“The fresh air and a few moments of exercise will do me good,” Josh said.
“Where are you going to sleep? I haven’t got any other bedding to offer you.”
“Remember the army cot on Lacey’s back porch? I think there’s room to squeeze it in here for the night.”
Ah, so that was it, Percy thought. He hadn’t really wanted to walk me down the street. He just wanted a cot. She swallowed the tart reply that leaped to her mind.
After a last glance at Troy, they left through the front door. The night was warm and sticky, as were all the nights now. But the sky was cloudless and glistened with the light of the galaxy.
“Look at that sky,” Percy said amiably. If he insisted on walking her down the street, she might as well make the best of it.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Josh agreed. “Even more amazing is the thought that the Maker of that sky was in your bedroom today.”
Percy looked at him sharply. “Are you talking about God?”
Josh was amused. “Do you know someone else who could make a night like this?”
Percy did not respond. She had been taught to believe that God made heaven and earth, and she supposed she did believe that. But that God would be involved in what had happened that day was beyond acceptance.
“I can imagine that looking after Troy was not an easy thing for you to do,” Joshua said gently. “He’s been openly hostile toward you more than once, and he can be quite a troublemaker. Yet you took him in and cared for him.”
“I didn’t have much choice,” Percy said abruptly. “Peter and Travis insisted on carrying him in there. And you insisted that I stay and pretend to be a nurse.”
“You did very well,” Josh said, smiling in the dark. “You could have just walked away and refused to help.”
“The thought did occur to me,” Percy admitted.
“You might have even thought that Troy Wilger got just what he deserved,” Josh said.
Percy did not want to admit aloud that she had thought that exactly when she first saw who the wounded man was. “He does seem to be more trouble than he’s worth sometimes,” she said cautiously. “Travis and Peter seem to be quite indulgent of behavior that many would find unacceptable. For some reason, they must think he’s worth all the trouble he causes.”
Josh paused a moment before responding. “Aren’t we all more trouble than we’re worth? By God’s grace, people put up with us, even love us sometimes.”
Not me, Percy thought. I have to earn my way every step that I take. I don’t ask for an ounce of anyone’s grace, much less God’s. Aloud, she said, “I prefer to believe that I don’t go around causing chaos and havoc everywhere I go.”
Josh laughed. “I would say that your mere arrival here a few weeks ago caused considerable chaos and havoc.”
Percy was glad the night hid her blush. “Don’t misconstrue my words. That’s not the same thing at all. I’m not anything like Troy Wilger. And neither are you.”
“At some level, we all are,” Josh said softly. “But thankfully, that’s not the end of the story.”
Percy wanted to continue her adamant protest against a comparison between her and Troy Wilger, but they had arrived at the Gates house. She pressed her lips together to compose herself and told herself she should have brought the pie still sitting in her kitchen. It might have made coming over here under these circumstances less awkward.
“Lacey and Travis will still be up,” Joshua said confidently as they started up the front porch steps. “I’m sure by now Travis has explained to Lacey why you didn’t show up with the pie this afternoon.”
Lacey was in fact still up, reading by lamplight in the living room. She welcomed them warmly and listened with rapt attention to the report that Joshua gave on Troy’s condition.
“Thank God he’s going to be all right,” Lacey said when Josh finished. “And thank God that you were there, Josh. Even just last year, he would have had to be taken south and the trip might have killed him. And Percy, thank you for staying to help Josh. Don’t worry about what you missed this afternoon. We’ll do it again soon.”
“It may be a few days before I can move Troy,” Josh explained to his sister. “I’m going to take the cot and stay over there with him. Percy can stay in my room, if that’s all right with you.”
“Of course it’s all right. I’ll go up now and change the bedding.”
“Don’t go to all that trouble,” Percy protested. “If you give me the sheets, I’ll change them.”
“Don’t be silly. You’re my guest. Sit down and relax. There’s tea on the stove if you want it.”
Lacey flew into action and armed Josh with a pillow and blanket to go with his cot, and she had changed the sheets on Josh’s bed before Percy knew what had happened. It seemed like only a few minutes later that Percy found herself standing in the middle of Joshua Wells’s room, with the bed invitingly turned down and a lamp glowing softly on the nightstand. On top of the dresser Lacey had left a wash basin of steaming water. Percy glanced down at herself and began to peel the soiled dress off. Grateful for Lacey’s thoughtfulness, she scrubbed her face and arms. By the time she pulled her nightgown over her head, she felt almost refreshed. She turned around to survey the room more carefully.
Percy had not seen this room on her previous visit to the house. By most standards, it was not a large room, but compared to her own quarters, it was enormous. The double-sized bed had a thick, lofty mattress and was covered by an intricate, colorful quilt. Percy wondered if the quilt was the handiwork of Lacey or her mother. A small bookcase in one corner held a range of medical books and another stack sat on the desk across from the bed. A plain pine wardrobe no doubt held the simple collection of clothing that belonged to Dr. Wells.
Josh kept his room neat, Percy concluded. Lacey had hardly been up here long enough to change the bedding, much less straighten up the room. No, Josh was orderly and thoughtful in private, just as he appeared around other people.
Percy sat on the edge of the bed and let out an involuntary squeal. It was softer than anything she had slept on for years, ever since…She refused to let her mind conjure up the picture of her childhood bed and the reason she had left it behind. But a moment of envy told her it would be difficult to go back to her own bed after a few nights here. She pulled her legs up from the floor and curled them under her in the softness. From her comfortable spot, Percy examined the nightstand. Another stack of medical books made her smile. Joshua surely was absorbed by his profession, even as limited as his practice was. Then she saw the Bible. It looked well thumbed and familiar, like her grandmother’s Bible looked. So he was serious about that, too, Percy said to herself. Well, if he had lived the life she had lived, maybe he would have a different perspective.
She picked up the leather volume, not unlike her grandmother’s Bible. It seemed to fall open naturally to the middle, to Psalm 27:1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Percy read no further. She was afraid, even if she admitted it to no one but herself. But for this one night, perhaps she could feel safe. She turned away from the Bible and let herself sink into the glorious oblivion of the featherbed.
Chapter 15
Percy soon grew afraid that she would become too accustomed to the comforts of Joshua’s room and Lacey’s home. The bed was soft, the sheets clean and cool, the quilt an obvious heirloom.
She awoke the first morning well rested from sleeping in the spacious featherbed. In the haze of the early morning consciousness, for a moment she thought she was in her old bed, the one in the room with the wallpaper of neat rows of tiny blue flowers. She expected to open her eyes and see the eyelet curtains and the breakfast tray with tea and toast. But the confused memory lasted only a second. Percy jolted to full consciousness and bolted out of bed, sure that she had overslept. She darted across the room and threw back the plaid cotton—not white eyelet—curtains and
judged the sun. Her heart slowed its pounding. She was not late. If anything, she had awakened early. Swiftly and quietly, she dressed and left the house.
At the end of the day, Joshua insisted that Troy, although much improved, was not ready to be moved. And there was no place to move him to anyway. As diplomatically as he could, Josh impressed upon Percy that her quarters would have to serve as the infirmary until Troy was strong enough to rest on his own in the bunkhouse. Josh would not predict how soon that might be, so Percy returned to the Gates house for another night. It was nearly bedtime for the Gates boys by the time Percy arrived, but Adam successfully pleaded permission for one game of checkers.
“Grandpa is coming tomorrow,” Adam announced.
“Oh?” Percy responded as she slid her checker closer to Adam’s side of the board.
“He’s coming for lunch,” Adam explained. “Why don’t you have lunch with us, too?”
Lacey interjected immediately. “That’s a wonderful idea. Take a break from that garden of yours and enjoy a meal that you didn’t have to cook.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of a family visit.”
“Nonsense,” Lacey insisted. “Papa wants to meet you, anyway. We’ve been telling him stories.”
Percy smiled awkwardly, embarrassed. “I hate to think I’ve done anything worth telling stories on.”
“My father is easily entertained,” Lacey said.
And so Percy found herself at the Gates house for lunch the next day. Lacey prepared a menu that would appeal on a hot day: a fruit tray, bread with cheese and jam, and cool tea poured over ice chipped off the block in the icehouse.
“Oranges!” Percy exclaimed. “Where did you get oranges from?”
“Travis brought back a dozen from his last trip. I’m sure he would have brought six dozen for you if he had been able to get them.”
“I’ll just enjoy a few orange slices here and not mention to any of the men that I had them.”
“Thank you for your discretion,” Lacey said amiably.
“Can I help you set the table?”
“Thank you. There’s a clean tablecloth hung over the back of that chair.”
Percy hardly finished laying out the dishes before the front door swung open. Adam and Caleb heard the familiar creak and tumbled down the stairs and into their grandfather’s arms. Daniel Wells feigned weakness, collapsed to his knees, and allowed them to knock him over. Giggling, Caleb positioned himself squarely on his grandpa’s chest. From his prostrate position, Daniel grinned up at the triumphant little boy.
“My turn, my turn,” Adam demanded as he straddled his grandfather and nudged Caleb out of the way.
Watching the scene from across the room, Percy asked Lacey, “How often does your father come to visit?”
“About once a month,” Lacey answered. “In between, we go over there. The trail has become so well worn over the years that it is a much easier walk than it used to be.”
“It’s several miles to the lighthouse, isn’t it?”
Lacey nodded. “Several miles to a whole different world.”
“What do you mean?”
“When Josh and I were little, the lighthouse was all we knew. We could roam for miles and not see anyone but our family for months at a time. Then the lumber camp came in. Abby’s family moved in and things began to change. Twenty years ago no one would have guessed that there would be an argument about forming a town government here.”
Daniel Wells drew himself to his feet, with one squealing boy wrapped around each leg. “Is that argument still going on?” he asked.
“It gets more animated all the time,” Lacey said. “Josh is taking care of someone who was hurt in an accident with the saw, but Travis thinks there may be more to it than that.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Daniel said genuinely. “I know as well as anyone how difficult change can be, but fighting about it doesn’t help anything.” He lifted his eyes to Percy. “You must be the Miss Morgan I have heard so much about. One of the nicest changes I’ve seen in the camp in a long time.”
“Thank you, Mr. Wells.”
Gently shedding the boys, Daniel crossed the room and kissed Lacey’s cheek. “We haven’t had one of our talks on the lighthouse balcony for a long time. I miss that.”
“Mmmm,” Lacey agreed, smiling pleasantly, “I do, too. Next time I come over, let’s ask Micah to take the boys out in the meadow to look for deer, and we’ll go up the lighthouse.”
“Don’t wait too long,” Daniel said. “I know how you sometimes let things build up inside you.”
Percy felt a lump in her throat swell. Was this caring, gentle man really Lacey and Joshua’s father? He seemed to know his daughter well. Percy could not imagine ever having a conversation like this one with her father, Archibald Morgan. He would never have known if her feelings were pent up inside her. He barely noticed whether she was in the house or not. He preferred not to engage in conversation outside of his study, and children were strongly discouraged from entering the room where he withdrew to brood. Daniel Wells did not hesitate to speak to the point. Percy could remember being thoroughly confused about what her own father was thinking. She was never even sure that he actually liked Percy or her younger sister. What they did or did not do with their pent-up emotions was certainly no concern of his.
“I’m not holding anything in, Papa,” Lacey assured her father. “I’m quite happy. I promise you.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear it. Now let’s have that lunch before your sons tackle me and tie me to a post.”
That was all the cue they needed. Adam gasped. “Caleb, let’s find some rope!” And they were off.
Percy watched, wide-eyed. Was he serious? Was Daniel Wells really going to allow his grandsons to tie him up? She had never thought much about what kind of grandfather her own father might be, but she was certain he would not surrender to the ropes of two little boys. As it was, though, she doubted she would ever find out what sort of grandfather her father might be. She seriously questioned whether she would ever have the opportunity to have children of her own. And, of course, she had no idea where to find her father, even if she wanted to. His unknown whereabouts were not a problem, though, since Percy could not imagine the circumstances under which she would want to see her father again. After what he had done, what would be the point? No matter what her mind told her, though, Percy could not quite dissolve the lump in her throat as she watched Daniel Wells with his grandsons.
“I hear you are quite the checkers player,” Daniel said to Percy. “Perhaps after lunch we can have a game. But you’ll have to let Adam be my special consultant.”
Percy fought for words. “I’d be honored. Certainly, we’ll have a game. Caleb can be on my side.” Archibald Morgan would never have suggested a game of checkers, much less agreed to take on a small child as a teammate.
“I’ll get the food,” Lacey said.
“I’ll help,” Percy added hastily, for she did not want anyone to see the mist that filled her eyes.
Chapter 16
Troy Wilger’s health improved, but his attitude did not. For four days he occupied Percy’s room, grumbling nearly every moment that he was conscious. When Lacey sent over clean sheets, Troy wanted nothing to do with them, even though he had been sweating and twisting in the bed for two days and the bedclothes were so damp and tangled he could hardly find a loose end on which to pull. When Percy heated water for Josh to give Troy a sponge bath, Troy nearly knocked the basin from her hands. It was all Josh could do to keep Troy in bed and resting. Troy repeatedly muttered about his wounded dignity and refused to accept the seriousness of his injury. Josh hardly dared leave the bedside for fear that Troy would try to get out of bed and demand his independence—and rip open his wound. And, of course, Troy had nothing pleasant to say about Percy, even as he commandeered her room and devoured the plates of food that she dutifully carried in at regular intervals. Each time Percy recalled that Josh had
compared her to Troy, saying that at some level everyone was as much trouble as that hateful lumberjack, she was infuriated anew. Some day, she determined, she was going to challenge Dr. Joshua Wells on that remark and set him straight.
Percy occupied Josh’s room for each of the four nights that Troy was in her room. Lacey kept a pot of coffee hot so that when Percy arrived in the evening they could sit together and relax for a few minutes. On the third evening, as they tidied Lacey’s kitchen after drinking their coffee, Percy’s heart caught in her throat. Lacey was no longer treating her as a guest but as a friend. Despite her city background, precious little friendship had ever graced Percy’s life, unless she counted the brief attachment she had had to the gardener’s daughter. She hardly knew how to respond to Lacey’s gracious informality.
On the last evening, Adam and Caleb got into a frightful scrap that made Percy’s childhood arguments with Ashley, her younger sister, seem like polite conversation. But Lacey responded with firmness and authority, and the boys soon restrained themselves. Even a flare-up of sibling rivalry reminded Percy how different this home was from the one in which she grew up. Her own mother would have looked helplessly at the governess to resolve the conflict. Fortunately, her disagreements with Ashley had been rare. Their shared intuition about the tenuousness of their family’s relationships bound them together in a silent pact. Also, Ashley was so much younger than Percy and they had very little over which to compete.
After watching Lacey discipline her sons, Percy went to bed with a heavy heart. Will I ever have another chance to soothe Ashley? She wanted to so badly, but it seemed a hopeless dream.
Percy was relieved when Josh informed her that he was moving Troy to the bunkhouse and arranging for a rotation of people to take care of him. Troy was out of immediate danger, but he had to be watched or he would do something foolish and find himself under Josh’s unrelenting eye once again.
Josh had done his best to keep Percy’s small room tidy. After living in his immaculate room for four nights, Percy expected nothing else of him. He removed his army cot and replaced her trunk along the wall, and repositioned the side chair and nightstand, which he had been using as a table for his own meals. The room looked as it usually did. Still, Percy felt compelled to scrub everything in sight. She remembered in too much detail the scene of Troy’s arrival: the streaming blood, the anguish on the faces of Travis and Peter, the enormous knot in her own stomach that nearly immobilized her. Scrubbing would make the room clean again and, more importantly, it would make the room hers again.
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