Always by Amy Richie

uncle, that smile froze in place.
    “ Edmund,” I whispered.
    “ Claudia!” Uncle Philip jumped out of his seat and sidestepped around the table so he could embrace me.
    I could only half-heartedly return his hug with Edmund glaring at me. “Claudia,” he nodded curtly.
    “ Hello, Edmund.” I felt the rapid beating of my heart. I couldn’t help but remember how Marcus made my heart react. This was so much different. A strange sort of fear began creeping up my neck.
    “ I know you two have a lot to talk about,” Aunt Dora said with a wink at me, “but first let’s break our fast.” She took my hand and dragged me to sit between her and Edmund.
    “ Hi,” I whispered nervously to him, but he didn’t respond.
    A full plate was put in front of me, but I didn’t know how I was going to be able to eat a single bite. I took a deep breath and piled my fork with fluffy eggs. My hand trembled, but I did manage to get a few bites into my mouth.
    After I was finished, I laid my fork down and sat awkwardly at the table. Aunt Dora happily ate her meal, oblivious to the tension between us. “Think I’ll finish that old fence today,” Uncle Philip commented as if nothing had ever happened.
    “ Claudia,” Edmund said stiffly, “may I speak with you alone, please?”
    “ Of course,” I nodded slowly, afraid to be alone with him, but unable to see a way out of it.
    His chair was loud as it scraped along the floor. I knew he was angry when he didn’t wait for me. He walked forcefully from the room.
    I followed close behind him to the front parlor. He didn’t say a word, only directed me to sit in a chair. I sat tensely on the edge of my seat waiting to hear what he would tell me.

Chapter Fourteen
     
    “ Where have you been?” he asked without preamble.
    I swallowed thickly. “I was…um…lost.”
    “ Lost where?”
    I sank deeper into my seat. “In the woods.” Why did my declaration have to sound so much like a question?
    He sat down in front of me. “What were you doing in the woods?” By the set of his mouth, I could tell just how much he was trying to contain his anger.
    “ I heard a noise, so I went out to investigate,” my breathing quickened as I hurried to make up the next part of my story.
    “ What was the noise?”
    My mind drew a blank. What was the noise? “It was Hunter,” I blurted out.
    His lip curled slightly. “Who is Hunter?”
    “ Uncle Philip’s dog.”
    “ So you went out in the middle of the night because of a dog.”
    “ I thought I heard him crying, so I went out to see what was wrong. But when I got close to the dog, he took off running, so I followed.”
    “ Why would you do such a foolish thing?”
    “ I was worried for him. Then I couldn’t find my way back.”
    “ Then what happened? How did you find your way back home?”
    My mouth went dry and I couldn’t swallow. Should I tell him the same story I had told Aunt Dora? “Marcus Letrell found me and showed me how to get back.”
    His eyes narrowed further until they were nothing more than two angry slits on his twisted face. I could see the muscle at his jaw working.
    “ Why can’t you tell me where you were?” His voice shook with his fury.
    “ I…” I chewed nervously on my bottom lip. I had never seen Edmund so angry. “I already told you what happened.”
    “ You expect me to believe that you got lost out in those woods?” I nodded miserably. “For the entire day?”
    “ I…just…”
    “ And,” he cut me off abruptly, “that Marcus Letrell just ‘happened’ to find you?”
    “ I was very lucky that he did. I can’t imagine how much longer I would have been out there if he hadn’t.”
    “ Now you expect me to be grateful to the man?” His face flamed red.
    I clicked my tongue, unable to say anything. “Edmund,” I croaked.
    “ What kind of wife will you make when you run off in the night with a near stranger dressed only in your night clothes?” His teeth snapped shut on his