Ben pulled the truck as close to the center’s door as he dared. He didn’t want to get stuck. This driving in snow was tricky, but the way the temperature was rising, the snow wouldn’t last long. In fact, the clouds gathering in the west looked more like rain than snow. Guess he’d find out then how his truck did in mud. Once he got Becca and her baby home, he’d just park the truck till time to go to Richmond to school. The chance of him actually getting to do that looked more promising with Carl back.
Until then, Ben wanted to see more of Francine. Lots more. Find out if there was any place for him in her heart. As much as he’d fought it, she’d already found a spot in his heart and mind.
When he noticed footprints through the snow to the porch, he hoped Francine hadn’t been called out somewhere. With the way the creek was rising, he couldn’t tarry here. He had to get his truck back across the water. He stared up at the clouds and hoped he was wrong about rain coming.
After he knocked on the door, he smiled at the sound of toenails on the floor. That meant Sarge found his way home. Even better, Sarge in the house meant Francine was surely there too.
Her smile was all wrong when she opened the door. “Mr. Locke. I guess you’ve come for Becca.”
Ben’s own smile faded. He started to say he thought they’d gotten past the Mr. Locke and Nurse Howard stage, but then he saw the man by her fire. Barefoot.
“If she’s well enough for the ride, Nurse Howard.” He followed her formal lead. “Ma’s anxious to get hold of that baby again.” He kept his eyes away from the man. “And the way the creek’s rising, we might ought to go soon.” With that man whoever he was there, he’d have no time for visiting Francine anyway. He wanted to think the man was a patient, but he looked like an outsider. Very much like one.
“Right.” Francine stepped back from the door.
The man leaned forward to peer out the door. “Is that your truck?” When Ben nodded, the man said, “Then you could pull my car out of the ditch. It’s down the road a little way.”
“I don’t think I know you.” A man should wait until names were exchanged before he asked for favors.
“I’m Seth Miller. Francine and I are old friends. Practically engaged, weren’t we, Frannie?” He grinned over at Francine.
“Before the war.” Color spread across Francine’s cheeks. “Seth, this is Ben Locke. He was in the service too.”
“Good to meet you.” The man stayed by the stove and didn’t offer to shake Ben’s hand. “So is that your baby I hear squalling back there?”
“My sister’s.” Ben turned to Francine. “Is the baby all right?”
“She’s fine. A beautiful baby.” Francine’s voice softened and her smile came back. “I’ll go help Becca get ready.” She started toward the clinic.
“But what about my car?” The man pulled a couple of bills from his pocket to hold out toward Ben. “I’m willing to pay. I need my car to get back to civilization. Soon as I talk some sense into Francine, I’m ready to leave this place behind.”
Francine turned back to Ben. “If you could help get Seth’s car out of the ditch, I’d be grateful.”
Ben hoped that meant so the man could be gone. He desperately also hoped she wasn’t planning to pack up and go with him. He wanted to ask her that, but instead he spoke to the stranger. “You’ll have to put on your boots and show me where it is.”
“He just has shoes.” She looked at the man. “Wait, I’ll find you some socks.”
Silence fell over the room after Francine left. Ben rubbed Sarge and ignored the man, but he knew the man was studying him.
After Francine came back and handed the socks to the man, she asked, “What about Jasmine? I might need her if somebody comes after me.”
That sounded encouraging to Ben’s ears. At least she wasn’t ready to hop in this man’s car and head back to Cincinnati today. She wanted her mare.
“Woody’s bringing her down. He should be here anytime now if he doesn’t dawdle.”
“He won’t dawdle. He’ll want to see Jeralene.”
“Jasmine? Jeralene?” the man asked. “How many people are in this place?”
Francine laughed. “Jasmine is my horse and Jeralene helps me with the cooking and chores. She’s peeked out at you from the kitchen a few times already. Probably worried about whether the potato soup is going to be enough to go around.”
“I don’t like potato soup,” the man said.
“Good. Then we’ll have plenty. And you can find something better suited to your taste when you get back to civilization.” Francine was smiling, but she didn’t look particularly happy.
That had Ben feeling more like smiling as he looked directly at the man. “If you’re anxious to get back to the city, you might want to get started as soon as you can. Those clouds out there look heavy with rain. The creeks get up, you might need a boat to get out of here unless you want to swim.” Ben piled it on. The man didn’t look like somebody who’d want to swim a creek and leave his car behind.
“Then maybe I’ll just stick around here until traveling is easier.” The man smiled at Francine. “Give Fran and me time to hash over old times.”
Francine looked uneasy again. “Of course, you can stay if you want to wait for better weather, Seth, but not here. I have to consider appearances and what Mrs. Breckinridge would think.”
“Who is this Mrs. Breckinridge?” the man asked.
“My employer. She expects all her nurses to be above reproach.”
“Above reproach, huh.” The man gave Ben a sour look. “What about mountain men showing up at your door?”
“The people who live here are my patients. They have to come to my door.” Francine kept her eyes on the man. “Mr. Locke and his family have been a great help to me here.”
“I’ll bet.”
Ben balled his hands into fists and then stretched out his fingers. He wasn’t going to punch the man. No matter what he said. Instead he would get his car out of the ditch. The sooner the better.
“So what am I supposed to do if I can’t get out of here?” the man asked.
“I’ll find a family willing to give you a bed for the night.” Francine looked over at Ben. “Mr. Locke might know somebody who could take you in.”
Before Ben could say anything, the man shook his head. “I don’t think so.” He sat down and jerked on the socks Francine gave him and then shoved his feet into his shoes. “I want to see the sun rise in the morning.”
“Seth, you don’t even know these people.”
The man did have enough grace about him to look a little shamefaced as he said, “I’m not meaning you, Locke. I’m sure you’re a great fellow, but you hear about shootings and all happening down this way all the time. I managed to stay out of the way of bullets in the army. I aim to keep doing the same.”
“Makes sense.” Ben didn’t care what the man thought of him. He just wanted to see his taillights going away from here. “We better get that car of yours out of the ditch before the rain comes.”
As if to emphasize his words, a few drops plunked on the roof.
“I’ll be out in a minute. Soon as I tell Francine goodbye.” The man gave Ben a look, obviously wanting him to leave.
“Becca will be ready when you get back,” Francine said.
Could be she wanted him to leave too.
“All right. I’ll get Carl to come with us in case we need more help.” Ben went back through the house to the clinic area. He told himself not to look back, but he did anyway.
The man had hold of Francine’s hands. “You will think about what I said. This is no place for you. We can start over. Me and you. Have that family you used to talk about.”
He couldn’t hear what Francine said, but it didn’t look like no. Ben didn’t slam the door when he went into the clinic, but he shut it firmly. Better he didn’t hear whatever happened back in that other room.
Becca looked up from where she sat on the bed, her baby asleep beside her. “Uh-oh, looks like a storm’s a-brewing.”
“It does look like rain. We best get on home before the creeks tide.”
“That’s not the storm I meant.” Becca stood up and glanced toward the closed door. “Who is that feller? Carl saw him come in a while ago.”
“Where’s Carl now?” Ben looked around.
“He went out to get some more coal for the fire. Got to keep babies warm. But you didn’t answer me about that man.”
“He’s an old friend of Nurse Howard’s.”
“Come a-courtin’?”
“Appears that might be the way of it. Got his car in a ditch and wants me to pull him out. So it’ll be a little while before we can head to the house. I came back here to get Carl to help us.”
“And keep you from killing the guy?”
“Don’t be silly. I’m not going to kill anybody.”
“I know that,” she said. “That don’t mean you might not feel like you want to.”
“Pa always told us the Bible said thinking it was as bad as doing it.”
“Then I reckon you better be askin’ forgiveness.” Becca knew him too well. “And after that, could be you should consider doing some courtin’ your own self.”
“Could be you should mind your own business.”
“Could be. But there are some things worth takin’ a chance.” She looked down at her baby with a tender smile. “Love is one of them.”
“Ma advised against it.”
Becca blew out a breath. “Ma wasn’t happy when I run off and married Carl neither. Said I was too young and she was right about that. But things worked out. Leastways now that Carl has come home. Things might work out for you too, but not if you let that city man steal Nurse Howard right out from under your nose while you stand back with your hands in your pockets and your mouth clamped shut.”
“I don’t want to hear any more.” Ben gave Becca a hard look. “You best be ready when I come back. If it rains much, the truck might not get across the creek and you’d have to stay here. You can’t walk up the hill.”
“Then don’t take long getting that feller on the road again.”
It didn’t take long. They didn’t even hook the truck up to it. With Carl and Woody helping, they just pushed it back up on the road. Woody reached for the money the man held out, but pulled his hand back when he saw Ben’s frown. They got the man turned around and headed toward Hyden. Ben was glad when the car disappeared up the road. He was even gladder that Francine wasn’t in the car with him. But would she be if the man came back another time?
She hadn’t looked all that happy about the man being in her house, but then she had let him hold her hands. Both of them.
Could be Becca was right. He should just risk Francine’s no and ask. But what was he going to say? I think I’m in love with you. No, I am in love with you, but I don’t have a house or a job. Would you be willing to put off getting married and having that family you want for a few years while I go to school?
What kind of proposal was that? One no woman in her right mind would want to hear. But didn’t they say love made a person crazy? Lose all good sense. If she loved him . . .
That was the big if, and not one he had time to figure out on this day. Not with the clouds building darker in the west. He had to get Becca and her baby to the house. Rain or shine, snow or sleet, he could come back down the hill tomorrow on Captain to see her. If he had the nerve. Another big if.