Page 88 of Of Fate and Phantoms
"Was there an intruder?" Mrs. Cotchin asked, passing the pot to Cook. "Mr. Doyle says there wasn't, but the way you screamed, Miss Holloway, I could swear there must have been someone."
"You couldn't see?" I asked.
She shook her head, causing her nightcap to slip to one side.
"Me neither," Bella said, a cup in each hand, her shawl draped from the crook of each elbow.
Thank goodness for that. "I was resting in the parlor, waiting up for Mr. Fitzroy, and had a bad dream," I told them. "I must have cried out in my sleep and woken myself as well as everyone else. There was no one there, of course. I am sorry. I hope you can get back to sleep."
Mrs. Cotchin gave me a sympathetic smile. "You poor dear. Don't you worry about us, miss. We'll be fine. You just try and rest now."
"Thank you. Goodnight."
She and Bella left, but Doyle remained. He yawned.
"There's no need for you to stay up," I told him.
He glanced at the door. "The, er, intruder has gone?" he whispered.
"It was a figment of Alice's dream," I told him.
He blinked slowly at Alice. "And will this dream occur again? Should I sleep by the door?"
"I hope that's the last time," Alice said. "But I cannot be sure."
"Perhaps if we discuss why the rabbit appeared," I said to her, "it won't happen again."
She nodded. "Thank you, Doyle. I'm sorry your sleep was interrupted."
He bowed. "Don't trouble yourself, Miss Everheart. It's my pleasure to be of service. If there's nothing else, I'll bid you all goodnight."
We watched him leave then sat at the table while Cook prepared chocolate on the range. It was warm in the kitchen, which was rather fortunate since I was the only one dressed properly. Seth had found himself a shirt, but hadn't buttoned it all the way up, while Cook and Gus sported woolen stockings that sagged at their knees and ankles. Their nightshirts didn't look nearly warm enough.
I fixed Alice's shawl to cover her neck. She smiled and drew her long hair around her shoulder, out of the way. "Thank you, Charlie."
"Seth," I said. "Is your mother all right?"
"She's less ruffled than I am." He patted Alice's hand. "Tell us what troubles you, Alice. Why did this dream come to life?"
"The letter," she said with a sigh. "I received one earlier today from my parents." She looked to me and I nodded at her to go on.
She told them what her parents had written, and how it had made her feel—both frustrated and angry, the triggers needed to bring her dreams to life.
"It ain't surprising you had a bad dream about it," Gus said. "I'd have done, too."
"You mustn't worry," Seth said gently. "Fitzroy's too powerful for anything like that to touch him. He and the committee will see that nothing comes of the threat."
"I know." Alice sighed again. "But I worry anyway."
"They can't treat you like this. It's outrageous."
"They can do as they please. The law is on their side. God, I feel awful for bringing my problems here. I should never have come."
Cook placed a cup of chocolate in front of her with a grim smile. "Maybe Fitzroy could visit them."
"I wouldn't want him to go all that way just to talk to them. I doubt it would do any good."
I scowled at Cook. He hadn't meant for Lincoln to visit them totalk. I didn't want Alice to grasp his full meaning.
