“Indeed.” Grace smiled. “I feel better just knowing you’re here.” She sobered. “There is something you need to know.”
Faith shook her head. “Bad news?”
“Lakewood and Berkshire are dead.”
It felt as if someone had forced all the air from her lungs. Faith reached for a dining room chair and gasped. “When?”
“The night you left. The police want to speak with you.”
“Me?” Faith sat on the chair, shaking her head. “You’d better tell me everything.”
Grace pulled out the chair beside her and sat. “They had supper together at a house in town. At first it looked like a murder and a suicide. They considered that Mr. Berkshire had shot Mr. Lakewood and then shot himself. However, there was a third place setting where someone had obviously eaten their meal, then departed. But the police have no idea if that personleft before the shooting started or if they were perhaps responsible for it.”
Faith couldn’t comprehend that Samuel Lakewood was dead. The man who had sworn to hurt her and her family couldn’t cause her any more pain.
“While searching for information, the officers found a letter in Lakewood’s pocket addressed to you. In the letter he demanded you join him at the address where he and Berkshire were killed. The police came here, asking after you, and we explained that you had left that evening with Andrew. They wanted to know what your relationship was to Lakewood, and we told them we weren’t entirely sure. Nancy remembered you’d spoken at Mrs. Lakewood’s lady’s tea.
“They told us about the contents of the letter and asked if you two were having some sort of affair. We assured them no, that couldn’t be the case, but we didn’t want to say how much we all despised Lakewood. Apparently, however, they later learned about Mr. Lakewood having a part in getting you expelled, so they came back, spouting how you had motive to want him dead.”
“I did want him dead,” Faith said, trying to understand what Grace was saying. “He planned to kill members of my family if I failed to agree to be his mistress and help him start an Indian war.” She looked up, feeling a terrible sense of dread. “I can hardly admit to that, however, without causing problems for the government’s investigation. Seth felt certain Lakewood had the cooperation of most of the police department and that many of them were probably involved in the plot to stir up a war. Oh, this is such a mess.”
“Tomorrow we’ll send a telegram to your father and ask him to come right away. He’ll know how to advise us.”
Grace sounded so calm that Faith couldn’t help but feel her fears fade. Maybe it wasn’t that big of a problem. After all, she had witnesses of where she was that night, and the details of why and what she’d said to Major Wells surely could remain untold.
“Mother? Oh, good, Faith. I’m so glad you’re back,” Nancy said, standing in the doorway to the dining room. She looked rather confused. “I think my water just broke.”
“Are you sure everything is all right?” Nancy asked her mother. “I’m not having very strong contractions.”
“No, but they’re quite regular, and I assure you they will strengthen as the night wears on. First babies usually take their time in coming, so just go about your business.”
Seth watched from his bed, where Faith was changing one of his bandages. “She worries about everything, doesn’t she?” he murmured.
“She does.” Faith finished what she was doing and smiled. “You’re doing so much better. I’m sure part of the reason is prayer, but the other part is sheer determination on your part.”
“I had to be here for my family.”
“Still, it will take a while, and you must obey doctor’s orders.”
He smiled. “Seems I have so many doctors, I have little choice.”
Faith squeezed his hand. “I can’t help but feel like this is my fault. I managed to anger the wrong people.”
“It’s not your fault, Faith,” Nancy said from where she sat by the fire. “No more than it’s mine. After all, my dead husband started all of this.”
“It is the fault of the evil men who are continuing this scheme,” Grace declared.
Faith gathered the old bandages and her scissors. “I’ll get these soaking, and then I’m going to go see Andrew off. He’s been so patient to wait while I’ve gone back and forth to help here. When I spoke to him about sending Father a telegram, he reminded me that he was heading to Oregon City at first light. He plans to ask Father for my hand and give him a ride back.”
“Wait. What did you just say?” Nancy fixed her cousin with an open-mouthed gaze.
Faith laughed. “Andrew knows everything about me, and not only that, he shares my circumstance. His father and mother were both mixed-race, and when he puts together all the parts of one tribe or another that came through his family, he figures himself to be at least half Indian. The old Indian man I told you about—the one he saved during the fight—that’s his grandfather.”
“That’s wonderful,” Grace said from where she was busy arranging Nancy’s bed for the birth.
“How did you find all of this out and when?” Nancy asked.
“When Lakewood demanded that I help him or he’d kill all of you.” Faith put her dirty things in a cleaning basin. “I was so upset, and before I knew it, I was at the river looking for theMorning Star. Once I found Andrew, I just told him everything. I knew if I became Lakewood’s mistress it would be the talk of the town, and I wanted him to hear it from me. When I explained my heritage, he told me that there was nothing stopping us now. I had no idea what he meant, but then he kissed me and told me we could marry because he, too, was part Native. I was never happier than in that moment.”
