The iron skillet was heavier than Piper expected when she picked it up to set it on the stove. Then she rummaged around until she found lard, some flour, and salt. Nurse Freeman had said to coat the chicken pieces in flour. She hadn’t mentioned salt, but everything needed salt.
Piper poked some wood into the stove. Thanks to Nurse Robbins, she did at least know how to make the fire hotter. A few minutes later she was immeasurably proud when she dropped floured chicken pieces into the melted lard in the skillet and they started sizzling.
After she had all the chicken pieces situated in the skillet, she stared at them and wondered how long to cook them. At the sound of horses outside, she nearly cheered out loud. Help was on the way.
Nurse Freeman stepped into the kitchen. “I’m amazed. I smell chicken frying.” She looked surprised. “I didn’t think you could do it.”
“You told me to.”
“So I did, but I’m afraid we don’t have time to eat it.” She pulled the skillet off the stove.
“I know you have to go see about Mrs. West, but I could still finish cooking it. Truda can help me.” Piper peered around the nurse. “Where is she?”
“We’ve had some complications. I’m afraid your aunt took an unfortunate fall.”
“Is she all right?” Piper forgot about the chicken as she started for the door.
“Not entirely.” She caught Piper’s arm to stop her. “She has a fractured wrist that needs attention. Take a breath, girl, and slow down. You don’t want to startle the horses. Your aunt will be fine.”
Out the front window, Piper could see Truda on her horse by the front porch. Jamie was on Sid, close beside her, holding Dickens’s reins. “Shouldn’t you do something for her?”
“I’ve wrapped it up, but she needs to head down to the hospital for an x-ray.” Nurse Freeman let go of Piper and turned to rummage in a cabinet. “Besides, I need to attend to Mrs. West. Billy said his mother asked me to hurry. Makes me think something might be amiss.”
“Where is Billy?” Piper didn’t see the boy anywhere.
“He went on up the hill to assure his mother we were on the way.”
Piper looked at Truda again. She was clinging to the saddle with her uninjured hand as though her life depended on it. “Truda can’t ride like that.” Piper shook her head. “She’ll fall off again.”
“I didn’t say she fell off a horse, Danny. She did have an encounter with an energetic dog and took a pitch off some steps. But your aunt’s a trouper. Sat right up and patted that dog on the head.”
“That’s Truda.” Piper took that deep breath the nurse recommended and headed outside to not only see Truda but also Jamie. She shouldn’t be thinking about Jamie and his words of love right then. Not with Truda white-faced and obviously in pain. A wide cloth bound her arm to her chest. “Are you all right?”
Nurse Freeman followed her outside. “Please, Miss Danson, tell the girl you’ll live so we can get on with things.”
“I’ve been better, but I’ll be okay.” Truda grimaced a little before she managed a smile. “Who’d have thought I’d be taken out by a dog instead of a horse.”
“I’ll ride with you down to the hospital.”
“No.” Nurse Freeman spoke up. “I need you to go with me. Young Russell can escort Miss Danson to the hospital.”
“But—”
“No buts. You’re here. I might need you. Patients come first.”
“Truda is a patient.”
“Then babies first.” The nurse didn’t hide her irritation. “As I said, young Russell will take care of Miss Danson. Very opportune that he is here to be of help.” Her irritation seemed to dissolve as she smiled at him.
It was useless to protest. Nurse Freeman would not be swayed.
“Indeed, babies first,” Truda said. “Jamie will get me to the hospital, won’t you, Jamie?”
“We’ll go slow and easy, Miss Danson.” He looked down at Piper. “I promise.”
His eyes seemed to promise more than taking care of Truda. Piper’s heart did a little dance. “I got the chicken cut up and in the skillet.”
“I’m not surprised. You can do anything.” He looked as though he really believed that.
“You’re kidding.” Truda stared at Piper, her eyes wide. “You actually chopped off a chicken’s head?”
“No, a neighbor, Mr. Taylor, did it for me.”
Now Nurse Freeman looked surprised as she glanced up from packing the new supplies into her saddlebags. “Mann Taylor killed that chicken for you?” When Piper nodded, she went on. “You are a wonder, Danny. Mann Taylor is not generally so neighborly. Did he get his wife’s medicine?”
“He did.”
“Good.” The nurse fastened her saddlebags and mounted in one graceful movement. She gave orders. “Go back and put a top on that skillet. Nurse Hankins might be here in time to finish cooking it. Then saddle up and follow me to the West house.” She looked up at the sun. “Don’t worry about milking Clara. It’s too early now. One of the neighbor girls will come milk her later if we’re not back.”
It had never once entered Piper’s mind to milk the cow.
Nurse Freeman turned her attention to Truda and Jamie. “You do know the way back to Hyden? Down to the creek, follow it a ways, ford the river and you’re home free.” A frown wrinkled her brow as she studied Truda. “The river isn’t too high right now, but perhaps you should wait here, Miss Danson, until I get back. Then I can recruit some help to carry you out.”
“No need. I can ride.” Truda said the words, but she sounded less than sure.
“Yes, well . . .” The nurse hesitated as she looked up at the sun again. “You should make it by the edge of dark.”
“The edge of dark?” Truda frowned.
“Sorry. Mountain talk for twilight,” Nurse Freeman said. “Do whatever you think best, but I must head up to see about Mrs. West.” She looked back at Piper. “Don’t tarry, Danny.” She turned her horse away from the house.
Piper watched her ride out of sight, then looked at Truda. “I think I should go with you.”
“And I think you should do what Nurse Freeman says.” There was no doubt in Truda’s voice now. “That’s why you’re here.”
“But . . .”
“I’ll take care of her,” Jamie said.
Piper blew out a breath and looked at Jamie. “You won’t get lost again?”
“A fellow gets lost once and people lose all trust in him.” Jamie grinned at her. “But I know the way now. I could find the trail in the dark.” He looked up at the sun. “Which I may have to do if we don’t get started.”
“So go.” Piper waved him away.
“You won’t forget what I said.”
Piper met his gaze. “How could I ever forget that?”
His smile embraced her, and she wanted to whisper those same love words back at him.
Piper reluctantly pulled her gaze away from Jamie to look at her aunt. “You will be careful.”
“A little late for that.” Truda attempted another smile. “No need you fretting. I’ll be fine with Jamie.”
Piper watched as Jamie led Truda’s horse away from the center. Before he went out of sight, he turned to give her a long, lingering look that was almost as good as a caress.
“I love you,” Piper whispered into the wind, then rushed inside to put a lid on the skillet. She smiled at the thought of someday telling their children how their first words of love had been while plucking a chicken. If only they had had a few more private moments together. But that would have to wait. Babies didn’t wait. Time to do as Nurse Freeman said and follow her to the West house.
Dogs barking and the sound of wailing greeted Piper as she rode up to the cabin. Not a newborn’s cries, but those of a child. It wouldn’t be Billy. Not crying like that. Instead, his little sister was sitting in the open door to the cabin, loudly weeping.
Piper leaned down to her. “What’s wrong, sweetie?”
The little girl just cried louder. Nurse Freeman called from inside the house. “Thank goodness you’re here. See if you can quiet that child, but get this bird out of here first. Came right in the open door.”
“A bird in the house means death.” Mrs. West spoke up from the bed. Her face was haggard and her eyes sunk back into her head.
“No talk like that.” Nurse Freeman draped a sheet over the woman’s legs. “This guy is coming hard, but we haven’t lost him yet.”
“I was thinking more of me,” the woman said weakly.
“Shh.” Nurse Freeman moved to caress the woman’s face. “You can do this. We can do this.”
The woman’s lips turned up in a very small smile. “I’ll pray you can, but the bird is a bad omen.”
Piper grabbed a broom and shooed the bird toward the door. She had to make two passes at it, but finally the bird saw the open space and was gone in a flash of black wings. “It’s gone.”
“Then shut that door before it flies back in here,” Nurse Freeman said.
Piper gently scooted the little girl back and pushed the door closed. Her wails changed to pitiful sobs. She looked to be three or four.
“Bring my little Ellie over here to me,” Mrs. West said.
When Nurse Freeman nodded, Piper picked up the child, who didn’t protest. “Where’s Billy?”
“I sent him after his father. Ellie wanted to go too and that’s why she’s raising the roof.” Nurse Freeman smiled at the little girl, then turned a concerned look back to Mrs. West, who grimaced and tensed as a pain attacked her. She took her hand. “Try to relax, dearie.”
Mrs. West gave her a look as though that was a crazy thing to tell her, but she did blow out a slow breath and pull in another. Piper wanted to ask if something was wrong with the woman’s labor, but she kept quiet. Instead she waited until it looked as if the pain had passed before she put Ellie down beside her mother.
The woman’s face softened as the little girl snuggled against her. Mrs. West wiped the little girl’s tears away with her fingertips. “Now you listen to me, young missy, and you listen good. You have to be brave for your ma. Whatever happens, remember that the Lord loves you and intends good for you.”
“You too, Ma?”
“For me too. Whatever happens.” Her body began tightening up as a new pain came over her. She was a little breathless as she went on. “Now, you go wait on the porch for your pa while I get you a new baby brother or sister.”
“I want a sister.” Ellie’s bottom lip came out in a pout.
Mrs. West couldn’t answer as the contraction grabbed her. Nurse Freeman set Ellie off the bed and shooed her toward the door. “Go watch for your pa and we’ll try to get that little sister for you.” The nurse gave Piper a look. “See that she gets outside and close the door.” She lowered her voice as Piper moved past her. “Don’t want any more birds in here. Then wash up, Danny. Use lots of soap. I could need your help.” Piper barely heard her whisper as she went on. “This one is coming hard.”
The nurse was right. Piper helped brace Mrs. West’s legs as the strong contractions twisted her body. She groaned but never screamed out. While Mrs. Whitton had suffered strong contractions, her birthing labor had been nothing like this.
Nurse Freeman kept up a chatter of encouragement and instructions. “Breathe in a moment of rest. You’re doing great.” She muttered under her breath, more to herself than to Piper. “The baby didn’t turn.” She raised her voice with no sign of the worry that had been in her muttered words. “Your baby is breech.”
“Feet first?” the woman gasped. “Or butt?”
“Feet. We need to move you down on the bed. Help me, Danny. Now stuff those pillows behind her.”
Once the nurse had Mrs. West positioned as she wanted, she said, “All right, dearie. We’re going to help hold you here and we’ll soon see if Ellie has that little sister she wants. I see toes.” The nurse sounded almost cheerful before she lowered her voice to a bare whisper. “Pray I see fingers. Stand steady, Danny, and keep our mother in this position. We have to make sure the baby comes out exactly right.”
Piper did as the nurse said, ignoring the strain on her back as she supported the woman’s weight. She concentrated on breathing in and out slowly. No time to feel faint now.
Sweat ran down Nurse Freeman’s face as she guided the emerging baby. “Ellie has her sister. Praise the Lord, we have fingers. We’ve almost got this baby here, dearie. You’re being a champ for sure.” Her words came out in a calming rhythm with none of the worry that showed on her face.
Another push and the baby was in the nurse’s hands. “Reach that blanket behind you,” the nurse told Piper as she cut the cord and cleaned out the baby’s mouth. No warbling cry followed.
The cabin was silent except for Mrs. West’s heavy breathing. “She’s dead, ain’t she?” When Nurse Freeman didn’t answer, the woman went on. “And me not far behind her.”
“Nonsense,” Nurse Freeman said. “You hang in here with me, Ella West. Danny is going to help you scoot back a bit in the bed now. Then you keep in mind all those who love you and need you. Asa and Asa Junior. Billy, Ellie. Now this little one here.”
“She ain’t doing no crying,” Mrs. West said as Piper helped her move back in the bed.
The silence was heartrending as the baby lay still in the nurse’s hands. Piper wanted to breathe for the newborn as a desperate prayer without words rose within her.
Nurse Freeman looked grim as she massaged the baby’s back, but she kept her voice calm. “Come take our baby, Danny, while I make sure mother is all right.”
Nurse Freeman handed the limp baby to Piper. “Wrap her in that blanket, Danny, and keep rubbing her back and arms.”
“Is she . . . ?” Piper let her words die away.
Nurse Freeman had an answer. “Yes, she is beautiful.” She softened her voice. “We’re not giving up yet, but for sure, I don’t want to lose both of them.” She raised her voice again. “Let’s get you squared away, Mrs. West. That’s a trouper, dearie. You’ll be up fixing supper for us in a minute if we don’t watch you.”
Piper couldn’t stand the silence, so she began softly crooning to the newborn as she stroked her arms and back. She cleaned the baby’s face with the blanket edge. So beautiful. Piper’s heart hurt, but she followed Nurse Freeman’s example, pulled in a deep breath, and blinked away the threat of tears.
“Don’t be so gentle.” Nurse Freeman suddenly looked around and gave one of the baby’s feet a firm thump. “Massage her like you might rub a newborn colt. Make her know she’s out of her mama’s cocoon.”
Piper turned the baby sideways on her lap and did as the nurse said.
“My baby.” Mrs. West’s wail tore a hole through the air.
The cabin door opened and a man stepped in. “Ella?”
Nurse Freeman looked back at him. “Come, comfort your wife, but leave the children outside.” She took the baby from Piper and cleared out the newborn’s mouth again. She laid the baby belly down in her lap and dropped one knee so the baby’s head was lowered as she firmly patted the baby’s back.
The man knelt by his wife’s bed and stroked her face. “It’s as the Lord wills, Ella.”
Mrs. West quietly wept. Piper held her breath. Nurse Freeman hadn’t given up, so Piper wouldn’t either as she prayed the Lord would give this baby breath.
Nurse Freeman muttered under her breath. “Come on, baby. Breathe for us.”
“Please,” Piper whispered. “Please.”
All at once the baby made an odd little gurgle. The next moment she let out a pitiful little cry that got stronger with the next one.
“Sweet baby girl.” Nurse Freeman lifted the baby up and kissed her head.
Laughter bubbled up inside Piper. She didn’t know when she’d ever heard a sweeter sound.
The father smiled and wiped the tears from Mrs. West’s cheeks with a corner of the sheet. “See there, Ella. The Lord willed her alive to us. We best take extra good care of this one here. The Lord must have something good planned for her.”