Gideon stood.
Rosalie followed.
When he opened the door, Merrick stood outside.
He was pale.
Sober.
And carrying a package wrapped in her mother’s old blue shawl.
“I found this in Father’s room,” he said.
Rosalie stared at it.
“What is it?”
Merrick looked past her toward Gideon.
“Father’s gone.”
“What do you mean, gone?”
“He took a horse before dawn.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
Merrick handed her the package.
“But before he left, he burned half the papers in his desk.”
Rosalie’s fingers tightened around the bundle.
“And these?”
“I pulled them out before he saw me.”
Inside were several scorched documents.
A photograph.
And one sealed envelope.
Rosalie picked up the photograph first.
Four adults stood outside Dr. Bell’s surgery.
Elias Bell.
