“Jane!”
“What?”
“Come here and listen to me,” Fancy snapped quietly. “It’s important.”
“Heavens, what is it?” Jane asked grumpily. “I feel wonderful and now you’re trying to ruin it.”
“Jane, for God’s sake listen!” Fancy gave her a shake that snapped her head back.
“OH! What? What’s so all-fired important?” she asked twisting out of Fancy’s grasp.
“Be quiet! We have to go downstairs.”
“What for? We just came up.”
“I need your help,” Fancy whispered.
“With what?”
“Just trust me, will you?”
In a moment of lucidity Jane opened her eyes, nodded and tried to focus.
“We’re going down the front stairs, quietly. Then I want you to let yourself out the front door and run to Doc Brubaker and make him come back with you. Tell him to bring a gun.”
“I’m not going there,” Jane gasped taking a step back. “He hates me.”
“He does not hate you,” Fancy contradicted trying to hold onto her patience. “In fact, I think he may be in love with you.”
“Really?” Jane asked happily.
“Yes really. Now do you think you can do that?”
“I can, but I don’t want too. He might spank me. He’s threatened to you know.”
“Well, if he tries tell him you don’t have time for that. I think we might all be in danger.”
“No!”
“Yes! Now come on. I don’t think we have much time.”
“Okay. Shh. And Fancy, if anything bad happens. I love you like a sister.”
“I love you too,” Fancy replied taking Jane’s hand.
“Don’t you think we might wake the others?”
“No, they drank all their tea.”
“Ah, so something was wrong with the tea,” Jane replied nodding sagely. “Wait, should I get my gun? The one Callie Mae gave me.”
“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. You might hurt yourself, or me,” she offered. “Just go and get the doc.”
“Okay, but it’s your fault if he does something awful to me.”
“Yes, yes, it will be my fault. Come on.”
Slowly they crept, hand in hand to the top of the stairs. Wrapping and arm around Jane’s waist, Fancy led her down them.
