*
In the evening, Connor slept for a few hours and when night finally came, he went outside the wall to wait.
Rachel did not come back.
*
The next morning, Kevin and Anna were in Justin and Catherin's cottage preparing to eat their morning meal. Kevin and Justin learned a long time ago that when Anna and her mother were together, the best thing to do was keep quiet and with Rachel missing, they didn't know what to say anyway. Catherin had not finished cutting an apple in half before she put her knife down on the table. "If she is dead, it is our fault, Anna. We could have stopped her and we did not. Why did we let her out?"
"We promised ourselves she would never feel trapped again. And she is not dead," Anna answered.
"You do not know that. We came here because we thought she would be safe. Now look what we have done."
Anna stopped slicing the cheese and stared at her mother. "Where else would we have gone?"
"We could have lived with Harold; he said we could."
Justin never heard this part before and he wondered if Kevin knew.
Anna went on, "Harold was an old man and he died only four years later. Where would we have gone then?"
Catherin got up and walked to the window. "Somewhere…anywhere but here."
"Mother, we cannot keep Rachel alive no matter where we live. Only God can do that."
"God is not listening."
Anna's voice started to rise. "How can you say that? We have been saved from a fate worse than death. We have lived in peace for thirteen years and you accuse God of not listening?" Anna stood up and walked to her mother. Her words were getting louder and louder. "Was it not God who put it in Kevin's heart to accept a wife he had never seen and did not want? Did God not send you a man who has loved and cherished you the way only a good man could? Do you accuse God of not sending Justin?"
Kevin had never seen his wife stand up to her mother. In fact, he had never seen Anna get really angry. When he glanced at him, Justin looked horrified.
Anna waited, but her mother did not answer and that made her even more furious. "Answer me!"
Catherin turned her glare on her daughter. "How dare you talk to me that way, I am your mother!"
"Are you? How can you be my mother when I am the one who comforts you, and holds you and tries to make your life easy? I did something horrible all those years ago and I have been trying to make up for it ever since. Look at me!"