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Out in the kitchen, Coral stands at a cutting board, chopping peppers. Lenna realizes that besides the table, she’s never seen Coral anywhere else. “Have you seen Rhiannon?” she asks.
Coral looks up. “I don’t think so. I’ll tell her you’re looking for her?”
Ann parades through the door, a stream of dogs following in her wake like some sort of pied piper situation. She heads for Lenna. “Ready for the dogs?”
Lenna looks down at the leashes Ann holds loosely in her hand. “Huh?”
“You’re with me on the chore list for this afternoon.”
“But I didn’t sign up for dog walking.”
A tiny smirk appears on Ann’s lips. “We don’t reallysign upfor stuff. Marjorie tells us what to do, and we do it.”
“I…” Lenna swallows hard. “I just really need to talk to Rhiannon, is all. Maybe after?”
“Actually, Rhiannon was the one who suggested you help me.” Ann searches her face. “Is there a problem?”
Lenna sinks onto the long bench that runs the length of the kitchen table. She can feel that Coral has turned from her chopping and is watching. “Where is Rhiannon now?”
“She took a four-wheeler to the perimeter,” Marjorie says from the doorway. Lenna swivels around. How long has she been standing there, listening? “To make sure no animals are trying to get inside. Everything okay, Lenna?”
Lenna’s mouth feels dry. “Um, sure. It’s fine.”
“As long as you’re our guest, we do like you to help.”
“I know.” Lenna’s cheeks blaze. “Sorry. It’s just…” It feels like her chances of talking to Rhiannon—and maybe getting out of here today—are slipping away. Rhiannon is definitely avoiding her, probably because of her questions from last night. Lenna has no doubt.
She looks at Ann, feeling she has no choice. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
Ann nods. Then she nods at Marjorie, though the nod is slightly different—more deferential, just a little. Then she whistles. A few dogs come running. They wait while she pulls more leashes down from hooks by the door.
When Lenna turns back, Marjorie is still watching. She points at the baby. “Want me to take this guy while you go out with the pups?”
God, Lenna is getting tired of people asking her that. And yether back is literally screaming in pain. And heisso much calmer today….
“It’s all right. I’ve had two of my own. Boys, even.” A melancholy look crosses Marjorie’s features. “So long ago.”
“Right.” Lenna nods. “Rhiannon told me they grew up here.”
“They did. They were the pioneer kids, before any other kids arrived.”
“Did they like it?”
Marjorie glances behind her. The kitchen is empty—even Coral has vacated her chopping station. “There’s magic in this place. But if you’re not open to that, it won’t help you. Wherever you go, you’re still the same person, deep down.”
“Right,” Lenna says, wondering where Marjorie’s going with this.
“I think the key is recognizing you’re bringing your baggage with you at all times,” Marjorie adds. “Only once you drop your baggage can you change.” She looks at Lenna hard, like something unspoken is passing between them. “I meant it when I said you are here for a reason. I can tell. And I don’t think you should go quite yet.”
Lenna’s lips part. Is it that obvious that she wants to leave?
Marjorie rises and bends. A joint cracks in her back. “Ann’s waiting. I can take your baby. It’s the least I can do.”
Lenna undoes the straps of the carrier carefully. Her back releases the moment Jacob’s weight lifts away. When she hands him over to Marjorie, for a moment, her fingers don’t want to let go. But then they do. Jacob recently ate. He was recently changed. He’ll befine.
Marjorie carries Jacob out of the room. To Lenna’s surprise, her baby doesn’t cry at the notion of being separated.
The door bangs, and they are gone, and she is alone. But she still feels someone watching. She peers into the pantry; no one isthere. Nor is anyone hiding behind the island or in the doorway. But when she looks into the hall, she almost doesn’t notice Gia through an open doorway off the kitchen until she’s right next to her. The room is dark, but she can see the globes of Gia’s eyes staring out, watching silently.
