Light of my Life

Six

SIX

Duke had been watching Amelia closely as she signed and talked to the thief. Gracie clutched Duke's leg so tightly and he stroked her hair to soothe her. But it wasn't until he noticed a change in Amelia's stiff body that he because worried. Her body didn't seem as stiff as it had been, but when she swayed toward Theo, Duke knew something was terribly wrong.

He scooped Gracie into his arms and ran toward Amelia. Theo had caught her limp body as she lost consciousness. Grumbling under his breath, Duke hurried faster, only stopping when he reached Amelia.

Theo's wide eyes met Duke's as he handed the little girl to the older man and took Amelia into his embrace. Her face had lost color, so he gently patted her cheeks, trying to wake her up. Gracie cried, burying her face against Theo's shoulder.

"What happened here?" Duke aimed his question at the thief as he knelt on the ground, still holding Amelia's crumbled body.

"If you'll untie me, I can help." The man struggled against the ropes.

"What do you take me for? An imbecile?" Duke scowled and continued with trying to wake Amelia. "Tell me what happened. Why did she pass out?"

"Because I told her who I was."

Duke paused as he studied the other man. Nothing made sense. "And why would your identity shock her so much that she lost consciousness?"

"I'm the brother she hasn't seen for fifteen years."

Interesting... "Yes, I suppose that kind of news would shock any woman." He returned his attention to Amelia. "Come on, sweetie. Wake up. Open your eyes and look at me."

Theo tapped Duke on the shoulder and signed. Frowning, he shook his head. "I don't understand you."

"Uncle Theo is asking you if you want him to fetch some water," the man tied to the tree said.

Duke scowled at the strange. "And you suddenly know that language?"

"Yes. I lived in the same orphanage as Amelia and Uncle Theo."

As much as Duke wanted to straighten out the confusion in his head, he wanted to wake Amelia even more. He turned to Theo and nodded. The older man hurried to the back of the wagon. Gracie's small body bounced in the man's arms. He flipped up the canvas on the back of the wagon, reached inside, and pulled out a canteen. By the time he reached Duke again, the little girl had stopped crying and was watching everything around her.

Duke took the canteen, uncapped the lid, and splashed some water on Amelia's face. She blinked and moved her face back and forth before her eyes fully opened. She met his gaze as confusion crossed her features. Within seconds, she snapped her head toward the thief and her mouth hung open.

"Are you all right, Sis?" the stranger asked.

Amelia pushed away from Duke and moved to the man tied to the tree. "You... are really Bobby?" She signed while she talked.

"Yes."

"No, you can't be. My brother died on pneumonia."

His expression darkened with a frown. "I'm sure that's what the Stones told you because they didn't want anyone to know that I had escaped."

"But..." She hesitantly touched Bobby's shoulder. "I remember that you were sick. Uncle Theo took you to the sick room."

"Yes, I was sick, but I knew that was my only chance to escape. I wanted to come back for you, but you were too young and I worried that you wouldn't survive with me on the run."