“I think the storm has passed,” she said to Maud, who sat contentedly on the sofa with a small glass of brandy, her usual habit before bed.
Then something caught Valerie’s attention, something at the lodge—a flash of light in one of the back windows. She squinted through the distance and saw it again. A beam of light sweeping across the glass.
“Is anyone expected at the lodge tonight?” she asked.
“No. Why?” Maud replied, sitting forward.
Valerie frowned as she tried to focus and wondered if she was imagining things. “There it is again. Someone must be inside. I saw a flashlight swinging around in the kitchen.”
Maud called out, “Blaine! Someone’s down at the lodge!” She stood up and joined Valerie at the window.
Blaine stumbled out of the bedroom in his bathrobe and slippers and stood at the top of the stairs. “What’s that? Are you sure?”
“Yes. Look.”
He flew down the staircase and opened the front door. “Good God, you’re right. I better get down there. You might want to put the kettle on.”
“Put the kettle on?” Valerie said. “What if it’s a burglar?”
“In a storm like this? It’s most likely someone needing help. My guess is it’s Jeremy. Who knows how long he’s been hiding out down there? He’s probably starving and chilled to the bone. Might want to warm up some soup as well.”
Blaine hurried back upstairs to dress. A moment later, he ventured out the front door with his snowshoes and a flashlight. As soon as he reached the lodge, the power came back on.
“Look who’ll be joining us for dinner,” Blaine said magnanimously as he kicked the snow off his boots and walked through the front door.
Jeremy followed behind him, and Maud hurried to help him remove his coat. “Look at you. You dear boy, out there in the cold. Your nose is redder than Rudolph’s. Let’s get you warmed up by the fire.” She took his snow-covered, red woolen mittens and laid them on a chair.
“Thank you, Mrs.Wilson.” He spoke sheepishly as he bent to pull off his boots. He hopped as he lost his balance on the braided rug, and no one said a word about his big toe sticking out of a hole in his sock.
Valerie watched all this from the kitchen. When Jeremy finally noticed her standing there, his gaze fell to her pregnant belly. He pondered it for a few seconds, then raised a hand to say hello. “Hi, Valerie.”
“Hi,” she replied and stepped back. “Why don’t you come into the kitchen and have some soup? It’s beef noodle. Nice and hot.”
He rubbed his hands together and blew into them. “That’s kind of you.”
He said nothing about the size of her belly but kept his eyes downcast as he ambled into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. Maud set out a bowl and spoon.
Valerie carried the pot to the table and used the tin ladle to fill Jeremy’s bowl. He looked up at the ceiling and all around the room—anywhere to avoid looking at her stomach, which was next to him at eye level.
Maud placed a thick slice of fresh bread on his plate. “Why didn’t you come to the door, Jeremy? There’s no heat in the lodge this time of year.”
“I didn’t want to bother you,” he replied.
When Valerie returned the pot to the stove, Jeremy reached for the bread and bit off a large chunk. He spoke with his mouth full. “This is very kind of you, Mrs.Wilson.” He picked up his spoon and tasted the soup. “Oh, my goodness. This is delicious. I’ve never tasted anything like it. It’s the best soup I’ve ever had. You’re a magician.”
Valerie, Maud, and Blaine puttered in the kitchen to give him a moment’s peace to devour the soup, which was probably the first hot meal he’d had in days. Maybe even weeks.
When he emptied the bowl, Valerie offered him some more. She returned to the table and ladled a second helping into his bowl.
“Where’s your boat?” Maud asked.
He swallowed heartily. “It’s sheltered under your dock. It’s a great place to hide things, you know. If I were to steal a boat, or even a small car, that’s where I’d hide it until the coast was clear.”
Maud and Valerie exchanged glances. Valerie wasn’t sure if Jeremy was ridiculously brazen or just daft for admitting something like that.
“We haven’t seen you in a while,” she said.
“I hitched a ride to Fairbanks in October,” he explained. “I found work hauling garbage, but it was boring after a while, so I figured I’d come home for Christmas.”
