“No, I am your son, Fredrick,” he replied, hoping she would remember. He didn’t know why he kept trying, but he did. He wanted her to remember him, even if for a moment.
Her eyes flickered with regret. “I’m sorry, but I don’t remember you.”
Fredrick felt a stab of disappointment at her words. “It is all right,” he said. “I am just happy to see you.”
“Could you ask Jane to come in?” his mother asked.
“I’m sorry, but Aunt Jane can’t come visit you today,” Fredrick said. “I’m afraid she is rather busy at the moment.”
His mother let out a yawn and her hand flew up to cover her mouth. “Pardon me, but I think it is time that I rest. I didn’t sleep well last night.”
Fredrick performed a slight bow. “I shall come back at another time.”
“Thank you,” his mother said before she placed her head on her pillow.
As he departed from the room, he felt a profound sadness sweep over him. How he wished he could go back in time and fix this. How was it fair that his mother was suffering, and he could do nothing to help her?
“How is Mother?” Roswell asked as he approached Fredrick in the corridor.
“She was asking for Jane again.”
Roswell winced. “What did you say?”
“I just told her that Aunt Jane was busy,” Fredrick replied. “I didn’t dare tell her that her sister died nearly thirty years ago.”
“That was the right thing to do.”
“Was it?” Fredrick asked. “I don’t know what the right thing is to do anymore when it comes to Mother.”
Roswell placed a comforting hand on Fredrick’s shoulder. “It is a good thing that you came home from the war to be with her. I know, deep down, she appreciates it.”
Fredrick took in his brother’s haggard appearance. His hair was slightly disheveled, and his clothes were wrinkled, which was in stark contrast to how he usually looked.
“Where have you been?” he asked.
“I was out looking for Caleb all night, but it was not in vain. I have a lead,” Roswell revealed. “Someone directed me to a tavern, but it is in the rookeries.”
“You aren’t going by yourself, are you?”
Roswell dropped his hand and replied, “I am more than capable of chasing down a lead on my own.”
“I don’t dispute that but you look terrible.” Fredrick scrunched his nose. “And you don’t smell much better.”
“That is even better for where I am going,” Roswell said.
The last place that Fredrick wanted to visit was the rookeries, but he couldn’t let his brother keep going on as he had been. He was working entirely too hard, and he had yet to find Caleb. He was afraid his brother might get desperate, and desperate people tended to make a mistake. A mistake that might cost Roswell his life. Could he live with himself if that happened?
“I will join you,” Fredrick said.
Surprise flickered on Roswell’s face. “I thought you didn’t want to get involved.”
“I don’t, but Anette did volunteer me to help you. Besides, I can’t just ignore that Caleb is still missing,” Fredrick remarked. “We both know the longer he is missing, the less chance there is that he will be found alive.”
“I will gladly take your help,” Roswell said.
Fredrick could hear the relief in Roswell’s voice, and he was sure that he had made the right decision.
The sound of a dog barking could be heard from further down the corridor and it was followed by Anette saying, “Mr. Fluffy.”
