Page 103 of The School Mistress (Emerson Pass Historicals 1)

“Don’t worry. All will be well.” I said it but was unsure myself. The only people who would want her would take her in only in exchange for working on their farm or business. I wanted more for her. A warm, loving home with parents who cared for her.

“Did they shoot him dead?” she asked. “Tell me exactly.”

“He tried to run away, and the sheriff shot him.”

“Did he really kill Noah’s dad?”

“Do you remember that night he was chasing you and you heard the bullets?” I asked.

“Yes.” Tears rolled down her cheeks.

“He killed him. We’re not sure why.”

“Because he saw Pa chasing me, wasn’t it? Pa didn’t want anyone to know what he did to me.”

“I believe that’s right.”

“Does it mean I’m a bad person?” she asked. “Because Pa was bad?”

“No, you’re not a bad person. You’re a little girl who has had to overcome a lot just to survive. You’ll never have to be chased or go hungry again.”

“How do you know?”

“Because Lord Barnes and I are going to make sure and find you a nice family. We’re always going to look after you.”

She put her head back in my lap and wept fresh tears until she finally fell asleep.

Chapter 32

Alexander

* * *

I knocked on Rachel’s front door late that afternoon. Would knowing what happened to Samuel give her some peace? I couldn’t be certain. I knew only how much I dreaded telling her.

Rachel opened the door herself and stepped outside, squinting in the sunlight. “The kids are all sick. I don’t want to expose you.” She buttoned her coat.

“Theo too,” I said.

“Is he all right? I can see on your face that something’s happened.”

“He’s fine. In fact, Quinn sent this over with me.” I reached inside my jacket for the herbal concoction Mrs. Wu had made. “Put a teaspoon of this in tea and have them drink it all. I can’t swear to it, but I think it saved my boy.”

She eyed it suspiciously but put it in her coat pocket.

“We know who killed Samuel,” I said.

She drew in a long breath. “Tell me.”

As much as I hated to tell the foul story, I relayed everything I knew, ending with Kellam’s death. “He tried to run, and Lancaster killed him. Finally that idiot did the right thing.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out toward the woodshed. “It wasn’t about me or the kids, after all. He was killed because he happened to be there just at the moment Kellam came through chasing his poor child. I’ve no doubt that he would have tried to stop him. He did try to stop him.”

“He died trying to protect an innocent child,” I said. “Which makes him a hero.”

“He was always my hero,” she said. “I miss him every moment of the day.”

“I know.”