by Bonnie Leon
“Wish I could, luv. But I’ve got a couple of new roustabouts showing up this morning. They’re going to stack some of that hay we’ve got left.” He kissed her. “How would it look if the boss was late?” Settling his hat on his head, Daniel strode through the kitchen and out the back door.
Rebecca stood at the kitchen window and watched him walk toward the barn. “When will this drought end? I don’t know that I can stand any more of it.”
Willa set a pan of burned eggs on the counter and moved to Rebecca. Standing directly in front of her, she grasped her arms. “Life will be set right again. Give it time.” She turned and watched her son. “He’s carrying a great weight, more than he has reason to.” Folding her arms over her chest, she added, “I dare say, when we’re most weighed down, we forget God wants to carry our burdens.”
“Daniel feels God’s deserted him,” Rebecca said barely loud enough for Willa to hear. Looking at her mother-in-law, she added, “Nothing I say helps.”
“We have to let him find his own way.”
“It . . .” Rebecca choked back tears. “It just hurts so much to watch him. I know he feels alone.” Despite her efforts to hold back the tears, they came anyway. Brushing them aside, she said, “Sometimes I wish he would walk away from this place, leave everything, and start over. And at the same time I’m so proud of him because he won’t.”
Returning to the scorched pan, Willa said, “I’ve seen my share of hardship, and the Lord has never let me down. Not once.” She smiled at Rebecca, her eyes warm.
Rebecca nodded, but she was still afraid. She felt as if a stone lay in her gut, heavy and fearsome. “Willa, I’m scared. What if something terrible happens?”
“And why would you think something is going to happen?”
“It’s just that there’s already been so much suffering.”
Willa moved to Rebecca and pulled her into a motherly embrace. “There now, everything will be fine, dear. I’m sure of it. We’ll stick together.”
Rebecca rested her head against Willa’s shoulder. “I know I shouldn’t be afraid, but I am. I’ve never experienced anything like this.”
Joseph’s cries carried down from upstairs. Rebecca stepped away. “I better get him.”
Willa held Rebecca at arm’s length. “Now, don’t fret. Everything will turn out just as it should.”
Rebecca nodded. “I believe you.”
“Don’t believe me. Believe God.”
Joseph rattled off a string of “Mama, mama, mama, mama.”
“I better go up. He’s probably hungry.”
“You go, and I’ll do my best to get the goo out of this pan. I do so miss Lily.” Wearing a bewildered expression, she added, “You’re a much better cook than I am. Perhaps you ought to have a go at it?”
“I’d like that. But I’m not nearly the cook Lily is.” Rebecca shrugged. “We’ll manage. Does Callie know anything about cooking?”
“I rather doubt it.”
Joseph let out a loud howl, and Rebecca hurried upstairs.
By the time she reached Joseph, Callie was already lifting him out of his bed. He tucked his chubby arms in close and rested his head against the servant’s chest.
“Oh, thank you, Callie,” Rebecca said. “I’ll take him.” She reached for Joseph and carried him to the rocker. She sat and put Joseph to her breast.
Callie turned her attention to straightening the room. “I’ll wash the beddin’ t’day,” she said, stripping off the crib’s sheets and blankets.
Rebecca rested her head against the back of the rocker. She felt tired. The morning had barely begun, but already the heat drained her. “Sometimes when I sit on the veranda, I believe I can hear the crackling of brittle grasses.”
“Yais, maybe ya do, eh? When it’s dry like this, strange things happen.”
Rebecca looked out the window. “There are clouds in the east. Is it possible they’ll give us a bit of rain?”
“Maybe, mum.” Callie dropped the bedding into a clothes basket.
Rebecca continued to stare at the plump gray clouds. “I know we’ve had clouds before, but these look heavier and darker.”
Callie walked to the window and looked out. “Ya could be roight.”
Rebecca felt a surge of hope. Feeling a bit more lighthearted, she asked, “Callie, do you know how to cook?”
“Just damper, mum, not much else.”
“Oh. I was wondering if you knew how to make decent eggs.”
Callie smiled. “Is that what I smell?”
By late morning, a brisk breeze cooled the flats. The distant clouds now scuttled across the sky, shutting out the sun.
“Glory be!” Willa said, stepping onto the veranda. She breathed deeply. “I believe I smell rain.” She looked at Rebecca. “You don’t suppose we might get a bit of wetness?”
Rebecca moved down the steps and into the yard. “I felt a drop!” she said, holding out her arms and turning her face skyward. More drops fell. “It’s raining!”
The clouds opened up and dumped their moisture. Daniel stood at the barn and looked up at the sky and laughed, then ran across the yard. He caught Rebecca around the waist and lifted her, twirling her about. “Rain! At last—rain!” He set her on her feet and kissed her.
“Isn’t it wonderful!”
“Yes.” He brushed damp hair off of Rebecca’s face and kissed her again. “Wish I could stay.”
Rebecca thrilled at the devotion she saw in Daniel’s eyes. “Can’t you?”
“Sorry, luv, but I’ve got to check on a mob at the eastern boundary.”
“Do be careful,” Willa said. “If it comes down very hard, there could be flooding.”
“I’ll be careful,” Daniel said, glancing at the gray sky. With a quick kiss for Rebecca, he hurried off.
The rain fell but only for a short time. Then, behaving like one of the few showers that had moved through over the past year, the squall was swept away, and the sun returned to bake the plains. In less than two days, the small puddles had dried out and mud congealed into hard ground.
Rebecca stood at the porch railing fanning herself. “Perhaps there will be more storms now that we’ve had one.” She looked at the garden. “At least the flowers had a good drink.”
“Yes,” Willa said. “My flowers are happier.”
Rebecca closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose. “Sometimes when the ground is damp I think I can smell home.” With a smile, she said, “But today this seems like home.”
Gazing out over the yard and beyond to the endless grasslands, she smiled. “If I were to leave, I’d miss this place. I’ve grown to love it here.” Rebecca laid her hand over Willa’s, which rested on the top of the balustrade. “For so long I felt like a stray. It’s good to have a home again.” Her gaze moved to the two new men Daniel had recently hired. “However, I do wish there were more I could do to help Daniel. In fact, he was in such a hurry today he couldn’t take the time to instruct the new help.”
Willa watched as one of the workers walked across the yard. “They’ll do just fine. And I’m sure that if Daniel feels the need, he’ll speak with them tonight.”
“Perhaps.” Rebecca felt uneasy. She stared at the barn door. “Just after the storm I caught them stacking wet hay. They had no idea it could mildew and make the animals sick.” She shook her head. “I hate to think of what might have happened if I hadn’t discovered the error.” Taking a handkerchief from her pocket, she patted her damp face. “I do pray for more rain and cool weather.”
“Oh yes. That would be lovely.” Willa sat in a wicker chair. “Will you be traveling home for Thomas and Mildred’s wedding?”
“I long to go, but not while Daniel is struggling so.” Rebecca smiled. “I’m thrilled for my aunt though. Thomas is a fine man. I knew the day Auntie left that she was truly in love. She would never set off on a journey like that without making proper arrangements. It’s very out of character for her, unless of course, she’s in love.”
“I would say you’re exactly right.”
Rebecca leaned against the railing. “Do you think Woodman will return soon?”
Willa looked out past the yard to the flatlands beyond. “He’s left us before and always came home. But I don’t know how long he’ll be gone. Sometimes it’s taken months for him to return.”
“I don’t understand why he left, especially now.”
“All I know is that the aborigines say they hear from the land and that they must go.”
Rebecca was confused. “How does he know it’s calling him?”
Willa wore a crooked smile. “I really don’t know, dear.”
Rebecca nodded, still perplexed. “It’s all very confusing to me.” Rebecca glanced about the veranda. She searched the yard. Joseph wasn’t anywhere about. “Have you seen Joseph?”
“Callie took him for a walk. They left a short while ago. He does so love to be strolled about in his carriage.”
Rebecca’s taut nerves relaxed. “He seems happiest outdoors. He’s growing so quickly; soon he’ll be charging about on his own.” Rebecca let her gaze move to an area of pasture just west of the barn. She saw what looked like smoke. “What’s that?”
“What, dear?”
“There.” Rebecca pointed at a hay pile with smoke billowing from beneath the heap. “It’s smoke!” Lifting her skirts, she hurried down the porch steps and out into the yard. “There must be a fire!”
“Heavens no,” Willa said.
“The hay is burning!”
“Come with me, Rebecca!” Willa said urgently as she ran for the barn.
She and Rebecca grabbed buckets. “We need help.” Willa looked around. “Where did the new roustabouts go? Help! There’s a fire! We need help!”
The men stepped out from the back of the barn. The larger of the two asked, “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“There’s a fire in the haystack! Fill these buckets with water and douse the flames before they go any farther. I’ll get blankets.”
Rebecca thought her heart would stop. “What about Callie and Joseph?” She looked toward the road. “Where did they go?” Fear swelled. Dear Lord! Please don’t let anything happen to them.
Willa took Rebecca by the shoulders. “Rebecca, Callie will know what to do if the fire spreads. But we must stop it here.”
She nodded but didn’t feel assurance. Everything in her screamed to search for her son.
A woman with an infant strapped across her front stepped out of a cabin. Clutching the baby against her, she sprinted to Willa. “I’ll get water, mum,” she called and ran for a bucket.
“We must put out the flames—now!” Rebecca shouted.
“You help with the buckets. The blankets are in the tack room.” Willa disappeared inside the barn.
“Callie!” Rebecca screamed as she grabbed a bucket and ran to the watering trough. “Callie!” The servant didn’t appear. “Callie!”
Rebecca dipped her bucket into slimy water. When it was nearly full, she ran for the hay pile. Already the fire had more than doubled, and flames had leaped to the field. The blaze burned toward the barn.
“Oh, my Lord!” Rebecca stared at the sight. What good would one bucket of water do? Even though it seemed a worthless effort, Rebecca ran, stopping just out of reach of the fire and emptied her bucket. Voracious flames consumed the moisture.
Willa met her with sopping wet blankets.
“We can’t stop it!” Rebecca shrieked.
“Beat it with these,” Willa said, handing a blanket to Rebecca and then running toward the fire. The men tossed water on the barn walls, but the flames were already licking at the back of the building.
A handful of men and women worked to douse the fire or beat it back, but their efforts were met by what seemed an impenetrable, gluttonous blaze. While slapping the flames with a wet blanket, Rebecca continued to look for Callie and Joseph. They were nowhere. A servant carrying a wet canvas bag ran toward the fire. Rebecca grabbed his arm and stopped him. “Have you seen Callie? Or my son?”
“No. I ’aven’t seen ’em.” The man pushed past.
Each bite of land consumed by the fire added to Rebecca’s fright. What had happened to Joseph? Eyes tearing, she peered through heavy smoke. Where is he? Lord, please protect him.
Fire ate up dry grass and wood, burning across fields and through buildings. The barn blazed. “Chavive!” Rebecca cried. She’d planned to ride her later that day, and after brushing the mare, she’d left her in a stall. She raced toward the barn and charged inside. Horses screamed their fright, and panicked cows mooed.
“Chavive!” Rebecca called, running to her stall. Throwing open the gate, she grabbed the horse’s halter. Barely able to see through dense smoke, Rebecca choked and coughed as she guided her cherished mare outdoors. She slapped her rump. “Go! Run! Go on!” she hollered and then turned back to the barn. Flames and smoke billowed throughout the structure. Rebecca ran from stall to stall, freeing captive animals.
Gasping and struggling to breathe through the acrid smoke, she stepped out of the burning building and watched a portion of the roof collapse. Her eyes and throat burned. She longed to sit and cry, but there was no time. The insatiable blaze moved toward the house. It was ruthless.
Woodman stepped out of the smoky haze. His eyes red and watering, his skin sooty, he looked down at Rebecca.
“Oh, praise the Lord! Woodman!” Rebecca was so glad to see him, she nearly leaped into his arms. “Is Daniel with you?”
“No, mum.” He coughed. Gripping her arms, he looked intently into her face. “Ya all roight, mum?”
“Yes. No. I can’t find Joseph and Callie.”
He glanced about. “Can’t worry ’bout them now, mum.” Woodman picked up two blankets and wet them, then swinging them both, he fought down hungry flames.
Willa flogged the blaze, trying to protect her flower garden. “You won’t have these!” she shouted.
Daniel galloped into the smoke-choked yard. He jumped from his horse and ran for Rebecca. “How did this happen?”
“There was a fire in one of the hay piles.” Rebecca wiped stinging tears from her eyes. “I don’t know where Callie and Joseph are.”
“Where were they last?”
“I don’t know. They went for a walk.”
A burning tree cracked and fell toward them. Rebecca screamed and Daniel grabbed her, dragging her clear of the torched eucalyptus.
Willa and the others continued their fight. The fire grew fiercer.
“Daniel, it’s no use,” Rebecca said. “Everything is burning.”
An ember landed on Willa’s dress, and her gown flared. Flames climbed up her skirt. Using her damp blanket, Willa slapped at the burning cloth. The blanket, however, was little more than a singed rag and of little use.
Daniel snatched Rebecca’s soaked blanket and sprinted for his mother. He wrapped the moist cover about her skirts, smothering the fire. Picking her up, he carried her to an area already burned out and gently set her on the blackened ground. Squatting beside her, he said, “That’s all, Mum. There’s nothing more to do.”
Willa nodded and pulled her burned legs close to her chest.
“Daniel, the house is burning!” Rebecca yelled.
“Could Callie and Joseph be inside?”
“I don’t think so. I’m sure she wouldn’t hide there.”
Daniel looked about frantically. Everything was already burned or burning. “The house would be the only refuge. Stay ’ere with Mum. I’ll go in and have a look.”
“I’m coming with you.”
Daniel didn’t seem to hear. He ran to the house, calling, “Joseph! Joseph! Callie!”
Paint curled and exposed wood torched as Daniel pushed through the front door. “You check downstairs. I’ll go upstairs.”
Rebecca grabbed Daniel’s arm. “What if they’re not here?”
Daniel looked at her, but he had no answer.
“Be careful. Please, be car
eful,” Rebecca called, then watched as he charged up the staircase. She hurried toward the back of the house. “Callie! Joseph!” she screamed. “Please answer me! Where are you?” She ran from room to room, checking every nook, every closet. She even looked inside cupboards. They were nowhere.
Choking smoke seared Rebecca’s lungs as she ran toward the front of the house. Daniel ducked into the parlor and then reappeared a moment later. “Did you find anything?” Rebecca asked in a husky whisper, then choked.
“Nothing.” His face was black with soot, his eyes red and tearing. He coughed and wheezed, struggling to breathe. A curtain hanging at a front window flamed to life. “We have to get out.” He placed a protective arm around Rebecca and steered her toward the door.
Once outside, they scanned the blackened yard. The barn was ablaze and the cottages were flaming. Trees looked like torches, and burning leaves and small limbs rained down on the yard. Daniel guided Rebecca to an open area where the rest of the household had gathered. Willa tended to the injuries of others.
“Mum, what about Callie and Joseph? Have you seen them?”
Willa shook her head no.
Woodman strode up to Daniel and placed a hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “Ya find Joseph?”
“No. He’s nowhere.” Daniel peered through the smoke-filled yard and then scanned the flaming fields beyond. “Joseph! Callie!” he yelled.
“Oh, God! Where are they?” Rebecca sobbed.
Daniel pulled her into his arms and smoothed her hair as he would a child’s. They clung to each other and watched as the house blazed. Glass splintered and wood popped and crackled. The family and the few workers still left at Douloo huddled together on the dirt yard, their soot-covered faces imprinted with shock and revulsion. The fire burned through the house and outbuildings and then raced across the prairie. A black ruin was all that remained of the Thornton estate.
Daniel and Rebecca huddled together on the ground. Rebecca felt as if the fire had consumed her like it had everything else. Aching and empty, she pressed in close to Daniel.
Daniel pushed to his feet and pulled Rebecca up with him. He gazed over the wreckage of what had been his home. “We have to find Joseph,” he said.
