Carolina Gold by Dorothy Love

Author:Dorothy Love [Love, Dorothy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2013-08-31T12:00:00+00:00

Seventeen

In a small depression at the base of the dunes, Marie-Claire dug a hole. Anne-Louise carefully laid the dead skimmer inside.

“Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust,” the older child intoned as both girls filled the hole with sand.

Charlotte looked down at her in surprise. “Where did you learn that?”

“Papa told us it’s what the priest said when they buried Maman.” With her bare foot Marie-Claire pushed more sand into the hole. “We always say ‘ashes to ashes’ when we play funeral.”

Anne-Louise nodded, her eyes bright. “We used to play it a lot, but not so much since we have you, Ma’m’selle.”

The little girl smiled and caught Charlotte’s hand. Charlotte smiled back, but misgivings crowded her mind. Both girls seemed happy here—and happy to have someone dependable to look after their needs. Anne-Louise in particular. Charlotte felt a growing closeness with them too. What would happen when Nicholas returned to claim them?

The tide was in. A freshening breeze stirred the sea oats as the light faded into the golden edge of evening. Marie-Claire, her dark hair blowing about her small face, dusted off her hands. “The skimmer is properly buried, and I am about to perish. When can we eat, Ma’m’selle?”

Anne-Louise leaned against Charlotte. “I don’t feel like eating.”

Charlotte placed a hand on the girl’s forehead. “Perhaps you got too much sun today. You’ll feel better when you cool off. Let’s go inside and—”

“Here comes Mr. Peabody.” Marie-Claire pointed to a rider pounding along in the surf. She frowned. “He sure is in an awful hurry.”

The minister reined in and dismounted. “Miss Fraser.” He paused to catch his breath. “Have you seen Susan? She’s gone missing.”

“I haven’t seen her, but surely she would not have come this far on her own.” Charlotte spoke calmly, but her heart stuttered in her chest. A five-year-old girl unaccustomed to the capricious power of the ocean could be swept away in the blink of an eye. She shaded her eyes and looked out at the rolling surf.

“Merciful God,” the minister said. “You don’t think she’s out there?”

“I pray not. The beach is well traveled this time of year, with many people coming and going. I’m sure someone would have seen her had she ventured so far.” She brushed her hair from her eyes. “What happened?”

“She fell asleep in the wagon on the way home. I stopped just for a moment to call on Mrs. Newton, who has been ailing lately. Afterward I drove on back to the parsonage. When we got there, I realized Susan was missing.”

“The other children didn’t see where she went?”

He shook his head. “John and Lucas didn’t want to wait while I called on my parishioner, so they asked whether they could go on ahead on foot. It wasn’t far and I didn’t see why not. Bess was riding up front with me, and I suppose it never occurred to her to turn around and check on her sister.” His voice broke. “After everything those children have been through lately, I simply cannot .

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