strong rope, then crouched between flats of plants to wait for the judge.

A few minutes after ten o’clock, the door swung open. Iris leapt forward with a grating growl and beaned the man on the head with a three foot piece of leftover lumber. He clutched his head and fell into a flat of wintergreen. Aster leapt at him with her club, and Faith rushed forward with the rope.

“Stop!” Patrick Lyons thrust his hand up to block Aster’s swing. “What the hell are you women doing?”