Piper resisted the urge to spur Bella out of the barn past the man. She pulled in a shaky breath and kept her arms around Billy. The little boy was stiff against her as he clutched his sack of candy.
She forced her arms to relax. “It’s okay, Billy. He just wants to see who we are.”
“And shoot us.”
“No, he won’t do that.” At least she was almost certain he wouldn’t.
The man stepped into the barn and stared at them without saying anything, while rainwater dripped off his hat.
“Hello, sir,” Piper said. “I hope you don’t mind us taking shelter in your barn.”
The man stared at her so long she started to repeat what she’d said, thinking he must not have heard her over the rain beating down on the roof.
“I heared you.” He held up his free hand, the one not holding the gun, to stop her. “Did the storm skeer you?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “Or is that terrified look on your face on account of me?”
“The lightning made us a little nervous.” Piper managed a smile. Billy was still twisted around with his face hidden against her. She was about to say they’d leave, when lightning cracked and thunder shook the barn. This time Bella danced a little to the side.
“You better gather up those reins or your horse is liable to make a run for it. Horses can act like they ain’t got good sense if’n they get jumpy.”
She did as he said. Not because she thought Bella was going to bolt, but so that they could if need be. “Yes, sir.”
“Sir, is it?” The man stepped closer. He shifted the gun in his arm as though it was part of him. “The name is Taylor. Mann Taylor. I ’spect you know yours.”
Piper wasn’t sure if that meant he wanted to know hers or not, but it seemed rude not to tell him. “Danny Danson.”
“Danny. Funny name for a girl.” He stared up at her. “You must be one of them gals with that Breckinridge woman.”
“I’m working with the frontier nurses.” She shifted her shoulders slightly to make sure he could see the Frontier Nursing Service initials on her sleeve.
“You kin quit looking so skeered. I ain’t about to shoot you.” He pointed the gun down. “As long as that boy there don’t pull no gun out on me.” The man almost smiled. He stepped closer and poked Billy’s leg. “Are you that ornery West kid what’s been laying up down there in Hyden whilst your brother and pa been doing all the work?”
Billy was still trembling a little, but the words must have rankled. He raised his head and turned to stare at the man. “I wanted to come home, but them nurses said I couldn’t go walking up the hill with how my leg was. And Pa didn’t come get me.”
“Reckon he couldn’t, boy. Not after his old mule died.”
That made Billy forget being afraid. “Spec died?”
“’Fraid so.”
Billy sat up straight. “Did you shoot him?”
“Billy.” Piper put her hand on his shoulder.
“Now why would you accuse me of that?” The lines on the man’s face deepened as he stared at Billy. “I wouldn’t kill a man’s mule. The man maybe, but not his mule.”
“Billy, tell Mr. Taylor you’re sorry.”
Billy lifted up his chin defiantly. “I ain’t gonna. He shot Pa’s dog.”
“That’s enough, Billy.” She tried to sound stern.
“Aww, let him talk, girl. Fact is, I did happen to shoot the dog. It was down here messing with my hens. I admit to aiming over the critter’s head, but it run up the hill faster than I thought it might. Ran right into my bullet, but, boy, you can be sure if I’d aimed to shoot your pa’s dog dead, he’d been naught but a skeleton now ’stead of just crippled a bit.” The man’s eyes narrowed until they were mere slits.
Billy relaxed a little against Piper. “I reckon Pa says nobody can abide a chicken-killing dog.”
“Your pa’s a smart man. Better listen to him and not be accusing folks of things when you don’t know the whole story. Especially when you’re in that feller’s barn.”
“Sounds as though the storm is letting up.” Piper tightened the reins a bit. Rain was still peppering down, but the thunder was only a rumble in the distance. “We can probably move on now. Thank you, Mr. Taylor, for letting us shelter here.”
“Don’t reckon I let you. Seemed like you just took the spot on your own.”
“Yes, but you didn’t chase us away.” Piper gave him her nicest smile.
“Or shoot you. There is that.” Again the corners of his lips almost turned up, but instead he screwed up his mouth and spit on the ground.
“I’m glad of that too.” Billy’s hand only shook a little as he held out the bag of candy. “Want a piece of sucking candy? The doctor give it to me.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” The man dug a piece out of the bag and popped it in his mouth. He wallowed it around a minute before he went on. “Generous of you, boy. When you get on up the hill, you tell your pa if’n he needs to borrow my mule to come on down and get him.”
“That’s nice of you, Mr. Taylor,” Piper said.
“Don’t know how things are where you come from, Danny girl, but around here neighbors help neighbors.” The man settled his eyes on Billy. “But you best keep your chicken-killin’ dog at home.”
“I’ll aim to.” Billy stuffed his bag of candy into his pocket instead of handing it to Piper.
She pretended not to notice. They weren’t far from his house. When they went out of the barn, the rain was only a gentle shower.
The man called after her. “Stay clear of the creek, girl. That rain was mite near a gullywasher. A horse can go down in rushing water and break a leg. I had to shoot a broken-legged horse once. Not something I ever want to have to do agin.”
Piper looked back with a nod, but Bella kept going, not bothered by the rain or the wet ground.
“We’re almost there, Danny.” Billy stretched up as tall as he could in front of Piper. “I hope Ma has some cornbread. Them down at the hospital couldn’t make it like Ma. Can’t nobody make it like Ma. Pa says so.”
The little boy’s eagerness was contagious, and Piper shared his excitement when they came out into a little clearing and saw his home. A dog barked and came to meet them with its tail flapping, one leg held up. The dog Mr. Taylor said he hadn’t aimed to shoot.
As they rode toward the cabin, the sun came out and turned the raindrops clinging to the leaves and dripping off the roof into sparkling diamonds.
A little girl came out on the porch. “Ma! Billy’s home,” she shouted. “On a horse!”
Billy giggled. “I knew they’d think me showing up on a horse was something.”
A woman rushed out the door, no baby in her arms, but from the looks of the bulge under her apron, the nurses would be catching a baby here soon. Piper helped Billy slide down off Bella and did some giggling herself as the little boy ran into his mother’s arms.
The woman went down on her knees in front of the porch and pulled Billy close. “Are you good as new, my Billy boy?” She leaned back to look him in the face.
“Good as new, Ma.”
“That ain’t so, dear heart. You’re better than new.” She pulled him close in another hug. “Your ma has missed you.”
Piper got off Bella and pushed her wet hair back from her face. A few tears mixed in with the leftover raindrops on her cheeks.
The woman looked over Billy’s head toward Piper. “And who’s this you’ve brung with you? Or I reckon she brung you. And through that storm. The two of you look like drowned chickens. Here, Billy boy, help your ma up.”
She put her hands on Billy’s shoulders and pushed to her feet. Not an easy task with the baby weight pulling on her. Her skirt had mud splotches where she’d knelt on the ground.
Piper kept hold of Bella’s reins and stepped toward the woman. “I’m Piper Danson. Danny to Billy. I’m sorry to bring him home so wet, but the storm came up on us after we were on the way.”
“Don’t you worry none about that. A feller has to get wet now and again. Storms can come up quick and lightning can shake a body’s nerves. Hope you found some shelter from that.”
Billy pulled on her sleeve to get her attention. “We waited out the storm in Old Mann Taylor’s barn. He didn’t shoot us, but he said Spec was dead. Was he just fooling?”
“No, son. Sorry to say he wasn’t. Spec started hanging his head a couple of weeks ago. Your pa did all he could, but I reckon it was just Spec’s time.” The woman rubbed her hand up and down Billy’s back. Behind her, the little girl looked ready to cry. “I know that’s a hard blow for you, seeing as how you favored the old mule. We all did. In time, your pa will get another one.”
Billy’s mother was obviously trying to keep Billy from being upset, but her own worry over losing the mule came through.
“Billy, tell your mother what Mr. Taylor said.”
“He said Pa could borrow his mule if’n he needed one.” Billy pulled the sack of candy out of his pocket. “I give him a piece of the candy Dr. Jack sent home with me. You want a piece?”
“Well, if that ain’t a treat. I hope you told the doctor thank ye. I’ll get me a piece later, but you can give your little sissy a piece. I’m guessing her mouth is watering by now.” She gave Billy a pat on the head before he went over to the little girl.
Mrs. West moved closer to Piper. “Won’t you come sit awhile on the porch, missy? Or stay to supper. I put some beans on a while ago. Not fancy but filling. I can stir up some cornbread to go with it.”
“Billy will be glad to hear that. He was telling me how you make the best cornbread. Way better than what he’s had at the hospital.”
“Billy’s always been my good eater.” Mrs. West smiled.
“But while it would be nice to visit, I need to get back down the hill to the Wilder Ridge Center before dark.” Piper looked at the sky that was thankfully clearing.
“Are you a new nurse there? The one that’s been coming up to see me is Nurse Freeman. She’s a treasure.” The woman cradled her abdomen with that inward-looking smile Piper had seen on other expectant mothers.
“I’m not a nurse. I’m one of the couriers, just here for the summer to help out.”
“It’s right fine to meet you. You want me to send Billy after a towel for you to dry off?”
Piper ran her hands through her wet hair. “I’ll dry out on the ride to the center unless it starts raining again. You think it will?”
Mrs. West looked up. “The storm looks to have moved on. But you be careful going down the hill. Wet ground can be slippery.”
“Bella is a surefooted horse.” Piper stroked the mare’s neck. “But I appreciate your concern.”
The woman looked over her shoulder toward where Billy’s little sister was hugging him. “Ellie has missed him. My older boy is off with his pa all the time. Ellie is anxious about this new one coming and hoping the nurses bring us a girl.” She laughed a little. “The young’uns think the nurses bring babies in their saddlebags. Don’t know what they think about their mamas’ big bellies.”
“That is something to wonder.” Piper laughed too. “Billy was telling me about the nurses catching babies. He thought maybe the Lord dropped them down out of heaven.”
“That’s a sweet thought with some truth to it. The Lord has blessed me with my babies.” Her smile disappeared before she went on. “But what was that about Billy saying Mann Taylor didn’t shoot you? Seemed contrary to what he said later about the mule.”
“Billy didn’t want to stop there. Said his father told him never to go around Mr. Taylor’s place, but lightning was striking all around us. So when I saw the barn, I headed for it to wait out the storm. Mr. Taylor must have seen us and came out to the barn with a gun.”
“I don’t know that I ever seen Mann without a gun in reach.” She frowned a little. “But he didn’t threaten you in any way?”
“No, ma’am. We were fine.”
“That’s good to know. Neighbors can get crosswise with one another at times, but if Mann said that about the mule, maybe we can go back to being regular neighbors.”
“Good.” Piper didn’t know what else to say. “Dr. Jack said a nurse will come check on Billy.”
“Nurse Freeman will be up here to see me anyhow. But it’s good to have my boy home.” She looked back at him again with a soft smile on her face. “I felt like a part of me was down there in Hyden, and I hated that the rest of me couldn’t be down there with him. But I had the other young’uns to see to.”
“The nurses took good care of him.” Piper untied Billy’s bag from Bella’s saddle and held it out toward him.
He ran back to get it. “Will you come see me again? Now that you know how to get here.”
“Maybe I’ll just do that sometime if I’m over this way.” Piper reached out her hand to shake his, but he pushed past it to give her a hug.
“I won’t forget about our adventure.”
When Billy’s mother looked puzzled by that, Piper smiled. “I told him that someday he’d tell his children about riding through a storm with some city girl.”
Piper waved at Billy, who watched her leave from the edge of the porch. Then she was into the trees, with raindrops showering down whenever she brushed against a branch. Once after a rainstorm, she and Jamie had chased ahead of one another to be the first to a tree with low branches along their riding path. Then they lay in wait for the other one. They both ended up as soaked as she was now.
Piper laughed, glad to be in the middle of the woods with raindrops sliding down the neck of her shirt. Birds sang again now that the storm was past. The canopy of leaves split the sunshine into rays that divided the shadows.
She felt a million miles away from Louisville. Nothing here was anything like back in the city. Not the trees surrounding her or the muddy trail Bella was following. Even the sky didn’t look the same here. She stopped Bella in a cleared spot where the trees had been felled. Perhaps for a cabin.
Bella dropped her head down to snatch some grass while Piper soaked up the sun. From deep inside her, a song rose. A hymn. She softly sang the first line. “‘For the beauty of the earth . . .’” She couldn’t remember the next words. So instead she looked up and whispered, “Thank you, Lord, for bringing me here.”
What had Suze told her a few days ago? That nobody came to the Frontier Nursing Service by accident. Not nurse midwives. And not couriers.