The Secret of the Stone House (19 page)

“I’ll never forget this day!” Geordie exclaimed.

“I won’t either,” Emily laughed.

“When will I see you again?” asked Geordie.

“I’m not sure,” she answered. “My mom may never let me out of her sight again, especially when she sees how I look right now.”

A well of sorrow rose inside her as she realized that she really might not see him again. She and her mom would be leaving the farm soon, and she had no idea when they’d be back. Suddenly, Geordie gave her a bear hug, as if knowing this might be the last time they’d meet.

As he stepped back, he said, “Come when you can, lass. You are always welcome...as a friend and a relative!”

Emily caught the sadness in his eyes. He strode back around the corner of the house.

“Wait,” Emily called after him.

He stopped and came back.

“I need to know about the secret hiding place for the box.”

He shook his head, amused. “I don’t really know. All I do know is that my dad loves to hide secret drawers and compartments. He likes to challenge people, and hide things within things.”

“But we’ve already found the spot at the bottom of the fireplace and the box wasn’t there,” Emily reminded him.

“I’m sorry, lass. Then I don’t know,” he said.

As Emily thought this through, Jack hollered for Geordie.

“Can’t you give me any other hints?” Emily pleaded, knowing this might be her last opportunity.

“I can’t think of anything. It must be something that he’s not yet done.”

“I suppose that could be it,” Emily said, disappointed.

“If I do discover something, I’ll let you know somehow.” He smiled. “I’ll write you a note!”

“Do you promise?” She smiled back at him.

“Aye, I do! Now, I must go, lass.”

“Say goodbye to Molly for me.”

He nodded and Emily watched him until he was nearly back with his family. Then he turned and gave her a salute. She waved goodbye, her throat aching from more than smoke.

As she straightened her backpack, she found Molly’s doll. Where could she leave it for Molly to find again? As if in answer, the back door opened and two tired dark eyes peeked out at her. Molly stood there clean and tidy, in bare feet and wearing a fresh dress. She reached for Jane, and clasped her to her chest.

“Thank you for saving her, Emily. I knew you’d take care of her. You have a big heart.”

Molly gave Emily a quick hug. Emily felt loving warmth surround them, and she knew that Molly – her gran ­– was going to be fine. Molly was surrounded by a family who doted on her and she was going to have a wonderful life, full of adventure and love.

As Molly disappeared back inside the house, Emily realized that just as Molly’s growing up was natural and right, Gran Renfrew’s death was also a natural occurrence. She had lived life to the fullest, with splendid people around her, in a place that she loved. In another flash of knowing, Emily understood that if Emma had grown up, she would have been much like Grandmother Renfrew – someone who worked hard and cared for her family and knew the joys of nature. And just as her grandmother lived in her heart, so would Emma.

Her thoughts turned then to making her way home. There was no more time to contemplate the past or search the interior of the house for possible hiding places. She’d been gone far too long. Although she was sad to be leaving the family, she felt uplifted that the house would still be part of her life, at least for two more days.

She stepped back and took one more long look at it. The stone house stood majestically overlooking the prairies and Emily felt proud that it was part of her heritage. She touched the stones, seeing in her mind again her great-grandfather and great-uncles working on it. She felt its comfort and such a strong connection that she never wanted to give the house up.

With sudden determination, Emily decided there had to be a way to keep the house. She simply had to get back and deal with it. But thoughts of home made her tremble. She’d have to face her mom. She’d been gone so long that her mom and aunt must be up and searching for her. Not one idea popped into her head as to what to say.

Checking that she had everything she needed, Emily fished the carving out of her pocket and reluctantly bent towards the foundation hole. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and let it go.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

A
moment later, Emily opened her eyes
to bright sunlight and two pairs of eyes staring at her. A groan escaped before she had a chance to stifle it. She had to face them right away.

“Oh, good heavens!” Her mom came to her. “Emily, what’s happened to you?”

“You’re a mess, kiddo,” Aunt Liz said kindly, wrinkling her nose at the pungent odour.

Emily grimaced and scrunched her eyes shut, her mind whirling over how she was going to explain herself this time. Her head ached, and she felt overwrought. The next thing she knew, tears were rolling down her face, but she was smiling, happy to be home and safe. She clung to her mom, wrapping her arms around her. Kate hugged her, and with Aunt Liz on her other side, they walked her into the house. She was limping and her whole body felt like cooked spaghetti.

“I’m okay, Mom,” she insisted when they reached the kitchen and tried to deposit her into a chair.

“I think I should call the doctor.” Kate looked over at Aunt Liz for confirmation.

“No, Mom! I’ll be fine!”

“Can you at least tell us what happened?” her aunt’s concerned face hovered near her.

“Give me a few minutes.” Emily pointed upstairs. She needed to clean herself up. She couldn’t stand the smell of herself and her yucky clothes were beginning to dry onto her skin. A nice long soak in the bathtub seemed like a great idea.

“At least tell us something,” her mom said firmly.

“I fell into a slough,” Emily shook her head. “I’ll explain it all as soon as I clean up.”

“I’ll get some fresh towels.” Aunt Liz bounced up the stairs ahead of her.

Her mom followed behind as Emily limped and groaned with each step. Emily let her mom run the water into the tub, while Aunt Liz poured in some bubble bath crystals. They stood staring at her, until she ordered them to leave. As she undressed, she threw her clothes into the garbage. They were so badly tattered and scorched and stained, she’d never be able to wear them again.

She sank into the warm, bubbly water, letting its healing powers soothe her. She soaked for a long time, then shampooed her hair several times. The water was greyish green when she let it go, so she rinsed herself under a hot shower. The steam helped soothe her sore throat. By the time she was done, almost an hour had passed, and she could hear her mom and aunt discussing her plight outside the door.

“Can we get you anything, Emily?” Aunt Liz asked.

“Do you need any medication or bandages?” Her mom tapped on the door.

“No, I’m fine, Mom,” Emily replied, checking herself out in the full-length mirror hung on the door.

Although she had a few sore muscles and a headache, the only other damages were scratches on her arms and legs. She looked much better, except for her singed eyebrows. Wrapping her hair in a towel turban-style and her body in a bathrobe, she stepped out of the bathroom and found herself being examined by her mom and aunt.

“Honestly, I’m okay!” Emily said. “I sure could use something to eat, though.”

“Coming right up,” said Aunt Liz, giving her a hug.

As she and her mom slowly descended, Emily thought again of how she was going to explain her condition. She decided the truth would be best, but who would believe her? Whatever she came up with, she knew she was facing some serious reprimands, and she’d have to take her medicine in whatever way her mom decided to dole it out. She’d deliberately disobeyed her.

Once settled in a chair at the kitchen table with a sandwich and a glass of milk in front of her, Emily decided to deal with the situation head-on.

“Mom, Aunt Liz, I’ve just experienced a prairie fire...”

Before she could go on, Aunt Liz jumped up and rushed to the window. “My heavens, I thought those days were over!”

Her mom dashed for the phone, “Why didn’t you say something right away? We’d better call the fire brigade.”

“Where is it?” Aunt Liz said, stepping outside to look for smoke in the other directions.

“No, wait, you don’t understand,” Emily tried to calm them down. “It’s not here, well, it is, but just not now. It’s in the past.”

Emily hadn’t planned what to say. She just let the words tumble out, explaining the past few days as best as she could. Her mom and aunt stared at her intently, absorbing everything she said. She felt relieved when she finished. Now she didn’t need to sneak around anymore or tell any half-truths.

Suddenly, Kate felt Emily’s forehead. She glanced over at Aunt Liz.

“I think she has a fever.”

Aunt Liz nodded with a worried look. “You get her tucked into bed, I’ll bring the Tylenol.”

“Then we’ll call the doctor,” Kate hustled Emily out of her chair.

“Stop,” Emily demanded. “There’s nothing wrong with me – well, at least not with the functions of my brain. I can prove that everything happened.”

Emily told them about the homestead papers and their mention of the prairie fire.

“That doesn’t prove anything,” her mom shook her head.

Aunt Liz added, “Except maybe that you are delirious.”

“But you saw my clothes. And look at my eyebrows,” she pointed to them.

“That doesn’t verify what happened to you or where. Maybe you were just over at the neighbours where they’re burning stubble,” Kate argued.

“That’s right. I heard Arnie Kippins talking about doing that yesterday at the auction,” Aunt Liz confirmed. “Donald Ferguson got into a heated discussion with him about how it was ruining the environment and not necessary.”

“I don’t even know where Arnie Kippins lives!” Emily protested.

“Whatever,” her mom said, hustling her out of her chair. “Let’s get you up to bed for some rest, anyway.”

She tried to convince them again. “Remember, when you thought there was a burglar? Well, that was Geordie.” She continued to explain.

“We found a bin door had been left open,” her mom dismissed her explanation.

“But you must have seen the loose downspout,” Emily protested.

“Yes, but that could have happened any time,” Aunt Liz answered. “Donald’s coming to fix it when he has a chance.”

Emily gave up trying to resist the combined force of her mom and aunt. Besides, she was tired and sore. She wasn’t sure what parts of her ached from escaping the prairie fire, and what parts were just plain exhaustion.

Once her mom and aunt had her settled in bed in a clean nightgown, Emily pleaded with her mom one more time. “Please, don’t call any doctor. I just need to rest.”

Her mom conversed quietly with Aunt Liz, and then she responded sternly. “Okay, we’ll see how you are a little later and then decide. But if we think it’s necessary, we will be calling a doctor.”

Emily grimaced, but said no more.

“Have a good rest, kiddo,” Aunt Liz said, leaving the room.

Her mom straightened the covers one more time and tucked Grandmother Renfrew’s quilt up to Emily’s chin, then gave her a light kiss on the forehead.

“Pleasant dreams,” she said. Her eyes were full of concern, and Emily thought she detected a few extra worry lines in her face.

“Everything will be fine, Mom,” Emily patted her mom’s face. “Don’t worry.”

She closed her eyes and within seconds dozed off. She vaguely heard her mom leave the room and close the door. Then everything went still and black.

When she awoke an hour later, it wasn’t because she was fully rested. In fact, her body throbbed all over and she wondered how long it would take to totally recover. Her brain, though, was too active to let her sleep. She had to stop her mom from calling the doctor, and she had to find the box. It might just help her prove that she was telling the truth.

Gingerly, she stepped downstairs and into the living room.

All at once, her mom and Aunt Liz joined her.

“What on earth are you doing now, Emily?” her mom stood with her arms folded over her chest. “You’re supposed to be resting.”