The young man scratched his head. "That's the thing, she was supposed to come get it this morning, but she never came. Pa sent me over to check on her, but she never answered the door."
Not waiting for any other explanations, Lucas rushed from the stables, running across the street until coming to the apothecary. The door was locked, a neatly written note tacked so that it was visible through the glass pane.
Closed until further notice.
Thank You
Camille Johnston
Lucas went around to the back door. He knocked the glass from a small window and reached in to open the back door. The familiar aroma of the space stopped him for a moment. He scanned the front room. As the boy had explained, it did seem as if many things had been taken. There were still some half-filled jars and bins with a few of the herb bundles she sold, but most of her inventory had been taken.
He turned and rushed up the stairs. The bedroom, which just a couple nights earlier had been a haven for him, was now essentially bare of anything that reminded him of Camille. Her clothing, bedding and wall adornments were gone as well as perfume bottles, brushes, window coverings and hatboxes.
She'd done a good job of packing. The only thing left was the large furniture.
Why had she gone? Was it because of their night together? Did that one wonderful night change something in Camille? But what would cause a woman to run and leave everything behind?
Lucas pushed his head back and looked down at the floor. What the hell was he supposed to do now? There were footfalls downstairs and he hurried down, only to stop in his tracks when seeing Sarah.
"My goodness, Lucas, you startled me," Sarah whirled to face him. "When did you return? Where's Brogan?"
"Do you have any idea why Camille left?" he asked, ignoring her questions. "Where did she go?"
Sarah wrinkled her brow. "She left two notes. One for me and one for you." She pulled out a folded piece of paper from her reticule. "Please let me know if she tells you where she went."
The words were smeared on his note and he glanced up at Sarah who busied herself by placing items into a large basket.
Dearest Lucas,
I beg you not to hate me for doing this. I am forced to leave due to circumstances I cannot explain. I wish I could tell you where I'm headed but, to be honest right now, I have no plan.
Know that you are so very special to me. I will hold the precious memory of our one night together always. It would be a dream come true to be with you always.
Goodbye,
Camille
With blank eyes, he reread the note again. It made no sense. If anything, her note made him more confused.
"Does she explain to you why she left so hastily?" Sarah looked to him with shiny eyes. "I hope it’s nothing horrible."
"No, she does not. What did your note say?"
Sarah sniffed. "She stated how much she valued our friendship and that I was her only friend. That she had to leave because of circumstances in her past and how she wished things were different. Nothing about where she headed."
"The same with my note," Lucas said shoving the note into his shirt pocket. "Did she ever say anything about family? Where she came from?"
Sarah lifted a small bouquet of dry flowers and sniffed it. After placing it into the basket, she straightened. "It took her a long time to become comfortable enough to spend time with me. She once told me it was because I didn't delve and ask too many questions. One day, she was especially melancholy and told me she missed her parents. Told me they'd both died while she was young and she had to move to eastern Montana with her aunt and uncle. From what I gathered, the couple who raised her resented it."
"Do you think she went back?"
Sarah shrugged. "I doubt it. Camille left her aunt and uncle very young. I think about nineteen."
"So seven years give or take," Lucas replied.
The bell jingled when the front door opened and Olivia Blakely, the mercantile owner’s wife, strolled in. Her shrewd gaze took in the near empty space. "So it's true."
"What's true?" Sarah said to the woman whose brows rose at her sharp tone.
"Just that I heard she left. Thought it was strange this morning when I went out back to check the chicken coop. The wagon was all packed up and some man stood next to it. Gangly looking fella."
"A man?" Sarah exclaimed before Lucas could say anything.
He touched her arm and turned to Olivia Blakely. "Have you seen the man before?"
"Didn't look familiar at all. He looked as if not all there. Kinda talkin' to himself and such. I waved and called out good morning. He grinned and waved back. Seemed nice enough."
Lucas shivered when his blood turned ice cold. It would be too much of a coincidence. The man Olivia described sounded just like the man they'd run into back at the cave. But that man had been on foot, he'd not seen nor heard a horse or cart.