News
They got up at five, ate a quick breakfast, and gathered a sack of food for dinner. By the time the sun had begun to peep over the mountain, Luke headed the mules and wagon toward the road.
“Well, at least it’s not cold, damp, and foggy,” Granny Em said.
Leah noticed Granny Em paid no attention to the steep precipices as they went down the mountain. It didn’t seem as scary to Leah as it had been the first time, either. Luke looked over and smiled, as if he’d read her thoughts.
They sat squeezed together on the wagon seat. Luke, Leah, Patsy, and Granny Em came in that order. Granny Em had seemed to orchestrate the arrangement. Although none of them were big, the seat had not been designed for four adults. With the load of cabbage, however, Patsy didn’t have room in the back, but she would on the way home.
Leah became keenly aware of Luke’s side against hers. It caused her heart to race, her legs to turn weak, and her stomach to flutter. Neither did it help that he’d stretched one arm along the back of the seat to give more room, and it almost felt as if he had his arm around her. She tried to put her thoughts on other things.
Patsy hadn’t wanted to come, but she didn’t want to stay at the farm by herself, either. In the end, she’d joined them. Leah noticed Patsy still brought her papers showing she’d been freed.
The store owner seemed pleased with Luke’s cabbage. He gave him the price they’d agreed upon without trying to haggle.
“You ladies do your shopping, and I’ll walk around town and see if I hear any news of Sam Whitley or Ivy.”
“Do you need any money, Leah?” he asked quietly before he left.
“No, thank you. I have some of my own, but you might ask Patsy. She wouldn’t take any from me, but you and Granny Em might have better luck.” Leah had brought some of the money from selling her jewelry, but she appreciated Luke’s thoughtfulness.
“I want you to take this for all the work you’ve done on the farm,” she heard Luke tell Patsy.
“No, sir. You’ve given me a home, and I haven’t worked any harder than anyone else.”
“But we all have some money,” Granny Em said, “and you should, too.”
Leah saw Patsy take the money and hand some of it back. “This will be enough,” she said.
Patsy and Leah walked out to the wagon while Granny Em bought her things. Then, Granny Em and Patsy sat in the wagon, while Leah shopped. Patsy gave her a little money and told her what to buy for Granny Em. She must have done the same with the others.
All three of them were at the wagon when Luke came back. “I went back by and picked up the mail,” he said. “We have a thick envelope from Father. Shall we open it now or wait until we get home?”
“Let’s wait until we get home, where we can take our time and enjoy it,” Granny Em said. “I’m getting hungry, too. When can we eat?”
“Let’s head out of town. We’ll stop in the meadow on the way out. That should be a good place to spread the quilt.”
“Did you hear any news?” Leah asked as they began to eat.
“Not much. Rumor has it Sam Whitley has been seen in Wilkes County without Ivy. I don’t know how true it is. No one has heard anything about Ivy. The sheriff sounded concerned some counterfeit banknotes might come into the area. Apparently there’s been some down the mountain to the south. I’ll check on the tracker I sent to find Ivy and try to find more information when I go to Wilkesboro.”
“When are you planning to go there?” Leah asked.
“Probably next week.”
They finished eating and headed home. Everyone seemed more preoccupied than before. Leah knew their minds, like hers, had settled on Ivy again.
They got home rather late, so they fixed a quick supper. Leah fried some cornbread fritters and eggs. She served the fried egg on top the fritter. Luke ate four.
“That hit the spot,” he said.
Granny Em opened the fat envelope addressed to her from Dr. Moretz. She handed Luke a letter and Leah two. Granny Em went into her bedroom to read hers. Patsy went upstairs, and Luke remained at the kitchen table.
Leah sat down in the sitting room and opened the one from Dr. Moretz first. The other came in another envelope and looked to be from Paul. She wanted to postpone seeing what it might say. The doctor had written:
My dearest Leah,
I assume you have not heard from Ivy, since I haven’t heard anything from you or Luke. There is nothing to report on this end, either. My prayers are still with all of you every day.
Your brother sent me a letter. He said he wants you to come home and begged me to forward his letter to you, which I have done, although I don’t know exactly what it says. I hope it doesn’t prove distressful to you. From what he wrote to me, he doesn’t seem to know Ivy is not with you.
I hope his letter does not put an additional burden on you. I know you have enough to bear now. Remember, you don’t have to answer him. Don’t let him pressure you into doing something you don’t believe is right or best.
If I can be of any service, don’t hesitate to ask. I would love to have you here with me for a while. If you feel you can’t stand the mountain winters, please come. Those winters can be fierce, especially to a flatlander. The climate zone of Watauga is more akin to Canada, so don’t underestimate winter there. I’ll look forward to hearing from you soon.
All my best wishes,
Your surrogate father
With a deep sigh, Leah opened Paul’s letter. She read:
Dear Leah and Ivy,
Please come home. Your mother is suffering without you. She’s not been the same since you left. I fear for both her health and her mental state. It’s getting harder and harder for me to deal with her.
Hester Sue thinks our first child will arrive in May. Although there’s little physical indication yet, she is very nervous and anxious. She’s afraid something bad is going to happen to her or the baby. Leah, you are good with medicines and herbs. You would know just what to do. Please come home. Just your being here would help relieve Hester Sue’s fears. She’s far too high-strung of late.
Do not fear we will force you into an unwanted marriage. I promise you both I shall not. I don’t know what I was thinking, Leah, when I considered allowing you to marry Archibald. He’s a cruel man, and I think too much of you to want such a match. Although Lawrence is a good man, I’ll not make you marry him, Ivy, if you’re still opposed to the idea. You are pretty enough to get any man you want. I’ll approve any match that would be suitable to your station. I’ll leave that selection to you and your mother. The only stipulation I have is that you live in this area, so your mother can see you regularly. Perhaps she could even live with you, if that would be agreeable?
Ivy, your mother needs you in the worst way. If you don’t come home, I fear for her well-being. Come quickly, before it’s too late. Even if you’re already married, come for a visit. I could meet you in Salisbury, or I could send someone up the mountain to get you. I eagerly await both your replies. If one of you cannot possibly come, I’m hoping the other will.
Your half-brother,
Paul
Leah leaned her head back on the settee and closed her eyes. Dr. Moretz had been right. She didn’t need this right now.
Luke moved to sit down beside her. “Leah, what’s wrong?” His gentle concern tugged at her.
She didn’t look at him. She just handed over both her letters. When he’d focused on the mail, she watched him, as he read.
“Oh, Leah, I’m so sorry that Paul’s put all this on you. What are you going to do?” He almost sounded fearful of her answer.
“I don’t know.”
“I’ll ask you the question Father would ask, if he were here. What do you want to do?”
“I want to stay here.” She answered quickly, because she didn’t need to think about that one. She saw Luke relax, but she continued. “We don’t always get to do what we want, though, do we? Are you doing what you want now?”
Luke grimaced.
“What do you want, Luke?” She whispered it, unsure if she should ask it at all.
He paused. “I want to be through with all this mess with Ivy. I want her to be in a good situation, and I want to be free to follow my heart.”
Leah wanted to ask Luke what following his heart meant, but Granny Em came in. She must’ve heard Luke’s last remark.
“Then, what are you going to do about it, Luke? Sometimes it doesn’t work to just sit around and let things happen. When you do that, you may be letting others chart your course. Sometimes you need to take control. Only God should control your actions. Seems to me, you’ve been letting Ivy do that,” Granny Em told him.
“Granny Em, Luke’s been trying hard to do what’s right.” Leah said. She felt sorry for Luke. How dare Granny Em be so harsh! “You’re being way too hard on him. He’s still engaged to my sister.”
“You see there, Luke.” Granny Em pointed her finger. “Who takes up for you no matter what? Who would support you through thick and thin? Who would never leave you, if you made her your wife? Open your eyes, son. God has sent you a treasure above all others. Don’t let your life waste away just waiting to see what happens.”
Luke sat as if frozen in place. He seemed to be stunned by Granny Em’s words.
“And, Leah Morgan, don’t you go telling me Luke’s still engaged to Ivy. We know she ran away from Luke of her own free will. She told us as much in her note. If that doesn’t break any engagement, I don’t know what would. I’ve watched all summer and held my peace. Well, I just can’t hold it anymore.”
No one said a word. Leah guessed Granny Em had said more than enough for them all. Luke leaned forward on the seat beside Leah. His hands were clasped in front of him, and he stared at the floor.
“I’m going to bed,” Luke finally said. He turned back to Leah, and his countenance softened. He looked like he wanted to touch her, but he didn’t. “We’ll talk in the morning and decide what’s best to do.”
She nodded.
Granny Em looked at Leah. “I just couldn’t keep a lid on it anymore. You know, sometimes you have to lift the lid and stir things around to ensure it’s all right.”
Luke lay in bed and knew sleep wouldn’t come easily tonight. Why did Granny have to say so much—as if Leah and he hadn’t already been anxious enough? He sighed and thought a minute. Maybe it was because Granny Em loved him and wanted the best for him.
He had no doubts that Leah would be good for him. If the situation with Ivy hadn’t been enough to keep them apart, however, now Paul added another pull.
He knew Leah well enough to know she might go back to Gold Leaf, although he believed it wouldn’t be what she wanted. Unlike Ivy, Leah would try to do what was best for others, not herself. She might try to help her family, if she thought they needed her.
Paul had also just taken away the element that had brought Leah here in the first place. She wouldn’t be forced into a marriage with Archibald Biles.
Luke’s stomach turned at the very idea of Leah being married to someone like Archibald, but, then, he sickened at the thought of her marrying anyone else. Was this an indication of the truth in the words Granny had hurled at him tonight? Did God put those words in her mouth so Luke would hear?
Luke thought he’d been waiting for God to bring a resolution or show him what to do. Was this God’s way of doing just that? Luke had expected something more decisive, something which would set things in motion, such as Zeb Brewer finding Ivy.
Luke suddenly remembered they hadn’t held the family devotion tonight. He had been too upset to think of it, and he’d taken his Bible downstairs earlier. He decided to go down and get it. He needed to hear God’s word right now.
He dressed and went down. To his surprise, Leah sat on the couch still fully dressed, and she held her Bible close to the candlelight, so she could read.
She looked up. “Couldn’t you get to sleep either?”
“No, and I remembered we forgot to hold devotions, so I came back down to get my Bible.”
“I remembered, too, and I came down so the light wouldn’t disturb Patsy. She’s already asleep.”
“Would you like to read and pray together?”
“I’d like that very much.”
“Why don’t you continue reading aloud?”
She read in a clear voice. “’Unto thee O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let my enemies not triumph over me. Yes, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed who transgress without cause. Show me thy ways, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindness . . . ’”
She continued reading from Psalms. David had felt anguish, too, and he cried out for God’s help. Luke would do the same. God helped those who loved Him. Luke would take comfort in that.
After a while, Leah stopped reading. “Would you pray for us?” she asked.
He did. He poured out his soul, as if it were just the Lord and him. He pleaded for help, direction, and divine intervention. When he raised his head, silent tears ran slowly down Leah’s face.
“Don’t cry.” He tried to gently rub her tears away with his thumb. “Everything will be fine. God will work it out. You’ll see.”
“Your prayer . . . our devotion together moved me.” She gave a weak smile.
“What are your thoughts about Paul’s letter? Are you going to try to go back?” The words almost hung in his throat, but that question worried him, and he needed to know the answer.
“I don’t think going back now would help anything. My returning without Ivy would most likely make Mama worse. Hester Sue and I are not close, and I don’t think I could help by being there. I can write Paul what he can give her to calm her and not harm the baby, but Hester Sue has always been high-strung. It would be better if I could find Ivy and take her back. I could stay for a short visit and return here, if I haven’t worn out my welcome.”
He took her hand in his. It might affect him too much, but he needed her touch. “You could never do that.” He wanted her with him always. Didn’t she know that?
Her hand felt cold, so he got up and stoked the fire. “You know Granny may be right,” he said when he came back to sit beside Leah. They both turned to face each other. “Maybe it’s time for action. We’ve waited three months. I’ll get things in order here and leave Monday morning with the cabbages for Wilkesboro. Hopefully, I can find Zeb, and he’ll have some information. If not, I’ll try to pick up a trail going south, myself. If that doesn’t work, I’ll head west toward Tennessee. If there’s still no word, I’ll travel north into Virginia. She has to have gone in one of those directions.”
“I wish I could go, too, but I know that’s not possible.”
“I wish you could, too, but it certainly wouldn’t be best.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“As long as it takes to find something. I should’ve done this when she first left. I’ll be more tenacious than someone else, because I have more at stake.”
He noticed the forlorn look on her face. “I hate to leave you women here by yourselves, but I must. You three work together well and should be fine. You and Granny are a lot alike in that you’re both strong, independent, capable women. Granny is just more outspoken and you’re gentler. I love you both.”
Leah looked startled. Her eyes went wide and her breath seemed labored. She stared at him with a confused look. Had he spoken too soon?
“It’ll be all right, Leah.” He softened his voice to soothe her. “We’ll hold onto God’s promises, and it’ll be okay.” She nodded.
Another thought entered his mind. “I didn’t frighten you, did I? I mean, I hope you have feelings for me, too.” All at once, he found himself unsure. What if he’d misread her, and she held no affection for him? What if she felt no attraction? He waited for what seemed forever, but it could only have been a few seconds.
“I have feelings,” she said quietly. “I have deep feelings, too.”
He breathed again. He would do as Granny had suggested. He would bring all of this to a conclusion, and he’d work his hardest to get the result he wanted. He felt better, and at peace, an indication of God’s approval.
They both went upstairs. He wanted to kiss Leah with a fierceness that burned all through his body. Instead he took her hand and looked into her eyes. Cavaliers of old had kissed a lady’s hand. It should be allowable. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it, as he watched her expression. She closed her eyes, and he felt a little quiver pass through her before he released her hand. There was an attraction here stronger than any he’d ever known. They would both have to be mindful of it, and not let it take control.
The next few days were a blur of activity. Luke might not get back for weeks, even months, and he wanted to leave the farm ready for winter.
Saturday would be Leah’s birthday. He’d bought her a leather journal for her to write down her thoughts and experiences. He smiled as he thought of suggesting she keep one, because of the wonderful way she had with words. He fancied she might share at least parts of it with him someday, when things worked out for them. He’d think positively and say “when” and not “if.”
Granny baked Leah a walnut cake. She even put a sugary glaze on top, something she didn’t usually do, because of the cost and sometimes scarcity of sugar.
“This is a special day,” Granny said, “and that girl needs to celebrate.”
They held the celebration at dinner. Granny often liked to cook enough for dinner to eat leftovers for supper. As the weather cooled, however, she wouldn’t do that as much. September would be cool enough to expect frost.
Granny had sent Leah out on some errands while she and Patsy set the table and put the food out. “Go get her for dinner,” she told Luke.
Luke found her in the smokehouse. She’d come to the smokehouse to rub more salt into the fresh pork they’d butchered.
“Granny says to come on to dinner,” he told her.
“I’ll be praying for you the whole time you’re gone,” she told him. “Please take care of yourself and get back to us as soon as you can.”
“I will, and I’ll be praying for you, too. Stay as close as you can to the house. Just because the bears will hibernate and the snakes stay in the ground more in the winter doesn’t mean there’s no danger. There’ll be mountain lions, bobcats, wild boar, wolves, and things like that, and they’ll all be hungrier and looking for prey. There may also be men, and they can be the most dangerous of all.”
Afraid that he’d frightened her, he took her hand in support as they walked to the house. Holding her hand felt so right, but it caused him to fill with longing. He gave her hand a quick squeeze and dropped it before they went inside.
Granny and Patsy began singing “Happy Birthday” as they entered the kitchen, and Luke joined in. Surprise showed on Leah’s face.
“Oh my,” Leah said. “I hadn’t expected this.”
“Well, sit down,” Granny said. “We’ll eat first, while it’s hot, and you can open your presents afterwards.”
The food tasted wonderful, and they all tried to keep the conversation light and carefree. Leah seemed impressed when Granny sliced the cake. “This is mouth-watering good,” she told Granny.
Leah opened Patsy’s gift first, a white apron Patsy had made her. “It’s just what I need,” Leah said. “I only brought two, and one of them is about worn out now. Thank you, Patsy.” Leah reached over and gave Patsy a hug, and Patsy grinned from ear to ear.
She opened Luke’s present next. “Oh, thank you,” she said excitedly. “I’ll keep it while you’re gone and through the winter, when I’ll have plenty of time to write in it. I remember us talking about a diary for me, and it’s the perfect gift. I’m glad you remembered.”
“I have you a new pen and ink to go with the journal. Granny didn’t want to try wrapping it. You’re also welcome to borrow any of my books you’d like to read while I’m gone. Go into my room and get one anytime you want.”
She nodded, and he realized she was too filled with emotion to speak. She turned to open Granny’s present.
“My, this is big. What can it be?”
“Well, it’s not a horse,” Granny said and got a faraway look in her eyes.
Leah untied the string at the top of the large sack and lifted out a beautiful patchwork quilt. It had an interlocking ring design cut from different colored solid and patterned scraps and an unbleached muslin background. Between the circles and in the center of the circles, Granny had quilted intricate designs with her stitches.
“It’s called ‘Double Wedding Ring,’” Granny said. “I thought you could put it away until you got married.” She looked from Leah to Luke. He smiled to himself. Granny was something.
“I love it, but it’s too much for a birthday present.”
“Nonsense. Don’t you know how much you mean to all of us?” Granny looked at Luke again.
“I pieced this top last winter, before you came. Oralee and Polly came over and helped me get it in the frame and start quilting on it in the spring. It took a long time for me to get that one quilted out.”
“Thank you so much. Thank you all. This is the best birthday I’ve had in a long time.”
“And may there be many more even happier ones,” Luke said, as he raised his glass of water.
“Hear, hear,” Granny affirmed as she and Patsy raised their glasses, too.
Luke first thought he’d leave Monday morning, but he didn’t want to harvest the cabbage, pack them in the wagon, and have a flurry of last minute activities on Sunday, the Lord’s Day. Instead, he would leave early Tuesday morning.
Even yet, Sunday turned out to be bittersweet. He wanted to be with Leah and explore these newly declared feelings, but they were being ripped apart. He also hesitated to really start courting until they knew about Ivy. He felt like a dandelion seed being blown by the wind, not knowing where he’d land.
“Write your replies to Father and Paul, and I’ll post them in Wilkesboro,” Luke told Leah. “I’ll have Oralee’s grandson pick up any mail for you when he goes to Boone and check on you from time to time. If you need anything, you let him know.”
“Okay, but I think we’re pretty well stocked. I can’t see we’d need much else.”
“Granny knows how to take care of the livestock and things. Since the new calf is a bull, I’m going to lead the old bull and the yearling’s mother down the mountain and sell them. Everything else should be manageable for you.”
After an early supper Sunday, Granny said, “Why don’t you two go out and take a short walk together before the sun goes down? You don’t have to go far, just out to the pasture or across to the meadow.”
“Thank you, Granny,” Luke told her and held out his hand to Leah. Leah grabbed her wool cape from a peg beside the larder door, and they started out.
They walked across the hint of a road to the meadow. The brightly colored fall leaves and the majestic mountains painted a lovely scene.
“Heaven could be just this pretty, and it would be all right with me,” Leah said. Then she looked at him. “I hate to see you go, but I wish you a speedy and fruitful journey. May God guide you and keep you safe.”
“I love you, Leah. No matter what happens, remember I love you with all my heart, and I’ll always work to be with you, no matter how long it might take.”
Puzzled, Leah looked at him. Did she think he was trying to tell her good-bye?
“I love you too, and I’ll wait for you. No matter how long it takes, I promise to wait for you.”
He took her in his arms and kissed her then, as he’d been wanting to do for a long time. Time became fluid, liquid, and he melted with it. The intensity of it all engulfed him and washed him to a place he’d never been before.
He pulled back to regain control of himself, but he still held her in his arms. She must have been affected similarly, because she held to him, as if she might not be able to stand at all, if he let her go. They stood there for a while, locked in each other’s arms.
“I’m praying that everything will work out for us sooner, rather than later.”
They let go of each other and walked back to the house. They’d said all that mattered.
They spent most of the day Monday harvesting the rest of the cabbage and packing them in the wagon. The wagon seat wouldn’t be crowded this time with just Luke on it. Luke wished Leah could be jammed against him again as he traveled down the mountain.
Tuesday morning brought a rush of activity. Luke packed his things on his horse. He would tie him to the wagon and sell the wagon and mules when he got to Wilkesboro. The mules would be one less thing Leah would have to tend to, and Luke could buy others when they needed them.
He would have to take it easy with the cow and bull also tied to the wagon. He hoped he could sell them in Boone, so he could make better time down the mountain.
He’d given Leah and Granny a ton of instructions, but he knew they were equipped to handle things. Granny had lived here a long time, and Leah was strong, smart, and capable. Still, he worried he could be gone most of the winter, and anything could happen. He’d leave them in God’s care and try not to worry.
Granny wanted to pack him a lot of food, but he told her to just get enough for lunch. He would be in Wilkesboro for supper and planned to overnight there. He could get hot food at the inn.
All too soon he sat in the wagon with all the good-byes said. He pulled off and looked back. Three women stood in a row waving, and he felt sure Granny and Leah had tears in their eyes.
Luke felt burdened on the way to Boone. He made a quick stop there, told the sheriff what he planned, and let the post office know the neighbors would be picking up their mail. He also managed to sell the bull and cow there.
The day turned out to be cold, overcast, and misty. It almost looked as if the mountains wept for him and Leah. They’d heard enough sad ballads ring out around them over the years. Did they know he and Leah would be another one? He scolded himself. Just because the day looked so gloomy didn’t mean he needed to be.
The fog hung so thick in Deep Gap he could barely see the mules in front of him. He kept them going slowly, but he let them have the lead down the mountain. They would navigate the way better than he could in this pea soup. Pea soup. Would everything remind him of Leah?
About halfway down the mountain, he came out of the clouds and the sun burst forth. He drove into Wilkesboro early enough to deliver the cabbage and find the sheriff.
“I haven’t seen hide nor hair of Zeb Brewer,” the sheriff told Luke. “I’da thought he’d be back by now. Ivy’s trail must have been hid good. Zeb’s the best tracker I know.”
Luke went to the post office before it closed. Leah told him she’d written to Paul and told him Ivy had run away, but she didn’t say it’d been three months ago. She said she’d try to bring Ivy home as soon as they located her.
Finally, he took the wagon and mules to the log stable. He thought of joking with Leah and Ivy about the mules staying in a courthouse. Events sure had taken twists and turns since that day.
“I’ll take the wagon and mules off your hands if you’re wanting to sell,” the stable owner told him.
“I’d have to have a least what I have in them,” Luke told him. When he named the price, the man took it.
He went to the other inn in town. For some reason, he didn’t want to stay in the same one he had stayed with Ivy and Leah. He feared the memories would keep him awake all night.
It still took Luke a long time to get to sleep, but, once he did, he slept soundly. He had just finished his breakfast when the sheriff came in looking for him.
“I thought you’d want to know. Zeb Brewer just got in late last night, but he’s still sleeping. He looked pretty done in, so I let him sleep in the jail. He seemed glad to hear you were in town, so he won’t have to ride up the mountain. He said he’d located Ivy.”
Luke’s heart skipped a beat, and he felt as if his blood drained from his head. “Where?”
“I don’t really know any more. I expect you can ask him yourself soon enough.”
“Not soon enough for me. I’ll walk back with you and see if he’s awake.”
Zeb sat up when they walked in. “Well hey there, Luke. Glad to see you. Come in and set a spell. This here talk might take a while.”
“What did you find? How’s Ivy? Where is she?”
“Whoa, now. Hold your horses. One thang at a time. Let me just tell my story. I hauled off and headed toward Lenoir, like you said, but I didn’t pick up no clues. I take it she was with Sam Whitley at that time, and they wuz a-layin’ low. They didn’t go near a town whar somebidy might ax around and pick up a scent. But, I had me this gut feelin’ I wuz headed in the right dye-rection, and my gut’s usely right. I mosied on south, axing at every place I come to. I wuz a-getting ’bout ready to call it quits, ’cause I’m gittin’ too close to Charlotte to suit me. That place’s just too big fer a country boy. I wuz a-talkin’ to this feller just outside the city, when he ups and tells me iffin he wuz a-runnin’ he’d go over the line into South Carolina. Well, that made sense to me, so off I go. I git to Rock Hill, and I git my first lead. Seems some folks thar recollected a good-lookin’, young couple with blond hair trapsin’ through on thar way to Charleston. I wuz shore hit wuz Ivy and Sam. But, the last person I talked to said the two had some fallin’ out, and the man goes off and leaves the woman. Said he heard the man yell back she whined more’n his old hound dog. Best I can tell, he headed off, and left her high and dry.”
“Was Ivy still there?”
“No she weren’t. That’s whar everthang got hard agin. I looked and looked and couldn’t find her nowhars. She shore weren’t in inny of the towns ’round thar. I kivered ever one of them. I wuz just ’bout to give plumb up and hightail hit back home, when I ups and comes to this here farm. The guy tells me he thanks somebidy might’ve took up in an old abandoned shack down the road a piece. Shore ’nuff, hit wuz Ivy.”
“Where is she now?”
“She wouldn’t come back with me. Said she wern’t goin’ nowhar with some man she didn’t know. She wuz lookin’ right bad. I brung her food to last her a spell and told her to clean herself up, and I’d brang you to git her.”
“Besides being hungry and dirty, how was she?”
“Iffin you axing me ’bout her mind, I don’t rightly know. She’s doin’ none too good, I’d say. Got right frantic when I tried to talk her into comin’ back with me.”
“Are you up to traveling again this morning?”
“I reckon so. Are we headin’ south?”
“I want to go to my farm west of Boone and get Ivy’s sister first. I’m thinking we might need Leah to help with Ivy.”
“That thar might not be a bad idee.”
“I’ll even give you a warm bed tonight.”
“I hain’t in inny shape to lay down in no clean bed. Just a pallet on the floor will do me fine.”
Luke left to go to the stable. He would need another horse and a side saddle for Leah.