“No. It doesn’t.”
Martin shrugged. “Do you anticipate remaining here long enough to give birth? What is that? Three months from now?”
“I thought I was clear that your probing is unwelcome.”
“It occurred to me that you will want to see the doctor, and I wondered if you knew who she is.”
“I could hardlynotbe aware. Mrs. Butterworth has recommended her daughter-in-law to me on more than one occasion.”
“Ah. Of course. I should have guessed that. I confess that I’m surprised that Mr. Shepard hasn’t approached you since your first meeting. He must be very certain the child isn’t his.”
“He’s not certain at all. He can’t be. Roen is simply waiting. He’s very good at that.”
“Have you considered that he doesn’t know you’re still here?”
“No.” Taken aback by this possibility, Victorine’s fork hovered halfway between her plate and her mouth as she gave it real thought. “No,” she said again after a few moments. “He knows. You told me yourself that he stops here to pick up food when he’s going out on survey. I am sure he asks after me.”
“You’d think so, wouldn’t you? From my vantage point, Mr. Shepard seems supremely uninterested in your whereabouts.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“You could always rise early and be here when he arrives. That would assure that he knows you’re present.”
“Perhaps I will,” she said airily. “But it begs the question why are you so eager to provoke a confrontation?”
“I am not eager to provoke anything. I am merely being thorough.”
Victorine regarded him skeptically. “I am unconvinced, Mr. Cabot.”
Martin did not reply. He nudged his plate away, set his napkin beside it, and then rose, checking his pocket watch as he did so. Fedora would be leaving the Shepard house soon. He wanted to observe her walking to the boardinghouse. Since she’d left the hotel, he’d made it his responsibility to see that she arrived safely. She didn’t know she had a guardian angel and he wanted to keep it that way. Now that Victorine had confirmed she had no intention of leaving anytime soon, he needed to rethink his plans for Fedora. He always knew that he would not be returning to New York with Victorine but had hoped it wouldn’t be long before she departed. She was his Achilles’ heel, the person who knew who he was and what he did and, most important, how to find him.
Martin bowed his head slightly before departing. She took no notice of it, and he left without a word. If there was a benevolent God, he thought, Victorine would not seat herself at his table anytime soon.
•••
Hitch waited for Fedora in the kitchen as she finished cleaning after the family had left the table. Lily came in on two occasions and tried to shoo Fedora out the door, but Fedora would have none of it. Hitch knew Lily had good intentions, and yet he was satisfied to sit in the warm kitchen and pass the time watching Fedora go about her duties. He offered to help every time he came to walk her home, but that was another thing she would have none of, and so he sat back and allowed himself the pleasure of seeing her move from one task to another. It was not only her grace that captivated him. She had an economy of motion that kept him entertained with its efficiency.
Hitch suspected Fedora never gave her movements a thought. Unlike him, they came naturally to her. He still had uncoordinated moments where his feet tripped over each other and his hands knocked things aside when he was only trying to reach them. That’s why he never took a cup of anything when Fedora offered it to him and why, when she was finished, he rose carefully to his feet.
He was helping Fedora into her coat when Roen came into the kitchen. Hitch nodded at him. “Hey, Mr. Shepard.”
“Good to see you, Hitch. I was afraid I missed you. I was working on a new map.” He reached in his pocket and withdrew some bills and counted them out. “This is for you, Fedora,” he said, handing over her week’s pay. “Don’t ever be afraid to ask in the event I forget.”
She nodded, taking the money and folding it half so it fit neatly in her palm. “Thank you, Mr. Shepard.”
“Thankyou.” His gaze returned to Hitch. “Any news for me?”
“Ben says I’m supposed to tell you that she’s still there. No bags packed either.”
Roen nodded. Nothing had changed since this morning when he had stopped to pick up his pack.
“Oh.” Hitch’s face brightened suddenly. He held up an index finger. “That man you and Ben were wondering about? He had dinner with her this evening. Or maybe she had dinner with him. Leastways Ellie said they shared a table for a time. Ben got me curious about him but hasn’t told me much except to keep an eye out. Who is he?”
“Don’t know. I think he might be employed by a rival railroad.” Roen had no remorse about lying. “You can see why I want to know what he’s doing.”
“Sure. That makes sense. And him being with her, well, that makes sense, too. She’s Victor Headley’s daughter, ain’t she?”
“Yes, she is.”
