The Struggle (Page 39)

"We’ll have to keep it a secret for a while," she said, hearing the tremor in her voice.

"Aunt Judith will have a fit if she knows I’m engaged before I graduate. But I’ll be eighteen next summer, and then she can’t stop us."

"Elena, are you sure this is what you want? It won’t be easy living with me. I’ll always be different from you, no matter how I try. If you ever want to change your mind…"

"As long as you love me, I’ll never change my mind."

He took her in his arms again, and peace and contentment enfolded her. But there was still one fear that gnawed at the edges of her consciousness.

"Stefan, about tomorrow – if Caroline and Tyler carry out their plan, it won’t matter if I change my mind or not."

"Then we’ll just have to make sure they can’t carry it out. If Bonnie and Meredith will help me, I think I can find a way to get the diary from Caroline. But even if I can’t, I’m not going to run. I won’t leave you, Elena; I’m going to stay and fight."

"But they’ll hurt you. Stefan, I can’t stand that."

"And I can’t leave you. That’s settled. Let me worry about the rest of it; I’ll find a way. And if I don’t… well, no matter what I’ll stay with you. We’ll be together."

"We’ll be together," Elena repeated, and rested her head on his shoulder, happy to stop thinking for a while and justbe.

Dear Diary,

It’s late but I couldn’t sleep. I don’t seem to need as much sleep as I used to.

Well, tomorrow’s the day.

We talked to Bonnie and Meredith tonight. Stefan’s plan is simplicity itself. The thing is, no matter where Caroline has hidden the diary, she has to bring it out tomorrow to take it with her. But our readings are the last thing on the agenda, and she has to be in the parade and everything first. She’ll have to stash the diary somewhere during that time. So if we watch her from the minute she leaves her house until she gets up on stage, we should be able to see where she puts it down. And since she doesn’t even know we’re suspicious, she won’t be on guard.

That’s when we get it.

The reason the plan will work is because everyone in the program will be in period dress. Mrs. Grimesby, the librarian, will help us put on our 19th century clothes before the parade, and we can’t be wearing or carrying anything that’s not part of the costume. No purses, no backpacks. No diaries! Caroline will have to leave it behind at some point.

We’re taking turns watching her. Bonnie is going to wait outside her house and see what Caroline’s carrying when she leaves. I’ll watch her when she gets dressed at Mrs. Grimesby’s house. Then, while the parade is going on, Stefan and Meredith will break into the house – or the Forbes’ car, if that’s where it is – and do their stuff.

I don’t see how it can fail. And I can’t tell you how much better I feel. It’s so good just to be able to share this problem with Stefan. I’ve learned my lesson; I’ll never keep things from him again.

I’m wearing my ring tomorrow. If Mrs. Grimesby asks me about it, I’ll tell her it’s even older than 19th century, it’s from Renaissance Italy. I’d like to see her face when I say that.

I’d better try to get some sleep now. I hope I don’t dream.

Chapter Fourteen

Bonnie shivered as she waited outside the tall Victorian house. The air was frosty this morning, and although it was almost eight o’clock the sun had never really come up. The sky was just one dense massed bank of gray and white clouds, creating an eerie twilight below.

She had begun to stamp her feet and rub her hands together when the Forbes’ door opened. Bonnie moved back a little behind the shrubbery that was her hiding place and watched the family walk to their car. Mr. Forbes was carrying nothing but a camera. Mrs. Forbes had a purse and a folding seat. Daniel Forbes, Caroline’s younger brother, had another seat. And Caroline…

Bonnie leaned forward, her breath hissing out in satisfaction. Caroline was dressed in jeans and a heavy sweater, and she was carrying some sort of white drawstring purse. Not big but big enough to hold a small diary.

"There she is, Aunt Judith. On the corner."

The car slowed to a halt, and Bonnie slid into the back seat with Elena.

"She’s got a white drawstring purse," she murmured into Elena’s ear as Aunt Judith pulled out again.

Tingling excitement swept over Elena, and she squeezed Bonnie’s hand. "Good," she breathed. "Now we’ll see if she brings it into Mrs. Grimesby’s. If not, you tell Meredith it’s in the car."

Bonnie nodded agreement and squeezed Elena’s hand back.

They arrived at Mrs. Grimesby’s just in time to see Caroline going inside with a white bag hanging from her arm. Bonnie and Elena exchanged a look. Now it was up to Elena to see where Caroline left it in the house.

"I’ll get out here too, Miss Gilbert," said Bonnie as Elena jumped out of the car. She would wait outside with Meredith until Elena could tell them where the bag was. The important thing was not to let Caroline suspect anything unusual.

Mrs. Grimesby, who answered Elena’s knock, was the Fell’s Church librarian. Her house looked almost like a library itself; there were bookcases everywhere and books stacked on the floor. She was also the keeper of Fell’s Church’s historical artifacts, including clothing that had been preserved from the town’s earliest days.

Just now the house was ringing with young voices, and the bedrooms were full of students in various stages of undress. Mrs. Grimesby always supervised the costumes for the pageant. Elena was ready to ask to be put in the same room with Caroline, but it wasn’t necessary. Mrs. Grimesby was already ushering her in.

Caroline, stripped down to her fashionable underwear, gave Elena what was undoubtedly meant to be a nonchalant look, but Elena detected the vicious gloating beneath. She kept her own eyes on the bundle of clothing Mrs. Grimesby was picking up off the bed.