Isaac felt ill. He leaned back in his desk chair and stared at the ceiling. Fate had dropped them in Addie’s lap. But Isaac didn’t believe in fate. God had obviously allowed this to happen, but why?
“Hasn’t she suffered enough, Lord?”
He sat listening to the silence. Elizabeth and the girls were out making calls, and Stuart was at the university for a meeting. Even the servants were quiet.
Isaac decided he couldn’t sit and do nothing. He folded the letter back into its envelope and stuffed it in his pocket. He needed to let the Fishers know what he’d learned, and he needed to find Addie and get her away from her brothers.
It took forever to get a trolley to the expo. Even though they were running on time, each trolley seemed more crowdedthan the one before. Isaac finally managed to squeeze onto one, although there was standing room only.
When they reached the expo, he showed his pass to get in and hurried down the Pay Streak to reach the photography shop. It was surprisingly empty when he made his way inside. Pearl popped in from the back room, and when she recognized Isaac, a look of worry passed over her face.
“She’s not here.”
“I feared she wouldn’t be.” He pulled out the letter. “Her brothers were released from prison. Not only that, but their last duties were helping to transport goods to the expo and set up the exhibits from British Columbia.”
Pearl’s hand went to her mouth. Isaac crossed the room and put his arm around her. “I’m sorry to just blurt it out like that, but I’m still in shock myself. It’s obvious they have a hand in whatever is going on with Addie.”
She pulled back her hand. “What are we going to do? What if they’ve taken her away?”
“I don’t know on either account.” Isaac stepped away from Mrs. Fisher and shook his head. “I need to find Addie.”
The door opened, and to their surprise, Addie herself stumbled in. She was disheveled and had a bloody face. Both gasped.
“I ... I...” She started to crumple, and Isaac moved with lightning speed to catch her.
“Addie, Addie, talk to me,” he murmured as he lifted her into his arms.
“Bring her in the back. Otis put up a cot for me to rest on. We can put Addie there.”
Isaac nodded, and Pearl led the way. He placed the unconscious love of his life on the cot and grimaced at the abuseshe’d suffered. Anger surged through him. If Hiram and Shep had been in the room, he would have attacked them.
“Do you have some water and a cloth?” he asked.
“I’ll get them for you and then go for the doctor.” Pearl quickly returned with a basin of water and a cloth. By now Otis had heard the commotion and had come to see what was happening.
“Is there a problem, Pearl?” he asked, coming into the room. He spied Addie on the bed, and his brows immediately went together as his eyes narrowed. “Who did this?”
“I’m fairly certain it was her brothers,” Isaac said, trying to clean away the blood to see how bad her injuries were.
“Her brothers are here?” Otis asked.
“Yes, we just found out,” Pearl replied. “Poor sweet child. I must go for the doctor.”
“No, let me. You stay here with our Addie.”
Pearl nodded and came to Addie’s side. “I can do that if you like.”
“No.” Isaac shook his head. “I want to do this. I love her and promised I’d always care for her. Even if she doesn’t want me.”
Pearl sat down beside him. “Oh, Isaac, she loves you so much. You need to know that even if she won’t say it.”
“Then why does she reject me?”
Addie moaned, but still didn’t open her eyes. Pearl reached over and unbuttoned the high-necked blouse. She gasped and pulled back.
Isaac saw immediately what had caught her attention. Addie’s neck was red and rubbed raw. Someone had tried to strangle her or had restrained her by tying a rope around her neck.
“We’re back, Pearl. I have the doctor,” Otis called from the front of the shop.
