MILLY TAIDEN
LATIN GODDESS PRESS, INC.
Between Ice and Frost
Untitled
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue
About the Author
Also by Milly Taiden
Also by Milly Taiden
CONTENTS
Also by Milly Taiden
Also by Milly Taiden
Also by Milly Taiden
BETWEEN ICE AND FROST
PARANORMAL DATING AGENCY
NEWYORKTIMESandUSATODAYBESTSELLINGAUTHOR MILLY TAIDEN
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Raven Casino loves solving mysteries. So it was only natural that she take to the Alaskan wild to find her missing friend, Juliet. She is ready to take on the world to figure out where Juliet could be. But she wasn’t expecting to meet not one, but two hunks in the icy small town of Antler, Alaska. These two were so sexy they radiated enough heat to melt the polar ice caps. Hot damn!
Frost and Ice were hired to make sure Raven was safe, but the minute they saw her, they knew she was the missing piece to their triad. Now to explain to her that she was meant to be with them both. Shared by both. And not freak her out. That was going to be harder than stopping her from getting herself killed in their little town.
There’s something going on in Antler and Raven’s out to find out what they’re hiding. With a missing friend and clues at every corner she turns, she’s taking this bull by the horns. The fantasies with Frost and Ice are a side effect of being so close to them, but she’d get over it. Right? Uh… When she solves a puzzle that’s bigger than she realized, it’s going to take two very alpha dragons to keep her alive long enough to get her freak on.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real in any way. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Published By Latin Goddess Press, Inc. Winter Springs, FL 32708
http://millytaiden.com
Between Ice and Frost
Copyright © 2018 by Milly Taiden
Cover by: Willsin Rowe
Edited by: Tina Winograd
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Property of Milly Taiden July 2018
Created with Vellum
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RAVEN CASINO FROWNED at her cell phone and sat back on the expensive leather sofa.
“Honey, if you stare at that any harder, it’s gonna catch fire. You look pissed as hell,” her mother told her.
She turned her frown at her mom and quickly smoothed her features when her mother pursed her lips. “This is the second day in a row Juliet hasn’t answered my emails or text messages. She never goes this long without getting back to me and it’s really worrying me.”
“She’s all the way up in god knows where in Alaska. She probably has horrible service. Or she could be snowed in under horrible weather.”
“She’s working in Antler, Mom. Yes, there is bad weather, and the town is small, but she has a great setup up there. Her company has an amazing cabin for her to stay in, including satellite internet and phone. I mean, she hasn’t had any problems until now.”
Her mom picked up her tea and sipped, folding her legs primly in her expensive Gucci suit. “She had better be safe. She said she’d help with the charity ball coming up. Her company is also donating a lot of money to the charity this year. Someone needs to represent them.” Her mom reached down and rubbed a hand on the back of her ankles.
“Oh, for god’s sake, Mom. Take the damn shoes off,” she growled.
Her mom gave her a horrified look. “Are you crazy? No. They just need to be broken in.”
“Or they just need to break your neck. How in the hell you wear those death traps is beyond me. Five-inch Louboutins are fine for the office or even your galas, but not to sit with me. It’s ridiculous.”
She bent down and pulled the shoes off her mom’s feet, noticing the redness around the back of her heel and by her toes.
Her mother gave a sigh of relief. “Maybe for a few minutes while I have my tea.”
Raven shook her head. “I still don’t know how Dad sees you in pain and lets you walk around in those shoes.”
“Your father is a smart man and knows there are two things he will never argue with me about: my opinions as Chief Financial Officer of the company, and what I wear. Whether it’s my handbags, my clothes or my shoes, none are up for debate.”
“Stubborn woman,” she mumbled, rushing to a closet to get a spa tub foot massager. She filled it with warm water from the bathroom and then carried it back to her mother, placing it by her feet.
“Oh, sweetie,” her mom smiled. “Thank you. You’re the most thoughtful daughter ever.”
She dropped in lavender oil and Epsom salt and turned the massager on.
“Yeah, yeah. I know. Let’s see if we can get that swelling down.”
“By the way,” her mom grinned, “you get your stubbornness from me.”
She rolled her eyes and blew a corkscrew curl away from her forehead. “Yeah, I know. Dad’s told me a bunch of times.”
Raven sat, picked up a water bottle, and chugged. “I’m really worried about Juliet.”
Her mom moaned and leaned farther back in the plush white sofa. Raven loved her sofas. They went with an all-white theme for her home. It was a little weird and sterile and she hadn’t heard the end of it from her mom when she first told her, but once her mother saw how beautifully it all came together, she’d admitted it looked amazing. There was such a peaceful feel to Raven’s home. She’d given up being at the office two days a week to work from her home office just to enjoy her new house.
At thirty-five, she’d always worked for her parents and did a ton of traveling for their massive real estate conglomerate. But now that she’d bought her first house and settled in, she found she wanted to start a family. Maybe she should stop ignoring all the men her parents tried to set her up with. She scrunched her nose. Those guys were so boring.
“Stop wrinkling your face like that, love. You’ll look older than you are. And you’re too beautiful for that. I don’t want to have to buy you Botox for your next birthday.”
“Mom!”
“Well, it’s true. Who in their right mind hasn’t used Botox at your age? It’s unheard of.”
She often wondered if the rest of the world had this type of reality. Coming from a family that was incredibly wealthy was nice, but there had to be oddities her family did that others didn’t.
Like her mom waking up in a power suit and having a makeup artist at her home to do her face before the sun was even out.
First, it was the personal training sessions, which she loved making Raven attend since she lived next door. Then, it was the chef that prepared the healthiest of meals. Personal shoppers, dressers, makeup artists. Her mother’s house was fully staffed with enough people, it felt like a party going on all day, every day.
Juliet had been the only friend who had understood money didn’t make Raven. She didn’t wear makeup. She wore business casual to work, much to her mother’s dislike, and she refused to get her super curly hair professionally straightened with a bunch of chemicals.
Raven had made her own choices in the world she’d been raised in. Other than her tonsils removed as a kid, she hadn’t had any surgeries. And certainly not plastic surgery. Once again, much to her mother’s unhappiness. No, she would not get a Brazilian booty lift. No, she did not need implants, her C-cups were fine. And she was okay not having a six pack of abs. She worked out. Heck, she was pretty much forced into it daily. Ate healthy and took care of herself. She didn’t need what society deemed to be a perfect body. She was happy.
“Honey, why don’t you call her boss and ask if there is something wrong with their connections to Alaska?”
“I already did,” she admitted. She scrolled through her phone, mentally willing Juliet to send her a message. “They said everything was fine and they hadn’t heard from her either.”
“Then they need to send someone to check on her, no?”
She shrugged. “It’s not that easy. Her boss said it would take a week before they could make that decision. She could be sick in a hospital or something. If they don’t hear from her in two weeks, they’d send someone out by the end of the month. So it’s almost three weeks before someone goes to check on her.”
“That’s ridiculous!”
“I know!”
“What’s she even doing out there?”
She let her shoulders drop, knowing her mother barely listened to her anyway. “She’s evaluating the size of some icebergs for the National Snow and Ice Data Center.”
“Did she get the core samples or whatever the last time she was up there?”
She nodded. “I think so. She didn’t mention much about it.” What could’ve happened to keep her best friend from calling back? Maybe she should go herself.
“You have that look on your face,” her mother stared at her with narrowed eyes.
Uh-oh. “What look?”
“The one that says your dad and I should hire bodyguards to make sure you don’t get into any trouble.”
“Come on,” she snorted and waved at her mother dismissively, quickly glancing down at her white top and picking non-existent lint from it.
“Oh no, missy. Don’t come on me. I’m your mother. I know you. You had that little private group in school that tried to figure out who did things to get justice for everyone.”
She grinned at the memory. Elementary school had been fun. “That was a long time ago.”
“We had to get a lawyer then,” her mother said matter-of-factly.
“Mom, I don’t get into trouble,” she said and glanced up to meet her mother’s gaze. “I’m a different person now.”
“Who was the one who set up an elaborate hoax client account to figure out who was stealing from Cecily’s company?”
Cecily, her mom’s best friend and owner of a chain of spas, had discussed her issues in front of Raven and she’d immediately gone into action.
“Yes, but it got her niece caught.” Sad that it was her relative stealing from her all along.
“But it also almost got you shot by the crazed woman when she fired her.”
She shrugged. “She was doing things wrong. Maybe I’m a little impulsive, but I hate it when people take advantage of others or commit crimes that hurt innocent lives.”
Her mom cocked her head. “I really think you should have gone to law school instead of getting a marketing degree. It would be better for you.”
She thought about it often—going back to school to be a lawyer. Not like she had anything going in her life. Why not? Maybe after she figured out where her best friend was. Until then, Juliet was the most important person on her mind.
“Anyway, when are you going to let me and your father set you up with someone?”
“Mom, don’t start that again.”
“Just hear me out,” she continued. “I met the loveliest woman at the last ball Cecily hosted for her children’s charity. Her name is Gerri Wilder.”
She groaned and leaned back on her seat. “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t do it.”
“Gerri owns a dating agency! I think it’s like a sign or something.”
She laughed drily. “Or something.”
“One date. Just one.” Her mom gave her the sweet smile she used to get her way. “Please, darling. I would like grandchildren one day.”
“Ugh,” she sighed. “Fine. I know I’m going to regret this.”
Her mother squealed. “You won’t. Have a little faith, darling.”
Sure. She could have faith. And maybe she’d find the perfect man. She snorted. That never happened. Before she met another boring executive, she needed to figure out what happened to Juliet.
Gerri Wilder picked up her ringing phone with a smile.
“Amanda Casino, so nice to hear from you.” She greeted her new friend. “I’m surprised you have time to call with your crazy schedule.”
“Gerri,” Amanda said cheerfully. “I got Raven to agree to let me use your services.”
“And she’s aware she’s going to be set up?”
“Yes…I made sure I said you owned a dating agency.”
Gerri grinned wider. “Did you tell her they were paranormals? Shifters?”
Silence. “No. I figured it’d be a great surprise for her.” She giggled. “I mean, those guys are hot. I’m excited at the prospect of my child marrying one of them.”
“What about two?”
“Huh?”
Gerri laughed. “What if she gets two?”
“Oh my,” Amanda said softly. “If she’s that lucky, I’ll cheer her on.”
Now this was the type of mother Gerri liked to work with. No wonder she and Amanda Casino had gotten along so well from the first meeting.
“Where’s Raven now?”
“She’s jutting around Alaska searching for a friend,” Amanda told her. “Frankly, I hate the idea of her being so far away from us and me not able to send her help if she needs it.”
“I might be able to help. I know some men that are part of a security company in Alaska.”
“You have no idea how much that would ease my mind. Can I hire them to guard her? I’m scared she’ll get into trouble.”
Gerri wrote Raven’s name, then below to the left wrote Ice, and to the right, Frost. She then drew lines to create a triangle between the three. “Don’t worry about anything. Raven will be in good hands. Trust me.”
Ice glared at the computer screen. His dragon wanted to destroy the damn thing and forget all about the stupid forms they wanted him to fill out.
“Stop looking at it like it ate your dinner,” Frost, his partner and fellow dragon, told him.
“I hate all this bureaucratic crap. We saved that stupid man’s life,” he growled. “Something he fought the entire time we were trying to keep him safe.”
Frost nodded. “I know, but if we don’t fill these out, they might believe his dumbass story and we could be sent to do more of those annoying babysitting jobs.”
Ice growled again. Louder. He hated this. Hated being in the city. Hated the people. The noise. “I’m due for a vacation. We should go home.”
Frost met his gaze, their dragons in sync due to the fact they were not only ancient ice dragons, but they were linked, destined to form a triad when they met their mate. “You want to get away from the chaos of city life?”
No way to lie to Frost. He never had, and he wasn’t starting now. He was not just his best friend since childhood, they’d shared everything their entire lives, including women. It was natural for those meant to be part of triads. Some women found it sexy, while others thought it strange. A lot were under the misconception he
and Frost were related, but they weren’t. Not by blood. They had a special connection brought on from being born on the same day at the same time of the same year. It linked them to form a triad. Too bad they hadn’t found their mate. Not in the hundreds of years they’d been roaming the earth.
“I need a break from this. If they need us for a real emergency, they know where to find us. One week, Frost. That’s all I ask.”
Frost tossed a balled-up paper at him. “Fine. But you have to explain to our boss why we’re leaving in the middle of the investigation into our case.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Happily. If we don’t go, I’m liable to find that asshole that made our lives a living hell for two weeks and freeze him until next summer.”
“Yeah, you don’t sound stressed at all,” said Axel, a fire dragon, passing by them. He stopped for a moment and glanced between Ice and Frost. “Where are you two off to?”
“Home.”
Axel raised his brows. “Alaska? Man, that’s far as hell. And cold, too. Why would you want to go up there now?”
“I need some peace and quiet,” Ice told him. “My dragon does, too.”
Frost grimaced. “I feel the same. It’s nice to have these jobs, but we’re not meant to be surrounded by so many people. We live in an area where our closest neighbor is several miles away. We’re not in town.”
“And we like it that way.”
“But it’s so…cold,” Axel complained.
Frost grinned. “We know. We’re ice dragons. We kind of like the cold.”
Ice nodded at Axel’s shocked face.
“I’ll never understand you ice folks,” Axel muttered.
“We’re older than you are, fire boy. How about you come and check out Alaska with us.”
Axel snorted. “Yeah, when hell freezes over, or my mother makes me. Until then, hell no.”
“Inviting Greta is a great idea.” Frost laughed. “Then you’d be forced to go.”
Axel glared at him as he marched away. “Don’t even joke.”
Ice thought about Axel. The fire dragon loved being single, but he was young. Meanwhile, he and Frost only found annoying nonmates that made their lives miserable. How was this fair?
“I sense your frustration, Ice. Be patient. Our mate is out there. We’ll find her when the time is right.”
Ice slammed his fist on his desk, pulling the attention of other agents from their work. “I’m old, Frost. Old and tired and I’m done waiting. If we don’t find our mate in the next six months, I’m going to sleep.”
Frost’s eyes filled with panic. “You can’t. This isn’t like you, Ice. You don’t quit.”
Too bad. He was fucking drained from ungrateful humans. Of not finding their mate. Of the noise of the city. Sleeping under the ice gave him peace. It soothed his dragon. “I’m doing it, Frost.”
“You know if you’re sleeping when our mate comes into the picture, I won’t be able to know who she is and you won’t either. We might lose our chance.”
What was the likelihood that if he went to sleep, their mate would pop up when she hadn’t for hundreds of years? Not likely.
“I’m not changing my mind.”
Frost squeezed his shoulder. “Let’s go home. You’ll feel better when you breathe clean air and don’t have to hear cars honking and people rushing to go nowhere.”
He sent an email to one of his partners to explain why they were leaving and told her that if she really needed them, she could reach them at home. Hopefully, she wouldn’t need them.
GOING home wasn’t as simple as picking up and leaving. They had to ensure a neighbor would watch their plants and get their mail. Mrs. Pendlebury was a sweetheart and volunteered every time they went
away for work or to Alaska. Ice was pretty sure she thought they were a gay couple, but he didn’t bother correcting her thinking. It was easier for her to think them gay than for him to explain they were ancient dragons. Not only that, but they were looking for a mate to create a triad. A triad in which there was no sex between the men; they focused solely on their woman. Yeah, really simple.
Once all was arranged, they drove to their usual mountain to leave their car. There, they shifted and flew high, their shiny white and light blue scales blending in with the clouds, allowing them to fly without running into problems. It took several days before they got home, making their usual stops along the way, but they were happy to arrive at their new home.
For many years, their cabin had been small, dry, and cramped. It had never bothered either man since they didn’t spend much time there. When they thought about a mate staying there, they realized there was a problem. After speaking to their female coworkers, they realized they needed remodeling.
Instead of working with what was there, they decided to leave the cabin as a guest house. A brand new deluxe cabin was built with a woman’s unique likes in mind. They hired the best cabin builder in all Alaska. Got the best building materials they could find to withstand the harsh fifty-below or more weather.
With the help of their boss and coworkers, they’d turned the cabin into a woman’s dream. At least, that’s what they’d been told. State of the art Jacuzzi tubs in all rooms. Heated floors throughout. Solar panels to heat the house and the water. They’d even gone as far as funding the power plant in the nearest town, so they could all have power in the darkest days of winter.
There were blackout shades on all windows. Massive wall-sized fireplaces in most rooms and a chef’s kitchen created out of a cook’s wet dreams. Again, this was all what their coworkers had told them.
They’d even paid for a top of the line satellite system to keep them connected during the worst snow storms so their mate would never feel like she couldn’t speak to her friends or family. Now if only they could find the woman.
Ice didn’t know if a mate would like any of it, but he and Frost did love the sauna on the lower level next to the movie theater.
A large attached, heated garage housed their snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicle to help any humans who might be stranded during a storm. Only a handful of people, also shifters, knew they were dragons. They weren’t vocal about their identities and liked to keep a low profile.
“Home sweet home.” Frost sighed and carried his bag inside, sliding out of his snow boots and coat.
“It’s definitely nice to be back,” Ice said, looking around the inside of their home and loving how immaculate it was. “Jackie came by and cleaned, I see.”
“I emailed her that we were coming before we left. She filled the fridges, too.”
“Remind me to give her a bonus,” Ice said, removing his own boots and coat. He padded on the warm floor in his socks, straight to the kitchen and opened the fridge to pull out a beer. Downing it in two gulps, he exhaled and smiled. “Now it feels like I’m home.”
Frost laughed. “Moron.” He slipped past Ice in the kitchen. “I’m going to heat up dinner.”
A beep came from Ice’s phone informing him a message came in. “Well, shit. I’ll check my emails.” Ice headed down the hall to the back of the cabin. Their home located at the top of a mountain gave them the most amazing views of the land and the skies. Their office was made up of four-inch thick glass panes, specially designed to keep the heat in while giving unobstructed views of the land.
He sat at one of two identical desks, his sight line down the frozen river and snow-capped trees. After booting up his system, he opened his work email, just to ensure what came in was nothing they had to answer before starting their time off.
Sure enough, an urgent email sat in his inbox. He double-clicked, frustration mounting at the fact he hadn’t been there ten minutes and already he was being stopped from enjoying his time away.
It was from Geraldine Wilder. Fuck. He’d forgotten to reply to her last email. She asked him to call her urgently. Without a second’s hesitation, he called her.
“It’s about time you called,” Gerri told him in a serious tone. “You’d think you boys weren’t interested in finding a mate.”
He sat up and froze. “Did you find us a mate?”
“That’s a work in progress,” she said evasively. “I have a job for you. It will allow you to work from home and keep my mind from being preoccupied so I can focus on finding you both a mate.”
“What kind of job?”
“I have a friend whose daughter is visiting Alaska. She’s looking for a friend. Her mother and I are a bit worried about her safety and would ask you to keep an eye on her. Meet her casually somewhere. You’re locals, so offer to help her look for her friend. And keep her out of trouble while she finds her friend. She should be visiting the local diner tomorrow. So you can start there.”
“That’s all?” He grunted, trying not to growl.
“Yes. You’ll be able to work from home.” He narrowed his eyes at that line. Work from home. Not really. But working in their area was better than being asked to return to the city. He would quit if that was the case. Gerri was a favorite among the shifter partners in the company. She’d helped quite a few of them find their mates. There was no way he could say no.
“I emailed you her file. Read it. Find her. Keep her safe. And don’t worry about your mate. That’s coming for you.”
He read the file, then opened the professional headshot of the woman they’d be meeting at the Antler Diner in the morning. She had unruly curly hair that landed past her shoulders, in waves of auburn. Full pink lips tilted in a small grin. Her light brown eyes were full of laughter when she was clearly trying to be serious.
She had peachy, flawless skin that looked very healthy and well taken care of. Her dress in the photo matched her eyes. Then he saw her name. Raven Casino. He frowned. Why did that sound familiar?
Raven zipped her parka and put on everything her mother had bought for her. The sudden memory of when she’d gone skiing with her parents as a kid surfaced. She’d been so bundled up, she could barely see anything much less ski. It was like being a seven-year-old all over again. Gloves, hat, scarf, and everything a person could need to keep warm in Alaska.
Leaving the small plane, the wind caught her. It was bitingly cold. She sucked a deep breath and snuggled deeper into her parka.
She’d gone against her mother’s wishes to go in the family jet. Why waste so much gasoline to take only her to Alaska? Instead, she didn’t argue when her mother insisted on getting her first-class seats. Unfortunately, that last connecting flight to Antler was not one that had first class.
“Ms. Casino?” She squinted into the wind and noticed a man standing by the stairs of the plane wearing a sheriff’s uniform.
“Yes. You are?”
“I’m Sheriff White Hawk. We got word from Casino Worldwide that you were coming to check out our small town for a possible cabin retreat?”
She grinned. Her mother was such a good liar. Small, boutique hotels were her mother’s passion, but there was no way she’d build a cabin retreat in Antler, Alaska.
“Yes, sir. My friend is up here for her job as well. I’ll be staying with her.”
The sheriff raised his brows. His green eyes focused on hers. “Who would that be?”
“Juliet Taylor. She works for the National Snow and Ice Data Center.”
The sheriff looked away and walked toward the suitcases set up. “Which is your bag?”
“The blue hardcase.”
He picked up her bag. She’d carried everything known to man, unsure if she’d need it or not, or if she’d be able to get something if she got sick or needed snacks.
“Do you know Juliet?” she asked as they headed toward a parked SUV with the words Sheriff Department on the side.
“I met her when she first got here. A few people came along with her. She stayed and they left after a few days.”
She noticed he didn’t seem interested in talking about Juliet. “Have you seen her since?”
“Not recently,” he replied, opening the SUV door and helping her in. “I’ll put your bag in the back and drive you to your friend’s. She’s staying a short distance from town and you can get around easily on a snowmobile if you need to.”
She nodded, and he shut her door. While he came around, she wondered what could have happened to Juliet. Not hearing from her an additional three days had caused her to panic and get on a plane to Alaska. Her gut told her Juliet was in trouble and needed her. There was no way in hell she wouldn’t help her friend.
“How do you plan on getting inside?” the sheriff asked once they reached the cabin.
She turned to the sheriff. “I have a key.”
When she’d offered to check on Juliet for the data center, they’d been happy not to spend the money sending another person out there, so they sent her a key to the site and gave her permission to look everywhere for Juliet in hopes she was just having communication issues.
The sky had started to darken, and it was only four in the afternoon. “Is it usually dark this early?”
“We have several weeks where we have very little sunlight, so this is a normal day for the folks here at Antler.” He got out of the Jeep and pulled her bag out, passing her the handle. “I hope to see you around. The diner in town is pretty good. They make great pancakes.”
She watched him jump in his Jeep and leave quickly, not concerned about whether she made it inside safely or not. What kind of freaking sheriff did that?
Shaking her head, she dragged her bag to the company house steps, hauled it up each one, and then grunted her way to the front door. Keys out, she opened the door and rushed inside.
“Juliet?” she called out. “Juliet, it’s me! Raven!”
Nothing. Not even a hint of noise. She couldn’t even hear the wind outside. The glass panes on the cabin must’ve been thick. She took off most of what she had on, starting with her coat and gloves, noticing the temperature inside the cabin had to be in the high 70s and almost perfect. Once she was in only her fleece-lined leggings and sweater, she continued walking around.
Calling out to Juliet yielded no results. She didn’t know what was going on, but Juliet wasn’t in the cabin. In the kitchen, she found food labeled by the date in plastic containers. She opened one and took a whiff, then leaned her head away. That one had clearly gone bad. It was dated for a week ago. The standing freezer next to it was full of more pre-packed and labeled meals. Juliet was so organized.
She continued past the kitchen to the bedrooms and found the one with Juliet’s belongings. It was clean and tidy with a single photo of herself and Juliet at a beach in Bora Bora. They were smiling and happy. God, she hoped her friend was okay. A knot formed in her throat and fear expanded in her chest, choking her with its force.
“I’m going to find you,” she promised the Juliet in the photo. “I won’t leave here without you.”
She continued walking around until she’d gotten acquainted with every room of the cabin. She went back to Juliet’s bedroom and looked for her laptop but didn’t find it. Inside her desk was a notebook with handwritten notes. There was the location of the iceberg she’d been studying, which she’d dubbed Big Thick. Ha. Juliet was adorable.
There was an attached garage that housed a snowmobile and a Jeep with studded tires and chains, something she’d read about and knew was a necessity for the snow and ice. There were also several pairs of skis and ski gear.
She headed for the office she’d seen downstairs. The first thing she noticed was the chaos in the room. Papers and maps spread on every flat surface. Printed sheets with numbers that looked like lab results. She even found a couple cotton balls that were a deep purple. She had no idea what any of the mess was.
Moving to the modem boxes, she saw they were all plugged in and had flashing lights. Looked good to her, not that she was a tech guru by any means. A big board with the WIFI code made her life so much easier. She logged on and had immediate service.
There was no reason Juliet couldn’t have replied to her emails. There was something else wrong. She took that moment to email her parents to let them know she was okay. The last thing she needed was for them to send the Marines looking for her.
Her cellphone rang right away.
“Hi, Mom.” She sat on a recliner by a window to watch flurries fall.
“Baby, are you okay? Do you need me to send the jet to get you?”
“Mom, I’m fine. I told you I’m not coming home until I find Juliet. She’s up here and she’s in trouble because she hasn’t been home in several days.”
There was a short silence. “Have you considered that maybe she met a man and is just spending a few days getting jiggy with it?”
“Mom!” She laughed so hard she almost dropped her phone. Her mother had never used those words before.
“What? It’s true. People dohave sex, love. I mean, most people do. I don’t think you have in way too long, though.”
“Mom, let’s just stop right there. If she’s with a man, she’d have emailed me to tell me she’d be offline or something. Not just go M I A.”
“All I’m saying is that you need to think about all possibilities. It might not even be that big of a deal.”
She knew, though. Raven knew something bad was going on and Juliet was in trouble. “Okay, I just wanted you to know I’m fine.”
“I hear the end of the call coming, so I’ll remind you to put butter in your coffee or hot chocolate along with the MCT oil powders you took. I don’t want you to lose muscle, sweetie. And find a local restaurant. It’s the best way to ask people questions.”
“Got it, Mom. Butter in hot chocolate and a restaurant. Love you and Dad. Tell him I said hi.”
“Bye, baby, stay safe!”
They ended the call and she sighed. What would cause Juliet to disappear? And how could the sheriff treat the whole thing like it was no big deal? A woman was missing in his town. Something was happening in Antler and she was going to find out what. But first, she needed some sleep. She’d check out the town diner in the morning.
Raven parked the Jeep in the diner’s lot, grateful for the preprogrammed directions in the vehicle’s GPS, Marge’s Diner being at the top of the list. The place looked brand new on the outside. Clean and shiny with new parking lot.
She walked inside and was greeted with silence and stares from the locals.
“Hello,” a woman greeted her behind a counter. “Breakfast?” “Yes, please.”
The woman motioned to the booths. “Go ahead and have a seat, sweetheart. I’ll be over in moment.”
She picked the only empty booth and sat, knowing all eyes were still on her. The inside looked recently remodeled. Updated style with cool colors and modern flair. Not what she expected in a hole in the ground town like Antler.
A few minutes later, the woman from the counter was in front of her, placing a coffee cup on the table and smiling curiously at her. “I’m Marge. You’re with the people who want to build a cabin retreat up here, huh?”
She blinked. Wow. Word certainly got around fast. “You could say that. I’m also here visiting a friend, Juliet Taylor.”
Marge frowned. “Juliet. That’s gotta be the tiny blonde that comes every day for pancakes and fish.”
“Yes! Juliet loves pancakes.” Not fish, though.
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"What did she do?"
"Stop asking questions and I'll tell you!" Erna exclaimed in exasperation. "First of all, I had perfectly wonderful holidays. I stayed most of the time with a nurse from the hospital. My mother and father are getting a divorce and I'm glad." And she stared at Flip and Jackie defiantly.
"Oh, Erna," Jackie cried.
"Well, mutti's not a bit like your mother," Erna said, "and she's never liked me. But my father was just wonderful and Marianne, she's the nurse, was awfully nice, too, and took me to the movies when she was off duty. And she told me my father was a great surgeon and a wonderful man and I saw an operation and I didn't faint or anything and my father told me he was very happy I was going to be a doctor and he'd help me all he could. And he talked to me lots and lots and said he was sorry he never had time to write me or anything but he loved me just the same and he'd try to write me more. And then he told me he and mutti disagreed about many things and they disagreed about the world and Germany and people and things in general. They'd disagreed about the war and the Nazis only father couldn't say anything because of my brothers and mutti and me and everything. He said all the injured and wounded people needed to be taken care of and it wasn't their fault, mostly, not the fault of—what did he call them? the—the little people. So he felt all right taking care of them and he was glad I was here at school because he thought it was the best place in the world for me right now. And it was really wonderful, kids, because he'd always been so kind of stern and everything and I'd never really known him before or felt that I had a father the way you two do, and now I have, even if mutti still doesn't love me."
Flip and Jackie listened, neither of them looking at the other or at Erna because there was too much emotion in the room and they both felt full of too much pity for Erna even while she was telling them how happy she was. But they caught the sorrow in her voice when she spoke of her mother, and Flip felt that having your mother not love you would be the bitterest way of all to lose her.
"Well, I expect you're wondering what all this has to do with Percy," Erna continued, her voice suddenly brisk. "My father's brother, my uncle Guenther, is a doctor, too, and he used to know Percy's sister, the singer, and he knew about this school and that's how I happened to come here. He was a Nazi for a while and then he wanted to stop being one and they put him in a prison but they needed surgeons and so they let him out and he had to pretend he was a Nazi but all the time he was trying to work against them. Really he was. I know lots of them say that now because it's—what's the word father used —expedient—but Uncle Guenther really did try, and then he just took care of the hurt people like my father did because hurt people should be taken care of no matter who they are."
"It's all right," Jackie said. "We believe you. Do go on about Percy."
"Well, Percy's sister sang in Berlin for the Americans and Uncle Guenther came to see her and they got to talking about old times and everything and then they talked about the war and how it was awful that friends should be enemies and they each said they'd wanted to be on—on the side of life and not on the side of death. And Percy's sister said she hadn't been able to do anything but sing. Madame and her husband had been living in Paris where he taught history at the Sorbonne and Percy taught art at one of the Lycées. They were both wonderful skiers and they left and came to Switzerland, to the border between Switzerland and Germany, and they became guides who helped people escape into Switzerland. Their daughter had died of pneumonia just at the beginning of the war and it made Percy very serious. Uncle Guenther said that before that she had been very gay and used to love to go to parties and things. Anyhow, they became these guides, I mean Madame and her husband did, and once when they were bringing a party over the border they were discovered and Percy's husband was shot just before they got into Switzerland."
Tender-hearted Jackie had tears in her eyes and Flip's face was pale.
"Well," Erna said, "I just thought you'd want to know and you were the only two people in school I could tell it to."
"Oh, Erna!" Jackie cried. "Oh, Erna! How awful! And it's just like an American movie, Percy helping people to escape and everything."
"Golly, it's going to be awful without her the rest of the year," Erna said. "I'm glad this Miss Redford seems nice."
"Thank you for telling me, too, Erna." Flip slid down from her desk as the breakfast gong began to ring.
"Oh, well, I knew you were crazy about Percy Come on, kids, time for food." And Erna hurried them out of the classroom.
9
T really began to go by as Flip had never thought days at school could go. She remembered in the movies how the passage of time was often shown by the pages of a calendar being turned in rapid succession, and it seemed now that the days at school were being flipped by in just such a way. She would get up in the cold dark of early morning, dress, shivering, make her bed, and rush out to practice skiing.
"Where do you go every morning, Flip?" her roommates asked her.
"It's a secret," she finally had to tell them, "but I'll tell you as soon as I possibly can."
"What kind of a secret?"
"Well, I think it's going to be a nice secret," Flip said. She spent Sundays skiing with Paul and usually stayed at the gate house for the evening meal.
"Flip, have you ever seen the others ski?" Paul asked her
"No. Sometimes on walks we pass the beginners and you can see them from the windows of the gym. But the others usually take the train up to San Loup and I haven't seen them."
"Then you don't really know what you're up against?"
"No."
"So you can't really tell how you'll stand the day of the ski meet."
"No."
"Well—" Paul threw out his arms and pushed back his chair. "There's no use worrying about it. Aunt Colette said you should definitely sign up with the intermediates and she certainly ought to know."
There was a letter one day from her father. "I'm sketching at the hostel where your Madame Perceval is teaching," he wrote. "She's doing amazing work with the children here and they all adore her. She speaks affectionately of you and sends you her regards."
And Paul told her, "My father had a letter from Aunt Colette. She's met your father."
One Sunday while they were at the table Flip said to Paul, "Why don't you ski back down to school with me if your father will let us, and then I could sort of show you around and he could come and get you."
"No," Paul said.
"Why not?"
"I just don't want to."
"Why don't you go, Paul?" Georges Laurens put in. "It would do you good."
"Please, Paul," Flip begged. "School's been lots of fun since Christmas."
"You've certainly changed," Paul said, looking down at his plate.
"Yes, I have. And it's lots nicer. I'm not the most popular girl in school or anything but they don't hate me any more, and Erna and Jackie and Solvei and Maggie are nice to me and everybody likes it because I draw pictures of them. Anyhow, you don't have to come in or say a word to anybody if you don't want to, you can go on avoiding institutions. But I want to ski back to school and I can't unless you go with me because I'm not allowed to be out alone."
"There you are," Paul said. "Rules again."
"Honestly!" Flip cried, and for the first time in speaking to Paul her voice held anger. "Prisons and concentration camps and things aren't the only place where you have rules! You have to have rules! Look at international law."
"You look at it," Paul said.
Flip was getting really furious. "All right, I will! And I'll see what happens when nations go against it! You have wars and then you have bombs and concentration camps and people being killed and everything horrible. You have to have some rules! Hospitals have rules and if you're going to be a doctor you'll be working in hospitals. It's just plain common sense to accept some rules! It's just plain courtesy! I never thought I'd see you being stupid, Paul Laurens! And if you're going to tell me you're afraid of a few girls I won't believe you."
Paul stood up, knocking over his chair, and walked out of the room.
Flip sat down and she was trembling. She looked across the table at Georges Laurens, her eyes wide with dismay. "I've upset him. That was awful of me. I'm sorry."
"It's all right," Georges Laurens said. "Losing your temper that way was the best thing you could have done. Finish your tart."
Flip picked up her fork and began eating again but now the tart that had looked so delectable when Thérèse put it in front of her was only something to be forced down. She had just swallowed the last bite when Paul came back and stood in the doorway.
"All right," he almost shouted at Flip. "Get your skis. Please come for me in an hour, papa."
"An hour it shall be," Georges Laurens said.
It took them less than half an hour to ski back to the school. Flip took Paul into the ski room while she put her skis in the rack. "I didn't mean to make you angry," she said. "I'm sorry, Paul. Please forgive me."
Paul shook his head. "No. You were quite right. Everything you said. I don't know what's the matter with me."
"Would you—" Flip asked tentatively, "would you mind if I brought Jackie and Erna down for just a minute? They're dying to meet you and it's—it's strictly against the rules."
Paul laughed. "All right. Go ahead."
Flip went tearing along the corridor and up the stairs. She slowed down when she came to the lounge because Fräulein Hauser was on duty, and walked as quickly as possible to the Common Room. Luckily Jackie and Erna were off in a corner together, reading a letter from Jackie's mother.
"Get permission from Hauser to go to the libe and meet me in the room," she whispered. Then she hurried away and ran up the stairs, pulling off ski jacket and sweater on the way. Jackie and Erna came in as she was throwing on her uniform.
"What's up?"
"Come on down to the ski room with me," Flip panted.
"Are you crazy?" Erna asked. "Hauser won't give us permission. The basement at this time of night is strengt verboten."
"Don't be a nut," Flip said, "Paul's down there. He came back with me. We can slip down the back stairs. Oh, come on, kids, do hurry."
Both Erna's and Jackie's faces lit up when Flip mentioned Paul and they followed her excitedly down the back stairs. For a moment when they got to the ski room Flip thought that Paul had run out on her, but no; he turned to meet them with a grin.
"Hello," Paul said, pulling off his cap and bowing.
"Paul, this is Erna and Jackie," Flip said quickly. "Kids, this is Paul Laurens, Madame's nephew."
They all said hello and sat down on the benches.
Flip began to talk quickly. "Erna and Jackie are my roommates, Paul. You remember. I told you about them. I would have brought Gloria— you know, she's our other roommate—but she can't ever keep a secret. If you want anything spread all over school you just take Gloria aside and tell it to her as a dead secret and you know
everybody'll know about it in a couple of hours. She's lots of fun, though. Oh, and you know what we did to her!"
"What?" Paul asked, rather taken aback by this jabbering Flip.
"The ears," Flip said to Erna and Jackie, and the three of them went off into gales of laughter. "You tell him, Jackie," Flip said.
"Well, Gloria never used to wash her ears," Jackie began, "so we wrote her a letter pretending it came from Signorina del Rossi—she's the teacher on our corridor. We didn't dare make it from the matron because she'd have given us Deportment marks but Signorina's a good sport. Anyhow, Flip wrote the letter, and she imitated Signorina's handwriting, and it said that Gloria was to go to Signorina every morning right after breakfast for ear inspection. Black and Midnight—she's the matron and sleeps on our corridor, too— inspects our fingernails every morning but she doesn't look at our ears. So Gloria got this letter and that evening we heard her washing and washing in her cubicle and the next morning we hid behind the door to the back stairs because that's opposite Signorina's room, and Gloria came and knocked on Signorina's door and we heard her tell Signorina she'd come for ear inspection. And Signorina was just wonderful. She never let on that she didn't know what it was all about but looked at Gloria's ears and told her they were very nice and as long as she kept them that way she needn't come back."
Paul laughed obligingly, then said, "it's time for me to meet my father now, but I'll see you all at the ski meet. It's pretty soon now, isn't it?"
Erna hugged herself in anticipation and said, "Fräulein Hauser told us at dinner that it was definitely going to be next Saturday. The lists go up on Friday, and it's tremendously exciting, signing up for things."
Paul gave Flip a nudge. "I suppose you'll all be signing up for things."
"All except Flip," Erna said, and Paul gave Flip another nudge.
They said good-bye at the foot of the back stairs. Paul bowed gallantly and told Erna and Jackie how much he'd enjoyed meeting them, and then he and Flip went out to meet Monsieur Laurens.
"Just a week more, Flip," Paul whispered.
"I know," Flip whispered back, and shivered.
"Don't be scared," Paul told her. "You'll be fine. But Flip, how time has crept up on us!"
"Like the wolf at the door." Flip tried to laugh; then, her voice suddenly pleading, the voice of a very small, frightened girl, she begged, "You'll be there, Paul?"
"I promise," Paul said. "Don't worry, Flip. I'll be there."
10
F after breakfast the lists for the ski meet were on the board. Flip had rushed through breakfast as usual in order to get a last morning's work-out on her skis, so she was the first to sign up. She took the pencil attached to the board by a long chain and looked at the intermediate events. There was Form, which she signed up for; the short race, which she also signed for, though sprinting was not her strong point; and the long race, for which she had higher hopes. Then there was intermediate jumping, but she didn't sign for that. Madame Perceval had told her that she was good enough to jump without worry if ever there were a necessity or emergency, but the slight stiffness and weakness in her knee held her back more on the jumping than in anything else. So there was her name at the top of the intermediate lists, P H , 97, in careful, decisive lettering. She looked at her name and her stomach seemed to flop over inside of her.
But there isn't time to be scared, she thought. I'd better go out and ski.
When she came back in to get the mail the lists were pretty well filled up. Almost everybody in Flip's class was an intermediate. A few were in the beginners group and Solvei was a senior, but almost all the girls she knew best had signed under her name and none of them had failed to notice P H , 97, at the top of the list.
"But Flip, you don't ski!"
"Pill, did you know those lists were for the ski meet?"
"Flip, you didn't mean to sign up for the ski meet, did you?"
"Are you crazy, Philippa Hunter?"
She looked at their incredulous faces and suddenly she began to wonder if she really could ski. "Yes, I did mean to sign up," she told them.
"But Flip, you can't ski!"
"Fräulein Hauser said you couldn't learn!"
"She said she couldn't teach you!"
"Pill, you must have gone mad!"
"I'm not mad," Flip said, standing with her back against the bulletin board while the girls crowded around her "I'm not mad. I did mean to sign." She tried to move away but they pushed her back against the board.
Fräulein Hauser came over and said, "Girls!" Then she looked at Flip and said, "Philippa Hunter, I want to speak to you."
The girls moved away and Flip followed Fräulein Hauser up the stairs. Now that Madame Perceval was no longer at the school Fräulein Hauser had taken her place as second to Mlle. Dragonet and most popular of the teachers. But Flip still stung from the gym teacher's scorn and when she drew Fräulein Hauser's table at meals she did not regard it as a piece of good fortune.
Now Fräulein Hauser led her to the deserted class room and said, "What did you mean by signing up for three events in the ski meet?"
Flip looked stubbornly into Fräulein Hauser's determined, suntanned face. "I want to ski in them."
"Don't be ridiculous." Fräulein Hauser's voice was sharp and annoyance robbed her features of their usually pleasant expression. "You know you can't ski well enough to enter even the beginner's events, much less the intermediate."
"I've been practicing every morning after breakfast for an hour."
"I assure you, Philippa, that you are not a skier You simply are not good at sports because of your bad knee and you might as well face it. You had better stick to your painting. I thought you were settling down nicely and I must say I don't understand this wild idea of yours in entering the ski meet. Now be a sensible girl and go downstairs and take your name off."
Now I shall have to explain, Flip thought, and started, "No, please, Fräulein Hauser, you see I really do want to enter the ski meet because—"
But Fräulein Hauser did not give her a chance to finish. "I'm sorry, Philippa. I haven't time to waste on this nonsense. Suppose you let me be the judge of whether or not you can ski well enough to enter the meet. Now go downstairs and cross your name off the list or I shall."
"But please, Fräulein Hauser—" Flip started.
Fräulein Hauser turned away without listening. "I'm sorry, Philippa," she said.
"But Fräulein Hauser, I can ski!" Flip cried after her. But the gym teacher was already out of the room and didn't hear.
Flip waited long enough to give Fräulein Hauser time to get to the faculty room. Then she walked swiftly down the corridor before she had time to lose her nerve, and knocked on the door to Mlle. Dragonet's sitting room.
When Mlle. Dragonet's voice called out "Come in," she didn't know whether she was filled with relief or regret. She opened the door and slipped inside, shut it, and stood with her back to it as she had stood against the bulletin board downstairs.
Mlle. Dragonet was drinking coffee and going over some papers at a table in front of the fire; she looked up and said kindly, "Well, Philippa, what can I do for you?"
"Please, Mlle. Dragonet," Flip said desperately, "isn't it entirely up to the girls whether or not we enter the ski meet and what we sign up for? I mean, Erna told me you didn't have to be in it if you didn't want
to, and if you did, you could sign up for anything and it was entirely your own responsibility what you thought you were good enough for."
"Yes. That's right." Mlle. Dragonet nodded and poured herself some more coffee out of a silver coffee pot.
"Well, Fräulein Hauser says I must take my name off the lists."
"Why does she say that?" Mlle. Dragonet dropped a saccharine tablet into her coffee and poured some hot milk into it as though it were the one thing in the world she was thinking of at the moment.
"Well, when we first started skiing she said I couldn't learn to ski and she couldn't teach me and I had to give it up. Then Madame Perceval found out my skis were too long and there was a pair some girl had left that fitted me and Madame and Paul have been teaching me to ski. I've practiced every morning after breakfast for an hour and during the Christmas hols we skied all the time and went on overnight skiing trips and things and Madame said I should enter the ski meet as an intermediate. But now Fräulein Hauser says I have to take my name off the list because she doesn't know I can ski."
"Why didn't you explain to Fräulein Hauser?" Mlle. Dragonet asked.
"I tried to, but she wouldn't listen. I don't think she knew I had anything to explain. And Madame Perceval said I shouldn't say anything about her helping me. She said I should say it was just Paul, and I don't think that would have convinced Fräulein Hauser, no matter how good a skier Paul is, because I was so awful before. That's why I had to come to you, Mademoiselle."
Mlle. Dragonet picked up her pencil and twirled it. "So you've been keeping your skiing a secret?"
"Yes, Mlle. Dragonet."
"Whose idea was this?"
"Paul's. He thought it would be so much fun to surprise everybody."
"Was he coming to the ski meet?"
"Yes, Mademoiselle."
"I can see," Mlle. Dragonet said, "how Paul would think it was fun to surprise everybody, and how you would think it was fun, too. But don't you think it's a little hard on Fräulein Hauser?" Her brown eyes looked mildly at Flip.
Flip countered with another question. "Don't you think Fräulein Hauser should have noticed that my skis were too long? I know she has so many beginners she can't pay too much attention to any one person, and I've always been bad at sports, but as soon as I got skis that were the right length for me I was better. I wasn't good but at least it was possible for me to learn."
"And you think you have learned?"
"Yes, Mademoiselle. And it was Madame Perceval who said I should enter as an intermediate. I haven't seen the others ski so I wouldn't have known in what group I belonged."
"So Madame Perceval taught you, did she?" Mlle. Dragonet asked. She put her pencil down and said, "Very well, Philippa. I'll speak to Fräulein Hauser and explain the situation. It's almost time for Call Over now. You'd better get down stairs."
"Thank you, Mlle. Dragonet. Thank you ever so much. And you won't say anything about its being Madame Perceval who found me the skis and helped me, please? Because she said it would be better not to, only I didn't think she'd mind if I told you under these—these— imperative circumstances."
Mlle. Dragonet smiled. "I won't say anything about her part in it. I promise."
"I'm sorry to have bothered you," Flip said. "I didn't want to but I didn't know what else to do. I was desperate."
"It's what I'm here for, Philippa," Mlle. Dragonet said.
As Flip left Mlle Dragonet's sitting room and started down stairs she wondered how she could ever live through the hours until the ski meet. The two months since the Christmas holidays had flown by like a swift bird but the brief time until the next day stretched out ahead of her like an eternity.
Erna met her when she got downstairs. "You didn't get your mail, Flip. I took it for you."
"Oh, thanks ever so much," Flip said. "Oh, wonderful! It's a letter from father. Thanks lots, Erna."
There was just time to read the letter before Call Over if she hurried, and she was glad to escape the questions and exclamations of the girls who came clustering about her again, probing her about the ski meet, telling her that Fräulein Hauser had already crossed her name off the lists.
She ran down the corridor to the bathroom, locked herself in, and opened her father's letter.—I'm so glad it came today, she thought.— I need it to give me courage for tomorrow.
11
"M ," the letter began. "How proud I am of the way you've worked at your skiing and I hope your triumph at the ski meet will be everything you and Paul could hope for Now please don't be disappointed, darling—as a matter of fact maybe you'll be relieved—but I don't think I'll be able to make it for the ski meet. You'll probably do much better if you're not worrying about my being there and the spring holidays will be here before we know it."
She sat staring at the closed white bathroom door in front of her, with the paint chipped off in places. She was filled with completely disproportionate disappointment. When she heard someone pounding on the door and calling, "Flip! Flip!" she could not keep the unwelcome tears from her eyes.
"Flip! Flip!"
She forced the tears back and opened the door and Erna and Jackie were anxiously waiting for her.
"Flip!" Erna cried. "You missed Call Over and Hauser's simply furious and she wants to see you right away."
"She says you're sulking because she took your name off the ski lists. Oh, Flip, what do you want to be in the ski meet for anyhow when you can't ski!"
"I can ski," Flip said. "And I'm not sulking because of the ski meet. Father said he could come and now he can't." The tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "I haven't seen him since school began," she managed to whisper.
Erna patted her clumsily on the shoulder. "That's awful, Flip. That's an awful shame."
"Maybe he'll be able to come at the last minute," Jackie said. "Don't cry, Flip."
The door opened again and Fräulein Hauser, looking extremely annoyed, stood in the doorway.
"Really, Philippa Hunter!" she exclaimed. "I have seldom seen such a display of bad sportsmanship."
Flip drew herself up and suddenly she looked very tall and strong as she stood facing the gym teacher. "Fräulein Hauser," she said. "I did not skip Call Over because you took my name off the ski lists. I didn't even know you'd taken it off. I am crying because I expected to see my father and now I'm not going to."
Fräulein Hauser looked at the tear blurred face and the crumpled letter and at Erna and Jackie nodding in corroboration of Flip's words and said, more gently, "I'm sorry I misunderstood you, Philippa." And she smiled. "But you can hardly blame me."
"Please, Fräulein Hauser," Flip said. "I've been trying to tell you that I did learn to ski."
"Philippa, we settled that question this morning. Let's not reopen it."
Fräulein Hauser's voice was short again. "Get along to your classroom, and quickly, all three of you. It's almost time for the bell."
12
A Flip's name was written in again over the heavy red line Fräulein Hauser had used to cross it out.
"Flip, you didn't put your name back!" Erna cried.
Flip shook her head desperately. "I didn't! It's not my writing! It's Fräulein Hauser's writing! Mlle. Dragonet gave me permission to be
in the ski meet Paul taught me how to ski." She put her hands to her head. "If I'd thought there'd be all this fuss and bother I'd never have entered the old ski meet!" Her head was a wild confusion of misery. If I could just tell them it was Madame who taught me how to ski that would make it all right, she thought.
"Hey, Flip," Erna said. "If you don't want your pudding, I do."
After lunch Kaatje van Leyden sought her out. "Look here, Philippa, I hear you're entering the ski meet."
Flip looked up at the older girl. "Yes, Kaatje."
"Fräulein Hauser says you can't ski."
"If I couldn't ski I wouldn't have entered the ski meet," Flip said. Her mind was beginning to feel cold and numb the way her hands did in the very cold mornings when she was out skiing.
"Did you know that the points made or lost in the ski meet count for the school teams?" Kaatje asked. "You could make a team lose for the year if you pulled it down badly enough in the ski meet."
"I won't pull it down," Flip said, but she was beginning to lose faith in herself.
"Which team are you?"
"Odds. I'm number 97. Please, Kaatje. I promise you I can ski. I know I've pulled the Odds down in my gym work but I won't pull them down in the ski meet."
"But how did you learn to ski? Fräulein Hauser said you were so hopeless she couldn't teach you. Sorry, but that's what she said and the ski meet's tomorrow so there isn't time to beat around bushes."
"Please, Kaatje," Flip said, "Paul Laurens, Madame Perceval's nephew, taught me every week-end, and he's a wonderful skier, and we skied during the holidays all the time and I've practiced an hour every morning after breakfast. Please, Kaatje, please believe me!" Flip implored.
Kaatje put her hands on her hips and looked at Flip. "I don't know what to think. I'm captain of the Evens as well as School Games Captain and if the Evens win through your losing points the Odds are going to blame me for it."
"Do you think Mlle. Dragonet would have put my name back on the lists if she'd thought I couldn't ski?"
"That's just it," Kaatje said. "I wouldn't think so, but you never know what the Dragon's going to take it into her head to do. If she's given you permission and you insist that you can ski I suppose there's nothing I can do about it." Then her frown disappeared and she gave Flip a friendly grin. "Here's good luck on it anyhow," she said, holding out her hand.
"Thanks, Kaatje," Flip said, taking it.
13
I couldn't have been a better day for a ski meet. It was very cold and still and the sky was that wonderful blue that seems to go up, up, up, and the sun seemed very bright and very far away in the heavens. The snow sparkled with blinding brilliance and everybody was filled with excitement.
But Flip sat in the train on the way up to Gstaad and she felt as cold and white as the snow and not in the least sparkling. Paul left Georges Laurens with Mlle. Dragonet and Signorina del Rossi and came and sat next to Flip. Erna and Jackie and the others greeted him with pleased excitement. Flip heard Sally whispering to Esmée, "Didn't I tell you he was divine?"
"So you taught Flip to ski!" Solvei exclaimed.
"I didn't have to do much teaching," Paul said. "She's a born skier."
Esmée got up from her seat and stood by them, attracted to the male presence like the proverbial fly to honey "I'm just dying to see Flip ski," she said, smiling provocatively at Paul. "You were just wonderful to teach her."
"Esmée, sit down," Miss Armstrong called from the end of the car, and Esmée reluctantly withdrew.
Flip stared out the window with a set face. Her cheeks felt burning hot and her hands felt icy cold and she had a dull pain in her stomach. I'm sick, she thought. I feel awful. I should have gone to Mlle. Duvoisine and she'd have taken my temperature and put me in the infirmary and I wouldn't have had to be in the ski meet.
But she realized that the horrible feeling wasn't because she was ill, but because she was frightened. She was even more frightened than she had been the night she went to meet the man who said he was Paul's father at the chateau.
She was hardly aware when Paul left her to join the spectators, or when Erna pushed her in place to wait until the beginners had finished. Flip watched the beginners carefully and took heart. She was much more steady on her skis, they were much more a part of her, than they were on any of the girls in the beginners group; and she knew that she executed her turns with far more precision and surety than any of them. She looked at the beginners and she looked at the judges, Fräulein Hauser, and Miss Redford who had turned out to be quite an expert skier, from the school; a jolly looking English woman who was sports mistress at the English school down the mountain; and two professional skiers who sat smiling tolerantly at the efforts of the beginners.
After the beginners had been tested for form they had a short race which was won by little Lischen Bechman, one of the smallest girls in the school and then Flip felt Erna pushing her forward. She stood in line with all the rest of the intermediates, between Erna and Maggie Campbell. One of the professional skiers stood up to give the directions. Flip snapped on her skis and pushed off with the others. She followed directions in a haze and was immeasurably grateful for the hours of practice which made her execute her christianas and telemarks with automatic perfection. The judge told half the girls to drop out, but Flip was among those left standing as the judge put them through their paces again.
Now all but five of the girls were sent to the side, Flip, Erna, Esmée Bodet, Maggie Campbell, and Bianca Colantuono. Flip's mouth felt
very dry and the tip of her tongue stuck out between her teeth. This time the judge only kept them a few minutes.
Jumping was next and only a few of the intermediates had entered that. Girls clustered around Flip, exclaiming, laughing,
"Why, Flip, you old fox, you!"
"Why did you keep this up your sleeve, Pill?"
"Did Hauser really refuse to teach you?"
And Kaatje van Leyden came over from the seniors and shook her hand saying, "Good work, Philippa. You really knew what you were talking about, didn't you? The Odds don't have to worry about your being on their team."
Flip blushed with pleasure and looked down at the snow under her feet and she loved it so and was filled with such excitement and triumph that she wanted to get down on her knees and kiss it; but instead she watched the jumpers. She felt that Erna was by far the best and was pleased with the thought that she would win.
Then it was time for the Short Race. Flip stood poised at the top of the hill and launched herself forward at the signal. She tried to cut through the cold air with the swift precision of an arrow and was pleased when she came in fifth, because Madame had told her not to worry about the Short Race, to enter it only for experience, because she would do best in the Long Race.
While the seniors lined up for form, Flip and the other intermediates who had signed up for the Long Race got on the funicular to go up to the starting point further up the mountain. Madame Perceval had taken Flip over the course of the race several times during the holidays so she was almost as familiar with it as the other girls who had been skiing it once a week with Fräulein Hauser.
They were all tense as they lined up at the starting point. Kaatje van Leyden gave the signal and they were off. Flip felt a sense of wild exhilaration as she started down the mountain, and she knew that nothing else was like this. Flying in a plane could not give you this feeling of being the bird, of belief in your own personal wings.
Before the race was half over it became evident that it was to be between Flip, Erna, and Esmée. Flip's mind seemed to be cut cleanly in half; one half was filled with pure pleasure at the skiing and the other with a set determination to win this race. The three of them kept very close together, first one, then another, taking the advantage. Then, as they had to go through a clump of trees, Erna took the lead and pushed ahead with Flip next and Esmée dropping well behind.
Flip made a desperate effort and had just spurted ahead of Erna when she heard a cry, and, looking back, she saw Erna lying in the snow. She checked her speed, turned, and went back. As Erna saw her coming she called out, "Go on, Flip! Go on! Don't worry about me!"
But she ended on a groan and Flip continued back up the mountainside. Esmée flashed by without even looking at Erna; and Flip, as she slowly made her way up the snow, thought, I've lost the race.
But she knelt by Erna and said, "What happened?"
"Caught the tip of my ski on a piece of ice," Erna gasped. Her face was very white and her lips were blue with pain and cold. "You shouldn't have come back."
"Don't be silly," Flip said, and her voice sounded angry. "Is it your ankle?"
"Yes. I think I've busted it or something."
Flip unsnapped Erna's skis and took them off. Then she unlaced the boot of the injured ankle and gently pulled it off. "I don't think it's broken. I think it's a bad sprain."
"What's up?" Kaatje van Leyden who had been skiing down the mountain side with them drew up beside them.
"Erna's hurt her ankle," Flip said. "I think it's sprained."
Now more of the racers came in sight, but Kaatje waved them on. "Esmée's won but we might as well see who comes in second and third."
"Flip lost the race because of me," Erna told Kaatje. "She was way ahead of Esmée but when I fell she turned around and came back to me."
"And Esmée went on?" Kaatje asked. "Well, it's a good thing you came back and got Erna's boot off, Philippa, or we'd have had an awful time. Her foot's swelling like anything. Hurt badly, Erna?"
Erna, her teeth clenched, nodded.
"Philippa, if we make a chair with our hands do you think we can ski down together with Erna? It will be quite a job not to jolt her, but I think we'd better get her down to Duvoisine as soon as possible. How about it?" Kaatje asked.
"O.K.," Flip said.
Jackie, trailing gallantly down at the tail of the race, stopped in dismay at the sight of Erna lying on the ground, and helped her up onto Flip's and Kaatje's hands. Then they started slowly down the mountain. This was the most difficult skiing Flip had ever done, because she did not have her arms to help her balance herself and she and Kaatje had to ski as though they were one, making their turns and swerves in complete unison in order not to jolt Erna who was trying bravely not to cry out in pain. Jackie had skied on ahead and Mlle. Duvoisine was waiting for them with the doctor, and Erna was borne off to the chalet to be administered to. Flip looked almost as limp and white as Erna as she went to join the other intermediates who were eating sandwiches while they waited for the senior events to be finished.
So now it was all over. She thought she had done well in Form, but she had lost both races. She felt too tired, and too depressed now that her part in the long-waited-for meet was over, to be elated simply because she had skied well.
Just as Kaatje van Leyden came swooping down to win the seniors' Long Race, Jackie said, "Here's Erna," and Mlle. Duvoisine was pushing Erna, sitting on one chair, her bandaged foot in a green ski sock with a large hole in the toe, on another, across the snow to them. They all clustered about her
