In the Shadow: Day 10

Word Count: 60,007

Summary of Events:

Rowynna managed to calm her fears enough that she felt inclined to go downstairs, where she sat in the dining room and talked with Lorena and their three sisters-in-law before she was summoned to the door, Vella was waiting there and whisked Rowynna off to meet a man Vella believed fit Rowynna's criteria. Parker, having watched Rowynna and Vella leave, recognised Vella as Parthenia Swanson and immediately he and Linwood gave chase; Linwood took on the man whom Parthenia had found for Rowynna while Parker chased Parthenia, who managed to keep ahead of him enough that he couldn't catch her, but not far enough that he lost her . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

They had been running in all directions and Parker had gotten thoroughly turned around, but as they headed along a row of houses Parthenia suddenly started calling.

“Zane!” she called. “Zane!”

She was calling for Osborne, Parker tried to will himself to go faster, but he didn’t feel like his efforts were succeeding as much as he’d hoped they would.

A door opened in one of the houses and a man who didn’t look that much older than Linwood stepped out, straightened an arm toward Parker, and then came the sound of the gun being discharged.

Dirt kicked up to Parker’s left and he dove to his right as several more shots sounded; the only pain he felt was the aching stitch in his side and the impact of his body on the ground.

Scrambling to his feet, Parker ducked beside one of the other houses along the street and then made his way around behind that house and toward the house that Parthenia and Osborne must’ve been living in until now.

Before he could reach the house the back door opened and Osborne and Parthenia ran out, spying him, Osborne levelled is gun; Parker moved to dodge the shot seconds before he heard the gun go off, the instant after which he felt a white hot pain sear across the right side of his face.

Parker stopped and clutched at his face, keeping his eyes on Osborne and Parthenia as they kept running. He pulled his hand away from his face and saw blood, but there was no time to deal with it, he took off, in spite of the stitch in his side, and kept pumping his legs as he followed the two of them to a building with a sign hanging off the front announcing it as Price’s Livery.

Osborne shot the lock off of the doors and heaved one open. Parker slowed, which his side was grateful for, and crept over to one of the windows in the side, but he couldn’t really see anything when he peeked inside, and he realised that it would be highly dangerous for him to be looking into a window that someone could see more clearly out of than he could see into.

He ducked down and waited close by the front corner of the livery, he heard the sounds of anxious horses before Osborne emerged leading two horses, one a sorrel with socks on its forelegs, the other a bay with a star, a white pastern on the fore and a white coronet on the rear.

Osborne helped Parthenia onto the bay before swinging aboard the sorrel. Parker rushed from his hiding place, but the horses took off before he could reach them, leaving him unable to swing aboard and catch Osborne as he’d hoped to.

Still, Parker pursued them until he lost them heading westward, he then dropped to his knees, his sides heaving, his head feeling a little lighter than usual, he guessed from a lack of oxygen.

In the Shadow: Day 9

Word Count: 54,041

Summary of Events:

Parker accompanied Linwood and his family to Frank to spend Easter with the Price family; when he went to greet Della he inadvertently saw the skirts of her wedding dress, but they didn't look like anything to him. Rowynna ate lunch with everyone, but became deeply troubled, fearing that if Della wasn't being allowed to have choices in her wedding she might not even be allowed to choose her own husband. After lunch Parker sat with Della and was confronted by Della's mother about inadvertently seeing the dress; when he likened what he saw to bedsheets she became even more upset . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

Mrs. Price turned her gaze to Della. “What have you done?”

“It was the skirt Mother,” Della replied. “He saw me sewing the skirt, with all that material it would bear a strong resemblance to bedsheets.”

“But why is it being likened to bedsheets?” Mrs. Price demanded.

“Because bedsheets are often white,” Parker replied. “And they are large.”

“I should’ve known,” Mrs. Price hissed.

“Should’ve know what?” Parker demanded. 

“You are the sort who would,” Mrs. Price said.

Anger inflamed Parker, who realised what she was getting at. “How dare you.”

“It is the truth, isn’t it boy?” Mrs. Price asked, seeming snide.

“Mother, that’s abhorrent!” Della exclaimed obviously also having realised what her mother was insinuating.

“And to think you would be complicit,” Mrs. Price snapped. “After the rigorous education you’ve been given. Out of all my children you were the last one I suspected.”

Parker saw tears in Della’s eyes.

“What kind of mother are you?” he demanded.

Mrs. Price looked at Parker with consternation.

“Your daughter is as pure as you ever thought her, but you would rather believe the worst of her,” Parker spat. “That is two daughters this day you have rendered to tears, and for what reason? Why do you engage in this cruelty toward people that you are supposed to love and care for?”

“I did not upset Rowynna,” Mrs. Price snapped. “I don’t know what came over her.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you were the reason for it,” Parker said.

“And just why?” Mrs. Price demanded.

“Rowynna and Della are as close as if they were born on the same day,” Parker replied. “It surely cannot be a light burden on Rowynna’s heart that you are forcing her sister into some grandiose circus of societal preening and absolute nonsense that is in the guise of a wedding. If it were a wedding it would be for the bride, what she wants, what she desires, what pleases her, with her as the centrepiece of it all. But it is a circus and you are the ringmaster, front, centre, and pulling all the strings to make a grand performance that lines your pockets with the currency of praise, laud, honour, and prestige that means more to you than the happiness of your own flesh and blood.”

“You impertinent boy!” Mrs. Price cried. “If it had been up to me you wouldn’t have been given permission to marry my daughter.”

“Yes,” Felicia snapped. “How dare you slander my mother as a narcissist.”

“That is exactly what she is, she is more concerned with herself, her precious social standing in a little, isolated mining town than the happiness of her children,” Parker replied.

“A standard has been set and that standard must be upheld,” Mrs. Price snapped. “Of course it would be some wild, uncivilised Scotsman who would destroy it.”

“I wasn’t even born in Scotland!” Parker cried.

“But you’ve got the blood of those people in you,” Mrs. Price snapped.

“We Scots are not heathens,” Parker spat.

“You might as well be,” Mrs. Price retorted.

In the Shadow: Day 8

Word Count: 48,049

Summary of Events:

Parker and Linwood pieced together all the information they had on men who matched Osborne's description and discovered that all of them — there were more than six names associated with the description — could be the same man as no two were ever in the same place at once. Rowynna went out to lunch at the hotel with Vella, who would point out men and ask Rowynna what she liked about them in hopes of thereby finding Rowynna a beau . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

“Ooh, he looks good,” Vella said.

Rowynna checked over her shoulder and saw the constable who had escorted her safely home the other day. “He’s married.”

“But he is handsome,” Vella said. “What do you like about him?”

“He’s kind, caring, and upholds the law,” Rowynna replied.

“But what about his looks?” Vella asked.

Rowynna glanced at the constable again, but she didn’t really let herself get a good look at him, she wasn’t sure that it was appropriate for her, considering how he was a married man and all, but there were a few things she already knew that she thought were handsome about him, but she wasn’t going to share those with Vella.

“He’s just dreamy,” Vella said. “But then again, he is a soldier.”

“He’s not a soldier,” Rowynna said.

“He’s wearing a red coat and tall riding boots, who else wears those other than soldiers?” Vella asked.

“The North-West Mounted Police,” Rowynna replied. “He’s a policeman.”

The colour fled Vella’s face in an instant, and a look of sheer terror came over her.

“How long have you lived out west here?” Rowynna asked. “How did you not know that? Why do you look so alarmed?”

“Why is he here?” Vella asked.

Rowynna glanced over her shoulder at where he was sitting with another man, talking. “It certainly looks to me like he’s here to have lunch.”

“Are you sure?” Vella asked.

“Well look at him for yourself,” Rowynna replied. “He certainly doesn’t look like he’s here for any other reason, and you have the better view of him anyways.”

“Oh,” Vella said, seeming to relax slightly. “Oh, I guess you’re right. Are they new?”

“Hardly,” Rowynna replied. “They’ve been around for forty years.”

“Oh,” Vella said quietly.

“Have you not lived out here in the west all that long?” Rowynna asked. “How could you have not heard of them?”

“I’d heard of the North-West Mounted Police,” Vella replied, still seeming shaken, her gaze locked on the constable. “I just didn’t know what they looked like.”

“Well, that’s what they look like,” Rowynna replied.

“Oh,” Vella said. “Are you almost finished so that we can leave?”

“Why?” Rowynna asked. “You have nothing to be afraid of.”

“I don’t think my food is agreeing with me,” Vella said. “I’d like if we could leave shortly.”

Rowynna silently ate, watching as Vella pushed what little was left of her abundant plateful of food around, looking not at all like Vella as Rowynna had come to know her.

In a month Rowynna had come to observe that Vella was energetic, outgoing, and willing to try new things, as well as possessing rather an appetite; to see her lacking energy, closing up, and not eating were all rather unusual things that Rowynna had questions about, but no real way of urging Vella to give her the answers.

In the Shadow: Day 7

Word Count: 42,036

Summary of Events:

Rowynna was apologised to by Vella, who felt badly for having not considered that Rowynna might be different than her; Rowynna then spoke to her father on Della's behalf regarding the fact that Della felt like her wedding was becoming her mother's wedding. Parker went to the blacksmith with a description of Osborne and discovered that the blacksmith's son matched the description to a man named Urban Harris, while the blacksmith himself said it was the description of a Zane Osborne; before he left to his next stop, a boy rushed in with a telegram for him . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

He opened the telegram and read the message: Det. Price Description matches man accused of kidnapping here three years ago. Letter coming with more details. Det. W. Higgins.

Parker noticed the boy waiting, obviously expecting some sort of a tip for his mad rush over with the telegram.

Reaching into his pocket, Parker pulled out a couple cents and gave it to the boy, who gladly took it without thanks and hurried away. Parker pocketed the telegram, as well as the description of both Zane Osborne and Urban Harris, and headed out.

Although he meant to enquire at the general store also, Parker figured the telegram ought to be delivered to Linwood first, so he rode Saskatchewan back to the barracks and walked to Linwood’s office, where Linwood was looking over some letters he’d received the day before reporting that a man matching the description — which had been sent out to all surrounding towns some days ago — had been accused but unable to be convicted of a robbery at Medicine Hat in 1898.

Linwood looked up at Parker.

“What have you learned?” Linwood asked.

“He visited the smith twice,” Parker replied. “He purchased a combined total of four pounds of nails, three on the fifth of January, and one on the eighteenth of the same month.”

“And the general store?” Linwood asked.

“I haven’t been there yet,” Parker replied. “I figured I ought to deliver this to you first.”

Linwood took the telegram Parker had produced and read it.

“Detective Higgins works at Strathmore,” Linwood said. “That’s still in this general area.”

Parker nodded.

“Thank you Parker,” Linwood said. “Now I trust you will return to your task?”

“There’s one more thing sir,” Parker replied.

“Oh?” Linwood asked.

“I spoke first to Job, the smith’s son,” Parker replied. “He recognised the description of Osborne as being that of an Urban Harris, who paid a visit to the smith on the eighth of December.”

“Osborne was hired by Mr. Swanson near the middle of December,” Linwood said.

“Oh, and Osborne’s first name is Zane,” Parker added.

“What did he purchase at the smith on the eighth of December?” Linwood asked.

“I don’t believe I was told sir,” Parker replied.

“Find that out, and then the general store please,” Linwood said.

“Yessir,” Parker replied.

He hurried back outside and mounted Saskatchewan again, riding her back to the smith’s shop, where he found the smith’s wife aiding a customer.

Once the customer had left with his keg of nails the smith’s wife turned to Parker.

“May I help you constable?” she asked.

“I would like to know what Urban Harris purchased on the eighth of December,” Parker replied.

“Of course,” she said, although she seemed a little confused.

She produced the ledger and flipped back the pages until she found the line.

“Urban Harris had his horse shod,” she said.

“Thank you,” Parker said.

“You’re welcome constable,” she replied, although there was still a bemused tone in her voice.

In the Shadow: Day 6

Word Count: 36,060

Summary of Events:

Parker rode around asking people who'd helped put out the fire if they'd seen Parthenia Swanson at any time, and found that more people hadn't than had, but the people who had seen her hadn't noticed her to be panicked, suggesting she'd known the fire would happen, and may've even set it herself. Rowynna went over to do laundry for her heavily-pregnant sister, and the two got chatting about Della's wedding and how Della herself was getting distressed by how much of it was actually what their mother wanted, not Della, and was considering eloping in order to have a more pleasant wedding before her mother's desired ceremony . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

“Too, I think Parker would rather have their ceremony be unobtrusive and quiet,” Lorena said. “As much as he is a North-West Mounted Policeman, I don’t think he did it for the attention, I think he did it more for the adventure, and I’ve been able to tell he’s not all that fond of Mother.”

“I haven’t seen him have much to do with her,” Rowynna said.

“Exactly,” Lorena said. “I did see him get a bit hot under the collar with Mother last Easter when she scorned him for being a Presbyterian. He can have a sharp tongue, but Linwood told me that when I talked with him about it after. He said Parker’s greatest shortcoming is probably that he is not gracious enough, he is far quicker to get defensive than to hold his tongue. Linwood says it’s because he was bullied as a child.”

“Oh,” Rowynna said. “I trust Della knows.”

“Yes,” Lorena replied. “That’s part of why she wants to elope with him a week before so that they can have their wedding, because she knows that he probably won’t like Mother’s decisions and wouldn’t enjoy being scolded by her if he were to complain and there could be a fight and everything.”

“So is she going to elope?” Rowynna asked.

“I don’t know,” Lorena replied. “I don’t know if she’s told Parker everything yet, I know she was planning on writing him a letter last time she visited me and talking of the idea, but I think it would be fine to do, maybe she could take the train to Macleod and they could get married there.”

“And if you’re fine enough with your baby I could go along,” Rowynna said.

Lorena chuckled. “How am I not surprised?”

“Well if they go to Macleod then Linwood gets to be there,” Rowynna replied.

“Very true,” Lorena agreed. “We’ll see how it all goes, though.”

“Would Mother and Papa find out about it, though?” Rowynna asked.

“That’s Della’s main concern,” Lorena replied. “She’s not sure how she can sneak out of town the week before her wedding, because to get married here in town wouldn’t work at all.”

“No,” Rowynna agreed, then an idea popped into her mind. “Unless . . .”

“Oh dear,” Lorena said, but with a smile.

“Parker’s family from Halifax is coming to the wedding, correct?” Rowynna asked.

“I’m not sure,” Lorena replied. “I think maybe his brother and his uncle at least.”

“So what if Linwood comes and gets Della — and me too — and takes her to Macleod on the pretence of meeting his family the weekend before?” Rowynna asked.

“Except that Mother and Papa would want to meet his family too,” Lorena replied.

“And they could, but maybe have it that they meet Della first in Macleod — and participate in the ceremony there — before coming to Frank with everyone and meeting Mother and Papa,” Rowynna replied.

In the Shadow: Day 5

Word Count: 30,059

Summary of Events:

Parker and Linwood went to interview the last of the men in Mr. Swanson's employ, who informed them that the fire had started in the dining room — where the bodies had been found — not the more likely kitchen or parlour; he also revealed to them that there was another man who'd worked for the Swansons known only as Osborne . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

“Does he possess any other distinguishing marks?” Linwood asked.

“Not really,” Mr. Meyers replied. “He was a somewhat shifty sort, not necessarily fidgety or nervous, but inclined to look at most anyone with suspicion and to not really relax among others, he was guarded, I guess.”

“As if he were hiding from someone?” Linwood asked.

“Maybe,” Mr. Meyers replied. “The other option to me was that he was scared of getting hurt, not physically so much as emotionally. He seemed to let his guard down with Parthenia, though.”

“So you think there was a mutual attraction between them?” Linwood asked.

“I don’t know that I’d say that,” Mr. Meyers replied. “She liked him, but I think he liked being able to manipulate her, because he went and told her that in Vancouver the sky is permanently golden because that’s where the sun sets and she believed him; in fact, he told her some other ridiculous things that she told others as the truth and I saw him around a couple times when she was telling them to others and he seemed to me to be taking a measure of pleasure in her conviction of such things.”

“She gave him a feeling of power then,” Linwood said.

“That’s a good way of putting it, yes,” Mr. Meyers agreed, nodding. “I think she easily would’ve done anything he wanted her to do.”

“Including possibly poisoning her parents and setting her home on fire?” Linwood asked.

“No,” Mr. Meyers replied. “I don’t think she’d go that far, nor do I think he would’ve asked her to do that.”

“He got on well with the Swansons then?” Linwood asked.

“No,” Mr. Meyers replied. “Mrs. Swanson hated him the most out of all of us, but then again, considering the reaction he got out of her daughter, I’m not entirely surprised that she would harbour those kinds of ill feelings toward him, I think she was inclined to see Parthenia marry a man from Calgary at the worst, or go back to Ontario to meet a man more optimally.”

“So she didn’t mean to see her daughter’s dreams of marrying a cowboy come true,” Linwood said.

“Not at all,” Mr. Meyers replied.

“And how did he get on with Mr. Swanson?” Linwood asked.

“Not well,” Mr. Meyers replied. “Mr. Swanson also didn’t really like that Parthenia seemed to be so attracted to him. He didn’t necessarily want Parthenia to marry a man of the city, but he didn’t see Osborne as being the right man for her; to be honest, I think he actually suspected that, well, the two of them had fornicated.”

“Do you recall any indications that might give credence to that suspicion?” Linwood asked.

“I think it is entirely possible that such a thing occurred,” Mr. Meyers replied. “It is not as hard to imagine as one would hope it would be.”

Linwood nodded. “Does this Osborne have a first name?”

“I never heard one,” Mr. Meyers replied.

In the Shadow: Day 4

Word Count: 24,024

Summary of Events:

Rowynna went to the general store to pick up some dry goods and spent time pondering her mother's behaviour toward her nieces and nephews, prompted by the proprietor's comments. Parker and Linwood went to visit Mr. and Mrs. Swanson's daughter and her husband, who had come to Alberta after receiving a telegram seeking information Linwood had sent to Ontario. Rowynna was waiting for her mother to finish a conversation outside the bank when Vella appeared and took Rowynna to meet a man Vella thought would be a suitable beau, but Rowynna thought otherwise and fought to get away from Vella . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

At that moment Rowynna broke free and took off back the way she’d been towed, only to be cut off by another miner who looked at her with interest.

When Rowynna went to flee back she saw Vella and the man from the house were following after her, so Rowynna hopped off of the boardwalk and onto the street to get around the man and continue on her way back to safety at top speed.

In spite of calls — some of which she recognised as Vella’s voice — urging her to stop, Rowynna kept running, deliberately winding her way around town in an effort to lose them until she was certain that she had escaped them entirely.

Satisfied that she was safe, Rowynna made her way home and collapsed wearily against the door as soon as she was inside.

“Mother?” Della emerged from the kitchen. “What happened Rowynna? Where is Mother?”

“Probably still talking to Mrs. Morris outside of the bank,” Rowynna replied in a rush.

“Then why are you here?” Della asked.

“Miners were chasing me,” Rowynna replied.

“What?” Della asked. “Why?”

“I met a girl who’s convinced she’ll find me a beau and she thought that they would be fine candidates,” Rowynna replied.

“Oh,” Della said quietly. “Are you alright?”

Rowynna nodded. “They didn’t get close enough to touch me.”

“Who is this girl?” Della asked.

“She’s only recently moved to town,” Rowynna replied. “She’s not much older than I am, I don’t think, but she thinks I’m going to become a spinster if I don’t find a man now.”

“Oh, this is that girl?” Della asked.

“Yes,” Rowynna replied, feeling like she was starting to have her breath back now.

Della sighed. “I think you need to tell her that you don’t need the help.”

“I tried,” Rowynna replied. “She kept talking over me and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“You can be more than a little forceful when you want to Rowynna,” Della said. “I’m surprised that you’re being this meek.”

“She seems like Mother, in a way,” Rowynna replied. “She expects to be listened to when she talks, and largely dominates the talking, but doesn’t have an ear to hear anyone else with.”

Della nodded. “Maybe you and I will have to go out together and see if we can’t tell this girl that she needs to leave you to find your own beau in your own time.”

“After all, it’s not like I even asked for any help or expressed discontent with my present status,” Rowynna said, shedding her coat.

“Are you sure you shouldn’t go back to Mother?” Della asked. “She’s going to be quite upset if she finds that you’ve disappeared on her.”

“I don’t know how long they’re going to keep looking for me,” Rowynna replied. “I would rather face Mother than them.”

Della tilted her head, not inclined do disagree, and said no more. Rowynna followed her sister into the kitchen, staying away from the front windows would probably also be a good thing to do in order to keep herself from being found.