The Covered Deep by Brandy Vallance

Author:Brandy Vallance [Vallance, Brandy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2014-10-14T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Madeline’s voice jarred her from dreams. “Did you make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem to sleep?”

Bianca sighed and threw off the blanket. “It was a tiring day yesterday, that’s all.” She ran her fingers through her hair and started untying the rag strips. Her gaze went to Paul’s flower.

“I don’t remember that being here last night.”

Bianca snapped her gaze back to Madeline. “What?”

“That.”

“My bobby pins?” Bianca raised an eyebrow.

“No.” The bite in Madeline’s voice was obvious. “Good try, though.”

“My Bible? Isn’t it pretty?” Bianca reached over and picked it up off the stand. Her fingers brushed the cup that held Paul’s flower. “I bought it in New York before I boarded the ship. It’s just the right size for traveling.” She bit back a smile.

Madeline put her hand on her hip and scowled.

“The Bible I brought from Ohio was far too big. Daddy took it back with him after he waved good-bye.” Bianca waved her hand in mock reverie.

“How nice.”

“Yes, it was.” Bianca turned the Bible over as if she were examining it for the first time. She tapped her finger on the seven seals of the spine. “Today I’ll get to compare things I’ve read in here with the things I see. Can you imagine?”

Madeline eased down on her bed, careful that the folds of her skirt fell in all the right places. “Seems like it might be a good day for you.” She took the Bible from Bianca and tossed it on the pillow. “But that’s not as interesting to me as the small pink flower just there.”

Bianca folded her hands and waited.

“When I went to bed, that flower wasn’t in this room. That leads me to believe two things—one, you’re a sleepwalker. You must have had a fit in the middle of the night, and I was too sound asleep to help you. Yet you somehow made it down to the garden and picked this flower.”

Bianca grinned. “Sounds logical.”

“But not my first choice.”

“Do tell.” Bianca put her hand on Madeline’s arm for emphasis. “I hate delayed conjecture.”

Madeline pried Bianca’s fingers away like they held the plague. “There’s a certain man in this house who fancies you. I think he gave it to you.”

Bianca rose and went to the water basin. “You’re better at conjecture than I thought.” She poured the water and splashed her face.

Madeline crossed the room. “When did this occur?”

“Last night.” The memories wrapped around Bianca like fine silk. “Around three o’clock in the morning.”

Madeline’s mouth made a silent O. “I hardly know what to say.”

“Then don’t say anything.” She knelt down to her trunk and threw it open.

Madeline paced. “I’m grasping here . . .”

Bianca lifted a blouse from the trunk, then decided against it.

“I’m trying to think the best of you.” Madeline stopped. “My mind is going in so many directions, I hardly know how to respond.”

Bianca rummaged deeper in her trunk. “The Baedeker-Cook travel guide said it’s best not to wear anything too American, English, or European.”

“I need to sit down. The worst has happened.

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