The Missing Mortals, page 29
“You’re not going to believe what I found out last hour from Sebastian,” Martha said with an expression that suggested she was doing her best not to laugh.
“What?” Emma asked quickly, her curiosity piqued.
“Preston was taken to the infirmary right after lunch.” Martha paused for effect and then continued with a sly grin. “It seems he has a bad case of strep throat.”
“I wonder where he could have gotten that,” Emma said with an expression of innocence. Then she burst out laughing and Martha quickly joined her.
“How’s that for justice?” Martha finally managed.
“The only thing that would make it better is if Bobby came down with it too. Just call me Typhoid Mary,” Emma added, and the two girls went into gales of laughter again. Emma knew it was wrong to take delight in the ill health of another human being but felt that in this case she might be forgiven. Preston could have gotten the illness from anyone. After all, there were plenty of students sick with it right now, but it was more satisfying to believe that she’d given it to him.
“I bet he’s regretting that slow dance right about now,” Martha suggested with a giggle.
“Let’s hope so,” Emma agreed.
The next morning, Emma awakened feeling better than she had in over a week. Her strength seemed to have returned along with her appetite. Nothing sounded better at the moment than a heaping plate of bacon, eggs, and toast with a big glass of orange juice to wash it down. She looked at the clock and was surprised to see that it was still early. Emma tried to turn over and go back to sleep, but the empty gnawing feeling in her stomach wouldn’t let her. With a sigh, Emma rolled out of bed and went into the bathroom. She might as well get ready and go get some breakfast. Emma decided not to bother Martha, who was still sleeping soundly in her bed.
When Emma got to the dining hall, it was practically empty. Most students at the academy liked to sleep in on Saturdays. The smell of bacon had Emma hurrying over to get a tray. A couple of minutes later, she was heading over to one of the tables with a full plate. She had just taken her first bite of eggs when Doug and Sebastian came in. Emma quickly averted her gaze as a sick feeling washed over her. She should have waited for Martha to wake up. If she had, she wouldn’t be sitting here alone right now feeling awkward and conspicuous.
Emma tried to act natural and continue eating, but her appetite had vanished with the appearance of Doug. She was putting her fork down, disgusted with herself for wasting so much good food when someone set a tray down directly across from her. Startled, Emma looked up to see Doug grinning down at her.
“Glad to see your appetite’s back,” he said, pointing at the mound of food on her plate. “You must be feeling better.”
For a moment, Emma was too surprised to respond, but she eventually managed to find her voice.
“I am, thanks. I was so hungry when I woke up this morning I didn’t even wait for Martha to get up.”
“I wondered where she was,” Doug replied easily as he sat down.
Sebastian joined them then and took the seat next to Doug. “Where’s Martha?” he asked, having missed out on what had just been said.
“I let her sleep. I was just telling Doug how hungry I was when I woke up. I tried to go back to sleep, but my stomach wouldn’t let me,” Emma explained again. “Why are you two up so early?”
“I woke up at my usual weekday time and couldn’t go back to sleep. I guess Sebastian was having the same problem,” Doug answered for both of them. “We figured we might as well get up and come have some breakfast. My stomach was feeling pretty empty too.”
“Maybe it’s the weather,” Sebastian suggested. “It’s supposed to get pretty cold this week. I guess winter’s on its way.”
“I can’t wait until it snows,” Emma exclaimed, thinking back to last winter. “The woods look so pretty covered in white.”
“Yeah,” Sebastian agreed. “Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here before we know it.”
They continued to talk easily throughout the meal. Emma felt herself relaxing, and as she relaxed, her appetite returned. She was able to finish everything on her plate. Doug was behaving as he usually did, and more importantly, he was treating Emma the way he had before the whole Preston fiasco. Emma knew she didn’t deserve it, but it seemed Doug had forgiven her. She was so happy she wanted to jump up and shout for joy, but she managed to contain herself. She couldn’t wait to tell Martha that things were finally back to normal.
When they were finished eating, Doug offered to empty Emma’s tray for her.
“I’ve got to go work on my project now. I’m making a rocking chair for Lord Dinswood for Christmas, and I’ve still got a lot to do,” Doug explained as he prepared to leave. “I guess I’ll see you guys later.”
Sebastian stayed behind after Doug left. He wanted to ask Emma for Christmas ideas for Martha.
“I don’t know what to get her this year, so I need you to be my spy and find out what she wants.”
Emma had to laugh at his conspiratorial tone.
“I’ll do my best,” she promised.
Martha came in a couple of minutes later. Emma waved her over and told her that they would sit with her while she ate.
“Thanks,” Martha said and then hurried away to get her tray.
Emma wanted to tell Martha the good news about Doug, but she could hardly do that with Sebastian sitting there. She decided on a less obvious approach.
“You just missed Doug,” Emma told Martha when she returned to the table. “He’s gone up to work on the rocking chair he’s making for Lord Dinswood.” Although her words were casual, they carried a wealth of meaning. Martha’s raised right eyebrow indicated that she understood what Emma was trying to tell her. Doug had forgiven her, and the two of them were friends again. Martha was glad. Doug would need all of his friends to help find the last two Mortals.
The rest of the weekend went by quickly. After attending chapel Sunday morning, Emma spent the afternoon catching up on her schoolwork in the library. Doug, Sebastian, and Martha came along to do their own homework and to help Emma whenever she had questions.
Monday morning, Emma received a notice from the dean’s office that her detention would begin that day right after school. With all that had happened last week, Emma had forgotten all about receiving detention. It should have started last Monday, but because of her illness, it had been delayed a week. Emma liked Miss Jennings, so she wasn’t dreading it too badly. She would, however, miss spending that time with her friends. Oh well, it could be worse. She could have been assigned detention with Miss Grimstock!
The next two weeks were uneventful. Emma’s birthday came and went, and the temperature outside dropped steadily. Last year, the first snow of the winter had occurred on November 12. Emma remembered the date because it was her birthday. This year, the day she turned fourteen was merely cloudy and cold. Her only present was a birthday card and some money from her dad and Vera. No one at school knew when her birthday was, and that’s just the way Emma wanted it. She didn’t want anyone making a fuss over her. Emma planned to use her birthday money to buy Christmas presents for Martha, Doug, and Sebastian on her next trip to Windland. The last trip to town was scheduled for the first Saturday in December—weather permitting of course. Trips to Windland wouldn’t start up again until spring. Winters in the area were harsh and unpredictable. Heavy snows could come without warning, and Dean Harwood didn’t want to risk having students marooned on a school bus in the middle of a blizzard.
Thinking about winter and Christmas got Emma thinking about what she was going to get each of her friends. Martha was easy; anything art related would do the trick. Sebastian was a chocolate lover, so a box of assorted chocolates would be just the thing. Doug, however, was a different matter. She’d have to ask for Sebastian’s help in figuring out what to get him.
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Emma stood in the entrance hall hugging Martha goodbye. Doug had come to see Sebastian off as well. Martha and Sebastian were going home for the holiday. Emma’s family couldn’t afford to fly her home, so she would be staying at the school. The school was Doug’s home, so, of course, he would be staying.
Emma and Doug waved goodbye as the bus to the airport pulled away with Sebastian and Martha on board. Although it would only be for a few days, Emma knew she was going to miss Martha. Susie and Clarice were going home as well, so Emma would be alone in the suite. Doug would no doubt stay in his father’s suite. Last year, Doug had invited Emma to stay in one of the rooms in Dean Harwood’s suite over the Thanksgiving break, but she had been in danger then. No such threat existed now, so it was unlikely that Doug would invite her again.
Her musings were proven correct when, as soon as the bus was out of sight, Doug turned to Emma with an apologetic expression.
“Emma, I’m sorry to run off, but I’m having trouble with my rocking chair. The shop teacher said he’d have some time to help me this afternoon, so I’d better take advantage of it. How about we play some chess after supper? I haven’t given you a sound beating in a while.” The last was said with a mischievous grin. Doug knew how competitive Emma was, and he was pretty sure she’d take that last statement as a challenge. He wasn’t disappointed.
“We’ll see about that, Douglas,” Emma replied in a haughty tone. “I’ve been sharpening my skills. Prepare to be defeated.”
“You’re right. We’ll have to see about that,” Doug replied with a smile.
Emma watched him go with a smile on her lips. Then her expression sobered, and she realized she had some work of her own to do. She needed to finish the two afghans she was going to give her brothers for Christmas. She had been working on them all summer, so she was almost done with them. With that goal in mind, Emma hurried to her room and spent the afternoon crocheting. At five o’clock, she sat back with a sigh of satisfaction. Both afghans were done, and they had turned out beautifully. Her brothers were going to love them! She gently folded each of the afghans and put them in separate plastic bags. She would have to get boxes to mail them home at the post office in Windland. Now all she had to do was finish the cross-stitch picture she was working on for her parents. She had been working on it every day after school during detention. If she worked on it all day Friday, she should be able to get it done before the school’s last trip to Windland. It was a shame that she wasn’t going to have time to get it matted and framed like she’d originally planned. It would have to be mailed, minus a frame, along with the twins’ afghans if her parents were to receive it before Christmas. Maybe she should send it with a note promising to have it framed once she returned home for the summer. Emma was still trying to decide whether or not to send a note as she headed to the dining hall for supper.
Doug was already there when she arrived, but he hadn’t gotten his tray yet.
“Perfect timing,” Doug said with a smile when he saw her. “I just got here myself.”
Emma was still fretting over what to do about her parents’ Christmas present, so she smiled absently in response.
Noticing her preoccupation, Doug asked, “Is everything okay, Emma?”
Emma was snapped back to the present by the worry in Doug’s tone. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she hastened to reassure him. “I’m just trying to decide what to do about Dad and Vera’s Christmas present.” Emma then went on to explain what her dilemma was.
“I think I have the answer,” Doug said when Emma had finished. “If you can get the picture finished by Saturday morning, we can stop by the Frame Shop in Windland on our way to the skating rink in Benton.”
“What are you talking about?” Emma asked in confusion.
“Dad said he’d take us ice-skating in Benton Saturday afternoon—that is if you want to. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind stopping in Windland to drop off your picture. If you explain the situation, the shop can probably have it matted and framed for you so that you can mail it when we go back to Windland the following Saturday.”
When Emma didn’t answer immediately, Doug looked up to see that she was staring at him with a look of amazement. Suddenly unsure of himself, he said, “Would you like to go skating Saturday? I guess I should have asked you first.”
“I’d love to go!” Emma replied. “I’ve never been ice-skating before, but I’ve always wanted to learn.”
“I remember you mentioning something about it last year,” Doug said, feeling relieved. For a moment there, he’d been afraid Emma was about to refuse his offer.
Emma was amazed yet again. Doug had not only solved her problem for her, but he had remembered a conversation they’d had over a year ago. He had remembered her wish to learn to ice-skate, and he had taken steps to make her wish come true. Suddenly, Emma felt like crying. She didn’t deserve a friend like Doug.
“Emma, is everything all right?” Doug asked when he noticed her expression.
“You’re wonderful!” Emma exclaimed in answer. Then on impulse, she gave him a quick hug.
Doug was so surprised he didn’t know what to say, but he was smiling all the way through the supper line.
They played two games of chess in front of the fireplace in the lounge after supper. As they played, Emma was reminded how much Lord Dinswood enjoyed chess in his younger days. She wondered if he still liked to play.
“Have you ever played chess with Lord Dinswood?” Emma asked.
Doug, who had been figuring out his next move, looked up in surprise at her question. “No, why do you ask?”
“Well, I was just remembering how much he loved to play when he was young and how he always kept a board set up on the very table we’re playing on.”
“You’re right. I guess I never really thought about it before,” Doug replied.
“Do you think he still likes to play?”
“I don’t know, but next time I visit him, I’ll see if he’d like to play a game. I’m probably not anywhere near his league though.”
“I’m sure you’d be a worthy opponent, and I bet Lord Dinswood would really enjoy playing a game with you. You’ve said he hasn’t been feeling well lately, and it might be just the thing to lift his spirits.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before,” Doug said, shaking his head. “I’ll ask him for a game on my next visit. I was planning on spending some time with him tomorrow afternoon since it’s Thanksgiving and all. Thanks for the idea, Emma.”
“You’re welcome,” Emma answered with a smile.
The morning of Thanksgiving, Doug and Emma spent some time outside getting some fresh air. The air was cold but not unbearably so. In fact, it was above freezing for the first time in nearly a week. Emma was a little disappointed that it still hadn’t snowed, but on the up side, Martha and Sebastian wouldn’t have any weather delays when it came time to return to the academy.
They’d only been outside a half hour before they were joined by Dean Harwood, who offered to take them on a tour of the new gymnasium.
“It’s not finished, of course, but I thought you might like to see how it’s coming,” Dean Harwood told them.
“I’d love to see it,” Emma exclaimed.
“Me too,” Doug agreed.
Dean Harwood led them to a side door and let them in using a key. Work had been suspended until after the holidays, so the three of them were alone—their voices echoing in the large open space. As Dean Harwood led them around, Emma was amazed at how much had been completed since she had first seen it in the summer.
“We’ll be pushing things a bit, but we’re still hoping everything will be ready for the start of school next year,” Dean Harwood told them.
Work had begun on the pool, and all of the interior walls were up—some even had sheet rock. Most of the plumbing fixtures were in place, and a lot of the wiring had been completed.
“I know it looks like it’s almost done, but it’s the trim work that takes so much time. Then everything has to be painted, windows have to be put in, and so on,” Dean Harwood explained as they exited, and he relocked the door.
“Thanks for the tour, Dean Harwood,” Emma said.
“You’re welcome,” he replied. Then he glanced at his watch. “We’d better get back inside. It’s almost time for our Thanksgiving feast. I hear the cooks have really outdone themselves this time.”
“Great, I’m starving,” Doug said as the two of them followed Dean Harwood back to the castle.
After the meal, Doug went upstairs to visit with Lord Dinswood. Emma hoped that Lord Dinswood would be feeling well enough to play a game of chess with Doug. It would not only be good for Lord Dinswood, but it would be good for Doug too. Emma knew how worried Doug was about the school’s founder, and she knew he still felt guilty about keeping the discovery of the other Mortals from him.
When Doug had gone, Emma decided to work on her cross-stitch. She only had until Saturday to get it done. With a sense of urgency, Emma hurried to her room to get her project and then took it to the lounge. There she sat in one of the comfortable chairs facing the fireplace and set to work. After a while, the combination of the warmth from the fire and the delicious food she’d consumed at lunch had her feeling sleepy. When her eyes kept getting heavier and heavier, Emma finally gave up. Setting her cross-stitch on the table, she curled up in the chair and went to sleep.
Doug found her there later.
“Hey, Emma. Wake up,” Doug said, with a gentle shake of her shoulder.
It took a moment for Emma to get her bearings. While she’d been sleeping, it had begun to get dark outside. Someone had turned on a few of the lamps scattered throughout the lounge. These along with the glow of the fire in the fireplace were the room’s only light. Doug’s face was in shadow, but she recognized his voice.
“How was Lord Dinswood?” she asked as she sat up. She hoped she didn’t look too disheveled after her nap. Her hair could be standing straight up, and Doug wouldn’t say a word.
