Outside, Lara and Jay saddled the horses. A dark bank of clouds hovered on the horizon, still some distance away. Perhaps they would get some rain today. “Hey. I brought you supplies for your expedition.” She handed the backpack to Lara.
“Thanks.” Lara barely looked at her.
“Can I come?”
“No. Dad and I never had secrets before you came.” Hurt radiated from her. “You’re supposed to be my friend too.”
Faith felt as if she’d been whipped. She never wanted to come between Lara and Darcy. Faith had to tell her the truth, but not in front of Jay. “Can I have a word to you in private, Lara?”
She shook her head and mounted. “We need to go before it rains.”
Faith glanced at Jay. He shrugged apologetically, but didn’t meet Faith’s eyes. He was an experienced rider and had spent a lot of time on the Ridge. Amy had mentioned sometimes the two of them rode together when Darcy was still working. Jay would take care of her, and this defiance might make Lara feel as if she had some autonomy. She would explain everything when Lara returned. “All right, but make sure you’re back before it rains.”
“Absolutely,” Jay agreed as he mounted. “I don’t want to get wet.”
Faith watched them ride off towards the ridge. The clouds moved closer so they wouldn’t be gone long, and when they returned, Faith could explain. She joined Amy on the porch.
“You, OK?” Amy asked.
“They’ll be fine, right?” Lara was her responsibility with Darcy gone.
“Jay will keep an eye on her and on the weather,” Amy assured her. “How about we make some scones for when she returns? Then the three of us can do something in the craft room this afternoon to cheer her up.”
“All right.” Faith took one last look at the pair trotting down the path and entered the house.
***
Faith found it difficult to concentrate on her conversation with Amy, and the door continually drew her gaze to check if Lara had returned. After an hour, Faith couldn’t sit still any longer and went outside to scan the surroundings. The dark clouds now hurtled towards the station and the temperature had dropped. Any minute it would start raining, but Lara was nowhere to be seen. She rubbed her arms. “They should be back by now.”
Amy joined her. “Yeah, I agree.”
Her confirmation made Faith nauseous. She’d hoped she was freaking out over nothing. “I’m going to search for them.”
“Let’s radio them first.”
She’d forgotten about that. “Where is it?”
Amy showed her the two-way in the kitchen. “Calling Lara and Jay, over,” Amy said.
No answer.
“Lara and Jay, do you read?”
Silence.
“The radio was in the backpack, would they hear it?” Faith asked. She hadn’t told Jay it was in there.
“Maybe not.”
“You keep trying and I’ll saddle Fezzik.”
Amy nodded and handed her one of the hand-held radios. “Take this with you.”
Faith clipped it to her belt and ran across to the horses. As she finished saddling Fezzik, Matt drove into the yard and Faith hurried over to him. “Did you see Lara and Jay?”
Matt shook his head. “No. Amy radioed to say they weren’t back yet, so I came straight here.” He scanned the area, a furrow on his brow. “Lara knows better than to be out in this weather.”
This was her fault. She should have told Lara the truth. “She was upset.”
