Page 35 of Winterset

Anna glanced at him, startled. “Afraid? What do you mean?”

“I dreamed that you were in trouble, that you were calling out to me for help.” He looked at her ruefully. “I realize how absurd it sounds—to place so much importance on a dream. But it was a different sort of dream from any I have ever had. It was so vivid, so…intense. I could not help but feel that it meant something.”

“That I am in trouble?” Anna asked, still staring at him.

“Yes.” He turned to face her, his face set as if he were facing a firing squad.

“You dreamed this before you came to Winterset?”

He grimaced, his gaze flickering away from her. “Yes. It is why I even thought to come here. I did not know what was wrong. I could not write such gibberish to you. All I could think was to come here and see what was the matter.”

Anna’s heart warmed inside her chest. Despite the way she had hurt him, despite what he had said yesterday, when he had thought she was in danger, he had ridden to help her. Tears threatened to flood her eyes, and she glanced away to hide them.

“I am sure you are now convinced that I am mad,” Reed added, his voice rough. “No one but a fool would believe in dream portents. But I cannot help but believe it is true. I felt it so strongly. I cannot tell you why I was so sure, I can only say that I knew—without a doubt. There are things that cannot be explained away rationally. I have seen things, learned things, in the past few years that defy logic.”

“I do not think you are mad,” Anna said, looking up at him seriously.

“What?” He looked surprised, his brows rising slightly. “Then you believe that I was right?”

“I believe that you felt it. That you believe it. As to whether or not it is true—I do not know. I don’t know if I believe that dreams and…and visions are the truth. I do not know of any trouble that I am in. But the other day…” She hesitated. She had never told anyone about the “visions” that she had experienced all her life. Even after what Reed had told her, she felt a flutter of fear in her chest at the thought of exposing her oddity to him.

Finally she said, “The day when I met your brothers, when I was walking through the woods, I was suddenly struck by a—a feeling I can hardly describe. A feeling of pain and fear so sharp it made me nearly sick. And I was cold, so cold…. In my mind I saw the place where I was, but at night, and I felt this pain.”

“My God, Anna.” Instinctively Reed reached out and took her hand. “What was it?”

She shook her head, her fingers curling around his. “I do not know. There was nothing there, and in a moment it passed. I did not know what it meant. But that evening, when I heard that Estelle was missing, I thought of that moment in the woods, of what I had felt, and somehow I—I connected it with her.” Anna paused, collecting her thoughts, and looked down, realizing suddenly that Reed was holding her hand.

Hastily she let go of his hand, a blush starting on her cheeks. Reed glanced at her but said nothing about her gesture.

“I have no reason for thinking so,” she went on a little stiffly. “Her body was found somewhere far from there. The time when I felt it was not when she was found, and I doubt that it was when she was killed, either. I would think that happened the night before, when she went missing. I suppose, if the feeling actually meant anything, it was perhaps connected to that dog the twins found and what happened to him. But it was because of my ‘feeling’ in the woods that I had the servants look for her, that I could not quite believe she had simply left with a man.”

“And you were right.”

“I suppose. I did not know that that was what my…vision meant. I still do not. But I—I could not ignore it, either. As you said, I felt it meant something.”

Reed frowned. “I have no idea what either of our ‘omens’ means, but it worries me.”

Anna attempted a little laugh. “Yes, it rather concerns me, as well. I can tell you I would prefer not to feel that sensation again.”

“I, too, would rather you did not suffer it,” Reed agreed. He caught himself, then said, “I would not want anyone to feel it. But more than that, I am concerned about what will happen if this thing you felt, what I dreamed, are actually presaging something worse to come—something that will involve you.”

“Stop. You will frighten me.”

“I would like to,” Reed told her. “I want you to take a care for yourself.”

“I will. You need not worry about me.”

Reed looked as if he would like to say something else, but he merely sighed and glanced back to where his sister sat waiting for them in her carriage. “And, please, I beg you, do not let Kyria lead you into doing anything rash.”

Anna chuckled. “What an unkind thing to say about your own flesh and blood.”

“I say it because I know her,” he retorted, but he smiled. He turned back toward the vehicle, offering Anna his arm. She hesitated for a moment, then slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. It felt very comfortable, very natural, to walk with him this way. Indeed, she thought, it felt almost too good. She reminded herself that she must keep her guard up with Reed.

As they walked back to the carriage, Reed said, “I know that we have exchanged some harsh words. And the past makes it difficult. But I would like, if I could, to be a friend to you. I do not mean to try to rekindle what we—what I thought we once had. But I have been thinking about not selling the house and instead living here at least part of the year. I would like for the situation not to be…awkward.”

“I—I see.” So he was going to stay! Anna felt a little breathless at the thought.

“Can we put the past aside and agree to be—well, not friends, perhaps, but at least good acquaintances? People who are able to meet on occasion and to speak without drawing swords?”