He tipped back his hat and scratched his forehead. “You don’t say. Hmm. Well, some feller named Howland and some other feller, can’t remember who, had her hauled away.”
“Hauled away?” Hallie whispered, hoping that what she was thinking was not true. But something deep down inside told her Kit had lied and sold the ship for fill.
Heartbroken and confused, she ran away from the stunned warehouseman, not stopping until she reached the carriage. Sobbing, she begged Duncan to take her right home, jerked open the carriage door and crawled inside.
Liv looked at Hallie’s tears and turned her stubborn face away, as if she couldn’t stand the emotion in her sister. On the silent ride home, Hallie tried to tell herself that it wasn’t true, that the man she loved and had married hadn’t done this to her. But it was the only answer. That bastard had lulled her into a sense of acquiescence with his lovemaking, then turned around and sold the ship—her ship—for fill.
The carriage pulled to an abrupt halt in front of the house, and in the blink of an eye the carriage door flew open and Kit blocked the doorway. “I heard what happened.” His angry glare was directed right at Liv, who scooted even farther into the corner.
“You’re coming with me!” he ordered, and lifted Liv out, carrying her up the stairs before Hallie could get out of the carriage.
“Don’t you touch her!” Hallie yelled, but the front door had already slammed shut.
“Come with me,” she ordered Duncan, and ran into the house with him following close behind. When she reached the hallway, she heard Kit shouting at Liv in his study. She tried to open the door but it was locked.
“Open this door!” she shouted, banging on the thick wood.
“I’m taking care of this, Hallie. Go away!” Kit answered.
“No!” she yelled back, but no sounds came from within. She banged harder on the door and still heard nothing. She turned to Duncan, who was standing by Maddie and the curious twins.
“Break it down, please, Duncan.”
“What?”
“Come along, boys. This doesn’t concern us,” Maddie said, herding the twins back into the kitchen.
“Break it down,” Hallie repeated.
“I don’t think Kit’s gonna like that—”
“I don’t care.” Hallie interrupted. “Either you break it down or I will.” She grabbed a lead doorstop and raised it above the doorknob.
“Wait!” Duncan said. “I’ll break it down.” He stepped back and kicked the metal plate just above the lock. With a loud crack the door popped open.
Hallie was inside in a flash. Kit sat behind his desk, holding Liv as she cried her soul out. Her sister’s sobbing story froze Hallie in her tracks.
“... and she died because I killed her!” Liv wailed.
Hallie put aside her anger at her lying husband. She could tell Kit off later, but right now Liv was crying hysterically, something she never, ever did. Hallie went to the chair and knelt by the sobbing girl, touching her hesitantly on her shuddering shoulder.
“Come here, sweetpea, tell me what’s wrong.” Hallie pulled her from Kit’s lying, traitorous arms. “What is it? Please tell me.”
Liv clung to Hallie. “I killed her, Hallie. It was me. I killed Mama...” Liv wailed into Hallie’s shoulder.
Hallie rocked her sister slowly, as she hadn’t been able to since Liv was three. “No you didn’t, sweetpea. Mama died from a disease.”
“I’m not sweet, don’t call me that! Sweet people don’t kill their mothers!” Liv cried.
“That’s not true, Liv.”
“You don’t have to lie to me, I know Mama caught it from me. Remember how sick I was, and then Mama got sick and then sicker, and then she died. And none of you ever said anything, but I knew it. I knew that if I hadn’t got sick, Mama wouldn’t have died. It’s my fault, a-and I need her, Hallie. I need her—” Liv broke into more heaving sobs.
The chair creaked, and Kit, who had been absorbing this whole scene, stood and quietly walked over to the door. Hallie watched it close behind him, thankful that he’d left them alone. She rocked Liv while the miserable young girl cried so hard she could barely catch a breath.
“Liv, look at me.” Hallie forced her sister’s chin up. “Mama died of peritonitis. Do you know what that is?”
Liv shook her head.
