The Long Road Home Romance Collection

by Judi Ann Ehresman

  One by one the stars twinkled out. As the moon also disappeared from sight, Mandy mused, This must be what they mean when they say it is darkest just before the dawn. I’m glad I know the morning will come, because I wouldn’t want to have to endure this much darkness for very long.

  Just as a little light made the trees again take shape, Mandy thought she smelled smoke. She wondered if someone had made camp in the woods, or if she was nearing the edge. The trees didn’t seem to be thinning any, but the smell became stronger and then she saw a little smoke off to the right. Another ten minutes or so and she spotted a clearing in the woods.

  She entered the clearing not too long after daybreak and glimpsed a cabin, barn, and several outbuildings. A man, woman, and several children stepped out of the cabin to greet her. They seemed surprised to see a lone woman in the wagon.

  After introducing themselves as the Brownings, they invited Mandy in for some breakfast. Mandy climbed down from the wagon to stretch her tired legs and back. She explained her mission and asked if they knew how much farther it was to the general store.

  When Mr. and Mrs. Browning said it was another several miles, she saw their concern for her, traveling in her obvious condition, reflected in their faces. Mr. Browning encouraged her to make a list of things she needed and said that he would go get the things for her while she stayed to visit with his wife and children.

  “We’ve been needing to stock up on some groceries before winter as well,” said Mrs. Browning, “and Ned can pick up our things while he’s there. Why, if we’d known there was a young lady living alone in these woods, we’d have been through to check on you sooner.”

  Mandy was afraid to tell them she was not alone, because she didn’t know how they felt about slavery, so she assured them she was fine and well taken care of.

  Edna Browning bustled Mandy inside while Ned watered the mule. Mandy insisted he take her wagon and mule since they were already hitched, but Ned said the mule should rest in the barn to prepare for the trip back home this afternoon.

  Soon he came around the cabin with a high-stepping horse harnessed to a light wagon, and Mandy knew his travel time to town would be cut in half with that combination. She herself might have been able to make it from her cabin to the Brownings in not much more than an hour. Her barrels and crocks were already in his wagon, and he stopped in for her list.

  As she tried to give him her money, he laughed. “How do you know I’d come back with all that money? No, we’ll settle up when I get back. But I will take the nice lunch basket you packed if you don’t mind. Edna here will fix you some lunch while you visit.” And so saying, he waved good-bye to them, with a few shouted instructions to the children about their chores.

  Mandy tried to count the children in her head. From the sound of the things she was hearing there were at least three teenage boys working out in the barn, two slightly younger girls helping in the kitchen area, and three smaller children hiding behind Edna’s skirts. Let’s see, that makes eight, I think, if I haven’t missed anyone. They were all beautiful children—some blond and blue-eyed like their mother, and some dark like Ned. The oldest girl was dark-haired, but fair-skinned and blue-eyed, which made a striking combination.

  Edna seemed as excited as Mandy to find another woman so nearby. It’s a good feeling to know you have neighbors, Mandy thought, and friendly ones are an extra bonus.

  “When’s the young-un due, if you don’t mind my asking?” Edna posed the question in a gentle way that didn’t seem at all bold or probing. “Is this your first one?”

  “This is my first, and will be my only one, since my husband was killed in a railroad accident this past summer. The baby should be here in another few weeks, if I have figured correctly,” Mandy said with a smile.

  “Well, I’ve never delivered one, but I’ve had plenty, so I’ll come over when your time is near to wait with you and help out with the birthing, if you’d like. The girls here can cook well enough, and Ned and the others will get along just fine for a few days without me. Besides, it will be good company to spend some time with another woman.”

  Mandy thought about Deidre and wondered how to explain to Edna but decided to wait until the time came and pray about it. Edna seemed like the kind of woman who would love anyone, no matter their circumstances, but still, Mandy would pray first.

  Before she realized the sun had moved so far in the sky, she heard the horse and wagon coming into the clearing and Ned’s cheerful singing. “What a beautiful voice your husband has, Edna. Why, listening to him sing is better than going to a concert!”

  Edna chuckled. “Don’t tell him that. If he knows we’re listening, he’ll stop singing, and I’d miss it terribly. Sometimes, now that the boys are older, he teaches them to harmonize, and it sounds like a choir straight from heaven out there in the barn. We all enjoy music, and it does make the work go faster.”

  When Ned came close enough that she could hear the words, Mandy heard him singing, “What a friend we have in Je-sus, all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to car-ry…”

  “Do you all know Jesus, too?” Mandy asked quickly.

  “Lands, yes! My daddy is a preacher, and Ned and I met in the church out East. We miss having church so much.”

  What excitement the two women shared when they discovered they had this in common, too. They were making plans to get together again when Ned came in the door.

  “Your mule’s hitched, and your wagon is loaded with the supplies. You better get on your way soon if you want to get home in time to get unloaded before dark. The temperature seems to be dropping pretty fast, too. I’m sending our son Thomas with you to help you unload the wagon. We hitched Nelda on the back of your wagon, and he will ride her home. Nelda’s been needing a chance to stretch her legs and that will work out fine.”

  Ned wouldn’t listen to any arguments, so Mandy settled up with him, hugged Edna one last time, and climbed onto the wagon. She was thankful for godly neighbors and looked forward to seeing Edna again soon.

  Chapter 10

  Thomas was good company, for a young boy. Just shy enough to be polite but friendly enough to carry on a conversation. Sometimes they simply enjoyed the quiet noise of the woods as the mule tramped along.

  They had been traveling for close to an hour when the first pain came. It was a sharp pain in her lower back that made her stomach tighten enough to make her gasp. Thomas looked at her with concern, but she laughed and said her back must be tired of the bouncing and that she’d be fine. The pain was gone, and she was glad.

  She asked Thomas if he would teach her some songs about Jesus while they rode along. It took a little coaxing, but soon he started singing. His voice was clear and mellow, and Mandy thought she could listen to it forever.

  They continued on for another fifteen or twenty minutes before the pain occurred again, but this time she wasn’t quite so taken by surprise. Mandy began to get an uneasy feeling, however, and asked Thomas if the mule could go any faster. When Thomas urged Flops a bit, he truly did pick up his feet higher, but Mandy didn’t think the steps were any quicker. Soon they were plodding on the same as before. Again the piercing pain jabbed and tore at her lower back before they finally stopped in front of her cabin.

  Since Deidre was nowhere in sight, Mandy knew she had heard Thomas singing as they were coming through the edge of the woods and had hidden. Thomas helped her down and told her to go rest her back while he carried the barrels and crocks and packages into the cabin for her. Then he unhitched, fed, and watered Flops, and put the wagon in the barn.

  When he came back to check on her, she assured him she was doing fine now that she could walk around, so he hopped on Nelda and was gone through the woods faster than Mandy had ever seen a horse run.

  Deidre came out of her room as soon as she heard Thomas leave. “Y’all made real good time. Who was the young fella?”

  As Mandy started telling Deidre about her day, she suddenly sat down quickly and gasped for brea
th.

  “How long’s this been happenin’?” Deidre inquired. When Mandy told her about the pains on the trip home, Deidre took over, telling her to get undressed and into something more comfortable while she prepared Mandy’s bed. “Now, don’t ya’ll worry. Deidre’s helped the black midwives deliver lots of babies, and there just ain’t nothin’ to it. With the time between the pains, y’all still has lots of time before the hard work starts.”

  Mandy was so comfortable with Deidre that she wasn’t frightened at all. Deidre continued to encourage her that this was the most natural thing in the world, and that there was nothing to be afraid of. She even helped her relax by massaging her back and singing some quiet folk songs about Jesus.

  Mandy tried to be quiet with her moans, so as not to frighten Jedediah, who played with his blocks of wood on the floor. He didn’t seem to think there was anything unusual happening. When it was bedtime, Deidre rocked him and quietly sang her bedtime songs to him, then tucked him into her bed and was back to help Mandy through the night.

  Shortly before dawn the miracle finally happened, and Deidre laid the newborn bundle next to Mandy to cuddle. Daniel Ethan Evanston was the most beautiful baby Mandy had ever seen. Deidre had already bathed him and dressed him in one of the nightgowns they had made for him last summer. Mandy was very tired, but she could not stop looking at him long enough to go to sleep. Her tears wet his downy little head as she snuggled him close.

  “Your daddy would have been so proud of you,” she whispered, snuggling him even closer. “Oh, how I wish he could know he had a son.”

  Deidre blew out the candles and lamps and crept into bed to rest a bit before the new day began.

  As the sky lightened between the curtains, Mandy thanked God for the miracle that He had given her and prayed for wisdom to raise Daniel to know, to love, and to serve God.

  Chapter 11

  The days had turned colder, and the wind was sharper now. Most of the leaves had been driven to the ground with the rains, and October was showing the dregs of autumn as it waned and turned to November.

  The sun was much slower rising above the treetops in the mornings, and Mandy was glad for the new barrel of kerosene for the lamps. Through the summer they had not needed the lamps much, but now there was not enough light in either the morning or the evening.

  She had just finished feeding Daniel and had laid him on his pile of blankets, when she was sure she heard singing. She soon recognized Ned’s beautiful voice, so she bustled around to prepare more breakfast and make more coffee.

  Soon she could tell Ned was nearing the clearing, so Deidre took Jedediah and went into her room. They had discussed the possibility of telling Ned and Edna about her situation and had agreed that it seemed wise to do so. Both Deidre and Mandy breathed a quick prayer for God’s protection for Deidre and Jedediah. Mandy grabbed her shawl and stepped out onto the front porch just as the horse and wagon broke into the clearing.

  Edna waved cheerily and hardly waited for the horse to stop before she jumped down and ran to hug Mandy. Mandy ushered her into the house, as Ned climbed down, then started unloading something bulky from the wagon. Mandy told him to be sure to come in for some breakfast and then closed the door.

  Mandy could hardly wait to tell Edna about Daniel and show him to her. As soon as Ned came in and sat down for coffee and biscuits, Mandy told the whole story of Daniel’s birth, carefully leaving out the part about Deidre.

  Edna was amazed that she could have done it all alone, so Mandy explained about Deidre, including the part about the New Testament. By the time she finished, Edna was wiping her eyes. Her first comment was, “Isn’t it wonderful how God takes care of His own—a home for Deidre and a companion and sister for you. Even a playmate for Daniel. God is so good!”

  “Where is Deidre now?” Ned asked. “Can we meet her, too?”

  Mandy went over to open Deidre’s door and encourage her and Jedediah to come out and meet the company. Deidre shyly came out with Jedediah wrapped tightly in her arms.

  Edna was quick to greet her with a warm hug, and Ned stuck his hand out to shake hers.

  “We are glad to meet you and hear your story,” Edna said. “It makes us rest easier to know Mandy is not alone out here for the winter. Please feel free to come visit us with Mandy anytime you want. You will always be safe with us. We can have such a great time with three women.”

  Ned slipped quietly out the front door and returned carrying something big and bulky covered with quilts.

  “Oh, I almost forgot.” Edna smiled. “We want you to borrow our cradle that Ned made for our young-uns. We don’t need it right now, though it’s sure had lots of wear. When Daniel outgrows it, we’ll take it back.”

  As Ned uncovered it and stood it by the fireplace, Mandy exclaimed, “It’s lovely, and I’m so grateful. I’ll take good care of it. Thank you so much.”

  Ned headed to the door. “You women enjoy your visit. Since we made the trip over, I’ll go out to the barn and do your chores for today.” And he was gone. Then he stuck his head back in a minute later. “Jedediah, do you want to go help me in the barn?”

  Deidre started to decline on behalf of her son, but Edna said in her gentle way, “Deidre, it’s good for the child to be around men, too, and there’s none better with young-uns than my Ned. He’ll have him singing before they come back for lunch.”

  Deidre glanced questioningly at Mandy and was reassured by Mandy’s smile and nod. So Deidre dressed Jedediah warmly, instructing him to obey Mr. Browning, and the two disappeared out the back door. Mandy started to clean up the breakfast dishes, but Deidre insisted she should not be standing so much yet. So while Mandy sat in the rocker with her knitting needles flying, Edna helped Deidre make short work of the dishes and put the bright tablecloth and lamp back on the table. Next Deidre gathered some of their vegetables and placed them in the big kettle over the fire to simmer into a thick soup for their lunch. Then they, too, opened their handwork and the morning evaporated into thin air as they chatted like old friends.

  Soon it was time to set the table for lunch. The soup was making thick bubbling noises and smelled good. They were just pouring the milk into glasses and slicing the bread when they heard two voices singing at the top of their lungs. The women looked at each other, then all broke out in happy laughter.

  Edna winked. “I told you he’d have Jedediah singing.”

  They all ran to the door to see and hear Ned and Jedediah as they came toward the cabin.

  While they ate their lunch, Jedediah chattered away. Mandy had never seen the young boy so animated. “Unca Ned said he’d teach me to feesh for feeshes! Unca Ned said I can he’p him work today! Unca Ned said I sing good!” He was almost too excited to eat. “Unca Ned said he din’ bring me no bed cuz he din’ know Ah lived here. Unca Ned said cud we make me one today?”

  Ned explained how quickly he could make a bed with a few of the young saplings from the woods. Of course, permission was granted immediately, so the “men” quickly excused themselves and headed back outdoors.

  The afternoon went by far too quickly. Daniel slept peacefully, awakening only to be fed. Before they knew it, Ned was bringing the beds in and asking where to put them. He had made two—one for Deidre and one for Jedediah. They quickly set them up in Deidre’s room, using the feather mattress on Deidre’s bed and a stack of blankets on Jedediah’s until the women could make another mattress for him. Then Ned and Jedediah went out to do the evening chores before he and Edna had to start for home. Edna had been prepared to stay for several days or until the baby was born. But now, with the baby born and seeing the good companionship Mandy had, she was not uncomfortable leaving the young mother.

  Before Edna and Ned left, she invited Mandy, Deidre, and the children to come for Christmas. She told how much Thomas loved to drive the sleigh and how quickly the trip would go. They planned that Thomas would come for them on Christmas morning, and then bring them back the day after.

  Mandy
and Deidre agreed thankfully. It would be wonderful to spend Christmas with their new friends and with all the children.

  And so they parted. It was sad watching the wagon disappear through the trees, but Ned’s song echoed for a good long while through the woods.

  Chapter 12

  The wet and dark autumn days flew by and soon turned to snowy winter as Mandy and Deidre prepared for their Christmas Day outing. Deidre had asked if they could make a gift for each of the Browning children, so they planned and worked, and with all the other chores to do, the days passed quickly.

  Mandy knitted warm woolen scarves for the three older boys with their initials embroidered on each end, while Deidre gathered small willow branches and reeds and wove a beautiful little box with its own lid for each of the three girls. They lined the boxes with soft cloth and stitched a pretty flower on each of the lids. The flower on one box was pink, one yellow, and one a soft blue. For the smaller boys, they made bright colored wool mittens and caps to match.

  For Ned, Deidre found enough reeds by the stream to weave a nice hat to keep the sun out of his eyes in the summer, and for Edna they made some lovely lavender sachets tied with lace and ribbons. They also included in her gift a nice chunk of their lavender soap.

  Mandy was delighted to have so much to occupy her time and to not have to be alone, but as the holiday drew nearer, her yearning for Ethan grew stronger. Somehow in her heart she still could not accept that he was not coming back. She found herself listening for his whistle coming through the woods, or as the wind would slam against the door she would look up quickly, expecting the door to open and Ethan to walk in. But she was always disappointed.

  While Mandy was busy caring for Daniel, Deidre insisted on doing the barn chores. During the time each day that Deidre was outside, and many evenings by candlelight in the privacy of her room, Mandy stitched away on a warm woolen coat for Deidre. She didn’t have enough of any one color of material left in her trunk, but she pieced several colors and a soft plaid together to make a beautiful coat. She had enough pieces of rabbit fur left to make a collar and cuffs, and she even stitched a strip of rabbit fur just inside the woolen hood for extra warmth. She finally finished it by the middle of December, so she knitted Deidre some soft brown gloves to match. Next she made a small warm coat for Jedediah with a matching hat that had flaps he could wear down over his ears. A bright scarf and warm mittens finished her gifts for him only a few days before Christmas.