A Circle of Dead Girls by Eleanor Kuhns

Author:Eleanor Kuhns
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781448303656
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2019-09-29T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FOUR

When they reached the junction of the main street with Surry, Rees turned, heading for Zion. It was mid-morning now and, as they passed the fields, Rees saw the Shaker Brothers laboring among the neat rows. He wondered where Aaron was. His specialty appeared to be cattle so Rees hoped he would have a short walk rather than a long one to find the man.

Zion’s main street was empty of people; everyone was working at this time of the day and would not reappear until it was time for prayers before the noon dinner. Rees pulled Hannibal to a stop and jumped down. He peered in the barn but saw no sign of anyone.

Lydia climbed down as well and came up behind him. ‘I expect most of the men are working in the fields today,’ she said. Turning to look over her shoulder she continued, ‘But at least some of the Sisters will be in the kitchen. I’ll ask there.’

Rees watched her cross the road, her skirts belling out in the breeze, until she disappeared behind the Dining Hall. How many times had he stood here, in the street, his gaze following her as she disappeared into this community that had once been her home. He knew she missed the peace she’d found in this faith but thought – hoped – that this emotion had faded with time. Especially now that she had a child of her own.

Lydia was gone longer than he expected and he was beginning to feel anxious when she suddenly appeared, not from the Dining Hall, but stepping out on the steps of the Dwelling House. Sister Esther followed her. Neither woman looked happy and Rees guessed he was about to hear news he would not like.

‘Aaron is gone,’ Lydia said when she was still several feet distant.

‘He ran off again,’ Rees said, aghast.

‘Not exactly,’ Esther said. Rees looked at her. Her mouth was pressed so tightly together it formed a thin line and the skin of her face was stretched over her cheekbones. ‘He was expelled.’

‘What?’ Rees looked at Lydia for an explanation, but it was Esther that spoke.

‘He’s disobeyed our rules more than once and indicated his disdain for some of our practices. This time he left Zion without permission and then lied about it. We could not ignore his transgressions any longer.’

Rees could feel his dismay spreading like a cold wave throughout his body. ‘But he … I wanted to speak to him.’

‘Do you really believe Aaron guilty of Leah’s death?’ Esther sounded like she just couldn’t force herself to pronounce the terrible word ‘murder’.

‘I don’t want to believe it,’ Rees replied, choosing his words with care. After all, he had known Aaron for some years now. ‘But I cannot ignore any possibility. And,’ he added reluctantly, ‘Aaron was on the lane. Without permission. And without anyone knowing he was gone.’

Esther nodded, her gaze drifting over Rees’s head to the barn and the blacksmith’s building beyond. When she spoke again her voice was flat, lifeless, as though all the hope had been drained from it.

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