Etienne had not met Sophie for lunch; she had sat by herself picking at her food for almost an hour. Concern had crept into her mind; Etienne would not break a promise to her, not even a small one like meeting for lunch, unless something had gone wrong. She had finally given up and quickly headed to the stable. She hoped he was there, waiting for her or in conversation with Christoph or Phil. The idea struck her that she had not seen either of those two men all day; Christoph had not checked in with her at all. She had thought Etienne had found him on the way to the stables and therefore did not give it much thought. Now she was doubting that scenario. Phil didn’t concern her as much, she didn’t see him on a regular basis through the day, just on those occasions that their paths crossed, but Christoph’s absence was starting to eat away at her.

She entered the barn and walked along the corridor, checking down each row as she went. She dared not call out for him; Sophie could not trust her own voice as her apprehension rose. Nothing; no one in the stables at all. She listened for sound; nothing but the odd crunch of hay and whiney. There were few horses in the stalls. Her schedule had fallen far behind as the day wore on and she hoped no one would notice that her routine was off. She decided to take Zenaida out on a lead, cover for her should anyone ask. She quickly grabbed the tack and placed the halter on Zenaida, talking smoothly to the horse as she did. Even with her mind so cluttered she still responded to the horse unconsciously, stroking and speaking to it without thought. The two walked out of the stable, but not towards the work ring, but along the road. Sophie hoped that anyone looking would think she was exercising Zenaida, just enjoying a change of scenery. Thin cover, she thought to herself.

Sophie kept her pace in check, inside she was dying to jump on the horse and ride over every inch of the ranch. The feeling she was experiencing was not really concrete. She knew Etienne was physically fine, she was sure if something had happened in that way she would have sensed it. She had not received any warnings or visions from the horses so that was a good thing, she thought. Something was pushing her forward though, something was wrong and she had to help, only once again she did not know what to do or where she should be. Sophie cringed at the feeling of helplessness that enveloped her again. Her eyes peeled for Etienne, Christoph or Phil, she continued to follow the roads. She passed other teams working their charges; she saw Claire and Eugene both doing their chores; but no sign of Etienne or the others.

She had been walking for an hour, had covered the main areas of the ranch but had not yet made it to the fields. She stopped to rest and to let Zenaida munch a few blades of grass. Zenaida had not attempted to connect with Sophie’s mind and Sophie assumed that Zenaida was not one of the special Friesians on the ranch. She was thankful for that. As she stood looking off into space, her mind turning over everything trying to fit the jigsaw puzzle together, Zenaida jerked her lead, whinnied loudly and began to pull away.

Sophie, startled back to her surroundings, reacted instinctively, her hand tightened around the lead and her arm muscles locked. She spoke calmly to the horse. “Whoa there. Easy does it... It’s okay.” Her body worked against the powerful Friesian as she tried to use her skills to calm the horse. Zenaida did not rear up or bolt, but had definitely been spooked. Slowly the horse settled, still skittish but no longer straining against the lead. Sophie continued to speak in a calming voice. Sophie checked the ground for snakes or small animals that may have startled the horse; nothing. She looked a level higher for bees or birds that may have caused the reaction; again nothing. Sophie did not see anything that would normally cause a horse to react in such a way. She had not heard anything either. Oh great, she thought, another mystery. She checked Zenaida’s hooves, legs, stomach, back, rear, neck and finally her head. She wanted to make sure there was nothing hurting the horse. She ran her hand over every part of the horse, not trusting just her eyes. She found nothing and decided Zenaida had reacted to something she just could not detect. There seemed to be no damage done and the horse was now behaving rather normally.

The situation well in hand now, Sophie continued to walk Zenaida. She had decided to return to the stables, a direct route, the horse had been through enough and if she remained out on the roads someone was sure to notice. As she passed the area Claire was working in she slowed to watch for a few minutes. Claire was focused on her task and did not notice Sophie at first. When she did she yelled across, “You guys still on for tonight?”

“You bet,” Sophie yelled back, “looking forward to it.” She gave a wave as she spoke. Satisfied that she had not raised any eyebrows she continued towards the stable. Sophie returned Zenaida to the stall and filled the feedbag and water. After returning the halter and lead to the tack area she decided to take action. She could no longer sit around and pretend to work as she worried about Etienne.

As she entered the office, Lou looked up and smiled at her. “Wow, now we can’t get rid of you,” Lou said jokingly. “What can I do for you?”

“Very funny,” Sophie responded with a smile. She welcomed the lightheartedness Lou offered. “I’ve been looking for Phil, have a few questions I thought he could help me with. So far I haven’t run into him today, can you page him for me?” She hoped her voice hid the tension.

“Sure, no problem, Hun,” Lou proceeded to pick up the phone and dial. After leaving a message for Phil to come to the main building, she returned her attention to Sophie. “He should be along shortly, he’s one of the few who take a page seriously.” Lou gave a short laugh.

“Thank you Lou, I really appreciate this.”

“I was thinking about lunch tomorrow,” Lou started, “how about I bring some homemade picnic fixings instead of that stuff they serve? We could spend a nice lunch sitting over in the treed area beside the entrance and relax. I know you’re outside most of the day, but I don’t get to do that very often.”

“Sounds like a wonderful idea.” Sophie meant it. She was not a big fan of group dining either, but it was ready, free and she did not have to do the cleaning up. “Do you want me to bring something along as well?”

“No, let me do it, I don’t often get the chance and love doing that kind of thing; really, it will be my pleasure.”

“Okay, but remember you said that when you’re at home boiling macaroni or something to make a salad.” Sophie and Lou both laughed at this. Yes, we are definitely going to be good friends, Sophie thought to herself. Just then the door opened and in walked Phil. His face slightly flushed as though he had been running, his eyes clouded like someone who had been awaken from deep sleep. Sophie noticed all of this in the first glance and apparently so did Lou.

“What the heck is wrong?” Lou blurted.

“Huh. Nothing, nothing.” Phil’s voice was definitely as off kilter as his appearance. “I was involved in something when you paged me, that’s all.”

“Well, it’s not me that wants you, at least not at the moment.” Lou gave a wink and a smile. Sophie really did like this woman. “Sophie here is the one asking for you.”

Phil met Sophie’s gaze and without words each knew the other was concerned. “Well, come walk with me, I left something important, we can talk on the way.” Phil stated without his usual charm. Phil opened the office door and began to walk hurriedly down the hall. Sophie kept pace. “We haven’t got much time and yes I have spoken with Etienne, I know what you two are doing.” He did not look at her as he spoke; his vision was focused straight ahead of them in the main room. “Can’t say as I fully understand it, but I trust Etienne with my life and don’t doubt his word.”

“Where are we going, where is Etienne?” Sophie was feeding off Phil’s emotion, giving fodder to her own.

“Just follow me and don’t fall behind, we have to move quickly or someone will spot us.”

He moved to the statue in the main hall and looked around the room, giving attention to each offshoot hallway. He bent down to the plaque at the bottom of the statue and ran his hand over it, pressing the “G” in Goliath as he did so. Then he stood and grabbed Sophie’s hand and pulled her towards one of the chairs against the wall. She sat down as she started to speak, “Wha-” But before she could get the word out they were swung as the wall moved like a turntable leaving them in a darkened corridor.

Sophie’s mouth paused in mid-word as she adjusted to the surprise chair trip. The air crawled into Sophie’s opened mouth like a mouse hiding from an eagle. The mustiness was palatable on her tongue and familiar. Her eyes, unaccustomed to the darkness, searched for Phil. He had already begun to walk down the corridor.

“We have no time Sophie, get moving. “ He turned on a small pocket flashlight that illuminated a foot or two in front of him and continued to walk. Sophie gathered herself and followed his vague outline, hurrying to catch up. This was not the kind of environment where she wanted to be left alone.

“Wait up, I’m going. Just give me a minute to get my bearings. And my eyesight.” As she moved, Sophie started to make out the coarse stone walls. Her feet fell uneven on the ground beneath her, she did not need her eyesight to tell her that this corridor was not a finished walkway, but a tunnel cut out of the earth. There was no lighting other than the limited beam from Phil’s flashlight, not even firelight to help guide her steps. Phil’s outline was more a feeling than a vision, his voice a directional signal, which she followed.

“Take my hand.” He hesitated to give her a chance to catch up. “Etienne’s waiting for us and I don’t know how safe it is. We can’t waste any time.”

Sophie took his hand and in single file they quickened their pace. “Is this the place we’ve been looking for?” A silly question to ask, she thought, of course it is. The conversation in her head continued even though the flow was in a different direction than her immediate concerns. Funny how the mind works. Phil did not respond to her question, recognizing the lack of need to answer.

They walked, no, more like trotted, down the corridor almost forty feet, she estimated. They had been moving along in a slightly downhill fashion. She had no idea how much further down they had gone, in the darkness it was hard for her to judge. She could make out the end, it opened into a larger area that had lighting, not bright but definitely not natural. Their pace did not slow as they entered the opening, a cave style room cut from the bedrock and lighted with small bulbs stretched along a wire. She did not know what they were called but had seen them many times when the farmhands were fixing the equipment or working in a dark area. There was nothing else in the room and Phil kept moving, Sophie right behind him.

“There is nothing in here, where is Etienne?” she asked out of curiosity more than worry.

“Just hang on we’re almost there,” was Phil’s only reply. He moved across the cave and placed his hand in a small groove a few feet above the floor line. Sophie was watching his movements intently; she wanted to be sure she knew how to get to where they were going on her own, if she had to. She sincerely hoped she would never have to. Phil pulled out a small cord from the crevice and pulled it straight towards him. Again the wall moved and Sophie could not help but think she was in a B rated horror movie. Thoughts of Don Knotts and Jerry Lewis filled her mind and brought a chuckle to her lips. Phil turned to look at her.

“And what may I ask do you find so funny?” He was serious and this only made Sophie giggle louder.

“Sorry Phil, but all these moving chairs and walls, I can’t help it. Mark it down to nerves.” There was no point in trying to explain it to him and no time.

“Well hold it together, okay.” He smiled as he spoke; Sophie guessed that he also saw some amusement in the situation.

The wall moved like a sliding door, and as it moved Sophie could see by its depth that it was actually metal or wood decorated to give the appearance of the surrounding stone. There was a small electrical sound accompanying the movement and she thought she heard a short beep, barely audible.

“What was that?” she asked.

“What was what?” Phil queried.

“That beep, didn’t you hear it when the door slid?”

“No, I didn’t hear anything, but then again my hearing isn’t the best. What do you think it was?”

“If I knew I wouldn’t have asked you. It sounded like a quick beep, like a battery warning or something. Very faint but I definitely heard it.” She was sure it was not her imagination playing tricks on her or some echo that she picked up. “I have no idea what it could have been, there doesn’t seem to be anything attached to the door that’s visible, but then again the door wasn’t visible.”

“Let’s keep going, if it was anything important I’m sure we’ll find out. I just hope it isn’t a warning or alarm of some kind. Can’t see that being the case though or it would have gone off when Etienne and I came through her earlier.”

Sophie followed Phil through the door and along another short corridor to a metal door. This door was not hidden or disguised at all. Phil turned the knob and opened the door. Etienne was standing inside with the horse they had both seen in their vision, still shackled to the floor. Etienne was in position, head next to the horse’s, eyes closed and body very still. Sophie had a flash of need for Etienne brought on by his stance and the expression on his face. It quickly passed as she refocused on her surroundings. The room was a good size, well lit by fluorescent ceiling lights. The walls were finished and painted a sterile white, the floor concrete and painted. She noticed counters and machinery lining the walls; she looked closely and saw veterinary supplies along the countertops. Most of the items she recognized but there were a lot of machines that she had never seen.

Phil walked over to Etienne and placed a hand on his shoulder. Etienne opened his eyes and Sophie noticed he was on the verge of tears. “What were you shown?” she asked him.

“My God, Sophie. The pain this animal has suffered in this room is beyond words. I can’t describe it.” Etienne lowered his eyes to the ground; Sophie knew he was gathering his strength. “I can’t describe it,” he repeated.

Sophie moved towards the horse, she needed to see what he had seen. “NO!” Etienne cried. “You don’t need to see it Sophie and Rundle needs not show it again.”

“Rundle?” Phil asked.

“That is his name,” Etienne spoke. Sophie stopped and looked into Etienne’s eyes. Yes, he meant what he said and she respected him enough to comply.

“I don’t understand what it is you do Etienne, and I assume you can too Sophie.” Phil looked at the two of them, his face full of questions. “But I do know that someone is doing something barbaric down here and hiding it. I can only guess that it is Ken, who else would have this place built.” Phil was talking aloud and Sophie thought he was talking more to get things straight in his own head than for answers from them. He continued, “How do they get the horse down here, they certainly can’t sit them down in that chair and bring them in through the main house. Most of the equipment here is standard veterinary stuff you’d find in any animal hospital, except for the stuff along that wall.” He pointed to a bank of electrical equipment and computers. “Would someone please explain it to me?”

Now that, Sophie knew, was a question she wanted answered.

Chapter Twelve

Sophie and Etienne exchanged glances, both were thinking of the scenes they had been shown. Somewhere down here there was an elevator; they just had to find it. “Phil, I can’t give you the answers you want, I’m still looking for them myself,” Etienne spoke. “But I do know there is an elevator down here somewhere that will take us up to one of the fields. It’s probably hidden like the doors.” Etienne looked slowly about the room, trying to discern a hint of where it might be hidden. “Sophie, can you help Phil look for it while I try to find a way to undo those shackles.”

“On it,” Phil said as he began to run his eyes and hands over the wall surfaces. Sophie moved in the opposite direction employing the same technique. Both were careful and slow in their progress, afraid to miss the slightest thing. Etienne rummaged along the countertops and through the drawers; Sophie assumed he was looking for a key or tool to use on the irons.

All three were concentrating on their tasks when Sophie heard the small beep again. She froze and drew in her breath. Phil and Etienne continued with their movements as though they had not heard it. “Shhhh,” Sophie urged. Both men stopped and looked at her, heads cocked to one side instinctually. No sounds came. “Did you not hear that?” Sophie asked. “It was that beeping sound again just like at the door.” In her mind Sophie ran through possible reasons for the sound. Alarm? No we would have had company by now. One of the machines? No it would have been a more prominent sound. A timer of some kind? Possibly but for what?

It came to her then, she knew what the sound was. “Quickly, find a place to hide, that beep, it’s the elevator. Someone’s on the way down here!” Sophie’s excitement was evident even though her voice was muted. Her eyes scanned for a place to hide.

“Here, over here, both of you!” Etienne motioned to the cabinets under the counter. Luckily, there was space for both Phil and herself to fit. Sophie realized there was no way Etienne would be able to fit himself inside one of these and she looked at him as he closed the door.

Stuffed into the cabinet she could see nothing but she could hear movement. She knew Etienne was looking for a place to hide himself and she prayed he would. Moments passed and all sound seized. She could feel the air thicken as the tension she was feeling seeped from her pores. Sophie thought about opening the cabinet door a crack so that she could see what, if anything, was happening. She did not, she had no idea who was coming but knew it would be unwise to be discovered. She hoped Phil understood that too.

Alone in the darkness, the moments turned to minutes and Sophie began to think that she had guessed incorrectly about the sound, then she heard it. Her mind painted the picture as she heard the scrape of the wall moving to one side. She could picture the elevator doors being exposed and then heard the slight metal sound of those doors opening. Voices, muffled, male, she strained to hear the words clearly and hopefully identify who was speaking. At least she did not hear anything that would tell her Etienne had been left standing out in the open. She was thankful for that.

Sophie had little room to move around and was conscious of any little sound she might make. All she could do was tilt her head closer to the door, but her concentration increased and she focused on the sound. She could barley make it out, catching words here and there. She could hear enough to keep up.

“I don’t need the other horses. We have only three days left.” Sophie caught the last section clearly. She did not recognize the voice at all.

“Damn it, didn’t I tell ya that this was the one? You never listen.” Sophie caught her breath; the surprise of hearing the woman’s voice nearly knocked her from her hiding spot. Lou, her tone was quite different than Sophie had heard, but she was sure it was her. “I told you this was the one we needed. Now get on with it.”

Another male voice, different from the first spoke. “What do you want me to do with the others?” Sophie thought it sounded like Christoph, but she could not be sure. She hoped Phil and Etienne were catching this as well.

Lou’s voice still held a measure of hate as she spoke. “I don’t give a damn what you do, just make sure that they are disposed of. The boss isn’t pleased about the delays we’ve had, so clear up the mess with the other horses and get the machines ready for tonight. Three days may not be enough time, so we have to work fast.”

“Yes ma’am.” Again Sophie strained to hear the voice, she wanted to be sure it was Christoph’s, but she just wasn’t.

“Bill, I want you to handle the machine prep while he clears out above.” Sophie did not know who Bill was but she filed the name and voice away. “Now get moving, I have to get back to the office before someone misses me.” Lou stated, then muttered under her voice, “Like that would make a difference.”

Sophie wished she could sneak a peak; she wanted so much to see who was out there. She held back, not wanting to give away her position. Once again she heard the beep and movement of the elevator doors. She tried to pinpoint where the sound was coming from; it would make it easier to find the switch. She could still hear movement in the room, she had no idea if it was just Lou leaving or if one or both of the men were going with her. She didn’t think Bill would be leaving as Lou had given him instructions to get the machines ready, Christoph, if it was him, would probably be leaving to take care of things above. She held her breath, not sure what to do. 

Sophie was cramped in her hiding space and she was sure that Phil was to. She had no idea where Etienne had hidden but knew he was safe. She continued to listen and contemplate her next move. Her body was starting to react to the tension, her leg muscles began to quiver and her neck had tightened so much she felt that the smallest of movements might create a loud crack. All of a sudden she heard a muffled scream, male definitely. She took that to be her signal and she slowly opened the cabinet door. Her eyes, hit by the light, took time to focus and her legs would not move as fast as she wanted. She crawled out of the cabinet and forced her arms and legs to work as she uncurled her back.

She looked at the struggle in front of her. Etienne and the man she thought of as Bill were struggling with each other. Phil had also come out of his cabinet with the same strain Sophie had felt, she could see it in his movements. Phil was not as slow to react to the sight as Sophie though; he sprang into the brawl doing what he could to help Etienne subdue the man. Sophie quickly looked along the counter surfaces for rope or cord. She may not be able to knock the man out with her fist, but she had no doubt that Etienne would and she wanted to have something ready to tie him up with. Sophie grabbed some of the cord off the back of one of the computers, a length long enough to handle the ankles. She pulled on the electrical cord from one of the machines, but it was securely fastened. There was no phone cord to rip from the wall and she continued to look for another length of something to tie up the hands. She hit pay dirt in one of the drawers; duct tape, she laughed to herself, no good workshop of any kind lacked duct tape.

She returned to the struggle, which had ended. Phil and Etienne had the man securely pinned to the floor. He no longer struggled and Sophie noticed his eyes were not open either. “Is he unconscious?” she asked.

“Yep,” Phil responded with a note of pride in his voice. “He’s out like a light, we make a good team.”

Sophie gave the cords to Etienne and helped the men bind their captive. “Do you know who this is?” she asked Phil. “Did anyone get a look at the others, I was sure I heard Lou’s voice and the other man sounded like,” she hesitated, not wanting to name their friend, “Christoph.”

“Yep, I thought the same thing. Lou and Christoph.” Phil shook his head in disappointment. “As for this guy, I’ve seen him around, but he doesn’t work here. I thought he was just one of the delivery guys, seen him driving one of the trucks that makes deliveries to the main office. Can’t say as I ever paid much attention to him.”

The man was immobile and still unconscious. Etienne and Phil rose to their feet and took a look around. “Where were you?” Sophie asked Etienne. “I was worried that you would not find a place to hide.”

“Never worry too much about me,” he said and smiled. Etienne walked over to Sophie and took her in his arms. She felt the muscles ripple around her, still flowing strongly with blood from the fight. “I know a few tricks or two.”

They all gave a nervous laugh, a release from the tension. “My hero!” Sophie sang. Sophie could see the disappointment in Etienne’s face as well. With everything that he had been through with Christoph this must be a major blow.

“So what’s next?” Phil asked. “Do we try to corner Lou and Christoph or what?”

“First things first, we have this guy to question, but he is going to be out of it for a while. Let’s get those shackles off and find the elevator. The said they only had three days to do whatever it is they are going to do and this wonderful animal is the key. If they don’t have the key they can’t unlock whatever door they’re working on.”

“Makes sense. Sophie how about you look for the elevator switch while I help Etienne work on these irons.” Phil looked about and pointed to a section of wall. “That seems to be the right direction for the sounds I heard when the elevator was working. There must be a cord or button release for the wall, like the door in the tunnel. Feel around for it, please.”

With that Sophie began her search and the men found instruments to use on the shackles. The sound of the metal scraping away bothered Sophie, running up her back like prickles on a cactus. She tried to ignore it, the sound meant progress. Her hands ran along the wall surface in a deliberate pattern. Her eyes found nothing and she hoped that she could feel what she needed.

“That’s it Phil, keep working that side and I’m almost through on this side.” Sophie could hear the men talking as the worked. Rundle had stayed still for them, no sound or movement, like the man on the floor.

“Got it!” Sophie almost yelled as her hand found the panel that hid the rope. “Do you want me to pull it now or wait?” Her instincts told her to pull it so that the elevator door was exposed and available if they should need it in a hurry, but she was part of the team.

“Pull it.” Phil and Etienne said at the same time. Sophie smiled; they were definitely a good team. She pulled the rope and the wall started to move exposing the metal elevator doors behind it. She almost laughed when she saw the buttons, just like a normal office elevator. All that trouble to hide it and then they make using it so simple.

“Almost done here too, about another ten minutes and we should have these barbaric things off,” Phil spoke.

The sweat ran down the face and neck of each of the men, the task looked simple but the strength needed to cut through the iron was immense. Both men had been working with their hearts not just their brawn and it showed in their swift progress. Sophie again was overcome with the need for her man, both physically and emotionally. “I love you,” she said quietly.

Phil looked over at Sophie and with a big grin said, “All the women around here do honey.” They all laughed loudly this time. Etienne the loudest.

A push of a button and the elevator doors would open. As Sophie waited to hear the shackles fall from the captive horse’s legs she studied the machinery more closely. She had damaged at least two of them in her hunt for cord, maybe a few more, she hoped. Although she did not recognize most of the stuff in the room, there was nothing specific that caught her attention. The same could be said of the items she saw while rummaging through the drawers. She was perplexed, this room was where they did what exactly? She pondered on this as she waited.

“Got it, okay let’s move. We have been down here too long already.” Etienne spoke as he moved, Rundle following closely behind him. Sophie pressed the button and the elevator doors opened, inviting them to enter. Sophie hoped it was a safe invitation, now she did not trust anyone or anything. The reality of Lou and Christoph being part of this horror was starting to creep into her thoughts.

The four of them gathered in the elevator, barely enough room for all of them even though it was service size. Rundle stood quietly, as though there were complete understanding of the situation. Etienne had communicated with Rundle, but Sophie had no idea what had passed between them. Part of her was a little jealous, feeling left out of the loop. She scolded herself for this, of all the people in the world, past and present, Etienne was not one she should ever feel in competition with. Human nature, can’t live with it and can’t be without it, she told herself.

“We going all the way up here?” Phil asked motioning to the inner button panel. There were three in a row, each marked with a symbol. Arrows, but not straight, each one curved in an unusual pattern. There were no numbers or words. “If one of these is up.” He looked at Etienne for the answer. Etienne looked at Sophie, all of them stumped by the symbols. “We can’t sit in here all day, eventually someone else is going to use this thing, which one?” Phil made a good point.

“Go for it, press one and lets hope it puts us in the field,” Sophie spoke. “Let’s keep our fingers crossed no one hears that damn beep.” Phil pressed the button on the end, the one with the arrow curved in an east/north direction. “At least this one has a bit of an up attitude.”

The elevator doors closed and they all heard the beep, a little louder on the inside than they had heard previously. Movement was slow, definitely not a high tech elevator and its direction felt upwards, but Sophie for one was counting on anything. She looked for some kind of indicator light, but the walls were bare except for that one panel. She closed her eyes briefly and gave a quick prayer. The motion stopped after a few minutes and the doors once again began to open. The breeze washed over them as the metal parted, and fresh, clean air bathed them. “Way to go Phil, good pick,” Etienne said. They had made it to the field, at the very back of the ranch surrounded by a small grove of pine trees. Rundle did not hesitate and quickly exited the elevator, Sophie could actually see the horse smile. This made her smile too, although she knew they were not yet out of danger. In fact, she thought, this was just the beginning.

There was no rush of people or scream of surprise as Rundle walked into the field, Sophie and the men followed. Looking back they saw the doors close and a stone outcrop cover over the entrance. With the trees and location there was no question as to how this could go unnoticed by the farm hands. “Wait, how are we going to use this again if we need to, we better find out how to re-open this sucker before we move.” Phil was on the ball today. Sophie was pleased to have him on her team, she was ready to get out of there and had not even thought about that.

“Good thinking, we might as well all look, faster.” Etienne smiled at Phil, the trust and friendship emanating from both of them. They found the release quickly, having some idea of what they were looking for. Same as the others, a hidden panel with a cord inside. All three of them made a mental note of the exact location of the cord and then headed across the field. Sophie’s thoughts turned to Rundle.

“Okay, we got Rundle freed but, now what. We cannot just put him into a stall and hope no one notices. Claire and Eugene along with the others have never seen this horse and would be questioning it. If someone did know the horse and spot it, well you know whatever happened then wouldn’t be good.” Sophie questioned as they walked. “Any ideas?” She hoped that one of them would come up with something to ensure Rundle’s safety while they figured out what was going on.

“Well, if we just let Rundle mingle with the others in the field, maybe no one will notice. The day’s almost done and there won’t be any more brought in for training or grooming. It should be okay,” Phil suggested.

“Sounds good and I can add a little extra to that.” Etienne stopped and Rundle came to him. Once again their heads touched and Sophie knew that Etienne was giving some direction to the horse. Rundle whinnied and ran off, not scared or confused, but with determination. “There should be no problem, I have explained our concerns and sent him off to find the others that are in the field. They can protect each other.”

Phil shook his head. “I doubt you’re ever going to be able to explain this stuff to me, feel like I’m in some kind of TV show or something.” Sophie smiled and put her arm around Phil as the continued on their trek across the field. Etienne joined them, but his face held no smile.

“Keep your eyes open for Christoph, he’s up here somewhere. Lou told him to clean up the mess up here; I got the impression that she was speaking about the other horses. I think we should head straight to the stables.” Etienne was very focused. “I can’t believe that he is doing this of his own free will. He loves these animals as much as we do. Something must be terribly wrong, I need to speak with him one on one.” Sophie understood the words he was speaking; she felt somewhat the same about Lou. She did not believe someone she had such a good initial bond with was so completely different than her instincts had told her. There were still so many things to resolve, the most important being what was to happen in the next three days.

Chapter Thirteen

“What about Claire and Eugene, we are supposed to be going to their place tonight?” Sophie had no idea what she was supposed to do. Sophie continued as they walked, hoping for some direction. “I haven’t had much of a chance to talk to you, but Claire and I had a conversation that was very interesting. They had a fight of sorts when she was moving her stuff in. There is a book, Claire described it to me, sounds like an old book and it is written in a foreign language. She didn’t know what it was but it had a picture of a Friesian on the cover.” Sophie talked openly in front of Phil; there were no secrets any longer among the three of them. She watched their faces as she spoke hoping that Etienne knew something about the book, but there was nothing but curiosity in his face. “When she held it Eugene freaked out on her about touching his stuff and then hid the book behind others on a shelf. I was hoping to get a look at it tonight when we were over there. What do you think, do we still go or do I make some excuse?” Sophie remembered other events that she had not had the chance to tell Etienne about so she continued. “Ken was snooping around in my place as well. My God, so much has happened and I’m losing track as to what is important and what isn’t.” Sophie was flustered; her words sped up as she spoke. “He was talking about leaking pipes in the living quarters next door, and there was a plumber, but it didn’t feel right. I looked after he left and nothing seemed out of order, but my instincts said something was wrong.”

“Calm down and slow down, Love. It makes sense that Ken is involved somehow, it is his ranch, and we just have not figured it out yet. Until we do know where he fits in I think Christoph should be my priority right now.” Etienne stopped walking. “We are going to have to plan out how to approach this.” He folded his arms across his chest and his eyes focused into the sky. Phil just stood there, Sophie was sure his mind was a whirlwind but he appeared to be waiting before speaking. The three stood in silence, each contemplating their own version of the events that had passed and those to come. Finally Etienne broke the silence, “I’ll find Christoph and see if I can make sense of his actions, what time are we supposed to be at Claire’s?”

“The invitation was for dinner and cards, she didn’t say a time but I assumed about six o’clock,” Sophie responded.

“Okay, that gives us a couple hours. I will deal with Christoph and then meet you at Claire’s as soon as I can. If I am not there by six then make up some excuse for my lateness and I will get there as quickly as I can. Phil, you and Sophie go back to the stables and check on the horses. If there is anything, I mean anything, out of sync do what you can to figure it out without raising suspicion. If everything is okay then go back to work but keep your eyes and ears open for any hint as to what is going to happen in the next three days. If you have to speak to Lou about anything in the office, be very careful not to give away the fact that you know something is going on.” Etienne moved to Sophie and engulfed her in his arms. “You be very careful, I have no plans for the future without you in them,” he gently whispered in her ear.

Etienne gave an extra squeeze then released her. Sophie felt very alone in the moment his arms left her, as though her protective armor had been removed. Funny, she always felt herself to be such a strong woman; she was amazed by how much more she had been made whole with Etienne’s appearance. It bothered her that she needed him so strongly, but at the same time it filled her with joy. The wonders of love, she thought.

Etienne turned to Phil and spoke, “You keep her safe for me.” His tone was lighthearted but his eyes gave notice that he was speaking from the heart. “When it’s time for Sophie to go to Claire’s I’d like you to wait for us at her place, if you don’t mind Sophie?”

“Not at all, in fact I’d feel better knowing he was there in case I am right about Ken and he makes another house call. I must admit I am having a hard time accepting the fact that I was wrong about Lou, I usually have such good instincts about people. Maybe I am wrong about Ken too.” She shook her head, confused by the turn of events, adding as an afterthought. “You would think with all the gifts I have been given and you too,” she nodded at Etienne, “that we wouldn’t be duped quite so easily.”

“I have thought about that myself, that’s part of the reason I don’t think Christoph is working of his own volition.” The three stood for a moment in silence, each pondering that thought. “Okay, we don’t have a lot of time, let’s get going. Remember to keep your eyes open and don’t do anything foolish.” Sophie chuckled at Etienne’s words, it reminded her of a police show.

It was very serious but she could not help but add, “Be safe out there.” Etienne and Phil joined her in the smile. With everything happening it was nice to know that they had not lost their sense of humor. Etienne gave Phil a quick “man” hug, turned and pecked Sophie on the cheek, then headed off into the fields in search of Christoph.

Phil and Sophie continued to walk towards the stables. Silence sat between them. All the words had been spoken and a peaceful silence, which held no awkwardness, was welcomed. Sophie allowed herself to be drawn into the beauty of the day, the sun striking her face filling her soul with warmth. The hues of the grasses changing as the gentle winds created a dance of fancy among them. The whispered calls of the birds floating through the air at a distance. Watching the horses roaming in the fields within her sight, drawing strength from there being. She took the time to marvel at the wonders and beauty of the world around her, absorbing all she could to refuel herself. Even with all the evil she found herself surrounded by she was more than aware of the goodness the earth held. Sophie suppressed her thoughts of what she had seen and heard down below. Now was the time to ignore all the problems and for the brief time she had, walking to the stables, only awe at the natural beauty seeped in.

As they approached the stables, Sophie and Phil exchanged a quick glance, a transfer of acknowledgment that it was game time. From the outside all looked well, there were no trucks loading horses, no unusual hustle and bustle, no screams of terror. Sophie did not know what she expected, but she was expecting something. She saw Eugene unloading some feed into the stables, this was part of his normal routine and she dismissed him. There were others moving about, all seemingly doing their respective tasks. “How do we do this, any idea what we are looking for?” she asked Phil.

“I know about as much as you, I have never been much of a detective,” he replied. “First things first I guess, let’s do a quick count of the horses. You know which ones are supposed to be in the stable right?”

“Yes, some of them should be in the exercise yards, a few are out in the fields. I think we can get a clear idea if any of them are missing. You head off to the left end and I’ll start on the right, pretend to check the tack hooks or something.”

They entered the stables and headed to opposite ends to start their count. Sophie walked along as though checking the tack hooks. She wanted to be sure not to raise suspicion, although her absence from the stable for such a long period would surely have already been noticed. She walked slowly stopping every few hooks to do a cursory check, checking and counting each stall as she passed. As she walked up the center corridor Phil was walking towards her. “Everything seems to be in order on this side. There were about four hooks missing a brush or two, but the rest seemed to be in order.” Sophie smiled, Phil was right on the money with his count and had managed to give her the information in such a way that if overheard seemed normal.

“Okay, that seems about right, the tack on this end is okay.” Sophie smiled, she felt relief that her charges were safe for the time. “I just want to check the exercise yard and see how they are coming along, care to come?” Sophie was being careful in choosing her words.

“Sure, I’ve pretty much finished my stuff for the day. A little stroll and conversation with a beautiful lady is well deserved.” True to form, Phil managed to inject enough humor into his response that Sophie could not help but extend her hand to him with a smile.

“You are so smooth! No wonder all the ladies love you.” Phil took Sophie’s offered hand and they walked out to the exercise yard. There were two more there, one of Sophie’s being worked in the water run by Claire and the other being put through its paces by a separate team member. Sophie added the two to her count and found all her charges accounted for. She knew that Wizard and Shane were in the back fields as she had seen them on their walk to the stables. She was relieved and allowed herself to relax a little.

“Hey there, we still on for tonight?” Claire shouted. “Thought I’d cook up some ribs, that okay with you?”

Sophie smiled. “Sure, love ribs. What time are you expecting us? Etienne has a full schedule today and may be late getting finished.” Sophie thought it was a good idea to plant the idea that Etienne might be late while she had the chance.

“Anytime around five or six would work. We can sit and have a drink while I’m cooking.” Sophie noticed how Claire’s eyes were sparkling. She could see the excitement that Claire felt at having company and the chance to entertain in her new home. “You guys don’t have any allergies I should know about do you, I’m making some dips that have some pretty weird ingredients.”

“None on my end and Etienne hasn’t mentioned any, but you can just mention what kind of dips they are when you put them out. We are looking forward to it. Is there anything you want me to bring along?”

“Just you and that man of yours, everything else is already taken care of.”

“Okay, see you tonight, around six.” Sophie waved and began to walk away with Phil. “She is really excited about tonight, I am glad that we did not cancel on her. It would have hurt her deeply.” Sophie was also glad to have the opportunity to look at that book. “Everything seems to be all right here, why don’t you go and finish off whatever you have to do and then meet me at my place when you’re done?”

Phil nodded. “Sounds good, probably be about thirty minutes or so.” Phil hesitated. “You going to be okay on your own till then?”

“Yes, things are fine here. I’ll just finish up a few things so that it looks like I did some work today and then I’ll head straight over.”

“Okay, see you there.” With that, Phil headed back to his work and Sophie walked back into the stable. She said a quick prayer to herself that Etienne had found Christoph and then began to compile the work sheet for the following week. It was hard to do, her concentration was scattered, but she finally managed to complete it, post it and headed for home. It was getting close to four and she still had to shower, change and do all the things that she normally would do before an evening out.

Phil was sitting outside her door when she arrived. “Hey there, been waiting long?”

“Nope, about fifteen uneventful minutes, but I sure could use your facilities.” As Sophie got closer he continued in a hushed voice. “I saw Lou leave the main house on my way over here. She got in her car and it looked like she was heading home. Hope that’s where she went so we don’t have to worry about her tonight. Have you heard anything from Etienne?”

“No, I just hope he’s having some success.”

Sophie unlocked her door and they entered, Phil heading straight to the restroom. Sophie retrieved her pastry from the kitchen and grabbed a couple of drinks. Rib dinner or not, she wanted, no needed, her pastry fix. Phil returned and joined her. “If you get hungry while we’re out help yourself to whatever you find, except that box of goodies on the fridge, private stash you know.” She laughed. “If the phone rings,” Sophie stopped, she remembered her note to call her parents, she continued, “just let it ring.”

“Okay, what about the door? Do you want me to answer it if someone comes around?”

“I don’t know, it would look funny if you were here and I wasn’t home. People already know that Etienne and I have something going, it would look like I was playing the farm hand field if they thought you had free roam of my place. Any ideas?”

They both thought on it. “Got it! If someone comes I answer the door and if asked just explain that you two have gone out but you were expecting a delivery or call from somewhere and asked me to sit around and wait.”

“That would work, a delivery from the store in town.” That settled and her pastry eaten, Sophie excused herself while she went to get ready for the evening. Phil made himself comfortable in the chair.

Sophie picked up the extension phone in her bedroom and dialed her parents’ number. She had almost forgotten about her father calling to her on the wind earlier. With knowledge her mother had given her about her gifts and the presence of Ken in her home, she knew that a phone call was necessary. It might have just been a warning about Ken but she was not sure and needed to hear her parents’ voices.

The phone rang and Sophie waited patiently for someone to answer. She counted the rings as she waited and on the ninth ring someone finally answered. The voice male voice was mumbled and very soft. Sophie did not recognize it right away.

“Father, is that you, is everything okay?” she asked, unsure if that is who was on the other end.

“Oui, yes, it is me. What is wrong, why are you calling so late?” Her father’s voice began to congeal into a more familiar tone. His words reminded Sophie of the time difference, it would be close to one o’clock in the morning there.

“I am so sorry, I forgot about the difference in time. It is late afternoon here, I woke you, I’m sorry.” She was upset with herself for not thinking of that. Her parents would have been nicely asleep and she knew the rose early in the morning. Now she felt guilty for phoning. “There is something going on here and I just wanted to talk it through with you. I can call back later when you are awake.”

“I am awake now.” His voice was even, no discernable irritation. “You have me on the phone and you have my full attention. What is the problem?”

“I don’t know where to start there has been so much.” She paused to form the words. “Earlier I heard you call me, our special call. Then I found my boss in my living quarters with some excuse about leaky pipes. I have also become involved in something quite unreal, but very real.” Sophie began to explain the situation, starting with her experience during the stampede back home. She carefully detailed the arrival of Reb and the realization of both of them as to his identity in the past. She described the horses and the special communication that she was able to share with them and their story. Her words came fast but clear. Her father said nothing; he just listened until Sophie had managed to get everything out. “That’s where is stands at the moment, Father,” she finished.

Verbal silence on the other end, just the breathing sounds of her father. She waited, letting all she had said penetrate his thoughts.

“Child, this is quite the tale, all of which I am sure is true. Living with your mother all these years has taught me to accept many things most would not.” He paused again. “Do you love Etienne and does he love you?”

Sophie was surprised; with all that she had told him his first question was this! “Yes, with all my heart I know that he is the one I was meant to be with. He also feels that way, I have no doubts.”

“Yes. I can hear it in your voice. You remember the story your mother told you shortly before you left, the one about the lovers?” he queried her.

“Yes.” Sophie had tucked the story into the back of her mind, not putting together the connection between herself and Etienne and the Colette and Sophie in the story. Yet she was sure that somehow they were the same.

“You have found your true love in Etienne, such a fine name.” He chuckled at his own joke; Sophie did as well. “Trust in him and together you will triumph over this evil you face. You have allies in your friends; just remember to trust. You have your mother’s instincts, follow them even if it seems unreasonable to do so.” His sincere words warmed her and filled her with renewed strength, as always her father had given her what she needed. “I will say a prayer for all of you. I will also tell your mother the situation and see if she has anything else to offer you.”

“Thank you Father, I will call again as soon as I can. Whatever is going to happen will take place within three days, so if you do not hear from me in a week...” her voice trailed off.

“None of that child, I will hear from you shortly, I have no worries. Now go do what you must and be careful. When all this is done you bring that young man here to us, love or not we are still your parents and have a say.”

Jokingly Sophie replied, “How can you not approve of a man who bears your name and has stolen your daughter’s heart and soul?” Feeling better about everything, she said, “Thank you again Father, now go back to sleep and give everyone my love, I miss you all.”

“Goodnight child, remember to follow your instincts. We love and miss you as well.” The telephone line went dead as both hung up.

Sophie almost laughed at her father’s words. Her instincts had been very off lately. She felt Lou was a friend to be and that Christoph could be trusted. How on earth was she going to trust her instincts? Walking into the bathroom, she slipped from her clothing and entered the shower stall. The conversation with her father and the pelting water from the showerhead had completely rejuvenated her. She was ready for whatever was to come next.

“Sophie!” She heard Phil calling her as she was drying herself. “Come out here now!” The panic in voice was clear and she hurriedly threw on her housecoat and ran to him.

“What? What?” she asked, her eyes darting about the room expecting to find some evil villain attacking Phil.

“Look out the front window, quickly.” He was standing to one side of the window and motioned for her to join him. “Don’t stand right in front of the window, just in case.” He pulled her over to the side and faced her as if they were in conversation. “Over at the end of the housing, look at the truck, do you recognize it?” he asked her.

Sophie looked towards the truck but did not recognize it. She had been on the ranch only a short time. She did not recognize many things at a glance. “No I don’t, should I?” She was very curious as to the reason for Phil’s reaction to this truck.

“It is the delivery truck I was telling you about down below. The one that Bill drives for his deliveries.” They both looked at the truck. There was no one to be seen. “I haven’t seen anyone yet, but if the truck is there it probably means Bill got loose or was found.”

“That would make sense. We tied him up but he was still alive when we left. Lou or someone probably went back down to check on Rundle and found him. Which means they know that horse is gone and that someone else knows about their lab!” The realization that they may now be the hunted frightened her. “I wish Etienne would get here.”

“Relax.” Phil spoke softly. “We aren’t in any danger right now. They won’t have any idea who was down there.” He paused to think. “More than likely they are looking for the horse, then they will be looking for us.” His manner was calming to Sophie and she appreciated the effort he was taking to control himself. “Etienne will be back soon, hopefully with some answers, then we can figure out where we go from here. For now the best thing to do is continue with our plan, as is.”

“Yes,” Sophie agreed. “If we do anything out of the normal we might give ourselves away. I just hope that Rundle is safe.” Her mind focused on the horse, trying desperately to send a warning. In her heart she felt Rundle protected and hidden, she trusted her feelings, her instincts. “You stay here and keep an eye on things.” She gave Phil a friendly hug and walked back to her room to finish dressing.

At quarter of six Sophie was getting worried, Etienne had not yet returned. Both she and Phil had been watching the clock, but staying silent on the subject. “I should be leaving soon.” Her eyes drifted towards the front door.

“Give it a few more minutes, you have lots of time to get over there.” Sophie loved the way Phil tried so hard to say the right thing. He understood her as though they had been friends or siblings all their lives.

Sitting in the living room, Phil positioned so that he could see out the window, they remained still. “Here he comes!” Phil said, startling Sophie. “Coming up to the door now and he looks like he has a smile on his face.”

Sophie jumped and ran to open the door to greet him. “Etienne, you made it.” She flung her arms around his neck and squeezed as though he would disappear if she relaxed. Etienne returned the gesture taking her into his arms and kissing her lips. Phil just stood there and watched, a big grin on his face.

After giving them time to say hello he asked, “Did you find Christoph? Did you notice the truck on your way in? Did you see Rundle? What have you learned?” A flurry of words rattled from Phil’s mouth, hardly a pause between questions. The anxiety that he had hidden from Sophie had been released in Etienne’s presence.

“Whoa there. One thing at a time, right now we have to go to Claire’s and look at the book. I found Christoph and have a better understanding of what is happening, but I will fill you in on that when we get back. You aren’t in any danger right now Phil, so you should be okay here. Just play dumb and go with the delivery story if anyone shows up.” Etienne’s face was full of confidence as he spoke, Sophie doubted that it was there for Phil’s benefit; rather he did feel confident about what he had learned. “We should be a couple of hours or so, as soon as we get a look at that book we will try to get away.” He turned to Sophie. “You do have a headache coming on don’t you?”

“I think so,” she answered as she posed with one hand against her forehead. “You know what that means don’t you, no fun for you tonight?” Etienne’s presence had brought her humor back. The confident air had spread to all of them.

“Too much information there girl.” Phil laughed. “You guys go do your thing and get back here as soon as you can. I’m about to bust wanting to know what you found out. I might have to break open your stash on the fridge Sophie, if you take too long.”

“Give me two shakes to clean up and then we are out of here.” Sophie watched as he walked down the hall to the bedroom. He had one of the best backsides she had ever seen and she enjoyed following the movement. Etienne disappeared into the room for a few minutes and then returned with a freshly washed face and combed mane. “All set?” Sophie nodded and they headed for the door.

“Have fun and good luck you two.” Phil’s words followed them out the door. “Be careful,” he whispered to himself. 

Etienne held Sophie's hand as they made the short walk to Claire's. He quickly told her how he had met with Christoph and had been told quite a bit about what was going on. He assured her that Rundle and the other horses were safe for the time. Sophie was anxious for details, but understood this was not the time to discuss it. He assured her that her instincts about Lou had also been correct, but for now they had to get their hands on the book Claire had mentioned. For some reason, Etienne did not expand, it was important that he see it or Goliath himself may be in danger. At that moment Sophie wanted nothing else but to freeze time so she and Etienne could discuss fully what he had learned. The quick walk to Claire's did nothing but increase her anxieties although Etienne's words had been meant to ease them.

They had reached their destination and Sophie was no longer in any kind of mood to socialize, she was trying hard to control herself but was afraid of losing it at any moment. If she had been thinking she could have called Claire from her place and made some excuse to be thirty minutes late, giving Etienne enough time for more detail. She mentally gave herself a boot in the pants as Etienne rang the bell.

“Hi, you two,” Claire said as she opened the door. “I'm so happy you could make it. I've been looking forward to this so much. Come in, come in.” Claire opened the door fully to reveal an entrance similar to Sophie's, except for the paint color and a few personal touches.

“We are glad you invited us. I've been looking forward to getting together with you outside of the stables.” Sophie managed a small chuckle. She and Etienne entered. “Shoes on or off?” she queried.

“Either way, doesn't matter, whatever you're comfortable with.” Claire's face was one big smile; Sophie could tell she was genuinely pleased they had come. “Just head on into the living room and I'll be right with you, just want to check on dinner.”

Sophie and Etienne both left their shoes on and made themselves comfortable in the living room. “I love the way you have decorated,” Sophie said loudly. “Did you do it or is Eugene hiding some talents?” Sophie meant what she said; the room was done in soft brown tones with splashes of color striking the eye as one scanned the room. The fabrics on the furniture were plush and vibrant, each knick-knack held a personality trait, the artwork was subtle yet stunning. Along the side wall was a bookshelf, about six feet high and two feet wide, filled to the brim. Sophie hoped it was the only one.

“Thank you, I've done quite a lot over the past few evenings, Eugene gave me a free hand to do as l liked.” Claire responded from the kitchen. “I'm glad you like it, sort of a hobby of mine, can't get enough of those designing shows on TV.”

“Where is Eugene?” His absence was noticeable and prompted Etienne to ask.

“He just stepped out for a minute, Ken called about something. He said he'd be back before six-thirty.” Claire joined them. “Can I offer you something to drink while we wait for Eugene and supper? I have soda, juice or wine.” It was obvious to Sophie that Claire had put thought into the preparations for this evening, she felt guilty about the possibility of using the headache excuse later. Again she gave herself a mental boot in the pants, they should have arranged for Phil to call them there with some kind of emergency, that way they would have had the option to stay or leave.

“I'll have a soda, ginger ale if you have it,” Sophie answered.

“With such beautiful women to keep me company,” Etienne started “I don't need any wine, I'll have ginger ale as well, please.” He flashed Claire one of his melt my heart smiles.

“You are in luck. Be right back.” Claire was blushing just slightly, Sophie understood, Etienne's smile could do that even if you were in love with someone else.

Etienne leaned towards Sophie and mouthed the word “where”. She nodded towards the bookshelf and gave a slight shrug to her shoulders. She was not sure if this was the right one, there might be another in the bedroom. Etienne moved to the shelf. “Can I give you a hand?” Sophie stood and started towards the kitchen.

“Sure.”

“How about a tour of the place after you pour the drinks?” Sophie wanted to look at everything just in case.

“Okay, you should see what I did with the windows in the bedroom. I'm quite proud of it.” Claire's voice was full of enthusiasm; she was not joking about being hooked on design. “I always hated a boring bedroom, and I don't mean just in the bed.” Claire laughed audibly, Sophie appreciated the comment, she knew that Claire was attempting to bond on a more personal level and it pleased her. Sophie had always found it hard to get past the general conversations that women have. Her few attempts to create bonds with other women had been met with a tinge of envy. Even when she was sincere with her offer of friendships, most women, she thought, were intimidated by her youth and beauty. This had always been a sore spot for Sophie, never thinking of herself as a beauty she was often confused by this reaction. Claire gave off no such attitude and Sophie welcomed the sincerity of Claire's friendship.

Sophie joined in the laugh. “I'm not even going to ask about that one.” Sophie made herself useful and helped Claire put away the bottles after the drinks had been poured. She felt at ease in this kitchen, in this relationship. “Can I do anything to help with dinner, since I'm already in the kitchen?”

“No, everything is under control and you are my guest. I have a rule you know, first time a guest, second time a friend and third time one of the family. So enjoy it while you can, before you know it I'll be asking you over to cook supper and help clean the bathroom.”

Sophie laughed again; she had no doubt that this was true. She honestly like this girl and quickly said a prayer for her safety and love.

“I'm home,” Eugene's voice coincided with the noise created by the shutting door. Claire quickly placed the drinks on a tray and headed to the living room. Sophie followed close behind.

“Hi, Honey. I'm so happy you could make it back on time.”

“Not a problem, Ken just wanted me to run a check on one of the field fences. Somebody reported some loose horses. All taken care of.” He turned to Etienne. “Hey there how's it going, ready for some good food?”

Etienne moved away from the bookshelf, Sophie watched his face hoping for a clue as to whether he found the book. “You bet I am, hungry as a horse.” Etienne moved to Eugene and took his hand in a friendly shake. “Thank you for the invite.” Sophie saw nothing to indicate success.

“Okay everyone, take a seat and enjoy your drinks while I grab one for Eugene and then we can talk for a few minutes before I serve.” She was an excellent hostess and Sophie dreaded having to leave early.

“What about my tour?” Sophie asked. “I am really curious to see the window treatment you mentioned.”

Claire passed out the drinks. “Let me get Eugene's drink and I'll walk you through.”

Sophie sat comfortably with the men while Claire finished. Eugene and Etienne began to talk about the horses and ranch. General conversation made to pass the time. Sophie was amazed at the differences between men and women in conversation. She knew that personal conversation between the two would be weeks if not months away and only then if a friendship were truly forming. She and Claire had started talking on a personal level almost immediately in comparison, trying to build that friendship. One of the marvels of the sexes she thought.

Claire brought Eugene his drink and then excused herself while she gave Sophie the tour. She pointed out each little thing she had done to Sophie, explaining her thought process for each color choice and design decision. Sophie listened with pleasure as the passed through the hall, bathroom and finally the bedroom. Claire had not exaggerated the window treatment; it was beautiful and added a whole new look to the room Sophie did not think was possible. Having the same layout in her own living quarters Sophie was in awe of what Claire had accomplished. “Wow, this is absolutely beautiful, you are going to have to come to my place and help me do something with it.” Sophie meant every word and Claire beamed with the acknowledgment of her efforts. Sophie also noticed that there were no other bookshelves in the place.

The women rejoined the men in the living room and Sophie praised Claire's skills in front of both men. She wanted to make sure that Eugene heard what Sophie thought just in case he needed the reminder of what he had. Sophie expanded on the design in such a way as to let Etienne know that there were no other bookshelves to be worried about. Sophie had no idea how, if he had not already, Etienne was going to be able to rummage through to find the book. She hoped he had a plan.

The conversation flowed nicely for about twenty minutes, then Claire rose and announced that she would start to serve if we would all like to take a seat at the table. Etienne stood and moved in front of Sophie. Extending his hand to help her from her seat, he spoke, “M'Lady may I escort you to the table?” Sophie loved this side of him and took his hand with a nod of acceptance. As she rose to his level he leaned over and kissed her softly on the cheek. Whispering, he said, “You are beautiful and I have it.”

Sophie dreaded the next part; with all the work that Claire had gone to she could not complain of a headache. She and the men, took their seats at the table, Claire began to place platters of lovingly prepared food on the table. Sophie glanced at Etienne and he smiled, she knew he understood what she was thinking. His smile was a signal to her to enjoy for a while; an hour or two was not going to make the difference right now. They all began to relax and enjoy the gathering.

Previous Chapters

Home