by Irene Brand
He reached for her hand, and she laced her fingers with his. “God, You have a purpose for Julia’s life. Both of us need Your guidance. Help us make decisions based not on what we want but what You want. I believe I’ve found my purpose as a local teacher. Please confirm that as I continue my studies. As for Julia, guide her every decision this summer so that she won’t harbor any doubts about Your will for her life. Amen.”
David squeezed Julia’s hand, and she smiled at him. “Thanks. My grandmother, the one who’s in the hospital now, believes in ‘putting out the fleece.’ She often uses Gideon’s example. If she wants to buy a new car, she might pray, ‘God, I don’t know whether I need a new car or if I want one because my next-door neighbor bought one. If it’s all right for me to buy another car, let me find a black, two-door Chevrolet sedan. If there isn’t one available in town, I’ll know I should wait another year to make a trade.’”
Laughing, he said, “I understand that. ‘Putting out the fleece’ is a common practice among mountaineers. So what’s your fleece going to be?”
“It’s very simple. If I can rent your neighbor’s house for two or three months, I’ll stay in Mistletoe for the time being. If not, I’ll take the bus to Lexington tomorrow and return to Maryland.”
Bobby was asleep by the time they settled into the Wilder Hotel for the night. Julia took him upstairs while David stopped in the lobby to place a call to Samuel Johnson. His housekeeper reported that Mr. Johnson was out of town and wouldn’t return until nine o’clock in the evening.
Before he went to his room, David knocked on Julia’s door.
“Yes, who is it?”
“It’s David,” he said. “Mr. Johnson isn’t home now. I’ll call later on, but if I can’t reach him, I will tomorrow morning.”
“Thanks, David. For everything. Sleep well.”
“Yeah, you too,” he answered softly.
Chapter Ten
Elated at the possibility of having a few more weeks with Julia, sleep eluded David until long after midnight. His emotions were topsyturvy. More than anything, he wanted to see more of Julia Mayfield, but his common sense told him he was only asking for trouble.
Then, early in the morning, he awakened from a dream that left him trembling and as weak as a newborn puppy. Nightmares of his war years had haunted him repeatedly for several months after he was discharged, and they’d started again this summer.
Like a kaleidoscope, mental pictures of war experiences flashed through his mind. He remembered vividly the faces of enemies he’d shot in hand-to-hand combat. The defeated attitude of Europeans who’d lost everything in the Allied bombing. The fear displayed by some of his comrades before their first jump into enemy territory. The prayers he had offered for his own safety.
His worst nightmare was about the death of a comrade who had retreated from the enemy either by mistake or because he was running away. Several soldiers had shot at the approaching figure in the early dawn, but in the past few months, David often wondered if it was his bullet that had caused his comrade’s death.
“Didn’t you sleep well?” Julia asked the next morning when they met in the hotel lobby.
David’s smile didn’t erase the anguish in his eyes. “I slept most of the night.” Smoothing back his dark hair, he joked, “I must look pretty bad.”
Julia wasn’t fooled by his nonchalance, and she was aware that he’d evaded her question. This wasn’t the same guy she’d known for the past few days.
“Hi, Bobby.” David held out his arms and took the boy. “How’re you this morning?”
“I hungry. I want brekfat.”
“Then we’ll see what we can do about that.”
The middle-aged waitress brought a bib and high chair for Bobby. Julia and David ordered sausage, eggs, and biscuits, and Julia asked the waitress to bring cereal and juice for Bobby. While they waited for their food to be served, she asked, “Do you have any news for me?”
David seemed to have dealt with whatever was bothering him, for an easy smile lit his eyes. “I finally reached Mr. Johnson. He’s willing to rent the house to you. For fifty dollars you can have it till the year’s end. You’re responsible for any destruction to the property. I assured him that he needn’t worry about any damages.”
Observing her nephew, who was squirming in the high chair and drumming on the table with a spoon, Julia said wryly, “I’m not too sure about that.” She added, “I wonder if it might be best to commit for only one month at a time. I can’t stay here for three more months. For one thing, I don’t want to be stranded in the hollow by a snowstorm.”
“We usually don’t have deep snows until January. Regardless, Mr. Johnson is a reasonable man, and he wouldn’t hold you to the lease if you have to leave before then. But I’ll be pleased for you to stay. Everyone should spend at least one Christmas in Mistletoe.”
Unwilling to make any long-term commitments, Julia didn’t comment on his suggestion. “Do you think the price is reasonable?”
“It’s a little high in my opinion, but you’re getting a better house than any other property in the hollow. That price also gives you the privilege of using the car he has stashed in the barn. Or don’t you drive?”
“I do. I got my driver’s license when I was eighteen. I drove army vehicles during the war. What kind of car is it?”
“A ’39 Ford.”
“I’ve driven my father’s Ford, so I’ll use the car. Please notify Mr. Johnson that I’ll take the house. And if you don’t mind, please get his address so I can send a check to him while we’re still in Booneville.”
Julia realized that she was becoming more and more indebted to David, but he was enough like his grandmother that he would probably resent any effort on her part to try to repay him. “I’ll have to figure out what I’ll need to buy for an extended stay in Mistletoe. What time do you want to start home?”
“One o’clock will be all right. Granny knows I can take care of myself, but I figured I’d go home yesterday without you. She’s bound to wonder where I am if I’m not home by tonight.”
“I’ll call the editor of the magazine and tell him where I am. When I contracted to have the manuscript ready for publication in November, I thought I could start writing before the month was out. I may have to ask for an extension.”
Their breakfast was served, and they ate in silence for several minutes while Julia’s thoughts rioted. Realizing that her hesitancy to leave David Armstrong had ruined her good judgment, she panicked.
“David,” Julia finally said, and her voice shook. “I don’t know what I’ve been thinking. It’s impossible for me to stay here. I’d have the responsibility of taking care of a house as well as a child. In Maryland, Bobby would be in his own home, playing with his own toys. If my parents don’t return to Maryland soon, I’ll pay someone to watch Bobby during the day while I work. I’ll leave on the morning bus.”
David’s dark eyebrows slanted in a frown, and an inexplicable look of dismay crossed his face. He threw up his right hand. “Hey, hold on a minute,” he said. “You’re borrowing trouble. Excuse me for saying this, but you’re apparently not short of money.”
She was surprised at his frankness, but after all he’d done for her, Julia thought she owed him an explanation.
“I saved the majority of my pay while I was in the WAC, and I’ll receive an advance payment on the book. I’ll have to go to work eventually, but I figure I have enough money to provide for my needs until I complete the book.”
He grinned sheepishly. “Excuse me for being nosy, but I suppose it’s obvious that I want you to stay. Can I make some suggestions to ease your mind about living here?”
She smiled. “Yes, of course.”
“Mistletoe is a perfect place for you to concentrate on your book. Among other things, it’s quiet; no phones ringing and no traffic. If your parents don’t have to spend a long time with your grandmother, they might even stop in Kentucky on their return and take Bobby home with them. You’
d just need help between now and then. As for that, Nellie will jump at the chance to help you. Although Millard won’t let her leave home to get a job, he might not object if she works for you. She’s helped raise her brother and sister, and I imagine she’s a fair cook. She could also be your housekeeper, since Hattie would have taught her what to do. You could devote all day to writing and meet your deadline.”
Feeling as if a load had been lifted from her shoulders, Julia reconsidered her options. “You make it sound possible.” She deliberated awhile longer and then smiled. “Okay then, you’ve convinced me. I’ll stay.”
David grinned at her, and she grinned back for a few moments.
Then reality set in. “I’ll have to buy groceries before I leave Booneville.” Julia’s mind spun again at the enormity of what she was undertaking. “Also, I’ll need towels, sheets, pans, and other things to set up housekeeping.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so. The house is completely furnished, but it’s been vacant for so long that it would need a good cleaning before you could move in. You can stay at Granny’s another day or two. Why not buy enough food to get along for a few days?”
“That sounds good. If I can drive Mr. Johnson’s car, I’ll come to town and shop after I determine what I should buy. It’s frustrating to have to change my plans so quickly.”
“Why don’t I take Bobby on a walk around town,” David suggested, “while you call your editor and make a list of things you need to buy?”
“Oh, would you? I’ll hurry so we can reach Mistletoe before Granny starts to worry.”
As they approached Mistletoe on their return trip, Julia said, “Granny is going to be surprised to see us again.”
“Yes, but she’ll be happy too. She took a liking to you.”
“She’s one of the finest women I’ve ever known.”
“She is that,” David agreed. “I sometimes think when the Good Lord made Granny, He threw the mold away.”
As they drove by the church and the post office, Julia compared her present attitude to what it had been when she’d seen Mistletoe for the first time. She had been tired, troubled, and defeated. How could she have changed so much in three days that she was voluntarily returning to the area to stay for several weeks? Glancing at David’s strong and rigid profile, his attractive male physique, and the unfathomable longing in his ebony eyes as he glanced toward her, Julia knew she wouldn’t have to search far to find the answer.
Arms akimbo, Granny stood on the porch when David stopped the Chevrolet close to the steps. Julia stepped out of the car and lowered Bobby to the ground. He scampered up the steps shouting, “Granny! Granny, I back.”
Laughing, Granny lifted Bobby into her arms. “I see you are—you little scamp.”
“Granny happy?”
Hugging him closely, Granny said. “I sure am.” Looking at Julia, who followed Bobby up the steps, she added, “What happened?”
David and Julia took turns relating the turn of events that had extended her stay in Mistletoe for a few months.
“Now, ain’t that great! I couldn’t want no better gift than to have you spend the rest of the year in Mistletoe. Maybe by Christmas you’ll like us so well that you won’t leave a-tall.” She glanced from David to Julia, a speculative gleam in her eye.
It wasn’t difficult to know the turn Granny’s thoughts were taking. Julia sensed that her face colored, but she shook her head and said, “That’s not likely, but I’m pleased to know I’d be welcome.”
“Will you watch Bobby while I take Julia to see the cabin?” David asked. “She’ll have to stay here until we can get the place ready.”
“Glad to do it. I’ll have supper ready by the time you get back.”
Julia and David drove the short distance to Mr. Johnson’s cabin. Glancing toward the setting sun, David said, “The cabin will be dark, but I’ll light a lamp so you can see what you’ve rented. I’ll start the generator tomorrow so you can have power for lights and cooking. You’ll have the most convenient home in Mistletoe.”
“This is the first time I’ve lived alone. I stayed with my parents until I enlisted in the WAC.”
Julia surveyed the outside of her new home with pleasure. The cabin faced west, and although the surrounding woodlands were shadowed, sunlight spotlighted the dwelling. She couldn’t recall ever seeing a more beautiful sight, suddenly wishing she was an artist so she could paint the hollow as it now appeared to her.
“It’s a sightly place,” David said.
“Indeed it is,” Julia said. “I was wishing I could put it on canvas so I could always remember it like this.”
David parked the car in front of his cabin and went inside to get a key to the Johnson house. Julia crossed the ravine and climbed the steps of her new home with satisfaction. She peered in a window, but she couldn’t see anything until David joined her carrying a large flashlight. He unlocked the door, and standing back, he motioned for her to enter first.
She stepped into a large room that ran the width of the cabin. David pulled the curtain covering the double window. Although the sun had dipped behind the western horizon, enough daylight remained to illuminate the interior. The kitchen was separated from the living room by a four-foot wooden partition. Rustic furniture, grouped around a stone-faced fireplace, lent a homey atmosphere to the interior. The house needed airing and cleaning, but it pleased Julia.
“This cabin is about like mine,” David explained as he struck a match and lit an Aladdin lamp on the library table. “There’s a bedroom and bath downstairs.”
He opened the door into a room dominated by a large wooden bed frame with a high backboard and a smaller footboard. A heavy comforter covered the bed. A dresser with a mirror and a low chest were arranged along one wall.
After examining the two sparsely furnished upstairs rooms, Julia sighed with satisfaction. “This is perfect for my needs. If Nellie will take care of Bobby, I can come upstairs and concentrate on writing.”
“I’ll ask Millard to help me move that desk in the living room up here,” David offered.
“Oh, wonderful. Thank you. Is there any place I can buy a typewriter in Booneville?”
“You might find one in Alex Barrett’s store. He carries about everything, and I believe he bought some office supplies from a factory that closed after the war ended. In fact, when Bobby and I were taking a walk, I noticed that he already has some Christmas gifts for sale. Just in case you’re still here for the holiday.”
Julia chose to ignore David’s hint. “All right, then. I’ll go to town in a few days and see if I can buy some office supplies. Then it looks like all I need to do is clean the place and move in!”
Chapter Eleven
Two days later, Julia and Bobby settled into their new home. Julia had expected that Granny and David would help her clean the house, but several of the local women also arrived at the cabin early Thursday morning. David had been up since dawn working on the generator, and he had a supply of water ready for the neighbors who brought cleaning supplies and willing hands and hearts.
Nellie and her brother, Addison, took charge of Bobby and kept him out of the way. Although Julia felt like a fifth wheel in a room full of industrious women who worked rapidly and effectively as a team, she insisted that she would clean the kitchen furniture and wash the dishes and pans. A sense of camaraderie existed among the women, and they talked and laughed as they worked. They used colloquial words and phrases that meant nothing to Julia, and she struggled to follow the gist of their conversation.
They were a bit distant with her, and she sensed that they didn’t approve of her stylish clothes, her short hair, or her independent spirit. She could imagine their reaction when she started driving Mr. Johnson’s car. In spite of their disapproval, they were doing what they would do for any newcomer. The neighbors also brought gifts, and when they finished at the end of the second day, Julia’s kitchen cupboards were full of home-canned foods that would last for the duration of her st
ay in Kentucky.
David and Millard cut the grass and weeds in the yard and around the outbuildings. Tom Morriston, a good mechanic, put Mr. Johnson’s car in operating condition. Having a vehicle of her own gave Julia a sense of freedom she wouldn’t have otherwise enjoyed.
At the end of the first day, Millard and his wife stayed at Granny’s for supper, which provided Julia with an opportunity to talk to Nellie about watching Bobby. She broached the subject while they were still sitting at the supper table. She didn’t need to explain why she was staying in Mistletoe, because Granny had already spread the news about her parents’ trip to Noel, Missouri.
“Now that I have a place to live,” she said, “I have another problem. I’ve committed to do some work that didn’t include taking care of a little boy.” Briefly she explained about the years she’d served in the WAC and the book contract. The Armstrongs listened with rapt attention, and Nellie’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Oh, I wish I’d been old enough to go to war,” she said.
“Which I wouldn’t have allowed, young lady,” Millard said, giving Julia the impression that he didn’t approve of women doing men’s work. She glanced obliquely toward David, who sat at the head of the table. All eyes were turned toward her, and he mouthed, “Go ahead.”
“I need someone to work for me during the day, not only to look after Bobby, but also to do light housekeeping. Hattie, you may need her at home, so don’t hesitate to say no, but I wanted to ask Nellie before I approached anyone else.”
It was obvious that Hattie wasn’t the one to make the decision, for Nellie’s eyes darted to her father. “Will you let me, Pa? Please.”
Millard cupped his chin in his hand and deliberated. Except for Bobby’s pounding on the high chair and his happy chortling, silence filled the room.
