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* * *
Meadow glanced around nervously as she opened the door to her house, then quickly pulled Belle and Irene inside. When Sidney just stood there, she grabbed hold of him, too, and yanked him forward, then glanced furtively around her porch and slammed the door shut.
She leaned her back against the door and exhaled a long breath as though she’d been holding it in for several minutes already.
“Thank goodness you’re here,” Meadow said as her six-year-old twin stepdaughters, Lizzie and Ida, danced around the foyer. She sent them off to their room to play, and Belle looked at Meadow with concern.
“Is everything all right?” Belle asked. Irene also looked worried about Meadow.
“Yes,” Meadow said, “but goodness, next time we must go to you. It is not at all safe having you here to dine. You have no business walking around where people can see you when that man is still out there.”
Amos came out of the dining room then as if on cue. “Marshall Anderson hasn’t been seen in Elmwood in days. I suspect he’s long gone by now.”
Meadow shook her head, disagreeing. “The only way I’ll feel certain of Belle and Irene’s safety is when he’s behind bars where he belongs.”
No one could object to that, but as they headed toward the dining room, where Summer and the others were all waiting, Belle took Meadow aside and whispered, “I agree that we ought to have stayed at Sidney’s, but Irene’s been going mad these last few days cooped up as she’s been. I promised her she’d get at least one night of freedom a week from now on.”
“How did you ever convince Sidney to go along with that?” Meadow asked.
Belle blushed slightly. “I won’t say too much, but I will tell you that some kissing was involved. I also had to swear to him that Amos would be here. Thankfully, he’s kept his word to me. I’m sure Victoria had something to do with that. That wife of his is as tenacious as they come. I enlisted her help with the matter two days ago.”
“Yes,” said Meadow, “Victoria is almost like a fourth sister in many ways.”
Both women smiled at Victoria as they entered the dining room. She was seated next to Summer, who was watching Irene with both admiration and alarm as she spoke animatedly about sitting in Sidney’s house being bored to tears over the last few days.
Belle shot a look to Sidney, but he did not seem offended. They had spoken of Irene’s discontentment with being locked in a house over the last few days, and Sidney claimed to understand how she felt and did not take her sentiments personally.
He pulled out a chair for her as she sat down, and she could not help noticing the chair was directly next to his own. She smiled and took a seat, searching for his hand beneath the cover of the table linen. His fingers first brushed hers then grasped hold of her hand, and they sat together, holding each other in plain sight of everyone, but without anyone noticing a thing.
“Where was Marshall last spotted?” asked Summer.
“Please,” said Irene, “no more talk of that man. I’m through with worrying about him.”
Everyone agreed that for tonight, at least, Marshall Anderson would be off limits. They spoke of everything else—books, the theatre, new dances they’d heard about but never seen performed. All the things that most fascinated Belle and, as it turned out, Irene as well.
Belle and Irene had a surprising number of things in common now that they were able to look at one another without fault. Irene encouraged Belle to speak openly to Sidney of marriage, but she did not want to press him. He’d brought it up on his own the other day, asking her if she truly thought she could be happy spending the rest of her life in Elmwood, and she had answered affirmatively.
No more had been said on the subject since then, however, and Belle wasn’t sure that was a good thing or a bad one. She hoped that Sidney would soon produce a ring, but suspected that if he was going to, it would not be until after everything with Marshall was behind them.
As dinner ended, Belle was surprised to find herself happy to be returning to Sidney’s. She’d been looking forward to a night out almost as much as Irene, but she was tired, and the bed that awaited her was comfortable. She’d moved from the couch to Irene’s room three nights ago, and though somewhat awkward that first night, they were now able to share the bed most comfortably.
Plus, this prevented Irene from any more escape attempts. She could not sneak out of the house, let alone the bed, without Belle noticing. Though Irene had promised to refrain from doing any such things, neither Belle nor Sidney entirely trusted her on the matter, especially when she was going stir crazy as she’d been.
“It was good to get out,” said Irene as the trio walked home. “We should go to Summer’s tomorrow night.”
“No,” said Belle at once. “I promised you one outing a week. Dinner at Summer’s tomorrow would make two.”
Irene looked at her with pleading eyes. “You cannot be so cruel as to keep me locked up forever. It has been nearly a week now since our last encounter with Marshall. You heard Amos. I’m certain he’s gone. No doubt you scared him off, Belle. I’m sure he never expected a woman to come to my defense.”
Irene and Belle chuckled. Sidney pursed his lips and pretended to find nothing funny about their discussion, but Belle knew he was particularly proud of her for standing up to Marshall as she had. His only regret was that he had not gotten to the man first himself. He’d sworn to her that next time he would, and when that happened, he would not let the man escape even if it meant killing him.
Belle pushed such thoughts aside and walked merrily on, the wine from dinner as well as the fine food and conversation going to her head. It was not until they saw Sidney’s front door standing open that anyone had pause to worry.
“Did we leave it that way?” Belle gasped and started forward to investigate.
Sidney pushed her back. “Stay here,” he said so forcefully that she would not have dared argue with him. Irene’s hand wrapped nervously around Belle’s arm as they waited for Sidney to return.
“Perhaps I ought to go check on him,” Belle said, anxious when he had not resurfaced for what felt like an eternity, but which Belle was certain could not have been longer than a minute or two.
“No,” said Irene, clutching tightly to her now. She was shaking. “Stay with me.”
Belle reluctantly agreed, but her eyes did not leave the door.
Finally, Sidney appeared. His face was pale and his eyes dark.
“What’s happened?” asked Belle, letting go of Irene and running to him.
He took her hand and led her far away from the house, toward the neighbor’s. “Someone broke in while we were gone.”
“Was it Marshall?” Irene asked, her voice a whisper.
Sidney looked at her. “I can’t say for certain, but I would guess as much.” His face was grave.
“We need to get Amos,” said Belle. “He said he was going to stop in at the station.” She took a step in that direction and Sidney stopped her.
“You two are going to the neighbor’s to wait for me. I’m going to get Amos so we can search the house together.”
“I’ll help you search,” said Belle.
“No.”
“But I’ve already fought Marshall once. There’s no reason—”
“I said no,” Sidney said, his voice booming loudly into the night. “Please, Belle. For once, don’t argue with me. Just let me handle this.” He squeezed her hand and kissed her head. “I need to know that you’re safe.”
She melted against his touch, nodding her head. “All right. I promise to stay at the neighbor’s until you come for us.”
“Thank you. I’ll try not to be long.” He knocked on the neighbor’s door, explained the situation as quickly as he could, and hurried off. Belle watched him go and prayed that God would look after him if she could not.
* * *
