Free Butterfly Palace by Colleen Coble

the tab to have the bill sent up to the house.
    Belle took the frosty treats and carried them to the café tables out on the sidewalk. “I thought Uncle Everett would be here already.” She pulled out her chair and settled onto it, then took a tiny taste of her gem.
    Her aunt sat across the table from her. “You know how men are, darling. He likely got caught up in politics. Election Day will be here before we know it.” Her eyes widened at the first taste of her gem. “It’s delicious, Belle. I’ll order some to be sent to the house for dessert tomorrow.”
    Belle’s good humor evaporated. She’d had plans for Friday. “What’s tomorrow?”
    “Have you forgotten the fund-raising dinner already? We have fifty of Everett’s best supporters descending on us. That reminds me—I ordered you a new dress. It’s a daring shade of orange. We will stop and pick it up on the way home.”
    Belle had grown tired of all the new fripperies she was expected to wear. Ribbons, gloves, slippers. Dozens of dresses of every color packed her wardrobe. Many she hadn’t yet worn. The thought of so many parties this year had seemed pleasant at first. Now she wished for something of more substance to do. She had no more purpose than the grass waving in the breeze.
    “There’s Uncle Everett.” She waved at him. Many heads turned to watch him pass, including those of every woman in the area.
    He lifted his hand in greeting and quickened his pace. The sidewalk was crowded, and he paused to allow two women to pass. The bushes lining the walk on the other side of the street by the park parted, and something glinted in the sun.
    Belle squinted, then gasped. She leaped to her feet as the barrel took aim at her uncle. Time slowed as she instantly realized the shooter intended to kill her uncle.
    She pointed. “Uncle Everett, get down! There’s a gun!”
    Uncle Everett looked up and paused. He smiled as if to assure her, but his smile faded as the gunman rose with the weapon in his hand.
    There had been two policemen inside, and Belle shouted, “Help, police!” Unable to tear her gaze away, she took a step toward her uncle.
    The bushes shook, and the gun became easier to see. A shot rang out, and Uncle Everett dropped to the ground. Aunt Camille leaped to her feet and screamed. The gun disappeared from the bushes, and a man rushed across the open park area. Other people screamed, and several men gave chase to the shooter.
    Belle rushed toward her uncle, who began to stand and brush himself off. “Uncle, are you hurt?”
    He embraced her. “No, no, my dear. Thanks to your warning, I escaped injury. Lucky for me you saw the scoundrel.” He released her to hug his wife. “Don’t fret, Camille, I’m fine. The police will soon catch the culprit.”
    “I knew this would happen.” Camille pulled her hanky from her sleeve and dabbed her cheeks. “Ever since you announced you planned to support women’s suffrage. You must stop, Everett. I don’t want to be widowed.”
    Belle nodded. “It’s not worth it, Uncle Everett. We don’t want to lose you.”
    “You’d both have me forget my convictions? What kind of man would I be?”
    Convictions. The word struck a chord in Belle’s heart. Did she have any convictions of any sort? Her existence had been rather aimless and self-centered. But it was what was expected of women in her station of life. She didn’t have to be some kind of crusader. Especially if it immersed her in danger or prevented her from achieving her goal of marriage.
    She fell into step beside her aunt and uncle as they headed back to the candy store. “Do you know who these men might be, Uncle?”
    He pulled out a chair for her aunt. “I’ve heard a few rumblings, but we have no proof. Was he familiar at all, Belle?”
    She shook her head as he pulled out her chair. “I didn’t get a good look at him. I saw only his back as he was running away. His hat obscured his face as he turned.”
    She looked across the