Miss Stockbridge

[SunlessNick]

Nathan crouches down beside David. "Master Collins? It's us. Nathan Forbes and VIctoria Winters. Reverend Trask is here too. We have come to take you home."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

While Miss Winters and Reverend Trask struggle to place the dazed Jeremiah upon a horse, securing him to the saddle so he won't fall off on the way back to the lodge, young David appears to be disoriented.

"I don't get it. Where are we? Where's my mother? I want my mother!"

He needs to be forcibly restrained to keep him from running off to the pile of ashes that remains near the fallen cactus.

Back art the lodge, the staff have already called an ambulance, firefighters, and the police, to report a suspicious fire, the burst of flame clearly visible from the lodge's large windows that offer a scenic view of the desert. The ambulance crew can offer first aid to the injured, and stabilize Jeremiah until they can take him to Phoenix. There isn't much for the firefighters or police to do but ask questions.

"What exactly happened? What caused the fire? From the reports we're getting, it was some kind of high explosive. You have anything to do with that? What were you doing out in the desert at night, anyway?"

[Mr. Handy]

"We were out in the desert looking for Jeremiah and David Collins," says Victoria. "They had ridden out earlier and had not returned, and we were worried about them, so we went and found them. We didn't start the fire, and I'm not entirely sure how it was caused."

[Mr. Handy]

"She speaks the truth," says Reverend Trask, who has never ceased to marvel at Victoria's ability to say something that is completely true and yet leave out information. While they knew that Laura was responsible for the fire, none of them did truly understand how she had caused it.

[SunlessNick]

"Mr and Master Collins carried nothing with them that could cause such a fire either," adds Nathan.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

The staff of the lodge is able to confirm aspects of these accounts, so the authorities accept their stories, at least for now.

"Any of you want to ride in the ambulance with the burn victim and the kid? The boy's not physically hurt, but he seems pretty shook up. The folks at the hospital should be able to help him calm down. He keeps asking for his mother. Any of yiou know how we can get in contact with this Laura Collins?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Laura Collins passed away recently," says Victoria. "David's father Roger Collins is back in Maine. I'm David's governess, and I came here to find David and bring him home. I'll ride with them in the ambulance. It may help David to see a familiar face."

[Mr. Handy]

"This is so," says Reverend Trask. "Some people try to contact the dead with a seance, but I would not recommend it. Nothing good ever comes of such things."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

The medics and other emergency workers glance at each other after hearing Reverend Trask's words.

One of them asks "Are you feeling OK, sir? It's been a traumatic experience. Maybe you need a mild tranquilizer."

One of the police officers radios in to headquarters, asking them to check on any record of the death of a Laura Collins. While that's being checked out, they allow Victoria to ride with David to the hospital. He does seem to calm down in her presence.

[SunlessNick]

"We are fine," Nathan says, glancing at the Reverend. "A morbid jest, that is all. Though I fear Mr Collins may have seriously intended something of the kind."

[Mr. Handy]

"I am well," says Reverend Trask. "I have no need of such things, thank you. My faith shall see me through."

[Mr. Handy]

"Everything's going to be all right," says Victoria. "Your injuries will heal, Jeremiah. Medical science can work all sorts of wonders in this day and age. And you're safe now, David. Your father and aunt miss you and have been worried about you. I'm sure your cousin does too, though she doesn't always show it."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

Carolyn is his cousin, actually. Your post edited to reflect this. Admittedly, the relationship seems more like siblings, living in the same house and all.

At the hospital, Jeremiah is admitted to the burn unit. It looks like he'll need some skin grafts, so he's likely to be here a while. David greatly improves on the way there, and there's no need to admit him.

"I want to go home," are his most common words. It seems a choice must be made whether to stay in Phoenix until Jeremiah has recovered, or go back to Collinwood with David.

[Mr. Handy]

"We need to telephone Collinwood and let them know what we told the police," says Victoria. "Roger and Elizabeth can decide if they want David to come home immediately or if they'll allow him to stay until Jeremiah is able to travel. They can speak to him too while we're at it, and they'll need to buy a return ticket for him anyway. I'd like to get him home, but I do worry about leaving Jeremiah here without us."

Oops. It is a confusing family.

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank God for the telephone," says Reverend Trask. "It is much faster than sending letters back and forth. Though there is still something to be said for the art of letter writing. I am glad that art is still alive."

[SunlessNick]

"Perhaps one of us can conduct the boy home and return," suggests Nathan. "The journey is far less time consuming than in our day."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

A long distance call to Collinsport draws an excited reaction from the family, particularly the boy's father.

"What the devil was Jeremiah thinking? What exactly happened out there? I know David misses his mother, but this is too much. Get him back here immediately."

It remains to be seen who will accompany the boy.

Meanwhile, arson investigators have checked out the site of the fire. Among the ashes are unmistakable human bones. The police have more questions.

"Who else was there that night? Somebody died in that fire, and I think you know who it was."

It's likely that dental records will soon show that the bones match those of Laura Collins, who had supposedly died in an apartment fire some time ago. Two victims of fire with the same dental records? That's going to be hard to explain.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

ignore -- quoted myself

[Mr. Handy]

"We'll get him home on the next available flight," Victoria tells Roger. "It's hard to say exactly what happened, but we should know more once Jeremiah recovers."

"It was very dark," says Victoria to the police, "so it's hard to say for sure who else was there. Jeremiah probably knows more, as he was closer to the fire, but I don't know if he's in any state to talk. From what I could see, it almost seemed like there was someone's silhouette in the fire. I would rather it had just been my imagination than that someone really died. I know this is going to sound crazy, but what if it was Laura Collins? David came here because he was convinced his mother was somehow still alive. What if she actually was? Maybe she faked her death in the apartment fire, and this time she really died? When she was living in Maine, before she came out to Arizona, she had an unhealthy obsession with fire. It wouldn't surprise me if she started the fire somehow and it got out of hand."

[Mr. Handy]

"At least one of the two of us needs to escort you, Miss Winters," says Reverend Trask after the phone call, "whether you go with David or remain here. But at least one of us should stay with Jeremiah until he recovers and is able to return home."