Free Home to Stavewood (Stavewood Saga Book 3) by Nanette Kinslow

“That’s all there is, Tim. It just came in.”
     
          Timothy stood at the mill station. After having sent out a dozen questioning telegraphs in reply and receiving no response, he had given up and was now packed and waiting for the train.
          Everyone had decided that Roland would remain behind and Timothy would travel alone. Rebecca was completely distraught and Emma stood with her arm around her shoulder. She tucked her wrap around her protectively at the station while the four of them waited for the train.
          “I will wire with any information,” Timothy promised repeatedly, resolving to maintain his composure. “Roland will be here if you need anything at all,” he assured his wife, her face pale and her lip quivering.
          “I’ll bring him home,” he nodded firmly.
          The train pulled noisily into the station and Rebecca smoothed her skirt and dried her eyes.
          “You be careful.” She kissed her husband hard and choked back her tears. “I’m serious now. Take care of yourself. I’m sure you’ll find him and he’ll be fine.”
          “I love you,” he whispered as he kissed her and stepped onto the train.
          The locomotive pulled out and Roland caught Rebecca around the waist as she fell into a faint. He lifted her into his arms and he and Emma took her home.
     
          Emma pressed the damp cloth against Rebecca’s lips and whispered to her softly.
          Rebecca’s eyes fluttered open and she looked around the room in confusion.
          “What happened?”
          “You fainted at the station.” Emma smiled at her cousin reassuringly.
          “How did I get home?” Rebecca struggled to sit up on the bed.
          “Roland. He carried you back.”
          “Oh, my.” Rebecca put her fingers to her lips. “I’m sorry. Please tell him I’m sorry. He didn’t need to do that.”
          “How are you feeling?”
          Rebecca rubbed her forehead. “I’ve been feeling so lightheaded. Oh, Emmy, what if something really has happened to those boys?”
          “Timothy will be there in just a couple of days. There’s no better person to go get him. We’ll just have to wait.”
          Rebecca sighed and lay back on the pillows.
     
          Roland returned to the station, but no responses to Timothy’s wires ever arrived. How someone could send such a message and never follow it up with any more information only posed more questions to him. The answers that he imagined did not soothe his fear.
          He walked out onto the station platform and trudged back toward Stavewood. He stopped on the way and took a deep breath before reaching the opening to the yard. He knew the women were consumed with worry, and both of them were expecting. He had the responsibility of keeping them both calm while they waited for word from Tim. Until that happened there was nothing more anyone could do.
     
     
       Timothy Elgerson tried resting his head back against the seat of the train and putting his hat over his face. He sat up again and pulled the telegram from his shirt pocket. He reread it as if perhaps the words had changed, or there were something in the phrasing he had missed before. There was nothing more there. He tried to plan what he would do when he arrived in Barite, but there were so many unanswered questions. No details about the accident had been mentioned. Were they hurt? How could Mark or maybe both of them be missing?
          His mind traveled back to his brief visit with Sam’s parents. Nils had nearly died in a shooting during the train robbery a few years back, and although he lived, he was never the same. He had wanted so badly to accompany Timothy, but both men knew the trip would be too much for him. Timothy could see Sam’s mother, Catherine, was sick with worry.
          Timothy looked out the window at the landscape rushing by, but the speeding