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William stepped lightly through the woods, searching for the trail he had seen from the other side of the hill. He was hoping to find more cattle. He wasn’t planning on rounding them up; he just wanted to get a tally to compare at the end of winter.
It was beautiful out here. The leaves were falling from the trees now, making it hard to move quietly, but it was peaceful. He smiled; it wasn’t often that he had peace and quiet nowadays. Thomas would likely spend every waking minute with him if his Ma would let him.
Not that he minded; Thomas was a good worker, even if he was small. He had been surprised to find out Thomas was actually nine. He smiled, ‘Almost ten;’ Thomas kept telling him.
Fact was, the boy didn’t let his small size stop him. He got right in there and helped; he wasn’t scared of anything, not even the cows when they were branding them.
Skirting a fallen tree, William slowed, listening intently. He could hear movement up ahead, likely cattle moving through the trees.
Working to be quiet, he moved; it was difficult to see through the pines that dotted the hillside, but he moved steadily around until he saw movement in the clearing ahead.
As he neared, he was surprised. It was a small herd of deer, grazing in the sunlight. The wind was blowing contrary; it was obvious they couldn’t smell him, or hear him with the constant movement of the leaves.
He crept within fifteen feet of the closest one, and they still did not realize he was there. He pulled out his pistol; maybe the Stanton’s were tired of chicken.
******************
HEARING HORSES IN THE yard, Anna looked out the window, smiling when she recognized the riders. She opened the door and stepped out onto the porch, “Hello Earl! And James! It’s really good to see you!” She smiled warmly, “It’s been such a long time.” James was Earl’s younger brother by twenty five years; she hadn’t seen him since he first got back from the war, almost five years ago.
James pulled off his hat, smiling, “Ma’am... It’s good to see you as well, but I can’t stay long. They offered me the job as the sheriff.” He gestured to the shiny badge on his chest, “Now I’m riding around letting people know who I am.”
“Well, I feel safer already. Would you like some coffee?”
He started to answer but stopped, mouth open, gaping at the corner of the house.
She turned and saw Mr. Stone standing at the edge of her house, looking uncomfortable.
James suddenly burst out laughing, “Well, that’s a face I wasn’t expecting to see out this way! Hello there Parson!”
Surprised, she turned back to James, who was grinning broadly. He swung off of his horse and moved across the yard.
Mr. Stone shifted slightly. “Hello Jim... been a long time.” William held his hand out in greeting, but James moved past that, enveloping him in a bear hug.
“Good to see you, man!” James let go and stepped back, smiling. He turned to Anna, “This is who you have fixing your place up?” Shaking his head, he looked back to Mr. Stone. “Man, what was it? Atlanta? I think that was the last place... Wow!” He turned back to Anna, whispering quietly, “I took a bullet in my leg, and got shipped off to the doc’s. Had to fight to keep ‘em from chopping it off.”
Earl had dismounted as well, “This the man you told me about?”
Anna stepped back into the shadows by the door, and watched the interaction; James seemed genuinely delighted to see him. It was evident that Mr. Stone knew James, but he seemed... uncomfortable talking to him.
Earl had stepped forward shaking Mr. Stone’s hand, “My brother said you saved his life. I thank you for that.”
She watched Mr. Stone closely. He answered hesitantly, shrugging, “It was nothing.” He took a moment to focus on her, “Mrs. Stanton, I got a deer earlier. I thought you could use the meat. It’s hanging in the barn, so let me know and I’ll bring it up.”
She nodded, “Thank you, Mr. Stone.”
He turned back to James, “Sorry, got a lot of work to do. Good to see you.” And with that, he walked off toward the corral.
James, oblivious to Mr. Stone’s discomfort stood smiling; watching him as he walked away. “Imagine that...” He turned to face her, frowning as he noticed her concern.
“Ma’am, you have nothing to worry about with that man. He’s good people. He saved my life countless times; always a bit quiet though.” He walked back over to his horse, swinging up into the saddle with ease.
“Why did you call him Parson?”
He shrugged, “Well, he used to be a Parson. Came to the war with his brother; when I joined up they were already there. He was always teaching from the Book, and praying at people.” He smiled grimly, “Liked to get onto us that liked a drink or two, but...” He shrugged, “...war changes people. After you kill a man or two you change.” He looked back as Mr. Stone rode down the trail toward the pasture, “Like I said, he’s quiet, but that weren’t always the case. It was after his brother was killed that he got quiet.”
Anna nodded, remembering the cryptic inscription in the front of his Bible; that and the constant Bible stories that Thomas was retelling. “I’m not worried. He’s been nothing but a gentleman from the time he came here.” She looked over to Earl, who was mounting his horse. “Are you sure you can’t stay for supper? I am making bread...”
“Sorry Ma’am, can’t do it, much as I’d like to. I wanted to ride with James to a few of the closer ranches, but I have to get back to the house now.” He frowned deeply, “I would’ve liked some of that bread though...”
“Alright...” She smiled, “How about I send Thomas over tomorrow with some bread?
Grinning widely, Earl tipped his hat, “Thankee Ma’am, much obliged.”
With that they rode off, leaving Anna on the porch with more questions than answers.
******************
WILLIAM DIDN’T TURN as he heard the boy’s footsteps approaching; he just sat in the saddle staring off into the distance.
“Whatcha doing, Mr. William?”
Sighing, he turned, smiling at the boy. “Just thinking, that’s all.”
“Did ya get to meet Mr. James? Him and Mr. Earl were just here. I almost missed them cause I was looking at the cows we branded.”
“Yeah, I met him. Nice guy.”
“What are we doing today, Mr. William?”
William looked down. Thomas was standing by his horse, looking up at him expectantly. He would probably be better off staying busy than sitting around thinking about history. He forced a grin on his face. “Well, Thomas, have you ever butchered a deer?”
******************
“...AND THERE WAS A GIRL with a weird name. She gave the bad guy warm milk, and had him lay down for a nap, and when he did, she snuck up on him with a hammer and a big tent spike, and WHAM!” he clapped his hands together for effect, making her jump in her seat, “...nailed the spike through his head.”
Anna listened wide eyed as Thomas relayed his and Mr. Stone’s most recent conversation. Some of the stories she recognized from the Bible, but there were some that she had to look up to see if they were really there. She never told Thomas about that though, hoping to keep up the appearance of knowing everything.
She thought about what James had said earlier; William had been a Parson. Not now... not since the war. She frowned thoughtfully; it was interesting how certain events could change a person.
She had to admit though; it was good for Thomas to get some Bible knowledge. One thing she noticed about the stories Mr. Stone was telling him was that they all had a moral to them. A lesson to learn that Thomas was able to remember; which was a whole lot better than he was doing with his English work.
They cleaned up the table, but Thomas went outside to get Mr. Stone’s plate from him before helping her with the dishes.
Thomas was quiet as he helped her wash dishes. She was so lost in her own thoughts that they were halfway done before she realized he wasn’t talking. He was staring at the wall, pensive.
“Are you alright Thomas?”
He looked up at her, “Why are people sad?”
Surprised, she dried her hands on her apron and faced him, “What do you mean?”
“Well...” he trailed off; his brow furrowed in thought, “Like when I go see Mr. Earl, he’s usually sad because of Mrs. Martha. I know you are sad because of daddy...” He looked at her, “but why is Mr. William sad?”
“What do you mean?” She asked, concerned.
“I see him sad a lot. He smiles and hides it, but I see it.” He looked at her, “Do you think he lost someone too?”
She thought back to what James had said about William’s brother, but that was his story. “I don’t know Thomas. The best thing you can do is pray for him, and be a friend to him.”
Thomas thought for a long minute before finally nodding. “Alright.”
******************
THE WAY THE SKY HAD looked at dusk, William would’ve put money on a good rainstorm. So far there was just a little misting drizzle. He shivered lightly, it was just enough to make him uncomfortable as he sat in his chair.
It was late before Anna started playing; Thomas must have talked her ear off tonight.
She played through several hymns, most he could sing along to... He chuckled lightly, that is if it wouldn’t have hurt his ears to do so. The rest were familiar, but he couldn’t remember the words.
She eventually switched, and he recognized the Bach suites as she played the first few notes.
He felt his throat tighten with emotion; memories of his brother flooded through his mind. He remembered the last concert they had attended together, right before joining the army; the Cellist had played the Bach solo suites. He and Joe had both been entranced.
By the next evening they were both in the Army, heading off to fight... and die for the Union.
She spent the next hour playing through the suites. By the time he went inside for bed, he couldn’t tell if he was wet from the mist, or from his tears.
******************
ANNA PULLED BACK THE curtain, and peeked out the window. Mr. Stone was standing by the corral, talking to the horses in the fading sun as he waited for supper.
She let the curtain fall back in place, and glanced impatiently at the clock on the mantle. Thomas should have been here by now; she had told him not to dawdle.
Of course, he was probably still playing with Earl’s dog, Honey. Ever since Lucky had died over the summer, Thomas had been pestering her about getting a new dog.
She sighed in frustration as she shook her head; that boy... Earl would probably give him a ride home on his horse if he stayed too long.
She frowned as she looked at the stove. Supper was long past done, and Thomas still wasn’t home. If she didn’t serve it soon...
She blew out an annoyed breath, grabbed a plate and started filling it with food. “Hope he likes stew...” she muttered. She was going to have to serve Mr. Stone, she couldn’t wait for Thomas.
She plopped a slice of bread on top of the stew, and set the plate down, checking herself in the mirror, and adjusted the scarf over the side of her face.
It wasn’t really vanity; she knew she had nothing to be vain over. She just had no desire to see the sympathy that was inevitably drawn on people’s faces when they saw her.
Carrying the plate across the room, she opened the door partway, and called out; “Mr. Stone...”
He turned, instantly taking off his hat as he moved toward the door. “Ma’am...”
“I’m not sure where Thomas is, but here is your supper.” She held the plate out with her left hand, but she fumbled the plate; and without thinking, she brought her right hand up to grab it before it dropped.
But Mr. Stone stepped forward quickly, grabbing the plate as well; his eyes lingered momentarily on her right hand. They lifted up suddenly to her face. “I’ve got it, ma’am...”
She blushed, realizing that her scarf had come undone. She stepped back, annoyed, waiting for ‘the look.’
But his expression didn’t even flicker. “Are you alright, ma’am?” he nodded to the hills, “I can go look for Thomas if you would like...”
It took her a moment to answer. She stared directly into his eyes, daring him to feel sorry for her so she could slam the door. Finally, she said, “No, I’m sure Mr. Earl will have him back any time now...”
He nodded, and started to turn, but stopped. He looked back hesitantly, “Ma’am... if I may be so bold to say, I have not heard the cello played like that in years... you play beautifully...” And with that, he turned and walked away slowly.
She stood there for several seconds, watching him retreat, before finally shutting the door.
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