“Yes. A gut feeling. Nothing more. I have no evidence to suggest who it might be. It’s up to Fedora to help there.”
“Why do you care?” asked Lily. “I’m glad you do, but why?”
“I’ve been asking myself the same thing. Maybe it’s because I was the odd one out growing up. I told you they called me the black sheep. It was meant in jest, and I didn’t think I minded, but I’m coming to realize I must have because Fedora is the odd one out here, and I mind it very much.”
“So Ellie is not alone in taking the slights against Fedora personally.”
“No. I don’t suppose she is.”
Lily lifted her head and kissed Roen on the cheek. “You’re a good man, Mr. Shepard.”
“Not so good,” he said. “Fedora certainly doesn’t think so.”
“Does that matter?”
“It does if she’s tempted to shoot at me again.”
•••
Fedora left the boardinghouse with a warm roll snuggled between her mittens. She nibbled on it as she walked. As was her habit these last few weeks, she no longer kept her head down and her eyes lowered. Now she looked around, mostly over her shoulder, to see if she was being followed. Mr. Cabot hadoffered to escort her when Hitch did not arrive in time to do the same, but she politely refused him. They left Mrs. Brady’s together and then went their separate ways. His progress toward the hotel was slower than hers in the other direction, and sometimes when she looked back, she caught him looking after her, presumably because he was concerned for her safety. She wondered, though, if that were true. He knew about the messages that were being slipped under her door. Everyone in the boardinghouse knew because he found one of them in the hall outside her room and proceeded to castigate all the boarders seated for breakfast that morning. Her humiliation was complete, but he did not either notice or take it into account. In any event, he did her no favor, so his offer to walk with her left her colder than the biting wind.
She brushed snow off her shoulders, shook out her scarf, and stamped her feet on the porch. Even before she opened the door to the kitchen, she heard Hannah announce, “Miss Chen is here!”
The children were all seated around the table. Lily had already started breakfast. “Am I late?” asked Fedora as she hung up her coat and scarf.
“Not at all,” said Lily. “My heathens are hungrier than usual this morning. All that playing in the snow yesterday. I thought I’d better begin.”
Fedora sidled up to Lily at the stove and Lily gave way, handing over the fork she was using to turn bacon. “Are you going to Mrs. Fish’s today?”
“I have to. I suspect she has patterns and piecework for me, and I didn’t go out yesterday. Mr. Shepard won’t be leaving the house today. He’ll be in his study. Will you be all right with that while I’m gone?”
Fedora nodded and turned the bacon. Water in the pot was at a rolling boil. She added a little salt and then oatmeal. “Please, sit,” she said when Lily continued to hover nearby.
Lily did, taking her usual place. Roen walked into the kitchen a few minutes later. He kissed Lily on the crown of her head as he passed by. Lizzie lifted her head for similar attention and Hannah proffered her cheek. The boys examined their plates lest they be targets of affection. Roen leaned across the table and knuckle-rubbed their heads before he sat.
Lily saw nothing that made her think Roen’s easy mood was forced, although the shadows under his eyes would have excused it. If she hadn’t known about the confrontation that was coming, she couldn’t have suspected that one was in the offing. “Confrontation” was, perhaps, too strong a word. Roen would be gentle with Fedora, as gentle as he was with her when he wanted to draw her out. She would not have agreed to sit with him if she thought otherwise.
After Clay, Hannah, and Ham were bundled and booted out the door, Lily sent Lizzie to play in the front room. She exchanged glances with Roen and nodded. “Fedora, will you leave the dishes for now and come and join us?”
Fedora turned away from the sink. Worry lines creased her forehead. “Have I done something to displease you?”
“No. Not at all. This is about another matter entirely. Please, sit.”
Fedora took Lizzie’s seat, placing her closer to Lily than Roen. She sat stiffly, shoulders braced as though for a blow, and folded her hands in her lap. She met no one’s eyes, casting her own at the tabletop.
“I think we’ve alarmed you,” said Lily. “That is not at all what we meant to do.” When Fedora said nothing, Lily went on. “Very well, then we shall do this quickly.”
Roen said, “Hitch mentioned that you’ve been receiving threatening messages. I heard the same from the sheriff not long after I came to Frost Falls, but the frequency of them was something I only learned yesterday. Did you receive one this morning?”
Fedora shook her head.
“And yesterday?”
“Yes.”
Roen knew that she had, but it was important to know if she was going to be truthful. It seemed that she was. “We’re concerned, Lily and I.”
Fedora’s head swiveled in Roen’s direction. “Oh, but the children are in no danger. I wouldn’t have taken the position if I thought they were. Ellie wouldn’t have allowed it either. You mustn’t worry about them on my account.”
