Beatrice was awake staring at the four walls of her room when her sisters came through the front door. She could already hear their voices discussing her absence and going over their plans for tomorrow. Getting out of bed she went to the top of the stairs.

"I still can't believe Beatrice didn't show up for class tonight," Wysteria said. "I guess being with her friends is more important than the recital we've spent all year planning."

"She'll just have to learn to work on her priorities," Ladybird said. "I'll talk to her in the morning."

Beatrice fingers rolled into fist. "Is that what you two think of me?" she said shocking them both to her sudden appearance. "That I'm irresponsible and put my friends before family?"

Ladybird stepped forward. "That's not what we meant."

"Then what?" Beatrice asked.

"Beatrice this recital is important to us," Wysteria said. "To all of us and the community. For you to skip practice to spend time with friends who will be there later..."

"That's easy for you to say, Wysteria," Beatrice said. "You don't have any friends. Just a stupid cat and your stupid useless plants!"

"She doesn't mean that," Ladybird quickly said.

"No, I think she does," Wysteria said. "But if that's what she wishes, fine. We don't need her for the recital. There are plenty of girls who would love that solo." She turned back downstairs and went outside.

Ladybird shook her head. "Beatrice what has gotten into you? You are not yourself."

"Leave me alone, Ladybird," Beatrice said turning up the stairs. "Haven't I ruined your life enough?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I heard what happened between you and Philemon," Beatrice said. "I know he broke off the engagement and that he did it because of me!"

"Who told you?"

"Matthew Hurston," Beatrice said. "Among other things he thought I should hear."

"Oh, Beatrice I didn't know what you had been through," Ladybird said.

"Of course you didn't know!" Beatrice said. "You came through the door accusing me; you and Wysteria both. And here I thought I could run to my sisters' arms after being assaulted. But I was wrong, neither of you care about me. You just care about your stupid recital!" She ran up the stairs.

"Beatrice!"

"Just leave me alone!" The bedroom door slammed shut behind her and Beatrice threw herself across her bed soaking her pillow. Why did she have to look different why had everything that had seemed to be going so well suddenly turn so bad?

When Beatrice opened her eyes again the room was still dark. Looking across the way she noticed Wysteria hadn't yet come to bed. She got up and crossed the room opening the bedroom door slowly. She tiptoed to the top of the stairs, careful her shoes didn't make too much noise.

"I know she didn't mean it, Wysteria." she heard Ladybird's voice from the parlor. "You must remember she doesn't know what happened so she doesn't understand."

"I still can't understand why Yewtree would want to call off the engagement," Wysteria said. "It's not as though he has just met her."

"Perhaps he just realized it was something he wasn't willing to put up with," Ladybird said. "He's convinced that Beatrice and us don't have the same father."

"I don't understand. How come none of this seemed to matter until now?"

"I don't know," Ladybird admitted. "But now I can't get it out of my head. When I saw her this evening my mind. Ma and Pa seemed so happy."

"And do you believe it?"

Beatrice didn't hear Ladybird's answer. She had already retreated into her room and sat herself on the floor. She stood and sat and stood and sat, pacing the room, trying to organize her spinning mind. She stopped at the dresser and looked at her reflection in the darkness. "You are a wretch." As she stood in the mirror her eyes fell down to the folded map next to a library book. She gently took it in her hands and unfolded it, her eyes running over the paintings.

Follow this map to its destination and there I shall speak with you one last time.

Like a race horse released at the sound of gunfire Beatrice went over to the wardrobe. She pulled out her pink coat, a sweater and her ice-skates. She emptied her school bag and tucked the skates inside and put the map in a separate compartment. She then folded the coat as small as she could get it and stuffed it in last.

As the night had grown cold she pulled on a sweater over her blouse and put on a hat and scarf. She then went over to her nightstand and picked up her hammer. Feeling the weight of the tool in her hands brought her from her high back to reality. She turned and caught her reflection in the mirror again and rubbed at her wet eyes.

Sitting down on her bed she picked up a notebook from among her school things and located a pencil in the darkness. Dear Ladybird and Wysteria I am sorry for everything I said but I cannot stay here anymore. I am going to get close to Pa.

Your sister, Beatrice.

Taking the hammer in her hand once more she smashed her pig bank. Collecting the coins and bills from among the earthen shards she stuffed them into her bag next to the map then slipped quietly from the room. At the bottom of the stairs she stopped and listened to her sister's voices one last time.

"Maybe you should go to England with the Smarts." She heard Ladybird say. She then rounded the stairs and headed for the back door where Breakfast was curled up on the mat. The cat greeted her with a meow and stretched his body.

"I'm leaving, boy," she whispered. "Be a good cat to Wysteria, most of the time she is really nice." She kissed the black fur of his head then opened the back door. "Bye." Once the door was closed she stood staring at it and the light coming through around the window shade. She stood in the damp coldness of the night unsure of what she should do next. It was late and it would be nice to be curled up in her bed right now.

The barking of a dog spurred her to action and she turned on the stone steps and crossed the backyard. Flipping the latch on the gate she slipped onto the sidewalk and ran. As fast as her legs were going she didn't feel she was putting enough distance between herself and her home. Perhaps by now Breakfast had gone into the living room and distracted Wysteria. Perhaps she had got up to let him out to do his business. She would discover the gate open and hear the commotion of the neighbor's dogs.

Maybe they would go upstairs and find her missing and read her note. Maybe they would cry, maybe they would miss her or maybe they wouldn't care. Either way Beatrice felt her choice had been for the better. She felt like a burden. Even as the soles of her shoes hit the pavement she could hear them say: you're a burden, you're a burden, you're a burden. Swinging her bag to the other shoulder she kept going. You are here the map read. Take the train, it said next and she would do thus.

/

Breakfast hoped down from the fence post and came running inside when Ladybird opened the door to let him back in. The smell of pancakes filled the house chasing the scents of autumn around the ceiling. Ladybird inhaled the air with a smile. The morning felt fresh and clean and she as well felt well rested. Wysteria's hastened feet on the stairs made her step back inside and the sister nearly collided in the hall.

"Ladybird, it's Beatrice, she's gone!"

"What, where?"

"I don't know but she left this note." Wysteria handed her older sister the paper and Ladybird looked over it.

"Was she there last night when you went to bed?"

"I didn't think to look," Wysteria said. "She was so cross I just undressed and went to bed." she pushed her hair back. "I was so tired, I...what should we do?"

"Calm down," Ladybird said. She knew she had to take charge of the situation immediately or chaos would ensue. "She may have just gone to the Hurston's house to meet Samantha." Ladybird wasn't sure she believed her own words after what Beatrice had told her last night. She went to the door and put on her coat. "I'll walk over and see if she has gone there. After you dress, see if she has gone to the park."

Wysteria nodded her head and hurried back upstairs to dress while Ladybird stepped into the fall morning.

As soon as Wysteria had on her periwinkle coat she rushed out of the house with it still open. She could feel the nippy wind through her blouse and skirt as she ran up the road to Narrow Lake Park. Her stomach growled at her over abandoning the warm pancakes on the table but her mind couldn't comprehend hunger. She walked the park and the lake asking any and everyone she met if they had seen her sister giving a quick description of her.

When she reached the far end of the lake she doubled back and stood on the bridge. "Beatrice, please, where are you?" she said to her murky reflection.

/

Ladybird waited at the gate for the guard to return and let her in. He then led her up the driveway where another servant was hosing off the family automobile after Mr. Hurston had returned from his morning drive.

The family was just sitting down to breakfast but Samantha excused herself to speak to Ladybird in the hall.

When Ladybird saw the bright smile on the young woman's face she knew her assumptions had been wrong.

"What brings you this way so early?" Samantha asked after proper greetings were exchanged.

"I'm looking for Beatrice. She's not here is she?" Ladybird asked anyways.

Samantha shook her head. "I haven't seen her since last night," she said. "My brother said some cruel things to her and she got upset with me for not defending her against him. We made up in the end and went our separate ways as usual."

"What sort of things did he say?" Ladybird asked.

Samantha green eyes went wide and her freckles vanished in her blush. "I shouldn't say as a lady and a Christian," she said. "Mostly it was about your mother and... Matthew said that Beatrice was most likely no different and he..."

"He what?"

"Oh, Ladybird I feel terrible," Samantha said. "I call myself a friend and I try to be a good one but I can't even stand up to my own brother when he molests my friend. She has every right to hate me it's just...I didn't think she'd be angry enough at me to run away."

Ladybird hugged her. "You're not the only one she's angry at," she assured her and Samantha nodded.

"Let me help you look," she said. "Just give me a minute to make my excuses and I'll grab my sweater."

Ladybird nodded as Samantha hurried back into the dining room. She returned seconds later then raced up the grand staircase. She returned what seemed like moment later dressed warmer.

"If we split up we can cover more ground!" she suggested. "How far do you think she could have gotten?" They turned to the door and a servant opened it.

"I don't know," Ladybird said as they took the steps down to the drive. "We're not sure exactly when she went missing."

Samantha waved to a servant. "Archie, saddle my horses please. Mist and Delilah. Thank you."

"Yes, Miss Hurston," Archie said. "Shall I send for your riding gear?"

"No, thank you, Archie but this is an emergency." Samantha said then turned to Ladybird. "I do hope she is all right."

"Beatrice is strong," Ladybird admitted. "I blame myself. She was suffering last night and I did nothing to help. I should have been more attentive."

"I'm sure you did you best," Samantha said. "No one can do more than that."

Archie arrived in a few minutes leading two mares. A dapple gray, Mist, and a Sorrel, Delilah.

Samantha was boosted into the saddle. "I'll take the road toward Concord," she announced. "If you cover the back streets we'll square off the town."

Ladybird mounted the mare and adjusted her skirt. "Sounds like a plan."

"We'll meet back at the church in four hours." Samantha said taking up the reins. "Ya!" she commanded her horse to action and Ladybird followed after her.