For the third and what he’d decided would be his final time in two weeks, Adam entered the yard of the little cottage where for one night, he’d loved more deeply than he had known was possible. Though he had searched endlessly, there’d been no sign of Sissy. In his hand he held the only letter he’d ever received from her. She’d said he should know where to meet her, and of all the places they’d spent time together, he knew this cottage was the place she’d meant.

This time, the door was unlocked when he tried it, and taking a deep breath, he took a step into the past. The one room cottage was unchanged; as if a place held sacred, it had remained untouched. He ran a hand along the cold stone mantel, and for a moment, it flickered again with candlelight. He turned toward the large tub leaning in the corner, and stepping across the room, pulled it out where it had been that night. A warm sensation filled him, and he couldn’t help but smile as his mind wandered back. His smile vanished a moment later, at the sound of movement on the porch. He turned quickly, instinctively reaching to feel the gun that wasn’t at his side, and then he froze.

“Sissy?”

She was there, standing in the doorway. He blinked a few times before moving toward her, but stopped when she took a step back.

“A . . . Adam, is that you? You look different.”

Adam found his throat had gone dry, and he swallowed hard. He’d been thinking the same thing about her. In small ways—little things he couldn’t quite put his finger on, she had changed also. She was older, still slender, but her beautiful long hair had been cut short. She wore it loose, just touching the shoulders of a coat ten times too big for her.”

The silence lasted for several minutes with Sissy fidgeting nervously with her coat buttons, and Adam just staring. Finally he found his voice.

“It’s me.”

Sissy nodded, and he thought he saw a glimmer of tears in her eyes. Slowly she stepped further into the room, gazing around and Adam was able to see her features more clearly. Her cheeks were gaunt and the dark circles under her eyes told a tale all their own.

She looks as if she’s survived a dozen lifetimes.

When her eyes came to rest on the washtub, Adam suddenly felt embarrassed, and he moved to stand in front of it.

“Sissy, I . . . I have to say, I don’t know where to start. Did you just arrive?”

“Last night. I came here then, but it was dark.”

Her voice was still soft with a gentle southern drawl

“I’m sorry,” Adam said. “I’ve been staying at a boarding house nearby. I wasn’t exactly sure where to find-”

“It’s all right,” she interrupted. “I wasn’t worried. I . . . I knew you would come.” She ducked her eyes, and Adam took a step toward her. He started to reach for her hand, but then became unsure of himself. The room was getting darker as the sun began to set, and he cleared his throat.

“Have you eaten yet? There’s a little place in Ednam that has pretty good food? We could spend some time; talk.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

Adam gave her half a smile and escorted her outside. They walked first back to his boarding house so he could borrow a carriage. The night was beautiful as dusk descended. The sky turned the color of roses, ranging from pale to dark red before it was replaced with a sheet of bright stars. The ride had been mostly silent and Adam turned when he heard Sissy sigh.

“It’s so beautiful,” she said. “I still can’t get over it. Being out here. All those years, I so longed to see the sky.”

Adam felt as if he’d take a blow to the gut, and this time he reached for her hand uninhibited.

“I would have given anything for things to turn out differently,” he said. “I tried everything I could think of. I even sent for my father.” Adam couldn’t seem to stop the flow of words; he so desperately needed for her to understand. “I didn’t want to leave. My pa nearly had to drag me away. He . . . he kept trying for me though.”

Sissy stopped him by placing a hand over his.

“I know. The lawyer told me. He’s the one that told me where to write you.”

Adam’s mind was racing. So his pa had been successful in getting Sissy released early.

“Adam,” Sissy continued, “I know you must have so many questions.”

She paused, waiting, and Adam nearly felt dizzy with all he wanted to say. Finally, his mind grasped onto the first solid thought that formed.

“Why did you tell me your name was Sissy?”

Sissy turned her gaze up toward the stars. “My daddy used to call me that. I hadn’t heard it in so long. I should have corrected you when you misheard me, but the truth is . . . I liked the idea of being someone besides Cecily.”

Adam squeezed her hand. “Well, then Sissy, you never told me about your parents. I thought you’d grown up with the judge.”

“I was six-years-old when I was sent to live with my uncle. Before that, I’d lived in New York with my parents. My daddy was shot coming home one night. I remember one man saying they took his wallet and his coat and hat. Mama had been sick. When they came and told us, she took a turn for the worst. A woman came and stayed with us, and she tried to keep me out, but I wouldn’t leave mama’s side.”

Sissy’s story paused as they arrived at the restaurant, and it gave Adam time to get his emotions under control. He marveled at fate, that it could treat one person so cruelly. He led the way to a table near the back, and after consulting with Sissy, told the waitress to bring two orders of pot roast. He then watched as Sissy added enormous amounts of sugar and cream to her coffee, and then drank it down quickly. He instantly berated himself for not realizing how hungry she was, and he called the waitress over, asking for more coffee and a basket of bread. Sissy ate three rolls before she finally slowed down. When she reached for a fourth, she looked up at Adam sheepishly.

“The warden gave me five dollars when they released me. It lasted longer than I expected, but . . . it’s been gone a while now.”

Adam grimaced. “How kind of him.”

“Yes, he thought he was kind when he gave it to me. I wanted to tell him, well, I bit my tongue to make sure I’d make it out of the gate,” Sissy stopped and looked at Adam, and her eyes were so intense that he stiffened nervously.

“What is it?”

“There are things I’ve never told anyone, but . . . I know I can trust you. Adam, I didn’t kill my uncle.”

Adam sat back slowly. He knew he should be surprised, but now that she’d told him, he realized he’d always known. “Who did?”

For the first time since they’d found each other, Sissy’s eyes filled with fear. Adam reached across the table and took her hand, trying to give her reassurance. Sissy dropped her eyes to his hand and focused there while she spoke.

“I . . . I can’t tell you that. Please,” she looked up desperately as he pulled his hand away.

“Sissy, listen,” Adam said, keeping his voice quiet, but firm. “You’ve been released from prison. They can’t make you go back again for the same crime. Whatever happened, whatever you’re afraid of, I’m here now. I’m not the boy I once was. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Both Adam and Sissy grew silent as the waitress brought their plates, but neither of them started eating. Sissy sat toying with her fork, a picture of misery. For a few moments, Adam was afraid she was going to get up and leave, but then she sighed loudly and brushed a tear from her cheek.

“Okay,” she said. “It was just after you’d left. My uncle had me and Meg in his study. He was furious—screaming at me. Meg tried to speak up for me and he lost control. He started beating her, hitting her anywhere the crop landed. She crumpled to the floor and was just lying there, not even making a sound. I tried to stop him. I threw myself on top of her. He yanked me off and turned on me for a little while, but then he went back to Meg. I’d never seen him that angry before. Adam, he was going to kill her.

I was screaming as loud as I could for him to stop, and then suddenly, Mr. Denton burst through the door. He wrestled with my uncle trying to get the riding crop away from him. My uncle punched him and he fell against the desk. His head was bleeding, and he wasn’t moving. Then . . . my uncle picked up the riding crop again. I saw Gabe standing in the hallway and I screamed for him to help. He turned and ran off, and I thought for sure Meg was going to die. Just as he lifted the riding crop to hit her again, Gabe came back with my uncle’s rifle and shouted for him to leave us alone. Gabe was trembling and my uncle took one look at him and laughed; he sounded like he’d lost his mind. The next minute, he threw the crop at Gabe and the rifle fell. He went at Gabe then and shoved him out of the study, locking the door. He picked up the crop and walked slowly back toward Meg. She was moaning, but her eyes hadn’t opened. I ran in between them, and he slapped me hard in the face. I hit the floor, and that’s when I heard a shot. I turned around, and my uncle was standing over Meg, the crop held high in his hand, and then he dropped it and fell to his knees. I could see blood seeping onto the back of his jacket just before he fell on top of Meg. I was too terrified to move.

It was Mr. Denton. He’d shot him. He looked at me while he clutched that rifle and his eyes were so fierce, I thought he was going to shoot me too, but then he threw the rifle on the floor and crossed to Meg. He pulled my uncle off of her and took her in his arms. He kept saying, ‘Oh Margaret, my precious Margaret,’ over and over. I finally forced myself up and let Gabe back in, then ran for Bonnie so she could help me with Meg. When I got back, Mr. Denton was tying Gabe to a chair, and he kept talking to Meg even though she couldn’t hear him. He was going to tell the police that Gabe had killed my uncle.” Sissy stopped for a minute and looked away, taking a deep breath before starting again. “We both know what that would have meant for Gabe,” she said, almost as if daring Adam to contradict her.

“He started to leave, saying he was going for the police, and before I even knew what I was doing, I had picked up the rifle and hit him on the back of the head. I thought I’d killed him at first, but Bonnie checked and he was still breathing. We quickly untied Gabe and told him to run, but he wouldn’t leave; he was afraid for me and Meg. I’d never felt so sick or scared in my whole life. Mr. Denton and Meg were lying unconscious, my uncle was dead, and Gabe’s life was in danger. I did the only thing I could think of. I told Gabe to take Meg and run. If I confessed to killing my uncle, then they couldn’t blame Gabe. I knew, with my uncle dead, Mr. Denton would try to marry Meg; I couldn’t let that happen either. Gabe tried to refuse at first, but I begged him to take her and run. Me and Bonnie put Meg in one of the carts used for market while Gabe got a horse. Then we grabbed blankets, food, and medical supplies and piled them in with Meg. As soon as they were gone, I had Bonnie run for the police. Mr. Denton was still unconscious when they arrived, but when he finally came around, he went along with my story. I’m sure he thought things would be easier for him and Meg with me out of the way.”

Adam pushed his plate of now cold food toward the center of table and sat in disbelief.

“You’re telling me that Professor Denton murdered the judge in order to save Meg . . . because he loved her.”

Sissy huffed. “I wouldn’t call his feelings for her love, but yes, he wanted her. He’d had eyes for her even when we were young. I was afraid of my uncle, Adam, Meg and I both were terrified of him, but we hated Mr. Denton. His presence was like rubbing salt in a gaping wound.”

Adam had to stop himself from grinding his teeth as he listened. He was both infuriated and disgusted he’d ever attended classes with Denton, that he’d even ever remotely respected him. The man had been part of Sissy and Meg’s suffering from their childhood, and for Sissy he had managed to provide another fifteen years of Hell because of his own cowardice. Adam was seething, and his head shot up when Sissy suddenly reached out and seized his clenched fist.

“Adam, you’ll help me won’t you? I have to know what’s happened to Meg. I have to find her.”

Adam looked across the table into the eyes of a woman filled with desperation. She sat tense and silent, waiting for his answer.

“You know I will,” he said. “We can start tomorrow. I don’t know how difficult it will be. To my knowledge, up until the time I left for Boston, no one had found her, but I promise I’ll do everything I can.”

Sissy slumped back in her seat with eyes full of relief. Adam smiled at her as he picked up his fork, and he was pleased when, a moment later, she also began to eat. When they’d finished their meal, they stepped outside into the cool evening air, and Adam started to lead them back to the carriage. He was surprised when Sissy laid a hand on his arm.

“Will you . . . It’s such a beautiful night. Would you walk with me for a while?”

Adam answered by taking her arm and heading toward a grove of aspens in the distance.

Sissy walked silently beside him for a while, and Adam sensed that she was wrestling with something. He wasn’t surprised when she finally tugged at his arm to stop. He turned to face her, and in the moonlight, he had no trouble reading the doubt on her face. Her breathing grew more rapid, and then she finally spoke.

“Adam, there’s something else I haven’t told you . . .”