Angel of the Cove

by Sandra Robbins

  Granny took a pan of biscuits from the oven and set them beside the ham. “Jest what I al’ays do—trust the Lord to provide. If’n I didn’t, don’t know how I could live.”

  Anna felt ashamed of her lapse of faith and gave Granny a quick hug. “I’m learning a lot more from you than just how to be a nurse. You teach me something about overcoming doubt every day.”

  Granny waved her hand in dismissal. “Go on now. You sure got a way with makin’ an ole woman feel good.” She wiped her hands on her apron and motioned for Anna to sit. “Now set down and eat. Somebody’s bound to come by in a while to tell us ’bout last night.”

  Anna slipped into her chair. “I was hoping you would have already heard.”

  Granny shook her head. “Not yet.”

  They bowed their heads and asked the Lord to bless the food. When they opened their eyes, Granny picked up the platter but paused as a knock sounded at the front door. They both jumped up and hurried toward the sitting room. Anna got to the door first, pulled it open, and gasped.

  Simon, his face and clothes streaked with soot, stood on the front porch. His tired eyes stared out from under the brim of his hat.

  Anna’s eyes grew wide, and she clutched at her throat. “Simon, what happened?”

  He took his hat off and backed away. He slapped the hat against his leg and soot flew from his clothes. “I been up all night over at Cecil and Pearl’s. Their barn burned.”

  Anna, her gaze roving over Simon, stood rooted in the doorway, and Granny stepped around her. “Anybody hurt?”

  Simon shook his head. “Thank the Lord, no. Cecil got his cow and mule out, but he lost the hay and feed he had in there.”

  Granny pursed her lips. “That’s bad, but we kin be thankful they’s all right.” She turned back to Anna and smiled. “Well, I reckon you gonna git to see a big party.”

  Anna glanced between her and Simon. “Party?”

  Granny chuckled. “We’s gonna have us a barn raisin’. When somethin’ happens to one of our folks, we all pitch in and help. That’s the onliest way we kin all make it.”

  A tingle of excitement bubbled up in Anna. “When will it be?”

  “Probably next week sometime,” Simon said. “Some of the men are going to start clearing away the remains when everything cools off. Then some of the others will come over to cut the trees and make the logs. They’ll work real fast so we can get the barn up in time for Cecil to have a place to store his corn and wheat when the harvest comes.”

  “Anna,” Granny said, “you ain’t never seen nothin’ like it. That barn’ll be built in a day, and we’ll be right there a-feeding ’em so they work faster.”

  Simon laughed. “It is a sight to see.” He glanced down at his dirty clothes. “Well, I’d better get on home and get cleaned up.”

  Granny took him by the arm. “You ain’t a-goin’ nowhere ’til you eat some breakfast.”

  Simon tried to back away. “I’m too dirty, Granny. I don’t want to get this soot all over your house.”

  Granny shook her finger at him. “Preacher boy, when’d you ever know me to worry ’bout a little dirt? Now you go on round to the back and wash up at the well, then come on in. You’ve been up all night, and I intend to feed you ’fore you leave here.”

  Anna laughed. “You’d better do as she says, Simon. She wants you to stay.” She hesitated. “And I do too.”

  His soot-streaked face broke into a big grin, and he nodded. “Well, in that case, I sure have been missing Granny’s cooking. I’ll just go wash up, then come inside.”

  Anna watched Simon disappear around the corner of the house before she reentered. Granny was already in the kitchen setting an extra plate at the table. “It shore is good to have Simon back, ain’t it?”

  Anna smiled. “It sure is.”

  It was near noon when Granny pulled back on the horse’s reins and brought the buggy to a stop in the same spot they’d occupied when they came to the Davis farm for the baby’s birth. Today the scene across the property bore a difference to what it had been that day.

  Now only a mangled pile of debris lay in the spot where the barn once stood. Men wielded shovels and other tools as they sifted through the ashes and loaded the debris onto the waiting wagons.

  She remembered how the barn looked the day Simon had lashed out at her. He’d accused her of judging those she didn’t understand. Now as she gazed at the men united in their group effort, she saw only commitment to help a neighbor who had suffered a disaster.

  “You gonna set there all day?” Granny’s voice caught her attention.

  Startled, Anna realized Granny had climbed from the buggy and was waiting for her to join her. Anna jumped down and brushed at the dirt on her dress. “If it doesn’t rain soon, this dust is going to choke us to death.”

  Granny chuckled and headed for the house. “This ain’t nothin’ like I seen in years past. In fact, we’s had a right mild summer so far.”

  Anna glanced at the men once more before stepping to the front door. “I guess Cecil and Pearl wish it had been raining last night. They might have saved something.”

  “I reckon so, but they didn’t. And we jest gotta deal with what’s left.”

  The door opened as soon as Granny rapped on it. Cecil’s sister-in-law stood in the doorway. The corners of her eyes crinkled as she smiled. “Granny and Anna, come in, come in. I was a-wond’ring if’n you two was gonna come by.”

  Granny chuckled. “Wild horses couldn’t’ve kept me away, Lavinia.”

  “Me neither,” Anna said. “I had to see how my little friend Josie is doing.”

  They stepped into the small sitting room where Anna and Josie had napped the day of the baby’s birth. Lavinia motioned for them to follow her into the kitchen. “Pearl’s takin’ a nap, pore thang. Don’t think she slept a wink last night. I been a-feedin’ Josie, and she’s settin’ at the table.”

  Anna chuckled to herself at her first impression of Lavinia Davis the day Cecil arrived after bringing her to care for Pearl. When the tall, slender woman walked into the house, her take-charge attitude disturbed Anna. Within minutes of arriving she made it clear she needed no help with Pearl, Josie, or the household chores. She had, she announced, come to stay two weeks for Pearl’s confinement, and Granny and Anna were free to go.

  After checking Pearl one last time, she and Granny had headed home. With the two weeks not up yet, Lavinia was still in charge.

  “Josie,” Lavinia called out as they walked into the kitchen, “look who’s come to see you. Granny and Anna.”

  When Josie saw Anna, she dropped the biscuit she was eating onto the table and held out her arms.

  Lavinia laughed and picked her up. “That’s Anna. Kin you say Anna?”

  A big smile creased Josie’s face and her brown curls, neatly combed today, bobbed up and down. “An-na.”

  Lavinia hugged the child. “I been a-tellin’ her ’bout Granny and Anna, and she’s been larnin’ yore names. She’s a sweet little thang, and smart too.”

  Anna regarded the pinafore Josie wore. “What a beautiful dress. Is it new?”

  Lavinia nodded. “I sewed it t’other night outta some scraps I found in Pearl’s sewin’ box.”

  Anna’s eyes grew wide as she ran her fingers over the ruffles at Josie’s shoulder. “Oh, Lavinia, you are a wonderful seamstress. My mother tried to teach me, but I never could learn. Maybe you can show me how you do it.”

  Lavinia beamed. “Ain’t nothin’ to it. I’ve larnt a bunch of Cove girls how to sew, and I reckon I could larn you too. Maybe while you’re here you and Granny kin come stay a few days at my house, and we’ll sew.”

  “Thank you. I’d like that.” Anna stepped closer and held out her arms to Josie. “Want to come to me?”

  The child giggled and Lavinia passed her to Anna. Lavinia pointed to a chair. “Set yourselves down and I’ll fix us somethin’ to eat.”

  Anna glanced around at the kitchen, which had been so bare of food wh
en they were here before. Today bowls of food sat on the table and pots simmered on the stove. Granny set the basket she’d brought on the floor and began to unload it.

  “I brung some vittles, Lavinia. Ain’t much. Jest some ham and a blackberry cobbler. And a few tomatoes, and oh, yeah, there’s a bowl of peas too.”

  Lavinia shook her head. “Land’s sakes, ev’rybody been so kind to Cecil and Pearl. I think ev’ry fam’ly in the Cove done brought somethin’.” She darted a glance at the bedroom as if she didn’t want Pearl to hear and spoke in a soft voice. “It’s a good thang they did. Food’s been mighty scarce ’round this place lately. The foxes done got all their chickens ’cept a rooster and two laying hens, and they’s down to two hams and a side of bacon in the smokehouse.”

  Granny nodded. “Them foxes been bad this year.”

  “Shore have. So’s I was glad to see all this here food. And the men, they’s worked so hard helpin’ Cecil. I declare, I don’t want to live nowhere else but in the Cove. Folks cain’t be as good anywhere else.”

  Josie clapped her hands as Anna juggled her on her knee. “I think you’re right, Lavinia. I’ve never met kinder people.”

  Lavinia turned to her. “Then maybe we can talk you into stayin’. How long you gonna be with us, Anna?”

  “I’ll be leaving the first of September. I’m going to New York to enroll in nursing school.”

  Lavinia frowned. “Why you want to go there? We need you here in the Cove. All the women are talkin’ ’bout how you doing such a good job with Granny. Pearl’s raved ’bout how you took care of Josie. We need you, Anna.”

  Granny set the last bowl on the table and placed the basket on the floor. “That’s what I been tellin’ Anna, but sometimes I think I’m jest a-wastin’ my breath. This child got the gift of healin’, and I shore would like to see her take my place when I cain’t do it no more.”

  Before Anna could say anything, Pearl’s voice called from the bedroom. “Lavinia? Do we have comp’ny?”

  “We do, Pearl. Granny and Anna come by.”

  “They gonna come in here?”

  “We’s coming, Pearl,” Granny said as she headed toward the bedroom.

  Anna got up, shifted Josie onto her hip, and followed Granny and Lavinia into the bedroom. Pearl lay in the bed with her long brown hair fanned out across the two pillows beneath her head. Her hazel eyes lit up, and she smiled.

  Pearl’s face didn’t look quite as gaunt as it had when Anna had last seen her, probably a testimony to the good care Lavinia had been giving her. Pearl held out her hand and Granny grasped it. “Granny, I’s so glad to see you.”

  Granny leaned over and kissed Pearl on the forehead. “You look mighty good, Pearl. I knowed Lavinia would have you back to normal in no time.”

  A shadow crossed Pearl’s face. “Normal? I ain’t never gonna be normal agin, Granny. Not after what you said ’bout me not havin’ no more babies.”

  Granny sat down on the edge of the bed and rubbed Pearl’s hand. “I jest tole you what I think’s for your own good. Your little body cain’t handle no more, Pearl. Don’t kill yourself tryin’ to have another child.”

  Josie squirmed and tried to get down, but Anna tightened her grip on her. Anna stepped forward, Josie still hanging on her hip. “Listen to Granny, Pearl. You’ve got the sweetest little girl I ever did see, and she needs her mama around until she’s grown.”

  Tears shimmered in Pearl’s eyes. “You right, Miss Anna. She’s the best thing ever happened to me.”

  Josie whimpered and held out her arms to her mother. “Mama.”

  Anna leaned over and held Josie down to her mother for a kiss. “She loves you a lot, Pearl. When Granny was helping you and I was taking care of Josie, she kept crying for you. I don’t know what she’d do if you left her.”

  Pearl hugged the child before Anna stood and held Josie to her side again. Pearl smiled up at Anna. “You shore got a way of makin’ me see thangs the right way, Anna. I got me a child the Lord done given me. I cain’t go a-grievin’ over what He took away. The Good Book says the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. I guess I jest gotta remember that.”

  Josie squirmed again and rubbed her eyes. Anna glanced down at Josie’s mouth, which she’d pulled down into a frown. “I think Josie’s tired.”

  Lavinia nodded. “She didn’t sleep much last night neither. With all the comin’ and a-goin’ round here, I don’t know if’n she’ll go to sleep or not.”

  Anna drew the child’s head down to her shoulder and Josie snuggled against her. “She did real well with me the other day. Why don’t I lie down with her in the sitting room and see if I can get her to sleep?”

  Pearl smiled up at Anna. “I ain’t never gonna forgit how good you been to my little girl.”

  Anna hugged Josie. “It’s easy to be kind to a child as sweet as she is.” She glanced at Granny. “You and Lavinia can stay and visit with Pearl, and I’ll see if I can get Josie down.”

  Granny nodded. “Thank you, child.”

  Anna turned and walked from the bedroom. As she entered the kitchen, she stopped at the sight before her. Cecil Davis, his arms braced on the kitchen table, leaned forward, his head bowed and his shoulders drooping. He glanced up as Anna walked into the room.

  “Hello, Mr. Davis. I’m so sorry about your barn.”

  He pushed himself up to his full height and straightened his shoulders. His red eyes stared out of a soot-streaked face crisscrossed with lines of fatigue. He glanced at Josie and Anna clasped her tighter. Without a word, he nodded and walked out the back door.

  Anna stood in the kitchen a moment, her legs shaking and her heart pounding. Simon might think Cecil Davis was a good man, but so far he’d given her no indication of that. His aloof attitude frightened her, and she resolved she would never place herself in a situation where she was alone with him.

  She stepped to the back door and watched Cecil rejoin the men at the barn before she entered the sitting room. The patchwork quilt still hung on the chair, and she spread it on the floor.

  Within minutes of lying down Josie drifted off to sleep. Anna lay there, wide awake, listening to the soft, rhythmic breathing of the child. Anna’s back ached from lying on the wooden floor and her head hurt from lack of sleep, but she wouldn’t allow herself to doze. Even with Granny, Lavinia, and Pearl in the house, she didn’t trust Cecil, and she intended to keep guard against him.

  Chapter 17

  In the few days since Simon had appeared to tell them about Cecil’s barn he had become a frequent visitor again, and his appetite hadn’t decreased during the time he’d been away. Anna watched him shovel the last bite into his mouth and swallow.

  “Simon, you git ’nough to eat?” Granny propped her hands on her hips and stared at his empty plate.

  Simon glanced at Granny. “What’d you say, Granny?”

  She raised her voice. “I said, did you git ’nough to eat?”

  Simon laid his fork down and glanced up at Anna. “I don’t know. Did I, Anna?”

  His words startled Anna, and she frowned. “How should I know?”

  Simon grinned at Granny and leaned forward. “Well, you’re the one usually tellin’ me to quit eatin’ up all Granny’s food. I wanted to check with you before I asked for another helping of those fried apples.”

  A retort sprang to her lips, but the teasing glint in his eyes made her smile instead. She settled back in her chair and crossed her arms. “I know what you’re up to, Simon Martin, and it’s not going to work.”

  His eyebrows arched. “Whatever do you mean, ma’am?”

  “You’re baiting me into fussing at you so you can keep on teasing until I lose my temper.” She leaned forward and wagged her finger at him. “Well, it’s not going to work this time.” She picked up the ladle in the bowl and spooned a mound of apples onto his plate. “How’s that, sir?”

  Simon looked down at his plate and frowned. “Is that all I get?”

&nb
sp; Anna giggled and wagged a finger at him. “There you go again. Trying to make me mad.”

  He laughed and took a bite of apples. “Am I succeeding?”

  Granny, who’d stood listening to the exchange, burst out laughing. “I declare. Thangs are a-gittin’ back to normal ’round here. You two sure can go at it worse than any I ever seen.” She shook her head and turned toward the stove, then glanced over her shoulder. “I’d say you right taken with each other.”

  Anna didn’t answer but scooped up the remaining dishes on the table and carried them to the dry sink. Simon might eat a lot, but she had to admit he never came without bringing a string of fish or some kind of wild game for their table.

  She had to admit too, that having him back had brought life into the house again, and she could endure the teasing just to have him here. In fact she was beginning to think that he added a missing ingredient to her life, and she didn’t want to think about the time when she would no longer be able to see him. She took a deep breath before turning back. It would probably be wise to change the subject. “How’s it going with the barn raising?” she asked. “Is everything ready for tomorrow?”

  Simon nodded and handed his now-empty plate to Granny. “All the logs have been cut and hewn to the size and shape for the different parts of the barn. We’ll get started early in the morning. You two coming?”

  “’Course we comin’. I ’spect ev’rybody in the Cove’s gonna be there,” Granny said.

  Simon sighed and slumped down in his chair. “I don’t know about that, Granny. I hope Luke Jackson’s able to come. I hate to think what the men are gonna say if he doesn’t show up. You know they helped him out when he needed a new barn.”

  Granny eased into the chair beside Anna, shook her head, and grunted. “Has he been drinkin’ agin since the church picnic? I feel so sorry for Naomi and what she puts up with. I pray for her ev’ry night.”

  Simon smiled at Granny. “You need to keep doing that.”

  Anna reached over and patted Granny’s hand. “I’ve been praying for her too. The Lord has really put her and her children on my heart.”