Providence (27 page)

“Mr. Hall and Michael. They
brought the Hereford bull that he promised to loan us,” Kate replied.

“Oh, I can’t wait to see Michael.
I haven’t seen him since I was just a little girl. He’ll be surprised at how
big I’ve gotten, won’t he Momma?” Jo chatted incessantly, continuing to flick
at the droning flies. “Jeremy said that Michael got married and his wife is
gonna have a baby. Does that make Jeremy an uncle? I wish we had a baby, then I
could hold it and rock it, and sing songs to it. I do that with my doll, but I
think it would be better with a real baby.” Jo paused, a frown creasing her
brow. “You have to be married to have a baby, don’t you, Momma?”

“Well, yes, that’s the way God
intended for families to be,” Kate said finding a niche for her heavy basket in
the cool dark kitchen. “Why?”

Jo heaved a weary sigh, “I just
wish you could have a new baby for us, but....”

Kate smiled at the wistful tone
in Jo’s voice. Returning to the sunlit porch, she gathered Jo up in her arms.
“Honey, God has so richly blessed our lives already, maybe someday He’ll see
fit to bless us in that way, too.”

Jo threw her arms around her
mother and buried her face in Kate’s neck. “I’m gonna keep praying for that.”

 “Look. Here come the
Halls,” Kate said setting Jo down.

A flash of petticoats and red
curls bolted down the stairs as Jo launched herself into Michael’s arms. “Oh,
Michael, it’s so good to see you again. I bet you don’t even recognize me, do
you?”

“Could this my wild Irish rose
all grown up?” Michael asked swooping her up in a warm embrace.

Jo beamed from ear to ear, her
fiery hair and petal soft pink cheeks echoing the bloom for which he named her.

“Hello, Jo, been climbing any
windmills today?” the elder Hall asked her.

“Oh, no sir, I’ll never do that
again,” Jo replied earnestly, earning a hearty laugh from them both. Michael
set Jo down and she ran off looking for her pup.

“Nana Insley!” Michael called to
the frail woman fussing over the table.

“Well little Michael Hall, as I
live and breathe!” Nana exclaimed as she all but disappeared in his massive
arms. “Only you aren’t so little anymore,” she said, regaining her composure.

“Nana, it looks as though you’ve
out done yourself again,” Mike commented, casting an appreciative eye over the
lunch table.

“Oh, you know how ‘tis, cooking
for all the hungry mouths around this place, a body just does what she can,”
Nana replied as she wiped at a spot on the table that only she could see.

 “Shall we eat?” Kate asked.
“I expected Luke back by now, but maybe he’s been detained.” She sighed,
scanning the horizon for any glimpse of him.

“Luke?” Michael asked.

“Sort of foreman Kate hired a
while back,” Mike filled his son in.

“Anyone I know?”

“He’s not from around here,” Kate
supplied. “He drifted in early last spring, and Martha Jansen thought he’d make
a good hired hand for me. Seems I was having trouble keeping on any local
help.” Kate smiled wryly.

“Well, all this jabber isn’t getting
you men fed,” Nana complained. “Let’s eat!”

Mike asked a blessing upon the
meal and those assembled, then the men fell to filling their plates and
discussing the weather.

“Does it seem like a hotter
summer to you, Mrs. Shaughnessey?” Michael asked between bites. He was sitting
in a straight-backed chair, balancing a heaping plate on his broad lap.

“Won’t you please call me Kate?”
she asked with a grin. “Mrs. Shaughnessey seems so formal now that you’re all
grown up.”

“I don’t know, might be kind of
hard to get used to.”

 “You’ll manage. And yes, it
does seem like an unusually hot summer. Good thing we had some rains early on,
but we could sure use some more.” Kate wiped her face with the edge of her
apron before picking up her plate and finding a comfortable spot on the stairs
to eat.

“Looks like your garden and fruit
trees came on fine this year. Greta’s did right well, too. How’re Jake’s crops
doing?” Mike asked.

“He’s out checking them now, but
so far they seem to be doing fine. I believe he’s going to start harvesting the
corn this week. And I think we’ll be cutting hay here real soon, too.”

“Kate, I have a favor to ask of
you,” Mike said, his voice taking on an earnest tone.

“Mike, you know I’d do just about
thing for you. What is it?”

“Greta’s time is comin’ real
soon, I’d be obliged if you’d come on out to midwife for her.”

“Well, of course I will, but
she’s never had any trouble before, has she?”

“No, but she’s not as young as
she was, and she’s been a bit weak these last few weeks.”

“You just send one of the boys
out here in time to fetch me, don’t wait too long! I’ll be there for her.” Kate
reached over and laid a reassuring hand upon his arm. “What about your Annie,
Michael? How is she doing with her first one?”

 “Can’t rightly say. She doesn’t
say much about it, but she sure looks pale and sickly these last months. That’s
one of the reasons I brought her out here, Mrs.
-
I
mean, Kate,” Michael paused. “I thought Ma could give her some encouragement or
something. I mean after all, she’s been through it a few times herself.”

Kate laughed, “That she has, but
I’m not sure it’s encouragement she needs right now. Has she been seeing a
doctor at all?”

“Yes ma’am, back in Kingfisher,
we have a real good doc. He says everything is fine, and she should have no
reason to worry.”

“Well, Michael, it is a scary
thing for a woman to face, especially the very first time. Will you both still
be there when Greta has hers?”

“I’ve got to get back to the
store, but I’m trying real hard to convince Annie to stay on here. I think
she’d be better off here with mom to look after her. I can get down to see her
from time to time, and once the baby’s here and they’re both well, then they
could come back home with me.”

“That actually sounds like a good
plan to me. What does Annie think?”

“She hasn’t said too much one way
or the other, but I’m thinking she’ll probably stay.”

“That’s good. Your mother could
do her a world of good.”

“Yes, ma’am, she sure
could.”           

 A movement along the ridge
caught Kate’s attention. Shading her eyes with one hand, she could make out the
gleaming coat of the buckskin colt. The form took shape as horse and rider came
closer. Kate smiled at the sight. Luke had done a fine job with the young
horse, and he was quickly becoming a sound, reliable mount.

“Looks like Luke is headed in for
lunch. You’ll get a chance to meet him after all,” Kate said watching their
approach.

Luke rode into the yard. Swinging
down from the buckskin, he loosened the girth, removed the headstall and turned
the colt loose to graze. He paused at the pump in the yard long enough to
splash water over his face and hands, then turned and strode to the porch.

“Luke, Mike brought the Hereford
over this morning,” Kate called to him.

“Thought he must have. I saw the
bull up at the corrals. Good looking beast, Mike,” Luke said, helping himself
to a plate and heaping it with food.

“Thanks. Do you need help driving
him out to pasture?” Mike asked.

“Nah, we can handle it tomorrow.”

“Luke, I want you to meet
Michael, the Hall’s oldest boy,” Kate said turning to the young man at the far
side of the table. The look in Michael’s eyes sent a chill through Kate. His
jaw was clenched, his eyes cold. A shiver of fear shot through her, and she
turned, puzzled to Luke. He stood rooted to the rough wooden planks of the
porch. Kate thought she saw a flicker of pain before an inscrutable mask
descended over his handsome features.

 “Michael,” Luke rasped.

“Luke Josey,” Michael replied,
clenching his fists tightly at his side.

An awkward silence ensued
punctuated by faint laughter drifting from the garden. A dog barked joyously,
and soon running feet announced Jo’s arrival.

“Hello, Mr. Josey,” Jo laughed,
grabbing him tightly about the waist in a warm embrace. “Are all the cows doing
well today? Did you check the bee gum? Are we going to have honey soon? Look,
the Halls have come, and they brought a big bull with them.”

Luke closed his eyes briefly,
then set his plate on the table, and tousled Jo’s hair with a faint indulgent
smile. “I’m suddenly not very hungry. If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”
He strode to where the colt grazed, startling the buckskin with his abrupt
approach. The horse snorted and backed up, but stood quietly while Luke bridled
him and tightened the saddle. Mounting, he turned the horse out of the yard and
they rode swiftly away.

“What’s the matter with Mr.
Josey, Momma? Did I do something bad?” Jo asked with a frown.

“No, honey, you didn’t do
anything wrong,” Kate reassured the small girl. As Jo’s lip began to quiver,
Kate gave her a quick hug, patted her back tenderly, and placed a light kiss
upon her milky forehead. “Now, why don’t you go in and help Nana clean up these
dishes, okay?”

 “Yes, ma’am,” Jo said,
though Kate could tell she was not thoroughly convinced.

As Jo disappeared into the
kitchen, Kate turned a questioning look on Michael, “I take it you two have met
before?”

“Briefly.”

“Do you want to tell me about
it?” Mike asked his suddenly taciturn son.

“Not really. He was a friend of
Joe’s, Annie’s brother.” Michael continued to stare in the direction Luke had
taken. “Unless you need me here, I’m going to head back.” Without waiting for a
response, Michael left, heading for the barn where his horse was corralled.
Moments later Kate saw him ride in the same direction Luke had gone.

“Mike?” Kate asked, searching the
face of her friend for answers.

Mike shook his head and shrugged,
“I don’t know Kate. I honestly don’t know.”

***

With a heavy heart Kate tucked
the faded quilt snugly around Jo’s small body. “There you are, sweetheart,” she
said, placing a tender kiss on Jo’s tear stained cheek. “Sleep well, I’ll see
you in the morning.”

“But Momma, why did he go? I want
Luke to come home,” Jo sniffed.

 Kate sighed as she stroked the
curls that lay spread upon the muslin pillow. “Honey, I don’t know why he left
the way he did. I pray that he’ll come home, but I don’t know, I just don’t
know.” The emptiness Kate felt was mirrored in Jo’s eyes. She gathered the
forlorn child in her arms and rocked her until exhaustion overcame grief and Jo
slept fitfully.

She laid the sleeping child upon
the pillow, arranging the light covers tenderly. Picking up the oil lamp from
the bedside table, she made her way down from the tiny loft. The Insleys had
left early this evening, dismayed over Luke’s disappearance. Jonathan vowing to
ride out after him, had been firmly dissuaded by Kate.

Drifting through the dim room her
thoughts focused on Luke. Where is he? What is his burden? As much as she found
herself drawn to him, loving him, she knew that until he exorcised the ghosts
of his past, there could be no future for them.

She tried to read, but the words
would not conform to any sense upon the printed page. Her mind wandered.
Turning to prayer, she implored the Father to watch over Luke, give him the
peace he so desperately sought. She prayed for Greta and Annie and the innocent
souls they carried within them, and finally she prayed for herself, asking her
Father for the courage and strength to face an uncertain future.

 Knowing the Lord had heard
her prayer, but unable to deny the gnawing angst within her, she rose and paced
the length of the small room. Passing the window, her eye caught a hint of movement
beyond the shadows of the dogwood trees. Impatiently tossing aside the sheer
lace curtains, she peered intently into the gathering darkness, as though
willing Luke to appear before her eyes. The flicker of movement came again, and
Kate could just make out the silent, swift flight of a night owl honing in on
his evening’s prey. Moments later, a haunting screech lent credence to the
vision. Sighing she let the curtains fall as she turned from the window.

Running her fingers through her
hair, she removed the ribbon and the few pins holding it in place. Kate shook
her head and let the gleaming curls fall loose as she brushed it vigorously.
She felt the grief within her as though an invisible hand laid hold of her
heart, bearing down inexorably until she was certain that the very life would
soon be wrung from her.

 In an attempt to escape the
crushing burden, she slipped into the soft darkness of the night, with only the
lamp to light her path. The warm air enveloped her, caressing her skin like a
lover’s embrace. A thousand cicadas sang an evening chorus accented by the deep
baritone of bull frogs, with the soft hooting of an owl adding the woodwinds.
Kate stopped, letting her senses absorb the rich tapestry of life abounding in
the night. The orchestra was brought to a crescendo and suddenly stilled by the
mournful howl of a lone coyote. The plaintive wail awoke a stirring within her
soul that echoed the lonely sound. She closed her eyes as the cry died, and the
symphony of the night began to play once again.