John’s mother didn’t seem at all surprised to see Lillian the next morning. As John had said, she simply laid out another plate and asked her how she’d slept. Creek children—ranging in age from toddlers to John’s older brother Samuel, who was almost eighteen—filled the kitchen with a happy clamor.
“Are you really going to see Aunt Nancy?” Samuel asked. “On purpose?”
“Samuel!” his mother said.
He shrugged. “I’m just asking.”
All the Creek children stopped eating and stared wide-eyed at Lillian to see what she would say.
Lillian played self-consciously with the food on her plate, pushing scrambled eggs and bacon around with her fork. A big knot of fear was lodged in her stomach, and none of this was helping. She managed to take a bite of fry bread before she stood up from the table.
“I should go,” she said. “I’m sorry I’m not hungry, but thanks for breakfast, Mrs. Creek.”
“My pleasure, dear. I hope everything goes well with Aunt Nancy.”
Lillian hesitated. “Why’s everybody so scared of her?”
“Well, now. I have to admit she can be a trial from time to time, but she’s never hurt a body that didn’t deserve to be taken down a peg or two. Just be polite, and I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
Easy to say, Lillian thought, when it’s not you going to see her.
She thanked John’s mother again and went outside. John had already pointed out to her Aunt Nancy’s cabin, which stood a little distance from the others. It was a pine-log structure with a cedar-shingle roof and a small porch out front. A pair of towering sprucy-pine stood tall on either side. Bundles of drying herbs hung from the porch rafters, and a big black cat the size of a bobcat lay at the top of the stairs, staring right at her the way all the cats seemed to these days, like it was anticipating something.
That made it no easier, but she started for the cabin with her knees knocking and her heart pounding. She stopped with a jump when she heard Davy shout her name.
“The Welches are up at the farm looking for you,” he yelled as he ran over from the path that led to Aunt’s farm.
“Did you say anything to them?”
He gave her a withering look. “They never even knew I was there.”
“What were they doing?”
“Looking around, calling your name.”
“Do you think they’ll come here?” she asked.
“Probably.”
“Well, thanks for letting me know.”
She squared her shoulders and started back toward Aunt Nancy’s cabin.
“You’re really going to just knock on her door?” Davy asked.
“Please, Davy,” Lillian said over her shoulder. “Let it be. I need to see her.”
Davy shrugged. “I’ll come by later and pick up the pieces,” he called after her.
Lillian didn’t bother to answer. As she approached the stairs the big cat stood and arched its back before turning and leaping onto the other end of the porch rail.
“Pleased to meet you, too,” Lillian said as she edged her way up the stairs. Rubbing her hands together, she took a deep breath, then knocked on the door. There was no response. Lillian turned to look at Davy, who stood right where she’d left him, hands in his pockets. She was about to knock on the door again when it jerked open and there stood Aunt Nancy, tall and formidable.