scrambled to make light of the fact that she was not the same girl he remembered. At least, not yet.

"Commander Tyler is just guessing that you might not usually be this thin."

Lorri looked into her grandfather's eyes and smiled at the smile she saw there. She had been through an ordeal, an ordeal so fierce that she had stopped trusting even those who loved her.

"I'm sorry," she began, but the doctor put his hand up and flashed a smile of his own.

"The apology should come from me," he said. "I need to let you finish your meal. How can you think clearly on an empty stomach?"

Lorri went back to eating, and Dean was pleased to see the tension pa.s.s. He had not meant to plot against her or go on the attack. He'd seen men come back from battle in great need of care. He was swiftly learning that it was entirely different when it was his own granddaughter. He would stay close but let the doctor finish in his own way, not worrying about the details. Anything Lorri couldn't remember from the last week would surely be covered by Lieutenant Riggs.

82 Seven, "I've got a meeting this morning," Dean told Lorri early the next day. "Will you be all right?"

"I'll be fine. I'll probably lie here for a while and then take a bath."

"Good. When I get back, we'll eat breakfast and try to find some other clothes for you to wear."

Lorri agreed, thinking that might be a very good idea. She kept to her bed even after he left, and although she thought about getting up-a bath sounded wonderful-it wasn't long before she fell back to sleep.

"What day and time did you get to the island?" Dean asked Rigg as soon as he thanked him for rescuing Lorri.

"Sat.u.r.day the fourteenth."

"Just five days ago?" he confirmed quietly, not seeming anywhere near as fierce as all the rumors.

83.

83.

"Yes, we got to the island at about eight bells. We needed repairs. We found Miss Archer when we heard her singing."

A heartfelt smile came to the admiral's lips.

"Let me guess, a mixture of hymns and the latest songs. .h.i.tting the airwaves."

"That about sums it up."

"She has all the words memorized the first time she hears a song. Put something to music and Lorri has it." The admiral paused for just a moment. "Josie was her biggest fan."

Rigg watched the other man, whose attention had strayed to a place in his mind. Both of Rigg's parents were alive, as were both of his brothers. He had no reference point to losing someone as close as a granddaughter. Clearly the man was hurting."

"Did you leave the island that day?"

"No, the next. I put a man in charge of her, and we got some food to her as soon as we could. She had found an excellent water supply and was sleeping in the plane, which was in a small clearing."

"And did she talk to you about what happened?"

"Not until Tuesday"

"What did she tell you?"

"That Clarence Fuller, the pilot, did all he could. She described the rain as being all around them. They couldn't see a thing. She said the trees rushed up to meet them, and all was black with the rain still coming hard. Her sister wouldn't answer her." Rigg made himself tell the painful details. "It took her days to dig the holes. She buried the pilot first because she couldn't put Josie in the dirt at that point. She took Josie's locket and put it on.

"It sounds like she ate what food she could find, which wasn't much, and had plenty of water. She was a little confused and

84.

mmdisoriented from time to time, but until she saw you from the

office window, she hadn't fainted.

"We stopped again near Cooley, and she had an encounter with another boat crew. It was upsetting to her, but she handled herself well."

"Did you report the men?"

"No, sir. Miss Archer would not elaborate on what happened."

"So she might have been hurt?"

"No, sir. My men saw a sailor touch her hair and try to detain her by grabbing her wrist. My men were on hand a moment later, and Miss Archer was able to walk away."

"Do you know what was said to her?"

"No, sir."

Dean fell silent for a moment. Rigg watched him and waited.

"Where did she sleep on the boat?"

"In my bunk. I took Ensign Westland's bunk. I hung a sheet to give Miss Archer privacy."

Dean's eyes were suddenly intent.

"And your men were gentlemen?"

"Yes, sir. I would swear to it."

Dean didn't need to ask about Rigg's conduct. His gut told him there would be no offense there.

"Did you see the graves?" was the next question, coming on a rather hoa.r.s.e voice.

"Yes, sir. They were in another clearing."

Dean's eyes closed for a moment. He tried to fight the tears, but it was no use. Rigg came to his feet. He went to the coffee pot, filled two mugs, and returned to the table.

Dean opened his eyes when he heard the mug placed in front of him. He stared down at it for a moment and then reached for

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85.

his handkerchief. He blew his nose and took a moment to compose himself before reaching for the hot drink.

"I think you should also know, sir," Rigg said without permission, "that we had Zeros almost as soon as we left the island. We traveled in daylight and took down two planes, but one got away."

"And where was Lorri during all of this?"

"On her bunk. We also had a storm the night before we made port. She was very seasick."

Dean was without words. It wasn't enough that Lorri was plane-wrecked and had to bury her sister. She had also been on the boat when it was under enemy attack and experienced a storm only days later. The emotions running through him were so varied and strong that for a long time he said nothing.

Rigg was quiet as well. Again he was having to imagine this for someone he loved and could see why it would be nearly impossible to take in.

"When do you leave here?" Dean finally asked.

"Not for a week at least. Our problems can't be patched up any longer."

Dean nodded and stood. Rigg also came to his feet and saluted.

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Dean released Rigg with a return salute and moved on his way.

Lorri was finally out of bed, running water to take a hot bath, when she realized that her period had stopped and no longer needed her attention. It hadn't run its normal course, but she knew better than to expect that.

86mil I.

I86Lori Wick i1

* For long moments she shivered, not with cold but with some undefinable emotion. The water was hot all around her, but she I ifelt bruised, and her skin ached.

1

"Josie," Lorri whispered, not wanting to cry but not sure she I

had a choice. "I can't even visit your grave. I know you're not there, but somehow I want to be near that marker."

ILorri's hand went to the chain and locket around her neck.

1 She squeezed her eyes shut, but hot tears still found a path down

her face. She hadn't known that anything could hurt this much.

I' 11Her father had died when she was ten. She had cried and felt lost ' i]

-for a long time, but that pain was nothing to this.

'And as always, the need to see her mother squeezed painfully around her heart. Ruth Archer never quite left her consciousness. II31She had missed her mother while working in Australia-at times " illlishe'd been dreadfully homesick for her and for her sister-but lill'ithis was different All at once Lorri felt five years old again. She felt abandoned and alone, and in such need of her mother that she could hardly think straight.

ii.'

She breathed heavily, trying to control herself, but it was no J Jfuse. Harsh sobs broke from her throat. Sinking as deeply into the water as she could get, she sobbed in agony, only able to form a 'few coherent words to G.o.d.

"Please help me," she whispered. "Please help me to get home."

'i "How'd it go with the admiral?" Hugh asked as soon as he saw Rigg.

'I think all right. He might want to see me again." "Will he be around that long?"

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87.

"He didn't say when they were leaving."

"Did you see her?"

Rigg shook his head, his gaze hooded.