“If the county has any sense,” Luke added, “they’ll consider her input when planning their landscape design. She has a wealth of experience with what grows on that land and what doesn’t. I’m going with her when she meets with Mr. Field about all this. If he refuses to sell any of the land back to her, we’ll connect with my real estate contact in the Hudson River valley. Even if her new home isn’t right on Elmhurst grounds, we’ll make sure it’s on the same river.”
“Would you? That would be so helpful,” Elsa told him.
Mother smiled and folded her napkin, laying it beside her dinner plate. “And now, I think it would be most helpful for us older folks to take our leave and let you enjoy the rest of the evening.”
Luke stood and shook Father’s hand. Mother kissed Luke’scheek. And Elsa marveled at the warmth already springing between them. Who were these parents of hers? And why had it taken so long for her to find them?
But people changed. Elsa was proof of that, as well.
Luke smiled at Elsa and took her hand, drawing her into the booth beside him. “Dessert?” he asked.
“I’d love to, but I couldn’t possibly.”
“Nice night for a walk in the park.”
“One of the nicest. How about a carriage ride this time instead?” She was done ignoring her limits. It was time to be kind to herself instead.
Luke’s smile broadened, pushing brackets into his cheeks. “Even better.”
———
Clip-clopping hoofbeats made a soothing rhythm as the horse pulled the carriage through Central Park. To the left was the pond, its surface reflecting the cloud-tufted sky. Trees arched their branches overhead, releasing some leaves to swirl on the breeze. Elsa picked one off Luke’s shoulder and rolled its stem between her fingers.
“What did they find out about the fire?” she asked, now that such questions wouldn’t upset her parents. “Was it arson for a lark since they knew the house would be torn down the next day anyway?”
Luke shook his head. “I’ve spoken with the fire inspector in Tarrytown, and he didn’t see signs of foul play. His best guess was that someone was careless with a cigarette right before leaving for the night, and it caused a fire, made worse by spills of whatever alcohol they brought in.”
Elsa could believe it. “I still don’t understand why Archer let me stay locked up for so long, even if he’d soured on our friendship. Was he being deliberately vengeful? Or am I truly that forgettable to him?”
“As it happens, I asked him the same thing yesterday morning. I went to his house before work.”
She turned to look at him. “You did?”
“Of course I did. His parents were very interested in what I came to say and ask him. It was obvious he was suffering a headache from the night before, but I didn’t let that stop me from speaking loud and clear. I would have hated for him to miss a word.”
Elsa could picture it. “Did you go all scary face on him? I mean, scary is in the eye of the beholder. And behold,Idon’t think you’re scary at all.”
Luke chuckled. “He should have been scared. His parents looked horrified, but not because of me. Archer had to admit that he had locked you in that room and forgot about you. You should have seen their faces when I told them about the fire. I admit to waiting an extra beat before telling them you escaped. They needed to consider what could have happened. They needed to know you could have—” He swallowed and shook his head.
She laced her fingers with his. “But I didn’t. It’s over.” After returning to her apartment in the wee hours of Friday morning, she’d fallen asleep only to wake with a start in the dark. It had taken her a few moments to reorient herself to her bedroom, as opposed to the pitch-black tunnel where she had been. Last night had been the same, waking with a surge of adrenaline as she had when Barney licked her awake in the tunnel. She told herself then what she told Luke now. “It’s over. All is well.”
“I haven’t stopped thanking God for that.” He put his arm around her, and she nestled into his side. “At any rate, from what Archer said—if we can believe the guy—he went back to let you out after you’d entered the tunnel. When he didn’t see you in there, he figured someone else had let you out and had locked the door again after you left. When he drove home, he allegedly believed you’d left before him.”
Resting her head on Luke’s shoulder, Elsa pondered Archer’s explanation as they rolled past Gapstow Bridge. The stone arch over the neck of the pond was mostly covered with vines that would soon turn bare for winter.
“Do you believe Archer’s story?” Luke prodded.
She didn’t answer right away. “It’s easier to believe him than to think he’d intentionally leave me there when he left for the night. I can’t believe he would be that cruel. No decent human being would do that, even to someone they didn’t care for.”
“Have you thought about pressing charges?” he asked. “Mr. and Mrs. Hamlin said they were ready to offer any sum to keep you from doing so, and from talking to the press about Archer’s role. I’m surprised they haven’t reached out to you already.”
Elsa frowned. “Maybe they tried. Ivy kept the telephone off the hook today to make sure no ringing would wake me. No, I don’t want to press charges or talk to the press, and I certainly don’t need their money. The charges wouldn’t stick, and I’d rather move on from the entire ordeal.”
The carriage trundled by families and locals, past tourists smart enough not to come at the height of summer. When they came near enough to the Central Park Carousel to hear the organ music on the breeze, Elsa could picture the hand-painted horses going up and down on their poles, even though she couldn’t see it from here.
She sat up straight and waved to a few folks she’d led in a bird-watching group before.
“Elsa!” One of them called to her. “When are you going birding again?”
