at her kitten as if consulting it. She shook her head.
“Oh, little dolly, I know what’s it’s like to feel all alone and frightened. Let me help you.”
The frightened little girl took a step forward, then stopped, shuddered and took another.
Beatrice didn’t move until she could reach one of the little hands and she caught it and pulled the child close. Her tiny hand clung to Beatrice’s fingers.
Beatrice knelt to face the little girl. She was so fair, with contrasting dark brown eyes. A true beauty. “What’s your name?”
“Dolly,” the child whispered.
“As in Dorothy?”
A nod yes.
Beatrice thanked God for letting her use an endearment that made the child trust her. “How old are you?”
“Five,” she whispered again.
“Where are your parents?”
Dolly rocked her head back and forth.
“When did you last see them?”
“I don’t know,” she again whispered. Then her eyes widened and she would have escaped if Beatrice didn’t have a good hold on her.
She followed the child’s frightened gaze and saw Levi a few feet away. “Stay there. She’s afraid.” She turned back to Dolly. “This is Levi Harding. He can help us find your parents. Will you let him do that?”
Dolly nodded.
Levi edged closer, cautiously, making sure he didn’t alarm the child. He knelt by Beatrice’s side. “Were you lost last night?”
Dolly shuddered and clutched the kitten tighter. “I was scared,” she whispered.
Levi waited for her to calm. “Were you with your mama and papa?”
An affirmative nod.
“Were you with anyone else?”
A shake of her head to indicate no.
“Were you in a wagon?”
Again, yes.
Levi rose to his full height. “Then I will find them for you.” He indicated Beatrice should stand and when she did so, he whispered close to her ear, his breath fanning her hair. “They must be frantic with worry. I’ll do my best to follow her tracks back and if that fails, I’ll search the trails. The child can’t have wandered too far.”
Beatrice nodded. “I’ll stay here with her.”
He glanced past her. “You could take her to the house.”
She considered it. “I get the feeling she would be uncomfortable with that. I’ll wait.” The woods were growing darker by the moment. “I’ll wait by the river right at the foot of the path. If you haven’t returned by the time the sun drops below the horizon, I’ll go to the house.” That would give her enough time to get back before darkness descended. She turned to Dolly. “Did you hear? Does that meet with your approval?”
Dolly nodded.
“Pray I find them quickly.” He squeezed her shoulder and slipped into the shadows.
“I will,” she called, not knowing if he heard her or not. She was alone with a child in the darkening woods. Fear edged her thoughts but she clung to the courage his touch had given. She took Dolly’s hand. “Let’s go.” She followed the sound of running water back to the river and returned to where the path led to the house. “Let’s sit here to wait.” She sat on a fallen tree and pulled Dolly up beside her.
The little girl had the pungent odor of having wet her pants. Should Beatrice suggest she wash in the river?
“This is Smokey.” The whisper introduced Beatrice to the kitten. “Do you want to hold her?”
“I’d love to.” She took the kitten and let it sprawl in her lap. “It’s so soft.” She’d never had a pet. Never been allowed one. It took her about thirty seconds to realize she might have missed a source of comfort. There was something soothing about stroking the kitten, who purred loudly.
“She’s my friend,” Dolly whispered.
“Honey, why are you whispering? It’s okay if you talk out loud.”
“Mama told me I had to be quiet ’cause Papa was sick. He needed me to be quiet so he could get better.”
“I see.” Only she didn’t. How long had the father been ill that the child thought she must continue to whisper? Hopefully Levi would return with some answers.
“It’s getting cold,” Dolly whispered.
“It is, isn’t it?” She’d hoped Levi would return with the parents but the reunion would have to take place at the ranch. “Let’s go to the house.”
Dolly shrank back. “Maybe I’m bad.”
Beatrice wondered if she had heard the agonized whisper correctly. “What makes you think you’re bad?”
But Dolly didn’t answer as tears pooled in her eyes and she gathered Smokey into her arms.
Beatrice waited but when it became obvious she wasn’t going to get any answers, she rose, took Dolly’s hand and turned them toward the trail.
Dolly stood rooted to the spot.
“It’s okay. It’s a very nice place.”
“Is it your place?”
She wished the child would stop whispering. “No, I’m just helping, but they are very nice people. Levi has helped me several times.” It was hard to believe she’d been there less than a day and found herself perilously close to trusting him. Remember Henry, she reminded herself. Remember what your father was prepared to do. Never give a man any right or opportunity to again hurt you.
Dolly let out a long sigh. “Okay.”
Hand in hand, they walked the trail back to the house. Dolly drew to a stop in the clearing.
“It’s okay, little Dolly.”
Dolly nodded and allowed Beatrice to lead her inside and there they ground to a halt. Beatrice was every bit as uncertain of what to do next as Dolly.
“Would you like a bath so you’ll be nice and clean when your mama and papa get here?”
The child had very expressive eyes that at the moment revealed a whole bunch of emotions—fear, hope, sadness and embarrassment. “I had an accident.”
“That happens sometimes.” When Levi returned with the parents they would have clean clothes. In the meantime, a bath, a good hair brushing and scrubbing of the current outfit seemed in order.
She listened for any sound from Maisie’s room but heard nothing. Perhaps she’d slept through the noise of them entering the kitchen. She didn’t have to worry about Dolly, who was so quiet it made Beatrice wonder what had happened to her.
Moving as softly as possible, she put water on to heat and found a big laundry tub. As the water heated, she thought of what to feed the child. Like Levi said, there was always bread and jam and fresh milk.
Dolly ate neatly but with enough vigor that Beatrice knew she was extremely hungry and wondered how long the child had been lost and alone.
Her heart went out to the child. As an adult, being alone and lost in her new world was frightening enough. She couldn’t imagine what it felt like as a child.
By the time Dolly had eaten enough that she refused any more, the water was ready and Dolly allowed Beatrice to help her out of her soiled clothes and into the tub of water. Beatrice scrubbed her from top to bottom.
Dolly giggled as Beatrice cleaned between her toes. “That tickles,” she whispered.