I’ll do it. When should I go?”
“ Now, go now. Elizabeth is approaching.”
“ What about Rowen?”
“ He will not return until the deed is done. He must not be told of this, Fern, he is of good blood, but cannot be trusted yet. Hold him dear to your heart and he will understand.”
“ Alright, I’ll go now.” Standing to her feet she quickly pulled Rose into her arms then bundled her in her blanket. Thinking quickly, she grabbed a piece of paper from the small note pad Rowen kept in his pocket. With his pen she wrote a quick note. “Take care of this child until the time comes for her mother to take her home. She is a child of love and as beautiful as a Rose.” “Come on, baby Rose, I’ll take you where you will be safe.”
With Rose cuddled to her chest, Fern ran across the fields until she came to the old house. She hadn’t been in it since their arrival; the thought of it scared her almost to the point of turning back around. But then the cooing of the little girl reminded her of why she was there; taking one step at a time, she entered the house and went straight up the stairs. The wardrobe stood in the same place as it had before. Her heart started to pound wildly in her chest, but she didn’t stop. As if the wardrobe knew she was there, its doors clicked, creaked, then swung wide open, allowing her to step through.
CHAPTER NINE
With the abundance of cows grazing in the fields, Rowen thought for sure he’d have no trouble finding milk for Rose. But it seemed all the women were in the habit of nursing their children. Made sense, considering he was in a century where Gerber wouldn’t be a household name for several hundred more years. Cloth for a diaper wasn’t a problem, he found that easily enough and after much fuss, he found a rancher willing to sell him some milk. With his treasures in hand, he headed back to the cave.
It was completely dark by the time he got back. The glow from inside the cave could be seen for quite a distance; he hadn’t realized it before. They would have to be more careful; tomorrow he would drag some bushes over to cover it. “Fern, I’m back. It took forever to find milk, but…” She wasn’t there. “Where the hell did she go?” he spoke out load to the empty cave. He should have never left her alone again. He was just leaving the cave to go in pursuit when she showed up. He frowned when he saw her empty arms.
“ Hi Rowen!” She’d hoped to be back before him. He wasn’t going to understand about Rose.
“ Where have you been, Fern, I thought I told you to stay inside?” He looked down at her as she bent over to go back in the cave. Grabbing her by her arm, he forced her back up. “Where is Rose, Fern?”
“ Let’s go inside, Rowen, and I’ll explain.” She hadn’t figured out a good explanation yet. She looked down at where his hand was clamped around her arm. “You’re hurting my arm, please let go. I’ll explain once we’re settled.”
“ Why do I have a bad feeling about this, Fern, where did you take her?” He felt his fingers squeeze against the bone of her elbow as the panic started to build in his gut.
“ I said you’re hurting me, please let go, Rowen, I’ll explain inside.” His face was just inches from hers and she could feel the hot breath of his anger fan her forehead. “I promise Rose is alright.”
Rowen released her instantly when he saw the fear in her eyes. He knew he could never give Rose to Elizabeth, but now what leverage did he have to protect Jonathan? “I’m sorry, Fern, let’s go in.”
Fern looked at the small container of milk and cloth next to it for diapering Rose. There was also some food for them. She was starved, but first she had to tell him, to make him understand. “I’m really hungry, thanks for thinking about food for us, Rowen. I think I’ve already lost weight since we’ve been here.”
He looked her over and shook his head. “Love, you’re
“ Now, go now. Elizabeth is approaching.”
“ What about Rowen?”
“ He will not return until the deed is done. He must not be told of this, Fern, he is of good blood, but cannot be trusted yet. Hold him dear to your heart and he will understand.”
“ Alright, I’ll go now.” Standing to her feet she quickly pulled Rose into her arms then bundled her in her blanket. Thinking quickly, she grabbed a piece of paper from the small note pad Rowen kept in his pocket. With his pen she wrote a quick note. “Take care of this child until the time comes for her mother to take her home. She is a child of love and as beautiful as a Rose.” “Come on, baby Rose, I’ll take you where you will be safe.”
With Rose cuddled to her chest, Fern ran across the fields until she came to the old house. She hadn’t been in it since their arrival; the thought of it scared her almost to the point of turning back around. But then the cooing of the little girl reminded her of why she was there; taking one step at a time, she entered the house and went straight up the stairs. The wardrobe stood in the same place as it had before. Her heart started to pound wildly in her chest, but she didn’t stop. As if the wardrobe knew she was there, its doors clicked, creaked, then swung wide open, allowing her to step through.
CHAPTER NINE
With the abundance of cows grazing in the fields, Rowen thought for sure he’d have no trouble finding milk for Rose. But it seemed all the women were in the habit of nursing their children. Made sense, considering he was in a century where Gerber wouldn’t be a household name for several hundred more years. Cloth for a diaper wasn’t a problem, he found that easily enough and after much fuss, he found a rancher willing to sell him some milk. With his treasures in hand, he headed back to the cave.
It was completely dark by the time he got back. The glow from inside the cave could be seen for quite a distance; he hadn’t realized it before. They would have to be more careful; tomorrow he would drag some bushes over to cover it. “Fern, I’m back. It took forever to find milk, but…” She wasn’t there. “Where the hell did she go?” he spoke out load to the empty cave. He should have never left her alone again. He was just leaving the cave to go in pursuit when she showed up. He frowned when he saw her empty arms.
“ Hi Rowen!” She’d hoped to be back before him. He wasn’t going to understand about Rose.
“ Where have you been, Fern, I thought I told you to stay inside?” He looked down at her as she bent over to go back in the cave. Grabbing her by her arm, he forced her back up. “Where is Rose, Fern?”
“ Let’s go inside, Rowen, and I’ll explain.” She hadn’t figured out a good explanation yet. She looked down at where his hand was clamped around her arm. “You’re hurting my arm, please let go. I’ll explain once we’re settled.”
“ Why do I have a bad feeling about this, Fern, where did you take her?” He felt his fingers squeeze against the bone of her elbow as the panic started to build in his gut.
“ I said you’re hurting me, please let go, Rowen, I’ll explain inside.” His face was just inches from hers and she could feel the hot breath of his anger fan her forehead. “I promise Rose is alright.”
Rowen released her instantly when he saw the fear in her eyes. He knew he could never give Rose to Elizabeth, but now what leverage did he have to protect Jonathan? “I’m sorry, Fern, let’s go in.”
Fern looked at the small container of milk and cloth next to it for diapering Rose. There was also some food for them. She was starved, but first she had to tell him, to make him understand. “I’m really hungry, thanks for thinking about food for us, Rowen. I think I’ve already lost weight since we’ve been here.”
He looked her over and shook his head. “Love, you’re
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