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“If I could bottle that answer, I’d be a very wealthy woman.”
“Indeed. My grandfather gave a ball every year to help the needy in Boston and now I’m in charge of it.” Rather than ranting about the celebrants of the Lost Cause, he asked, “Did you know your mother would be at the market?”
“No. I knew we’d cross paths at some point, just not when or where.”
“Do you think Welch could see past her disguise? I certainly didn’t.”
“I don’t know, but she said Welch had been there most of the morning. Since Welch didn’t know we’d be at the market, I have to wonder if she was there simply buying items for herself or waiting around to meet someone. And if it’s the latter, who is it and are they tied to what we’re doing here?”
“Interesting questions,” he noted. “Do you think what we’re after is in his bedroom?”
“My gut says yes, but I need to search it to be certain. Helen’s promised to let me clean in there so we’ll see if she actually does. I asked Mama to find me some mice. I want to speed up things here.”
“Mice?”
She explained her loosely conceived plan. “I want Helen convinced there are mice in that room. If I can, maybe she’ll leave and go stay with her sister for a day or so and we can go in and look around.”
He was amused by her cleverness. “That might just work. Was your mother surprised by the request?”
“She raised an eyebrow, so more than likely yes. In the meantime, I’ll conduct a hunt of my own—they can be alive or dead. I admit it’s pretty farfetched, but farfetched sometimes works.”
“If I run across any, I’ll let you know.”
“That would be helpful.”
He was still uncomfortable with all this intrigue even while acknowledging being a bit excited waiting for everything to unfold. “I’ve been asking myself why would Stipe hang on to something he stole over ten years ago? What does he have in mind for it? Does he intend to sell it?”
“Good questions. My concern is whether he still has it.”
Braxton agreed. He could come up with no rational reason for it to still be in Stipe’s possession, yet Welch seemed convinced it was.
“Helen apparently holds the purse strings,” Raven pointed out. “Men don’t usually enjoy being financially beholden to their wives, and it would fetch a good price were it up for sale—maybe more than enough to get out from under her thumb, if that’s his intention, but I agree with you, why keep it hidden for over ten years?”
“Here’s hoping it’s still in his possession.”
“Amen.”
This was their second evening of ending the day together and he was enjoying the time spent with her. “Is there anything you need me to do for you for tomorrow? I think there should be enough wood for the stove for the next couple of days.”
“No, I think I’ll be fine. Going to get up early to do the wash, so let me have whatever clothing you want added before you go to bed.”
“Even though I chopped enough wood for the stove, you’ll probably need more to heat thewater. Do you want me to fill the cauldrons, too?” The wash was done in two enormous copper cauldrons that were set atop fires to heat the water.
“No. You’re probably right about needing more wood, but I can pump the water when I get up and build the fires.”
“Let me handle that. You’ll have more than enough to do without having to do everything.”
“Thank you for offering, but I’ve been doing laundry since I was nine, Steele. I can do what’s needed in my sleep.”
He scanned her and wondered if she was as fierce at that young age as she was presently. At nine years old, his only chores were polishing his shoes, completing his lessons, and making sure his clothing for school or church was set out before bed.
“What are you thinking?” she asked quietly.
“Nothing.”
“You don’t lie very well.”
That amused him. “I suppose you’re right. Honestly, I was thinking about how easy my childhood seemed in comparison to yours. Nothing more.”
