Uncertain: Day 8

Word Count: 48,154

Summary of Events:

At the creek Hazel was offered help to cross, but chose to cross on her own and while waiting for the rest to cross spied tracks in the dirt that told her Joseph had been there and headed west; without consulting her opinion, Mr. Waller elected to head east, presuming the children would seek out family in Kansas. Deputy lost the scent of the children and Joseph determined by way of some horse tracks that the children had been picked up by someone on horseback, whom he presumed to be a trapper, as there were quite a few trappers who lived in Cimarron who trapped game in the mountains. Hazel was starting to get unsettled that they were heading eastward and expressed her frustration to one of Mr. Waller's sons, who attempted to inform his father, to no avail . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

Hazel nodded and asked Rocky for a canter, which caught her up to Mr. Waller and Mr. Andrews quickly.

“Mr. Waller, please, it is a matter of some urgency,” she snapped.

“What is?” Mr. Waller asked, startled.

“You’re going the wrong way,” Hazel replied.

Mr. Waller didn’t stop his horse. “My dear Mrs. Chalmers, this is the way to Kansas.”

“But the children aren’t in Kansas,” Hazel replied.

“Well of course not,” Mr. Waller replied. “They’re children, I’m sure they haven’t reached the border of New Mexico Territory yet.”

“You don’t understand!” Hazel snapped, using the whip in her right hand that was normally for gently cueing her mount to strike Mr. Waller’s leg. “The children never headed for Kansas in the first place!”

“But they’ve got family in Kansas Mrs. Chalmers,” Mr. Andrews said. “You told us that yourself.”

“But they haven’t met them,” Hazel replied. “They haven’t met me either. Bert and Felicity Dirk were the only family those children knew. Logic prevails that any child would not set out on a trek to find family they’ve never met, but would go somewhere where they know people whom they can trust. And that location is Santa Fe because that is where Bert, Felicity, and the children lived until Felicity came into the employ of Mr. and Mrs. Yates.”

“You’re quite certain?” Mr. Waller asked, sounding rather chagrined and pained as he rubbed his leg where Hazel had struck him.

“Indeed I am,” Hazel replied. “And if you would’ve given me half a moment earlier this morning we would have been headed in that direction from the start instead of marching ourselves down the hills for lunch at your residence that I am certain had been organised beforehand.”

Mr. Waller looked at Hazel guardedly.

“That isn’t to say that I didn’t appreciate the sustenance,” Hazel said, calming her voice. “However, I am thoroughly affronted that you gave me the lead to the creek and then did not consult me for any insight on where I — who had already spent two days seeking the children in the area of Cimarron — believed it likely my niece and nephew had gone. I know I am not from the area, but I kept up a regular correspondence with Felicity, for we were close enough to each other in our age and relationship that some mistook us as twins, thus I know things about her that may not have been well known by anyone else in Cimarron.”

Without a word Mr. Waller brought his horse to a stop. Hazel and Mr. Andrews followed suit, and the others behind them progressively did the same.

“Then why did the children head north Mrs. Chalmers?” Mr. Waller asked.

“I cannot say,” Hazel replied. “But I assure you that they did not make for Kansas.”