Eliza’s fear for Maddie grew

What if her foster mother didn’t recover? What if the stroke put an end to the Maddie she knew? Eliza was filled with a sense of impending doom. She had to get to Mississippi. She’d let things go far too long without making a real attempt to reconnect with Maddie.

Eliza had spent so many years alone. It was one thing to remain aloof, to protect her heart from further bruising, but the reality had led to a solitary existence. She’d made a mistake as a teenager, and it had left her wary of getting close to anyone—afraid of hurting someone and being hurt herself.

Maddie had done her best for her girls. Eliza saw that now. Was this the end? Was Maddie alone in the hospital, living her last few days with no one to visit, to talk to her, to love her? Eliza couldn’t allow that. It was said that you could never go home again. But for her entire childhood, Maddie had given Eliza her best. She was the only mother Eliza remembered, and now she needed Eliza.

What was she waiting for?

She picked up the phone and punched in the number of an airline.

Dear Reader,

We all had best friends in childhood. Some of us are lucky enough to stay in the same town and continue those friendships all our lives. Others have moved away. What happened to those best friends? Do you sometimes wish with all your heart you could once again be close to someone who knew you back when you were five? Do you long to share confidences and learn what’s going on in her life?

The three girls from Poppin Hill were best friends. When a tragic incident separated them, they went their own ways. Now, ten years later, a family emergency is calling them back, one by one. Will they find that special friendship they remember so fondly? Or have the years and distance put too much in the way to reconnect with that unique bond?

Come and see how Eliza makes the first step by returning. And discovers that, as Dorothy said, there’s no place like home.

All the best,

Barbara McMahon

The Girl Who Came Back
Barbara McMahon

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To my great-aunt Eleanor Fuller.

Thank you for all the memories and family stories and for

giving me the Miller Family Bible! I love you.

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

PROLOGUE

Twelve years ago

“COME ON BACK TO MY PLACE,” Shell said, revving the car and careering recklessly down the narrow road. The trees crowding the edges of the country lane whipped by in a blur.

“I need to get home.” Today had been a mistake. Eliza had known that almost the moment she’d agreed to go with Shell, but she couldn’t back out. Getting even with Cade should have made her feel better, but she’d been annoyed with Shell all day. She should never have given in to him and played hooky from school to go to New Orleans. Dammit, she was tired and hungry and feeling more than a little guilty. Now she had to sneak back into the house so Maddie didn’t give her grief for skipping school.

April was supposed to tell Cade that Eliza had cut classes to go to New Orleans, and with whom. If Cade could fool around with Marlise, Eliza was justified in having some fun with Shell.

Only she hadn’t had fun. Shell had been all over her, and fighting him off had become a full-time job. Now they were almost back in Maraville, and Eliza was counting the minutes until she could shake off this loser.

“Come on, baby,” Shell said, putting a hand on her bare thigh.

The guy never gave up. She slapped his hand away. May in Mississippi was warm, but she’d also worn the shorts to make a statement. Pulling her leg away, she glared at him.

“I need to get home. Maddie will skin me alive if she finds out I skipped school.”

“If? You mean when,” Shell said, sneering. “Like old man Douglass isn’t going to tell at some point?”

For sure the principal would call and complain about one of Maddie’s foster children again. He called so often, he probably had her number programmed into his phone. Usually it was about Jo, but once in a while about April. This would be the first call about Eliza. Didn’t matter. Her foster mother would be infuriated.

Still, it’d be worth it if Cade got the message. If he could play around, so could Eliza.

“Damage has already been done,” Shell said, smirking at her. “Might as well go all the way.”

“Stop playing games and get me home,” she ordered. If he didn’t turn at the intersection that led to Poppin Hill, she’d jump out at the next stop sign and get there on her own.

Which was exactly what she ended up doing. Shell scoffed at her request and cruised past the turnoff. As he slowed for the next stop, never quite coming to a complete halt, she snatched her purse and flung herself from the car. He called after her, but she turned and began walking. The car roared away.

It took her more than forty minutes to walk home. The old house stood on a rise overlooking the sleepy Mississippi town of Maraville. Maddie Oglethorpe had opened her home to three foster girls many years ago. Eliza resented the fact she had to live in foster care, but with both parents dead and no known relatives, she had no choice.

She stormed into the back of the house. Amazingly, no one was around. She walked through the kitchen to the front, then up the stairs to her room. The silence was spooky.

Opening her door, she tossed her purse on the bed and went back down the hall, peeking into Jo’s room. When she heard soft sounds coming from April’s, she knocked on the door, opened it and stuck her head inside.

“You’re back,” April said, lying on her bed. She scooted up to lean against the headboard. “The shit hit the fan today.”

Satisfaction finally coursed through Eliza. “Cade wasn’t happy to hear I went out with Shell, I take it.”

“Oh, that. Yeah, he was majorly pissed. I’m talking about Jo. Someone beat the crap out of her and she blamed Maddie.”

“What?” Eliza couldn’t believe it. “Jo is two inches taller than Maddie and athletic as all get out. Maddie talks tough, but she’s never so much as slapped any of us. How could she beat up Jo?”

“Jo showed up here this morning black and blue with blood oozing from several cuts on her face. The cops came and took her to the hospital. She claimed it was Maddie.”

“She’s lying.” Eliza went to sit on the bed. “What really happened?”

“I don’t know the whole story. I was sent to school before I could find out more. When I got home, the place was empty. I don’t know where Maddie and Jo are right now. Your plan worked, by the way. Cade had a fit when I told him you took off with Shell.”

Eliza nodded, her own situation taking second place to the news about Jo. “I bet it was Heller. She should have dumped him weeks ago. He’s bad news.”

“Maybe, but she was mad as all get out and kept glaring at Maddie, saying it was all her fault.”

Who would have beaten a sixteen-year-old girl? It had to be Heller. He was a classmate from the wrong side of town. He’d been in and out of trouble as long as Eliza and the others had known him. He and Jo had a thing going—against Eliza’s advice and April’s. But Jo was headstrong. No one could budge her when she made up her mind.

“So spill, how was Shell?” April said.

“Not as hot as he thinks, though his car is cool,” Eliza told her. “The day was a drag.” She’d only gone to get back at Cade for his defection. Could she have found another way?

The phone rang.

April leapt up and ran down the stairs. The only phone in the house was located at the base of the stairs. Eliza followed right behind her.

“Hello…? Oh, yeah, she’s here.” April turned and held out the receiver. “It’s for you. Sounds like Chelsea.”

Eliza hesitated a moment. She didn’t want to talk to Cade’s sister. Chelsea had been the one to tell her about Cade seeing Marlise again. Eliza hadn’t wanted to believe her—Chelsea was known for being a class-A liar—but she had gone to Marlise’s house when Chelsea had told her. And sure enough, when Cade had rung the bell, Marlise had opened the door and flown into his arms and kissed him. Eliza had seen it with her own eyes. The boyfriend she’d dated exclusively for months had been kissing another girl.

“Hello.”

“So you dumped my brother,” Chelsea said. She sounded worked up, talking fast.

“If going out with Shell is dumping, then I sure did.”

“Ha, you’ll be sorry.”

“Yeah, how? Dumping a two-timer is the only way to go.” No matter how much it hurt. “You might consider that yourself.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Come off it, Chelsea, the whole school knows Eddie is cheating on you.” Cade would be furious that Eliza had told his sister her boyfriend was seeing someone else. They’d argued over whether to tell her or not. But Eliza no longer cared what Cade thought. Maybe telling Chelsea some home truths would show her she couldn’t have everything her own way.

“He is not. He’s my boyfriend!”

“Whatever. Why are you calling?” Eliza had no desire to prolong the conversation.

“Cade wants to talk to you.”

“About what?” Eliza asked. “There’s nothing to say. You were right, I saw him kissing Marlise.” So much for trust and loyalty. The pain struck again. How long would it be before she got over the betrayal?

“I expect he wants to talk to you about your behavior,” Chelsea said with a syrupy tone.

“Mine? What about his?”

“You going to make up with him?”

“No.”

“Good.”

“You going to make up with Eddie?” Eliza asked.

“You’re wrong about him. There’s nothing to make up.”

“Ask your brother if you don’t believe me. He knows it as well as I do. You two deserve each other.”

Chelsea hung up.

“She’s so weird.” Eliza placed the receiver on the hook and told April what Chelsea had said.

“She’s hung up on her brother,” April observed. “She doesn’t want him to see anyone, just to pay attention to her.”

“That’s creepy. Besides, she was going out with Eddie Palmer. Now he’s going out with Darcy.”

“Yeah, well I think Chelsea’s a nut,” April said. “No wonder Eddie found somebody else. Look at all the times she’s called to get Cade home on some pretext or other. You’d think the guy would get wise.”

Eliza felt she had to defend Cade. “He’s the man of the family. He feels responsible for her and his mother.”

“For a crazy sister and a drunk mother? He’d better get that scholarship to Tulane and get the hell out of town when he graduates.”

“We all want to get out when we graduate,” Eliza said. “This is a dumb town.” She sat a few steps above April on the staircase. “I want to know about Jo.”

“As far as I can tell, we just have to wait until they get home to find out the scoop,” April said. “I already called some of Jo’s friends to see if they knew anything. No one did.”

By six o’clock, neither Maddie nor Jo had returned to the house. April and Eliza fixed sandwiches for their dinner, eating in the kitchen, speculating about the different scenarios that would explain what had happened to their friend.

The phone rang again.

“Maybe that’s them now,” Eliza said, dashing out to the base of the stairs to answer.

“Eliza?” It was Chelsea again.

“What?” Eliza said in exasperation. “I need the phone. I’m expecting a call.”

“Cade hates you. He never wants to see you.” Chelsea was gloating, no doubt about it.

“Fine. I’ll stay out of his way. I’m not feeling too positive about him myself!”

“I lied. My brother would never cheat on you. You’re the fool. Now he won’t forgive you. You’re history. But he’ll always be here for me, no matter what. He’s my brother, and we don’t need you pushing your way in, trying to take him from me.”

“Chelsea, you’re crazy. I wasn’t trying to take him from anyone.” Eliza felt her heart drop. Had Chelsea really lied about Marlise? Or was she lying now? Eliza had seen Cade kissing Marlise with her own two eyes.

“Forget him, he’s not for you.” The words were full of venom. “I’ll make sure you never get your hands on him again.”

Eliza slammed down the receiver. She’d known Chelsea was a little wacko. She was also a drama queen. But she was Cade’s sister, and Eliza had always tried to be polite to her. If Chelsea had lied…

The implication struck Eliza with full force. Cade hadn’t cheated—but she had. He would never forgive her. She should have asked him for an explanation, not gone off for the day with Shell, the guy with the worst reputation in school. Well, not the worst. Heller had that honor. But Shell was trouble from way back. His hands all over her today had proved that.

April came into the hall.

“Was that Jo or Maddie?”

“Chelsea again. She said she lied about Cade and Marlise.”

April gave a whistle.

“But I saw them together.” Doubt niggled at Eliza. What if she’d made a mistake? She loved Cade. He was the best thing ever to happen to her. He was due to graduate in another few weeks, and she would follow the next year. They had been going together for months. He was kind, caring, sexy.

But she had seen him kiss Marlise.

“So talk to the guy,” April suggested.

They heard a car in the driveway and hurried to the back door. Maddie got out of the old sedan. She seemed surprised to see the two girls at the door. A deputy’s car turned in behind hers.

“Where’s Jo?” April asked from the doorway.

“She’s in the hospital.” The older woman walked to the back door, looking ten years older than when they’d seen her that morning. “She won’t be coming home.”

“What? She’s going to die?” Eliza couldn’t believe it. Jo had been healthy that morning. How badly was she hurt?

“No, not that.” Maddie walked past them and went to sit at the kitchen table. “She’s being taken to another home.” She looked at each of them. “You two are being reassigned, as well. No one believed me when I swore I hadn’t touched Jo.”

The deputy stepped inside the kitchen and stood near the door.

She stared at her hands. “How could they think I would strike a child?”

“What do you mean, we’re being reassigned?” Eliza asked.

Maddie raised her eyes. “You and April are to pack and be ready to leave by nine in the morning. Social Services will be taking you to another foster home after the sheriff asks you both some questions. The deputy is here to make sure you two stay safe until morning.” Maddie’s voice was strained.

Stunned, Eliza looked at the cop. What had Jo told the police?

April touched her arm. They left the kitchen together, not speaking until they were in April’s room.

“We have to find out what’s going on,” April said. “And just where they plan to send us. Maddie didn’t hit Jo. She couldn’t possibly have caused the damage I saw. Why would Jo say she had?”

“I don’t know. Why would Chelsea lie about Cade and Marlise?”

“It’s hardly the same thing,” April snapped.

“It is to me. Both lies are changing my whole life.” Eliza headed for the door.

“Where are you going?”

“To find out something.”

She sneaked down the stairs. There was only silence from the kitchen, so she picked up the phone and dialed Cade’s number. She would talk to him as April had suggested. And tell him she was being reassigned. Where would they go? She couldn’t think of an available foster facility in town. But Social Services wouldn’t assign them out of town, would they?

The phone rang and rang. Finally Chelsea picked up.

“Cade, please,” Eliza said.

“He’s gone to work. He’s so angry. I’ve never seen him so angry before. He hates you.” Chelsea was practically shouting. “I’ll make sure he always hates you. You can’t have my brother!”

“Shut up, Chelsea. He’s your brother, not your boyfriend.”

“He’s mine. He loves me. You tell him I never lied to him.”

“Tell him yourself.”

There was a pause. Then Chelsea said, softly, almost in a singsong voice, “I won’t be here to tell him. But he won’t ever forget me. Or what you did.”

“Where are you going?” Eliza asked despite herself.

“Nowhere. I’ll be dead.” The receiver slammed down.

Eliza couldn’t believe Chelsea would ever even think of such a thing. How like her to be so melodramatic. How Cade stood it was beyond her. Eliza listened for a moment. No sounds came from the kitchen. Slowly she walked to the front door and eased it opened. She had to talk to Cade. Had to hear his side of things and explain her own.

And what was she going to do about Social Services? He had to help her or she was going to lose her home. Chelsea couldn’t be right. He would forgive her. Nothing had happened between her and Shell. It was Cade she loved. She couldn’t lose him.

CHAPTER ONE

ELIZA SHAW SWORE AGAIN as she shifted to balance her dripping, overstuffed handbag, stack of damp mail, twisted skeleton of an umbrella and soggy bag of food, all the while trying to unlock her apartment door.

“Dammit!” she muttered through clenched teeth. The perfect ending to the day from hell. She hated days like this. She was wet from head to toe and had a raging headache to boot. Sometimes it didn’t pay to get out of bed.

“If anything else goes wrong, I’m wiping the date off the calendar for years to come,” she muttered, finally succeeding in opening the door. She burst into her apartment, dropping the handbag and remnant of her umbrella onto the hardwood floor.

She kicked off her sopping shoes and tossed the mail on the counter separating the kitchen from the living room. She was freezing. The month of April was supposed to be the beginning of spring, not the tail end of winter. The forecast had been for a little rain—ha! If the storm that now raged over Boston had arrived after midnight as predicted, instead of twelve hours earlier, she wouldn’t have been caught in it at all. She glanced at her watch. It was not quite eleven-thirty. Too bad the storm hadn’t listened to the weatherman.

Every cab in the city had been elsewhere, leaving her to trudge the twenty blocks between work and home in the pouring rain. The wind had laughed at her paltry umbrella, twisting it inside out within seconds of leaving the safety of the restaurant.

“If I ever win the lottery, I will hire my own chauffeur,” she vowed as she traipsed into the kitchen. She turned the faucet on high, blasting water into the teakettle, which she quickly set on the gas range. Hot chocolate or tea would help to warm her up along with a hot shower.

Impatiently waiting for the water to boil, Eliza went to the flashing answering machine and pushed the button. She needed to get out of her wet clothes. The rain had soaked through her jacket and even her sweater was damp.

“Hello, Eliza,” a familiar voice said. “I know you’re still at work, but call me when you get home no matter how late.”

Eliza frowned, checking her watch. It was late, but she’d still call. Stephen would wait up until she did. He didn’t like the fact she worked until after eleven most nights, and after midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. But as a sought-after chef in one of the hottest restaurants in Boston, Eliza was used to the long hours. Stephen knew working late came with her job. There was no need to have her check in every night.

Guilt tugged at Eliza. She was tired and cranky. She should appreciate that Stephen cared enough for her to want to know she was safe. It was nice to feel cherished. She shouldn’t take out her bad mood on him.

She picked up the phone as the teakettle screamed. Carrying the portable receiver with her into the kitchen, Eliza quickly made a cup of tea, then punched the speed dial for Stephen’s number.

“What are you doing still up?” she said when he answered.

“Waiting to hear from you. You’re later than I expected.” He sounded worried. “Are you all right?”

“Sopping wet. There were no cabs so I had to walk.”

“In this downpour at this time of night? You should have called me.”

She smiled, feeling warmed with his concern. “I’m fine,” she assured him. “I wouldn’t have asked my worst enemy to come out on a night like tonight.”

“I wish you’d quit that job,” he said. “Find something that has daylight hours. Or open a business of your own. You know I’d back you in a New York minute.”

He’d suggested it before. Maybe it was time she gave the idea some serious thought. “After this walk home, I’m closer to starting that catering business we’ve talked about,” she murmured, taking a sip of the warm tea. More days like this and she’d take the plunge. She’d never thought of herself as an entrepreneur, but she had menu ideas for special events bubbling around in her mind.

“You’d still be working evenings, but with a better clientele,” Stephen said. “ And you could take off when you wanted. Let’s get married right away, sweetheart.”

He’d been patiently waiting for her to pick the right time to get married. She loved Stephen, but was not quite ready to make that final commitment. What was wrong with her? Or was she still adjusting to the fact they were engaged? It had only been a few weeks. She needed to get used to the idea.

“Maybe I could work from home and we could spend all our time together,” he said facetiously.

Eliza laughed. “Sweetie, I can’t see your clients coming to our flat. Besides, we’d be tempted to do a lot more fun things besides work.”

His chuckle warmed her even more. She did love him. She wished she had called him for a ride, just so she could have seen him this evening. Why was she dragging her feet about setting a wedding date?

“Okay, so open a bakery. At least you’d keep more normal hours.”

“Something to think about, but bakers have to start work about four in the morning. I’m not sure that’s for me.” Baking was fine, but she loved the challenge and range that creating main courses offered.

“You could do charity work,” he suggested. “You know Mother would love to have you on some of her committees.”

Eliza wrinkled her nose, not that he could see. “I don’t think that’s my thing.” They’d had this discussion once before. She thought she’d made her position clear. Sometimes Stephen heard what he wanted to hear, not what she said.

As for Stephen’s mother… Eliza adored Adele Cabot. She was all Eliza wished her own mother had been—loving, elegant, devoted to her only child. And she was more than welcoming to Eliza. At one point Eliza had wondered if her feelings for Stephen had grown out of her liking for Adele and her hopes to have her for a mother-in-law.

“It beats working nights and never having time for a normal social life,” he said easily. “Speaking of which, Mother is having some friends down at the Cape this weekend. I told her we’d join her.”

This wasn’t the first time he’d made plans for them without consulting her. She wasn’t up to dealing with it tonight.

“Stephen, you need to check with me before accepting invitations.”

“This is just a weekend at home. No big deal.”

“I’m working Friday and Saturday nights, but I could make it there Sunday in time for brunch,” Eliza said. She loved spending time at the old Cabot family home on Cape Cod. It was totally different from what Eliza was used to. She’d been a foster child in a small Mississippi town—no family, no background, no money. But her lack of background hadn’t stopped Stephen from proposing, or Adele from accepting her into the family with welcoming arms. Eliza’s childhood seemed distant—as if it had happened to someone else. Boston had been her home for the last ten years.

“Switch with someone like you did two weeks ago,” Stephen suggested.

“I can’t do that very often. That was for that special opening at the museum you wanted us to attend. I traded with Paul, but I can’t keep asking him. He has his schedule and I have mine. Once in a while maybe.” Didn’t Stephen realize that many people came to the restaurant solely because of her cooking?

“It would give us time together,” he said in that sexy Bostonian accent that still sounded exotic to her ear.

“I’ll see about switching Saturday night. Then I could get there Saturday morning, but I can’t switch two nights.” Eliza was firm.

“Deal. I’ll take what I can get. We’re leaving Friday afternoon and will return Monday morning. Shall I drive back and pick you up?”

“No, I’ll get there on my own.”

“I’ll drive Mother’s car and leave you mine. That way you and I can come back together.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“And maybe while we’re there, we can discuss setting a date for the wedding,” Stephen suggested.

“We’ll see.” Eliza hated to feel pressured, but she was too tired to argue tonight. “I’ve got to get out of my wet clothes. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

Her bare feet felt like blocks of ice. She had plonked the bag of food on the counter beside the mail. Thankfully the soggy paper sack had held up. She didn’t know what she would have done if she’d dropped her dinner in some puddle blocks from home. She popped the meal into the oven, set on a low heat, and headed for the bedroom and some warm clothes.

A quick hot shower and sweats, that’s what she wanted. That, plus peace and quiet for at least twelve hours!

Ten minutes later she was toasty warm in fleece sweats and thick socks. Her hair was slightly damp, but she hadn’t wanted to spend a lot of time drying it. She was starved!

Passing through the living room, she picked up the ruined umbrella and stuffed it in the trash. She ran a practiced eye around the room. It was tidy. Immaculate, actually. Just the way she liked it.

She returned to the kitchen to eat a late dinner. People sometimes teased her about being a neatnik, a control freak. But she liked order. She felt able to cope with anything as long as there was a certain amount of harmony in her life. In Eliza’s mind, order equaled harmony.

Sitting at the breakfast bar, she riffled through the mail as she ate the warmed roasted squab. She could almost feel the storm inside the eighth-floor apartment. Rain sheeted down her windows, the wind howled. She pitied anyone still out in the tempest.

Once she’d finished eating, she took her hot tea and the newspaper that had come in the mail and went to sit in her cozy chair in the living area. The Maraville Bugle arrived weekly—a hometown paper for a woman who hadn’t been to Mississippi in ten years.

Boston had been her home since her second set of foster parents had moved to the city a couple of years after she’d graduated from high school. While Eliza was not technically a part of their family, they’d invited her along and she’d gone. After high school she’d tried a semester of college, but it wasn’t what she’d wanted. She had felt restless and had had no direction, so had been happy to move east. She’d lived with the Johnsons until they’d been transferred to California six years ago. Eliza still missed Dottie and Al and kept in touch.

A couple of years ago, before she’d met Stephen, Eliza had given in to a bout of nostalgia and had begun a subscription to the weekly paper from her hometown in a vain hope of feeling connected to her past.

At first, it had been strange reading about places and people she remembered but hadn’t seen in so many years. But as the months went by, she began to feel a tenuous connection. She had even taken a chance and contacted her former foster mother, Maddie Oglethorpe. Maddie’s house in Maraville was the closest thing to a real home Eliza had ever had.

She thought about the old Victorian house on Poppin Hill, in her mind envisioning a weathered clapboard building standing in lonely splendor atop a small knoll on the outskirts of the sleepy southern town.

For a moment a kaleidoscope of images flooded her mind. The shock of losing her mother when she’d been only four. The uncertainty and fear when she’d suddenly been thrust into the foster home on Poppin Hill to live with strangers. People often said young children didn’t remember much, but she recalled every day at Maddie’s with her foster sisters.

April, Jo and Eliza. Wild girls with no place else to go, they’d carried chips on their shoulders the size of elm trees as they’d grown into rebellious teenagers. But they had ended up closer than sisters. There had been laughter and shared confidences, plans and dreams.

Jo had dealt with her anger at the world by challenging authority every chance she got. April had seemed vain and conceited to those around her, but underneath was a girl desperate to know her family. Eliza’s own insecurity had been covered by a brash bravado and clinging dependence. A jumble of images from those days—poignant, funny, bleak—flashed through Eliza’s mind now.

Their lives together had ended abruptly when Eliza was sixteen. In the space of two days, the world as she’d known it had changed. Nothing had ever been the same.

She shook off her somber mood and scanned the front page. Opening up the paper, she stopped in surprise. There in a sidebar column on page two was a report of Maddie Oglethorpe’s stroke and hospitalization.

For a moment, emotions swelled in Eliza. She felt like the uncertain sixteen-year-old she had been all those years ago—alone, adrift, afraid—after being forced from Maddie’s home. The last twelve years might never have been. She was transported back in time to the last day she’d seen her foster mother.

The older woman had seemed indomitable. She had been the strength of that household, caring for the girls, making ends meet on a limited income and the small stipend from Social Services.

Eliza had written to her frequently since that initial contact two years ago, sending her cards at Christmas, even calling her a couple of times to chat on the phone. They’d made tentative plans more than once about getting together, but Eliza hadn’t gone back to Mississippi and Maddie hadn’t come to Boston.

The news of her stroke shocked Eliza. She couldn’t imagine Maddie sick at all, much less gravely ill.

Checking the date, she saw the paper was only three days old.

She picked up the phone and dialed Information to find the number for the Maraville hospital. It was now after midnight, but a hospital was staffed twenty-four hours. There would be someone on duty who could give her an update on Maddie’s condition.

Several frustrating moments later she hung up. No one would give her any information. She was not a relative. Maddie didn’t have any relatives after her father had died. That had been one reason she’d opened her home to foster children in need of family.

There had to be someone in town who could find out how Maddie was and let Eliza know.

The first name that came to mind was Cade Bennett’s. The old hurt resurfaced. Eliza knew he wouldn’t give her the time of day. Not after those hateful words he’d said to her that last day in Maraville.

If April or Jo were still in town, she could have called one of them. The only person she could come up with was Edith Harper, Maddie’s best friend. But when she called Information, there was no number listed for her. Was her phone unlisted? Surely Maddie would have written if anything had happened to Edith.

Dammit, who could she call?

Not for the first time, Eliza felt the aching loss of her best friends. Sisters united, they’d called themselves. She rubbed the small scar on the tip of her index finger. She remembered the day the three girls had pledged undying friendship and sisterhood. Blood sisters.

It had been Jo’s idea. They had been thirteen at the time. Three girls with no family to call their own banding together. Eliza’s parents were dead. Jo’s mother was too caught up in drugs and abusive men to care about her only child. April’s parents were unknown.

To solidify their bond, they had each cut a fingertip and mingled their blood. What a mess they’d made, cutting deeper than necessary. Blood had spattered their clothes and the bedspread. Maddie had been upset with the mess they’d made, but the bond had never wavered until the day they were sent to different foster homes throughout the state of Mississippi.

It was all because of the accusations Jo had made. Angry at Maddie for reasons Eliza never knew, Jo had accused their foster mother of beating her, and she’d had the injuries to prove it. Social Services had stepped in immediately after the sheriff had interviewed Eliza and April the next morning, swiftly taking each of the girls from Maddie’s home and placing them elsewhere.

By the time her junior class in Maraville had held its prom that spring, Eliza had been living in Biloxi with the Johnson family. She never knew where April and Jo had been sent. In the twelve years that had followed, she had not heard from either of them. Nor, as far as she knew, had Maddie. She’d asked in earlier letters, but Maddie had said neither had ever contacted her.

Losing touch with Jo and April had been devastating. Eliza had tried to find them but ran into brick walls at every turn. She’d kept to herself at her new school and was grateful her second set of foster parents had invited her to remain with them when she’d turned eighteen. They had helped her far more than she’d deserved.

It wasn’t until she’d left Maraville that Eliza realized how much living with the other girls meant to her. Maddie, too, though at the time Eliza had often thought her rules excessive. As time passed, however, she recalled happy memories. Laughter as well as tears.

The three girls had made plans to go to college together, to get a large apartment in New Orleans. They’d been united in their desire to leave Maraville and take their chances in the world.

Homesickness grabbed hold of Eliza, surprising her. She suddenly yearned to see April and Jo with a fierceness that startled her. How could they have let the years go by without finding each other? Had April or Jo learned of Maddie’s stroke? Would either of them consider returning to Maraville?

Eliza sat on the sofa for long moments, lost in memories and indecision. But the idea forming in her mind grew stronger the more she thought about it. She had not left town under the best of circumstances. But time healed old wounds. And she owed Maddie.

She could make a quick visit. See Maddie. Reassure herself her former foster mother was going to recover.

Eliza rose and went to the window. The rain continued its assault. The Charles River glittered in the distance, light reflecting from the choppy surface. The asphalt below gleamed beneath the streetlights. The few cars on the road splashed through the puddles, coating the sidewalks with their spray.

She leaned her forehead against the cold pane. She wanted to go back. She wished she could see the other girls, discover what they’d done with their lives. Maybe she could recapture that ephemeral feeling of family she’d had so long ago.

Her fear for Maddie grew. What if she didn’t recover? What if the stroke put an end to the Maddie she knew? Eliza was filled with a sense of impending doom. She had to get to Mississippi. She’d let things go far too long without making a real attempt to reconnect with Maddie and revisit her childhood home. It was too bad it had taken a tragedy to prompt the thought.

Eliza had spent so many years alone. It was one thing to vow to remain aloof, to protect her heart from further bruising, but the reality had led to a solitary existence. She had made a mistake as a teenager and it had left her wary of getting close to anyone—afraid of hurting and of being hurt herself.

Maddie had done her best for her girls. Eliza appreciated her even more now that she was on her own. She couldn’t imagine taking in three young girls and raising them alone as Maddie had done.

Was this the end? Was Maddie alone in the hospital, living her last few days with no one to visit, to talk to her, to love her?

Eliza couldn’t allow that. It was said that you could never go home again. But for her entire childhood, Maddie had given Eliza her best. She was the only mother Eliza remembered. And now she needed Eliza.

What was she waiting for?

She flipped through the city directory and lifted up the phone and punched in the number of an airline.

CHAPTER TWO

ELIZA’S HIGH HEELS CLICKED on the polished linoleum floor the next day as she followed the directions the nurse had given her to the ICU waiting room. She looked neither left nor right, but focused on getting to the end of the corridor.

She tried not to breathe deeply; she didn’t like the smell of disinfectant and sickness and fear. She hoped by this time Maddie was out of immediate danger and on her way to a quick recovery.

Eliza’s dove-gray suit, dark-gray shoes and soft white silk blouse looked out of place among the gaily colored uniforms the nurses wore. It had still been raining in Boston, with the temperature in the low fifties, when she’d decided to wear the wool gabardine suit. How could she have forgotten that here in Mississippi it would be pushing the high eighties, with humidity to match?

She wanted to strip off her panty hose, tear the sleeves from her blouse and drop her suit jacket in some trash can. Then bundle her hair up on top of her head to cool her neck. Instead it was tied back neatly, primly, at the nape with a clip. The last time she’d been in a hospital… It had been for Chelsea. They’d arrived too late. She’d already died. Eliza shivered at the memory, fervently hoping that would not be the case today.

Now as she reached the ICU nursing station, she asked where she would find Maddie Oglethorpe.

“Are you a relative?” the nurse asked.

“Sort of, I was one of her foster children.”

“You’ll have to talk to the doctor to get an updated prognosis.”

“Will I be able to see her?”

“I guess that relationship is close enough to visit. Rules are one person at a time every two hours for a few minutes.” She glanced at her watch. “No one else has been to visit Miss Maddie so you can come with me.”

Eliza followed the nurse, sad to hear no one had come to see Maddie. So glad she’d made the trip. As they walked through the doors into the unit, the nurse took a folder from a rack. Scanning the notations, she glanced at Eliza.

“Dr. Pendarvis will be finishing his rounds in a few minutes. He already checked Miss Maddie earlier. I’m sure he’d be happy to talk with you and answer any questions. There’s been no change in her condition. We’re monitoring her closely. There’s a nurse on duty here at all times.”

As the woman turned to leave, Eliza peered around her, shocked at the frail-looking figure lying so still on the high bed. She was hooked up to tubes, a large machine monitoring her vital signs. It was Maddie. Eliza almost didn’t recognize her.

Her hair was covered by wide strips of gauze holding a bandage over the left side of her head. What few strands escaped lay against the hospital pillow, gray and lifeless in the subdued light. Her determined blue eyes were closed. She seemed shrunken, smaller than Eliza remembered.

Eliza tiptoed closer, her eyes filling with tears at the sight. Until that moment, she hadn’t understood the reality of Maddie’s situation. There really was a distinct possibility she would never wake up.

Eliza couldn’t stand the thought. Her heart ached for the woman who had spent so many years raising three orphans, and was now so alone. Eliza should have contacted her as soon as she had turned eighteen. She should have done more for her over the years. How could she have ignored the woman for so long?

What if she hadn’t subscribed to the paper a couple of years ago? What if she hadn’t written and renewed communication? Would Maddie have died without Eliza ever knowing?

Dashing away the tears, she wanted to reach out and force Maddie to sit up and recognize her. She wanted to ask Maddie to tell her all she’d been doing since they’d last seen each other. She wanted the foster mother she remembered!

Guilt attacked. She should have tried for a closer tie with Maddie. No matter how things had ended with Cade Bennett, Eliza should have made contact with Maddie earlier. Insisted she come visit her in Boston. Or Eliza should have come back to Maraville sooner. How could she have let so many years go by?

The attendant nurse stepped up to the bed, gently laying the back of her hand on Maddie’s cheek while scanning the monitors. She mouthed, “No change.” Then she moved back to her seat a short distance away.

Eliza pulled an empty chair next to the bed and sat. Could Maddie feel her presence? Did she know Eliza had come as soon as she’d learned of her stroke? Would Eliza’s own silent demands for her to wake up penetrate somehow and trigger an awareness?

She knew what loss felt like, and hated it. The death of her mother when Eliza was four had shaken her world. It had been shaken again that terrible day Cade’s sister had died and April, Jo and Eliza had been separated.

When she’d moved to Boston with her new foster family, Eliza had given up hope of returning to her childhood home. After so many years in Boston, she felt as if her life was centered there now. She’d made friends, established a place of her own. She was even planning to marry a seventh-generation Bostonian.

Eliza thought back to the previous night. Although she’d booked her flight to New Orleans, the nearest large airport to Maraville, as soon as she’d decided to make the trip, she’d waited until just before leaving before calling Stephen.

He had not been happy with her plans.

“What do you mean you’re going to Mississippi? You said nothing about this last night.”

“I only found out after we spoke. It was too late to call you after that. I’ll just be gone a few days. But I have to see Maddie. She could be dying.”

“What about your job? I thought you couldn’t get time off this weekend.”

She was surprised at his reaction. Visiting someone who was gravely ill didn’t compare with going to a weekend house party.

“It’s not exactly a social occasion. Maddie had a stroke. She’s in her sixties, which isn’t young. I need to see her.”

Stephen had been annoyed she hadn’t consulted him earlier, and for that she felt guilty. Didn’t she often have the same complaint about him?

At the end of the conversation he’d eased up and had even offered to drive her to Logan Airport.

“I’ll take the T,” she’d said. She was used to taking public transportation. No sense in disrupting his day. “Shall I call you once I know what’s going on?” she’d asked.

“Of course. And I want to know when you’ll be returning so I can meet your flight. Maybe you’ll be back by the weekend.” He’d sounded hopeful.

“You never know,” she had said, irritated he was still focused on his mother’s house party. Maddie was the person who had raised Eliza. They weren’t as close as they might have been, but Eliza owed her a great deal. Going to see Maddie when she was so ill was the least Eliza could do. Stephen should understand that.

Eliza sat lost in thought now as she watched Maddie’s chest slowly rise and fall. She felt so helpless. Surely there was something she could do.

Endless minutes slipped by. The left side of Maddie’s face was badly bruised. The nurse had told Eliza that Maddie had hit her head when she’d fallen after suffering the stroke. One hand was bandaged, lying lifelessly on top of the light bedcover. Tubes hung from multiple IVs connected to Maddie’s arm.

“Ms. Shaw?”

Eliza looked up at the doctor who approached. He appeared to be in his mid-fifties and his warm, intelligent eyes inspired confidence.

“Yes?”

“I’m Dr. Pendarvis. Are you a relative of Maddie’s?”

“I was one of her foster girls years ago. I just found out last night she’d had a stroke. Can you tell me about her condition?”

He gave her a brief rundown. Eliza let the medical terms swirl around her. When he finished, she asked for the bottom line.

“Basically, I can’t guarantee anything. Her age is against her, of course. But she’s in pretty good health considering everything. It’s up to Maddie.”

“So we wait and hope?” she asked.

He nodded. “A prayer or two would be helpful. We’re doing all we can. She’s on blood thinners, and we’ve relieved the pressure on the brain caused by the fall. She’s also on antibiotics, and we’re keeping her hydrated and nourished. The rest is up to her.”

“The longer she’s unconscious, the worse her chances, right?” Eliza asked. She dreaded confirmation of her fears, but needed to know the facts.

“Usually. But we think she was found very soon after the stroke. We administered the drugs immediately. Those first six hours are crucial, so we’re hopeful. Sometimes people wake up and it’s as if they took nothing more than a long nap.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

The doctor studied her for a moment. “Try talking to her. Coma patients often respond to familiar voices. If you notice any change, any agitation, notify one of the nurses at once.”

Eliza nodded. “Thank you.”

When he left, she drew her chair closer to the bed.

“Hi, Maddie. It’s me, Eliza. It’s been a long time. I bet you’re surprised I’m here. I read about your accident last night and I came right away. Wake up so we can visit, can you?”

Eliza swallowed. This was harder than she’d expected.

“Wake up, please. I want to tell you all my news. Since I wrote last, I’ve become engaged. His name is Stephen Cabot. He’s a Yankee, but you’d still like him.”

Eliza didn’t know if Maddie would or not. The woman had had some odd notions. Eliza and the other girls had laughed at her old-fashioned ideas. But Maddie had always been fair. She’d give any Yankee the benefit of the doubt.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t better about keeping in touch. Wake up so we can tell each other all we’ve been doing lately.”

Ten minutes later, Eliza was talked out. Discouraged at the lack of response, she brushed her lips against Maddie’s pale cheek. “I’m going now. They let me stay longer than I was supposed to. But I’ll be back soon. Wake up, Maddie, please.”

She patted her hand, lying so lifeless on the sheet, then turned, blinking back tears. She’d hoped the sound of her voice would work a miracle. She should have known there were no miracles left, especially in Maraville.

ELIZA WENT TO THE HOSPITAL cafeteria in a small building adjacent to the main facility. It was only early afternoon in Maraville. She was hungry, yet she wanted to stay nearby in case Maddie woke. The nurse had told her she could return in a couple of hours.

After buying a large latte and bagel with cream cheese, she went to an empty table and sat down. She took her cell phone out of her purse and punched in Stephen’s number at work.

“I’m here safe and sound,” she said when she got through to him.

“And how is Mattie?”

“Maddie. She’s still in a coma. She may not come out of it, or she could recover with no harmful side effects. The doctor wasn’t sure. I’d think they’d know more than that.” She felt frustrated at the lack of a definitive prognosis.

“If she’s in a coma, she doesn’t know you’re there,” Stephen said.

“No. But the doctor said maybe a familiar voice would help her wake up. I talked with her the entire time I was allowed in to see her. Now I have to wait another hour or two before I can visit again. Stupid rules,” she added in frustration.

“I’m sure the hospital has rules for a purpose.”

“I don’t want to be logical,” Eliza said. “I’m frustrated, cranky and scared.”

“Honey, you said she was in her sixties. It may be her time to go.”

“Gee, you’re a world of support. Sixty is not that old!” She shouldn’t blame Stephen for his pragmatic view. In other circumstances, she’d probably agree with him. But with Maddie, she didn’t want pragmatism; she wanted hope.

“What do you want me to do, paint a pretty picture that has no relation to reality?” he asked gently.

“No.” Stephen was much too realistic for that. He was an attorney; he dealt in facts.

“I just hate the thought of her dying. I should have done more over the years. I owe her a lot.”

“She was paid by the state to take care of you,” he reasoned.

“But she did a lot more than just feed me and give me a warm bed. I guess it’s too much to expect you to appreciate that.” As soon as the words were out, Eliza regretted them.

“I think you’d better wait and call me once you’ve had a good night’s sleep.” Stephen hung up.

Eliza clicked off the phone. She wished she could tell him being cranky didn’t have anything to do with lack of sleep. She feared things were spinning out of control and she hated that.

She bit into her bagel. She needed all the energy she could get to make it through the next few hours.

If there was no change in Maddie’s condition by night, she’d have to check into a motel to get some sleep, or collapse in sheer exhaustion. Worry took as great a toll as hard work.

She fervently hoped Maddie would regain consciousness soon. It had been less than twenty-four hours since she’d learned of Maddie’s stroke and she was already going crazy. How did people stand it when loved ones remained in a coma for weeks on end?

Eliza sipped her latte, her eye caught by a tall man in uniform, hat held in hand, striding into the cafeteria. He looked to be in his early thirties, dark hair and dark eyes. His gait was long and firm and he was heading toward her table.

Eliza’s instincts went on full alert. Was he coming to talk to her?

He stopped at the end of the table. “Sheriff Samuel Witt. Are you Eliza Shaw?”

“Yes.” She gestured to the chair opposite and the sheriff sat down, placing his hat on the seat next to him. He was nothing like the sheriff who had held office when she lived in Maraville.

“The nurse upstairs told me you might be here. I’m the person who responded to the call and got Maddie to the hospital.”

“I’m one of the foster children she raised. I just read about her condition last night in the paper and got here as soon as I could.”

“Do you live nearby?” he asked.

“Boston.”

“You get the Maraville Bugle in Boston?” His incredulous look was almost amusing.

She nodded. “A bit of home.” She felt foolish once she said it. Stephen had laughed at her sentimentality. How must it seem to a tough cop?

“Who found her?” she asked, realizing she knew no details beyond the bare facts reported in the paper.

“Henry Vetter had an appointment with her that afternoon. He waited for a while after knocking on the back door. Her car was in the driveway. When she didn’t answer, he tried the knob. Found it unlocked and Maddie at the bottom of the cellar stairs. We don’t know how long it was between the time she fell and the time she was discovered. It could have been several minutes or several hours. The doctors suspect it hadn’t been too long, however. The emergency medical team diagnosed a stroke and took appropriate action.”

“Who’s Henry Vetter?”

“Hank’s a handyman around town. Maddie wanted him to do some cleanup in the yard.”

“Hank? Tall and painfully thin? No hair?” Eliza remembered the man. He’d had a crush on Maddie way back when, though Maddie had done nothing to encourage him. Eliza remembered the jokes she and the other girls had shared at the thought of Maddie having him as a boyfriend.

“One and the same,” Sam confirmed. “You know him?”

“He used to come around and help out when I lived at the house on Poppin Hill. I thought he was ancient back then, I can’t believe he’s still working.”

“Hank’s about sixty-six now,” Sam said. “But he looks older. Probably looked ancient to a teenager.”

“I guess.”

“I’m surprised you came,” Sam said.

“Why?”

“I’ve only been in town for a couple of years, but even I’ve heard about the situation that got you pulled from the foster home. I wouldn’t think there’d be much love lost between you girls and Maddie.”

“Maddie never hurt any of us. Jo blamed her at first, but later when she tried to explain and tell the truth, no one would listen.”

And the accusations Cade and his mother had made about Eliza hadn’t helped the situation, either.

“Seems Sheriff Halstead thought he had enough evidence to get you girls removed from the home,” Sam said.

“Jo’s accusation never even got as far as an arrest.” Eliza hadn’t found that out until she’d made contact with Maddie a couple of years ago. “The fallout resulted in the three of us girls being yanked from the only home we knew and separated from each other. Maddie never did anything but take good care of us.”

“Going out to see the house?” he asked, ignoring her passionate conviction.

“I may.” She wondered if she really wanted to see the old place. There were so many memories. Would stirring them up do any good or only open old wounds?

CHAPTER THREE

IT WAS LATE AFTERNOON by the time Eliza turned onto the once-familiar white crushed-shell driveway at the house on Poppin Hill. Visiting the place had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. Once it was made, it hadn’t taken her long to drive from the motel where she’d checked in. Every mile had been crowded with memories.

Driving down Main Street, she’d seen the courthouse where she and April had been taken for questioning the morning after Jo had spun her outlandish story. And where Sheriff Halstead had interrogated her about Cade’s sister, Chelsea Bennett, only hours later.

The old theater was still in business on the next block, a new Disney film showing. No multi-theater complexes for Maraville.

The five-and-dime was gone. A video store flourished in its place. Looking down Center Street, she’d caught a glimpse of the old brick high school. Memories swept through her at the familiar sights and sounds.

The sultry weather zapped her energy. She should have changed into something more suitable for Mississippi in late April than the sophisticated suit that had been perfect for Boston, but she’d been too impatient to take the time to change once she’d checked into the motel. She’d wanted to see the house. Not stay in it. Not spend a lot of time there, but see it.

The crushed shells crunched beneath the tires as she drove the short distance up the hill to the back of the house. Huge oaks lined the winding drive, leaves drooping in the afternoon heat. The familiar gray Spanish moss dripped from the branches in ghostly decoration.

A battered pickup truck and a sleek sedan were parked at the top of the hill, bumpers almost touching the detached garage.

She pulled her rental car in beside the truck and stopped, staring at the house. Little had changed. She could almost imagine Maddie coming to the back steps to yell at her for being late. Or see Jo sneaking off behind Maddie’s back.

The house had been painted in the intervening years. The curtains replaced. The Victorian architecture still looked out of place in a state more used to antebellum homes along the river. Yet its familiarity tugged. A mingling of delight and sorrow filled Eliza. She took a breath. Could she go in?

The sloping yard was a riot of colors. Flowers grew haphazardly in beds adjacent to the house, around the old oak that shaded the front lawn and in scattered sections along the edges of the grass.

Maddie’s doing, Eliza knew. Maddie had always loved beautiful flowers.

After her second visit to see Maddie, the doctor had told Eliza he’d have the hospital call her cell phone immediately if there was any change in Maddie’s condition—either way—and he’d urged her to go get some rest. But the sheriff’s question had niggled at her, and she had to finally admit she was anxious to visit the house on Poppin Hill, her home for twelve years.

Eliza climbed from the car and headed for the back door. It stood open, the screen door standing guard against insects. Obviously the owners of the vehicles were inside.

She stepped in and listened, her eyes scanning the room. The linoleum flooring was worn and faded, having been installed long before she’d first arrived.

The counters were still narrow—never providing enough room when preparing meals for four. The refrigerator looked newer than she remembered, as did the range. But the cabinets needed to be painted. And the window over the sink still looked as if it couldn’t be budged. She would have expected Maddie to have had that fixed.

It was a huge old house and must have taken an enormous amount of upkeep. No money for extras— that had always been a problem when Eliza had lived here.

The sound of angry masculine voices came from the front of the house. Hesitating only a moment, Eliza headed in that direction.

“Hello?” she called. As she walked through the dining room, memories assailed her. The faded wallpaper hadn’t been changed, the rose pattern ancient even years ago. The huge table was surrounded by a dozen chairs. They’d eaten every dinner there, and often had guests on Sunday.

Maddie had done her best to teach the girls manners, from the proper fork to use to how to converse with visitors.

The voices grew silent. Eliza continued toward the living room. She stopped in the wide doorway. Two men turned to look at her.

She only glanced at the man on the left before her eyes latched on to the one person in the world she’d never thought to see again.

Cade Bennett.

She shivered and stepped back, remembering the hateful words he’d flung at her the last time she’d seen him. He had blamed her for his sister’s death. Nothing Eliza had said had made a difference. He had called her a liar and, worse, a murderer. He’d been upset, but there had been a kernel of truth in his accusations. Eliza had been the one to tell Chelsea her boyfriend was seeing someone else. Eliza had known Cade’s sister was unstable, but she’d done it out of spite for the hateful things Chelsea had said to her. That didn’t excuse her, Eliza knew, and she still carried a certain amount of guilt even after all these years. It had also made her very careful about what she said to others.

The older man spoke. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

She looked at him, recognizing the town banker, Allen McLennon. He had aged over the years, but was still a fine-looking man. He’d been dating Maddie the last Eliza had seen him. When Maddie had been accused of abusing her charges, had he stopped seeing her? Maddie had never mentioned him in any of her letters. Eliza hadn’t thought about him in all these years. She’d have to ask Maddie what had happened, when she was better.

“I’m Eliza Shaw. I used to live here. I’m in town for a few days and came by to see the place.” Much as she wanted to focus on the banker, her eyes were drawn back to Cade.

He was as tall as she remembered, lean and muscular. He wore faded jeans, work boots and an attitude that didn’t quit. The chambray shirt emphasized the width of his shoulders. His dark hair was worn a little long and looked thick and wavy. Dark eyes clearly displayed the anger that simmered. Twelve years hadn’t softened him at all, it seemed. If anything, he looked harder than ever.

Eliza felt a shiver of trepidation. Tilting her head slightly, she glared at him. She was not some sixteen-year-old anymore, needing approval and acceptance. If he couldn’t handle her being here, that was his problem, not hers.

“Vultures circling the kill?” Cade suggested.

Eliza’s temper flared, but the intervening years had taught her well. She kept it under control.

“I came as soon as I learned about Maddie. I’ve already been to see her. What’s going on here?” She glanced around at the old living room, wondering what the two men were doing.

It was Allen who answered. “The bank has a loan against the property which is in arrears. Cade and I were discussing the next step. Just because you once lived here doesn’t give you any rights. This meeting is private.”

“What’s it about?” Eliza asked.

“Foreclosure and sale of the property,” Cade replied. “Which I will fight in every way possible.” He glared at Allen McLennon.

“You can’t sell Maddie’s house,” Eliza protested. “She needs it to come back to when she’s out of the hospital.”

“Allen’s the one talking about selling,” Cade said. “I’m trying to talk some sense into the man.”

The two men glanced at each other. Eliza’s suspicions rose. “What’s the real issue?”

“The bank holds a note,” Allen explained tersely. “Maddie took out a loan and put the house up as collateral. If the note isn’t paid up, we have no choice but to force a sale to recoup our loss. Cade is interested in buying the property. However, there are other companies making offers. I suggest it should go to the highest bidder.”

Eliza glared at Cade. “You can’t buy Maddie’s home.”

“If she can’t meet the payments, the place goes on the block. Why shouldn’t I be the one to buy it?”

“But—” If the house was sold, did it really matter who bought it? For some reason, Eliza didn’t want it to be Cade.

The mere thought of the house being sold startled her. Somehow she had thought it would always be here, waiting for her and April and Jo to return someday.

“Why the concern? What fond memories could you possibly have of this place?” Cade asked.

The strain of the past twenty-four hours finally caught up with her. She’d had the day from hell yesterday, topped off by terrible news about Maddie. Then a fitful night’s sleep, followed by the rushed trip to New Orleans and the drive to Maraville. Suddenly it was all too much.

“Doesn’t sound to me like I’m the vulture here. Maddie will get well and return home. You two stop fighting over her property. It will remain with her!” She turned and headed back through the hall to the stairs. She quickly climbed the steps and made her way to the room that had been hers.

Pausing in the doorway, she stared in disbelief. Nothing seemed to have changed. There was her bulletin board on the wall, faded pictures and pages held with thumbtacks. The blue gingham coverlet still covered her bed. The dresser looked as if it hadn’t been touched in a dozen years. But the room was tidy and clean. There was no dust anywhere.

She heard a phone ring. Moments later footsteps sounded on the stairs. Eliza wasn’t surprised to see it was Cade.

“If you can do anything to help Maddie save her house, do it now, or get out,” he told her bluntly. “Allen’s planning to force the sale. He said the bank will ask a steep price because of all the land. I hope I can meet it. But if it goes to auction, it’s anyone’s guess.”

“Then why don’t you pay off the loan and give Maddie a chance to get back on her feet?” Eliza asked, doubting Cade really wanted to help. He probably wanted an inside track to getting the house and land. Property values weren’t as high in Mississippi as Massachusetts, but the twenty-five acres Maddie owned had to be worth a lot.

“Eliza, Maddie Oglethorpe has been in a coma for almost a week. She’s unlikely to wake up, and even if she does, she’ll probably have to live in an assisted-care home the rest of her life. Whatever happens, I think it’s certain she’s not coming back here. If that’s the case, then I mean to have the house, and the property.”

He glanced around the room and looked at her. “Was this your room?”

Eliza nodded, moving into the room. She lightly touched the bed. It brought a flood of memories.

The house was old, with many rooms, all of them high-ceilinged and spacious. There was even a third story, which Maddie had never used. The once-white Priscilla curtains on her own high windows drooped, the starch long ago leached out.

She felt sad that the bedroom she’d occupied for so long looked tired and lifeless. She had never expected that Maddie would have kept it exactly the same. Why had she? In case Eliza returned?

They’d all been told that last day that they would not be coming back to live with Maddie. Eliza had believed Social Services. Hadn’t her foster mother? She wondered how Maddie had dealt with their departure. They’d never discussed that in their recent letters.

“Don’t let me keep you from anything,” she said, studiously avoiding looking at Cade. Her heart pounded, and memories crowded her mind. They had been high-school sweethearts. As close as two young people could be, spending every waking moment outside of school together.

At one point, Eliza had suggested they run off and get married. Cade had refused. Had her love been stronger? Or had it been one-sided? After Chelsea had died, Cade had wanted nothing to do with her. He blamed her for his sister’s death. Sometimes Eliza wondered if he was right.

As an adult, she knew no one was responsible for another person’s suicide. Still, telling Chelsea of her boyfriend’s betrayal had been more than the teenager could deal with. The guilt had faded over the years. Now it surged back as strong as ever.

“You’re not keeping me from anything. Can’t do much more today. I’m making sure nothing happens to the house.” He leaned negligently against the door-frame.

“I’m not here to damage the house or steal anything, just to walk through,” she said. Even if he wrongly blamed her for Chelsea’s death, he had to know she wasn’t a vandal. Those last days in Maraville remained crystal clear in her memory. Chelsea’s death wasn’t the only problem between them. There was the lack of trust and the uncertainty of where she’d ever stood with him.

But she would never do anything to harm Maddie or her property. Cade knew that. Why was he baiting her?

“What happened to April and Jo?” he asked. “Never figured any of you would come back.

The hard tone was unfamiliar. Eliza remembered his easygoing southern drawl. She’d loved to listen to him when they’d been dating. He didn’t sound like the same person she remembered.

“Well, that proves you don’t know everything, doesn’t it?” she retorted. She didn’t need to explain herself to him.

“You sounded like Jo there. You used to act like Miss Prim and Proper Goody Two-shoes in public.”

She ignored the comment. She had tried to be proper in public. But it was the time she spent with Cade that she remembered most, and then she had been most improper.

“But not in private,” he said, as if reading her thoughts.

Eliza glared at him. She would never admit it to him, but she felt uncomfortable knowing he remembered everything she did about their time together. Had Chelsea lied about his involvement with Marlise? Or had saying she lied been the lie? Eliza and Cade had never discussed that. The police had arrived before they’d gotten to the subject uppermost in Eliza’s mind that night so long ago.

“April sure didn’t worry about looking proper,” he continued when she didn’t speak. “As I remember, she worked her way through the football team.”

“She did not!” He was deliberately trying to provoke her. Eliza knew it and tried to keep her temper under control. Cade had always known how to rile her. But she wasn’t a besotted teenager anymore.

He nodded, giving that damn smile again. “Oh, yes she did. She was the neediest girl I ever knew. But banging every boy in high school wasn’t the way to get what she wanted.”

“I suppose you have firsthand knowledge,” she said, hoping to call his bluff. He didn’t know her at all, much less April. If he had, he could never have accused her of the things he had. Or April.

“Jo was in trouble more than anyone else I knew,” Cade said. “Yet she escaped jail. At least while living here. Is she doing time now?”

Eliza shook her head, not willing to admit she didn’t know exactly what Jo was doing. But it couldn’t be time in prison. Jo had been high-spirited and rebellious because of her mother. But she’d never do something that would land her in jail. At least Eliza hoped not.

She met Cade’s gaze, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing he was getting to her. Tilting her chin defiantly, she said nothing.

“Too bad Jo caused the breakup of your foster family.”

That was too much for Eliza.

“Too bad the adults in charge didn’t believe her when she finally told the truth,” she snapped back. “April and I swore Maddie had never hurt any of us, but would anyone listen to us? No. They moved everyone out so fast we never had a chance—” She closed her mouth. She was not going there.

“Chance to mess up more lives like you did mine?” he prodded.

“Never mind. I’ve seen and said enough.” She headed for the door. She hoped he moved before she reached it because she wasn’t up to pushing him out of the way. She was not going to go over old ground with Cade Bennett. If she never saw him again, it would suit her fine.

Eliza remembered her frantic efforts to convince everyone that Maddie had not harmed Jo. Eliza had repeated her argument a hundred times. To Sheriff Halstead. To Edith Harper, Maddie’s best friend, when she’d helped a stunned Eliza pack for the trip to Biloxi. To the new foster parents who had taken her on.

Being removed from Maraville had been a terrible blow to Eliza. But she couldn’t change the past. She’d survived. Hardships survived made one stronger, she remembered Maddie saying more than once. Living on her own in Boston had shown her she could cope with whatever came her way. Better than cope—succeed.

“I’ll be spending most of my time at the hospital until Maddie recovers. I’m staying at the motel in town. I’d suggest you and Mr. McLennon wait for her to recover before making any plans about her property.”

She’d make sure she kept her distance from Cade. He knew he made her uneasy, and seemed to relish the knowledge. She was not responsible for Chelsea’s death. She had told him about the call; it wasn’t her fault Chelsea had overdosed and died. And Cade saying it was didn’t make it so.

Cade’s narrowed gaze held hers for a long moment before he stepped aside and let her leave the room.

Without another word, she returned to her car, shaken. After twelve years, she had thought she’d be immune to the man. She was wrong.

A half hour later, showered and dressed in cooler clothes, Eliza stood by the window of her motel room, feeling refreshed. She idly watched some children play in the park across the street. How they had the energy to run around in the heat was beyond her. Yet she remembered days when she and April and Jo had played on the grounds of the house on Poppin Hill—spraying each other with the hose, sliding on the wet grass. Or lying beneath the huge old oak, talking and laughing.

Eliza gazed at the children, wishing she could be as carefree as they were right now. She turned away, determined to do what she could to find out more about the situation with Maddie’s house. How could Maddie be in danger of losing it? What would it take to bring the arrearage current? Eliza didn’t have a lot of savings, but she had some. It had taken years to accumulate what she had. Dare she give it all away? On the other hand, Maddie needed help if she was in danger of losing it. Eliza owed her. Or maybe she could locate April and Jo.

If they were together again, could they recapture the closeness they’d once had? Eliza thought it unlikely. Too much time had passed. They’d made new lives, had different experiences. Still, she’d love to see them both again. She yearned for that special feeling of belonging that she’d taken for granted as a young teenager.

Even with Stephen and his family, she didn’t feel the same bond. Being married to him would change that, she hoped.

She slipped on sandals and headed for the nearest restaurant. She’d eat dinner and get back to the hospital to see if there’d been any change in Maddie’s condition. She was losing her optimism after her last visit, but the nurse had tried to encourage her.

One of the best things about Maraville was its size, Eliza thought as she strolled along the sidewalk. She could walk almost everywhere.

A few moments later she was standing in the blessedly cool café, grateful that the restaurant wasn’t any farther away. She’d forgotten how heavy the air could be here. She glanced around.

Ruby’s Café was a haunt from the old days. Many afternoons Eliza and her friends had shared milk shakes and fries, sometimes splurging on juicy burgers with the works. She almost expected to see the place full of high-school kids.

The café was comfortably full, but given the hour, there were few teenagers. The hostess seated her near the front and Eliza scanned the menu. Maybe she’d give in to nostalgia and have a hamburger with the works.

“Eliza Shaw?”

She looked up into the smiling face of Betsy Fellows, a former classmate.

“Betsy?”

“I wasn’t sure it was you. Look at you with that sleek hairstyle and slim figure. Wow, you look great!”

Eliza laughed, standing to hug her high-school friend.

“I can’t believe you recognized me. How are you?” How cool to run into Betsy her first night here, Eliza thought. If she stayed in town long enough, she’d look up a few other classmates. Those she wanted to see, she qualified, thinking of Cade.

“Doing great. Waiting tables as you can see. How long are you in town? Let’s get together and catch up.”

“I’d like that. I’m here because of Maddie, so I’m not sure exactly what my plans are. It depends on her.”

Betsy’s smile faded. “That’s a downright shame, isn’t it? How is she?”

“Still in a coma.”

“I hope she recovers.” Betsy glanced at her pad. “It was awful what happened to you all back then.” Looking at Eliza again, she shook her head.

Although this wasn’t the time or place to discuss it, Eliza hated to let the adults who’d been in charge all those years ago get off scot-free. They’d had the power and they’d abused it. If nothing else, maybe she could set the record straight while she was in town.

“Maddie was never the same,” Betsy said. “It was months before she started going out in public again. I remember my folks talking about it. And now this. Just when I thought she was getting excited about life again.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because of the new center for pregnant teens.”

Eliza frowned. “What center?”

“The one Maddie and Cade talked about building at the house on Poppin Hill.” Betsy seemed surprised that Eliza had to ask. “Cade’s here now,” she said, tilting her head to the left.

Eliza turned around and looked right into Cade’s dark gaze. He was seated at a table behind her with two other men.

“I don’t know about the project,” Eliza said, turning quickly away and sitting back down in her chair. Great, now the man probably thought they were talking about him. Which they were. “I thought the bank was about to foreclose.”

“I don’t know about that. But I know Cade and Maddie discussed a home for unwed pregnant teens. Even brought it before the planning commission for approval. Which it got, provisionally. Maddie was most determined. You remember what she was like when she made up her mind about something.”

Eliza nodded. So Cade and Maddie were partners in this scheme. Then why was he planning to buy her property if the bank sold it? To cut her out of the loop?

“I can fill you in, but not now,” Betsy said, keeping a practiced eye on the rest of her area. “It’s hopping tonight. Do you know what you want to eat yet?”

Eliza ordered and Betsy hurried off to the kitchen. She wanted to know everything, but for the moment would have to be patient.

Having Cade right behind her made Eliza feel self-conscious. His scathing comments after his sister’s death still had the power to hurt. She pushed the memories from her mind. Their relationship had ended years ago. She wouldn’t let his presence disturb her like this.

While Eliza was eating, another former classmate stopped by to greet her. That surprised her. Had she been close to other girls, not just April and Jo? Were her memories warped because of the way she was removed from Maraville?

Bemused, she left the café once she’d paid her bill, and headed for the hospital. The evening had cooled slightly and the walk would be pleasant. Eliza drew a breath of the soft southern air. It felt good to be back. In a surreal way, it seemed almost as if she had never left.

“Going to the hospital?” a familiar voice asked.

She glanced over at Cade as he fell into step with her.

“Yes.” She thought he had left the café before her.

“I’ll go with you.”

“I know the way.”

“What are you really doing here, Eliza?”

“I told you, I came to see Maddie.”

“You’ve ignored her for years, why now?”

“I haven’t ignored her. We’ve written, spoken on the phone a few times. Not that it’s any of your business.”

“Did she tell you about the plans she and I talked about for the house?”

Eliza shook her head, wondering why Maddie hadn’t mentioned that. Of course, the last time Eliza had heard from her had been Christmas. She had written twice since then, but hadn’t received a letter in return. She wasn’t going to share that information with Cade. She’d find out what she could from Betsy when they got together for lunch the next day.

“If you and Maddie made plans together, why are you siding with the banker?” she asked.

“I’m hardly siding with Allen.”

“Seemed like it to me. He wants to sell, you want to buy.”

“He and I don’t see eye to eye on most things. But if the property goes up for sale, I’ll do my best to buy it. Keep it in the family so to speak.”

“Or cut Maddie out of the loop. It’s not going to come to that,” Eliza said.

“Oh no? Why not?”

“Never mind.” She could see the hospital now. Only a few more minutes and they’d be there.

He walked in silence as they approached the brick building. Eliza wished he’d leave, but he followed her in to the lobby. She wondered if he planned to accompany her all the way to Maddie’s room, and when he stepped into the elevator beside her, she figured she had her answer.

She looked at him. “Visiting as well?”

“I need to know if Maddie’s awake yet or not. Time’s running out.”

Eliza stared at the closed elevator doors. She wished he was a thousand miles away. Feeling edgy, she willed the elevator to rise quickly. At last the doors opened and she stepped out into the hall of the intensive care unit.

Cade went a couple of steps before he realized she wasn’t with him. Turning, he looked at her, one eyebrow raised.

“Cold feet?”

“I’m not going with you. You don’t need or want me around. You made that clear years ago, Cade. Visit Maddie all you want. When you leave, I’ll go in.”

“If she’s still in ICU, they won’t let me see her,” he said, ignoring her accusation.

She shrugged and leaned against the wall, prepared to wait forever if necessary, but she was not going with him.

Her cell phone rang.

“You can’t have that in here,” he said.

“I know the rules.” She fished the phone from her purse and checked the caller before switching it off.

It was Stephen. She turned and punched the button for the elevator. “I’ll go back outside to call,” she said as the doors slid open.

Alone on the front grounds a few minutes later, she quickly dialed Stephen’s number.

“Hello, Eliza. I tried calling you just now.”

“I know, Stephen. I was in the hospital and couldn’t take the call. What’s up?”

“I wanted to see how you’re doing. How’s Maddie? Any change in her condition?”

“Maddie’s still in a coma. I don’t think the future looks all that good. The longer she’s in the coma, the less likely it is she’ll recover.” Eliza didn’t like thinking about that.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know that’s disappointing. Is there anything you can do?”

“Not really. Be with her, I guess.”

“Do you know yet when you’ll be returning home? I’ll be disappointed if you can’t make it here this weekend.”

“I was only planning to come out for part of Saturday and Sunday,” Eliza reminded him. Why did she feel so cantankerous? She should be happy to hear from Stephen. “If I can’t make it, you’ll still have a good time.”

Her mood had to do with coming home to Maraville. Not coming home, she corrected herself. Coming back to visit. Maraville wasn’t home.

“I can fly down to join you if you need me,” he said.

He was sweet to offer. “Thank you, but there’s nothing you could do. Maraville is a sleepy southern town which hasn’t changed much since I left. As soon as I know more about Maddie’s prognosis, I’ll have a better idea when I’ll be heading back.” Much as she would like to see him, she knew he wouldn’t fit in here. And then she’d feel responsible for entertaining him.

“Call me tomorrow,” he said.

“I will.”

She clicked off the phone when he hung up. She should also check in with her boss, she realized.

Cade strode from the hospital.

“No change,” he said, not breaking his stride.

“Cade, wait,” she called as he moved past her.

He stopped and turned to look at her.

“Tell me about the loan,” she said.

“I don’t know the particulars, only that Maddie was having difficulties lately. She mentioned it once when we were talking.”

“When you two were planning that home for unwed teens?”

He raised an eyebrow. “What did she tell you about that?”

“Nothing. I heard it from Betsy.”

“I thought we had a deal going, but if Allen sells the property, it’ll change things.”

“But you plan to buy it.”

“If I can. But to recoup the costs, I’d have to develop at least part of the property. The house is going to take a lot of renovation to make it suitable for group living. If I have to purchase it outright on top of renovations, I’ll have to find the money somewhere.”

“What do you mean, develop the property?”

“Build some houses to raise cash.”

Eliza thought of the woods and meadow area in the twenty-five acres Maddie owned. As children, April, Jo and she had played freely there, their imaginations transforming the forest and fields into magical kingdoms.

“What are you talking about?” she asked. “Who would buy houses here?”

“Maraville is becoming a popular bedroom community of New Orleans. Lots of new houses are going up. Maddie’s land is prime. I could build a development there that would cover the costs of buying the property and funding the home I want to establish.”

“How could you?” Eliza was outraged at the thought.

Cade shrugged. “There’s a consortium trying to buy up property around here for an exclusive golf and country club. Maddie’s twenty-five acres would be prime land for that. It’s them or me, and I’d rather it be me.”

“The property is too hilly,” Eliza protested. “It’d make a lousy golf course.”

“But the house would make a terrific country club, and some of the back acreage could be leveled enough for a golf course. I met a lot of opposition with my proposal. Allen would love nothing better than to see it permanently squashed.”

“A home for unwed teens. Was Maddie planning to go on living in the house?”

“She was going to run the place,” Cade told her. “I guess her stroke puts an end to that idea.”

“After losing her foster care license?” Surely they hadn’t forgotten that, Eliza thought. “Who would let her?”

“It’s a long story. In the meantime, I hope Allen won’t try to push things through just because she’s in a coma.”

“They were seeing each other just before I left. I guess the romance died,” she added, almost to herself.

“They stopped seeing each other the same time you girls left,” Cade told her. “Guess he couldn’t risk being associated with a child abuser.”

Anger flared in Eliza. “Maddie never abused anyone and you know it.”

CHAPTER FOUR

CADE WATCHED ELIZA WALK AWAY, back into the lit lobby. She’d changed in the years since he’d last seen her. She was tall and slim and carried herself with an air of assurance that had been lacking that last afternoon when she’d come to see him. She’d been with Shell Montegue all day, then had tracked down Cade with some cock-and-bull story about Chelsea lying. He’d never heard the real story from his sister; she’d been dead the next time he’d seen her. If Eliza had told him about Chelsea’s call earlier, he might have saved his sister.

Or if she’d kept quiet about Eddie seeing Darcy. Maybe he could have told Chelsea in a way that would have been less traumatic for her. But how could Eddie’s cheating not be a shock when Chelsea had been pregnant with his baby?

He’d never forgive Eliza for telling his sister.

For a moment, the past caught up with him. He remembered the times they’d shared, the plans they’d made. His feelings for Eliza had been so intense. He’d never experienced anything close to them in all the years they’d been apart.

He turned and headed for his car. He had hours of work still ahead and no time to reminisce. Somehow he had to make sure Allen didn’t jerk the property out from under Maddie and him. The proposed home for teens was too important to him. He was counting on its completion to bring some kind of healing to his life. Nothing else had worked.

Cade drove the short distance to the old house his mother had owned, which he’d inherited after her death. Pulling into the driveway, he tried to ignore the dilapidated state it was in. The place was in need of major repairs, repainting and some kind of landscaping. Hard to believe the owner was a successful builder. He should do something about it.

But he no longer lived in Maraville. His home was in New Orleans, and he only used the house here when he stayed over. He’d been here a couple of weeks now to work on the Poppin Hill project and already felt itchy and anxious to leave.

Letting himself into the house, he paused as he always did, expecting to hear Chelsea calling out, or loud rock music, or one of his mother’s drunken soliloquies. But the empty walls echoed with silence. No one lived here anymore. Only the son, who came infrequently.

Cade went to the kitchen and quickly got a beer from the refrigerator. He took it to the back stoop and sat on the top step, gazing over the rapidly fading line of trees in the distance. It would be dark before long.

He’d liked the dark at one time. He and Eliza had used it to sneak out and meet at the town park. No one had seen them; it had been their special time. He frowned, not wanting to take a walk down memory lane, but his mind seemed to have other ideas.

For a moment, he felt eighteen again, so caught up with the dark-haired beauty from the house on Poppin Hill. He’d lived for the times they could be together, just the two of them.

If he’d kept his mind on his responsibilities to his family instead of being ruled by teenage hormones, his sister would be alive today. And maybe even his mother.

But they were both gone.

Once he built his home for unwed pregnant teens, he’d see about getting rid of the house. It would need work before he could sell it. Maybe he should rent it out. Even then, it needed major repairs. Time he made some long-overdue decisions.

After he finished the beer, he headed inside to the makeshift office he’d set up in the dining room. There were several faxes waiting for him. And mail forwarded by his secretary.

He called the foreman on the McIver job and discussed the progress. He knew Joe Randall was on top of things, but Cade hadn’t built a successful business by leaving things to others. It was his company, and if he couldn’t be there for the day-to-day operation, he’d keep long-distance tabs on the work.

The McIver project was a luxury apartment building with lots of green space. It was behind schedule due to delays in the delivery of cabinets for the kitchens. He hoped his crew could catch up soon and finish the project. Joe was optimistic.

Cade read the faxes, jotted some notes. When he’d dealt with the pressing matters, his attention turned back to the group home he wanted to establish. Tilting back in the chair, he tried to think of ways to make sure Allen didn’t get control of Maddie Oglethorpe’s property.

Much as he hated to consider it, one solution would be to enlist Eliza’s help. Everyone knew she’d been raised by Maddie. She was the closest thing to a daughter Maddie had.

Could he get a judge to grant her permission to occupy the house? As for the delinquent payments, he’d try to float another loan. His cash flow was limited at the moment, but once the McIver property was completed, he’d receive a huge check, hefty enough for a sizable profit and operating capital for another year. He just wished that job wasn’t still weeks from completion.

Cade brought the chair down on all four legs and rose. He was beat. Time for bed. Options would come, or they wouldn’t. He’d learned that over the years.

Could Eliza do anything? She owed him. He couldn’t change the past, but he would use any means available to insure the group home was established. He needed to do that. For Chelsea—and for himself.

ELIZA ENTERED the ICU and went straight to Maddie’s bed. The nurse greeted her with a smile.

“No change. Have a seat. Talk to her again, maybe she’ll wake up.”

Eliza pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down. She gently brushed back some of the gray hair from Maddie’s forehead. It had been dark and thick all those years ago.

She took Maddie’s hand. For a moment, time seemed to shift. She remembered Maddie taking her hand when she’d first picked her up. Where had that been? In an office? Eliza couldn’t remember, only that her mother was gone and she was scared.

Then this stern-looking woman had reached out and taken her hand. Offered her home to an orphan who had nowhere else to go.

“I don’t think I ever told you how much I appreciated you, Maddie,” Eliza said in a low voice. She didn’t want the nurse to hear, but she had to tell Maddie. “Where would I be today if you hadn’t taken me in?” Gently she stroked the worn hand. Their roles were reversed now. She was the strong one, and it was Maddie who needed her help.

“I can stay as long as you need me,” Eliza said. “Wake up and we’ll make plans. I’ll find April and Jo and it’ll be the four of us again, if only for a visit. Do you know where they are? Did you ever find them? You said in your first letter that you hadn’t heard from either one. I don’t know where they were sent, but if I can locate them, I will. Wake up and tell me how to make that pecan pie of yours that was so good we almost got sick eating so much. Or how to make that honey ham we had on Sundays after church.”

Eliza swallowed. She’d forgotten the attempts Maddie had made to give them the best possible home. Money had been tight. She’d told them that more often than not when they’d asked for things. Eliza had a much better appreciation now of how Maddie must have stretched every dollar.

“I’m getting married soon,” Eliza said, hoping something would break through to Maddie. “He’s a lawyer in Boston. Very successful. You’ll have to come up to meet him before the wedding. You’ll be the mother of the bride. We still have to set a date. We’ll have to make it summertime. Boston in winter is too cold. You can’t imagine the snow.”

Slowly Eliza told Maddie more about her life in Boston, of her ambitions to one day open a catering firm. She wanted Maddie to know that her cooking had influenced Eliza’s choice of career.

Glancing at her watch, Eliza saw it was after eleven. The nurses had completely disregarded the visitor rules. It would be close to midnight by the time she got to bed. She squeezed Maddie’s hand slightly. “I have to go now. But I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Maddie’s fingers squeezed back.

“Maddie?” Eliza’s fatigue fled. Had she imagined it, or had there been a response?

She squeezed again. A moment later Maddie definitely squeezed her hand.

“Nurse!” Eliza looked around.

The young woman rushed to the bedside.

“Problem?”

“I don’t think so. I think she squeezed my hand.”

The nurse took Maddie’s hand and gently gripped it. A moment later she smiled. “She sure did. Let me call Dr. Pendarvis. He’ll want to know immediately.” Patting Maddie on the shoulder, she headed for the phone at the desk.

“Maddie, wake up. It’s me, Eliza. I’ve come to visit you but you’re asleep.”

The older woman’s eyelids fluttered, and then Maddie slowly opened her eyes, gazing at Eliza.

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