AllFreeNovel
Share Us
By the time she dressed for bed that evening, concern began to draw the corners of her mouth down as she looked out her window to the port below. It was highly unusual that the ship would be this late. Where it had run several hours behind in the past, never to this extent.
Fingering the tassels on the heavy silk curtains, she toyed with the idea of sneaking out of the house and down to the Colby farm. Surely they had heard something. However, with her grandfather’s disapproval starting to wear her down heavily, she couldn’t risk his discovering she had snuck out once again. It would have to wait until morning.
Which was exactly what she did the moment her grandfather left th
e house for his office. Barely eating the breakfast Fiona placed in front of her, she slipped her bonnet on and hurried out the back door toward the road that led north of town and to the Colby farm. To her relief, Jay was not home. He was out fishing with Garrett.
Lillith Colby greeted her warmly and instantly eased Erika’s budding paranoia. Terrible thoughts had begun racing through her head during the night with all the possible scenarios for the Francesca’s delay. They received word that the ship had some minor repairs being done and delayed its return to Placid. It would arrive sometime that day. What time, however, she wasn’t sure.
The day seemed to drag for Erika as she watched the harbor nonstop. However, that didn’t help bring the great schooner into port any quicker. When she wasn’t at the pier, she was prancing nervously in front of the grandfather clock in the front foyer. The later he returned, the less chance they would have the opportunity to practice his lines.
Later, while she sat at the dinner table across from her grandfather, she eyed him closely as he ignored her once again. She swallowed her nerves, and said, “I would like it if you came to the performance tonight.”
The only indication he might have heard her was the quick shifting of his eyes, however, he remained silent, giving Erika her answer. Her spirits plummeted and they remained that way when she walked toward harbor hill after dinner.
The hill was bustling with activity as Carnie and her crew were busy setting the stage. Jay and Garrett were also there setting up the balcony, and what looked like securing some last minute touch-ups to it.
“Erika.” The director approached her, her emerald eyes glistening with concern. “We’re so terribly behind schedule. There’s a tear in one of the background scenes; a member of my crew accidentally broke one of the rails off the balcony; and Ryan is still not here. We haven’t even had him properly fitted for his costume.”
Surprisingly, Erika felt a calm come over her. She wasn’t sure where it came from, but she turned and gave the woman a reassuring smile. “The rip in the scenery is hardly noticeable, Jay’s already fixing the broken rail, and Ryan will be here soon.”
“How can you be so sure?”
She smiled. “He never lets me down.”
“I hope you’re right, Erika.” With that, she turned and hurried away.
Sighing, Erika headed for the tent that acted as a temporary change room and got herself ready. A young girl who was part of Carnie’s theatre company was waiting for her inside. She helped Erika into her costume and fastened her long blonde locks into a single braid down her back. During practices on the hill, it became evident the winds that high up were thrashing her loose hair terribly and were far too distracting for the performance.
It was a little while later, she heard the buzz of the audience begin to assemble and a small thrill quivered inside her stomach. She always loved performing, but tonight was different. It was special.
Not simply because it represented the climax to her and Jay’s achievement in their pursuit to build a proper school, but tonight Erika would experience her first kiss. She wondered if Ryan was anticipating it as much as she was.
Coming out of her change room, she instinctively turned her attention below the bluff to the harbor, and sighed with relief when she spotted the Francesca sail slowly into port. Gathering her skirts, she swirled around and searched out Carnie.
“The Francesca just arrived.”
“Thank God!” The woman didn’t even bother restraining the relief she felt. “Jay, would you kindly go down and meet him. And be hasty about it. The show is to begin in half an hour.”
Erika turned her head, startled at Jay’s unexpected appearance. She hadn’t even seen him standing there. He nodded, his eyes scanning Erika’s appearance from head to toe, and then turned quickly to leave. Was that a look of displeasure in his eye? What was wrong with the way she looked?
To be sure, she glanced down and gave herself a once over. Everything was in place and if she were to be so boastful, she thought she looked fantastic. She found it was particularly fun to dress in period costumes and take on an era one could only dream of living. Pressing her hands down the front of her satin dress, she peered around one of the tents to the gathering crowd.
A feeling fluttered in her belly. Stage jitters. She always got them right before a show. Carnie told her all actors got them. But as usual, vanished the moment she stepped on stage.
From the corner of her eye, she saw movement off stage and saw Jay enter the tents. Alone. Her eyes instantly searched out Ryan behind him. But he wasn’t there. Perhaps Carnie had snatched him and had him already in a change room and getting into his costume. However, one look at Jay’s face and she knew that wasn’t the case.
“Where’s Ryan?”
He looked grim around the mouth as if he were trying to suppress his temper. Erika frowned heavily at him. “Where’s Ryan?” she repeated more sternly.
“Not here.”
“I can see that.” She glanced past his shoulder to search out his brother. “Is he with Carnie?”
“No.” Jay didn’t look very happy as he watched her closely.
Sighing irritably, she brushed past him and went to find Ryan herself. But Jay’s voice stilled her. “He’s not here, Erika.”
