[Song of Alaska 02] - Morning's Refrain (35 page)

“That’s what Phoebe helped me to see. She’s a good woman, Dalton. She loves you more than you even realize.”

Dalton leaned back in his chair. “I’m just coming to see that. I don’t know why I got so angry when I saw you two together. I guess it just reminded me of your interest in her.”

“I would never try to take her from you, Dalton. You are married. That is sacred. I can’t say that I wasn’t upset when you came home to Sitka, and up and proposed marriage to her. I was sure I would have time to woo her, but now I realize you two probably fell in love when she fell into Sitka Sound.”

“I think you’re right,” Dalton agreed. “I didn’t realize love could hit a person that way.”

For a moment, neither one said anything. Dalton could see that Yuri was uncomfortable with what he’d come to say, however. He clenched and unclenched his jaw, and Dalton noted the little tick around his eye that always flared when Yuri was troubled.

“So why don’t you tell me what’s happened to cause you this grief.”

Yuri looked up. “I’ve managed to amass a huge gambling debt. The drinking marred my judgment, and I made bad choices. I kept thinking I could win back the money, but I only continued to lose more. The men I fell into company with allowed me credit, and now they are demanding the shop.”

Dalton shook his head in disbelief. “The boat shop?”

“Yes. They’ve agreed to at least wait until Father and Mother leave for Russia. I figure I will just have to tell Father at a later date that I sold the shop. I can’t bear to face him with the truth.”

“But, Yuri, he would want to know. You can’t give up your inheritance.”

“But that’s part of the problem, Dalton. I don’t care about the shop like you do. I don’t want to be a boat builder for the rest of my life.”

This wasn’t the first time Dalton had heard Yuri complain about the business. He knew his friend was far less interested than he in the craft, but so far he’d never heard Yuri say what did appeal to him. “So what do you want to do with your life?”

“I don’t know, and that grieves me even more. I don’t feel capable of anything. I thought about fishing, but I would have to apprentice with someone. I don’t know nearly enough about it to head out to sea and not end up dead. I’ve thought about other things, as well, but, Dalton, I don’t feel like I’m good at anything.”

“My father could use some help. I hate to say it, but ever since he took a fall last winter, his back has never been the same. I notice he moves a lot slower. Things are harder on him.”

Yuri shrugged. “I don’t know that I’d be any better at house building than working with boats. I could give it a try.”

“Well, there’s time to figure that out, but right now we have to see to this matter of the shop. If you must sell it to pay off the debt, sell it to me. At least I will give you a fair price and then benefit in return with a ready-made business.”

“Phoebe suggested as much. I just didn’t want to come to you with this. I acted horribly when you went to my father about buying it. I got you fired, and I am deeply ashamed of that. I have no excuse—at least not a valid one. I guess I felt like your coming into money further divided us.”

“Yuri, I’m still the same person. I don’t care about the money,” Dalton said. “I still love Sitka and want to build boats. And our friendship means more to me than just about anything. Yuri, we grew up together. You are like a brother to me. I would never just cast that aside.”

“I’ve been a fool then, is that what you’re telling me?” Yuri asked with a smile.

“I’m saying we’ve both been foolish. We need to resolve our differences and put this to rest once and for all,” Dalton replied. “We need to go to your father and explain what has happened, and tell him that I will buy the shop so that it stays with friends.”

Yuri looked startled at this. “No. I can’t tell him what I’ve done. He never approved of what I was doing. He forbade me to drink, and I did so anyway. He hated gambling, and I ignored his warnings.”

“Yes, but he will understand that you have made mistakes, and he will be impressed that you are man enough to admit that you were wrong. It will put his mind at ease to know we have worked through our difficulties and found resolutions for yours.”

“I just don’t know.”

“Dalton? Are you here?” a voice called out.

“It’s Evie,” Dalton said, getting to his feet. “We’re in the kitchen.” He went to the open archway. “What brings you here?”

“An invitation,” his sister said, beaming. “I wanted to invite you and Phoebe to join us for supper at your folks’ house. Tonight— after work.”

Dalton nodded. “Sounds good.” Yuri came to stand beside him and Evie smiled.

“It’s good to see you two together again.”

“Yes, well, we’ve both decided to put aside our childish ways,” Yuri said.

“Why don’t you join us, as well, Yuri?” Evie said. “I know it will do Lydia good to see that you’re on speaking terms again.”

“So what’s this all about?” Dalton asked. “Why the special invitation to supper?”

Evie laughed. “We’re trying to make it seem quite second nature to have dinner at your folks’ house each week so that we can surprise Joshua with the birthday party.”

“I’d nearly forgotten. Goodness, but sisters can be sneaky,” Dalton teased. “I’ve come to realize where sisters are involved, you can never tell what they’re up to.”

“That is so true,” Yuri agreed.

Evie raised her brows and tapped her head. “I have all sorts of plans . . . up here.”

“I know just how your planning goes, too. Last time you were in this kind of mood, it ended up with me taking a trip to Kansas City.”

Evie laughed. “I assure you my plans these days have nothing to do with Kansas City. If I never see that place again it will be just fine by me. Now, will you be there tonight? You never know, I might need you and Yuri to help keep Joshua busy while we ladies make our plans.”

Dalton laughed. “Of course we’ll be there.”

Chapter 27

S
he’s not in the playhouse or in the barn,” Kjell announced, stomping his wet boots on the rug at the door.

Lydia couldn’t suppress her sense of panic. “Where could she be?”

“Maybe she went home with Illiyana and Natasha,” he offered. “She knows she’s supposed to ask first, but she could have forgotten.”

Turning to Kjerstin, Lydia questioned her again. “You are certain you know nothing about where Britta’s gone?”

Kjerstin grew very serious. “I don’t know, but I think Illiyana is with her. When Natasha left, she was by herself. She was very mad because she knew their mother wouldn’t like that Illiyana had stayed here.”

Lydia turned back to Zee and Kjell. “So she didn’t go to the Belikovs’.”

“You don’t know that, Liddie,” Kjell countered. “She and Illiyana could have gone there before Natasha was ready to leave. We have to check every possibility.”

“But it’s getting dark, and it’s not safe for them to be out there alone.” Lydia went to the window and checked outside once again. “And it’s starting to rain again.”

“It’s just a mist at this point,” Kjell said, trying to be encouraging.

“I’ll get some lanterns,” Zee offered.

Lydia searched her husband’s face for some sign that everything would be all right. “I’m not a fool,” she told him. “I know this isn’t good. Please don’t treat me like a child.”

“Sorry we’re late,” Dalton announced, coming into the house.

“Phoebe was insistent that I dress for supper. She made Yuri and I both put on a clean shirt.”

“Believe me, everyone will be grateful that you stopped to clean up,” Phoebe replied.

Lydia went to them. “Have you seen Britta?” She looked to Yuri.

“She was playing with Illiyana. Were they at your house?”

Yuri shook his head. “I didn’t go home. I borrowed one of Dalton’s shirts. What’s wrong?”

Dalton reached out to touch his mother’s arm. “What is it?”

“Britta is missing. I called her and Kjerstin in to help set the table nearly half an hour ago. She’s nowhere to be found.”

He turned to his father. “We can help you look. What areas have you already covered?”

“I searched the immediate area—the playhouse and outbuildings. I didn’t see any sign of them there,” Kjell replied.

“Is Illiyana with her?” Yuri asked.

Lydia was nearly beside herself. “We don’t know. Kjerstin said that Natasha went home alone, so I believe it’s possible that the girls are together. But where?”

“Knock, knock,” Evie announced at the door. She popped her head inside. “Ummm, it smells wonderful in here.” She and Joshua joined the others. “Thank you so much for inviting us to supper.”

Dalton turned to his sister. “Britta and Illiyana are missing. Did you see them in town or on the road here by any chance?”

Evie looked from Dalton to Lydia. “No. How long have they been gone?”

“I don’t know,” Lydia admitted. “They had just gone out to play when you came to see me earlier. Did you see them outside then?”

“No, Lydia. I didn’t. I’m sorry.”

“It’s been nearly two and a half hours. There’s no telling where they may have gone in that time,” Lydia said, wringing her hands together. “Britta knows better than to wander off like that. What if something happened to them?”

“You are getting yourself all upset, and we don’t even know what the truth is,” Kjell reminded her. “Josh, you come with me and we’ll search down by the water. Dalton, you and Yuri head into the forest and up the northeast trail. We’ll meet back here in half an hour.”

“The lanterns are ready to go,” Zee announced. “I left them on the porch.”

Dalton and Yuri bounded out the door. Kjell turned to Lydia. “Try not to worry. We’ll be back shortly, and hopefully the girls will have returned and nothing more will need to be done.”

Lydia nodded. “I’ll search the barn again. You know how much they love to play hide-and-seek.”

“They aren’t in the barn,” Kjell said, reaching out to lift her chin. “Stay here with the others, and we’ll decide what else to do when I return.”

Dalton and Yuri combed the edge of the forest as they made their way to a narrow trail that led up the mountainside. This had long been a favorite area of exploration when Dalton was little, and he knew his sisters had their own fascination with the thick spruce woods.

“Look, isn’t that a shoe print?” Yuri said, pointing.

Dalton held the lantern closer. It looked to be the right size.

“It belongs to one of the girls. I’m sure of it.”

They maneuvered slowly along the trail with the lantern held close to the ground. The damp cold permeated Dalton’s body, leaving him with grave concerns for his sister. “There are more prints up here,” he announced.

“Looks like two sets. I think the girls were together up here at one point. Do you see any fresh tracks that head back toward the house?”

“No. You?”

Yuri shook his head. “I hate to say it, but I think they’ve gone up the mountain.”

“But why? Why would they go off like that?” Dalton tried to reason through any possible attractions for the girls. “They know it’s dangerous. The bears are starting to come out of hibernation. Snow and avalanches are still a threat.”

“Yeah, they both know how serious it can be,” Yuri agreed. “Look, I think we’d better go back and check in with your father.

We can tell him what we’ve found, and if he hasn’t seen any other fresh tracks, then we can all head up the trail.”

“We should probably get some supplies in case it takes us a while,” Dalton said. “There’s no telling how far two little girls could have gotten in almost three hours.”

Back at the house, Kjell and Joshua were relieved to hear that Dalton and Yuri had spotted some sign of the girls. “We saw nothing, and I was beginning to despair,” Kjell said.

“There’s reason enough to despair if they’ve gone hiking up into the forest,” Mother said. “Why would they do this? There’s nothing up that trail that should interest them.”

Zee seemed to consider this for a moment. “You know that trail eventually forks off and heads down toward one of the summer camps.”

“Summer camps?” Phoebe asked.

“For the Tlingits. Especially the old ones,” Dalton replied. “They hold meetings and celebrations well away from the whites.”